NORTH OSSETIA-ALANIA

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The 'Republic of North Ossetia-Alania' (; Ossetic: Цгат Ирыстоны Аланийы Республик) 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 as ''Căgat Irystony Alanijy Respublikă''.

Contents
Name
History
Geography
Time zone
Rivers
Mountains
Natural resources
Climate
Administrative divisions
Demographics
Politics
Economy
Transportation
Culture
Education
Religion
See also
References
External links
General
Education
Mass media

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 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]

History


Main articles: History of North Ossetia-Alania

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.

★ ''Area:''

★ ''Borders:''


★ ''internal:'' Kabardino-Balkar Republic (W/NW/N), Stavropol Krai (N), Chechen Republic (NE/E), Republic of Ingushetia (E/SE)


★ ''international:'' Georgia (including South Ossetia) (SE/S/SW)

★ Highest point: Mount Dzhimara ()

★ Maximum N->S distance:

★ Maximum E->W distance:
Time zone


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

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

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).
Natural resources

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

Administrative divisions


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 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%)

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.

Economy


Despite the inevitable economic burden of a sizeable refugee population, North Ossetia is the most well-to-do republic in the northern Caucasus. 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.
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.

Culture


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

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.

Religion


The predominant religion is Russian Orthodox Christianity, followed by Islam. However, many of the native rituals predate both faiths.

See also



Ossetic language

Music of Ossetia

Beslan school hostage crisis

References


1. Shnirelman, Victor (2006). The Politics of a Name: Between Consolidation and Separation in the Northern Caucasus. ''Acta Slavica Iaponica'' 23, pp. 37-49.

External links


General


Official website of the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania

Official website of the Parliament of the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania

Russian News Agency ''Ria Novosty''

Official website of Alexander Dzasokhov

Ossetia—History, culture, politics, news

Pictures of North Ossetia-Alania

Welcome to North Ossetia (by Toma Kulayeva)
Education


North Ossetian State University.

North Ossetian State Medical Academy.

Higher Institute of Management.

Institute of Civilization.
Mass media


Electronic version of the ''North Ossetia'' (''Severnaya Osetiya'') republican newspaper.

North Ossetian information portal ''15th Region'' (''15y Region'').

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