Editing Caucasus (section)

==Political geography==
[[File:Caucasus-political en.svg|thumb|Contemporary political map of the Caucasus]]
The [[North Caucasus]] region is also known as the ''Ciscaucasus'', whereas the [[South Caucasus]] region is alternatively known as the ''Transcaucasus''.

The North Caucasus contains most of the [[Greater Caucasus]] mountain range. It consists of [[Southern Russia]], mainly the [[North Caucasian Federal District]]'s autonomous republics and the Krais in Southern Russia, and the northernmost parts of [[Georgia (country)|Georgia]] and [[Azerbaijan]]. The North Caucasus lies between the [[Black Sea]] to its west, the [[Caspian Sea]] to its east, and borders the [[Southern Federal District]] to its north. The two [[Federal districts of Russia|Federal Districts]] are collectively referred to as "Southern Russia".

The South Caucasus borders the Greater Caucasus range and [[Southern Russia]] to its north, the Black Sea and [[Turkey]] to its west, the Caspian Sea to its east, and [[Iran]] to its south. It contains the [[Lesser Caucasus]] mountain range and surrounding lowlands. All of [[Armenia]], Azerbaijan (excluding the northernmost parts), and Georgia (excluding the northernmost parts) are in the South Caucasus.

The watershed along the [[Greater Caucasus]] range is considered by some sources to be the [[Boundaries between continents|dividing line]] between [[Europe]] and [[Southwest Asia]]. According to that, the highest peak in the Caucasus, [[Mount Elbrus]] (5,642 meters) located in western Ciscaucasus, is considered the highest point in Europe. The [[Kuma-Manych Depression]], the geologic depression that divides the [[Russian Plain]] from the North Caucasus foreland is often regarded by classical and non-British sources as the natural and historical boundary between Europe and Asia. Another opinion is that the rivers [[Kura (South Caucasus river)|Kura]] and [[Rioni]] mark this border, or even that of the river [[Aras (river)|Aras]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-03-18 |title=Caucasus {{!}} Mountains, Facts, & Map {{!}} Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Caucasus |access-date=2025-03-29 |website=www.britannica.com |language=en}}</ref>

The Caucasus is a [[Languages of the Caucasus|linguistically]], culturally and geographically diverse region.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Caucasus: Land of Diverse Cultures - The University of Chicago Library News - The University of Chicago Library |url=https://www.lib.uchicago.edu/about/news/the-caucasus-land-of-diverse-cultures/ |access-date=2022-03-28 |website=www.lib.uchicago.edu}}</ref> The [[nation state]]s that compose the Caucasus today are the [[post-Soviet states]] Georgia (including [[Adjara]] and [[Abkhazia]]), Azerbaijan (including [[Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic|Nakhchivan]]), [[Armenia]], and the Russian Federation. The Russian divisions include [[Dagestan]], [[Chechnya]], [[Ingushetia]], {{nowrap|[[North Ossetia–Alania]]}}, {{nowrap|[[Kabardino–Balkaria]]}}, {{nowrap|[[Karachay–Cherkessia]]}}, [[Adygea]], [[Krasnodar Krai]], and [[Stavropol Krai]], in clockwise order.

Two territories in the region claim independence but are recognized as such by only a handful of entities: [[Abkhazia]], and [[South Ossetia]]. Abkhazia and [[South Ossetia]] are largely recognized by the world community as part of Georgia.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Non-recognition and engagement. The EU's policy towards Abkhazia and South Ossetia {{!}} European Union Institute for Security Studies|url=https://www.iss.europa.eu/content/non-recognition-and-engagement-eus-policy-towards-abkhazia-and-south-ossetia|access-date=2021-01-07|website=www.iss.europa.eu|date=18 May 2017 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-03-02|title=The Spectrum of Georgia's Policy Options Towards Abkhazia and South Ossetia|url=https://www.e-ir.info/2020/03/02/the-spectrum-of-georgias-policy-options-towards-abkhazia-and-south-ossetia/|access-date=2021-01-07|website=E-International Relations|language=en-US}}</ref>