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The capital city of Kalmykia republic: Elista.
Kalmykia Republic (also spelled Kalmikia, Kalmykiya, Kalmikiya) is a federal subject of Russian Federation, part of Southern Federal District. The capital and administrative center is Elista city.
Kalmykia Republic population - 284,000 (2009); land area - 74,731 sq. km.
The largest cities and towns of Kalmykia Republic are Elista, Lagan and Gorodovikovsk. The population of the region consists includes 45% of Kalmyks, 38% of Russians, 4% of Gards, 3% of Chechens, 2% of Kazakhs, 2% of Germans, 1% of Ukrainians and 1% of Avars.
Kalmykia Republic is not industrially developed and agriculture is its main source of livelihood. Shepherd culture is very strong, and sheep and cattle are raised.
Seminomadic branch of Oirat Mongols, Kalmyks migrated from Chinese Turkistan to the steppe on the west of Volga river mouth in the middle of 17th century. They became the allies of Russians and were charged by Peter I with guarding the eastern frontier of Russian Empire.
Under Catherine II, however, Kalmyks became vassals. In 1771 about 300,000 Kalmyks on the east of Volga set out to return to China but were decimated en route by Russian, Kazakh and Kyrgyz attacks. Kalmyks west of Volga river remained in Russia, where they retained their Lamaist Buddhist religion and their seminomadic life. The word Kalmyk in Turkish means “remnant,” referring to those who stayed behind.
Kalmyk Autonomous Region was established in 1920. The region became an autonomous republic in 1936. During World War II several Kalmyk units fought Russians in collaboration with Germans. As a result, Kalmykia people (about 170,000 individuals) were deported to Siberia in 1943, and their republic was dissolved.
In 1956, Nikita Khrushchev denounced the deportation as a Stalinist crime, and the following year about 6,000 Kalmyks were returned. Kalmyk Autonomous SSR was officially reestablished in 1958. The republic was a signatory, under the name Republic of Kalmykia-Khalmg-Tangeh, to the March 31, 1992, treaty that created Russian Federation. Kalmyks sought independence in the early 1990s but agreed to abandon separatist aims in 1994.
Kalmykia region scenery
Kalmikia republic scenery
Kalmykia Russia republic sunset
Kalmikia Russia republic egrets
Kalmykia region road
Kalmykia republic excavations
Kalmykia republic Buddhist temple
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