Crimea

Crimean Peninsula

Satellite image of the Crimean peninsula
Geography
Location	Eastern Europe
Coordinates	45°18′N 34°24′E / 45.3°N 34.4°E / 45.3; 34.4Coordinates: 45°18′N 34°24′E / 45.3°N 34.4°E / 45.3; 34.4
Adjacent bodies of water	Black Sea Sea of Azov
Largest city	Sevastopol
Area	27,000 km2 (10,000 sq mi)
Highest elevation	1,545 m (5,069 ft)
Claimed by
Russia (de facto administration, except Ukrainian-controlled part of Arabat Spit)
Federal district	Crimean Federal District
Federal subjects	Republic of Crimea Sevastopol[1]
Ukraine (internationally recognised)
Regions	Autonomous Republic of Crimea Sevastopol Kherson Oblast (northern part of Arabat Spit, Henichesk Raion)
Demographics
Demonym	Crimean
Population	2.284 million[2]
Ethnic groups	Russians Ukrainians Crimean Tatars

The Crimean Peninsula (Russian: Кры́мский полуо́стров, Ukrainian: Кри́мський піво́стрів, Crimean Tatar: Къырым ярымадасы), also known simply as Crimea (Russian: Крым, Ukrainian: Крим, Crimean Tatar: Къырым), is a major land mass on the northern coast of the Black Sea that is almost completely surrounded by water. The peninsula is located south of the Ukrainian region of Kherson and west of the Russian region of Kuban. It is surrounded by two seas: the Black Sea and the smaller Sea of Azov to the northeast. It is connected to Kherson Oblast by the Isthmus of Perekop and is separated from Kuban by the Strait of Kerch. The Arabat Spit is located to the northeast, a narrow strip of land that separates a system of lagoons named Sivash from the Sea of Azov.

Crimea—or the Tauric Peninsula, as it was called from antiquity until the early modern period—has historically been at the boundary between the classical world and the Pontic–Caspian steppe. Its southern fringe was colonised by the ancient Greeks, the ancient Persians, the ancient Romans, the Byzantine Empire, the Crimean Goths, the Genoese and the Ottoman Empire, while at the same time its interior was occupied by a changing cast of invading steppe nomads, such as the Cimmerians, Scythians, Sarmatians, Goths, Alans, Bulgars, Huns, Khazars, Kipchaks, and the Golden Horde. Crimea and adjacent territories were united in the Crimean Khanate during the 15th to 18th century before becoming part of the Russian Empire in 1783.

Following the Russian Revolution of 1917, Crimea became a republic within the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic in the USSR. In World War Two it was downgraded to the Crimean Oblast, and in 1954, the Crimean Oblast was transferred to the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic. It became the Autonomous Republic of Crimea within newly independent Ukraine in 1991, with Sevastopol having its own administration, within Ukraine but outside of the Autonomous Republic. Sovereignty and control of the peninsula became the subject of an ongoing territorial dispute between Russia and Ukraine after Russia annexed Crimea in March 2014 and now administers it as two federal subjects: the Republic of Crimea and the federal city of Sevastopol.

Name

The classical name Tauris or Taurica is from the Greek Ταυρική, after the peninsula's Scytho-Cimmerian inhabitants, the Tauri. Strabo and Ptolemy refer to the Strait of Kerch as the Bosporus Cimmerius, and to Cimmerium as the capital of the Taurida, whence the peninsula, or its easternmost part, was also named Promontorium Cimmerium (Κιμμέριον ἄκρον).^[3][4]

In English usage since the early modern period the Crimean Khanate is referred to as Crim Tartary.^[5] The Italian^[6] form Crimea (and "Crimean peninsula") also becomes current during the 18th century,^[7] gradually replacing the classical name of Tauric peninsula in the course of the 19th century. The omission of the definite article in English ("Crimea" rather than "the Crimea") becomes common during the later 20th century.

