Optimal borders for the Caucasus. Creating new federal districts

Geographical and civilizational conditions of the North Caucasus

The North Caucasus region is located in the south of the Russian Federation and its natural geographic borders are:

• in the north: Kumo-Manic Wpadina
• in the East: Caspian Sea
• in the West: Azov and Black Sea
• in the south: Big Caucasian Ridge, separating the North Caucasus from the Transcaucasus

In landscape, scientists share the North Caucasus on two zones:

1. steppe, predocent, and the steppes both hilly and the plains, in the east they go to the semi-desert
2. Caucasian ridge and foothills

In the territory of the region will allocate two lowlands: In the West - Kuban-Priazovskaya Lowland, in the East - Teresk-Kum Lowland. Main rivers: Kuban in the West and Terek, which forms its own pools.

The North Caucasus region has resource characteristics: In the steppe, the main wealth is a chernozem with a thickness of more than 1.5 meters. Even at the beginning of the development of Russian settlements of the Caucasus, the average yield of the grain ball Sam-5, Sam-6. Natural steppe spaces created favorable conditions not only for agriculture, but also for cattle breeding. Exit to three seas stimulated exchange and trade. A fairly wide range of minerals are made in themselves the Caucasian Mountains. Deposits of iron, zinc, lead, polymetals.

On the flat part of the North Caucasus (Adygea, Chechnya, Nagai steppe) in the 19th century were open deposit Oil. In the middle of the 20th century, gas reserves were revealed in the Stavropol Hills. Compared to European Russia climate North Caucasus more soft With short in winter and hot summer.

At the moment, the entire North Caucasus is represented 8 Subjects Russian Federation: Krasnodar region, Stavropol Territory, Karachay-Cherkess Republic, Kabardino-Balkarian Republic, Republic of North Ossetia - Alania, Republic of Ingushetia, Chechen Republic, Republic of Dagestan. Dagestan because of its ethnic motion back in antiquity, he received the name "Country of Mountains" or "Country of Languages".

Stages of research history of the region

Thanks to the neighborhood with the seas, natural wealth, a soft climate, the North Caucasus has long attracted the attention of neighbors and conquerors. Already in the 6th century BC. In the West, the Caucasus began to form, and therefore the region has repeatedly began to appear in the news of various ancient Greek authors (Herodotus, Plutarch, Strapeon). It is very characteristic that the ancient Greeks not only reflect the contacts of Greek colonists with aborigines, but also recorded the emergence and activities in the Caucasus of large breeding communities, leaving a trace in world history (Kimmerians, Scythians, Sarmatians).

To 1 century BC. The influence of another powerful antique civilization is found in the region. The Romans are not only subordinate to the Greek colonies of the Caucasus, the Caucasus becomes the arena of the struggle between Rome and Parthian State (Iran).

Certificate of the Caucasus and his peoples is found in such authors as Seneca (Jr.), Pompey, Tacitus, Ammonian Marcelli. After new state entities are developing in the Transcaucasus, the North Caucasus becomes an object of interest from , Georgian and Armenian authors (Calication Anania, Movses Horanatsi).

The heir of the ancient civilization was the Byzantine, with the purpose of the spread of political influence and Christianity, also appeared in the North Caucasus lands. Certificates of nature, various tribes of the Caucasus and their morals are found at the famous Byzantine writers - Locks of Caesaresky, Konstantin Bagrynorogennoe.

A certain mark in the study of the Caucasus left italians, Representatives of the ancient shopping city-state. In the 13-15th centuries, the Genoese fortresses and the factors existed in the Azov region and in the Black Sea coast, and their inhabitants were contacted with the local population. In well-known Italian authors (Carpini, Rubruk, Georgy Interiano) there are various descriptions of the nature and tribes of the Caucasus.

By the 16th century, the Northern Caucasus becomes the object of reinforced military, political and religious expansion from the side and its Vassal Crimean Khanate. Turks are actively trying to subordinate to local dominates, impose their citizenship them. Naturally, it finds a display in Turkish chronicles. The variety of characteristics of the North Caucasus are found at the famous 16th century traveler Evia Cheleby.

The most developed culturally already in the 1st century BC. Dagestan becomes. Therefore, this part of the Caucasus appears in the reports of Iranian, Albanian, Azerbaijani and authors.

Domestic Caucasics

The North Caucasus falls into the field of view of Russian authors in the 10th century, in connection with the organization that existed almost 2nd centuries. In Russian chronicles, the 10-12 centuries are mentioned about Tmutarakani, its princes, trade, wars, agreements concluded with the tribes of cobs and yases (Alans).

Scattered episodic information about the North Caucasus is found in the papers of the Embassy Order of 16-17 centuries. It was during this period that some Caucasian tribes were looking for the patronage of Moscow, the arrival of various delegations to Ivan Grozny, and herself Moskovskaya Rus I tried to fix it in the lower reaches.

System and more scientific study of the region It was still started in the 18th century. Academicians of the St. Petersburg Imperial Academy of Sciences P.S. Pallas, I.A. Guldenshtedt, P.G. Batkov, I.F. Blameberg. With the beginning of the accession of the North Caucasus to Russia, the number of authors writing about the North Caucasus, represented by russian officers F.F. Tornau, V.A. Potto, N.F. Dubrovin, R.A. Fadeev. Scientist Academician A.P. Berge "Caspian region", 1857, "Chechnya and Chechens", 1859.

Representatives gorskoy nor The North Caucasus of the 18th century has also become, and the most talented of them created a number of writings in Russian, dedicated to the peoples of the North Caucasus (Shore of the "Tradition of the Cherkhessky People", "Primary Rules of Kabardian Grammar", Umalat Laudaev "Chechen tribe").

In the second half of the 19th - early 20th centuries His own enlighteners had in all Caucasian peoples. In Ossetia - K. Khetagurov (Ossetian), Sultan Kaza-Gire (Nogai). Russian Pre-revolutionary Academic School had a number of authors of Caucasian: E.N. Kusheva, L.I. Lavrov, A.V. Fadeev, V.P. Nevsky, V.N. Townroom and others. Over the years of Soviet power The eating cadres of the Gorso Intelligentsia were published, researchers of the North Caucasus were published: V.G. Hajiyev, R.M. Magomedov, M.M. Bliew, V.V. Delet.

