Administrative map of Caucasus in USSR, 1952-1991.

The Caucasus, also referred to as Caucasia, is a geopolitical, mountain-barrier region located between the two continents of Europe and Asia, or Eurasia, with various altitude highlands and lowlands. For the superstate in George Orwell 's novel see Nations of Nineteen Eighty-Four.

The Caucasus comprises Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan and part of Southern Russia (including the disputed territories of Abkhazia, Chechnya, South Ossetia and Nagorno-Karabakh). Georgia ( საქართველო, Sakartvelo) is a Transcontinental country in the Caucasus region situated at the dividing line between Armenia (Հայաստան transliterated: Hayastan,) officially the Republic of Armenia (Հայաստանի Հանրապետություն Hayastani Azerbaijan ( English; Azərbaycan officially the Republic of Azerbaijan (Azərbaycan Respublikası is the largest and most populous country in the South Southern Federal District ( Russian: Ю́жный федера́льный о́круг tr This is a list of extant Territorial disputes around the world Abkhazia (Аҧсны Apsny აფხაზეთი Apkhazeti or Abkhazeti Абха́зия Abhazia) is a De facto The Chechen Republic (ˈʧɛʧɨn rɪˈpʌblɨk Чече́нская Респу́блика Chechenskaya Respublika; Нохчийн Республика Noxçiyn Respublika South Ossetia ( or; Хуссар Ирыстон Xussar Iryston; Южная Осетия Yuzhnaya Osetiya; სამხრეთი ოსეთი Samxreti For the republic see Nagorno-Karabakh Republic Nagorno-Karabakh is a Region in the South Caucasus.

South Caucasus

The South Caucasus, or Transcaucasus, is a region in south-central Eurasia bordered on the north by Russia, on the west by the Black Sea, on the east by the Caspian Sea, on the southwest by Turkey, and on the south by Iran. For the superstate in George Orwell 's novel see Nations of Nineteen Eighty-Four. Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending The Black Sea is an inland Sea bounded by southeastern Europe, the Caucasus and the Anatolian peninsula ( Turkey The Caspian Sea is the largest enclosed body of water on Earth by area variously classed as the world's largest lake or a full-fledged Sea. Turkey (Türkiye known officially as the Republic of Turkey ( is a Eurasian Country that stretches For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iran topics. The south Caucasus includes the Caucasus Mountains and surrounding lowlands. This article is about the terrestrial Eurasian mountain range All of Armenia, Azerbaijan (excluding the northern part of Azerbaijan, which are within North Caucasus) and Georgia (excluding northern part of Georgia which are within North Caucasus) are in South Caucasus. See also: South Caucasus

North Caucasus

The North Caucasus, or Ciscaucasus, is a region in north-central Eurasia and contains the larger majority of the Greater Caucasus Mountain range, also once known as the Major Caucasus mountains. The South Caucasus is a mountainous geopolitical area of south-central Eurasia, also referred to as Transcaucasia, or The Transcaucasus. For the superstate in George Orwell 's novel see Nations of Nineteen Eighty-Four. Southwestern Russia, northern Georgia and northern Azerbaijan are included as North Caucasus.

Geography

The Caucasus Mountains are commonly reckoned as a dividing line between Asia and Europe, and territories in Caucasia are variably considered to be in one or both continents. This article is about the terrestrial Eurasian mountain range A continent is one of several large Landmasses on Earth. They are generally identified by Convention rather than any strict criteria with seven regions The northern portion of the Caucasus is known as the Ciscaucasus and the southern portion as the Transcaucasus. Ciscaucasus may refer to Fore-Caucasus North Caucasus SimpleCiscaucasus The South Caucasus is a mountainous geopolitical area of south-central Eurasia, also referred to as Transcaucasia, or The Transcaucasus. The highest peak in the Caucasus is Mount Elbrus (5,642 m) which, in the western Ciscaucasus in Russia, is generally considered the highest point in Europe. Mount Elbrus (Эльбрус is a Mountain located in the western Caucasus Mountain range, in Kabardino-Balkaria and Karachay-Cherkessia

