North Ossetia-Alania

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Republic of North Ossetia-Alania (English)
Республика Северная Осетия-Алания (Russian)
Республикæ Цæгат Ирыстон — Алани (Ossetic)

Location of the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania in Russia
Coat of Arms Flag

Coat of arms of North Ossetia-Alania

Flag of North Ossetia-Alania
Anthem: National Anthem of the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania
Capital Vladikavkaz
Established July 7, 1924
Political status
Federal district
Economic region
Republic
Southern
North Caucasus
Code 15
Area
Area
- Rank within Russia
8,000 km²
79th
Population (as of the 2002 Census)
Population
- Rank within Russia
- Density
- Urban
- Rural
710,275 inhabitants
68th
88.8 inhab. / km²
65.5%
34.5%
Official languages Russian, Ossetic
Government
Head Taymuraz Mamsurov
Chairman of the Government Nikolay Khlyntsov
Legislative body Parliament
Constitution Constitution of the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania
Official website
http://www.rso-a.ru/

The Republic of North Ossetia-Alania (Russian: Респу́блика Се́верная Осе́тия–Ала́ния; Ossetic: Республикæ Цæгат Ирыстон — Алани) is a federal subject of Russia (a republic). The direct romanization of the Russian name of the republic is Respublika Severnaya Osetiya-Alaniya. Its name in Ossetic transliterates (in the ISO 9-system) as Respublikă Căgat Iryston - Alani.

Contents

[edit] Name

In the last years of the Soviet Union, as nationalist movements swept throughout the Caucasus, many intellectuals in the North Ossetian ASSR called for the revival of the name of Alania, a medieval kingdom of the Alans, ancestors of the modern-day Ossetians. The term of "Alania" quickly became popular in Ossetian daily life through the names of various enterprises, a TV channel, political and civic organizations, publishing house, soccer team, etc. In November 1994, the name of "Alania" was officially added to the republican title (Republic of North Ossetia-Alania).[1]

[edit] History

[edit] Geography

The Republic is located in the northern Caucasus. The northern part of the republic is situated in the Stavropol Plain. 22% of the republic's territory is covered by forests.

[edit] Time zone

North Ossetia-Alania is located in the Moscow Time Zone (MSK/MSD). UTC offset is +0300 (MSK)/+0400 (MSD).

[edit] Rivers

All of the republic's rivers belong to the basin of the Terek River. Major rivers include:

  • Terek River (~600 km)
  • Urukh River (104 km)
  • Ardon River (101 km)
  • Kambileyevka River (99 km)
  • Gizeldon River (81 km)
  • Fiagdon River
  • Sunzha River

[edit] Mountains

Map of the region with the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania highlighted.
Map of the region with the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania highlighted.
Map of North Ossetia.
Map of North Ossetia.

All of the mountains located on the territory of the republic are a part of the Caucasus. Mount Dzhimara is the highest point (4,780 m), with Mount Ulipata being the second highest (4,638 m).

[edit] Natural resources

Natural resources include minerals (copper, silver, zinc), timber, mineral waters, hydroelectric power, and untapped reserves of oil and gas.

[edit] Climate

Climate is moderately continental.

  • Average January temperature: −5°C
  • Average July temperature: +24°C
  • Average annual precipitation: 400-700 mm in the plains, over 1,000 mm in the mountains.

[edit] Administrative divisions

[edit] Demographics

  • Population: 710,275 (2002)
    • Urban: 464,875 (65.5%)
    • Rural: 245,400 (34.5%)
    • Male: 336,035 (47.3%)
    • Female: 374,240 (52.7%)
  • Females per 1000 males: 1,114
  • Average age: 33.8 years
    • Urban: 34.2 years
    • Rural: 32.9 years
    • Male: 30.4 years
    • Female: 36.9 years
  • Number of households: 200,191 (with 690,806 people)
    • Urban: 143,397 (with 447,884 people)
    • Rural: 56,794 (with 242,922 people)
  • Vital statistics (2005)
    • Births: 7,894 (birth rate 11.2)
    • Deaths: 8,654 (death rate 12.3)
  • Ethnic groups

The Ossetian population of North Ossetia is predominantly Christian with a large Muslim minority, speaking Ossetic and Russian.