The name "Crimea" ultimately, via Italian, and penultimately from the name of Qırım (today's Stary Krym)^[8] which served as a capital of the Crimean province of the Golden Horde. The name of the capital was extended to the entire peninsula at some point during Ottoman suzerainty.^[9] The origin of the Crimean Tatar name Qırım designating "fortress" or "fosse" itself is uncertain. It is mostly explained as:

1. a corruption of Cimmerium (Greek, Kimmerikon, Κιμμερικόν).^[10][11]
2. a derivation from the Turkic term qurum ("defence, protection"), from qurimaq ("to fence, protect").^[12][13]
3. a derivation from the Greek Cremnoi (Κρημνοί, in post-classical Koiné Greek pronunciation, Crimni, i.e., "the Cliffs", a port on Lake Maeotis (Sea of Azov) cited by Herodotus in The Histories 4.20.1 and 4.110.2), however this port is indicated by Herodotus as being on the west coast of the Sea of Azov.^[14]
4. a derivation from the Mongolian appellation kerm designating "wall", which, however, is phonetically incompatible with the original Mongolian literal appellation of the Crimean peninsula Qaram.^[12][15]

The classical name was revived in 1802 in the name of the Russian Taurida Governorate.^[16] While it was abandoned in the Soviet Union, and has had no official status since 1921, it is still used by some institutions in Crimea, such as the Taurida National University, or the Tavriya Simferopol football club.

History

In the 8th century BCE the Cimmerians migrated to the region and subsequently the Scythians as well it being the site of Greek colonies. The most important city was Chersonesos at the edge of today's Sevastopol.

Later occupiers included the Romans, Goths, Huns, Bulgars, Khazars, the state of Kievan Rus', the Byzantine Empire, the Kipchaks, and the Golden Horde. In the 13th century CE, portions were controlled by the Republic of Venice and by the Republic of Genoa.

In the 9th century CE, Byzantium established the Cherson theme to fend against incursions by the Rus' Khaganate, and the Crimean peninsula from this time was contested between Byzantium, Rus' and Khazaria. The area remained the site of overlapping interests and contact between the early medieval Slavic, Turkic and Greek spheres, and became a center of slave trade, Slavs were sold to Byzantium and other places in Anatolia and the Middle-East during this period. Trapezuntine Perateia had already been subjected to pressure from the Genoese and Kipchaks by the time Alexios I of Trebizond died in 1222 before the Mongol invasions swept through in 1223. With them, the peninsula's status quo changed in the 1230s as all but the Perateia of Crimea was incorporated into the territory of the Golden Horde throughout the 14th century CE. Two portions of the Perateia soon became the Principality of Theodoro and Genoese Gazaria.

Crimean Khanate (1441–1783)

The Crimean Khanate, a vassal state of the Ottoman Empire, succeeded the Golden Horde and lasted from 1449 to 1779^[17] In 1571, the Crimean Tatars attacked and sacked Moscow, burning everything but the Kremlin.^[18] Until the late 18th century, Crimean Tatars maintained a massive slave trade with the Ottoman Empire, exporting about 2 million slaves from Russia and Ukraine over the period 1500–1700.^[19]

Russian Empire (1783–1917)

In 1774, the Khanate was proclaimed independent under the Treaty of Küçük Kaynarca,^[20] and was then annexed by Russia in 1783.^[21][22]

The Taurida Oblast was created by a decree of Catherine the Great on 2 February 1784. The center of the oblast was first in Karasubazar but was moved to Simferopol later in 1784. The establishment decree divided the oblast into 7 uyezds. However, by a decree of Paul I on 12 December 1796, the oblast was abolished and the territory, divided into 2 uyezds (Akmechetsky [Акмечетский] and Perekopsky [Перекопский]) was attached to the second incarnation of the Novorossiysk Governorate.

From 1853 to 1856, the peninsula was the site of the principal engagements of the Crimean War, a conflict fought between the Russian Empire and an alliance of France, Britain, the Ottoman Empire and Sardinia.^[23]

Russian Civil War (1917-1921)

Following the Russian Revolution of 1917, the military and political situation in Crimea was chaotic like that in much of Russia. During the ensuing Russian Civil War, Crimea changed hands numerous times and was for a time a stronghold of the anti-Bolshevik White Army. The White Army controlled Crimea before remnants were finally driven out by the Red Army in November 1920. It was in Crimea that the White Russians led by General Wrangel made their last stand against Nestor Makhno and the Red Army. When resistance was crushed, many of the anti-Communist fighters and civilians escaped by ship to Istanbul.

