See Also

Kalmykia

The Republic of Kalmykia is a federal subject Federal subjects of Russia

Russia [i] is a federation [i] which consists of 88 subjects}}; English transliteration [i] ... 

 of the Russian Federation Russia

Russia , also the Russian Federation , is a country [i] that stretches over a vast expanse of Eurasia [i] ... 

 . The direct transliteration of the republic's Russian name is Respublika Kalmykiya, and that of the Kalmyk name is Khal'mg Tanghch. It is Europe's only Buddhist Buddhism

Buddhism is a dharmic [i], non-theistic [i] religion [i], a way of life, a p ... 

 nation.

Discussions

  Discussion Features

   Ask a question about 'Kalmykia'

   Start a new discussion about 'Kalmykia'

   Answer questions about 'Kalmykia'

   'Kalmykia' discussion forum


Encyclopedia

The Republic of Kalmykia is a federal subject Federal subjects of Russia

Russia [i] is a federation [i] which consists of 88 subjects}}; English transliteration [i] ... 

 of the Russian Federation Russia

Russia , also the Russian Federation , is a country [i] that stretches over a vast expanse of Eurasia [i] ... 

 . The direct transliteration of the republic's Russian name is Respublika Kalmykiya, and that of the Kalmyk name is Khal'mg Tanghch. It is Europe's only Buddhist Buddhism

Buddhism is a dharmic [i], non-theistic [i] religion [i], a way of life, a p ... 

 nation.

Geography

  • Area: 76,100km².
  • Borders:
    • internal: Volgograd Oblast Volgograd Oblast

      Volgograd Oblast is a federal subject [i] of Russia [i]. ... 

       , Astrakhan Oblast Astrakhan Oblast

      Astrakhan Oblast is a federal subject [i] of Russia [i], with an area of 44,1 ... 

       , Dagestan Dagestan

      The Republic of Dagestan , older spelling Daghestan, is a federal subject [i] ... 

       , Stavropol Krai Stavropol Krai

      Stavropol Krai is a federal subject [i] of Russia [i]. ... 

       , Rostov Oblast Rostov Oblast

      Rostov Oblast is a federal subject [i] of Russia [i], located in Southern Federal District [i] ... 

       .
    • water: Caspian Sea Caspian Sea

      The Caspian Sea is the largest lake [i] on Earth by both area [i] and volume [i], with a surface area of ... 

       .
  • Highest point: no data.
  • Maximum N->S distance: 448 km.
  • Maximum E->W distance: 423 km.

Time zone


Kalmykia is located in the Moscow Time Zone . UTC Coordinated Universal Time


Coordinated Universal Time is a high-precision atomic [i] time standard [i].... 

 offset is +0300 /+0400 .

Rivers

Major rivers include:
  • Volga River Volga River

    The Volga, widely viewed as the national river of Russia [i], flows through the western part of the coun... 

  • Kuma River
  • Manych River

Lakes

Kalmykia is located on the shores of the Caspian Sea Caspian Sea

The Caspian Sea is the largest lake [i] on Earth by both area [i] and volume [i], with a surface area of ... 

. In general, there are very few lakes on the territory of the republic. The biggest lakes include:
  • Manych-Gudilo Lake
  • Sarpinskoye Lake
  • Sostinskiye Lakes
  • Tsagan-Khak Lake

Natural Resources

Kalmykia's natural resources include coal Coal

Coal is a fossil fuel [i] extracted from the ground by underground mining or open-pit mining . ... 

, oil Petroleum

Petroleum or crude oil is a black, dark brown or greenish liquid [i] found in porous rock formati ... 

, and natural gas Natural gas

Natural gas, commonly referred to as gas, is a gas [i]eous fossil fuel [i] consisting primarily of ... 

.

Climate

Kalmykia has a continental climate, with very hot and dry summers and cold winters with little snow.

  • Average January temperature: -7°C
  • Average July temperature: +24°C
  • Average annual precipitation: 170 mm to 400 mm

Administrative divisions

Main article: Administrative divisions of Kalmykia Administrative divisions of Kalmykia

*Cities and towns under republic's jurisdiction

... 


