Adygea (Republic of Adygea) is a republic within the Russian Federation. The area is 7.6 thousand square kilometers, the population is 446 thousand people, urban 54% (2003); Russians (66%), Adygeans (23%). Adygea consists of 7 districts, 2 cities, 5 urban-type settlements (2001). The administrative center is Maikop. On July 7, 1922, the Adygei (Cherkessian) autonomous region was formed. Since 1991 - the Republic of Adygea; is part of the Southern Federal District.
The main industries of Adygea: food - canning (Adyghe cannery in the village of Yablonovsky), oil, meat, wine, tobacco and fermentation, brewing, confectionery. There are enterprises of forest and woodworking industry (Maikoplesmebel), mechanical engineering: Stanconormal, Reductor, Tochradiomash, Maikop HPP operates. The main industrial centers: the city of Maikop, the settlements of Yablonovsky, Kamennomostsky, Enem. Cultivated lands are used for crops of wheat, corn, barley, tobacco, sunflower, sugar beet; vegetable growing, melon growing, viticulture, fruit growing are developed. Livestock is dominated by cattle (meat milk), pig, poultry. Shipping is carried out along the Kuban River.
Adygea is located on the most picturesque northern slopes of the Caucasian ridge, on the left bank of the Kuban and Laba rivers. The northern part of the republic is a weak-wavelength Prikuban inclined plain, the southern - foothills (up to 300 m high) and mountains (up to 3238 m, Chugush) of the Greater Caucasus. The rivers of the Kuban basin flow along Adygea: Laba, White, Psekups, Pshish, Afips. Some rivers of the foothills and Kuban in the lower reaches form floats. The climate is moderately warm and humid. The average January temperature in Maykop is 1.6 °C, July + 22.2 °C. Precipitation is about 700 mm per year (the highest number from April to November). Freezing period 180 days.
Black soils are common in most of the region. Significant arrays of flowing meadow and meadow-wetland and mountain-forest soils. Forests occupy about 40% of the territory (mainly in the mountainous part), oak, beech, robe, maple, ash and other broad-leaved rocks with an abundance of undergrowth prevail, there are forests with a predominance of fir, spruce and pine trees. Many wild fruit and berry trees. On the plain, a fox, a ferret, a mermaid hare, rodents were preserved. In the mountain forests - brown bear, lynx, boar, deer. On the territory of Adygea (in the mountainous zone) - the main part of the Caucasian reserve.
In the middle of the first millennium BC along the eastern coast of the Azov and northeastern coast of the Black Seas lived ancient Meots, Sinds, Kerkets (modern Adygs, Kabardins and Circassians). Later there was a merger of Adyghe tribes with Sarmatian. The Adyghe people formed around the 13th century. Adygs were engaged in animal husbandry, fishing, beekeeping, pottery and jewelry crafts. In the 13th century Adygea was subjugated by the Golden Horde. Since the 16th century, the Kuban lands were subjected to systematic raids by the Crimean Tatars. They ravaged the villages of the Adyghes, led captives into slavery, forcibly introduced Islam. Since the end of the 18th century, the active development of Kuban lands by Russia began. The Adygs offered active resistance to the Russians, a significant part of the local population left for Turkey. The semifeudal-patriarchal way of life in the Adyghe auls survived until 1917.
In May 1918, the territory inhabited by the Adyghes became part of the Kuban-Black Sea Republic. In July 1922, the Circassian (Adyghe) autonomous region was formed, which was transformed in 1928 into the Adyghe Autonomous Region, the center of which was the city of Maikop. During the Great Patriotic War, Adygea was occupied by the Germans in 1942-1943. During the years of Soviet power, Adygea turned into an agrarian-industrial republic, with well-developed industries. In March 1992, Adygea left the Krasnodar Territory and received the status of a republic within the Russian Federation.
The ancestors of the Adygs created the Maykop culture known in archaeology (it got its name from the Maykop mound). Dozens of mounds located close to each other, linked by legends; mysterious dolmens are all open-air museums. They testify to the culture of the ancient Caucasians, their close ties with Europe and the East.
Currently, there are four theaters, three concert organizations, 139 club-type institutions, a culture and recreation park, 10 museums, 151 libraries, 22 children's music, art schools, art schools, a secondary special educational institution of culture and art. There are more than 400 cultural monuments on the territory of Adygea, 9 of them are of federal significance.
Professional art is represented by the Republican Philharmonic, the state dance ensemble of Adygea “Nalmes”, the song and dance ensemble “Islamey”, the republican orchestras – symphonic and Russian folk instruments “Russian Udal”. The art gallery acquaints lovers of fine arts with the works of famous masters of painting, graphics, sculpture, photography, folk crafts of Adygea, Kuban, Russia, near and far abroad. In the funds of the Adygea Republican Museum of Local History: a collection of household textiles of gold embroidery - carpets, fans, camouflages; products from kugi - wicker household items (mats for prayer, fan from straws, baskets for household purposes; a collection of Caucasian guns, pistols, daggers). The museum was founded in 1925.