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The Caucasus is a mountainous country located south of the Eastern European Plain, in the region of the cowith between the Black and Azov seas in the West and the Caspian Sea in the East. The northern border of the Caucasus is carried out by KuM-Manic Wpadin, South, conditional in physical and geographical and geological relations, is held on the state border with and. Area 440 thousand km 2. On the territory of the modern Caucasus there are allied republics: part (Krasnodar and Stavropol Territory, Dagestan ACCP, Kabardino-Balkarian ACCP, Kalmyk ACCP, North Ossetian ACCP, Chechen-Ingush ACCP), and. On this territory from north to south 4 main orographic zones stretched in the West-North-West-Southeast direction, which coincide with the main structural elements of the Caucasus: the Precaucasian Plain, the Mining System of the Big Caucasus, the Transcaucasian Depression, the Mining Mountain System Caucasus.

The Precaucasian Plain is extended from the Azov Sea to the Caspian Sea in the form of a wide (200-300 km) strip with a length of 700-800 km. By the nature of the relief, it is divided into 3 elements: Azov-Kuban lowland - accumulative color plain with a height of up to 200 m; Stavropol elevation - plateau, reaching a height of 500-700 m in the south (Strizhena, 831 m); Terek-kum lowland (south-western edge of the Caspian lowland), most of which is located below 100 m, and the eastern third is even lower than the ocean level at 28 m (Caspian level).

The mining system of the Big Caucasus is divided by the length of Western (to Elbrus), the central (between Elbrus and Kazbek) and the Eastern (east of Kazbek). The axial zone of the Grand Caucasus corresponds to the highest ridges - the main, or water-seated, and the side with the vertices of more than 4-5 thousand m (in the West Caucasus Dombay-Ulgen, 4046 m; at the Central Caucasus Elbrus, 5642 m; Kazbek, 5033 m; on Eastern The Caucasus of Tebulosmt, 4493 m), with deeply embedded valleys. Modern glaciation is most pronounced in the eastern part of the Central Caucasus.

The Transcaucasian depression is represented by Rionic lowland in the West and significantly greater in the area of \u200b\u200bKurinskaya depressor in the East, separated by a low flat-terrain Sururant ridge.

Small Caucasus is a complex system of ridges, volcanic heat and plateau. From the Greater Caucasus is distinguished by the lack of a main axial range, less absolute heights of the vertices (no more than 4 km), a significantly less sharp erosion dismemberment and an insignificant manifestation of modern glaciation (Aragats, Zangezur Range).

The Caucasus is located on the boundary of moderate and subtropical climatic belts. The ridges of the Great Caucasus enhance the border between them, making it difficult to transfer the cold air masses from the north to south. The average temperatures of January are in the predfaccazier from -2 to -5 ° C, in Western Transcaucasia 4.5-6 ° C, in the Eastern Transcaucasia 1-3.3 ° C. The average temperatures of July in the west of 23-24 ° C, in the east of 25-29 ° C. The climate of the Western Predog Caucasus is moderate, continental, steppe; Eastern Pre-Caucasus has a more continental, dry, semi-desert climate. High-rise climatic explanation is characteristic of the mining system of the Great Caucasus. The greatest number The precipitation (up to 2500-4000 mm) falls on the slope of the Western and Central Caucasus, facing south-west. The average air temperature at an altitude of 2000 m in January is about -8 ° C, in August 13 ° C. In the northern part of the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus, a mediterranean climate.

The Caucasian River belongs to the Caspian pools (Kypa with Araks, Sulak, Terek, Kuma), Black (Rioni, Inguri, etc.) and Azov (Kuban) seas. For many, the rivers of the Eastern and Central Caucasus are characteristic of the village. Lowness of chickens, Kuban and Rioni shipping. Waters of many rivers are used for irrigation. HPP was built on many Caucasus rivers. Among the major lakes of the Caucasus - Sevan; Many carbon lakes, there are foul, karst and other lakes.

Geological structure. The territory of the Caucasus refers to the Mediterranean geosynclinal belt. In its structure, in accordance with the main orographic units, young () prediccasses, the meguanticlinorium of the Big Caucasus, Riono-Kurinsky zone of the Interghignee Progibov and the Small Caucasus are distinguished.

The foundation of the Precaucasian plate is the middle-powerozoic, partially more ancient, partially younger, to the triad inclusive, the folded base; Its north-western plot (Rostov ledge) is located on the southeast immersion of the Precambrian Ukrainian Crystal Massif. The accumulation of a sedimentary cover in the Caucasus began in the Middle Yura and continued to Cenozoa inclusive. At the end of the Miocene, a raising of the Stavropol Code, which separated the Azov-Kuban and Terek-Kum's depressions, filled with neogene-Quaternary Molessa, took place.

Great Caucasus is a linear folded system of a west-north-western-east-southeast stretch with a clearly expressed zonal structure, longitudinal segmentation and transverse asymmetry. The northern wing is characterized by a monoclinal (central segment) or a hollow-folded (Eastern segment - Dagestan) location, and sediments representing shallow-water sediments (lower and middle Jura, partly the bottom chalk) or (Upper Yura - neon, the upper chalk bottom paleogene ) Composition. The axial zone of the Central Caucasus is formed by two mountain raising, separated by a narrow depression, made by the Lower and Medium. In the northern piciation (advanced ridge), the average-passenger incosal volcanites and carbonates, the shale of the continental slope and the foot of the foot, are sharply displaced by the Upper Paleozoic Molesami and the slant moving to the north of the coating plates. The southern raising (the main ridge) is composed of crystalline slates and gneisses (lower and average Paleozoa, in Nizakh, possibly the upper protester), which accommodate large bodies of Verkhnepaleozoic granites. The zone of the main ridge is highlighted by the narrow zone of development of the lower and middle-wide shale formation - the zone of the southern slope, very intensely crumpled and, in turn, separated by a large gap from the Gagra-Java zone is an advanced raising of the Transcaucasian middle array, the foundation of intermongous depressions. To the east of the development of the Jurassic shale formation, which accommodates diabases, expands sharply, and at the Eastern Caucasus, there are already an axial part of the folded structure - the anticlinories of the lateral and chief ridge with a narrow depression separating them. In the southern slope zone, a powerful flue formation of the upper yura is common - lower paleogene, partially terrigenous, partially carbonate, possessing an isoclonal-scaly and coating structure with a common mass movement to the south in the direction of the Kakhetino-Vandam's raising zone - analogue of the Gagra-Java zone. In the north-western and southeastern directions, the construction of the Big Caucasus is narrowing; Paleozoic, lower and middle deposits are immersed under the flush strata, which are found here with its axial zone and turning onto the northern wing. Along the northern foot of the Greater Caucasus, an intermittent strip of deflection performed by oligocene-quaternary moles, partially superimposed on the northern wing of the most folded structures, was held; This is the West Kuban, East Kuban (separated by the Maykop protrusion), the Terek-Caspian and Kycapo-Divician deflection.