Demographics

According to the 2002 Census, Kalmyks Kalmyk people

The Kalmyks are the descendants of the Oirats [i], the historic and collective identity of the West Mong... 

 at 155,938 make up 53.3% of the republic's population. Other groups include Russians Russians

Russians are an East Slavic [i] ethnic group [i], primarily living in Russia [i] and neighbo ... 

 , Dargins , Chechens Chechen people

Chechens constitute the largest native ethnic group originating in the North Caucasus [i] region. ... 

 , Kazakhs Kazakhs

The Kazakhs, are a Turkic people [i] of the northern parts of Central Asia [i]. ... 

 , Turks Turkish people

The Turks,, or the Turkish people, are a nation [i] in the meaning an ethnos [i], ... 

 , Ukrainians Ukrainians

Ukrainians are an East Slavic [i] ethnic group [i] primarily living in Ukraine [i]. ... 

 , Avars Caucasian Avars

Avars or Caucasian Avars are a modern people of Caucasus [i], mainly of Dagestan [i], in which the ... 

 , Ethnic German Ethnic German

Ethnic Germans—usually simply called Germans [i] are those who are considered, by themselves or ot ... 

s , and a host of smaller groups, each accounting for less than 0.5% of the total population.

  • Population: 292,410
    • Urban: 129,539
    • Rural: 162,871
    • Male: 140,097
    • Female: 152,313
  • Females per 1000 males: 1,087
  • Average age: 33.0 years
    • Urban: 32.0 years
    • Rural: 33.8 years
    • Male: 31.2 years
    • Female: 34.7 years
  • Number of households: 90,464
    • Urban: 40,885
    • Rural: 49,579
  • Average life expectancy:
    • Male: 59.6 years
    • Female: 72.4 years

History


Kalmyk Autonomy
The ancestors of the Kalmyks Kalmyk people

The Kalmyks are the descendants of the Oirats [i], the historic and collective identity of the West Mong... 

, the Oirats, migrated from the steppes of southern Siberia on the banks of the Irtysh River Irtysh

Irtysh a river [i] in Central Asia [i], the chief tributary of the river Ob [i]. ... 

 to the Lower Volga region. Various reasons have been given for the move, but the generally accepted answer is that the Kalmyks sought abundant pastures for their herds. They reached the lower Volga region in or about 1630. That land, however, was not uncontested pastures but was rather the homeland of the Nogai Horde, a confederation of Turkic-speaking nomadic tribes. The Kalmyks expelled the Nogais who fled to the Caucasian plains and to the Crimean Khanate Crimean Khanate

[i] [[state]... 

, areas under the control of the Ottoman Empire Ottoman Empire

The Ottoman Empire , is also sometimes known in the West [i] as the Turkish Empire. ... 

. Some Nogai groups sought the protection of the Russian garrison at Astrakhan. The remaining nomadic Turkic tribes became vassals of Kalmyk Khan.

The Kalmyks settled in the wide open steppes from Saratov Saratov

Saratov is a major city in southern European Russia [i]. ... 

 in the north to Astrakhan on the Volga delta in the south and to the Terek River Terek

The Terek is a major river [i] in the Northern Caucasus [i], flowing through Georgia [i] and Russia [i] ... 

 in the southwest. They also encamped on both sides of the Volga River, from the Don River in the west to the Ural River Ural River

Ural, known as Yaik before 1775 [i], is a river flowing through Russia [i] and Kazakhstan [i]. ... 

 in the east. Although these territories were recently annexed by Russia, it was in no position to settle the area with Russian colonists. This area under Kalmyk control would eventually be called the Kalmyk Khanate.

Within 25 years of settling in the lower Volga region, the Kalmyks became subjects of the Tsar. In exchange for protecting Russia’s southern border, the Kalmyks were promised an annual allowance and access to the markets of Russian border settlements. The open access to Russian markets was supposed to discourage mutual raiding on the part of the Kalmyks and of the Russians Russians

Russians are an East Slavic [i] ethnic group [i], primarily living in Russia [i] and neighbo ... 

 and Bashkirs Bashkirs

The Bashkirs, a Turkic people [i], live in Russia [i], mostly in the republic of Bashkortostan [i]. ... 

, a Russian-dominated Turkic tribe, but this was not often the practice. In addition, Kalmyk allegiance was often nominal, as the Kalmyk Khans practiced self-government, based on a set of laws they called the Great Code of the Nomads .

