GENERAL INFORMATION

The Republic of Adygea is located on the scenic northern slopes of the Caucasus range descending to the fertile Kuban plain. It has an area of 7800 square kilometers and a population of 450 000 representing more than 80 nationalities. Two nationalities, Adyge and Russians, form the basis of the republic’s present-day ethnic makeup. At present, the republic has 2 cities administered at the republican level, 7 districts, 5 urban communities, and 55 rural and village districts. The capital of the Republic of Adygea is Maikop. The Kuban, Laba, Belaya, and Adygea rivers are historical sites steeped in legends, where the celebrated Great Silk Route to Asia passed in the Middle Ages. The ancestors of the Adyge created the Maikop culture, well known in world archaeology.

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The Adyge, who gave their name to the republic, are the oldest inhabitants of the Northwest Caucasus and were known in Europe and the East as Circassians (or Cherkessians) from the 13th century onward. The Adygean language belongs to the Abkhazo-Adygean group of Caucasian languages and is an official language of the Republic of Adygea along with Russian.

Adygea became a republic of the Russian Federation in 1991. Its first president was Aslan Alievich Dzharimov. The Constitution of the Republic of Adygea was adopted in 1995 and is based on the fundamental principles of voluntary membership in the Russian Federation, preservation of Russia’s unity and integrity, defense of the interests of the multinational population of Adygea, law and order, and civil peace and interethnic harmony in Adygea. The Republic of Adygea bases its relations with other subjects of the Russia Federation on agreements. Since 1992, friendship and cooperation agreements have been signed with Krasnodar Territory, the Kabardino-Balkara Republic, Karachaevo-Cherkessia, the Republic of Ingushetia, the Republic of North Ossetia (Alania), the Republic of Dagestan, the Republic of Abkhazia, the Moscow City Government, and the Government of Astrakhan Region. Cooperation with other subjects of the Russian Federation in various areas of science, culture, economics, public health, etc. is expanding. Adygea is a member of the Association for Socioeconomic Cooperation of the Republics, Territories, and Regions of the Northern Caucasus. An Agreement forming an Interparliamentary Council consisting of the Republic of Adygea, the Kabardino-Balkara Republic, and the Karachaevo-Cherkessian Republic has been in effect since July 1997.

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About 100 social-political and religious associations are active in the Republic of Adygea, along with just as many republican organizations of Russian parties and movements, Adygean parties, and veterans’, youth, women’s, and other organizations.
Representatives of public associations of various orientations are united in a republican organization, the Peace League, which includes staff of businesses and members of institutions, public organizations, national and cultural associations, political parties, and religious faiths. The Peace League’s objective is to help maintain peace and security, involve citizens in peace movements, and cooperate with government and public organizations in solving interethnic and interregional problems of an economic, cultural, and humanitarian nature.

Adygea attaches great importance to developing culture and education. The Adygean Pedagogical Institute has been turned into the Adygean State University, and a new higher educational institution, the Maikop State Technological Institute, has been opened. Postgraduate and doctoral programs and academic councils have been established at the republic’s higher educational institutions.

Preserving and developing national traditions is also a priority in Adygea. National traditions that have historically defined the norms of interethnic relations act as social regulators in present-day conditions. Support of both professional and amateur groups popularizing the finest achievements of the national cultures of the Republic of Adygea is also an important objective. At the Pushkin State Drama Theater, productions are staged in both official languages, i.e., Adygean and Russian. The Nalmes State Academic Adygean Folk Dance Ensemble and the Islamei State Adygean Folk Song Ensemble are examples of successful professional groups. New professional groups have also been formed, for example, the symphony orchestra of the Adygean Ministry of Culture, the Russkaya Udal State orchestra of Russian folk instruments, a choral ensemble, and the Oshten show ensemble, which popularizes the finest accomplishments of Russian popular culture. Great emphasis is also placed on reviving ancient customs and ceremonies. For example, the Leperyshu and Kesho Kuang, Adygean dances that were lost in the historic homeland but were preserved by the diaspora, have returned to Adygea. Traditional national trades and crafts have also been revived, and the Adygean Center for Popular Culture is working productively. A database of the republic’s skilled craftsmen containing the names of more than 240 craftsmen and amateur artists has been created. The works of these craftsmen have been exhibited in Moscow, Yaroslavl, Nalchik, Grozny, Krasnodar, and other cities. The finest articles made by national craftsmen are kept in the National Museum of the Republic of Adygea. Amidst heightened interest in national origins, the revival of the national cultures of the Adyge, Cossacks, and other Adygean nationalities is being achieved without conflict thanks to national distinctiveness.