The territory of the Greater Caucasus before the orogenic stage of the Alpine Cycle, i.e., before Oligocene, occupied the Transcaucasian middle array with the foundation folded by the metamorphic shale of the Rights of Paleozoic, speaking in the Dzirul raising and a number of sections of the northern slope of the Small Caucasus. In Paleozoic and Triassa, the northern part of the Transcaucasian massif was predominantly lifted, and starting with Yura, its large area was covered with a small sea and became the village of volcanic activity, especially intensive in the Middle Jura (Bayos), and in the south and partly the North-East continued almost continuously Mid Sene. At the end of the middle of Yura, the western part of the massif - the Georgian block, with the exception of the northern outskirts (Gagra-Java zone), experienced the drainage with the accumulation in separate depressions, first of the bat coalproof strata, the introduction of granidoid intrusions, and then the deposition of Upper-Russia debris red flowers and salts and alkaline . New transgression has come in early chalk, in Barrem. The continental break at the end of Yura - the beginning of the chalk was observed in the rest of the array (Azerbaijani boulder). In Oligocene, with the beginning of the mountain formation at the Big and Small Caucasus, the narrow defeches on the periphery of these structures appeared first, and they merged into major intergusion defenses - Rionan in the West and Kurinsky in the East, separated by Dzirul lifting to the late Miocene. Sea fine-lumpy Molasses Oligocene - Middle Miocene in Late Miocene were ousted by continental or purely shallow water, mainly rude, Melassami. From the same time, both depressions, especially the middle part of the Kurinsky depression, were subjected to folding-heading deformations, spread from the Big Caucasus and most weakly affected by the south-eastern part of Kurinskaya Vpadina with a large buried Saatlin raising. The deformations continue in the modern era. The northeastern part of Kurinskaya Vpadina is separated by the Adzhian-Alyatskaya zone from the pericillic Molasses Absheron-Kobustan deflection, forming together with the last North-West fraction of the deep South Caspian depression.

The southern part of the Transcaucasian array on the Alpine Orogenous stage was involved in the raising of the small Caucasus having a very heterogeneous structure. On the array in the middle of the chalk in the northwestern part there was a latitudinal rift-cooled Ajaro-Trial, performed by flue, volcanogenic-carbonate strokes - lower paleogene and testing folded deformations of moderate intensity at the end of the Eocenta, with coming to Rionian and Kurin's depressions. The arjar-trialty folded area is immersed in east of Tbilisi for Molasses Kurinskaya Vpadina. Its analogue in the southeast of Transcaucasia is the Talysh zone. Through the central part of the Small Caucasus, a syncinory sewan-anelliiyite zone extends with the development of the tectonic covers of the Rangesenonsky age, overlapping carbonate beggar and volcanogenic - Eocenta. The final deformations of the zone belong to the end of the Eocenta, when on her in the east, along the Mrovdagsky and Karabakh ridge, turned out to be a Somato-Karabakh antiklore zone of the Small Caucasus, a raised edge of the Transcaucasian middle array. The southern part of the Small Caucasus during the Paleozoic and almost all of the Mesozoic belonged to the northern outskirts of the Iranian slab with lateokbrey metamorphic foundation, acting in Arzakan and Megrinsky arrays. On this foundation, the shallow-water-sea carbonate-terrigenous (Devon - Lower Carbon) and carbonate deposit (Perm - TRIAS) deposit; Fragmentarily spread the deposits of the Middle and Upper Yura; Nizhny chalk is practically absent. In Late Chalk, the Early Paleogene developed Yerevan-Ordubadsky deflection; Eocene volcanism was intensively manifested in it. The whole area experienced folded deformations of moderate intensity at the end of the Eocenta; At the same time, the introduction of Megry-Ordubad Granite Batolith, which ended in early Miocene began. In the Miocene in the pool of the modern Araks, imposed Molasses, Ararat and Nakhichevan, were formed. Smaller depressions - Sevansky, Leninakanskaya - originated in the central part of the Small Caucasus. In Late Miocene, significant areas in the central part of the Small Caucasus were covered with powerful land volcanism, creating Javakhtskoye, Hegamskoye, Vardenis, Karabakh volcanic highland with a number of major stratulkanov (Aragats, etc.). Volcanic activity continued to Golocene inclusive. It manifested itself at the Bolshoi Caucasus - Elbrus volcanoes, Kazbek, Volcanic region of Chegema-Baksan, etc. Known at the Greater Caucasus and small intrusion of the granitoids of the Pliocene age, and in the mineral water area on the northern slope - somewhat more ancient laccolites.

Compared with some other links of the Alpine folded belt, the Caucasus is characterized by relatively low seismicity. Catastrophic earthquakes are rare here, the intensity of concussions does not exceed 8 points. On the seismic zoning map, the Caucasus is mostly attributed to 6-7-point zones.

