Welcome to Makhachkala!
Makhachkala (Russian: Махачкала́) is the capital city of Dagestan and the largest city in the North Caucasus. It is one of the fastest-growing cities in Russia and has a population of approximately 595,000.
Makhachkala, previously known as Petrovskoye (1844–1857), and Petrovsk-Port (1857–1921), is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Dagestan in Russia. The city is located on the Caspian Sea, covering an area of 468.13 square kilometres (180.75 square miles), with a population of over 603,518 residents, while the urban agglomeration covers over 3,712 square kilometres (1,433 square miles), with a population of roughly 1 million residents. Makhachkala is the fourth-largest city in the Caucasus, the largest city in the North Caucasus and the North Caucasian Federal District, as well as the third-largest city on the Caspian Sea. The city is extremely ethnically diverse, with a minor ethnic Russian population.
The city's historic predecessor was the town of Tarki, now a nearby suburb, whose history goes back to the 15th century and possibly much earlier. The modern city of Makhachkala was founded in 1844 as a fortress of the Russian Empire. The city was named Petrovskoye after Peter the Great. After gaining city status in 1857, the Petrovskoye fortress was renamed Petrovsk-Port. After the Russian Revolution, Petrovsk-Port has renamed Makhachkala on May 14, 1921, after Makhach Dakhadaev. On the same day, it became the capital of the newly formed Dagestan ASSR. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the city became the capital of the Republic of Dagestan.
Makhachkala is an important economic, educational, scientific, and cultural centre of the North Caucasus. The city is a major Russian seaport on the Caspian Sea and a transport hub. The city is one of the fastest-growing cities in Russia and is currently going through a construction boom.