From Kislovodsk to Elbrus. Geography of Kabardino-Balkaria Why the relief of the KBR is very diverse
Introduction
An important place in the health care system of Russians belongs to resorts that use exceptional natural resources for preventive, therapeutic and rehabilitation purposes, which provide versatility and high efficiency of restorative treatment and rehabilitation of major diseases. In addition, they also have the ability to significantly increase a person's health reserves, make him more resistant to the action of various negative factors. For example, drinking mineral waters, as a means of prevention, differ significantly from others (physical activity, herbal adaptogens, pharmaceuticals, etc.) in their availability, ease of use and ease of dosing, and the absence of side effects.
Sanatorium-and-spa treatment and health-improving rest are the main link in the system of therapeutic and preventive measures aimed at preserving and strengthening health.
The purpose of this work is to study the balneological resources of the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic on the example of the Nalchik resort, the prospects for the development and use of natural factors in the resort.
The goal is achieved by performing the following tasks:
Study of natural conditions and resources of the KBR, population and labor resources, economy and economic prerequisites for the development of recreation;
Compilation of characteristics of the recreational resources of the KBR and their use: natural, socio-economic, cultural and historical resources;
Consideration of the modern resort and recreational complex of the KBR;
Description of the Nalchik resort and its resource base, including medical and recreational resources, as the basis for the formation of the resort
Identification of problems and prospects for the development of the resort and recreational complex of the KBR.
The object of the study is the balneological resort of Nalchik.
The subject of the study is the balneological resources of the KBR.
The relevance of the study is explained by the increasing role of recreation in the modern economy of the country and the growing demand of the population for recreational services.
A special place in the recreational complex North Caucasus occupied by the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic, which has natural resources for the development of medical, mountain-sports, tourist-excursion and other types of recreational activities.
General characteristics of the KBR: nature, population, economy
Natural conditions and resources of the KBR
The Kabardino-Balkarian Republic is located on the northern slope of the central part of the Caucasus and the adjacent plain. The capital of the republic, the city of Nalchik, is a major cultural, scientific and industrial centre, a resort city of all-Russian importance with a population of about 300 thousand people. The republic is located in the south with Georgia, in the north - with the Stavropol Territory, in the east - with the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania, and in the west - with the Republic of Karachay-Cherkessia (Figure 1). The territory of the republic is 12.5 thousand square kilometers.
Picture 1- Geographical position CBD
Geomorphologically, the territory of the republic can be divided into three parts: foothills, mountains and plains. The mountains are located on half the area of the entire republic. The mountainous and foothill parts are rich in large deposits of minerals, mineral springs, pastures and forests, and on the plain - with fertile soils. On the territory of the republic there are large deposits of ores of molybdenum and tungsten, lead, tin, copper, iron ores, gold, arsenic, black and brown coals, oil, tuff, volcanic pumice and ash, antimony, limestones, marls, phosphorites, gypsum, refractory and floridine clays. There are more than a hundred springs with cold and hot waters. The area occupied by the forest is 185 thousand hectares. The fauna is represented by a variety of animals and birds. The climate in the republic is temperate, the average annual temperature is 9-10°C, and the annual rainfall is 600-700 mm. 215 days a year the temperature is above +5°С. .
The hydrographic network of the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic is represented by 206 rivers with a total length of 3794 km. Rivers on the territory of the republic belong to the category of mountain rivers and their channels are subject to lateral and bottom erosion. In the mountainous part, the rivers flow in narrow canyons, where high speed is characteristic. water flow flowing from glaciers, mudflows a large amount of sediment. The largest sediments are located in the foothills, and the smaller ones - in the flat part of the channel.
Surface water bodies of the republic are represented by a river network that is part of the Terek river basin. The largest rivers are: Terek, Malka, Baksan.
The largest river, the Terek, originates in the territory of North Ossetia, and within the republic its length is 76 km. All rivers of Kabardino-Balkaria are tributaries of the Terek, providing it with about 36% of its flow. The main sources of power for the Terek River are: tributaries, precipitation, groundwater, snowmelt.
The Malka River (length 210 km) is the largest left tributary of the Terek. Food sources are mainly glaciers and tributaries. In the upper reaches of the river Malka is a mountain river that flows through limestone and shale rocks, which explains the presence of relevant non-technogenic impurities in the water.
The Baksan River (length 169 km) is a large right tributary of the river. Malki. At r. Baksan mixed nutrition: glacial, snow, atmospheric precipitation, groundwater, many tributaries. Within the city of Tyrnyauz, its tributaries flow into the Baksan River - the river. Gerkhozhan-Su and r. Big Kamuk. Up to the town of Tyrnyauz, the water of the river is saturated with oxygen, low mineralized, characterized by an increased content of copper and molybdenum.
There are more than 100 lakes in the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic with a total area of about 0.2 thousand hectares. Most of them belong to small lakes. A significant part of the lakes is located in the highlands, their formation is associated with the activity of glaciers, and the lowland lakes are residual reservoirs - oxbow lakes. The main lakes of the republic: Tambukan, Chirikel (Blue), Upper Blue Lake, Secret Lake, Bashkara, Shadkhurei and others. in the hydrogen sulfide lake, the water has a blue color in any weather.
The territory of Kabardino-Balkaria is characterized by a wide variety of hydro-mineral resources: fresh, mineral and thermal waters. The potential operational resources of underground drinking water exceed the prospective needs in the whole country by more than 18 times. According to calculations, the predicted operational resources of fresh underground waters of the republic without approved reserves amount to 5142.6 thousand m 3 /day, which proves that the republic is provided with drinking water. The reserves of about 28 deposits of drinking groundwater, with total balance reserves of 1040.63 thousand m3/day, were approved and tested. The main reserves are located in the northeastern part of the republic and are confined to the East Ciscaucasian basin of formation and block-formation pressure waters - these are 15 deposits with total reserves of 896.8 thousand m3 / day, where the main operational aquifers are groundwater. On the territory of the Greater Caucasus basin, 13 deposits of vein-block pressure waters were found, with total reserves of 143.8 thousand m 3 /day.
The composition of groundwater is quite diverse, the mineralization in none of the 28 deposits does not exceed 1 g / dm 3, the content of normalized components in most cases meets the requirements state standards, the chemical composition is dominated by hydrocarbonate, sulfate-hydrocarbonate, magnesium-sodium-calcium. However, under the threat of anthropogenic pollution are the least protected aquifers of the middle and upper Quaternary deposits.