Soviet Union (1921–1991)

Crimea became part of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic in 1921 as the Crimean Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic, which became part of the Soviet Union in 1922.

Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic (1921-1954)

During the Second World War the peninsula was invaded by Nazi Germany in summer 1941 across the Isthmus of Perekop. Following the capture of Sevastopol on 4 July 1942, the Crimea was occupied until German forces were expelled in an offensive by Soviet forces ending in May 1944. After Crimea was liberated, it was downgraded to the Crimean Oblast and the Crimean Tatars were deported for alleged collaboration with the Nazi forces. A total of more than 230,000 people were deported, mostly to Uzbekistan, at the time about a fifth of the total population of the Crimean Peninsula.

Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic (1954-1991)

On 19 February 1954, the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR issued a decree on the transfer of the Crimean region of the RSFSR to the Ukrainian SSR.^[24] This Supreme Soviet Decree states that this transfer was motivated by "the commonality of the economy, the proximity, and close economic and cultural relations between the Crimean region and the Ukrainian SSR".^[25]

In post-war years, Crimea thrived as a tourist destination, with new attractions and sanatoriums for tourists. Tourists came from all around the Soviet Union and neighbouring countries, particularly from the German Democratic Republic.^[26] In time the peninsula also became a major tourist destination for cruises originating in Greece and Turkey. Crimea's infrastructure and manufacturing also developed, particularly around the sea ports at Kerch and Sevastopol and in the oblast's landlocked capital, Simferopol. Populations of Ukrainians and Russians alike doubled, with more than 1.6 million Russians and 626,000 Ukrainians living on the peninsula by 1989.^[26]

Autonomous Republic within Ukraine (1991–2014)

In January 1991, a referendum was held in the Crimean Oblast, and voters approved restoring the Crimean Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic. However, after the dissolution of the Soviet Union less than a year later, the Autonomous Republic of Crimea was formed as a constituent entity of independent Ukraine,^[27][28] with a slight majority of Crimean voters approving Ukrainian independence in a December referendum.^[29] On 5 May 1992, the Crimean legislature declared conditional independence,^[30] but a referendum to confirm the decision was never held amid opposition from Kiev.^[28][31] The Verkhovna Rada voted to grant Crimea "extensive home rule" during the dispute.^[29][30]

2014 Russian annexation and aftermath

As a result of the 2014 Ukrainian revolution and subsequent annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation, the sovereignty over the peninsula is currently disputed between Ukraine and the Russian Federation.

Immediately after the flight of former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych from Kiev on 21 February 2014, planning began in the Kremlin to take control of Crimea.^[32] Within days, unmarked Russian forces took over the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol, also occupying several localities in Kherson Oblast on the Arabat Spit, which is geographically a part of Crimea. Following a controversial - and illegal under both Ukrainian and Crimean Constitutions - referendum, the official results of which showed majority support for joining Russia, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a treaty of accession with the self-declared Republic of Crimea, absorbing it into the Russian Federation, though the annexation was not recognised by Ukraine or most of the international community.^[33] The United Nations General Assembly adopted a non-binding resolution calling upon states not to recognise changes to the integrity of Ukraine.^[34][35] Russia withdrew its forces from southern Kherson in December 2014^[36] The peninsula is now controlled by Russia, which administers it as two federal subjects: the Republic of Crimea and the federal city of Sevastopol. Ukraine now effectively only controls the northern areas of the Arabat Spit and Syvash Sea.^[37]

In July 2015, Russian Prime Minister, Dmitry Medvedev, declared that Crimea had been fully integrated into Russia.^[38]

Geography

Covering an area of 27,000 km² (10,425 sq mi), Crimea is located on the northern coast of the Black Sea and on the western coast of the Sea of Azov, the only land border is shared with Ukraine's Kherson Oblast from the north.

