North Caucasus

Population: 17,758,000. Biggest city: Rostov-on-Don (1,024,000)
Flying time from Moscow to Rostov-on-Don (the biggest city): 1.5 hours.
Time difference from Moscow: none.
Urban population: 56%. Rural population: 44%.
Territory: 355,100 sq. km (about the size of Germany). Density: 50 persons / sq. km.
Climate zones: Steppes, arid steppes, semi-deserts; mountain climate zones along the southern border.

Socio-economic indicators (1999 Duma Vote)

This region includes the most troubled part of the Russian Federation, the Chechen Republic, and other republics where ethnic tensions are high. Economic capacities are far lower than the average for the country as a whole. GDP per capita is barely half that of the average for the Federation, and productivity and wages are also low. Employment in agriculture is also well above the national average.

Life expectancy for both men and women is at the average for the Federation as a whole. But other indicators are high are signs of trouble, for example, the migration of the population, the readiness of people to move to find a job elsewhere and high unemployment.

North Caucasus	Regional value	Russian mean	% Russian mean
ECONOMIC COMPETITIVENESS
Wages paid in full in previous month, %	54	49	110
Consumer goods: % with VCR	34	34	100
Current household economy not bad: %	44	45	98
Current national economy not bad: %	17	19	89
GDP 1995 bln rbls	88,663	127,531	70
Wage levels 1000 rbls/month, 1995	300	472	63
Industrial productivity mln rbls/employee	37	66	57
GDP/capita rbls, million	5	10	53
LABOUR MARKET CHANGE
Prepared to move to find a job: %	20	17	118
Job is secure, %	52	50	105
Employed, % labour force	88	91	97
Have second job previous month: %	17	19	89
Employment sector: services, %	41	49	84
Employer: new private, %	19	23	83
SOCIAL COHESION AND STABILITY
Life expectancy in years (male)	60	58	103
Read newspapers regularly: %	68	67	101
Life expectancy in years (female)	73	72	101
Life is bearable, %	49	52	95
Hospital beds per 10,000	109	126	87
Expect life to improve next year: %	18	21	86
Students in higher education per 10,000	145	179	81
Population change, %	-.2	-.6	--

Administrative divisions:

Krasnodar Krai (Pop. 5,066,000) Capital: Krasnodar (756,000)	Kabardino-Balkariya Republic (Pop. 789,500) Capital: Nalchik (258,000)
Rostov Oblast (Pop. 4,414,700) Capital: Rostov-on-Don (1,024,000)	North Ossetia - Alaniya Republic (Pop. 664,200) Capital: Vladikavkaz (325,000)
Stavropol Krai (Pop. 2,671,800) Capital: Stavropol (337,000)	Adygei Republic (Pop. 449,000) Capital: Maikop (176,000)
Dagestan Republic (Pop. 2,121,200) Capital: Makhachkala (370,000)	Karachay-Cherkessiya Republic (Pop. 436,100) Capital: Cherkessk (120,000)
Chechen Republic (Pop. 862,200) Capital: Grozny (350,000 - estimate)	Ingush Republic (Pop. 303,500) Capital: Nazran

CSPP School of Government & Public Policy U. of Strathclyde Glasgow G1 1XQ Scotland
Email: cspp@strath.ac.uk