On the territory of the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic, 311 subsoil users are registered, exploiting groundwater for domestic and drinking water supply. 123 subsoil users have a license for the right to use subsoil, including 27 operating group water intakes (from 3 to 33 wells) and 96 extracting groundwater from single wells. In addition, 5 deposits have been explored on the territory of the republic for irrigating the land with total balance reserves of 386.4 thousand m 3 /day. Currently, the deposits are not exploited.
The total area of forests in the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic as of 01/01/2013 is 341.3 thousand hectares, including the forested area - 189.0 thousand hectares. The total stock of standing timber is 34.8 million m 3 , including 16.0 million m 3 of mature and overmature timber. In terms of intermediate forest use, in accordance with the materials of forest management for intermediate use cuttings, harvesting of timber in the liquid mass is determined in the amount of 109.0 thousand m 3 and is actually represented by annual thinnings in young forests, selective sanitary cuttings, renewal cuttings, etc. As a result, no more than 30.0 thousand m 3 are cut down.
Since 1986, all forests of the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic have been classified as forests of the 1st group, in accordance with the order of the Council of Ministers of the RSFSR dated June 4, 1986 No. 758-r. The main purpose of the republic's forests is to fulfill their environment-forming, protective, water protection, recreational and health-improving and other ecological functions.
The forests of Kayuardino-Balkaria are unevenly distributed over the regions. In its mountainous part, most of it is located - 65% of all forests.
Given that the forest cover of the republic is 15.1% of the total area of the territory of the republic, main task what remains is the protection of forests from fires and forest violations, the protection of forests from pests and diseases of the forest, and the reproduction of forests.
Forestry management on the territory of the republic is carried out by 8 forestries of the Forestry Agency for the KBR, 3 forestry enterprises of the State Institution "Kabardino-Balkarian Rural Forest Management", as well as the National Park "Prielbrusye" and the Federal State Institution "Nalchik Experimental Hunting Farm".
The animal world is an integral part of the natural environment and biological diversity of the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic. For effective protection and reproduction of wildlife objects classified as hunting objects, a comprehensive accounting of all wildlife objects located in the territories of hunting farms and state reserves of the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic should be carried out.
In connection with the adoption of Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of December 8, 2004 No. public institutions that carried out the protection, control and regulation of the use of game animals, including in the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic, in connection with which the problem of restoring control in the field of protection, regulation of the operation and reproduction of wildlife objects, conservation and ensuring biological diversity, as well as ensuring the functioning and observance of the special protection regime in state nature reserves of republican significance.
There are two organizations on the territory of the republic that regulate hunting management: FGU "Nalchik State Experimental Hunting Economy" and the Kabardino-Balkarian Republican Society of Hunters and Fishermen. The hunting grounds of these hunting users occupy about 400.9 thousand hectares and 302.5 thousand hectares. In 2013, these organizations issued 190 registered licenses, of which 183 were sold.
The activities of the hunting industry, which has significant operational reserves of wildlife resources, is exclusively of an amateur nature, the restrictions on shooting wild ungulates and bears established by the Government of the Republic are often not mastered, although these restrictions make up a small part of the volume of permissible shooting, calculated according to established scientific and reasonable standards.
28 species of fish live in the rivers of Kabardino-Balkaria. There is almost no industrial fishing in the republic, despite the huge number of rivers, lakes, rivers, ponds, not counting pond fish farming.
On the territory of the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic, 33 specially protected natural areas of various categories have been created to preserve natural landscapes, the diversity of flora and fauna, and protect objects of natural and cultural-historical heritage of republican and federal significance. The main ones are the high-mountain state natural reserve with an area of 53.3 thousand hectares, the Elbrus National Park with an area of \u200b\u200b101.2 thousand hectares - all of federal significance, as well as republican ones: 9 state nature reserves with a total area of 166.5 thousand hectares, organized for protection and restoration of the number of wildlife objects classified as hunting objects and 22 natural monuments. The area occupied by specially protected natural objects on the territory of the republic is about 353.7 thousand hectares.
The republic is located in the southern part of the temperate climate zone. According to the combination of heat and moisture, it is located in two climatic regions: in the Ciscaucasia and the High Caucasus.
Located in relatively low latitudes (between 42° 51" and 44° 01" N) in the south of the temperate zone, large amounts of solar radiation enter the territory of the entire republic, which explains the abundance sunlight and warmth. The maximum amount of radiation comes in May - July at the highest sun heights and day length.
The main climate divide, located on the border of temperate and subtropical climatic zones are Caucasian mountains. The territory of the republic, protected from the south and southwest by the mountains of the Greater Caucasus, is open from the north and northwest for free intrusion of cold air masses from the Arctic. The relief plays a significant role in the distribution of precipitation, increasing their precipitation when moist air masses enter the territory of Kabardino-Balkaria.
The mountainous relief determines the altitudinal zonality of the climate, which is clearly expressed in the high-mountainous region of the Central Caucasus. Starting from an altitude of about 2000 m, the dominant role in the mountains belongs to the western air transport.
On the territory of the republic, 3 types of climates are distinguished: high-mountain (mountainous part), temperate continental (foothill part), continental (steppe zone, northeastern part);
On September 19, autumn begins in the republic (the transition of the average daily temperature through + 15 ° C downwards). The average date of the first autumn frosts is October 25, the earliest is September 26, and the latest is November 24. On average, the number of days with fog is 24.
On the territory of the republic, precipitation is distributed extremely unevenly: in the northeast, less than 300 mm falls, while on the windward slopes in the highlands, more than 1000 mm falls. To a large extent, the distribution of precipitation is influenced by the nature of the surface. In the precipitation regime, the following trend is observed: most of the precipitation falls in the warm season - from April to October, precipitation increases by 3-4 times compared to the cold period.
The territory of the republic is located at different heights above sea level: the flat part (eastern) lies at an altitude of 170 - 200 m, and the mountainous part has a height mark of 5642 m (Elbrus). On average, air pressure decreases with height by 10 mm for every 100 m of elevation. The average annual atmospheric pressure is 740 mm. rt. Art. The highest atmospheric pressure is observed in the east. as you move to the west and southwest, it decreases, as a result of which the increase in height is less than 600 mm. rt. Art. in the highlands of the Greater Caucasus.