The natural border between the Crimean Peninsula and the Ukrainian mainland is formed by the Sivash or "Rotten Sea", a large system of shallow lagoons. The peninsula is connected to the Kherson Oblast's Henichesk Raion, and thus the European mainland, via the Isthmus of Perekop, a strip of land about 5–7 kilometres (3.1–4.3 mi) wide, as well as by bridges over the narrow Chongar and Henichesk straits. The northern part of Arabat Spit is administratively part of Henichesk Raion in Kherson Oblast, including its two rural communities of Shchaslyvtseve and Strilkove. The eastern tip of the peninsula is the Kerch Peninsula, separated from Taman Peninsula on the Russian mainland by the Kerch Strait, which connects the Black Sea with the Sea of Azov, at a width of between 3–13 kilometres (1.9–8.1 mi).

Geographically, the peninsula is generally divided into three zones: steppe, mountains and southern coast.

Coastline

The Crimean peninsula comprises many smaller peninsulas, such as the mentioned Kerch peninsula, Heracles Peninsula, Tarkhankut Peninsula and many others. Crimea also possesses lots of headlands such as Cape Priboiny, Cape Tarkhankut, Sarych, Cape Fonar, Kazantyp, Cape Akburun, and many others.

The Crimean coastline is broken by several bays and harbors. These harbors lie west of the Isthmus of Perekop by the Bay of Karkinit; on the southwest by the open Bay of Kalamita between the port cities of Eupatoria and Sevastopol.

The Kerch Peninsula is attached to the Crimean mainland by Isthmus of Yenikale, delimited by the Bay of Arabat to the north (interrputed by the incoming Arabat Spit), and the Bay of Caffa to the south (arching eastward from the port of Feodosiya).

Crimean Mountains

The southeast coast is flanked at a distance of 8–12 kilometres (5.0–7.5 mi) from the sea by a parallel range of mountains, the Crimean Mountains.^[39] These mountains are backed by secondary parallel ranges.

The main range of these mountains shoots up with extraordinary abruptness from the deep floor of the Black Sea to an altitude of 600–1,545 metres (1,969–5,069 ft), beginning at the southwest point of the peninsula, called Cape Fiolente. It was believed that this cape was supposedly crowned with the temple of Artemis, where Iphigeneia is said to have officiated as priestess.^[40] Uchan-su waterfall on the south slope of the mountains is the highest in Ukraine.

Steppe

Seventy-five percent of the remaining area of Crimea consists of semiarid prairie lands, a southward continuation of the Pontic-Caspian steppe, which slope gently to the northwest from the foot of the Crimean Mountains. Numerous kurgans, or burial mounds, of the ancient Scythians are scattered across the Crimean steppes.

Crimean Riviera

The terrain that lies beyond the sheltering Crimean Mountain range is of an altogether different character. Here, the narrow strip of coast and the slopes of the mountains are smothered with greenery. This "riviera" stretches along the southeast coast from capes Fiolente and Aya, in the south, to Feodosiya, and is studded with summer sea-bathing resorts such as Alupka, Yalta, Gurzuf, Alushta, Sudak, and Feodosiya. During the years of Soviet rule, the resorts and dachas of this coast served as the prime perquisites of the politically loyal.^{why here? and ref?} In addition, vineyards and fruit orchards are located in the region. Fishing, mining, and the production of essential oils are also important. Numerous Crimean Tatar villages, mosques, monasteries, and palaces of the Russian imperial family and nobles are found here, as well as picturesque ancient Greek and medieval castles.

The Crimean Mountains and the southern coast are part of the Crimean Submediterranean forest complex ecoregion. The natural vegetation consists of scrublands, woodlands, and forests, with a climate and vegetation similar to the Mediterranean Basin.

