Krasnodar Krai

Krasnodar Krai () is a federal subject of Russia (a krai), located in the Southern Federal District. With a modest 76,000 km² territory (Russia's 45th largest), it is the most populous krai (and the third most populous federal subject) of the nation (5,125,221 inhabitants as of 2002). Its administrative center is the city of Krasnodar (pop. 644,800); major cities include Sochi (pop. 328,800), Novorossiysk (pop. 231,900), and Armavir (pop. 193,900).

Geography

Krasnodar Krai encompasses the western part of the Forecaucasus and a part of the northern slopes of Caucasus Major. Krasnodar Krai borders, clockwise from the west, Ukraine—from which it is separated by the Strait of Kerch and the Sea of Azov—Russia's Rostov Oblast, Stavropol Krai, and the Republic of Karachay-Cherkessia, and Georgia's breakaway republic of Abkhazia. The krai territory encompasses the Republic of Adygea. Krasnodar Krai's southern border is formed by what is left of Russia's Black Sea coast, with the most important port (Novorossiysk) and resort (Sochi) in this part of the country.

Geographically, the area is split by the Kuban River into two distinct parts. The southern, seaward third (historically known as Circassia) is the western extremity of the Caucasus range, lying within the European-Mediterranean Montane Mixed Forests ecoregion; the climate is Mediterranean or, in the south-east, subtropical. The northern two-thirds is a steppe and shares continental climate patterns.

Time zone

Krasnodar Krai is located in the Moscow Time Zone (MSK/MSD). UTC offset is +0300 (MSK)/+0400 (MSD).

Administrative divisions

Demographics

Most of the population is concentrated in the Kuban River drainage basin which used to be traditional Cossack land (see History of Cossacks). Kuban Cossacks are generally considered to be ethnic Russians now; notable ethnic groups in the area include Armenians who have been settling here since at least the 18th century.

Population (2002): 5,125,221.

Ethnic groups: Of the 5,125,221 residents (as of the 2002 census) 13,190 (0.03%) chose not to specify their ethnic background. Of the rest, residents identified themselves as belonging to 140 ethnic groups, including 4,436,272 ethnic Russians (86.6%), 274,566 Armenians (mostly Christian Hamshenis) (5.36%), 131,774 Ukrainians (2.57%), 26,540 Greeks (0.52%), 26,260 Belarusians (0.51%), 25,589 Tatars (0.5%) and so on.

External link

News and events of Krasnodar Krai