From various types of nonmetallic raw materials important They have adsorption clays (and floridine), on the resources of which the Caucasus takes the 1st place in CCCP, and. The most famous deposits of Glin - Sarigyukh (Armenian CCP), Dash-Salahlinskoye (Azerbaijani CCP) and Askan (Georgian CCP), Floridine Glyn - Gumbrian (Georgian CCP). Industrial Barita deposits are located in the North Caucasus (Belorechenskoye), in the Gagra-Java Zone of Georgian CCP (Chordskoye deposit, Kutaisskaya GR), in the Bolnisian ore and apshenous areas. Here they are connected with the cores in the porphyyrite retinue of Bayos. In the Azerbaijan CCP, barite deposits of residential type (Chovdar, Kushnskoye, Zagllics, etc.) are confined to the Middle Commune Volcanites.

The Caucasus is rich in various natural construction materials. Practically inexhaustible reserves of natural cement raw materials, whose deposits are developed in the North Caucasus (Novorossiysk district, etc.) and in Transcaucasia. The deposits, monzonites, and fellsite tuffs, and, and travertines are widely known. In particular, quaternary and pliocene tuffs are famous for, tuffs (in particular, the famous pink articles - see "ArtikTUF") and Lava Armenia, Verkhneplececene tuffs and Nalchik, Quaternary Pumbles of Armenia, Apsheron limestone-shells of the district Baku, etc. in southern Georgia And Armenia has deposits of Pliocene diatomites (Kisatibic). The Perlite deposits are associated with the development of the neogenic acidic effusions of the Armenian Highlands (Armenian CCP). The deposits of Miocene Stone Salt are known in the Nakhichevan Wpadin and in the Yerevan Prog.

Mineral water. The territory of the Caucasus has an exceptional wealth and a variety of mineral waters. Total Debit mineral sources Caucasus reaches 250,000 m 3 / day. A. M. Ovchinnikov allocates 7 hydrogeochemical zones in this area: the zone of carbon dioxide of the Central Caucasus (such as Narzananov Kislovodsk, Elbrusya, Mountain Ossetia, etc.); zone of nitrogen bicarbonate waters of chalk flies sediments of the North-West Caucasus (sources of Olginsky, Gelendzhik, Novorossiysk and others); the zone of nitrogen bicarbonate waters of the shale Yura East Caucasus (the southern slope of the main ridge, Dagestan - Levyssu, Akhty); The zone of hydrogen sulfate sulfate water of the Mesozoic limestone of the North Caucasus (sources of North Ossetia - Tamisk and others, Kabardy - White River and others, Essentuki, Pyatigorsk, Zheleznovodsk); zone of hydrogen sulfide chloride-sodium waters of limestone arrays of the Abkhaz Fatations (Water Matsesta, Terma Tskhaltubo et al.); The zone of carbon dioxide and the term, covering the most part of the Square of the Small Caucasus (Borjomi and others, Dilijan, Jermuk and Ostras, Julf, Arzni); The peripheral belt of methane waters (sources of Dagestan - Talgi, Teresk depression Sernovodsk).

The history of mastering mineral resources. The peoples who inhabited the Caucasus, already in ancient times, developed the development of flint, later - the ore of metals. The use of rocks for making instruments of labor is known from the Ashiel era (700-500 thousand years ago). The oldest stones are found in the cave settlements of Azie (Azerbaijan CCP), Kozoo, Tsona (South Ossetia). Obsidian from Transcaucasian fields (the territory of the modern Armenian CCP) was widely used to highlight tools and weapons since Paleolithic up to the early Bronze Age (Kypo-Araks Culture). From the 6th millennium BC. It starts the mining of clays for the construction of dwellings and cooking and cooking (Schwalary-Shemutpinsky culture in the Transcaucasia). By the 5th millennium BC. The earliest evidence of the use of copper and copper-arsenic products (Cul-Tepsey settlements in Nakhichevan ACCP, Khramis Didi Mountain in East Georgia, etc.). The broad exploitation of copper and arsenic mines in Transcaucasia is known since the end of the 4th - 1st century of the 3rd millennium BC. (Kypo-Araks Culture). It is assumed that the Mining Caucasus with the deposits of the Kaffane ore field, as well as Aikadzor, Antonovskoe, Sisimadan, Kajaran and some other deposits, became the center of the mining business. Mostly copper oxidized minerals were mined - and. Ancient mining work out is poorly preserved, they are destroyed by operating deposits in 19-20 centuries. Mining of arsenic ores was carried out with horizontal gallery at the Daridag field (Nakhichevan ACCP). Near the middle of the 2nd millennium BC. (The beginning of the late-made century) The scale of mining fishery increases significantly: the copper-pyrrhotite deposits of the Greater Caucasus are mastered, the production of primary sulfide ores begins (chalcopyrite, etc.). Known series of large mines 2nd half of the 2nd millennium BC. In the highland zone of the main Caucasian ridge, in the Transcaucasus and on the northern slopes, the rudders of the rivers of the White and Mapyxa rivers in the North Caucasus and others. Are mastered by antimony oreroy (sophito in Rarth et al.). The mining of arsenic minerals - realgara and auripigression continues, gold mining increased (Zodorskoye field in Armenia, etc.). Probably at the very end of the 2nd and early 1st millennium BC. Randler occurs, the iron age began. The mining of iron ores was carried out, allegedly, in many areas of the Caucasus. Ancient mines in southern Georgia (Rkiniszkali and Darkilis near Bolnisi, Zveli-Bogvi near Tetri Tskaro, Supsa Nataneby near Maharadze, etc. ) Operated with breaks up to the ancient time and even to middle ages. Along with this, there was a wide prey of the ore of copper, lead, gold, antimony and other minerals, gypsum, sulfur, pottery clay.

The Caucasus was the leading mining and metallurgical center of the Old World. Its role was particularly significant during the periods of early and middle bronze century (from the end of the 4th until the middle of the 2nd millennium BC), when the smelting of arsenic, antimony and multicomponent alloys developed. Caucasian copper-arsenic alloys were exported far in the north, to Eastern Europe, up to the upper Volga region and Dnieper. In subsequent historical periods, he continued to influence a number of regions of Eurasia.