Relief
The Kabardino-Balkarian Republic (KBR) occupies the central, most mountainous, part of the Greater Caucasus and the adjoining part of the Ciscaucasian Plain, called the Kabardian. In the east, it borders on the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania, in the north - on the Stavropol Territory, in the west - on the Karachay-Cherkess Republic and in the south, in the highest mountainous part, the state border passes along the Main Caucasian Range Russian Federation with Georgia.
Accurate geographical coordinates republics: 42°54" - 44°01" north latitude and 42°33" - 44°28" east longitude. From east to west, its territory stretches for 160 km, and from north to south - for 110 km.
On the way to the capital of the republic - the city of Nalchik - on a cloudless day, a picturesque chain of snowy mountains opens up, formed by the peaks of the Caucasus, each of which is much higher than the highest point in Western Europe - Mont Blanc (4810 m). In total, there are seven five-thousanders in the Caucasus, i.e. peaks above 5000 m above sea level. Of these, six are located on the territory of Kabardino-Balkaria. This is a two-headed handsome man, the owner of the Caucasus - Elbrus (5642.7 m western and 5621 m eastern peaks), Dykhtau (5204 m), Koshtan-tau (5152 m), Shkhara (5068 m), Dzhangi-tau (5058 m) and Peak Pushkin (5033 m). And only Kazbek (5033 m) is located outside the KBR on the border of Ossetia and Georgia.
Despite the limited territory, the republic is distinguished by the diversity and beauty of nature. It is generously endowed with a wealth of colors and a variety of landscapes. Ranges of mountains of the Greater Caucasus with majestic peaks dressed in ice armor, bizarre landscapes of high-elevated volcanic uplands, slopes of mountains and hills covered with curly green attire of alpine pastures, deep wooded gorges with stormy, swift mountain streams, flowering valleys and plains with grain fields, gardens and vineyards - all this, quickly changing, in a small area creates that exceptional face of Kabardino-Balkaria, which attracts huge masses of people who want to see something new, attractive for themselves. And coupled with traditional Caucasian hospitality, a peculiar culture based on the traditions of Adyghe Khabze (Adyghe laws) and Tau Adet (mountain laws), Kabardino-Balkaria becomes doubly attractive.
The entire southern part of the republic is occupied by mountains, and their area exceeds 60% of the entire territory. Together with the foothills and the green Kabardian plain, the mountain ranges create an amazingly beautiful picture of nature. The plain and foothills are the breadbasket of the republic, occupied by crops of corn, wheat, sunflower and other agricultural crops.
The mountains of the republic form five parallel ranges rising to the south: Wooded (Cretaceous), Pasture, Rocky (Jurassic), Lateral (Forward) and Glavny (Vodorazdelny). All these ranges, except for the last one, are cut by seven gorges: Malka, Baksan, Chegem, Cherek, Khulamo-Bezengi, Psygansu and Lesken gorges, in the upper reaches called Khaznidon, along which the rivers Malka, Baksan, Chegem, Cherek, Psygansu and Khaznidon (Lesken) they carry the waters of the melting glaciers of the Main and Side Ranges onto the plain. In the glaciers of the northern slope of Elbrus, the most long river Kabardino-Balkaria - Malka (216 km), into which all the above rivers flow into the plain, except for the Lesken. Malka and Lesken flow into the Terek, which, making an 80-kilometer arc in the republic, carries its waters to the Caspian Sea. Full-flowing mountain rivers in summer provide water for irrigation of fields, drive turbines of hydroelectric power stations.
The relief of the mountainous part of the republic is very complex and diverse, therefore, the vegetation and animal world. In the mountains, where there is more precipitation than on the plains, and summers are cooler than below, the vegetation develops especially luxuriantly. The diversity of the plant world is especially noticeable in summer, when each of the above ranges has a special color shade.
The wooded ridge, beginning immediately behind the Kabardian Plain in the south, stretches in a dark green, almost black stripe and is covered mainly with beech and hornbeam forests. The wooded ridge, like Pastbishchny, is composed of sandstones, limestones, marls of the Cretaceous period, therefore its second name is Cretaceous. But it is also for dark green, almost black. the color of the forests is known as the Black Mountains. The highest point of the ridge is Mount Izdar (1327 m), otherwise called Sarai-mountain (see the chapter "Nalchik's Vicinity").
The pasture range is juicy green, covered with alpine grasses, where livestock traditionally grazes in the summer, because. cattle breeding in Kabardino-Balkaria is mainly distant-pasture, i.e. in winter, cattle feed on the plains, in summer they are driven to fat alpine pastures in the mountains. Separate rocky peaks sometimes rise above the alpine meadows, shading the bright colors of the grassy vegetation with their iron gray. The highest point of the ridge is Shaukhana-bashi (2120 m).
The rocky ridge, otherwise called the Jurassic, due to the rocks of which it is composed, with dry-loving vegetation, is distinguished by a pinkish-yellow hue. It is the Rocky Range that forms picturesque gorges, sometimes embracing people with fear, in which rivers with a roar roll over huge boulders the size of a house. The ridge is composed of Upper Jurassic limestones, dolomites, marls, sandstones, shale and conglomerates. The highest peak of the Rocky Range is Kara-kaya (3606 m), translated from Balkar as Black Rock.
Lateral, sometimes called Front (highest), and Main, also called. Watershed, the ridges are a chain of silver-white peaks covered with eternal snow. They are composed of crystalline schists, gneisses and torn granite. The highest point of the side ridge is Dykh-tau (5204 m), and the highest point of the Main one is Shkhara (5068 m).
Alone, without entering either the Main or the Side Ranges, rises the double-headed peak of Elbrus, visible almost from everywhere in the republic (and not only in the republic), shimmering in the sun with the silver of its glaciers and blinding the eyes with the whiteness of its snows.
Starting from the Lateral and Main ranges, the mountainous part of the Greater Caucasus descends in terraces to the Kabardian Plain. Gradually decreasing to the north, the spurs of the mountains merge with the plain. Its height is about 500 m above sea level in the Nalchik region and 150-180 m above sea level in the region of the Terek River, which divides the plain into two unequal parts: the left bank, called the Big Kabarda, and the right bank, called the Little Kabarda.
