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Makhachkala Махачкала (Russian) Анжи-кала (Kumyk) МахӀачхъала (Avar) Гьанжи (Lak)
-  City[1]  -
Location of the Republic of Dagestan in Russia
Makhachkala Location of Makhachkala in the Republic of Dagestan
Coordinates: 42°58′N 47°29′E / 42.967°N 47.483°E / 42.967; 47.483Coordinates: 42°58′N 47°29′E / 42.967°N 47.483°E / 42.967; 47.483
Coat of arms	Flag
Administrative status (as of December 2013)
Country	Russia
Federal subject	Republic of Dagestan
Administratively subordinated to	City of Makhachkala[1]
Capital of	Republic of Dagestan[1]
Administrative center of	City of Makhachkala[1]
Municipal status (as of May 2015)
Urban okrug	Makhachkala Urban Okrug[2]
Administrative center of	Makhachkala Urban Okrug[2]
City Head[citation needed]	Musa Musayev[citation needed]
Representative body	Assembly of Deputies[citation needed]
Statistics
Area	468.13 km2 (180.75 sq mi)[3]
Population (2010 Census)	572,076 inhabitants[4]
- Rank in 2010	27th
Density	1,222/km2 (3,160/sq mi)[5]
Time zone	MSK (UTC+03:00)[6]
Founded	1844[7]
City status since	1857[7]
Previous names	Petrovskoye (until 1857),[7] Petrovsk-Port[8] (until 1921)[citation needed]
Postal code(s)[9]	367000-367999
Dialing code(s)	+7 8722[citation needed]
Website	www.mkala.ru
Makhachkala on Wikimedia Commons

Makhachkala (Russian: Махачкала, IPA: [məxətɕkɐˈɫa]; Kumyk: Анжи-кала; Lak: Гьанжи; Avar: МахӀачхъала ; Rutul: МахаӀчкала) is the capital city of the Republic of Dagestan, Russia. It is located on the western shore of the Caspian Sea and is home to the Makhachkala Grand Mosque, one of Russia’s largest. As of the 2010 Census, the city had a population of 572,076, making it the largest in the North Caucasus Federal District.^[4] The city has an ethnic plurality, with the Avars and Kumyks being the largest groups.

Founded as a fortress of the Russian Empire in 1844 and given city status thirteen years later, the city bore the name of the Russian Tsar Peter the Great until 1921. Since the fall of the Soviet Union, Makhachkala has been affected by Islamist insurgents as spillover from the Second Chechen War when militants invaded Dagestan leading to a renewed conflict between the Russian Federation and militants in the North Caucasus region.

History

Russian Tsar Peter the Great visited what is now Makhachkala in 1722, and the settlement bore his name from 1844 to 1921

Makhachkala's historic predecessor was the town of Tarki, now a nearby suburb, whose history goes back to the 15th century and possibly much earlier. The modern city of Makhachkala was founded in 1844 as a fortress; town status was granted in 1857.^[7] The Russian name of the city was Petrovskoye (Петро́вское)—after the Russian Tsar Peter the Great who visited the region in 1722 during his Persian Campaign. However, among the local Kumyks it was known as Anzhi-Qala, The Pearl Fortress (Qala means fortress, while Anzhi means pearl in Kumyk). After gaining city status, the Petrovskoye fortress was renamed Petrovsk-Port (Петро́вск-Порт) in 1857, sometimes simply Petrovsk.^[8] In 1894, a railway line linked the city to Vladikavkaz (in present-day North Ossetia-Alania) and Baku (in present-day Azerbaijan), yet a report from 1904 detailed the spread of malaria and unsuitable drinking water in the city.^[10]

In January 1919, during the Russian Civil War, the British No. 221 Squadron Royal Air Force based themselves at Petrovsk. In March they were joined by No. 266 Squadron and both squadrons were involved in bombing operations against Bolshevik forces in Astrakhan and elsewhere. In August 1919 both squadrons were withdrawn from Petrovsk.^[11] The city was invaded by the Red Army in Spring 1920.^[10]

As part of the Soviet revolution, place names relating to monarchy or religion were changed, and thus on 14 May 1921, Petrovsk was renamed Makhachkala, after Dagestani revolutionary Magomed-Ali 'Makhach' Dakhadaev. On the same day, it became capital of the newly formed Dagestan Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic.^[10] The city incurred major damage during an earthquake on 14 May 1970.^[12]

The area was used as a Soviet-era naval testing station, leaving behind a curious sea fort off nearby Kaspiysk.^[13]42°53′48″N 47°40′53″E / 42.896598°N 47.681274°E / 42.896598; 47.681274