The beginning of oil use on the territory of modern Azerbaijan refers to 4 V. BC. Arab geographers travelers (10 century) noted that oil in the Baku area was used in domestic, medical and military purposes. Marco Polo described self-relief on the surface of the earth. Outputs of oil. The birth of the handicraft production of oil from the wells from a depth of 30-40 m is 16 V. In the Middle Ages, polymetallic deposits were developed (for example, Akhtal, Zangezur in Armenia), copperrudal (Alaverd group). By 18 V. Copelvil plants were built. In 13-18 centuries. The mining on the large part of the Caucasus comes into decay caused by the invasions of the Tatar-Mongols, the Turks, Iranians, etc.

The beginning of the study of the Caucasus by Russian scientists belongs by the end of the 18th - the beginning of the 19th centuries. (Expeditions I. A. Guildenshtedta and I. G. Gmelin, A. A. Musina Pushkin). The next step (1844-76) of the Geological study of the Caucasus is associated with the name of G. V. Abikha, who made the first generalization on the geology of the Caucasus, published a number of geological maps. The third stage is the period of active activity of the geologists of the Caucasian Mining (S. G. Simonovich, G. Tsulukidze, A. I. Sorokin, A. M. Konshin), the revival of which is associated with the growth of the mining industry - oil, manganese, coal , copper in the 60s-80s. 19th century due to the abolition of serfdom in Russia, the end caucasian Wars, construction of railways. V. I. Miller compiled the first mineral consumer of mineral and mineral waters of the Caucasus. In the same period, A. A. Alsing, F. Yu. Levinson-Lessing, N. I. Andrusov conducted important geological studies. A great contribution to the study of the Caucasus at the beginning of the 20th century. The geologists of the Geological Committee (D. V. Glovenikov, S. N. Charnotsky, I. M. Gubkin).

After October revolution 1917 began a comprehensive and planned study of the Caucasus territory. In the first period of work, they were carried out mainly by the geological committee (until 1933). A. P. Gerasimov, V. P. Rengarten, I. G. Kuznetsov, G. P. Barçanov, A. I. Ghanelidze, K. N. Paffengolts. N. S. Shatsky, V. V. Weber, M. R. Mirchink, I. O. Brod, N. B. Vassoevich, M. I. Varentsov, S. I. Ilin, and, made a big contribution to the further study of the Caucasus. . G. Ebarzin, O. S. Vyglov, E. E. Milanovsky, V. E. Hane, and others. The geological map of the Caucasus was published on the scale of 1: 1,000,000.

Important generalizations on the Caucasus metal generation were made by I. g, Magakyan, S. S. Mkrtchyan, A. Twellchrelidze. As a result of the work carried out, the explored reserves of the Sadonskoye deposit in North Ossetia, Chiautoursky in Georgia, copper deposits in Armenia increased significantly. Prepared for the development of Dashkesan iron ore field. Of great importance was the discovery of tungstenolybdenum fields in the North Caucasus (Tyrnyauz) and copper-molybdenum in Armenia. In parallel, studies were conducted in oil-bearing areas. New deposits were opened in the Baku district, outside of Absheron (Oil, Siazan), new deposits in Grozny and Maykop regions began to be developed. For the first time in CCCP, underwater oil deposits in the Caspian Sea (oil stones, etc.) were explored and from 1949.

Local frames of geologists begin to play an increasingly prominent role. In Tbilisi, a large geological school at the chapter with A. I. Gianelidze and A. A. Twellchrelidze is formed. In the late 40s - early 50s. After the creation of the Academies of the Union Republics (Academy of Sciences of the Georgian CCP, the Academy of Sciences of the Armenian CCP, the Academy of Sciences of the Azerbaijan CCP) employs large expeditions: Caucasian, Azerbaijani, Georgian, North Caucasian, etc. Open and introduce new oil and gas fields in the development (in Krasnodar and Stavropol Territories), coal deposits (Tankuli in Georgia), copper-molybdenum (Armenia), polymetallic (southern Georgia), Pedaginal (North Caucasus) deposits.

A variety of types, quality and scales of mineral deposit Caucasus serves as a powerful base of mining and processing industry. Based on mineral resources, the oil-producing and oil refining industry, the chemical industry, the industry of non-metallic building materials, metalworking and engineering industries were developed. Large mining and processing and metallurgical plants have become economic centers and industrial concentration units. In the Caucasus energy engineering, the hydropower of rivers (Mink Proviskaya, Chirkese, Ingurskaya, Rionic, Chitaevskaya, Gyumushskaya HPP, etc.) is a major role.

The Caucasus region, which includes the North Caucasus of the Russian Federation and Transcaucasia (Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia), is one of the most difficult protection of the national and geopolitical interests of Russia. This is explained by a number of reasons - historical, ethnic, confessional, political.

The North Caucasus and Transcaucasia since ancient times inhabited many tribes and peoples. The region survived the invasion of Huns and Khazar, Arabs and Tatar-Mongols, Seljuk and Timur Turkov, Crimean Khanov. Byzantia dominated here, then Turkey and Iran. Almost continuous feudal wars, slave trade, cruel raids, accompanied by the ruin of the farm and the death of many people, are all inalienable components of the history of the Caucasus for many centuries.

The fragmentation, lack of ethnocultural communion, political and territorial unity were characteristic features of the public life of the North Caucasus and the Transcaucasus, until joined Russia.

One of the specific features of the Caucasus is the presence of various cultures, often contradictory and conflict entering each other, many language groups, denominations, civilizational and historical communities. Indigenous inhabitants of the region - Georgians, the mountain peoples of Dagestan, Vainahi and Adygei belong to the Caucasian-Iberian language family; Azerbaijanis, Kumyki, Nogai, Karachay, Balkarians - to the Turkic; Ossetians, Talysh, Armenians - to various branches of Indo-European; Tats - to the seven-khamita, etc. The modern peoples of the Caucasus confess different religions: Georgians - Orthodoxy, Armenians - the monofisit branch of Christianity, the mountain peoples of Dagestan and the peoples of the Wainka and the Adygea group - Sunnism, Azerbaijanis - Shisma and Sunnism, Tati - Judaism. In the North Caucasus, over the centuries, there is also a subculture of the Cossacks (Kuban, Don, Grebensky, Teresh).

