Kalmykia

Lore & Background

The ancestors of the Kalmyks, the Oirat Mongols, migrated from the steppes of southern Siberia on the banks of the Irtysh River, reaching the Lower Volga region of Eastern Europe by the early 17th century. Historians have given various explanations for the move, but generally recognise that the Kalmyks sought abundant pastures for their herds. Another motivation may have involved escaping the growing dominance of the neighbouring Dzungar Mongol tribe. They reached the lower Volga region in or about 1630. That land was the homeland of the Nogai Horde, a confederation of Turkic-speaking nomadic tribes. The Kalmyks expelled the Nogais, who fled to the Caucasian plains and to the Crimean Khanate. Some Nogai groups sought the protection of the Russian garrison at Astrakhan. The remaining nomadic Mongol Oirat tribes became vassals of the Kalmyk Khan. The Kalmyks settled in the wide-open steppes – from Saratov in the north to Astrakhan on the Volga delta in the south and to the Terek River in the southwest. They also encamped on both sides of the Volga River, from the Don River in the west to the Ural River in the east. This area under Kalmyk control would eventually be called the Kalmyk Khanate. Within twenty-five years of settling in the Lower Volga region, the Kalmyks became subjects of the Tsar of Russia. In exchange for protecting Russia's southern border, the Kalmyks were promised an annual allowance and access to the markets of Russian border settlements. Kalmyk allegiance was often nominal, as the Kalmyk Khans practised self-government, based on a set of laws they called the Great Code of the Nomads (Iki Tsaadzhin Bichig). The Kalmyk Khanate reached its peak of military and political power under Ayuka Khan (ruled 1672–1724, khan 1690–1724).

Reader's Guide

The republic is located in Southern Russia, lying north of the North Caucasus. A small stretch of the Volga River flows through eastern Kalmykia. Other major rivers include the Yegorlyk, the Kuma, and the Manych. Lake Manych-Gudilo is the largest lake; other lakes of significance include Lakes Sarpa and Tsagan-Khak. The highest point in Kalmykia is shared, with an elevation of 222 m; it is located in the Yergeni hills. Kalmykia's natural resources include coal, oil, and natural gas. The average January temperature is -5°C and the average July temperature is 24°C. Average annual precipitation ranges from 170 mm in the east to 400 mm in the west. The small town of Utta is the hottest place in Russia. On 12 July 2010, an all-time record-high temperature was observed at 45.4°C. The republic's wildlife includes the saiga antelope, whose habitat is protected in Chyornye Zemli Nature Reserve. National Parks: Bamb Tsetsg Tulip Island.

Did You Know?

• Kalmykia is the only polity in Europe where Buddhism is the majority religion.
• The small town of Utta in Kalmykia is the hottest place in Russia, with a record temperature of 45.4°C.
• The highest point in Kalmykia is only 222 m, located in the Yergeni hills.