A report of the International Crisis Group from 2013 describes the city as being "a city of almost one million and gained spectacular economic resources due to a construction boom, skyrocketing land prices, substantial federal funds for reconstruction, infrastructure, transport, housing, courts and administrative services. But even a short visit revealed acute problems, including dirty streets, dilapidated buildings, inadequate utilities, hectic construction, lack of planning and poorly organised public transport".^[14]

Administrative and municipal status

Within the framework of administrative divisions, it is, together with eight urban-type settlements and six rural localities, incorporated as the City of Makhachkala—an administrative unit with the status equal to that of the districts.^[1] As a municipal division, the City of Makhachkala is incorporated as Makhachkala Urban Okrug.^[2]

City divisions

For the purposes of administration, the city is divided into three city districts, from west to east: Kirovsky, Sovetsky and Leninsky. In May 2015, these three city districts were granted municipal status.^[2]

Symbols

The coat of arms and flag of Makhachkala were adopted on 15 December 2006. The coat of arms shows the city's historic fortress in silver on a red field, with flames coming from either tower and a solar symbol above. It is supported by a golden eagle on each side, a crown on top, and crossed anchors (representing its maritime history) entangled with grapevines at the bottom.

A street in Makhachkala

Makhachkala, 2012

In proportions of 2:3, the flag displays the main shield of the city's coat of arms.^[15]

Unrest

Makhachkala is close to areas of fighting and therefore it and the surrounding region has a heavy security service presence. On 25 November 2011, a protest took place in Makhachkala attended by up to 3,000 people demanding an end to illegal activities perpetrated by the security services.^[16]

On December 15, 2011, Gadzhimurat Kamalov, a Russian investigative journalist and founder of the independent Chernovik newspaper was shot dead in an apparent assassination.^[17]

While the amount of terrorist activity related crimes is higher than in other cities of Europe general crime rate is average. However most of the city is empty after 9 p.m. except for several central streets.

Demographics

The population of Makhachkala includes (2010 Census data):^[18]

• 
  Avar nations (26.7%)


• 
  Kumyks (19.17%)


• 
  Dargin nations (15.3%)


• 
  Lezgins (12.71%)


• 
  Laks (12.35%)


• 
  Russians (5.4%)


• 
  Tabasarans (2.02%)


• 
  Rutuls (1.24%)


• 
  Azerbaijani (0.91%)

Transportation

The city is served by Uytash Airport, a regional airport providing connections to other Russian cities. Russian Railways via the North Caucasus Railway provides freight and passenger traffic to and from Makhachkala.^{[citation needed]}

The Caspian Sea International Port handles crude oil, petroleum, construction materials, grain, cargo and timber and operates 24 hours a day. The port offers communications with the rest of Russia, as well as with Belarus, Ukraine, the Baltic states, Iran, Turkey and Central Asia. A railyard at the port connects the port to the North Caucasus Railway network.^[19]

Sports

Anzhi Arena is home of FC Anzhi Makhachkala of the Russian Premier League

The city's football team, FC Anzhi Makhachkala of the Russian Premier League, play at the 15,200-seat^[20] Dynamo Stadium.

Founded in 1991, the side returned to the Premier League in 2009 and in January 2011 were purchased by Dagestani commodities billionaire Suleyman Kerimov,^[21] whose investment has allowed the club to sign players such as Brazilian World Cup winner Roberto Carlos^[22] and Cameroonian striker Samuel Eto'o who, during his time at the club, became the world's highest paid player.^[23] However, due to recent unrest in the region, the players currently live and train in Moscow, and an armed guard patrols their matches.^[24]

Climate

Makhachkala has a cool semi-arid climate (Köppen: BSk) with warm, relatively dry summers and cool, relatively moist winters. The strong rain shadow of the Caucasus and the ability of the Siberian High to freely move westwards from its source in the Tibetan and Mongolian plateaus makes the climate quite dry, although frequently overcast throughout the winter, which is owing to the relatively low latitude and nearness to the Caspian Sea. Nonetheless, the climate is very mild by Russian standards. Summers are sunnier but also dry as the region is exposed to steep descending vertical velocity from the Indian monsoon, and the greatest rainfall occurs in the autumn season from September to November. October 1987 with 245 millimetres or 9.65 inches has been the wettest month, whilst no precipitation occurred in February 1958, October 1974 and April 1986.