All these differences could not but affect the relationship between the ethnic groups of the Caucasus, which were characterized rather conflict and contradictions than the desire for unity and integrity. As noted by the famous geopolitics K.S. Hajiyev, the concepts of "Caucasus" in general, "Transcaucasia" and "Northern Caucasus" separately never had a political content. The contours of the Caucasus political map in the historical past depended on the outcome of the struggle between different adjacent empires1.

Accession to Russia made it possible to reduce the political and ethnic fragmentation of the Caucasus. Starting from the XVI century. Russia's territory closely got in touch with the Caucasus, his northern. The development of the Russian state of this region began. Most often no voluntary connection was happening. For example, the Kabardians are still in the XVI century. The citizenship of Russia accepted, escaped from the invasions of the Crimean Khanate and Sultanian Turkey.

But there were a lot of military clashes. From the XVIII century. The Caucasus became an intersection of sharp contradictions and wars between Russia, Turkey, Iran, Crimean Khanate. England tried to influence the course of events. The Caucasus host theater of the Caucasus remained in the XIX century. The longest war in the history of Tsarist Russia is 47 years old (from 1817 to 1864) - the Caucasian War with the Gorish peoples, whom the long period headed Imam Shamil. After the victory in this war, the royal government has made every effort to ensure that the Caucasus region is incorporated into the All-Russian economic, political and administrative system.

The need for social and economic development of accepted areas, military-strategic considerations required the accelerated development of transport infrastructure, industrial and agricultural production, development and adequate administrative policies. There was an accelerated settlement of the Caucasus by immigrants from Russia, which not only carried with them the foundations of the new agrarian and industrial economic and the corresponding relationships, but also performed by conductors of education and culture. Management measures was carried out, the region was allocated in a separate territorial administrative unit - the Caucasian Governor-General (governance). In addition, military governors were created along the Caucasian military line, which was generated by the territory of Russian and horses. In Baku, the oil capital of Russia and the rapidly developing international industrial center, was dominated by the Grador, who submitted directly to St. Petersburg.

After 1917, the Caucasus political map changed many times. Thus, in the Soviet Union, the Transcaucasian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic existed (1922-1936), but then a course was taken to create the Union republics on the national basis. Repeated changes were made in the North Caucasus. At the same time, the territorial-administrative boundaries were often determined arbitrarily, which subsequently led to conflicts in the Caucasian post-Soviet space. Collision, and then war of Armenia with Azerbaijan because of Nagorno-Karabakh in the late 80s - early 90s. XX century Not one thousand lives were taken, more than 1 million people were refugees. Georgian-Abkhaz and Georgian-South Ossetian conflicts also poured into bloody wars. Two chechen wars According to the losses among Russian servicemen, almost comparable to the Afghan campaign (only from 1999 to 2004 the loss of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation in the Chechen Republic amounted to more than 3390 people) 2. Ossetian-Ingush confrontation due to the suburban area of \u200b\u200bNorth Ossetia led to the death of 600 people; 3397 houses were burned and destroyed, almost 30 thousand Ingush residents of this area were forced to leave their homes3. By the beginning of the XXI century. In the North Caucasus there were more than ten controversial territories.

Historical and modern experience shows that with the weakening of the central authorities, on the one hand, old national conflicts inside this or that region of the country are sharpened, on the other, centrifugal trends are accelerated. So it was after the First World War, when the Ottoman, German, Austro-Hungarian and Russian Empire collapsed. The same happened in the 90s. XX century With Yugoslavia and the USSR.

In the Soviet period, the Caucasian region played an important, but non-primary role in geopolitical and geostrategic plans of the state leadership. He was not in the center of attention and other leading countries of the world. The situation has changed at the end of the XX - early XXI century. The reasons for the increased geopolitical value of the region are somewhat, we will call the most important of them.

1. The Caucasus (and wider - the Caucasian-Caspian-Black Sea region) began to be considered as a huge storage room of natural resources, primarily hydrocarbon raw materials. Data on extremely large oil and gas reserves in this region appeared just in the period preceding the collapse of the USSR. - Now there is a point of view that these data are significantly exaggerated in the package of political and economic conjuncture.

2. The region can be an important transnational transport hub on the line "East - West" and "North-South", and according to the reserves of hydrocarbon raw materials and the development of communications - a certain alternative to the oil-producing countries of the Persian Gulf.

3. The Caucasus from a geopolitical point of view is considered as the most vulnerable, "soft abdominal" of Russia. The Chechen separatists still operate here, strongly positions of Islamic fundamentalism, the foci of interethnic conflicts are smoldering and flashed. Hence the threat of terrorism for all Russia comes. New countries of Transcaucasia are focused on the West and the southern neighbors, distancing (though, in varying degrees) from Russia.

4. Many researchers consider the Caucasus region, which can be the "Russian Balkans" or the fastening link of the Eurasian belt of instability, covering the space from the Balkans to the Himalayas.

5. The Caucasus has become one of the most important centers of world politics, where local, regional and global interests are faced. Here, Russia, USA, Western European countries, as well as Turkey and Iran are struggling. The Caucasus is politically uneven. North Caucasus is an integral part of the Russian Federation. Transcaucasia is represented by three independent, generally accepted states - the Azerbaijan Republic, the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Georgia. Therefore, considering the situation in the region, it should be borne in mind that it is general that makes it relatively independent object of geopolitical analysis, and what makes the characteristics different parts of this large and important region, in particular the Northern Caucasus and the states of the Transcaucasus.

, Talysh Mountains with Lankaran Lowland. Within the Transcaucasus there are states: Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia. In the same region there are partly recognized states: the Republic of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, whose independence is recognized by Russia and several more countries, as well as an unrecognized Nagorno-Karabakh Republic. The Transcaucasus borders in the north with the Russian Federation, in the south - with Turkey and Iran, in the west is washed by the waters of the Black Sea, in the east - Caspian. The area of \u200b\u200bTranscaucasia is 190 thousand square meters.