The Kabardian Plain is covered with deposits of the Quaternary period, younger in age, in comparison with rocks.
The mountains of Kabardino-Balkaria are rich in various minerals. In the Tyrnyauz zone of the Baksan gorge there are the largest deposits of molybdenum and tungsten, in the Malkinsky gorge there are deposits of iron ore, in a number of gorges there are deposits of copper, tin, zinc, gold, coal. At present, the industrial development of oil fields has begun in Malaya Kabarda. There is a lot of building material in the republic: tuff, ash, pumice, sand, clay, incl. blue, limestone, from which lime is produced, chalk, gypsum, building stone, sand and gravel mixtures for the manufacture of crushed stone, screenings, etc.
Kabardino-Balkaria is rich in various mineral springs, located mainly in its mountainous and foothill zones. More than 100 sources of mineral waters are concentrated within the republic. According to the content in them of certain chemical elements mineral waters are divided into five groups: carbonic, sulfide, siliceous, radon, waters without specific components. In Lake Tambukan (70 km from the city of Nalchik), healing mud is mined, which is used to treat the musculoskeletal system and gynecological diseases. This mud is used by both the hospitals of Nalchik and the clinics of the cities of the Caucasian Mineral Waters: Pyatigorsk, Kislovodsk, Zheleznovodsk, Essentuki.
The presence of a large amount of mineral waters, a favorable climate, and the hospitality of the inhabitants provide great opportunities for the further development of the existing resort, the creation of new resort areas and the industrial development of mineral springs for the purpose of trade.
- The republic occupies part of the Ciscaucasian plain. A significant part of the territory in the south of the republic is occupied by mountains (the northern slopes of the Greater Caucasus) - this area is of little use for permanent residence and economic activity.
- The highest point is Mount Elbrus (5642 m).
- In the south, four ridges of the Greater Caucasus stretch in parallel: Cretaceous, Rocky, Lateral (height up to 5642 m, Elbrus) and Main (or Dividing)
In the Central Caucasus, 5 parallel ridges are distinguished
1) The main Caucasian ridge - GKH (Vodorazdelny) (up to 5203, Shkhara),
2) Lateral ridge (up to 5642, Elbrus),
3) Rocky Range (until 3646, Karakaya),
4) Pasture Range (up to 1541 m);
5) Wooded ridge (up to 900 m).
- The Main Caucasian Range limits the territory of the KBR from the south and southwest. It is composed of the most ancient Precambrian rocks: crystalline schists, gneisses, quartzites, intruded by granite intrusions. Their outcrops are found everywhere.
- The main Caucasian ridge is a continuous mountain range covered with eternal snows and glaciers. In distant geological epochs, repeated vertical and horizontal movements took place here.
- The crest of the Main Caucasian Range has a rocky, jagged surface with sharp saber-shaped and peaked peaks. Its average heights are 4000-5000 m. famous peaks within the KBR: Shkhelda (4368 m), Techtingen (4617 m), Dzhangitau (5058 m), Shkhara (5068 m).
tichtingen Cherek Gorge
- In the saddle, the most lowered parts between the mountain ranges, there are passes through the Main Caucasian Range. They stretch from northwest to southwest in the following sequence: Nakra (Donguz - Orunbashi 3202 m), Becho (3367 m), Mestia (3757 m), Twiber (3607 m), Kitlod (3629 m), Tsanner (3887 m), Shariavtsag (3434 m), Gzewcek (3462 m). The passes have varying degrees patency, and the period of their action is determined by the warm season: from June to November - in the west and from June to August - in the east.
- Elbrus (5642 m)
- Dykhtau (5204 m)
- Koshtantau (5152 m)
- Dzhangitau (5058 m),
- Pushkin Peak (5100 m),
- Mizhirgi (5025 m),
- Shkhara (5068 m),
- Kazbek (5033 m),
Izdar-Saray mountain
- The plain with barely noticeable uplifts in the west and almost flat in the east has a slight slope. Most of the surface of the plain does not reach a height of 450 m; The 450-meter horizontal line runs from northwest to southeast, skirting the hilly foothills, through the villages of Kuba and Kuba-Taba, the city of Baksan, the village of Chegem II, the northeastern outskirts of Nalchik, the villages of Psygansu, Argudan, Old Lesken, Urukh. From this line, the plain gradually decreases to the northeast, reaching 170-180 m in the interfluve of the Malka and Terek.
- The lowest place within the KBR is located in the valley of the Terek River (150 m above sea level), north of the village of Khamidie, at the exit of the river beyond the borders of our republic. The main rivers of the republic and their tributaries flow along the Kabardian Plain.
From the south, the Tersky Range adjoins the Kabardin Range, which is the northern spur of the Sunzha Range. It rises above the surrounding plains by 150 - 200 m in the area of the villages of Upper Akbash and Lower Akbash. The ridge is strongly flattened in the upper part in the space up to the Upper Kurp, where one more uplift is observed - Mount Arik-Paptsa (510 m). Thus, the Kabardin Range in two steps, each approximately 180-200 m high, descends in the west to the valley of the Terek River.
- The northeastern part of the KBR is occupied by the Kabardian Plain. In my own way geological structure it is a platform structure with a Hercynian fold formation. From above, the foundation is covered with a thick cover (1000 - 2000 m) of Quaternary pebbles, sandy-argillaceous deposits and loess-like loams.
- The Kabardian Plain is divided by the Terek River into two parts:
- Big Kabarda on the left bank of the Terek and Small Kabarda on the right
The northern slopes gradually decrease to the Malo-Kabardinsky irrigation canal, while the southern slopes have a pronounced slope (20 degrees or more). Here, on an almost flat surface, the Urusheva (430 m) and Khutoko (133 m) peaks stand out.
- In the north - foothills and the Kabardian Plain, crossed by river valleys. The main river is the Terek with its left tributaries:
- Malkoy,
- Baksan,
- Chegem,
- Cherek,
- Urukh.
- Malaya Kabarda is a plain turning into highlands in the northeast. These are the advanced mountain ranges of the Tersky and Kabardian. The Tersky Range with a western spur - the Arik Range has a latitudinal strike .