There are 8 state and 23 public museums in Adygea. The National Museum of the Republic of Adygea possesses unique archaeological, ethnographic, and natural collections. A special section on the Adyge diaspora has been opened, resulting in a significant addition to the Museum’s exhibits on the period of the Caucasian War and the life of Adyge abroad. A branch of the State Museum of Eastern Peoples and a picture gallery have been opened in Maikop.

The epic known as the Nart is the oldest cultural memorial of the Adyge people. It depicts the people at an early stage of development of human society, their occupations, ethical standards and philosophical views, folk legends, and distinctive features of their life and character.

Adygea’s role in the cultural life of the Northern Caucasus region is increasing. This is shown by the fact that the republic has been designated as cultural coordinator for other regions of the Northern Caucasus and is increasingly becoming the site of federal and regional cultural events. These include the International Festival of Adyge Culture; the Friendship Stage (Rampa druzhby) amateur theater festival of the Northern Caucasus and a number of regional competitions for young musicians; regional festivals of Cossack culture; and the Peace in the Caucasus (Mir Kavkazu) festival of master artists of Southern Russia.

The Republic is participating in special federal programs for economic and sociopolitical development in the Northern Caucasus region, including the projects Russian South (Yug Rossii), Peace in the Northern Caucasus through Economics, Education, and Culture (Mir na Severnom Kavkaze cherez ekonomiku, obrazovanie, i kulturu), Monuments of the Caucasus (Pamyatniki Kavkaza), and Interaction of Civilizations and Cultures in the Northern Caucasus (Vzaimodeistvie tsivilizatsii i kultur na Severnom Kavkaze).

Many generations of artists and cultural figures have made a priceless contribution to the creative heritage. Well-known names include classic Adygean writers T.M. Kerashev, winner of the USSR State Prize, and I.Sh . Mashbash, national writer of Adygea, winner of the USSR and Russian State Prizes, the Kuban Komsomol and A. Fadeyev Prizes, and the Sholokhov Literary Prize, and President of the Writers’ Union of Adygea; and founder of Adygean professional musical arts, U.Kh Tkhabisimov, national artist of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Adygea, honored artist of Russia, winner of the State Prize of the Republic of Adygea, and member of the Russian Composers’ Union.

The Republic takes pride in its Olympic champions and medallists, who include Vladimir Nevzorov and Aramby Emizh in judo, Tamara Kalyagina in basketball, Mukharby Kirzhinov in weight lifting, and Valdimir Maksimov in handball. Other athletes have won multiple world and European championships and medals, for example, Aramby Khapai, Vladimir Dutov, Vladimir Gurin, Gumer Kostokov, Sagid, Meretukov, Murat Khasanov, Mukhamed Kunizhev, Skhatby Alkhaov, and Alexsandr Konovalov in unarmed self-defense; Khazret Tletseri in judo; and Valery Talaev in weight lifting; marksman Aleksandr Fedorinov in shooting; Asker Tatlok in Greco-Roman wrestling; Andzhei Cholokyan in boxing. Sergei Alifirenko, a native of Maikop, won the championship in speed shooting at the XXVII Olympics in Sydney.

Sixty-six Adygeans are members of combined Russian teams in 18 sports. Since 1992, the Peoples’ Friendship of the Northern Caucasus multiday bicycle race has been an annual event. The race follows the route Maikop-Krasnodar-Stavropol-Cherkessk-Pyatigorsk-Nalchik-Vladikavkaz and bears a token of peace and friendship in the regions of Southern Russia. Interrally-Belaya boating competitions dedicated to peace and friendship between the peoples of Russia are also held in Adygea.

The republic is in an area of mixed tourism and has considerable resources for hunters.
Several conservation areas have been created in Adygea, including the Caucasus State Biosphere Preserve spread over Adygea and Krasnodar and Stavropol territories, a number of unique natural monuments, and Gornaya Adygea National Park. Mountain hiking trails and a riding trail are also very popular.

