Sunzha (river)

The Sunzha (Russian: Су́нжа, IPA: [ˈsunʐə], Ingush: Шолжа, Sholʒə, Chechen: Соьлжа, Sölƶa[1]) is a river in North Ossetia, Ingushetia and Chechnya, Russia, a tributary of the Terek. It flows northeast inside the great northwest bend of the Terek River and catches most of the rivers that flow north from the mountains before they reach the Terek. It is 278 kilometres (173 mi) long, and has a drainage basin of 12,000 square kilometres (4,600 sq mi).[2] The Sunzha rises on the Northern slope of the Caucasus Major. Its major tributaries are the Assa and Argun. With a turbidity of 3,800 grams per cubic metre (6.4 lb/cu yd), it carries 12.2 million tons of alluvium per year. It is used for irrigation. Cities that lie on the Sunzha include Nazran, Karabulak, Grozny (the capital of Chechnya), and Gudermes. During the First and Second Chechen Wars, the destruction of petroleum reservoirs caused the Sunzha to become polluted with petroleum.[3]

"Sunja River" redirects here. For the river in Croatia, see Sunja (Sava).
Sunzha
The Sunzha in Grozny
Sunzha (river) is located in Chechnya
Sunzha (river)
Sunzha (river) is located in Republic of Ingushetia
Sunzha (river)
Sunzha (river) is located in Caucasus mountains
Sunzha (river)
Sunzha (river) is located in European Russia
Sunzha (river)
Location
CountryNorth Ossetia, Ingushetia and Chechnya, Russia
Physical characteristics
Source 
 • locationGreater Caucasus, North Ossetia
MouthTerek
 • coordinates
43°26′27″N 46°08′05″E
Length278 km (173 mi)
Basin size12,000 km2 (4,600 sq mi)
Basin features
ProgressionTerek→ Caspian Sea
The Sunzha runs from near Vladikavkaz to near the point where the Terek turns north, cutting off the great bend of the Terek

Nomenclature

The origin of the name of the river is disputed. The most probable of versions say Sunzha has come from Mongol-Turkic languages in the deformed type. It is known that Mongols called it Suinchie, Russians Sevenz and in the Chechen language its name got corrective type Solchzha.

There is also other version that before Sunzha Chechens called the river Okhi «Oh'-hi, Оhhи» that means «downwards the river».

See also

References
  1. Lepiev A.S., Lepiev İ.A., Türkçe-Çeçençe sözlük, Turkoyŋ-noxçiyŋ doşam, Ankara, 2003
  2. "Река Сунжа in the State Water Register of Russia". textual.ru (in Russian).
  3. John Daniszewski (March 11, 2001). "Chechens Find a Way to Live Off the Land--Through Oil". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on May 24, 2001. Retrieved September 28, 2007.
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