The Kalmyk Khanate reached its peak of military and political power under Ayuka Khan . During his era, the Kalmyk Khanate fulfilled its responsibility to protect the southern borders of Russia and conducted many military expeditions against its Turkic-speaking neighbors. Successful military expeditions were also conducted in the Caucasus. The Khanate experienced economic prosperity from free trade with Russian border towns, China, Tibet and with their Muslim neighbors. During this era, the Kalmyks also kept close contacts with their Oirat kinsmen in Dzungaria as well as the Dalai Lama Dalai Lama

In Tibetan Buddhism [i], the successive Dalai Lamas form a tulku [i] lineage of Gelugpa [i] leaders whi... 

 in Tibet Tibet

Tibet is a region in Central Asia [i] and the home of the Tibetan people [i]. ... 

.
Imposition of Russian Rule
Towards the end of the Ayuka Khan era, the Tsarist government implemented policies that gradually chipped away at the autonomy of the Kalmyk Khanate. These policies, for instance, encouraged the establishment of Russian and German Volga German

The Volga Germans were ethnic German [i]s living near the Volga River [i] in the region of southern Euro ... 

 settlements on pastures the Kalmyks roamed in the lower Volga region. The settlers took over land used by Kalmyks to feed their livestock and, in some cases, forced Kalmyks into servitude. The Russian Orthodox church, by contrast, pressured many Kalmyks to adopt Orthodoxy. The Tsarist government imposed a council on the Kalmyk Khan, diluting his authority, while continuing to expect the Kalmyk Khan to provide cavalry units to fight on behalf of Russia. By the mid-17th century, Kalmyks were increasingly disillusioned with Russian encroachment and interference in its internal affairs.

Ubashi Khan, the great-grandson Ayuka Khan and the last Kalmyk Khan, decided to return his people to their ancestral homeland, Dzungaria. Under his leadership, approximately 200,000 Kalmyks migrated directly across the Central Asian desert. Along the way, many Kalmyks were killed in ambushes or captured and enslaved by their Kazakh and Kyrgyz enemies. Many also died of starvation or thirst. After several grueling months of travel, only 96,000 Kalmyks reached the Manchu Empire's western outposts Xinjiang near the Balkhash Lake Lake Balkhash

Lake Balkhash is a large lake in southeastern Kazakhstan [i], the second largest in Central Asia [i] aft ... 

.

After failing to stop the flight, Catherine the Great Catherine II of Russia

Catherine II of Russia, called the Great , born Sophie Augusta Frederike of Anhalt-Zerbst) so... 

 abolished the Kalmyk Khanate, transferring all governmental powers to the Governor of Astrakhan. The Kalmyks who remained in Russian territory continued to fight in Russian wars, e.g., the Napoleonic Wars Napoleonic Wars

The Napoleonic Wars, a series of global [i] conflicts [i] fought during Napoleon Bonaparte [i]... 

 , the Crimean War Crimean War

The Crimean War lasted from 28 March [i] 1853 [i] until 1 April [i] 1856 [i] and was fought between Imperial Russia [i] ... 

  and Ottoman wars. They gradually created fixed settlements with houses and temples, instead of their transportable round felt yurt Yurt

A Yurt is a portable felt [i] dwelling structure used by nomad [i]s in the steppe [i]s of Central Asia [i] ... 

s. In 1865, Elista Elista

Elista is the capital of the Republic of Kalmykia [i], an autonomous republic [i] ... 

, the future capital of the Kalmyk SSR was built. This process lasted until well after the Russian Revolution Russian Revolution of 1917

The Russian Revolution of 1917 was a series of political events in Russia [i], which, after the eliminat ... 

.
Russian Revolution and Collectivisation
After the Communist Communism

Communism is an ideology that seeks to establish a future classless [i], stateless [i] ... 

 October Revolution in 1917, many Kalmyks joined the White Russian army during the Russian Civil War Russian Civil War

The Russian Civil War was fought from 1917 to 1922.... 

, especially under Generals Wrangel Pyotr Nikolayevich Wrangel

[i] in Southern [[Russia]... 

 and Denikin Anton Ivanovich Denikin

Anton Ivanovich Denikin was Lieutenant General [i] of the Imperial Russian Army and one of the foremost ... 