Do you know the feeling of dizziness from inhaling the invigorating, fresh mountain air? One of the reasons for this feeling is the low air temperature. But, in addition, where there is no nearby big cities, mountain air can also be clearer and cleaner. At an altitude of 2000 m, every cubic centimeter of air can contain 60 times less tiny particles of dust, pollen and other impurities than in megacities. Visiting the mountains is not only a pleasure, but also good for health.
- Though I am fate at the dawn of my days,
O southern mountains, cut off from you,
To remember them forever, you have to be there once:
Like the sweet song of my homeland,
I love the Caucasus.
M. Yu. Lermontov
The highest peak of the Caucasus- gray-haired Elbrus It is located 600 km from the shores of the Caspian Sea, to which the Caucasian ranges approach, and a little more than 500 km from their beginning at the base of the Taman Peninsula. To the east of Elbrus stretches the territory of Kabardino-Balkaria, located really in the very center of the Greater Caucasus. In the south, it shares the border with Georgia, in the north - with the Stavropol Territory; from the west it borders on Karachay-Cherkessia, from the east and south-east on North Ossetia.
Capital
republics - Nalchik, other big cities— Cool, Baksan. The Kabardino-Balkarian Republic occupies only 12.5 thousand km 2, but the nature of this small country is surprisingly diverse.
On three levels
From plains lying at a height of 150 m above sea level, to mountains with peaks rising above 5,000 m, such is the scope of the relief within the republic. From the climate of dry steppes on the plains near the Terek to the zone eternal ice and snow in sky-high heights - this is how the climatic conditions of Kabardino-Balkaria change. And the differences in relief and climate led to the diversity of soils, flora and fauna. The resettlement of people also largely depends on the characteristics of nature.There are three distinct parts here: flat, foothill and mountainous.
Plain
occupies only one third of the territory of the republic. This is its extreme northeastern part. To the south and southeast towards the mountains, the Kabardian plain rises gently and imperceptibly passes into the foothills.
Foothill
the strip with a clearly visible ledge "leans" against the mountain ranges of the Caucasus. It is a plateau slightly inclined from south to north, in places above the surface of which steep hills protrude, resembling free-standing mountain peaks.
Mountain
part of the republic is the largest. All three ridges of the northern slopes of the Greater Caucasus and the axial ridges - Lateral and Main - at their highest points are well expressed in it. It is here that both volcanic cones of the quiet Elbrus volcano (called by the Balkars Mingi-tau- "Eternal Mountain") with two heights of more than five and a half thousand meters, separated by a wide saddle. A striking contrast with the slopes of the mountain is created by the amazingly beautiful mountain peaks. Other “five-thousanders” and “four-thousanders” close to them also rise. They are covered with ice and dense granular (firn) snow. Only from the ice cap of Elbrus, 77 glaciers depart in different directions.
Dykhsu is the largest glacier in the Caucasus, about 15 km long and over 45 km2 in area.
Here are extremely difficult passes, snow-covered and icy throughout the year: Shari-Wzek, Shtulu-Wzek, Zanner. It is also located famous for its wild pristine nature. Bezengi wall , consisting of a series of mountain peaks, forever covered with ice. The height of the Bezengi wall is about 2000 m, and the length is over 12 km. Starts from the wall the second largest glacier in the Caucasus Bezengi . Its length is over 13 km; at its end, lying at an altitude of 2090 m, a large ice grotto was formed. From there, one of the major rivers Republic - Cherek Bezengi. To the east, in the upper reaches of the Cherek Balkarsky River, there is the largest glacier in the Caucasus Dykhsu - about 15 km long and over 45 km 2 in area.
In the glaciers are born countless springs, streams, rivers , noisily carrying their waters to the valleys of the main rivers of Kabardino-Balkaria - Zolki, Malki, Baksan, Chegem, Cherek, which in turn are tributaries of the Terek.
Pretty busy country minerals . Among them: tungsten, lead-antimony, aluminum, bismuth-tin and lead-zinc ores, molybdenum deposits, volcanic tuff, granite, marble, gypsum, alabaster, coal and bleaching clays. The wealth of Kabardino-Balkaria and in mineral waters . Open on its territory over 100 sources, many among them thermal. One such source, located not far from the city of Nalchik, has a temperature of 800°C.
Climate on the Kabardian Plain, as elsewhere in the Ciscaucasia, continental, with long and hot summers and short frosty winters. The average temperature in January: -4°С on the plains, -12°С in the mountains; in July: +23°С (in the plains), +4°С (in the mountains). However, extreme temperatures can deviate greatly from their average values, rising to 42°C in summer and falling to 34°C in winter. Best time of the year on the plain - autumn. It is long, with dry and warm weather, with many sunny days. In the mountains, the climate changes with height: the higher, the more severe it is. Precipitation in the republic is abundant - from 500 to 2000 mm per year.
Green cover of Kabarda and Balkaria
The flora of the republic has 3 thousand species
Amazing variety vegetation cover territory of the republic: there are up to 3 thousand species. This is only 2 times less than on the entire Russian Plain. There are many so-called endemics- Plants limited in their distribution. Their formation and preservation is facilitated by mountainous conditions with many isolated gorges, hollows, slopes of different orientations in relation to the sun. Many plants are relics- the remains of the flora of past times. 1/10 of the country's area is covered by forests. Half of them consist of highly valuable species - beech and hornbeam. These broad-leaved trees grow at an altitude of 800-1600 m. If we rise higher (up to 2200 m), we will find ourselves surrounded by coniferous - mostly pine - forests, which gradually give way to subalpine, and beyond the mark of 2400 m - alpine meadows. So the plants "live each in their own house."
Four-legged and feathered inhabitants
Rich and colorful animal world Kabardino-Balkaria. On the plain and in the foothills, it differs little from our Central Russian fields, forests and copses. Worth mentioning only pheasant with its amazingly beautiful golden-red plumage. You can see and quail. In the vicinity are found brown bear, wild boar, wolf, jackal, marten and roe.Many specific animals, unknown on the plains, live in the highlands. Mountain goats live in families of 6-10 individuals on completely inaccessible rocks near the lower edge of snow and ice. tours. Here, herds of 25-30 heads are found caucasian chamois. Tur and chamois are inimitable climbers. So high lives their natural enemy - Snow Leopard.
