Crimea, CIS And Baltic Political Geography

Related Category: CIS And Baltic Political Geography

Crimea[krImE´u] Pronunciation Key, Rus. and Ukr. Krym, peninsula (1991 est. pop. 2,363,000), c.10,000 sq mi (25,900 sq km), extreme SE Ukraine, linked with the mainland by the Perekop Isthmus. The peninsula is bounded on the S and W by the Black Sea. The eastern tip of the Crimea is the Kerch peninsula, separated from the Taman peninsula (a projection of the mainland) by the Kerch Strait, which connects the Black Sea with the Sea of Azov. The peninsula is coterminous with the autonomous republic of Crimea, of which Simferopol is the capital. Other major cities include Sevastopol, Kerch, Feodosiya, Yalta, and Yevpatoriya.

Along the Crimea's northeast shore are a series of shallow, stagnant, but mineral-rich lagoons, known collectively as the Sivash or Putrid Sea, which are linked to the Sea of Azov by the Arabatskaya Strelka. The northern part of the Crimea is a semiarid steppe, drained by a few streams; this region supports fine wheat, corn, and barley crops. In the south rises the Crimean or Yaila Range (Yaltinskaya Yaila), with its extensive meadows and forests. The tallest peak rises to c.5,000 ft (1,520 m). In the Crimean Range is a major astronomical observatory. Protected by steep mountain slopes, the Black Sea littoral, once called the "Soviet Riviera," has a subtropical climate and numerous resorts, notably at Yalta and Sochi. During the years of Soviet rule, the resorts and dachas of the Crimean coast served as the prime perquisites of the politically loyal. In this region are vineyards and fruit orchards; fishing, mining, and the production of essential oils are also important. Heavy industry in the Crimea includes plants producing machinery, chemicals, and building materials.

Some 70% of the Crimea's population are ethnic Russians; the rest are mainly Ukrainians. Since 1989 there has also been a movement back to the area of native Tatars who had been exiled to central Asia in the Stalin era. There are also smaller minorities of ethnic Armenians, Greeks, Bulgarians, and Germans.