About
About Chechnya
 
Overview:
Geographical Features: The Chechen Republic Ichkeria is situated in the eastern part of the North Caucasus. In the west it borders North Ossetia and Ingushetia, in the north to Stavropol Kray, in the east to Dagestan (of the Russian Federation), and to the south Georgia.
Area: 17,000 km². Capital: Grozny.
Population: The population of Chechnia is more than 1,2 million, of which one million are Chechen. The remainder consists mainly of Russians, Ingush and other North Caucasians. More than 1,000,000 live in other areas of the Caucasus, Central Asia and part of the Russian Federation.
Languages: The Chechen language is of the North East Caucasian group.
Economy: The main industry is oil refinery. Important is production of grains, fruits and vegetables. As a result of events of 1996-2001 economics, culture, social infrastructure, towns and some villages of the republic were ruined.
Administrative division: The Republic is divided into 5 towns and 20 village districts. There are about 400 settlements. The population is more than 1 million people, among them - 70% of Chechens. The capital of the republic is the town of Grozny with population of 400 thousand people.
Brief History:
- Chechenia has been ruled by Russia since the end of the Caucasus War (1711-1864).
- 1922 Chechenia became an autonomous district in the Russian Federation.
- 1936 The territories of the Chechens and Ingush were combined into one region and obtained the status of an Autonomous Republic. Russian language is dominated in all activities.
- 1944 In order to maintain centralised control over Chechnia, the entire Chechen population were deported to Soviet Central Asia.
- 1990 A Chechen national movement for self-determination emerged.
- 1991 The government of the Chechen-Ingush Republic fell. General D. Dudajev, a leader in the Chechen national movement, was elected President of Chechnia. Chechnia officially declared its independence. Ingushetia was formed as a separate republic within the Russian Federation.
- 1994 Russia sent military forces to Chechnia. The war lasted for almost 2 years, around 100,000 people were killed, many towns and villages destroyed.
- 1996 A cease-fire was signed in Moscow.
- 1997 A new president, Aslan Maskhadov, was elected.
- In September 1999 military operations in the territory of Chechnya recommenced.
Chechnya Maps at University of Texas