Climate

Most of Crimea has a temperate continental climate, except for the south coast where it experiences a humid subtropical climate, due to warm influences from the Black Sea and the high ground of the Crimean Mountains. Summers can be hot (28 °C or 82.4 °F July average) and winters are cool (−0.3 °C or 31.5 °F January average) in the interior, on the south coast winters are milder (4 °C or 39.2 °F January average) and temperatures much below freezing are exceptional. On the high ground, freezing weather is common in winter. Precipitation throughout Crimea is low, averaging only 400 mm (15.7 in) a year. The Crimean coast is shielded from the north winds by the mountains, and as a result usually has mild winters. Cool season temperatures average around 7 °C (44.6 °F) and it is rare for the weather to drop below freezing except in the mountains, where there is usually snow.^[41] Because of its climate, the southern Crimean coast is a popular beach and sun resort for Ukrainian and Russian tourists.

Strategic value

The Black Sea ports of Crimea provide quick access to the Eastern Mediterranean, Balkans and Middle East. Historically, possession of the southern coast of Crimea was sought after by most empires of the greater region since antiquity (Roman, Byzantine, Ottoman, Russian, British and French, Nazi German, Soviet).^[42]

The Dnieper River is a major waterway and transportation route that crosses the European continent from north to south and ultimately links the Black Sea with the Baltic Sea, of strategic importance since the historical trade route from the Varangians to the Greeks. The Black Sea serves as an economic thoroughfare connecting the Caucasus region and the Caspian Sea to central and Eastern Europe.^[43]

According to the International Transport Workers' Federation, in 2013 there were at least 12 operating merchant seaports in Crimea.^[44]

Within 200 nautical miles of the Crimean shoreline there are an estimated 45 trillion cubic meters of gas reserves.^[45] Hydrocarbons in the Black Sea shelf could yield as much as 1.5 billion cubic meters per year.^[46]

Economy

The main branches of the modern Crimean economy are tourism and agriculture. Industrial plants are situated for the most part in the northern regions of the republic. Important industrial cities include Dzhankoy, housing a major railway connection, Krasnoperekopsk and Armyansk, among others. Since the Russian annexation of Crimea in early 2014 and subsequent sanctions targeting Crimea, the tourist industry has suffered major losses. The flow of holidaymakers dropped 35 percent in the first half of 2015 over the same period of 2014.^[47]

The most important industries in Crimea include food production, chemical fields, mechanical engineering and metal working, and fuel production industries.^[48] Sixty percent of the industry market belongs to food production. There are a total of 291 large industrial enterprises and 1002 small business enterprises.^[48]

Agriculture in the region includes cereals, vegetable-growing, gardening, and wine-making, particularly in the Yalta and Massandra regions. Livestock production includes cattle breeding, poultry keeping, and sheep breeding.^[48] Other products produced on the Crimean Peninsula include salt, porphyry, limestone, and ironstone (found around Kerch) since ancient times.^[49]

In 2014, the republic's annual GDP was $4.3 billion (500 times smaller than the size of Russia's economy). The average salary was $290 per month. The budget deficit was $1 billion. Crimea expects until 2017/2018 in Russian investment amount of $5 billion.^[50]

Energy

Crimea also possesses several natural gas fields both onshore and offshore, which were starting to be drilled by western oil and gas companies before annexation.^[51][52] The inland fields are located in Chornomorske and Dzhankoy, while offshore fields are located in the western coast in the Black Sea and in the northeastern coast in the Azov Sea:^[53]

Name	Type	Location	Reserves
Dzhankoyske gas field	onshore	Dzhankoy
Golitsyna gas field	offshore	Black Sea
Karlavske gas field	onshore	Chornomorske
Krym gas field	offshore	Black Sea
Odessa gas field[54]	offshore	Black Sea	21 billion m3
Schmidta gas field	offshore	Black Sea
Shtormvaya gas field	offshore	Black Sea
Strilkove gas field	offshore	Sea of Azov

The republic also possesses two oil fields: one onshore, the Serebryankse oil field in Rozdolne, and one offshore, the Subbotina oil field in the Black Sea.

