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Information about Caucasus

This article is about the geographic region. For other uses, see Caucasus (disambiguation).
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Administrative map of Caucasus in USSR, 1952-1991.


The Caucasus or Caucasia is a region in Eurasia bordered on the north by Russia, on the southwest by Turkey, on the west by the Black Sea, on the east by the Caspian Sea, and on the south by Iran. The Caucasus includes the Caucasus Mountains and surrounding lowlands.

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. The northern portion of the Caucasus is known as the Ciscaucasus and the southern portion as 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.

The Caucasus is one of the most linguistically and culturally diverse regions on Earth. The nation-states that compose the Caucasus today are the post-Soviet states Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan; and various parts of Russia. 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. Three territories in the region claim independence but are not generally acknowledged as nation-states by the international community: Abkhazia, Nagorno-Karabakh and South Ossetia.

The Caucasus is an area of great ecological significance. The Caucasus harbors about 6400 species of higher plants, 1600 of which are endemic to the region[1]. Among its native animals are leopards, brown bears, wolves, European bison, marals and golden eagles. Among the invertebrates approximately 1000 spider species are recorded from the Caucasus[2]. The natural landscape of the Caucasus is one of mixed forest, with substantial areas of rocky ground above the treeline.

Affiliated states

Previous states in the region

Myths, legends and religious beliefs

The Biblical Mount Ararat where Noah's Ark is said to have landed is sometimes regarded as the landmark of the ancient Armenian realm. The peak of Ararat is seasonally capped with snow. In Greek mythology, the Caucasus or Kaukasos was one of the pillars supporting the world. Prometheus was chained there by Zeus. The Roman poet Ovid placed Caucasus in Scythia and depicted it as a cold and stony mountain which was the abode of personified hunger. The Greek hero Jason sailed to the west coast of the Caucasus in pursuit of the Golden Fleece, and there met the famed Medea.

See also

References

  • Caucasus: A Journey to the Land Between Christianity and Islam By Nicholas Griffin
  • Small Nations and Great Powers: A Study of Ethnopolitical Conflict in the Caucasus By Svante E. Cornell
  • The Caucasus By Ivan Golovin


1. ^ [1]
2. ^ [2]

External links


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Countries and regions of the Caucasus
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Caucasia 1952-1991
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Caucasia in 1882
Caucasus is a geographic region.

Caucasus may also refer to:
  • Caucasus Mountains, Eurasian mountain range
  • Montes Caucasus, Lunar mountain range
  • Western Caucasus, or Caucasian Natural Reserve, a World Heritage Site
  • Caucasus or

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Eurasia is an immense landmass covering about 53,990,000 km² (or about 10.6%) of the Earth's surface. Often reckoned as a single continent, Eurasia comprises the traditional continents of Europe and Asia, concepts which date back to classical antiquity and the borders for which are
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Anthem
Hymn of the Russian Federation


Capital
(and largest city) Moscow

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Motto
Yurtta Sulh, Cihanda Sulh
Peace at Home, Peace in the World
Anthem
İstiklâl Marşı
The Anthem of Independence
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Euxine Sea (Older name) redirects here.


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Coordinates Coordinates:
Lake type Endorheic
Saline
Permanent
Natural
Primary sources Volga River

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Anthem
Sorūd-e Mellī-e Īrān ²


Capital
(and largest city) Tehran

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Caucasus Mountains



Countries | Russia,Georgia,Azerbaijan,Armenia

Length | 1,100 km (684 mi)
Width | 160 km (99 mi)
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Caucasus Mountains



Countries | Russia,Georgia,Azerbaijan,Armenia

Length | 1,100 km (684 mi)
Width | 160 km (99 mi)
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Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent. It covers 8.6% of the Earth's total surface area (or 29.4% of its land area) and, with almost 4 billion people, it contains more than 60% of the world's current human population.
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Europe is one of the seven traditional continents of the Earth. Physically and geologically, Europe is the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, west of Asia. Europe is bounded to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the west by the Atlantic Ocean, to the south by the Mediterranean Sea,
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continent is one of several large landmasses on Earth. They are generally identified by convention rather than any strict criteria, but seven areas are commonly regarded as continents – they are (from largest in size to smallest): Asia, Africa, North America, South America,
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Ciscaucasus may refer to one of the following
  • Fore-Caucasus
  • North Caucasus

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South Caucasus, also referred to as Transcaucasia or Transcaucasus, is the southern portion of the Caucasus region between Europe and Asia, extending from the Greater Caucasus to the Turkish and Iranian borders, between the Black and Caspian Seas.
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Mount Elbrus (Russian: Эльбрус) is a peak located in the western Caucasus mountains, in Kabardino-Balkaria and Karachay-Cherkessia, Russia, near the border of Georgia.
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Culture (from the Latin cultura stemming from colere, meaning "to cultivate,") generally refers to patterns of human activity and the symbolic structures that give such activity significant importance.
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EARTH was a short-lived Japanese vocal trio which released 6 singles and 1 album between 2000 and 2001. Their greatest hit, their debut single "time after time", peaked at #13 in the Oricon singles chart.
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This article has been tagged since September 2007.

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The Post-Soviet states, also commonly known as former Soviet republics, are the independent nations that split off from the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics in its breakup in 1991. They were also referred to as New Independent States (NIS).
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Motto
ძალა ერთობაშია   (Georgian)
"Strength is in Unity"
Anthem
"Tavisupleba"
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Motto
Մեկ Ազգ, Մեկ Մշակույթ   (Armenian)
"

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Motto
none
Anthem
Azərbaycan Respublikasının Dövlət Himni
(March of Azerbaijan)
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Краснодарский кра?
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Ставропольский кра?
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Республика Адыге?
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Республика Калмыки?
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Карачаево-Черкесская Республик?
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Кабардино-Балкарская Республик?
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Республика Северная Осетия-Алани?
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Республика Ингушети?
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