The coldest month since records began in 1882 has been February 1929 with a mean monthly temperature of −9.5 °C or 14.9 °F, whilst the hottest have been July 2010 and August 2014 with means of 27.1 °C or 80.8 °F each, although 31 July 2011 and 4 August 1998 are the equal hottest days, reaching 38.7 °C or 101.7 °F. The coldest night was on February 9, 2012, when the mercury fell to −26.9 °C or −16.4 °F, beating the previous record of −26.5 °C or −15.7 °F from December 28, 1888.

Notable people

• 
  Abdulla Alishayev, TV host


• 
  Aleksandr Maslov, former association football player


• 
  Ali Aliyev, amateur boxer


• 
  Ali Gadzhibekov, association football player


• 
  Ali Isayev, Azeri wrestler


• 
  Eduard Puterbrot, artist


• 
  Gadzhimurad Nurmagomedov, Olympic Armenian wrestler


• 
  Gadzhimurat Kamalov, editor


• 
  Gasret Aliev, Soviet hero


• 
  Ilyas Shurpayev, television journalist


• 
  Islam Makhachev, mixed martial artist


• 
  Jamaladdin Magomedov, Azeri wrestler


• 
  Kamalutdin Akhmedov, association football player


• 
  Khabib Nurmagomedov, MMA fighter


• 
  Khadzhimurad Magomedov, Olympic Azeri wrestler


• 
  Kuramagomed Kuramagomedov, wrestler


• 
  Magomed Musaev, Olympic Kyrgyz wrestler


• 
  Malik Akhmedilov, editor


• 
  Marid Mutalimov, Olympic Kazakh wrestler


• 
  Muslim Salikhov, kickboxer


• 
  Nikita Timoshin, association football player


• 
  Rashid Magomedov, mixed martial artist


• 
  Ruslan Agalarov, former association football player


• 
  Ruslan Sheikhau, Belarusian wrestler


• 
  Rustam Khabilov, mixed martial artist


• 
  Serder Serderov, association football player


• 
  Sergei Agababov, composer


• 
  Shamil Gitinov, Armenian wrestler


• 
  Shamil Lakhiyalov, association football player


• 
  Sharif Mukhammad, association football player


• 
  Sharif Sharifov, Olympic Azeri wrestler


• 
  Vladimir Nazlymov, sabre fencer and coach


• 
  Zalimkhan Yusupov, Olympic Tajik wrestler

Twin towns and sister cities

Makhachkala is twinned with:

• 
  Sfax, Tunisia
  


• 
  Siping, China
  


• 
  Spokane, United States
  


• 
  Vladikavkaz, Russia


• 
  La Roche-sur-Yon, France


• 
  Yalova, Turkey
  


• 
  Ndola, Zambia
  


• 
  Oldenburg, Germany
  


• 
  Smolyan, Bulgaria
  

References

Notes

Sources

• 
  Народное Собрание Республики Дагестан. Закон №16 от 10 апреля 2002 г. «Об административно-территориальном устройстве Республики Дагестан», в ред. Закона №106 от 30 декабря 2013 г. «О внесении изменений в некоторые законодательные акты Республики Дагестан». Вступил в силу со дня официального опубликования. Опубликован: "Дагестанская правда", №81, 12 апреля 2002 г. (People's Assembly of the Republic of Dagestan. Law #16 of April 10, 2002 On the Administrative-Territorial Structure of the Republic of Dagestan, as amended by the Law #106 of December 30, 2013 On Amending Various Legislative Acts of the Republic of Dagestan. Effective as of the day of the official publication.).


• 
  Народное Собрание Республики Дагестан. Закон №6 от 13 января 2005 г. «О статусе и границах муниципальных образований Республики Дагестан», в ред. Закона №43 от 30 апреля 2015 г. «О статусе городского округа с внутригородским делением "Город Махачкала", статусе и границах внутригородских районов в составе городского округа с внутригородским делением "Город Махачкала" и о внесении изменений в отдельные законодательные акты Республики Дагестан». Вступил в силу со дня официального опубликования. Опубликован: "Дагестанская правда", №8, 15 февраля 2005 г. (People's Assembly of the Republic of Dagestan. Law #6 of January 13, 2005 On the Status and Borders of the Municipal Formations of the Republic of Dagestan, as amended by the Law #43 of April 30, 2015 On the Status of the "City of Makhachkala" Urban Okrug with Intra-Urban Divisions, the Status and the Borders of the Intra-City Districts Comprising the "City of Makhachkala" Urban Okrug with Intra-Urban Divisions, and on Amending Various Legislative Acts of the Republic of Dagestan. Effective as of the day of the official publication.).

Bibliography

External links

• Makhachkala organizes charity iftars


• Badkhen, Anna. "Everyone in Makhachkala Packs a Gun." The Moscow Times. May 31, 2001.