Among mountain birds
you can note rock partridge(otherwise called mountain chicken or cupcake), Caucasian black grouse, mountain turkey, or ulara. In large flocks they rush about screaming alpine jackdaws and rock pigeons- the ancestors of our domestic pigeons. The largest birds of prey nest here: vultures - black, vulture, griffon vulture, golden eagle, bearded vulture.
fish
Kabardino-Balkaria is not rich. But in the cold, glassy-transparent mountain streams there is an agile and strong trout.
In order to preserve this natural diversity, in 1976 a Kabardino-Balkar Alpine Reserve . It is located on the northern slopes of the Main Caucasian and Lateral Caucasian ranges, in the upper reaches of the Balkarsky Cherek, Bezengisky Cherek and Chegem rivers.
History of the mountain country
Kabardians settled the territory of the modern republic in the XI-XII centuries. They concentrated on the steppe plain and in the foothills. Balkars- people of local origin. Their ancestors lived in the highlands of the Caucasus.Kabardians are the first among Caucasian peoples in 1557 they voluntarily became part of the Russian state. For the purpose of political rapprochement with the mountain peoples, Tsar Ivan IV (the Terrible) married in 1561 a second marriage to the daughter of the Kabardian prince Temryuk Idarov. Several fortresses were erected on the territory of Kabardino-Balkaria. Their garrisons served to protect the local population from foreign invaders.
Already at Soviet power Kabardians and Balkars in 1921 were reduced to an autonomous region, and in 1936 - to an autonomous republic. Since 1991, it has been transformed into the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic.
"A mixture of languages and nations"
In the population of the republic, as in other countries of Ciscaucasia, "a mixture of languages and nations" reigns. Many people live here Russians, there are Ossetians, Turks, Armenians, Azerbaijanis, Georgians and others. But the main nationalities are Kabardians and Balkars. The former inhabit the foothill plains. Their villages, large, densely landscaped, with large orchards of fruit trees, are picturesquely scattered along the banks of rivers and streams running down from the mountains. Not big number Kabardian settlements penetrate the river valleys into the highlands, but do not go high. The Balkars call themselves "taulu", What means "Highlanders". This emphasizes that they are the indigenous inhabitants of the highlands. Settlements such as auls are still preserved in a small number near mountain pastures.Folk art
Kabardians are famous oral tradition : legends about heroic narts. The tales were dedicated to the fight against the enslavers (Chints - the mythical invader people), with the elemental forces of nature, which were personified in the form of gods, giants, monsters. Through the whole epic, a striking feature is admiration for a woman, her beauty, her mind; favorite images of the heroines are the beautiful, courageous Sataney, Adiyuh (radiant hands), Dakhanago (wise, the embodiment of human happiness).Music among the Kabardians, as well as oral folk art, is rich in genres. Along with modern songs, old ones - love and heroic - are not forgotten. Dancing is cheerful, full of fun. Particularly widespread uj dance: his rhythmic music, painted in bright colors, is captivatingly perky, and his performance is very peculiar. This is a mass dance: they dance it noisily, with frequent cries, with stomping and at the same time easily, freely, gracefully. Popular dances such as islamey (kabardian lezginka), kafa and others.
Folklore Balkars reflects mainly the common theme for the peoples of the North Caucasus - the struggle of Nart heroes for freedom, but with a peculiar national coloring. They have a lot of old and contemporary songs, distinguished by lyrical melodiousness. For Balkar folklore characterized by a large number of riddles, proverbs, sayings. Among musical instruments especially widespread flute and borrowed from Russian harmonic.
Nalchik is one of the most beautiful cities in Russia
The settlement of Nalchik arose from a fortress founded here by the Russians in 1818. The fortress was liquidated as unnecessary in 1863, and the settlement near it, retaining the same name, became the center of the Nalchik district of the then formed Terek region. It is currently one of the most beautiful cities in the Russian Federation.At the ends of the streets, wherever you look, you can see picturesque panorama of the Caucasus ranges covering the city in a semicircle from the southwest. On clear days, and there are a lot of them in Nalchik, the mountain ranges are viewed with amazing clarity. Sometimes they seem unnatural, reminiscent of theatrical scenery.
Many city streets reminiscent of the alleys of the park - they are so densely planted. The resinous smell of hot asphalt mingles with the tart aroma of decorative tobacco and carnations that grow abundantly along the curbs along the sidewalks. From early spring to late autumn, orange-red and yellow cannes bloom, creating some unusual color with their bronze-brown leaves. The outskirts of the city in several places imperceptibly pass into suburban forests.
City Park of Culture and Leisure - this is a former natural forest, supplemented by many "foreigners" from all continents the globe. It's oddly combined here. flora of Asia (East China and Japan), Australia and both Americas with the remains of a linden alley of the former princely park, oak groves, pine forest. Long central alleys seem to lead to the mountains. A diverse bird tribe lives in the park all year round, whistling and shaking flow continuously. And in winter bullfinches, waxwings, alpine redstarts live here. For active rest There are a few tennis courts and billiard halls. children will give great pleasure to visit the specially built for them towns with attractions, pavilions slot machines, dashes.
The pride of Nalchik is the famous blue spruce - Nursery of the local state farm "Decorative Cultures". Fir trees adorn not only the city park, but also dozens of other cities in Russia and abroad. In Moscow, these beauties can be seen on Red Square and Poklonnaya Hill.
Nalchik is the leading cultural center of the republic. Hospitable hosts are glad to see you in one of the five operating theaters
cities: Kabardian State Drama Theatre. A. Shogentsukov, Balkar State Drama Theater. K. Kuliev, Russian State Drama Theater. M. Gorky, the State Musical Theater and the Puppet Theater. Doors are open for connoisseurs of serious music State Philharmonic
, where you can listen to the symphony orchestra and chamber music ensemble "Camerata".
Folk art
present Academic State Dance Ensemble "Kabardinka" and State Folklore-Ethnographic Dance Ensemble "Balkaria", known not only in the Caucasus, but also outside of Russia. The foreign audience always enthusiastically applauds their sparkling and incendiary dances.
At the beginning of the century, it was opened, unique for the North Caucasus in terms of architecture, State Concert Hall
. Those who love feature films can watch it in three cinemas
new generation.
AT National Museum assembled the richest archival and ethnographic material about the history and culture of the peoples of the republic. AT Museum of Fine Arts you will get acquainted with the masterpieces of such eminent artists as K. Bryullov, D. Levitsky, I. Shishkin, I. Aivazovsky, A. Kuindzhi, E. Lansere; You will also see the work of local craftsmen.
