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The Caucasus region, dominated by the imposing Great Caucasus mountain range and stretching between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, has long been known as one of the world’s ethnically and linguistically most diverse areas.
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Scooped by Tony Hall |
Scoop.it!
Tony Hall's insight:
This article is timely given the need for the ambassador of the Czech Republic to release a statement to explain that the Czech Republic & Chechnya are in fact different places.
I had an idea that this area of the world is complex in its linguistic, cultural & political make up. I must admit though I had no idea it was as complicated as it is. Absolutely fascinating!
Most Americans had never heard Chechnya before the Boston bombing in April 2013. Now, most think that it is full of America-hating terriosts. However, Chechnya is so very complex and diverse a place, that it is ludacris to think that. Over 100 languages are spoken in the country. The southern half speaks languages such as Georgian, Svan and Mingrelian. Turkish, Iranian and Chechens are the languages you will probably hear in the North. Another misconception is that there are many Christians in Chechnya as well as Muslims. This country is made up of so many different groups, it is incredible.
It is amazing to consider such a small area (the size of New England) could hold such a vast area of languages. The mountainous region certainly helps in creating such diversity as it isolated villages from each other in the ages before modern communication and travel.
This map does a fantastic job of highlighting the cultural diversity within Russia and the former Soviet states. Understanding how these cultural regions overlap one another is paramount in understanding the region's tensions and the repercussions that result including Chechen terrorism in Russia and even in America (Boston bombings).