• Location
• Economy
• Culture
• People
• Problems

Location

Beslan is located in North Ossetia-Alania one of the sovereign republics of the Russian Federation. It is situated on the northern slopes of the central Caucasus, between two of the highest mountain peaks in Europe, the Elbrous and Kazbeck. North Ossetia-Alania is one of the smallest, most densely populated and multi-cultural republics in Russian Federation. Vladikavkaz is the capital of North Ossetia-Alania.

Since before recorded history, North Ossetia-Alania has been the crossroads of main Caucasus routes and a bridge between Transcaucasus and Europe. Due to its strategic geographical position, North Ossetia-Alania has always been the subject of dispute for all the great empires. The Great Silk Route, which bound all civilized mankind from China to the Atlantic coast at the beginning of our time, passed through the Alan kingdom, from which Ossetia inherited its ethnic and cultural traditions. Historically, the Ossetes have been divided between two states, Georgia, to which South Ossetia belongs and Russia, of which North Ossetia is a constituent republic.

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Economy

North Ossetia is a highly developed industrial republic. A high concentration of labor and important industries such as non-ferrous metallurgy, electronics, chemical industries, machine building, starch and molasses production and food processing determine the significance of the Republic among the CIS countries and Russian Federation. North Ossetia has unique natural and climatic environment. High mountains, rich in deciduous and coniferous woods, as well as alpine pastures, occupy more than half of the territory of the Republic. Eight districts of the Republic are primarily engaged in agriculture, cattle breeding and the processing of produce. There is an area of 100,000 hectares of ecologically clean alpine pastures.

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Culture

The scientific and cultural potential of Ossetia is very high. There are 4 higher educational establishments including the National University, the Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, the Medical Academy and Agrarian Academy, as well as 13 medium level special colleges, where 22 thousand students study. There are many museums, cultural clubs, cinemas and public libraries. North Ossetia is the motherland of talented and prominent people such as Kosta Khetagurov, a great poet and philosopher, Academician Vaso Abayev, Svetlana Adyrhayeva, ballet dancer and People's Artist of the USSR, Veronica Doudarova, the first female conductor in the world and People's Artist of the USSR, Valery Gergiyev, conductor and People's Artist of Russia, Vladimir Tkhapsayev, one of the best performers of Shakespearean drama and People's Artist of the USSR; The Touganovs and Kantemirovs, famous circus equestians and painters Shalva Bedoyev, Chermen Dzanagov and many others.

All sports fans know the names of free-style wrestling's twice Olympic champions Soslan Andiyev, Arsen Fardzayev and Makharbek Khadartsev. Ossetian athletes have won 17 Olympic medals, 7 of which were gold. The Vladikavkaz soccer team "Spartak" has become well known to European fans since the club participated in the 1993 UEFA Cup championship for the first time in its history. In 1995, they won the Russian championship title.

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People

Ossetians, the descendents of Scythes, Sarmats and Alans slightly mixed up with aboriginal Caucasian people, live in the Northern and central Caucasus regions. The total population is about 700,000 people. Their ancestors came to North Caucasus from steppes between the rivers Danube, Don, Volga and Terek. The country used to be called “Alania”. But in 13-14 centuries the invasion of numerous Tartar herds caused the Alanian people to almost complete distinction. Some 15-20 thousands of survivors were locked up in the mountain gorges for the next 4-5 centuries. But the people saved their unique language, the ancient culture and slowly relatively restored the population.

In 1774, Ossetia voluntarily got included in the Russian Empire. Since that, it became one of the key strategic provinces in Caucasus region. Many Ossetians bravely were protecting their Homeland during this period of Russian history. 86 thousands of Ossetian people were fighting at the mortal combats of WW2 and 47 thousands of them were killed.

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Problems

According to the decision of Communist leaders in Moscow, in 1922 the nation was split up. North Ossetia ended up in possession to the Russian Federation, and South Ossetia to Georgian republic, but both still within the former U.S.S.R.

After the U.S.S.R. collapsed, those parts of Ossetia found themselves in different, neighboring countries, tied up with many contradictions. Many families got split up with the state borders as well. Nowadays, both parts are trying to reunite.

North Ossetia-Alania has a long time territorial problem with the neighboring Ingushetia, former part of Chechen-Ingush Soviet Republic. Ingushetia claims to Prigorodny district and part of Vladikavkaz, the capital of North Ossetia.

There was a short time war in 1992, when Ingush armed militants invaded this district. Ossetians stroke back.
The bitterness of several hundred casualties at both sides is still there.

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