Nalchik [key], city (1989 pop. 235,000), capital of Kabardino-Balkar Republic, S European Russia, on the northern slope of the Greater Caucasus. A health and tourist resort, it is the gateway to the Mt. Elbrus region. It also also has considerable industry, notably a molybdenum-tungsten mill; semiconductors, electrical machinery and equipement, and chemicals are also produced. Nalchik was founded in 1817 as a Russian stronghold, and made a city in 1921. In Oct., 2005, the city was the scene of simultaneous attacks by Islamic militants on multiple security targets and the airport that left scores dead; the attackers had links to Chechen rebels.
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2024, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.
See more Encyclopedia articles on: CIS and Baltic Political Geography
