Not to be confused with
A Kabardin family in the early 1900s.
Regions with significant populations
56,466 [3 ]
Saudi Arabia 23,000
United States 5,500
Kabardian, Russian, Turkish, Arabic
with minorities professing Orthodox Christianity, [5 ] Habze and Catholicism
Related ethnic groups
Abaza, Abkhaz, Adyghe, Ubykh.
Kabardians or Kabardian people ( Adyghe: Къэбэртайхэр-адыгэ; Kabardian: Къэбэрдейхэр; Russian: Кабардинцы; Arabic: القبرطاي أو القبردي); are terms referring to a people of the northern Caucasus more commonly known by the plural term Kabardin (or as they term themselves). Originally they (with the Kebertei Besleney) tribe comprised the semi-nomadic eastern branch of what was once the Adyghe tribal fellowship. The Kabardin still consider themselves as a tribe of Adyghe. They speak Kabardian, a North West Caucasian language that represents the easternmost extension of the Circassian language group.
There is an approach among the
Circassians in Circassia from different tribes to use only the name Circassians (Adyghe) in Census 2010 in Russia; to reflect and revive the unity of the Adyghe Nation ( Adyghes in Republic of Adyghea, Kabardians in Kabardino-Balkaria, Cherkess ( Adyghe: Шэрджэс or Šărdžăs) in Karachay–Cherkessia, and the Shapsugs in the southern part of Krasnodar Krai, plus small Adyghe groups in Stavropol Krai and North Ossetia. This approach is widely supported in the Caucasus and among the Circassians in Diaspora.
They number around 520,000 in
Russia (as of 2002), living mainly in [6 ] Kabardino-Balkaria. Significant populations of Kabardin are found in Turkey and Georgia. There are also communities in the [1 ] USA, Jordan and Syria. Kabard villages in Turkey are concentrated on Uzunyayla plateau of Kayseri Province.
Most Kabardin are
Sunni Muslims. However, Kabardin speakers living in Mozdoksky District in the Republic of North Ossetia–Alania are Orthodox Christians. [5 ] [7 ]
Some of the Kabardians living in North Ossetian Republic's
Mozdok district and the southern part of the neighbouring Kursky district of Stavropol Krai are Orthodox Christians, whereas the other part of which are Sunni Muslims as well as Kabardians of Kabardino-Balkar Republic who belong mainly to Sunni Muslim faith, with a Habze minority.
References [ edit ]
External links [ edit ]
Media related to Kabardinian at Wikimedia Commons