RESOURCES

The Republic of Adygea is located on the scenic northern slopes of the Caucasus range descending to the fertile Kuban plain and covers an area of 7800 square kilometers. The main territory of Adygea is located in the Kuban and Laba river valleys. In the mountainous parts of Adygea, a series of peaks-Shepsi, Oshten, Fisht, Chugush, and Pseashkho-with heights from 2000 to 3255 meters stretches from south to east. The navigable Kuban River is one of the largest rivers in the Caucasus. The Belaya, Laba, Pshish, Psekups, Kisha, Dakh, Cakhrai, Khodz, Fars, and many other rivers have their sources among the glaciers and permanent snowfields.

Adygea’s resources are found in geological structures bearing a number of commercial minerals, the most important of which are oil and gas. Scientists have estimated the republic’s reserves at 71 million tonnes of equivalent fuel. The so-called “white Maikop oil” is known around the world. The republic’s thermal and mineral water resources are unique in their properties and contain a wide range of microelements, for example, iodine, bromine, boron, arsenic, zinc, cobalt, and barium, among others.

Melting ice from the mountain peaks is the source of the river with the beautiful and resonant name of Serebryanka. It flows through hard volcanic rocks 180 meters thick or more, which purify its waters. Then as it passes through untouched strata, its waters become saturated with mineral salts. The filtered water of the Serebryanka with its high content of microelements and low bacteria count is fresh and cold even in summer. Ten years ago, it began to be delivered to the apartments of many Maikop residents through a branch water supply line.

There are also sizable reserves of raw materials for manufacturing cement, lime, and glass, as well as colored marble and granite for interior decoration. Deposits of building, facing, and semiprecious stones are found in one of the mountainous parts of the republic; and clay materials and sand-gravel mixtures are concentrated on the plains. Most of the clay deposits have been developed for the production of bricks and expanded clay aggregate. However, the Maikop clays have excellent natural properties and are suitable for manufacturing tile, glazed tile, ceramic sewer pipe, floor tiles, and faience. Clay reserves are enormous. Natural agrochemical fertilizers based on phosphorites, glauconitic sandstones, and zeolites have also been extensively developed. Ore deposits include gold, silver, barite, tungsten, mercury, polymetals, iron, and manganese.

Adygea’s forests are a major source of hardwoods, such as oak, beech, hornbeam, and ash, for the furniture-making and woodworking industries of the Northern Caucasus. The forests are also rich in plants with important nutritional and medicinal properties. About 150 tonnes of crude drugs and more than 170 tonnes of wild plant materials are stockpiled each year. Investments that provide an effective return in the shortest possible time are required in order to fully develop this natural wealth.

ECONOMY

Adygea is for the most part an agrarian republic with a well-developed industrial sector. The region’s best growing crops are wheat, sugar-beet, tobacco-plant, vegetables, rice, water-melons and tea, which grows in the most northern parts of the globe and is rated highly among connoisseurs. Adygea is also known for its horticulture, cattle breeding, industrial poultry keeping, beekeeping and horse breeding. Republic’s industry is represented by its eleven branches. Food industry is the leader among them, it makes up 50% of republic’s overall production volume. Republic’s rich timber resources made it possible to create large-scale furniture, woodworking and pulp and paper industry, which occupy 16% of all industrial workers. Engineering and metal-working enterprises produce 11% of all industrial production of the republic. In 1991-2000 republic’s economy as well as the economy of the whole country went through a time of harsh crisis but at present one can note the stable dynamics of production growth.

AUTHORITIES

State authority in the Republic of Adygea is exercised on the basis of division of power into legislative, executive, and judicial authorities, as well as division of areas of jurisdiction and power between governing bodies of the Russian Federation and those of the Republic of Adygea vested in the federative agreement, the Constitution of the Russian Federation, and the Constitution of the Republic of Adygea.

The legislative, executive, and judicial bodies act independently within the limits of their power while cooperating with one another.

State authority in the republic is exercised by the President of the Republic of Adygea as head of state and head of the executive body; by the State Council (Khase) of the Republic of Adygea as the highest representative and legislative body; by the Cabinet of Ministers as the executive body; and by the courts of the Republic of Adygea as judicial bodies.

Local government in the Republic of Adygea operates in districts and major cities. The activities of local administrations and executive bodies are managed by the head of the administration elected by the people of the respective territory according to the law. Local representative government bodies in the Republic of Adygea consist of city and district Councils of People’s Deputies elected by the people in the respective territory.

