CAUCASIA, that division of European Russia lying in the extreme southeastern part of the empire (38*-46° 30' N.), between the Black and Caspian seas, and bounded on the south by Asiatic Turkey and Persia and on the north by the provinces of the Don Cossacks and Astrakhan. It covers an area of 180,843 square miles and iS divided into two separate divisions by the Caucasian Mountains, on the north by Cis-Caucasia, on the south Trans Caucasia. The physical features are greatly di versified and present an irregular succession of mountains and valleys, table-lands and plains, making description extremely difficult. The cen tral section of the country is one vast mountain top, 700 miles in length and covering an area of over 12,000 square miles. From the range of mountains the plains of Cis-Caucasia on the north gently slope, ending in the Steppes, a low, marshy country; throughout Trans-Cau casia on the south are chains of mountains running parallel to the central range. The Kuma and Terek rivers, flowing into the Cas pian Sea, and the Kuban River, flowing into the Black Sea, drain the northern section, while the southern part is drained by the lemur and the Aras, its affluent, emptying into the Caspian, and the Rion, leading to the Black Sea. The much smaller Rion flows into the Black Sea. The water system of Caucasia belongs wholly to the Black and Caspian seas. Lakes are found only in Trans-Caucasia. The chief of them is the GotchIca, or Sevanga, situated in Erivan. Agriculture is the most productive occupation of the settled inhabitants of the southern section, the principal crops being wheat and other cereals, cotton and tobacco. In Cis-Caucasia cattle-breeding is the principal industry and wheat, rye and other grains give large returns in the irrigated districts; while in the mountainous regions mining is carried on to a great extent, the mineral deposits being very rich, copper, silver, iron and mag nese ores, cobalt, sulphur, quicksilver, naphtha and rock salt the most important. The region is rich in oil, the production of petroleum being very extensive and second only to that of the United States. Coal, of inferior quality, is extracted. About 30,000,000 gallons of wine are produced yearly. Rugs, woolen goods and harness are also made. The exports
and imports are rapidly growing, the exports, valued at $30,000,000 being about six times the value of imports. The transportation facilities are far from adequate. In many parts the pack horse is still used for transporting freight. The northern of the two chief lines of railway ex tends along the Caspian coast from Baku to Petrovsk; thence inland and north into the province of the Don Cossacks to its termina tions at the Sea of Azov. A branch connects the main line with Novorosiysk on the Black Sea. The southern line connects Baku, on the Caspian, with Batum and Poti, on the Black Sea. For higher education there are about 200 schools accommodating 27,000 pupils. There are 5,443 primary schools with 90,000 pupils under the Ministry of Education and 19 secondary and 1,308 primary schools with 56,000 pupils under Cossack supervision, besides numerous religious schools. The majority of the people attend the Greek Orthodox Church, but there are large numbers of Nonconformists, Gregorians, Lama ists, Mohammedans, Buddhists, etc. The terri tory is governed by a general governor, acting for the emperor, and the local zemstvos ad minister the economic affairs of their respective districts. Caucasia is divided into 11 separate governments: on the north are Terek, Kuban and Stavropol; on the south are. Tiflis, Kars, Kutais, Erivan, Daghestan, Black Sea, Yeliza vetpol and Baku. Prior to 1770 historical in formation is vague, but by the end of the 18th century Russia had acquired Cis-Caucasia, and by 1829 the whole territory was nominally under Russian dominion. Not until 1865, however, could it be said that Russian power was firmly consolidated. The Russo-Turkish War of 1877 78 resulted in the annexation of a considerable portion of Turkish Armenia. In 1905 Caucasia was the scene of violent disturbances, racial and revolutionary. The inhabitants are mainly Russian Armenians, Tartars and Georgians, about 68 dialects being spoken. Pop. (1911) 12,037,200. Consult Keane, Past and Present) (1899); Ripley, of Europe) (New York 1899); Erckert, (Der Kaukasus and seine Volker) (Leipzig 1887) ; Freshfield, The Exploration of the Caucasus' (London 1902) ; Wirth, Zusammenhange' (Leipzig 1907).