The special love of the inhabitants of the city is Horseback Riding . All over the world, horses of the Kabardian breed are valued for their speed, endurance and grace. They are one of the symbols of the republic. Connoisseurs of this beautiful sport cannot but visit the modern equestrian sports complex where major competitions are held.
In Kabardino-Balkaria, preserved 520 monuments of archeology, history, art and architecture. More than 40 of them are located in Nalchik.
hiking trails
Kabardino-Balkaria with its numerous and varied mineral springs, an abundance of fruits, berries and grapes, with a healthy climate and mountain landscapes is resort area and mountain tourism not only of national, but also of international importance. In 1986, a unique national park Elbrus region was created on the territory of the republic, which is also ski resort . It includes the high-mountain part of the Greater Caucasus with the Elbrus massif, the northern slope of the Main (Dividing) Range and the southern slope of the Side Range, separated by the Baksan River valley. This is one of the three largest ski areas in Russia.Tourism and mountaineering
Start in Nalchik numerous tourist and climbing routes. From here you can make an interesting journey to the north-west of the republic to Zolsky and upland pastures located on the slopes of the Dzhinalsky ridge. Those who visit these places will remember picturesque panoramas of mountain landscapes with a majestic view of Elbrus, colorful pictures of alpine meadows with herds of horses and flocks of sheep grazing on them.
Valley of Narzanov
There are 20 mineral water springs in the Narzanov Valley
The Valley of the Narzans on the left bank of the Khasaut River is remarkable. Here, at a distance of about 1 km, there is 20 mineral water springs type "Narzan". You can get into the valley along the gorge of the Malka River, the upper reaches of which lie at the foot of the northern slopes of Elbrus. In a number of places, it, cutting through mountain ranges, turns into narrow, impenetrable gorges. On the way you will meet a 20-meter waterfall, formed by the tributary of the Malka river Small Lahran. Here the route crosses the largest massif of pine forest in Kabardino-Balkaria. The valley of the Narzans is not much inferior to Kislovodsk in terms of the beauty of the location and the climatic features.
Dolinsk
Attracts with its resort natural conditions area Dolinsk located near Nalchik. This is a valley surrounded by a semicircle of mountains, with coniferous and deciduous forests, with Belorechensky mineral springs which are used to treat many diseases.
Lake Tambukan
Widely known for its healing mud lake Tambukanskoe , located in the northwestern part of the republic on the border with the Stavropol Territory. These muds are used for medicinal purposes not only in the resorts of Kabardino-Balkaria and Caucasian Mineralnye Vody, but even in Sochi and Moscow.
Ethnographic routes await connoisseurs of architecture and history:
- AT Nalchik– inspection Church of the Holy Monk Simeon the Stylite .
- visit Arc de Triomphe and Church of St. Euthymius and Great Martyr Catherine in stanitsa Yekaterinogradskaya.
- AT Prokhladny– inspection Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker .
Gorges that make you dizzy
And yet, tourists are more attracted by mountain trails towards the snow-covered peaks of the Main Caucasian Range. The easternmost and most grandiose in the republic Balkar Gorge . It begins after the confluence of the Balkar Cherek with the Bezengi Cherek. From here, the gorge looks like a narrow gap between unusually high rocks. Half a kilometer before entering the gorge there are blue Lakes. The largest of them, 200 m wide, has a depth of 368 m. It feeds on underground rivers. The road along a narrow cornice winds high above the channel of the mad somewhere in the depths of the Balkarian Cherek. On the left, a wall of several hundred meters, and on the right, an abyss blackens. Unaccustomedly, the head is spinning. The gorge cuts through the Rocky Range, beyond which the valley widens. This is - Upper Balkaria. around a lot ancient monuments , mainly remains of defensive towers and fortress walls. Everywhere you can see mountain peaks in shaggy plumage of clouds.Bezengi Gorge stretches along the Bezengi Cherek from the same confluence with the Balkar Cherek, but is located to the west of it. At its end, the gorge rests on the Main Range in the place where the famous Bezengi Wall is located. Here the center of the high Caucasus, its wildest and most inaccessible places.
Neighbor from the west Chegem Gorge located on the river of the same name. Tourists can be seen here all year round, and winter trips are no worse than summer trips both in terms of health and aesthetics. On the way from Nalchik in the Chegem valley there are many archaeological sites : mound graves, Kabardian tombs, the legendary rock "Lechenkay". The gorge itself starts from the village with the same name. Unlike Cherek, it looks more cheerful, more picturesque: it is densely covered with forest. Numerous noisy birds huddle among trees and bushes. the most beautiful place gorge is rightfully considered wall of Su-Auzu waterfalls . In winter, you can watch a grandiose cascade of ice.
A few kilometers beyond the village of Nizhniy Chegem, the river valley expands, forming a vast open area overgrown with assorted grasses. it sunny meadow , It is spacious here, a lot of heat and light, you can breathe easily and freely. Not far away, a small stream is dumped into the gorge from a height of 30 meters. This waterfall is very beautiful. Water jets are sprayed, forming a silvery cloud. Under the rays of the sun, a bright rainbow plays on it. In winter, frozen jets create a fabulously beautiful picture of intertwining ice pillars and sticks.
Behind the waterfall in the yellow-gray wall rocky ridge At 600-700 meters high, a narrow gap turns black. Closely Chegem in his stone corridor. In the narrowest places, the width of the valley does not exceed 15-20 meters. You enter the gorge with a kind of unsettling feeling. Below, the river rages furiously, tossing and rolling stone blocks, and at the top, a wall gray to black. To see its upper edge, you need to throw your head back strongly. And above it is a narrow blue ribbon of the sky. The sun's rays rarely penetrate here.
And yet another route is more popular - along the Baksana river valley , which leads to the foot of the main giant of the entire Caucasus - Elbrus. On this route you can meet a lot of interesting things. Near the village of Lashkuta, on the right slope of the river valley there is clearing dotted with rocks 15-20 meters high. One of them is processed by wind, rain, frost cracking in such a way that it resembles a human figure with a clearly defined face. The face is turned to the south and, it seems, peers thoughtfully into the mountains blue in the distance. At times, especially when the sun does not shine brightly, the resemblance of a rock to a human sculpture is striking. This amazing creation of nature is called rock "Sphinx".
