Caucasus
From Wikinfo
See also Caucasus by Levan Urushadze
The Caucasus is a region in western Asia between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea which includes the Caucasus mountains and surrounding lowlands. The highest peak is Elbrus (5642m).
The independent nations that comprise today's Caucasus include the Autonomous Republics of the Northern Caucasus (new part of Russia), Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan. Large, non-independent areas of the Caucasus include Northern Ossetia (or Alania), Ingushetia, and Dagestan, among others. The Caucasus is one of the most linguistically and culturally diverse places on earth. Languages of the indigenous peoples of the Caucasus (Ibero-Caucasian peoples) are languages of the family of the Iberian-Caucasian languages.
The southern part of the Caucasus is known as the Transcaucasus.
Historical nations of the Caucasus:
- Georgia
- Dagestan (or Avaria)
- Caucasian Albania (or Aghbania)
- Chechenya and Ingushetia (Chechens and Ingushs are known also as Durdzuks (in Georgian) or Vainakhs)
In Greek mythology, the Caucasus, or Kaukasos was one of the pillars supporting the world. Prometheus was chained there by Zeus.
Links and reference
- Ethnolinguistic Groups in the Caucasus Region - US Central Intelligence Agency, 1995
References
- Adapted from the Wikipedia article, "Caucasus" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caucasus, used under the GNU Free Documentation License
