Republic of Kabardino-Balkaria constitutes a part of the North-Caucasus Federal District as well as the North-Caucasus Economic Region. The capital is Nalchik. Its official languages are Kabardian, Balkarian and Russian.
It borders on Karachay-Cherkessia in the west, the Stavropol Territory in the north, North Ossetia-Alania in the east and Georgia in the south-east.
The republic was founded as the Kabardian Autonomic Province on September 1, 1921. It was transformed to the Kabardino-Balkarian Autonomic Province on January 16, 1922, and then to the Kabardino-Balkarian Autonomic Republic on December 5, 1936.