Nalchik

 

(näl'chĭk) , city (1989 pop. 235,000), capital of Kabardino-Balkar Republic, S European Russia, on the northern slope of the Greater Caucasus. A health and tourist resort, it is the gateway to the Mt. Elbrus region. It also also has considerable industry, notably a molybdenum-tungsten mill; semiconductors, electrical machinery and equipement, and chemicals are also produced. Nalchik was founded in 1817 as a Russian stronghold, and made a city in 1921. In Oct., 2005, the city was the scene of simultaneous attacks by Islamic militants on multiple security targets and the airport that left scores dead; the attackers had links to Chechen rebels.

Nalchik (English) На́льчик (Russian)
Kabardino-Balkaria on the map of Russia
Coordinates 43°31′N 43°36′E / 43.517, 43.6Coordinates: 43°31′N 43°36′E / 43.517, 43.6
Coat of Arms
Administrative status
Federal subject In jurisdiction of Administrative center of	Kabardino-Balkaria —
Local self-government
Charter	Charter of Nalchik
Municipal status	Urban okrug
Head
Legislative body	City Assembly of Nalchik
Area
Area	km² ( sq mi)
Population (as of the 2002 Census)
Population - Rank - Density	inhabitants /km² (/sq mi)
Events
Founded	1818
Town status	1921
Other information
Postal code
Dialing code	n/a
Official website
http://www.nalchik.ru/

Nalchik (Karachay-Balkar and Russian: На́льчик; Kabardian: Налшык) is a city in the Caucasus region of southern Russia and capital of the Kabardino-Balkar Republic. The city is situated at an altitude of  meters ( ft) in the foothills of the Caucasus Mountains. It covers an area of  square kilometers ( sq mi). Population: 274,974 (2002 Census); 234,547 (1989 Census).

History

The territory of modern-day Nalchik was inhabited by native Balkars and Kabardians as far back as 1743, but the modern city dates from the early 19th century when the expanding Russian Empire built a fort there in 1818; this date is seen at the top of the city's coat of arms. A military settlement was founded on the site in 1838. Nalchik remained relatively unimportant until after the Russian Revolution of 1917, when it was given the status of a city in 1921. It was promoted to become the administrative center of the Kabardian autonomous oblast.

The city is named after the Nalchik River, on the shores of which it is located. The word "Nalchik" literally means "small horseshoe" in Kabardian (or Circassian, a Northwest Caucasian language) and Karachay-Balkar (a Turkic language). It is a diminutive of nal, the Turkic and Turkish word for "horseshoe" derived from Arabic (نعل) with the same meaning. ^[1]

During World War II, Nalchik was occupied by Nazi Germany between 28 October 1942 to 3 January 1943. The city was heavily damaged during the conflict.

Nalchik was chosen the "second cleanest city of Russia" in 2003.

Economy and education

Nalchik is a balneological and mountain climatotherapy resort, with several sanatoriums. It also serves as an industrial center of the republic (non-ferrous metallurgy, light industry, construction materials manufacturing, machine building).

Nalchik is home to the following facilities of higher education:

• Kabardino-Balkar State University
• Kabardino-Balkar Institute of Business
• North Caucasian State Institute of Arts
• Kabardino-Balkar State Agricultural Academy

Sports

PFC Spartak Nalchik is a football club based in Nalchik, playing in the Russian Premier League.

October 2005 attack on Nalchik

Main article: October 2005 Nalchik attack

On October 13, 2005, buildings in Nalchik associated with the Russian security forces were attacked by a large group of armed men. At least 136 people were reported to have been killed in the fighting.^{[citation needed]}October 13, 2005 was a Thursday, and while the city was shut down for the most part on Friday, October 14, the market partially reopened on Saturday, and the city was 'up and running' to almost full capacity on the following Monday.

Although the Western press largely blamed this attack on the Chechens,^{[citation needed]} it was actually a local group, Yarmuk Jamaat, composed of Kabardian and Balkar men who carried out the attack.^{[citation needed]} The swell in security forces in and around Nalchik after these attacks was substantial.

Notable people

• Yuri Temirkanov, orchestra conductor, born 1938
• Dima Bilan, famous russian singer, born 1981
• Yefrem Amiramov, Poet, Musician, born in 1956
• Katya Lel, Singer, born in 1974

Climate

• Winter (January taken as an average): − °C ( °F)
• Spring (April taken as an average): + °C ( °F)
• Summer (July taken as an average): + °C ( °F)
• Autumn (October taken as an average): + °C ( °F)

References

External links

• (Russian) http://www.kavkazweb.net KavkazWeb.net - Daily news from Nalchik
• (Russian) Official website of Kabardino-Balkaria (with Nalchik information)
• (Russian) Information about Nalchik.
• (Russian) Map of Nalchik.
• (Russian) Nalchik airport Information.
• (English) 1998 Stadium Incident—CNN News.
• (Russian) Интернет-портал города Нальчик / Internet Portal of Nalchik.

	Cities and towns in the Kabardino-Balkar Republic
	Capital: Nalchik Baksan | Chegem | Maysky | Nartkala | Prokhladny | Terek | Tyrnyauz

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