According to the 2002 Census, Ossetians make up 62.7% of the republic's population. Other groups include Russians (23.2%), Ingush (3.0%), Armenians (2.4%), Kumyks (12,659, or 1.8%), Georgians (10,803, or 1.5%), Ukrainians (0.7%), Chechens (3,383, or 0.5%), and a host of smaller groups, each accounting for less than 0.5% of the total population. 3,283 people (0.5%) did not indicate their nationalities during the Census.

census 1926 census 1939 census 1959 census 1970 census 1979 census 1989 census 2002
Ossetians 139,120 (60.3%) 165,616 (50.3%) 215,463 (47.8%) 269,326 (48.7%) 299,022 (50.5%) 334,876 (53.0%) 445,310 (62.7%)
Russians 50,272 (21.8%) 122,614 (37.2%) 178,654 (39.6%) 202,367 (36.6%) 200,692 (33.9%) 189,159 (29.9%) 164,734 (23.2%)
Ingush 1,540 (0.7%) 6,106 (1.9%) 6,071 (1.3%) 18,387 (3.3%) 23,663 (4.0%) 32,783 (5.2%) 21,442 (3.0%)
Armenians 6,921 (3.0%) 8,932 (2.7%) 12,012 (2.7%) 13,355 (2.4%) 12,912 (2.2%) 13,619 (2.2%) 17,147 (2.4%)
Ukrainians 14,282 (6.2%) 7,063 (2.1%) 9,362 (2.1%) 9,250 (1.7%) 10,574 (1.8%) 10,088 (1.6%) 5,198 (0.7%)
Others 18,646 (8.1%) 18,874 (5.7%) 29,019 (6.4%) 39,896 (7.2%) 45,139 (7.6%) 51,903 (8.2%) 56,444 (7.9%)

Vital Statistics for 2007: Source

Birth Rate: 13.45 per 1000

Death Rate: 11.25 per 1000

Net Immigration: -1.0 per 1000

NGR: +0.22% per Year

PGR: +0.12% per Year

[edit] Politics

The head of government in the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania is the Head of the Republic. As of 2005, the head of the republic is Taymuraz Mamsurov. Mamsurov succeeded Alexander Dzasokhov, who voluntarily quit his post on May 31, 2005.

[edit] Economy

Despite the inevitable economic burden of a sizeable refugee population, North Ossetia is the most well-to-do republic in the northern Caucasus.[citation needed] It is the most urbanized and the most industrialized, with factories producing metals (lead, zinc, tungsten, etc.), electronics, chemicals, and processed foods.

Local agriculture focuses primarily on livestock, especially sheep and goats, and the cultivation of grains, fruit, and cotton.

[edit] Transportation

There is an airport in Vladikavkaz. Overall, the transport infrastructure is well-developed, with railroads and automobile roads being the principal means of transportation. The famous Georgian Military Road connects Vladikavkaz with Transcaucasia.

[edit] Culture

There are six professional theaters in North Ossetia-Alania. Also Ossetian State Philarmonia.

[edit] Education

The most important facilities of higher education include North Caucasus State Technological University, North Ossetian State University, North Ossetian State Medical Academy, and Mountain State Agrarian University; all located in Vladikavkaz.

[edit] Religion

The predominant religion is Russian Orthodox Christianity, followed by Islam. Many of the native rituals predate both faiths. According to the Ossetian Mufti Tavkazakhov 200,000 of the Ossetians are Muslim, which if true would mean that before the Ingush-Ossetian conflict North Ossetia had a predominantly Muslim population.[2] Most estimations however state no more than up to 30% of the Ossetians are Muslim.[3]

[edit] See also

[edit] References

[edit] External links

[edit] General

[edit] Education

[edit] Mass media