Earth from Space - Image Description

Nalchik, Caucasus Mts., Russian Federation:
This winter-time view of the city of Nalchik on the north slopes of the Greater Caucasus Mountains, was taken with a handheld camera from the International Space Station in early 2004. Rectangles are the city blocks of Nalchik (population ~240,000), a city which lies where the major Terek River exits from the mountains. The river appears as a meandering line crossing the view, slightly diagonally from right to left. Dark forests (top right and lower right) make the mountain sides appear snow free. A dark line, probably a major canal, crosses the view to the lower left corner. Nalchik is a tourist resort and industrial center. It is the major city of the Kabardino-Balkar Republic (population ~ 750,000), one of five small republics on the north slopes of the Caucasus Mountains, 200 km west of Chechnya.

This service is provided by the International Space Station program and the JSC Earth Science & Remote Sensing Unit, ARES Division, Exploration Integration Science Directorate.