Nogay Turks
Nogay Turks are a Turkic group which had a vast territory of residence in the Crimea, Northern Caucasus, in the South of Volga region as well as in the northern Black Sea coast, northern Caspian region up until mid 19th century.
Currently, Nogay Turks are divided into two groups - the Trans-Kuban and Kumyk. Trans-Kuban, in turn, are divided into five subgroups. Nogay Turks historically covered a large territory in their continuing conquest of territory and expanding their khanate, prompting Russia for centuries to the policy limiting their places of residence and relocation of Nogay Turks.
At present, Nogays live in the North Caucasus and in the South of the Volga region. The Nogay steppe is the area of compact Nogays settlement in Dagestan, Stavropol Territory and the Chechen Republic. A part of the descendants of Nogays moved to Turkey and Romania in the 18-19th centuries.
The decision to create a national Nogay district in Karachay-Cherkessia has been put forward in the summer of 2005 followed by approval after the referendum held on October 8, 2006.
Turkey’s efforts to promote an alliance of Turkic-language countries in the Caucasus and Central Asia have attracted a great deal of attention from other states around the world, but a parallel drive to promote unity among Turkic peoples, many of whom are minorities in other countries, has not even though it may prove equally important.
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