Nalchik

Nalchik (Russian: Нальчик IPA: [ˈnalʲtɕɪk]; Kabardian: НалщӀэч, Nalṣ̂ăčʼ IPA: [naːɮɕʼakʲ]; Karachay-Balkar: Нальчик IPA: [naltʃɯk]) is the capital city of Kabardino-Balkaria, Russia, situated at an altitude of 550 meters (1,800 ft) in the foothills of the Caucasus Mountains; about 100 kilometers (62 mi) northwest of Beslan (Beslan is in the Republic of North Ossetia–Alania).^[11] It covers an area of 131 square kilometers (51 sq mi). Population: 247,054 (2021 Census);^[12] 240,203 (2010 Census);^[13] 274,974 (2002 Census);^[14] 234,547 (1989 Soviet census).^[15]

Quick Facts Нальчик, Other transcription(s) ...

Nalchik Нальчик
City
Other transcription(s)
• Kabardian	НалщӀэч
• Balkar	Нальчик
Bochka Bar, Pobeda Cinema, Cathedral of Equal to the Apostle Mary Magdalene, Fountain at the Place de la Concorde in the Lenina Street, Monument to the Nalchans who died in the Great Patriotic War, Trees in a park, Snow in a memorial, Statue of Lenin, Central Mosque, KBSU Main Building
Flag Coat of arms
Location of Nalchik
Nalchik Location of Nalchik Show map of Russia Nalchik Nalchik (Kabardino-Balkaria) Show map of Kabardino-Balkaria
Coordinates: 43°29′N 43°37′E
Country	Russia
Federal subject	Kabardino-Balkaria
Founded	1724
City status since	1921
Government
• Body	City Council[1]
• Head[2]	Taymuraz Akhokhov[2]
Area [3]
• Total	67 km2 (26 sq mi)
Elevation	512 m (1,680 ft)
Population
• Estimate  (2018)[4]	239,300
• Density	2,291.18/km2 (5,934.1/sq mi)
Administrative status
• Subordinated to	city of republic significance of Nalchik[5]
• Capital of	Kabardino-Balkar Republic
• Capital of	city of republic significance of Nalchik[5]
Municipal status
• Urban okrug	Nalchik Urban Okrug[6]
• Capital of	Nalchik Urban Okrug[6]
Time zone	UTC+3 (MSK [7])
Postal code(s)[8]	360000, 360005, 360032, 360901, 360903, 360904
Dialing code(s)	+7 8662[9]
OKTMO ID	83701000001
City Day	September 1[10]
Website	admnalchik.ru

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The territory of modern-day Nalchik was formerly known as Sloboda. The modern city dates from the early 19th century when the expanding Russian Empire built a fort there in 1818.

In 1838, a Russian military settlement was founded in the city, and after the Russian Revolution of 1917, in the year 1921, Nalchik was given the status of administrative center of Kabardin Autonomous Oblast. During the Russian Empire, the settlement was the administrative capital of the Nalchiksky Okrug of the Terek Oblast.

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 na'l, a common Middle Eastern word (Arabic, Persian, Turkish) for "horseshoe", possibly from the ancient Scythian, 'nalak" (horseshoe). The city of Nalchik was named this way because of how it is shaped as surrounded by the mountains of the land, and the Nalchik River is named after the city it runs across.

During World War II, on 2 November 1942, Nalchik was occupied by Romanian mountain troops (Vânători de munte) under the command of Brigadier General Ioan Dumitrache, its capture earning the Romanian General the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross.^[16] The city was heavily damaged during the conflict. General Dumitrache went to great length ordering his troops to protect local population during the time Nalchik was occupied by Romanian forces. Professor A. N. Dainaco, the Mayor of Nalchik at that time, thanked General Dumitrache for liberating the city. Although he was accused of war crimes, General Dumitrache was fully exonerated after the war by a joint Soviet and Romanian judicial commission.^[17]

In 1990, there was a 6.0 magnitude earthquake in Nalchik.

With the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, Nalchik and the Kabardino- Balkaria region become a federal republic of Russia. ^[18]

On October 13, 2005, Nalchik was attacked by a large group of Yarmuk Jamaat militants led by Shamil Basayev and Anzor Astemirov. Buildings associated with the Russian security forces were targeted, killing at least 14 civilians and wounding 115. Thirty-five policemen died in the fighting. Eighty-nine militants, including their leader Ilias Gorchkhanov, were killed, and another fifty-nine arrested.

Within the framework of administrative divisions, it is, together with four rural localities, incorporated as the city of republic significance of Nalchik—an administrative unit with the status equal to that of the districts.^[5] As a municipal division, the city of republic significance of Nalchik is incorporated as Nalchik Urban Okrug.^[6]

The population of the city in 2021 included the following breakdown by ethnicity:^[19]

• Kabardians (Circassian) (49.2%)
• Russians (22.8%)
• Balkars (Taulu) (18.2%)
• Cherkess (3.6%)
• Ossetians (1.3%)
• others (13.2%)

2002 census data is as follows:^[20]

• Kabardians (47.3%)
• Russians (31.8%)
• Balkars (11.4%)
• Ossetians (1.9%)
• Ukrainians (1.0%)

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).^[21]

Nalchik is home to the following facilities of higher education:

• Kabardino-Balkarian State University^[22]
• North Caucasian State Institute of Arts^[23]
• Kabardino-Balkarian State Agricultural Academy^[24]

Nalchik has a hot-summer humid continental climate (Köppen climate classification: Dfa) with hot summers and no dry season. The warm season lasts from late May to mid-September and the cold season from December to March. Most forms of precipitation are light rain and thunderstorms, as well as light snow and moderate snow. Wind speeds are typically calm to a light breeze through the year.

PFC Spartak Nalchik is an association football club based in Nalchik, playing in the Russian Premier League. The 2008 World Women's Chess Championship has also been held in Nalchik on August 28–September 18, 2008.^[28]

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