. The Soviet authorities severely punished the Kalmyks who remained, executing 10,000.

On November 4, 1920 Kalmyk Autonomous Oblast was created. The Bolshevik Bolshevik

Bolsheviks were members of the Bolshevik faction of the Marxist [i] Russian Social-Democratic Labour Party [i]... 

 regime executed about 10,000 Kalmyks at this time. In 1931, Stalin Joseph Stalin

Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin , alternatively transliterated Josef Stalin, was the de facto [i] ... 

 ordered the collectivization, closed the Buddhist monasteries, and burned the Kalmyks' religious texts. He deported all monks and all herdsmen owning more than 500 sheep to Siberia Siberia

Siberia is a vast region of Russia [i] constituting almost all of Northern Asia [i]. ... 

. The forced collectivization was unsuited to the Kalmyk temperament and the dry, treeless landscape and was a social, economic and cultural disaster. About 60,000 Kalmyks died during the great famine of 1932 to 1933. On October 22, 1935 the region was elevated to republic status Kalmyk Autonomous Republic within the RSFSR.
Kalmyk Diaspora I
Before the Red Army Red Army

The short forms Red Army and RKKA refer to the Workers' and Peasants' Red Army, , the armed ... 

 broke through to the Crimean Peninsula Crimea

Crimea /kra?'mia/ or the Autonomous Republic of Crimea is an autonomous republic [i] of Ukraine [i] ... 

 towards the end of 1920, a large group of Kalmyks fled from Russia with the remnants of General Denikin's White Army to Turkey. The majority chose to resettle in Belgrade Belgrade

Belgrade is the capital [i] and largest city of the Republic of Serbia [i]. ... 

, Serbia Serbia

Serbia, officially the Republic of Serbia is a landlocked [i] country in Central [i] ... 

. Smaller groups resettled in Sofia Sofia


Sofia is the capital [i] and largest city of the Republic of Bulgaria [i], with a population of 1,20 ... 

, Bulgaria Bulgaria

Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a country in Southeastern Europe [i].... 

, Prague Prague

Prague is the capital [i] and largest city of the Czech Republic [i]. ... 

, Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakia

Czechoslovakia was a country in Central Europe [i] that existed from 1918 until early 1993 . ... 

 and Paris Paris

native_name = Ville de Paris
|common_name = Paris
... 

 and Lyon Lyon

Lyon is a city in east central France [i]. ... 

, France France

France, officially the French Republic, is a country [i] whose metropolitan territory [i] ... 

. The Kalmyk political refugees in Belgrade built a Buddhist temple there in 1929.
Second World War
Following the German invasion of the Soviet Union in June 1941 - Operation Barbarossa - Goebbels Joseph Goebbels

Paul Joseph Goebbels was Adolf Hitler [i]'s Propaganda [i] Minister [i] in Nazi Germany [i]. ... 

 invited several prominent Kalmyks from Belgrade, Paris, and Prague to Berlin Berlin

Berlin is the capital [i] city and a state [i] of Germany [i]. ... 

. He wanted them to help with a propaganda campaign. The Nazis wished to win the Kalmyks to the German side against the Russians. No Kalmyks were sent to concentration camps. Goebbels turned this nucleus into a committee to free the Kalmyks from the Communist regime, by helping them print a Kalmyk language newspaper and broadcast radio news in Kalmyk directly toward Kalmykia.

When the Nazi 16th Motorized Infantry Division under Field Marshal Manstein Erich von Manstein

Erich von Manstein was a lifelong professional soldier who rose to become one of the most prominent comm... 

 took Kalmykia early in 1942, three members of this committee were with them. Some of the Belgrade Kalmyks also participated in this invasion. They had joined the German army Wehrmacht

Wehrmacht was the name of the armed forces [i] of Nazi-Germany [i] from 1935 [i] t... 

 after the Nazi occupation of Yugoslavia Yugoslavia

Yugoslavia is a term used for the three separate political entities that existed during most of the 20th century [i] ... 

 in April 1941. The German army was greeted with butter and milk, the traditional Kalmykian offering to welcome guests. They were seen as liberators from Stalin’s oppressive rule. The Germans offered to dismantle the collectives and divide and privatize the land. They allowed the Kalmyks to practice Buddhism again. In response, the Kalmyks dug up the religious texts they had buried for safekeeping and built a makeshift temporary temple. In November and December 1942, however, the Red Army retook Kalmykia and destroyed everything the people had rebuilt.