The Caucasus is one of the most linguistically and culturally diverse regions on Earth. Culture (from the Latin cultura stemming from colere, meaning "to cultivate" generally refers to patterns of human activity and the symbolic The nation-states that compose the Caucasus today are the post-Soviet states Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan. For the online game see Jennifer Government NationStates. The nation-state is a certain form of State that derives its legitimacy The post-Soviet states, also commonly known as former Soviet republics, are the 15 independent nations that split off from the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics Georgia ( საქართველო, Sakartvelo) is a Transcontinental country in the Caucasus region situated at the dividing line between Armenia (Հայաստան transliterated: Hayastan,) officially the Republic of Armenia (Հայաստանի Հանրապետություն Hayastani Azerbaijan ( English; Azərbaycan officially the Republic of Azerbaijan (Azərbaycan Respublikası is the largest and most populous country in the South The Russian divisions include Krasnodar Krai, Stavropol Krai, and the autonomous republics of Adygea, Kalmykia, Karachay-Cherkessia, Kabardino-Balkaria, North Ossetia, Ingushetia, Chechnya, and Dagestan. Krasnodar Krai (Краснода́рский край Krasnodarsky kray) is a federal subject of Russia (a Krai) located in the Southern Stavropol Krai (Ставропо́льский край Stavropolsky kray) is a federal subject of Russia (a Krai) The Republic of Adygea (Респу́блика Адыге́я adɨ'ɟeja Адыгэ Республик Adyge Respublik) is a federal subject of Russia The Republic of Kalmykia (Респу́блика Калмы́кия Kalmyk: Хальмг Таңһч is a federal subject of the Russian Federation (a Karachay-Cherkess Republic (Карача́ево-Черке́сская респу́блика Karachay-Balkar: Къарачай-Черкес Республика The Kabardino-Balkar Republic (Кабарди́но-Балка́рская Респу́блика Kabardian: Къэбэрдей-Балъкъэр Республикэ The Republic of North Ossetia-Alania (Респу́блика Се́верная Осе́тия–Ала́ния Ossetic: Республикӕ Цӕгат Ирыстон — Алани The Republic of Ingushetia ( Ingush: ГӀалгӀай Мохк Респу́блика Ингуше́тия Respublika Ingushetiya) is a federal The Chechen Republic (ˈʧɛʧɨn rɪˈpʌblɨk Чече́нская Респу́блика Chechenskaya Respublika; Нохчийн Республика Noxçiyn Respublika The Republic of Dagestan dæɡɪˈstɑːn (IntEng ˈdeɪɡəstæn (AmEng (Респу́блика Дагеста́н Дагъистанлъул ДжумхIурият Daɣistanłul Three territories in the region claim independence but are not acknowledged as nation-states by the international community: Abkhazia, Nagorno-Karabakh and South Ossetia. Abkhazia (Аҧсны Apsny აფხაზეთი Apkhazeti or Abkhazeti Абха́зия Abhazia) is a De facto For the republic see Nagorno-Karabakh Republic Nagorno-Karabakh is a Region in the South Caucasus. South Ossetia ( or; Хуссар Ирыстон Xussar Iryston; Южная Осетия Yuzhnaya Osetiya; სამხრეთი ოსეთი Samxreti

