Kumyk language in the context of "Kumyks"

Makhachkala, previously known as Petrovskoye (1844–1857) and Port-Petrovsk (1857–1921), or by the local Kumyk name of Anji, is the capital and largest city of Dagestan, 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 623,254 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, after Baku and Rasht. The city is extremely ethnically diverse, with a minor ethnic Russian population.

The city's historic predecessor is the port town of Anji (Andzhi), which was located in Kumykia, and which was a part of the possessions of the Tarki state, the capital of Kumyks known from the 8th century.

Kizlyar (Russian: Кизля́р; Avar: Гъизляр; Kumyk: Къызлар, Qızlar) is a town in the Republic of Dagestan, Russia, located on the border with the Chechen Republic in the delta of the Terek River 221 kilometers (137 mi) northwest of Makhachkala, the capital of the republic. As of the 2010 Census, its population was 48,984.

Izberbash (Russian: Изберба́ш; Dargwa: Избир; Kumyk: Йизбирба́ш, Yizbirbaş) is a town in the Republic of Dagestan, Russia, located on the coast of the Caspian Sea 56 kilometers (35 mi) southeast of Makhachkala, the capital of the republic. Population: 55,646 (2010 census); 39,365 (2002 census); 28,122 (1989 Soviet census).

Buynaksk (Russian: Буйнакск; Avar: Шура, romanized: Şura; Kumyk: Темирхан-Шура, romanized: Temirxan-Şura; Lak: ЩурахӀи, romanized: Schurahi) is a town in the Republic of Dagestan, Russia, located at the foothills of the Greater Caucasus on the Shura-Ozen River, 40 kilometers (25 mi) southwest of the republic's capital Makhachkala. Population: 62,623 (2010 census); 61,437 (2002 census); 56,783 (1989 Soviet census); 40,000 (1970).

Karachay–Balkar (къарачай-малкъар тил, qaraçay-malqar til), often referred to as the "mountaineer language" (таулу тил, tawlu til) by its speakers, is a Turkic language spoken by the Karachays and Balkars in Kabardino-Balkaria and Karachay-Cherkessia, European Russia, as well as by an immigrant population in Afyonkarahisar Province, Turkey. It is divided into two dialects: Karachay-Baksan-Chegem, which pronounces two phonemes as /tʃ/ and /dʒ/ and Malkar, which pronounces the corresponding phonemes as /ts/ and /z/. The modern Karachay–Balkar written language is based on the Karachay–Baksan–Chegem dialect. The language is closely related to Kumyk.

Murad al-Daghistani, Murad Ajamat (Kumyk: Murat Acamat, 1917–1984) was a pioneering Iraqi photographer of Kumyk descent. who was active in Mosul from the mid-1930s, and later worked in Baghdad. He achieved international recognition for the quality of his photographs which recorded scenes of every-day life and people.

The Sulak (Russian: Сула́к, Kumyk: Сулак (Sulak)/Къой-сув (Qoysuw), Chechen: ГӀойсу, romanized: Ġoysu) drains most of the mountainous interior of Dagestan northeast into the Caspian Sea. It and most of its branches flow in canyons. Its main tributaries are, from north to southeast:

• The Andi Koysu flows north-northeast and joins the Avar Koysu to become the Sulak. A few of its upper tributaries are in Georgia. Near the junction of the two rivers were the Siege of Akhoulgo and the Battle of Gimry.

• The Avar Koysu flows northeast to join the Andi Koysu, forming the Sulak. Its upper tributaries are the northeast flowing Khzanor and the northwest flowing Dzhurmut.

• The Kara Koysu flows northeast and joins the Avar Koysu about 10 km (6.2 mi) northwest of Gergebil. North of Gergebil is the Irgan dam and reservoir. Its long upper tributaries include the Karalazuger, Tleyserukh and Risor.

• The Kazikumukh Koysu flows north and joins the Kara Koysu at Gergebil.

North of the Sulak basin is the Terek basin and south of it is the Samur basin. To the west is the crest of the Main Caucasian Range of the Caucasus Mountains and to the east are many short rivers that flow down into the Caspian.

Kumykia (Kumyk: Qumuq, Къумукъ), or rarely called Kumykistan, is a historical and geographical region located along the Caspian Sea shores, on the Kumyk plateau, in the foothills of Dagestan and along the river Terek. The term Kumykia encompasses territories which are historically and currently populated by the Turkic-speaking Kumyk people. Kumykia was the main "granary of Dagestan". The important trade routes, such as one of the branches of the Great Silk Road, passed via Kumykia.

The Shamkhalate of Tarki, or Tarki Shamkhalate (also Shawhalate, or Shevkalate; Kumyk: Таргъу Шавхаллыкъ, romanized: Tarğu Şawxallıq) was a Kumyk state in the eastern part of the North Caucasus, with its capital in the ancient town of Tarki. It formed on the territory populated by Kumyks and included territories corresponding to modern Dagestan and adjacent regions. After subjugation by the Russian Empire, the Shamkhalate's lands were split between the Empire's feudal domain with the same name extending from the river Sulak to the southern borders of Dagestan, between Kumyk possessions of the Russian Empire and other administrative units.

At some point the Shamkhalate had vassals from the Caspian Sea to Kabarda and Balkaria. The Shamkhals also possessed the title of the Vali of Dagestan and had their residence in the ancient Khazar-Kumyk mountainous shelter.