Meanwhile about 5,000 men accepted an offer to join the Nazi military, forming the Kalmykian Voluntary Cavalry Corps. Only a few women and children accompanied them. The Kalmyk troops fought with the Nazi army behind the lines, especially around the Azov Sea Sea of Azov

The Sea of Azov is a northern section of the Black Sea [i], linked to the larger body through the Strait of Kerch [i] ... 

.
Kalmyk Diaspora II
See also Kalmyk Deportations of 1944 Kalmyk deportations of 1944

At the end of December 1943 [i], the entire population of Kalmykia [i] were packed into cargo wagons and trans ... 




In December 1943, the Kalmyk SSR was abolished and its territory was divided and transferred to the adjacent regions, viz., the Astrakhan and Stalingrad Oblasts and Stavropol Krai. To completely obliterate any traces of the Kalmyk people, the Soviet authorities changed the names of towns and villages from Kalmyk names to Russian names. For example, Elista became Stepnoi.

In punishment for the disloyalty of part of the Kalmyks, Josef Stalin Joseph Stalin

Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin , alternatively transliterated Josef Stalin, was the de facto [i] ... 

 ordered the deportation of the whole remaining Kalmyk population. The population transfer occurred at night during winter without notice to various locations in Central Asia and in Siberia Siberia

Siberia is a vast region of Russia [i] constituting almost all of Northern Asia [i]. ... 

. Kalmyk Red Army soldiers were recalled. They all were transported in unheated cattle cars. Approximately one-third of the Kalmyks perished during the journey and in the following years of exile. Deprived of their civil rights, the Kalmyk community ceased to exist, thus completing the ethnic cleansing of the Kalmyk people.
Post War Kalmykia
Due to their widespread dispersal in Siberia their language and culture suffered possibly irreversible decline. Khrushchev Nikita Khrushchev

Nikita Sergeyevich Khrushchyov was the leader of the Soviet Union [i] after the death of Joseph Stalin [i] ... 

 finally allowed their return in 1957, when they found their homes, jobs and land occupied by imported Russians Russians

Russians are an East Slavic [i] ethnic group [i], primarily living in Russia [i] and neighbo ... 

 and Ukrainians Ukrainians

Ukrainians are an East Slavic [i] ethnic group [i] primarily living in Ukraine [i]. ... 

, who remained. On January 9, 1957, Kalmykia again became an autonomous oblast, and on July 29, 1958—an autonomous republic within RSFSR.

In the following years bad planning of agricultural and irrigation projects resulted in widespead desertification Desertification

Desertification is the degradation [i] of land in arid [i], semi arid [i] and dry sub-h ... 

, and economically unviable industrial plants were constructed. With the collapse of the Soviet regime the economy also disintegrated, causing widespread social hardship and increasing depopulation of rural areas lacking in resources and facilities.

After dissolution of the USSR, Kalmykia kept the status of an autonomous republic within the newly formed Russian Federation Russia

Russia , also the Russian Federation , is a country [i] that stretches over a vast expanse of Eurasia [i] ... 

 .

Politics

The head of the government in Kalmykia is called "The Head of the Republic". The President of the Russian Federation selects a candidate for the Head of the Republic position and presents it to the Parliament of Kalmyk Republic for approval. If a candidate is not approved, the President of the Russian Federation can dissolve the Parliament and set up new elections.

As of 2006, the Head of the Republic is Kirsan Nikolayevich Ilyumzhinov, who is also the president of the world chess organization FIDE Fédération Internationale des Échecs

he Fdration Internationale des checs or World Chess Federation is an international organization th... 

.

Economy

Kalmykia has a developed agricultural sector. Other developed industries include food processing and oil and gas industries.

Annual Budget: revenues and expenditures: about $100 million

Annual Oil Production: about 200,000 metric tonn

Education

Kalmyk State University is the largest higher education facility in the republic.