The Caucasus is an area of great ecological importance. It harbors some 6,400 species of higher plants, 1,600 of which are endemic to the region. Endemism is the Ecological state of being unique to a place Endemic species are not naturally found elsewhere ^[1] Its native animals include leopards, brown bears, wolves, European bison, marals and golden eagles. The leopard (lɛpɚd Panthera pardus) is an Old World Mammal of the Felidae family and the smallest of the four roaring The Brown Bears is a name shared by all sports teams at Brown University, a University located in Providence Rhode Island in the United States The grey wolf or gray wolf ( Canis lupus) also known as the timber wolf or simply wolf, is a Mammal of the order Carnivora The wisent (ˈviːzənt or European bison ( Bison bonasus) is a Bison Species and the heaviest surviving land animal in Europe The Caspian Red Deer, ( Cervus elaphus maral) also known as Maral is the easternmost Subspecies of Red deer that is native to areas between The Golden Eagle ( Aquila chrysaetos) is one of the best known birds of prey in the Northern Hemisphere Among invertebrates, some 1,000 spider species are recorded in the Caucasus^[2]. An invertebrate is an Animal lacking a Vertebral column. The group includes 98% of all animal Species — all animals except those in the Chordate Spiders are Predatory Invertebrate Animals that have two body segments, eight legs no chewing mouth parts and no wings The natural landscape is one of mixed forest, with substantial areas of rocky ground above the treeline. The Caucasus mixed forests is a temperate mixed forest ecoregion that covers the Caucasus range which forms the traditional border between Europe and The Caucasus Mountains are also famous for a dog breed, the Caucasian Shepherd Dog (Ovcharka). Dog breeds are groups of closely related and visibly similar domestic Dogs with characteristic traits that are selected and maintained by humans bred from a known foundation The Caucasian Shepherd Dog (Գամփռ գելխեղդ/գայլխեղդ Çoban iti /ʧɒˈbʌn ɪtˈɪ/ კავკასიური ნაგაზი is a breed of

History

Further information: History of the Caucasus

The Northern Caucasus has been under Scythian influence in antiquity, while the Southern Caucasus (Caucasian Albania, Colchis) was absorbed into the Persian Empire. The history of the Caucasus region can be divided into the history of the Northern Caucasus (Ciscaucasia historically in the sphere of influence of Scythia In Classical Antiquity, Scythia ( Greek Skuthia) was the area in Eurasia inhabited by the Scythians, from the 8th This region should not be confused with modern-day Albania in south-eastern Europe. In ancient Geography, Colchis or Kolchis ( Georgian and Laz: კოლხეთი k'olxeti; Greek:, Kolchís The Persian Empire was a series of Iranian empires that ruled over the Iranian plateau, the original Persian homeland and beyond in Western Asia

In Modern times, both Southern Caucasus and Northern Caucasus was conquered into the Russian Empire in the 18th century (Caucasian Wars). The Russian Empire ( Pre-reform Russian: Pоссійская Имперія Modern Russian: Российская Империя translit: Rossiyskaya The Caucasian War of 1817–1864 also known as the Russian conquest of the Caucasus was an invasion of the Caucasus by the Russian Empire ended with the

Following the end of the Soviet Union, Georgia, Azerbaijan and Armenia became independent in 1991. The Belavezha Accords (Беловежские соглашения is the Agreement which declared the Soviet Union effectively dissolved and established the Georgia ( საქართველო, Sakartvelo) is a Transcontinental country in the Caucasus region situated at the dividing line between Azerbaijan ( English; Azərbaycan officially the Republic of Azerbaijan (Azərbaycan Respublikası is the largest and most populous country in the South Armenia (Հայաստան transliterated: Hayastan,) officially the Republic of Armenia (Հայաստանի Հանրապետություն Hayastani The Caucasus region is subject to various territorial disputes since the collapse of the Soviet Union, leading to the Nagorno-Karabakh War (1988-1994), the Ossetian-Ingush conflict (1989-1991), the War in Abkhazia (1992–1993), the First Chechen War, 1994–1996 and the Second Chechen War (1999–present). The Nagorno-Karabakh War refers to the armed conflict that took place from February 1988 to May 1994, in the small ethnic Enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh The War in Abkhazia between 1992 and 1993 was waged chiefly between Georgian government forces on one side and Abkhaz separatist forces supporting The First Chechen War also known as the War in Chechnya was fought between Russia and Chechnya from 1994 to 1996 and resulted in Chechnya's The Second Chechen War, in a later phase better known as the War in the North Caucasus, was launched by the Russian Federation starting August 26