Name [ | ]

The formation of toponyms with the prefix "For" was widely disseminated in Russian and, as a rule, reflects the territory from a well-known geographic facility in the already developed area (for example, Zavolzhye, Trans-Oral, Transbaikalia when driving from West to the East, or Transcaucasia - from north to south , Transcarpathia - from East to West). This approach understands a vector of motion from Central Russia, and from a geographical point of view is not neutral because under the applications, it is also possible to understand the territory of the North Caucasus in geopolitical movement from the south to the north. In 1918, the Transcaucasian Democratic Federal Republic was formed on the fragments of the Russian Empire, which was located in the territory of the five provinces - Tiflis, Kutais, Erivan, Baku, Elizavetpol; one area - Karsian; And one district -Saqual. In 1922, the Transcaucasian Socialist Federal Soviet Republic appeared, covering the territories of Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan. In 1935, the Transcaucasian Military District of the USSR was formed in these territories.

In turn, the concept of "South Caucasus", as the synonym for "Transcaucasia", began to be widely applied after the collapse of the Soviet Union, although the first attempts to eat this term refer to the period of the beginning of the First World War and the collapse of the Russian Empire. It, as well as the concept of Azerbaijan for Eastern Transcaucasia (within the former Russian Empire), was proposed by the British and picked up by Turkey [ ]. For example, in 2007, South Caucasian gas pipeline was opened. But if the concept of "Azerbaijan" for Eastern Transcaucasia has been preserved in the Soviet period and in the Soviet Union, the concept of "South Caucasus" could not suppress the traditional concept of "Transcaucasia".

Borders [ | ]

Traditionally, the Northern border of the Transcaucasus was considered a large Caucasian ridge, and the state border of the USSR was considered to be the southern border between the Black and Caspian Sea (the Transcaucasian Border District). The modern southern border on the Turkish segment is determined by the Moscow and Karia treaties of 1921. Since the state border conditioner (Karsian region was part of the Transcaucasus, it came out of it), then there are attempts to oppose the Transcaucasus in the south of Armenian Highlands from which it was separated by the Colliyskaya and Lankaran lowland, but this approach excludes Armenia from the Caucasus in general and the Transcaucasus in particular.

Historical essay[ | ]

Transcaucasia is a region, with deep antiquity, which represented a link between the countries of the East and the West and was at the intersection of trade routes between the Middle and Middle East and Europe, migration waves, the armies of conquerors who were striving to master the ancient and medieval states of the Caucasus. Wide was the trade and cultural connections of these states among themselves and with neighboring countries of Europe and the East - Iran, India, China, etc.

The presence of fertile lands, water resources and a mild climate contributed to the creation of a developed agriculture - irrigated agriculture, pasture animal husbandry. Trade led to the development of crafts, construction of cities, transport development.

On the other hand, the rich lands constantly attracted the attention of strong and militant neighbors - at first it was the Roman Empire, then Byzantium, Parfia, Sassanid Empire, Arabs. In the XIII -XV centuries - Mongols, Tamerlan. Then the Transcaucasus became the object of rivalry between the Sefavid Empire and the Ottoman Empire. The Middle Ages was the time of endless wars, feudal strip and devastating campaigns of various conquerors.

After the collapse of Sefavoid Iran, in the middle of the XVIII century, Khanate formed in the territory of the Transcaucasia, mainly led by Azerbaijani Turkic-speaking dynasties.

Transcaucasia as part of the USSR[ | ]

Within the last two centuries, the historical fates of the Caucasian peoples were closely related to the Russian Empire, and then - the USSR. The Soviet period of the history of the Transcaucasus was marked by a significant increase in industry in the region, strengthening economic relations within the USSR, aligning the level of socio-economic development of the Transcaucasian republics, an increase in the educational level of the population, the creation of a numerous national intelligentsia.

At the public-union level, the economic advantages were used by the Transcaucasus - high hydropower potential, the presence of deposits of iron and polymetallic ores, oil, opportunities for the development of resort and sanatorium, fruit and viticulture, winemaking, tea-growing, pasture animal husbandry.

At the same time, the level of development of productive forces remained insufficient for the full use of human resources, especially in rural areas, which led to an outflow of the population in the city and beyond the Transcaucasus. A significant proportion of the local economy was the economy of the shadow, which led to the extremely high level of corruption of the local Soviet, party and economic nomenclature, law enforcement and judicial authorities. Cultivated the system of clans partitioned posts in the Soviet and economic hierarchy among themselves; There was a significant property separation among the population.

The events of the late 1980s - early 1990s also demonstrated the failure of the National CPSU policy, aimed at leveling the level of socio-economic development of Soviet nations and the formation of a new community - the Soviet people. The liberalization of political life and the development of publicity led to a sharp rise in nationalism, to which the republic's leadership was not ready. A chain reaction began: the emergence of nationalist organizations and parties, folk fronts - nomination of political requirements, including the requirements of independence - attempts to pacification, arrests, trials over nationalist leaders - protest demonstrations - the use of armed violence by the authorities to overclock the demonstrations (Tbilisi) - In order to stop the riots in (Baku) - the presentation of the requirements for the implementation of the right to self-determination declared in the constitutions - thousands of refugees and displaced persons (Armenia - NKAO - Azerbaijan) - national pogroms, robbery, murders (Sumgait, Baku, Gugark, Nagorno-Karabakh) - Application armed Forces To suppress the pogroms - numerous victims among civilians - the elimination of national autonomy (Abkhazia, South Ossetia, NKAO) - presentation of claims with local parliaments to the central leadership and accusations of inaction or support of one of the parties to conflict - making decisions on the exit from the USSR.

Transcaucasia after the collapse of the USSR[ | ]

Events in Transcaucasia played an important role in the collapse of the Soviet Union. By this time, power in the Transcaucasian republics was already in the hands of radical nationalist leaders, and with independence, they gained access to the reserves of weapons in warehouses and military bases of the Transcaucasian Military District. Parts of the Soviet Armed Forces deployed here, mainly consisted of the local population. For controlling complex combat equipment (aviation, air defense, tanks), mercenaries were urgently gained, including from Russia and Ukraine. Everything was ready for regional conflicts. -1993 were marked by bloody conflicts between Azerbaijan, Armenia and unrecognized NKR, Georgia and Abkhazia, Georgia and South Ossetia.

Azerbaijan [ | ]

Built the main export pipeline Baku - Tbilisi - Ceyhan, which provides Azerbaijan alternative to the world market markets of hydrocarbons. Part of the territory of Azerbaijan is controlled unrecognized, but in fact, the independent Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, part of Armenia (exclaves of Kyarchki, the Bestvas, the Upper Askapara). Azerbaijan, in turn, controls part of Armenia's territory (Argevashen excavation). The National Army of Azerbaijan is the most numerous army in the South Caucasus. The economy of Azerbaijan also takes the 76th place in the world in terms of GDP (as of 2010).

Armenia [ | ]

Armenia first independence experienced difficulties in connection with the 1988 earthquake, which took 25,000 lives, left for about 500,000 inhabitants of the North of Armenia and destroyed the entire infrastructure of the region, also because of the war in Nagorno-Karabakh, as well as the blockade of the borders from the neighboring Azerbaijan and Turkey.

Georgia [ | ]

Georgia has to solve a whole ball of interrelated problems - problems with the economy, the resort Black Sea coast of Abkhazia is not available, in the inner Georgia social tension enhances the presence of several hundred thousand refugees from Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Georgian leadership accuses Russia that it supports the separatist aspirations of new state entities in its territory. On August 8, 2008, a military conflict began in South Ossetia, after which, on August 26, 2008, Russia recognized independence

Political and administrative division of Russia
The state structure of Russia, the principles of Russian federalism, the problems of national administrative division.

Subjects of the Russian Federation, their number, types.
1. State Device of Russia, the principles of Federal Russian Federation, the problems of national administrative division.

Sovereign states have different forms of organization of the economy (Board). The most important of them is the state system ( forms of Board). Principles of state, socio-economic and territorial device Any countries are enshrined in its main law (constitution). RF - Sovereign Democratic Republic (presidential) - has federal the form of the state devicereflected in new constitution Countries (dated December 12, 1993) and federal contract.

The principles of building federalism of Russia are based on:

A) voluntary union of its subjects

B) the principle of equality and self-determination of peoples

C) the national principle and the inviolability of its democratic foundations.

Subjects of the Federation (republics, regions, edges, autonomous districts (a. O.), Autonomous region (A.O.)) consist of self-governing territorial images and independently determine their territorial device.

The main position of the federal agreement provides for the delimitation of powers between the Russian Federation and its equal entities.

To the management of federal state authoritiesthese are, for example, such f-nations as: adoption and change of the country's constitution, protection of human rights and freedom, financial, currency, credit, customs regulation, budget, taxes, transport, foreign policy and international relations, defense, protection of borders, territorial waters, airspace etc.

In the joint venture of the Russian Federation and subjectsthere are questions of the use and orders of land, subsoil, water and other natural resources, security ambient and environmental safety, establishment general principles taxation, etc.

Subjects of the Federation are endowedat the same time, broad powers for independent economic activities, the conclusion of direct trade agreements, the implementation of external economic activity, legal regulation of socio-economic development, including adoption of laws and other legal acts (in accordance with the main legislation of the Russian Federation).

The new Constitution of Russia and the Federal Agreement in the root changed the nature of the relationship between the Federation and its subjects, which significantly expand them economic activities And thereby creating favorable prerequisites for entering the market.

The president (guarantee of the Constitution) has broad powers, but its power is limited to Parliament.

Legislature Belongs to Parliament, which consists of 2 chambers: top (Federation Council) and Lower (State Duma).

Executivebelongs to the government led by Prime Minister.

The federation is based on a national and territorial principle, which, largely determines the content and structure of the state device.

National and administrative division of the Russian Federation has its own problemsassociated with the nature of the political system, the form of government, which are determined by the historical conditions for the education of federal nationality - religious composition, the originality of the culture and life of Russia. Most of the population of Russia make up the peoples professing orthodox religion – 86%.

Tatars (5.5 million) and Bashkirs (1.3 million) are living in Ural-Volga region and Siberia (1.3 million), which are the most numerous group of Islamic peoples in Central Russia.

Another array of Muslim peoples is in the North Caucasus. The most numerous Chechens (900.000). In total, Muslims in Russia lives 3 million people. Orthodox Ossetians live in the center of the Caucasus, forming a "Christian corridor" from the Russian regions of Russia through the mountain peoples in Georgia and Armenia.

The foothills of the North Caucasus is one of the troubled regions of Russia. This is due to both a complex ecological situation, a lack of agricultural land, a low level of industrial development, a high natural increment. So with the consequences of the National Policy of Russia, starting with the Caucasian Wars, and ending with the resettlement of some nations. This practice lasted in the 20s - 30s (the Cossacks were forcibly relocated to Siberia and Kazakhstan) and the years of the Second World War (Chechens, Ingush, Balkarians, Kalmyks). In 1956-1957, the expelled people were allowed to return. Hence, originated mass of conflict situations, some of which are unresolved so far.

Buddhism We confess the Buryats and Kalmyks, as well as the Türko-Public Tuvints.

Judaism disseminated slightly - mainly among the Jews living in major cities European Russia. Besides, orthodox religion We are confessing peoples speaking Finnish languages \u200b\u200b(3 million, of which 1 million - Mordva). Representatives of these peoples are easily assimilated by Russians (which they contributed to their early Christianization, as well as dispersed settlement: the villages of these peoples are among the Russian villages).

Distribution of many nationson the territory of Russia (when the majority live outside the main ethnic range) and the overall "expansion" of the population makes it almost impossible to allocate the "pure" territories in ethnically. From here, it is necessary for a very important conclusion for the state system of Russia: all types of national autonomy on its territory should have a "soft" nature and not infringe upon the rights of representatives of any of the peoples living in the territory of autonomy. Apparently, in the future, non-linear territories should play a leading role, but national-cultural autonomy.
2. Subjects of the Russian Federation, their number, types.

The political and administrative division of Russia exists the following subjects of the Federation: - 21RV

49oblasty

2 cities of federal significance.