Ingushetia
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The Republic of Ingushetia (Russian: Респу́блика Ингуше́тия; Ingush: ГIалгIай Мохк) is a federal subject of Russia (a republic). The direct transliteration of the republic's Russian name is Respublika Ingushetiya. The name Ingushetia, derives from the Georgian name for the Republic, which is Ingusheti (literally meaning the land where the Ingush live). Template:Federal subject of Russia
Geography
Ingushetia is situated on the northern slopes of the Caucasus.
- Area: ca. 4,000 km².
- Borders:
- internal: Republic of North Ossetia-Alania (SW/W/NW/N), Chechen Republic (NE/E/SE).
- international: Georgia (S)
- Highest point: Mount Stolovaya (2,993 m).
- Maximum N->S distance: no data.
- Maximum E->W distance: no data.
- Average elevation: no data.
Time zone
Ingushetia is located in the Moscow Time Zone (MSK/MSD). UTC offset is +0300 (MSK)/+0400 (MSD).
Rivers
Major rivers include:
Mountains
A 150 km stretch of the Caucasus Mountains runs through the territory of the republic.
Natural resources
Ingushetia is rich in timber, rare metals, oil, and natural gas reserves.
Climate
Climate of Ingushetia is mostly continental.
- Average January temperature: -7°C.
- Average July temperature: +22°C
- Average annual precipitation: 1,200 mm.
Administrative divisions
Demographics
According to the 2002 Russian Census (2002), ethnic Ingushes at 361,057 make up 77.3% of the republic's population. Other groups include Chechens (95,403, or 20.4%), Russians (5,559, or 1.2%), and a host of smaller groups, each accounting for less than 0.5% of the total population
Most of non-native nationalities represented in the Republic consist of women who became wives of ethnic Ingushs[citation needed].
- Population: 467,294 (2002)
- Urban: 198,496 (42.5%)
- Rural: 268,798 (57.5%)
- Male: 218,194 (46.7%)
- Female: 249,100 (53.3%)
- Females per 1000 males: 1,142
- Average age: 22.2 years
- Urban: 22.4 years
- Rural: 22.1 years
- Male: 21.4 years
- Female: 22.9 years
- Number of households: 64,887 (with 463,532 people)
- Urban: 28,751 (with 197,112 people)
- Rural: 36,136 (with 266,420 people)
History
Ingushetia has been a part of Russia since 1810. From 1921 to 1924 it was part of the Soviet Mountain Republic established in the Caucasus. The Ingush Autonomous Oblast was established in 1924. From 1934 to 1992 it was joined to neighboring Chechnya in the Chechen-Ingush Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic, except for a brief period following World War II (see below).
During World War II, Joseph Stalin accused the Ingush of collaborating with the Nazis and deported the entire population to Central Asia. Their autonomous territory was dissolved, and the Prigorodny District was transferred to adjacent North Ossetia. While the Ingush were rehabilitated in the 1950s and allowed to return to their homes, Prigorodny District remained part of North Ossetia, and the returning Ingush faced considerable animosity from the Ossetian population that has been settled there.
Tensions exploded after the disintegration of the Soviet Union; the northern Caucausus was the site of the first severe interethnic violence to plague the Russian Federation. In late October 1992, tens of thousands of Ingush were forced from their homes in Prigorodny District of North Ossetia, after the day, when uncontrolled Ingush Informal Armed Groups (IAG)[citation needed] from Nazran started the aggressive assault[citation needed] upon North Ossetian territory[citation needed]. This refugee problem has since been a major problem for the beleaguered government of Ingushetia, already faced with soaring unemployment (as high as 50%), a worsening ecological crisis, a high concentration of Russian troops stationed there because of the war in neighboring Chechnya, and a flood of Chechen refugees from that conflict. While some agreements have been reached with North Ossetia concerning the Ingush refugees, the issue is far from being resolved.
The capital was moved from Nazran to Magas in December of 2002.
In June 2004, some 570 militants invaded Ingushetia and attacked the city of Nazran, killing more than 90 people. Russia blamed Chechen warlord Shamil Basayev for organizing the attack.
Military history of Ingushetia
There is no documented aggressive war begun by Ingushetia. However, Ingush were "hired" in a number of wars. For example, when Persians attacked Georgia, King Alexander and his 100 Roman bodyguards took shelter with his wife's Ingush relatives. Half of the Ingush army was sent and defeated the Persians. During the reign of the Russian Empire, Ingush took part in Japanese and Turkish campaigns. During World War I, 500 knights from an Ingush regiment of the Wild Division boldly attacked Austria's feared Iron Division, killing three fourth of the Austrians and capturing 2,500. The Ingush regiment lost only 14 knights in the attack (term "knight" was used by Nikolai II's brother Mikhail Alexandrovich who personally commanded the Wild Division). In 1941 (World War II) when Germans attacked the USSR, the whole Russian front was retreating 40 km a day. Out of 6,500 defenders of Brest Fortress 6000 Soviet troops capitulated. 500 troops were fresh conscripts of Ingush and Chechen origin. Defenders held the fortress for over a month against the Germans. They even managed to stage seven attacks from the Fortress. The last fallen defender of Brest Fortress was buried by Germans with gun salute . Hitler and Mussolini personally visited the ruins of the Fortress . In 1994-1996 Ingush volunteers fought alongside Chechens in the Russian-Chechen war, though the majority of Ingush remained neutral.
Politics
The head of government and the highest executive post in Ingushetia is the President.
Recent presidents :
- Ruslan Aushev: November 10, 1992 (Head of the Republic until March 7, 1993)—December 28, 2001
- Akhmed Malsagov (interim): December 28, 2001—May 23, 2002
- Murat Zyazikov: May 23, 2002—present
Recent Chairmen of the Government:
- Ruslan Tatiyev: March 1993—July 1993
- Tamerlan Didigov: July 1993—March 1994
- Mukharbek Didigov: March 1994—December 1996
- Belan Khamchiyev: December 1996—August 1998
- Magomet-Bashir Darsigov: August 1998—November 25, 1999
- Akhmed Malsagov: November 25, 1999—June 15, 2002
- Sultan Gireyev (acting): June 15, 2002—August 26, 2002
- Viktor Aleksentsev: August 26, 2002 (acting to September 30, 2002)—June 19, 2003
- Timur Mogushkov: June 19, 2003—June 30, 2005
- Ibragim Malsagov: June 30, 2005—present
The parliament of the Republic is the People's Assembly comprising 34 deputees elected for a four year term. The People's Assembly is headed by the Chairman. As of 2006, the Chairman of the People's Assembly is Makhmud Sultanovich Sakalov.
The Constitution of Ingushetia was adopted on February 27, 1994.
Economy
With few resources except for mineral water, oil[citation needed], natural gas[citation needed], forests, metal ores, and coal[citation needed], Ingushetia has been declared a free economic zone[citation needed] to encourage investment. The local government is considering the development of tourism[citation needed], however this is problematic due to the tense political situation in the region.
Religion
Most of Ingushes are Sunni Muslims of different sufi orders.
Conflict
On May 17, 2006, an Islamic militant detonated a car bomb outside of Nazran, killing Dzhabrail Kostoyev, the deputy interior minister. Two bodyguards and four bystanders were also killed in the attack.[1]
On August 27, 2006, gunmen killed three policemen and wounded one in an ambush near the North Ossetian border. This attack is thought to be connected a simultaneous attack in the Dagestani capital Makhachkala, which left three police officers and four suspected militants dead.[2]
Miscellaneous
Ingushetia is a member of the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organisation.