Peoples of the Caucasus

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This article deals with the various ethnic groups inhabiting the Caucasus region.

Contents 1 Peoples speaking Caucasian languages 2 Peoples speaking Altaic languages 3 Peoples speaking Indo-European languages 4 Reference 5 See also

[edit] Peoples speaking Caucasian languages

Peoples of Caucasus that speak languages that belong to the Caucasian language family are divided into two groups - North Caucasian and South Caucasian.

North Caucasian peoples:

• Northwest Caucasian peoples:
  • Abkhazians
  • Abazins
  • Adyghe
  • Cherkess
  • Kabardins
  • Ubykh
• Nakh peoples:
  • Bats
  • Chechens
  • Ingush
• Northeast Caucasian peoples:
  • Avars
  • Aguls
  • Dargins
  • Laks
  • Lezgins
  • Rutuls
  • Tabasarans
  • Tsakhurs
  • Udins
  • Archins

South Caucasian peoples:

• Georgians
  • Mingrelians
  • Svans
  • Ajarians
• Laz

The largest peoples of the Caucasian language family are Georgians (4,600,000), Chechens (800,000), and Avars (500,000). Georgians are 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. Abkhazians live in Abkhazia, which is de facto independent, but de jure is autonomous republic within Georgia, while Ajarians live in Ajaria, which is autonomous republic within Georgia.

Chechens in the 19th century	Georgian girl in traditional costume	Traditionally dressed member of a folk ensemble from Ajaria	Georgian Jews
Georgian girl from Ajaria	Georgian Priest from Mtskheta	Svans

[edit] Peoples speaking Altaic languages

Main article: Altaic peoples

Peoples of Caucasus that speak languages that belong to the Altaic language family.

• Turkic peoples:
  • Azerbaijanis
  • Balkars
  • Karachays
  • Kumyks
  • Nogais
  • Trukhmens
• Mongol peoples:
  • Kalmyks

The largest of the Altaic peoples on Caucasus are Azeri (18,700,000). They are also only one of these peoples that have their independent state - Azerbaijan. Other peoples live in their autonomous republics within Russian Federation: Karachays (Karachay-Cherkessia), Balkars (Kabardino-Balkaria), Kalmyks (Kalmykia), while Kumyks and Nogais live in Dagestan.

Performing Azeri musicians

Azeri dance

Karachay patriarchs in the 19th century

Kalmyks

[edit] Peoples speaking Indo-European languages

Peoples of Caucasus that speak languages that belong to the Indo-European language family.

• Armenian group:
  • Armenians
• Iranian group:
  • Ossetians
  • Talysh
  • Kurds
  • Tats
  • Mountain Jews
• Slavic groups:
  • Russians
  • Ukrainians
• Hellenic group:
  • Greeks

The Armenians mostly live in Armenia (independent country) and in Nagorno-Karabakh, which is de facto independent, but de jure is part of Azerbaijan. The Ossetians live in North Ossetia-Alania (autonomous republic within Russia) and in South Ossetia, which is de facto independent, but de jure is part of Georgia. The Kurds formerly had their autonomous oblast (Kurdistan Autonomous Oblast) within Azerbaijan, but this entity no longer exist (it existed between 1923 and 1929). Russians mostly live in northern Caucasus that belong to Russia and their largest concentration is in Stavropol Krai, Krasnodar Krai, and in Adygea.

Armenian Folk Musicians	Armenian children at the UN Cup Chess Tournament in 2005.	An Armenian Apostolic clergyman	Armenians mourning the victims of the Armenian Genocide on 24 April.
A group of Russian children on a hillside.	Kurdish Cavalry in the passes of the Caucasus mountains	A Greek (Pontian) man in traditional clothes from Trebizond

[edit] Reference

• Mile Nedeljković, Leksikon naroda sveta, Beograd, 2001.

[edit] See also

• Caucasian languages
• Peoples of the Caucasus in Turkey