Natural conditions of geo-political importance of Crimean Peninsula

Analysis of the natural conditions of the Crimea which affect its geo-political situation, carried out at local and supra-local levels against the Black Sea – Azov Macroregion, showed that, at the local level, most important was always the natural duality of the Peninsula. The Crimean Mountains, lying in the southern part of the peninsula, had very rare settlement network but their foothills constituted the most densely populated area in the Crimea. This was facilitated by the favorable coastal environmental conditions such as mild climate and wealth and great diversity of wildlife. Between the mountains and the interior low land steppe there was a transitional low-mountain zone where land cultivation and herding were possible. Steppes to the end of the 19th c. constituted a wide and almost unpopulated buffer between the south of the Crimean Peninsula and the continental mainland. The natural environment of the steppes promoted nomadic pasturing but land cultivation was limited mostly by hardly accessible water. Relatively dense settlement on the steppe of the Kerch Strait shore was partly conditioned by abundant fisheries and communication advantages of the basin. In the Contemporary period most of the socio-economic activity in the Crimea is based on the supra-local functions. Local resources (especially energy and water) are insufficient to meet the demands of the current population and the economy, therefore supplies from the continent are necessary. Because of the cut-off of the Crimea from the rest of Ukraine in 2014, local resources must be much more exploited. At the supra-local level of importance a decisive role in all historical periods was played by the physico-geographical location of the Crimean Peninsula which created favorable geo-strategic conditions and favored development of maritime trade. In the Antiquity main centers of trade were ports with good access to the steppes: Panticapaeum (Bosporo ), located on the Kerch Strait and Feodosia and Chersonesos at the coasts of sheltered bays by the mountain foothills. During the Early Middle Ages cities of the northern coast of the Macroregion disappeared due to long-term destabilization (Migration Period), however, Bosporo and Chersonesos survived. In the Genoa - Tatar period the Macroregion experienced economic stabilization (Pax Mongolica) and the revival of long-distance trade, which was dominated by the city-states of Italy. The most important Genoese center, Kaffa, developed in place of the old Feodosia. Steppe hinterland was ruled by Tatars. During the Turkish period importance of this trade decreased, because the whole area was under the control of the Ottomans. The leading position of Kaffa (Kefe) continued under Turkish rule. The Transitional period was marked by the process of weakening of imperial Turkey and the expansion of Moscow, which fought for access to the sea. This resulted in an increased role of the Kerch Strait. At the end of the period, Russia seized the mouth of the Dnieper and Don as well as Kerch obtaining access to waters on both sides of the peninsula and annexing it. The role of the strait decreased in favor of the new port-fortress of Sevastopol. In the Russian period Moskow had already a definite advantage over Turkey. In the Crimea, in addition to the military function, recreation and balneotherapy developed. Russian expansion was halted as a result of the Crimean War, marking the end of the period. The Siege of Sevastopol confirmed strategie importance of this city. In the Contemporary period economic importance of the peninsula is based on highly developed tourism and balneotherapy. The role of the Kerch Strait increased with industrialization in southern Russia. Since when the peninsula separates the continental coast of Ukraine into two isolated parts, its importance has increased. The role of the geostrategic position of Crimea is maintained, especially because of a network of marine and land transport routes of hydrocarbons developed in this area since the mid- twentieth century. Sevastopol is still the main naval base in the norther part of the sea. Due to the ongoing „hybrid war” Ukraine has lost control over the Kerch Strait and Azov ports of this country have been blocked