Балаган на Армянском хребте (на Белой)
The place
Balagan on the Armenian Ridge (on the Belaya) in Krasnodar Krai, Maykop/Guzeripl sector (Caucasus Nature Reserve, Karachay-Cherkessia, Russia), at 1,810 m elevation, northern slope of the Western Caucasus, Belaya river basin. Continuous Russian Caucasus cluster (batches 250-380). A traditional herder's balagan on the Armenian ridge above the Belaya River (Belaya, a 265 km tributary of the Kuban + Kavkazsky Zapovednik, Russia's oldest nature reserve, established 1924, UNESCO Western Caucasus site 1999, 3,000 km², last wild population of European bison Bison bonasus reintroduced to the Caucasus 1946-1990, 100 individuals + Krasnaya Polyana Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics, 22nd edition, Aibga/Rosa Khutor + Bolshoi Fisht 2,867 m, an iconic summit + heritage of the Circassian-Adyghe peoples (a north-western Caucasian people, 700,000 Adyghe, Kabardians and Cherkess, Circassian language + the 1864 Muhajir genocide by the Russian Empire, 90% of the population exiled to the Ottomans, 1.5 M victims, today 3 M diaspora in Turkey + heritage of Turkish-Caucasian Armenians, a diaspora in the Krasnodar region, 200,000 refugees from the 1915-1917 genocide, 1.5 M deaths, iconic).
The setting
Krasnodar Maykop/Guzeripl Caucasus Nature Reserve Karachay-Cherkessia Russia 1,810 m N slope Western Caucasus Belaya, continuous cluster batches 250-380, herder's balagan Armenian ridge Belaya river 265 km Kuban tributary + Kavkazsky Zapovednik 1924 UNESCO 1999 Western Caucasus 3,000 km² bison reintroduced 1946-1990 100 individuals + Krasnaya Polyana Sochi 2014 + Bolshoi Fisht 2,867 m, Circassian-Adyghe peoples NW 700,000 Circassian language + 1864 Muhajir genocide Russian Empire 90% exiled to Ottomans 1.5 M + Krasnodar Armenians 200,000 refugees 1915-1917 genocide 1.5 M deaths.