Infrastructure

Public transportation

Almost every settlement in Crimea is connected with another settlement by bus lines. Crimea contains the longest (96 km or 59 mi) trolleybus route in the world, stretching from Simferopol to Yalta.^[55] The trolleybus line starts near Simferopol's Railway Station (at Soviet age start near Simferopol International Airport) through the mountains to Alushta and on to Yalta. The length of line is about 90 km. It was founded in 1959.

Railroad lines running through Crimea include Armyansk—Kerch (with a link to Feodosiya), and Melitopol—Sevastopol (with a link to Yevpatoria), connecting Crimea to the Ukrainian mainland.

Highways

• E105/M18 – Syvash (bridge, starts), Dzhankoy, North Crimean Canal (bridge), Simferopol, Alushta, Yalta (ends)
• E97/M17 – Perekop (starts), Armyansk, Dzhankoy, Feodosiya, Kerch (ferry, ends)
• H05 – Krasnoperekopsk, Simferopol (access to the Simferopol International Airport)
• H06 – Simferopol, Bakhchisaray, Sevastopol
• H19 – Yalta, Sevastopol
• P16
• P23 – Simferopol, Feodosiya
• P25 – Simferopol, Yevpatoria
• P27 – Sevastopol, Inkerman (completely within the city of Sevastopol)
• P29 – Alushta, Sudak, Feodosiya
• P34 – Alushta, Yalta
• P35 – Hrushivka, Sudak
• P58 – Sevastopol, Port "Komysheva Bukhta" (completely within the city of Sevastopol)
• P59 (completely within the city of Sevastopol)

Sea transport

The cities of Yalta, Feodosiya, Kerch, Sevastopol, Chornomorske and Yevpatoria are connected to one another by sea routes. In the cities of Yevpatoria and nearby townlet Molochnoye are tram systems.

Tourism

The development of Crimea as a holiday destination began in the second half of the 19th century. The development of the transport networks brought masses of tourists from central parts of the Russian Empire. At the beginning of the 20th century, a major development of palaces, villas, and dachas began—most of which remain. These are some of the main attractions of Crimea as a tourist destination. There are many Crimean legends about famous touristic places, which attract the attention of tourists.

A new phase of tourist development began when the Soviet government realised the potential of the healing quality of the local air, lakes and therapeutic muds. It became a "health" destination for Soviet workers, and hundreds of thousands of Soviet tourists visited Crimea.

Artek is a former Young Pioneer camp on the Black Sea in the town of Hurzuf, near Ayu-Dag, established in 1925. In 1969 it had an area of 3.2 km². The camp consisted of 150 buildings Unlike most of the young pioneer camps, Artek was an all-year camp, due to the warm climate. Artek was considered to be a privilege for Soviet children during its existence, as well as for children from other communist countries. During its heyday, 27,000 children a year vacationed at Artek. Between 1925 and 1969 the camp hosted 300,000 children.^[56] After the breaking up of the Young Pioneers in 1991 its prestige declined, though it remained a popular vacation destination.^[57]

In the 1990s, Crimea became more of a get-away destination than a "health-improvement" destination. The most visited areas are the south shore of Crimea with cities of Yalta and Alushta, the western shore - Eupatoria and Saki, and the south-eastern shore - Feodosia and Sudak. According to National Geographic, Crimea was among the top 20 travel destinations in 2013.^[58]

Places of interest include

Sanctions

Following Russia's unrecognized annexation of Crimea, the European Union, the United States, Canada, Australia, Japan, and several other countries (including Ukraine) imposed economic sanctions against Russia, including some specifically targeting Crimea. Many of these sanctions were directed at individuals—both Russian and Crimean.^[59][60]

The European Union, the United States, Canada, Australia, and several countries aspiring to European Union membership have imposed economic sanctions directly against Crimea and Crimean individuals. In general they prohibit the sale, supply, transfer, or export of goods and technology in several sectors, including services directly related to tourism and infrastructure. They list seven ports where cruise ships cannot dock.^{[61][62][63][64][65]} Sanctions against individuals include travel bans and asset freezes. Since December 2014, Visa and MasterCard have stopped service in Crimea.^[66][67] However, after transactions have been transferred to the new Russian National Payment Card System, Visa and MasterCard resumed operations in Crimea in April 2015.^[68]

