Chechnya

I

Introduction

Chechnya, republic in the eastern part of the northern Caucasus, southwestern Russia, bordering Stavropol’ Territory to the northwest, the republic of Dagestan to the northeast and east, the nation of Georgia to the south, and the republic of Ingushetia to the west. Chechens call their republic Ichkeria. Chechnya is one of the 21 Russian republics, which are the administrative units with the greatest amount of autonomy within the Russian Federation.

Chechnya was part of the joint Chechen-Ingush autonomous republic of Soviet Russia from 1936 until 1991, when it declared itself independent and Ingushetia separated from the republic. The Russian government refused to recognize Chechnya’s independence, and in December 1994 Russian troops invaded the republic. Fighting between Russian and Chechen forces, which continued until August 1996, resulted in more than 40,000 deaths and caused the displacement of hundreds of thousands of people. Renewed fighting between Russian and Chechen forces beginning in 1999 left thousands more dead and the republic in ruins under Russian military occupation. In 2003 a new constitution affirmed Chechnya’s status as a republic within the Russian Federation.

II

Land and Resources

The total land area of Chechnya is about 15,000 sq km (about 5,800 sq mi). The republic lies on the northern slopes of the Caucasus Mountains and encompasses several natural regions. The main range of the Caucasus occupies southern Chechnya, marking the republic’s southern border. The highest peak in Chechnya is Mount Tebulosmta (4,493 m/14,741 ft). In the north are plains and lowlands consisting of sandy ridges and hills. The Terek and Sunzha valleys of western Chechnya are the republic’s agricultural centers.

The main rivers of Chechnya include the Terek, the Sunzha, the Argun, and the Assa. Fertile soil covers the lowlands and valleys, while dry steppe vegetation characterizes the northern plains. Forests of beech, birch, hornbeam, and oak cover less than one-fifth of the republic and are located mainly on the mountain slopes. Chechnya has hot summers and cold winters. Temperatures are typically lower and precipitation levels higher in the mountain areas.

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III

The People of Chechnya

In 2002 Chechnya had a population of about 624,600. Groznyy, the capital, had 372,742 (1995). The population of the republic declined significantly as a result of the war between Russian and Chechen forces from 1994 to 1996, and it declined further following renewed fighting in 1999. Chechens are the largest ethnic group in the republic, accounting for more than half of the inhabitants; Russians and Ingush are also represented.

The Chechens, who call themselves Nokhchii, are native to the Caucasus region. The Chechen language belongs to the Nakh group of Caucasian languages and is closely related to the language of the Ingush. The Chechens’ written language was based on the Arabic script until the Arabic script was replaced by the Latin alphabet in the 1920s. The Cyrillic alphabet replaced the Latin alphabet in 1938, but in the early 1990s the Chechens decided to revert to the Latin alphabet. The Chechens have been Sunni Muslims (see Sunni Islam) since the 18th century, and Islam has served as both a cornerstone of Chechen identity and a form of passive resistance against Russian rule. Educational institutions in the republic include the Chechen State University, founded in Groznyy in 1972.

IV

Economy

War destroyed or damaged much of the republic’s economic infrastructure in the mid- and late 1990s. Petroleum production had been the mainstay of the Chechen economy. Groznyy, which warfare reduced to ruins, was the industrial center of the republic. Oil refining was concentrated in the city and its surrounding area, where abundant oil fields are located. In 1999 the refineries and most oil wells were destroyed, and Chechnya’s major pipeline linking Caspian oil fields to the Russian Black Sea port of Novorossiysk was closed due to lack of security in the region. Railroads suffered heavy damage. In addition to oil, Chechnya contains significant deposits of natural gas. Manufactured goods have included petrochemicals, building materials, canned foods, and wood products. Agriculture is concentrated in the river valleys of the republic.

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