Nalchik

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Nalchik (English) Нальчик (Russian)

Kabardino-Balkaria on the map of Russia
Coordinates 43°31′N 43°36′E / 43.517, 43.6Coordinates: 43°31′N 43°36′E / 43.517, 43.6
Coat of Arms

Administrative status
Federal subject In jurisdiction of Administrative center of	Kabardino-Balkaria —
Local self-government
Charter	Charter of Nalchik
Municipal status	Urban okrug
Head
Legislative body	City Assembly of Nalchik
Area
Area	131 km² (50.6 sq mi)
Population (as of the 2002 Census)
Population - Rank - Density	274,974 inhabitants 2,099/km² (5,436.4/sq mi)
Events
Founded	1818
Town status	1921
Other information
Postal code
Dialing code	n/a
Official website
http://www.nalchik.ru/

Nalchik (Russian: На́льчик; Karachay-Balkar: Нальчик; Kabardian: Налшык) is a city in the Caucasus region of southern Russia and capital of the Kabardino-Balkar Republic. The city is situated at an altitude of 550 meters (1,804 ft) in the foothills of the Caucasus Mountains. It covers an area of 131 square kilometers (50.6 sq mi). Population: 274,974 (2002 Census);^[2] 234,547 (1989 Census).^[3]

1 History
2 Economy and education
3 Sports
4 October 2005 attack on Nalchik
5 Notable people
6 Climate
7 Sister Cities
8 References
9 External links

Monument "Forever with Russia"

The territory of modern-day Nalchik was inhabited by native Balkars and Kabardians as far back as 1743, but the modern city dates from the early 19th century when the expanding Russian Empire built a fort there in 1818; this date is seen at the top of the city's coat of arms. A military settlement was founded on the site in 1838. Nalchik remained relatively unimportant until after the Russian Revolution of 1917, when it was given the status of a city in 1921. It was promoted to become the administrative center of the Kabardian autonomous oblast.

The city is named after the Nalchik River, on the shores of which it is located. The word "Nalchik" literally means "small horseshoe" in Kabardian (or Circassian, a Northwest Caucasian language) and Karachay-Balkar (a Turkic language). It is a diminutive of nal, the Turkic and Turkish word for "horseshoe" derived from Arabic (نعل) with the same meaning. ^[1]

During World War II, Nalchik was occupied by Nazi Germany between 28 October 1942 to 3 January 1943. The city was heavily damaged during the conflict.

Nalchik was chosen the "second cleanest city of Russia" in 2003.

Nalchik is a balneological and mountain climatotherapy resort, with several sanatoriums. It also serves as an industrial center of the republic (non-ferrous metallurgy, light industry, construction materials manufacturing, machine building).

Nalchik is home to the following facilities of higher education:

PFC Spartak Nalchik is a football club based in Nalchik, playing in the Russian Premier League.

Main article: October 2005 Nalchik attack

On October 13, 2005, buildings in Nalchik associated with the Russian security forces were attacked by a large group of armed men. At least 136 people were reported to have been killed in the fighting.^{[citation needed]}

October 13, 2005 was a Thursday, and while the city was shut down for the most part on Friday, October 14, the market partially reopened on Saturday, and the city was 'up and running' to almost full capacity on the following Monday.

Although the Western press largely blamed this attack on the Chechens,^{[citation needed]} it was actually a local group, Yarmuk Jamaat, composed of Kabardian and Balkar men who carried out the attack.^{[citation needed]} The swell in security forces in and around Nalchik after these attacks was substantial.