Miscellaneous

There is a small Kalmyk minority living within eastern Kyrgyzstan Kyrgyzstan

Kyrgyzstan, formerly the Kyrgyz Republic, is a country in Central Asia [i]. ... 

, especially in villages in the Karakol region. Probably, these Kalmyks are those who remained when the bulk of the nation moved westwards in the early 16th century 16th century

As a means of recording the passage of time [i], the 16th century was that century [i] which lasted from ... 

. The Kalmyk language and their traditions are dying out rapidly due to small numbers and majority pressures. Although some of these Kyrgyzstan Kyrgyzstan

Kyrgyzstan, formerly the Kyrgyz Republic, is a country in Central Asia [i]. ... 

ian Kalmyks are Muslims Islam

Islam is a monotheistic [i] religion [i] based upon the Qur'an [i], which adherents believe w ... 

, other Kalmyks throughout the world remain Tibetan/Vajrayana Buddhists Buddhism

Buddhism is a dharmic [i], non-theistic [i] religion [i], a way of life, a p ... 

. The Kalmyk culture has seen a resurgence of interest in the last 20 years, and most Kalmyks regard His Holiness the Dalai Lama Dalai Lama

In Tibetan Buddhism [i], the successive Dalai Lamas form a tulku [i] lineage of Gelugpa [i] leaders whi... 

 as their spiritual leader. Telo Rinpoche is the head of Kalmyk Buddhist Union, which most Buddhists in Kalmykia belong to.

The Kalmyks have also established communities in the United States, primarily in Pennsylvania Pennsylvania

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a state [i] in the northeastern [i] ... 

 and New Jersey New Jersey

New Jersey is a state [i] in the Mid-Atlantic [i] and Northeastern [i]... 

. The majority are descended from those Kalmyks who fled from Russia in late 1920 to France France

France, officially the French Republic, is a country [i] whose metropolitan territory [i] ... 

, Yugoslavia Yugoslavia

Yugoslavia is a term used for the three separate political entities that existed during most of the 20th century [i] ... 

, Bulgaria Bulgaria

Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a country in Southeastern Europe [i].... 

, and, later, Germany. Many of those Kalmyks living in Germany at the end of World War II were eventually granted passage to the United States.

As a consequence of their decades-long migration through Europe Europe

Europe is one of the seven traditional continent [i]s of the Earth [i]. ... 

, many older Kalmyks are fluent in German German language

German is a West Germanic language [i]. ... 

, French French language

French is the third-largest of the Romance languages [i] in terms of number of native speakers, after Spanish [i] ... 

 and Serbo-Croatian, in addition to their native Russian Russian language

Russian is the most widely spoken language of Eurasia [i] and the most widespread of the Slavic languages [i] ... 

 and Kalmyk language. There is a Kalmyk Buddhist temple in Belgrade Belgrade

Belgrade is the capital [i] and largest city of the Republic of Serbia [i]. ... 

, Serbia Serbia

Serbia, officially the Republic of Serbia is a landlocked [i] country in Central [i] ... 

, and several Kalmyk Buddhist temples in Monmouth County, New Jersey Monmouth County, New Jersey

Monmouth County is a county [i] located in the U.S. state [i] of New Jersey [i]. ... 

, where the vast majority of American Kalmyks reside, as well as a Tibetan Buddhist and monastery in Washington County, NJ.

The word Kalmyk means 'those who remained'— origin is unknown but this name was known centuries before a large part of Kalmyks moved back from Volga River to Dzhungaria in the 18th century 18th century

As a means of recording the passage of time [i], the 18th century refers to the century [i] that las ... 

.

There are three cultural subgroups within the Kalmyk nation: Turguts, Durbets , and Buzavs
Kalmykia has been chosen to stage the 2006 World Chess Championship World Chess Championship

The World Chess Championship is played to determine the World Champion in the board game [i] chess [i]. ... 

 between Veselin Topalov and Vladimir Kramnik.

See also

  • Music of Kalmykia

References


Further reading

  • Lost Cosmonaut: Observations of an Anti-tourist Daniel Kalder

External links

  • , The Guardian The Guardian

    The Guardian is a British [i] newspaper [i] owned by the Guardian Media Group [i]. ... 

     September 19, 2006


Categories: