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Chechnya

The Chechen Republic (Russian: Чеченская Республика; Chechen: Noxçiyn Respublika Noxçiyçö), also spelled Chechnia or Chechenia, is a constituent republic of the Russian Federation. Bordering Stavropol Krai to the northwest, the republic of Dagestan to the northeast and east, Georgia to the south, and the republics of Ingushetia and North Ossetia to the west, it is located in Northern Caucasus mountains, in the Southern Federal District. Чеченская Республика Российской ФедерацииChechenskaya Respublika Rossiyskoy Federatsii (In Detail) (Full size) National motto: None Official languages Russian, Chechen Capital Grozny PresidentAkhmad Kadyrov Prime Minister Anatoly Popov Area - Total - % water(not ranked)17,300km² Negligible Population - Total (1997) - Density(not ranked) 862 000 50/km² Independence - Declared - Recognition From Russia - 1990 - none Currency Russian Rouble Time zone UTC +3 Calling Code7 (Russia) After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the group of Chechen leaders declared themselves a new parliament and declared independence as the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria. As of 2003, the independence is not recognized by any state; however this declaration caused armed conflicts in which several rival Chechen groups and the Federal army was involved, resulted in about 150,000 deaths in the period of 1994-2003. Table of contents showTocToggle("show","hide") 1 History 2 Politics 3 Administrative division 4 Geography 5 Economy 6 Demographics 7 External links 8 Further reading History Main article: History of Chechnya A part of the Russian Empire since 1859, the Chechnya-Ingushetia region was incorporated as the Checheno-Ingushkaja Autonomous Soviet-Socialist Republic during the founding of the Soviet Union. Over the course of Soviet rule, the Chechens endured a forced deportment of the whole population to the Kazakh SSR (later Kazakhstan) during World War II. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, an independence movement formed in Chechnya, while Russia refused to allow the secession. As a result, Chechnya has undergone two civil wars, which have left most of Chechnya under the control of the federal military. Chechen separatists still claim an independent Chechnya and have orchestrated attacks in Chechnya and other regions of Russia, including Moscow. Politics Main article: Politics of Chechnya Chechnya is considered an independent republic by its separatists, and a federal republic by its federalists. Its regional constitution was entered into effect on April 2, 2003 after an all-Chechen referendum was held on March 23, 2003. Since 1990, the Chechen Republic has had legal, military, and civil conflicts involving the separatist movements. However, the current government of the Chechen Republic meets most laws of Checheno-Ingushkaja ASSR, the Chechen Republic, and the Russian Federation. This compromise is considered by some to be pro-federal government. Despite popular belief, most Chechen citizens see the Chechen Republic as being within the Russian Federation (more than 70% by independent and even anti-Russian polls). The President, defected separatist warlord Akhmad Kadyrov was elected with 83 percent of the vote in an internationally monitored election in 2003. (However, there are claims of ballot stuffing and voter intimidation by Russian soldiers and exclusion of separatist parties from the polls, namely from OSCE). Rudnik Dudayev is head of the Chechen Security Council and Anatoliy Popov is the prime minister. The separatists consider Kadyrov a traitor. In addition to the Kadyrov government, there is a self-proclaimed separatist government that is not recognized by any state (although members have been given in political asylum in European and Arab countries.) The president of this government is Aslan Maskhadov, the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister is Akhmed Zakayev. Aslan Maskhadov was elected in an internationally monitored election in 1997 for 4 years, when it was a major political force. In 2001 he issued a decree prolonging his office for one additional year; he was unable to participate the 2003 presidential election, since separatist parties were said to be barred, and Maskhadov is accused of "terrorist offences" in Russia for his involvement in separatist wars. Maskhadov left Grozny and moved to the separatist-controlled areas of the south during the onset of the Second Chechen War. President Maskhadov was unable to influence a number of warlords who retain effective control over Chechen territory, and his power was diminished as a result. Most probably, any actions of Maskhadov's government or even its disappearance would not change current situation in the Chechen Republic. Some territories are or were controlled by regional teips. Administrative division Districts:

Naurskijj rajjon - Наурский район

Shelkovskojj rajjon - Шелковской район

Nadterechnyjj rajjon - Надтеречный район

Groznenskijj rajjon - Грозненский район

Gudermesskijj rajjon - Гудермесский район

Sunzhenskijj rajjon - Сунженский район

Achkhojj-Martanovskijj rajjon - Ачхой-Мартановский район

Urus-Martanovskijj rajjon - Урус-Мартановский район

Shalinskijj rajjon - Шалинский район

Kurchaloevskijj rajjon - Курчалоевский район

Itum-Kalinskijj rajjon - Итум-Калинский район

Shatojjskijj rajjon - Шатойский район

Vedenskijj rajjon - Веденский район

Nozhajj-Jurtovskijj rajjon - Ножай-Юртовский район

Sharojjskijj rajjon - Шаройский район

Towns:

Znamenskoe - Знаменское

Naurskaja - Наурская

Achkhojj-Martan - Ачхой-Мартан

Urus-Martan - Урус-Мартан

Groznyjj city - Грозный

Shali - :Шали

Gudermes - Гудермес

Shelkovskaja - Шелковская

Itum-Shale - Итум-Шале

Shatojj - Шатой

Vedeno - Ведено

Nozhajj-Jurt - Ножай-Юрт

Geography

Population: 1.3 million
Area: 19.3 thousand square km
Other Principal Cities: Gudermes, Argun and ?ali
Borders:
- Inside Russia:
- Foreign:
  - Georgia

Rivers:

Terek - Терек

Sunzha - Сунжа

Argun - Аргун

Economy During the civil war, the Chechen economy fell apart as organized criminal gangs acquired progressively more power. The official Russian Rouble and unofficial US Dollar are used as currency. There are many counterfeit US Dollars printed there; separatists planned to put them into circulation as a new currency, Nahar, but the Federal army prevented them. Demographics

Religion: Sunni Muslim since the 16th to the 18th century.
Chechen and Russian are used.
The Chechen language is member of the Iberian-Caucasian languages family.

External links

Official site of Chechen Government (in Russian)
Official separatist Chechen news media
46 Die in Chechen Suicide Attack by Sharon LaFraniere. The Washington Post, Saturday, December 28, 2002; Page A01
Russia Links Arab Millitants to Bombing in Chechnya by Michael Wines. The New York Times, December 28, 2002
Court Rules Russian Colonel Insane CNN, December 31, 2002
Almanac "Chechenian Phenomenon" in English and Russian