Demographics

Main article: Peoples of the Caucasus

Further information: Caucasian languages

The largest peoples of the Caucasian language family are Georgians (4,600,000), Chechens (800,000), and Avars (500,000). This article deals with the various Ethnic groups inhabiting the Caucasus region Georgians are the only Caucasian people that have their own independent state - Georgia, while some other of those peoples possess their republics within the Russian Federation: Adyghe (Adygea), Cherkess (Karachay-Cherkessia), Kabardins (Kabardino-Balkaria), Ingush (Ingushetia), Chechens (Chechnya), while Northeast Caucasian peoples mostly live in Dagestan. Georgia ( საქართველო, Sakartvelo) is a Transcontinental country in the Caucasus region situated at the dividing line between Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending The Republic of Adygea (Респу́блика Адыге́я adɨ'ɟeja Адыгэ Республик Adyge Respublik) is a federal subject of Russia Karachay-Cherkess Republic (Карача́ево-Черке́сская респу́блика Karachay-Balkar: Къарачай-Черкес Республика The Kabardino-Balkar Republic (Кабарди́но-Балка́рская Респу́блика Kabardian: Къэбэрдей-Балъкъэр Республикэ The Republic of Ingushetia ( Ingush: ГӀалгӀай Мохк Респу́блика Ингуше́тия Respublika Ingushetiya) is a federal The Chechen Republic (ˈʧɛʧɨn rɪˈpʌblɨk Чече́нская Респу́блика Chechenskaya Respublika; Нохчийн Республика Noxçiyn Respublika The Republic of Dagestan dæɡɪˈstɑːn (IntEng ˈdeɪɡəstæn (AmEng (Респу́блика Дагеста́н Дагъистанлъул ДжумхIурият Daɣistanłul Abkhazians live in Abkhazia, which is de facto independent, but de jure is autonomous republic within Georgia. Abkhazia (Аҧсны Apsny აფხაზეთი Apkhazeti or Abkhazeti Абха́зия Abhazia) is a De facto

Today the peoples of the Northern and Southern Caucasus tend to be either Orthodox Christians or Sunni Muslims. Sunni Islam is the largest denomination of Islam. Sunni Islam is also referred to as Ahl as-Sunnah wa’l-Jamā‘h (Arabic There is also a very strong historic prescence of Shia Islam in Azerbaijan, to the east of the region.

In mythology

In Greek mythology, the Caucasus or Kaukasos was one of the pillars supporting the world. Prometheus was chained there by Zeus after Prometheus had presented man with the gift of fire. In Greek mythology, Prometheus (Προμηθεύς "forethought" is a Titan known for his wily intelligence who stole Fire from Zeus Zeus (zjuːs in Greek: nominative: Zeús /zdeús/ genitive: Diós; Modern Greek /'zefs/ in Greek mythology

The Roman poet Ovid placed Caucasus in Scythia and depicted it as a cold and stony mountain which was the abode of personified hunger. Publius Ovidius Naso ( March 20, 43 BC – 17 AD was a Roman poet known to the English -speaking world as Ovid who wrote on many topics including In Classical Antiquity, Scythia ( Greek Skuthia) was the area in Eurasia inhabited by the Scythians, from the 8th The Greek hero Jason sailed to the west coast of the Caucasus in pursuit of the Golden Fleece, and there met the famed Medea. In Greek mythology, the Golden Fleece (Χρυσόμαλλον Δέρας is the fleece of the winged ram Chrysomallos (Χρυσόμαλλος Medea (Μήδεια Mēdeia) in Greek mythology was the daughter of King Aeëtes of Colchis, niece of Circe, granddaughter of

See also

• Peoples of the Caucasus
• History of the Caucasus
• Transcontinental nations
• South Caucasus
• Languages of the Caucasus
• Islam in Russia
• Russian-Circassian War
• Prometheism

References

External links

• Ethnographic map of Caucasus
• (Caucasian Review of International Affairs - an academic journal on the South Caucasus)
• BBC News: North Caucasus at a glance, September 8, 2005
• United Nations Environment Programme map: Landcover of the Caucasus
• United Nations Environment Programme map: Population density of the Caucasus
• Caucasus and Iran entry in Encyclopaedia Iranica
• University of Turin-Observatory on Caucasus