In the Baksan valley, a tourist is accompanied everywhere ancient monuments : ruins of fortresses covered in legends, rocks, catacombs, underground crypts, a site of primitive man. Beyond the gorge in the Chalk Mountains, the valley widens. Here is interesting high, standing apart Mount Teschiny teeth. Its shattered peaks jut out against the sky as jagged brownish-yellow protrusions. Even further, the greatness of the mountain heights and the beauty of wild impregnable rocks grows.
To conquer Elbrus, you can use by air cable car . She will lift you from glades Azau (altitude 2250 m) to the station "Garabashi" (3850 m). The cable car is equipped with cabins and a chair lift. You can relax in a unique hotel "Barrel"- a large steel cylinder, in a fairly comfortable room, designed for 4-5 people. They say that a person who reached the Azau glade visited the heart of the Caucasus. In summer, when mountain meadow grasses bloom everywhere, and ice walls and lava rocks of the mountain giant rise around, dozens of streams breaking out from under the ice ring in different voices, this place is fabulously beautiful.
Paradise for skiers
Slopes of Cheget and Elbrus offer a lot of interesting and varied. This and traditional skis , and snowboard , and ski extreme , and even heli-ski (descent through the virgin lands with delivery by helicopter to the saddle of Elbrus). Them the total length of the tracks is up to 35 km. On the Cheget you will get to know 15 pistes, elevation difference 2100-3550 m. Here you can ski until mid-May. Elbrus you will be received throughout the year; On him 6 tracks, elevation difference 2280-3800 m. One of 9 lifts will take you to the beginning of skiing. World-famous slopes can compete with many European ski resorts.Do you still feel insecure about skiing? The relatively gentle slopes in the upper part of Elbrus are an ideal place for you. open courses for beginners, adults and children from 3 years old. And fluffy snow on virgin fields - what else does a snowboarder need?! Also, there is a place for amateurs to try themselves. thrill. For them, the most suitable the most difficult tracks and the famous mounds of Cheget. Perhaps the following lines are written about this place:
- Merged together the fall with the flight,
Movement with the wind merged
In conclusion, we can say that every new day in the Caucasus brings unforgettable feelings and a hurricane of emotions. It will not be possible to fully describe the beauty of the mountains and the mixed feelings that they evoke. But one thing is clear that, having seen the mountains only once, you stay with them forever!
Being a mountainous republic, Kabardino-Balkaria has its own geographical specifics: incredible wealth is concentrated in a relatively small area natural resources, including both natural monuments, and relict and endemic vegetation, and the rarest representatives of the animal world.
Three main natural zones are distinguished on the territory of the republic: the plain, the mountain-forest belt and the so-called alpine highlands. The multi-stage relief is due to the diversity of the flora and fauna of Kabardino-Balkaria, and the presence of countless miraculous sights that attract tourists from all over the world.
Natural attractions of the republic
The main pride of the republic is the mountains. And, of course, the majestic Elbrus. It is in Kabardino-Balkaria that almost all the Caucasian five-thousanders are located. And the stone monolith of the Bezengi wall, consisting of several peaks crowned with glaciers, is a sight that will impress even the most experienced traveler.
rich republic and water resources: lakes Syltrankel, Shadhurey, Golubye are popular sightseeing objects. Guests of Kabardino-Balkaria also strive to get to the Chegem waterfalls. And the miraculous high-mountain mineral springs of Dzhily-Su have cured more than one generation of tourists who come here for healing.
The unique flora of Kabardino-Balkaria
Kabardino-Balkaria is located in the central part of the Greater Caucasus, therefore vegetable world The republic is represented by a huge number of species: more than half of all specimens of the Caucasian flora can be found on its territory, while accounting for only three percent of the area of the Caucasus. Features of the nature of Kabardino-Balkaria, associated with its relief in the form of a giant staircase, were also reflected in the plant world.
Steppe and meadow vegetation prevails on the flat areas: alfalfa and couch grass, sage and sweet clover, bluegrass and timothy grass. The beginning of summer decorates this part of Kabardino-Balkaria with luxurious carpets: St. John's wort and mallow, mouse peas and chicory, khatma and clover bloom. In the floodplain forests poplar and aspen, willow and aspen, alder and sea buckthorn grow. And their main decoration can be called thickets of bluish-gray myricaria. Forests of other types adjoin the foothills, among them there are unique ones, known as components of popular tourist routes: one of them is the Urvanskie Dubki tract.
The foothill zones are covered with thickets of hazel and wild rose, hawthorn and wild horn. The higher up the mountain, the more often trees are found: aspen and field maple, linden and hornbeam. In the forests of the foothills huge number ferns grow, and along the beams - tall, human-sized, hogweed. The mysterious and fabulous beech forest located just above has a special charm. But at a mark of more than 1000 meters, beech is losing its positions: Trautfetter's maple and mountain elm, gray alder and limy oak are already appearing more often here.
The bright palette of flowering subalpine meadows of Kabardino-Balkaria is magnificent: red elecampane and pink daisies, purple letters and purple esparcytes, burgundy gladioli and sky-blue bells paint the silky grass carpet in all the colors of the rainbow. Alpine meadows, slightly inferior to subalpine ones in splendor, delight the eye with no less variety: crocuses and violets, saffrons and primroses, bathing suits and anemones bloom here.
Fauna of Kabardino-Balkaria
The fauna of Kabardino-Balkaria is no less impressive than the flora. Here there are representatives of both steppe and high-mountain fauna, certain types southern and northern animals. In Russia, only the Ussuri region is famous for such wealth, but Kabardino-Balkaria may well be considered its worthy rival in this indicator.
Of the lowland animals of Kabardino-Balkaria, one can single out the fox and the wolf, the hare and the badger living in the floodplain forests, the wild cat roe deer, and the otter living in the rivers. The bird kingdom is represented by pheasants and partridges, quails and jays, in summer - golden bee-eaters, turtledoves, swallows, and in autumn even bustards and bustards.
Many birds nest in the foothill forests: blackbirds and orioles, shrikes and warblers, tits and finches. During the migration time, you can also meet woodcocks. Wild boars and roe deer, bears and lynxes, commercial martens and badgers live in beech forests. The high-mountain fauna of the republic is tours and snowcocks, alpine jackdaws and Caucasian black grouse, mountain partridges and red-winged wall-climbers.