Kabardino-Balkar Republic

The Kabardino-Balkarian Republic (Russian: Кабарди́но-Балка́рская Респу́блика, Kabardino-Balkarskaya Respublika; Kabardian: Къэбэрдей-Балъкъэр Республикэ, Ķêbêrdej-Baĺķêr Respublikê; Karachay-Balkar: Къабарты-Малкъар Республика, Qabartı-Malqar Respublika) or Kabardino-Balkaria (Russian: Кабарди́но-Балка́рия, Kabardino-Balkariya), is a federal subject of Russia (a republic) located in the North Caucasus. As of the 2010 Census, its population was 859,939 on 12,500 square km. Its capital is Nalchik. The area contains the highest mountain in Europe, Mount Elbrus, at 5,642 m. Mount Elbrus has 22 glaciers that feed three rivers — Baksan, Malka and Kuban. The mountain is covered with snow year-round. Kabardino-Balkaria includes two major ethnic communities, the Kabardins (Circassians), who speak a North-West Caucasian language, and the Balkars who speak a Turkic language. Kabardins make up the bulk of the republic's population, followed by Russians and Balkars. Other groups include Ossetians, Turks, Ukrainians, Armenians, Koreans, Chechens. According to a 2012 survey, 60% of the population adheres to Islam, 15.6% to the Russian Orthodox Church, 3% to Adyghe (Kabardian) folk religion (Khabze) and other indigenous faiths, and 5% are unaffiliated generic Christians. In addition, 12% of the population declares to be "spiritual but not religious". Wikipedia ->