Adygea

I

Introduction

Adygea, autonomous republic, south-western Russia, contained wholly within Krasnodar Kray (territory), and located inland from the Black Sea between the Kuban and Laba rivers and the Great Caucasus Mountains. Adygea was established in 1922 as an autonomous oblast (province); it gained republican status in 1992. With an area of 7,600 sq km (2,934 sq mi) Adygea is the smallest of Russia's 21 republics. Maykop is the republic's capital.

II

Land and Resources

The landscape of Adygea is characterized by rolling plains in the north, and by foothills and mountains in the south. Mount Chugush (3,238 m/10,623 ft) is the highest peak. The republic has abundant pine forests and rich black soils. A small section of the Sochynskiy National Park—Russia’s first national park, established in 1983—lies in south-west Adygea. The park, which consists of the contrasting landscapes of dense mountain forests and alpine and subalpine meadows, encompasses a total area of 1,913 sq km (739 sq mi) and is primarily located in Krasnodar Kray, running along the international border with Georgia, while a small area transgresses the border into the republic of Karachay-Cherkessia. The park lies at the heart of the larger Western Caucasus World Heritage Site, inscribed by UNESCO in 1999. The Lagonaki Plateau, a vast limestone massif, has some spectacular examples of karst features.

The climate of Adygea is moderate. At Maykop, average temperatures range from -1.6° C (29° F) in January to 22.2° C (72° F) in July. Average annual precipitation is 700 mm (27 in).

III

Population

Adygea has a population of about 444,900 (2002 estimate), with an overall average population density of 59 people per sq km (152 per sq mi). Maykop is the capital and largest city, with 166,000 inhabitants (1997 estimate)—around one third of the total population of the republic. Smaller settlements include Adygeisk, Tul’skiy, and Giaginskaya. In all, 53 per cent of the population is urban.

The indigenous people of the area are the Adygei, who are descendants of people related to the Kabardinians and the Circassians. They speak a language in the Abkhaz-Adygei group of Ibero-Caucasian languages. However, Russians settled in the area both before and after the 1917 Russian Revolution and became a majority of the population. The 2002 census figures show 65 per cent of the population to be Russian and 24 per cent to be Adygeian.

Traditional Adygei culture was allowed to continue during the Soviet era, albeit within the strict limits of the nationality policy. However, it was adversely affected by the collectivization of agriculture during the 1930s and by religious repression; the Adygei people converted to Islam in the 18th century. There has been a revival of religious traditions in recent years. Adygei developed into a literary language after the Russian Revolution, first with an Arabic alphabet (1918), later a Roman one (1927), and finally a Cyrillic one (1938). The principal higher education institutions are Adyghe State University and Maykop State Technological Institute.

IV

Economy

Many people in Adygea work in agriculture, and crops include wheat and maize, sunflowers, and tea. Some crops are grown under partial irrigation. Cattle, sheep, and pigs are the main animals kept. The most important industries are timber production and woodworking, food processing, and machine-building. Adygea has many mineral resources, including gold, mercury, lead, and zinc. Oil and natural gas reserves were traditionally of considerable economic importance, but supplies are gradually becoming depleted. There is an airport at Maykop and the republic has a good network of road and rail links.