Demographics

As of 2007, the estimate of the total population of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol was at 2.352 million people,^[69] just slightly down from the count of the 2001 Ukrainian Census at 2.413 million.^[70]

According to the 2014 Russian census, 84% of Crimean inhabitants named Russian as their native language; 7.9% – Crimean Tatar; 3.7% – Tatar; and 3.3% – Ukrainian. It was the first official Russian census in Crimea since Ukrainian that held in 2001.^[71]

According to the 2001 census, 77% of Crimean inhabitants named Russian as their native language; 11.4% – Crimean Tatar; and 10.1% – Ukrainian.^[72] In 2013, however, the Crimean Tatar language was estimated to be on the brink of extinction, being taught in Crimea only in around 15 schools at that point. Turkey provided the greatest support to Tatars in Ukraine, which had been unable to resolve the problem of education in their mother tongue in Crimea, by bringing the schools to a modern state.^[73][74]

Ethnic composition of Crimea's population has changed dramatically since the early 20th century. The 1897 Russian Empire Census for the Taurida Governorate reported: 196,854 (13.06%) Crimean Tatars, 404,463 (27.94%) Russians and 611,121 (42.21%) Ukrainians. But these numbers included Berdyansky, Dneprovsky and Melitopolsky uyezds which were on mainland, not in Crimea. The population number excluding these uyezds is given in the table below.

Date	1897 [75][76]		1926 [77]		1939[78]		1959[79][80]		1970		1979[81]		1989 [82][83]		2001 [83]		2014[84]
Carried out by	Russian Empire		Soviet Union		Soviet Union		Soviet Union		Soviet Union		Soviet Union		Soviet Union		Ukraine		Russia
Ethnic group	Number	%	Number	%	Number	%	Number	%	Number	%	Number	%	Number	%	Number	%	Number	%
Russians	180,963	33.11%	301,398	42.2%	558,481	49.6%	858,273	71.4%	1,220,484	67.3%	1,460,980	66.9%	1,629,542	67.0%	1,450,400	60.4%	1,492,078
Ukrainians	64,703	11.84%	77,405	10.6%	154,123	13.7%	267,659	22.3%	480,733	26.5%	547,336	25.1%	625,919	25.8%	576,600	24.0%	344,515
Crimean Tatars	194,294	35.55%	179,094	25.1%	218,879	19.4%					5,422	0.2%	38,365	1.6%	245,200	10.2%	232,340
Belarusians	2,058	0.38%	3,842	0.5%	6,726	0.6%	21,672	1.8%	39,793	2.2%	45,000 (e)	2.1%	50,045	2.1%	35,000	1.5%	21,694
Armenians	8,317	1.52%	10,713	1.5%	12,923	1.1%			3,091	0.2%			2,794	0.1%	10,000	0.4%	11,030
Jews	24,168	4.42%	45,926	6.4%	65,452	5.8%	26,374	2.2%	25,614	1.4%			17,371	0.7%	5,500	0.2%	3,374
Others	72,089	13.19%					c.27,500	2.3%									92,533
Total population stating nationality	546,592		713,823		1,126,429				1,813,502		2,184,000		2,430,495		2,401,200		2,197,564
Nationality not stated															12,000		87,205
Total population							1,201,517						2,458,600		2,413,200		2,284,769

Crimean Tatars, a predominantly Muslim ethnic minority who in 2001 made up 12.1% of the population,^[85] formed in Crimea in the late Middle Ages, after the Crimean Khanate had come into existence. The Crimean Tatars were forcibly expelled to Central Asia by Joseph Stalin's government as a form of collective punishment, on the grounds that they had formed pro-German Tatar Legions. After the fall of the Soviet Union, Crimean Tatars began to return to the region.^[86] According to the 2001 Ukrainian population census 58% of the population of Crimea are ethnic Russians and 24% are ethnic Ukrainians.^[85]

Jews in Crimea were historically Krymchaks and Karaites (the latter a small group centered at Yevpatoria). The 1879 census for the Taurida Governorate reported a Jewish population of 4.20%, not including a Karaite population of 0.43%. The Krymchaks (but not the Karaites) were targeted for annihilation during Nazi occupation.