Local self-government is recognized and guaranteed in the Republic of Adygea. Local self-government is exercised by citizens of the Republic of Adygea in rural communities, neighborhoods, and other territories in the form of direct declaration of intention and through elected self-government bodies.

The President of the Republic of Adygea

The President of the Republic of Adygea is head of state and head of the executive body. The President acts as guarantor of rights and individual freedoms in the republic and of observance of the Constitution and laws of the Republic of Adygea, as well as contractual obligations, and ensures the security and territorial integrity of the republic.

The President determines the main orientation of the republic’s domestic and foreign policy, signs and proclaims the laws of the republic, and has the right to initiate legislation and veto laws of the Republic of Adygea. The President determines the structure of executive bodies; forms the Cabinet of Ministers and is in charge of its activities; appoints the Prime Minister and the ministers responsible for finance, social security, national policy, and foreign relations with the consent of the State Council (Khase) of the Republic of Adygea; appoints and dismisses the heads of the republic’s executive bodies; gives consent jointly with the Khase to the Attorney General of the Russian Federation to appoint the Attorney General of the Republic of Adygea; and proposes the candidacies of judges to the Khase.

The President confers state awards and honorary titles of the Republic of Adygea.

The President of the Republic of Adygea is elected for a five-year term on the basis of equal and direct suffrage by secret ballot.

Representative Authority

The State Council (Khase) is the highest representative and legislative body in the Republic of Adygea. The Khase consists of two houses: the Council of Representatives (upper house) and the Council of the Republic (lower house). The Council of Representatives is made up of 27 deputies elected in three-member constituencies, with three representatives from each republican city and district on the basis of direct suffrage by secret ballot. The Council of the Republic is made up of 27 deputies elected in single-member constituencies with approximately equal numbers of voters on the basis of direct suffrage by secret ballot.

The two houses act jointly in giving consent to the appointment of the Prime Minister, some members of the Cabinet of Ministers, and federal court judges; in consenting to the appointment of the Attorney General of the Republic of Adygea jointly with the President; in approving agreements to change the republic’s boundaries; and in deciding on matters of no confidence (confidence) in the President, the Cabinet of Ministers, and members of the Cabinet of Ministers.

The Council of Representatives makes decisions concerning approval of the Constitution and laws of the Republic of Adygea passed by the Council of the Republic. The upper house sets elections for President, deputies of the Khase, and local government bodies, as well as referendums in the republic. It also elects judges of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Adygea and appoints magistrates.

Executive Authority

Executive authority in the Republic of Adygea is exercised by the Cabinet of Ministers, which consists of the Prime Minister and ministers. The President of the republic forms the Cabinet of Ministers and directs its activities. The Prime Minister, who coordinates the activities of ministries and other government bodies, is appointed by the President with the consent of the State Council (Khase). In the absence of the President and on his instructions, the Prime Minister replaces the President as head of the executive body.

The Cabinet of Ministers draws up the republic’s budget, drafts of socioeconomic development plans and programs, and reports on their implementation and presents them to the Khase. It manages and disposes of state property of the Republic of Adygea and takes measures to ensure the rule of law, protect the rights and freedoms of citizens, protect property, maintain public order, and combat crime. The Cabinet of Ministers directs the work of ministries, state committees, and other agencies within its jurisdiction.

Ministries, committees, and other government bodies in the republic are in charge of the sectors and spheres of management entrusted to them.

Judicial Authority

Judicial authority in the republic is exercised in the form of constitutional, civil, criminal, and administrative court proceedings.

The Constitutional Court of the Republic of Adygea exercises constitutional control in the republic. The Constitutional Court settles cases in accordance with the Constitution of the Republic of Adygea; the laws of the republic; the regulatory and legal and other acts of the State Council (Khase), the President of the Republic of Adygea, the Cabinet of Ministers and other government bodies of the republic; interrepublican and interregional agreements; and agreements of the Republic of Adygea. The Court also settles issues of jurisdiction, provides interpretations of the Constitution of the Republic of Adygea, rules on the presence of grounds for dismissing the President from office, and presents legislative initiatives on questions of its jurisdiction.

The Supreme Court of the Republic of Adygea, district courts, and magistrates administer justice in the areas of civil, criminal, and administrative court proceedings in the republic.

The Arbitration Court of the Republic of Adygea settles economic disputes and other cases considered by courts of arbitration.