The number of Crimea Germans was 60,000 in 1939. During WWII, they were forcibly deported on the orders of Stalin, as they were regarded as a potential "fifth column".^[87][88][89] This was part of the 800,000 Germans in Russia who were relocated within the Soviet Union during Stalinist times.^[90] The 2001 Ukrainian census reports just 2,500 ethnic Germans (0.1% of population) in Crimea.

Besides the Crimean Germans, Stalin in 1944 also deported 70,000 Greeks, 14,000 Bulgarians^[91] and 3,000 Italians.

Culture

Ivan Aivazovsky, the 19th-century marine painter of Armenian origin, who is considered one of the major artists of his era was born in Feodosia and lived there for the most part of his life. Many of his paintings depict the Black Sea. He also created battle paintings during the Crimean War.^[92]

Almost 100 broadcasters and around 1,200 publications are registered in Crimea, although no more than a few dozen operate or publish regularly.^[93] Of them most use the Russian language only.^[93] Crimea's first Tatar-owned, Tatar-language TV launched in 2006.^[93]

Crimea was the background for Adam Mickiewicz's seminal work, The Crimean Sonnets. A series of 18 sonnets constitute an artistic telling of a journey through the Crimea, they feature romantic descriptions of the oriental nature and culture of the East which show the despair of an exile longing for the homeland, driven from his home by a violent enemy.

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  Painting of the Russian squadron in Sevastopol by Ivan Aivazovsky (1846)

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  The grave of Russian poet and artist Maximilian Voloshin

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  People at the Kazantip music festival in 2007

Sport

Following Crimea's vote to join Russia and subsequent annexation in March 2014, the top football clubs withdrew from the Ukrainian leagues. Some clubs registered to join the Russian leagues but the Football Federation of Ukraine objected. UEFA ruled that Crimean clubs could not join the Russian leagues but should instead be part of a Crimean league system. The Crimean Premier League is now the top professional football league in Crimea.^[94]

Gallery

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  Bakhchisaray Palace

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  Dulber Palace in Koreiz

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  Vorontsov Palace

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  Livadia Palace

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  Catholic church in Yalta

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  St. Vladimir's Cathedral, dedicated to the Heroes of Sevastopol (Crimean War).

See also

• 2014 Russian military intervention in Ukraine
• Crimean Gothic

References

Crimea articles Political status Autonomous Republic of Crimea (Ukraine) Republic of Crimea (Russia) History Bosporan Kingdom Roman Crimea Kipchaks Khazars Crimean campaigns of 1687 and 1689 Crimean Khanate 1783 annexation by Russia Crimean Goths Crimean War Crimean Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic Crimea in World War II Crimean Oblast 1944 deportations 1954 transfer to Ukraine 2014 Crimean status referendum 2014 annexation by Russia Geography Arabat Spit Arabat Bay Azov Sea Crimean Mountains Kerch Strait Perekop isthmus Syvash Vyalova cave system Subdivisions Cities Raions Urban-type settlements Politics Constitution of the Republic of Crimea Head of the Republic of Crimea State Council of Crimea Crimean Federal District Sevastopol and the Black Sea Fleet Council of Ministers (until 2014) Mejlis (Tatar assembly) President of Crimea (historical) Prime Minister of Crimea (until 2014) Supreme Council of Crimea (until 2014) (Chairman) Economy Tourism Crimea Air (historical) Crimean Trolleybus Culture Demographics Peoples Russians Ukrainians Crimean Tatars Armenians Karaites Krymchaks Crimea Germans Languages Crimean Tatar Krymchak Religion Christianity Roman Catholic Diocese of Odessa-Simferopol Ukrainian Catholic Archiepiscopal Exarchate of Odessa Judaism Islam Category Portal

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