0 1 0 ▁Census , ▁its ▁population ▁was   2 8 9 , 4 8 1 . ▁ ▁Kal my k ia ▁is ▁the ▁only ▁region ▁in ▁Europe ▁where ▁Buddh ism ▁is ▁the ▁most - p ract ised ▁religion , ▁with ▁Buddh ists ▁const itut ing ▁a ▁pl ur ality ▁of ▁the ▁population . ▁ ▁El ista , ▁the ▁capital ▁of ▁the ▁republic , ▁has ▁gained ▁an ▁international ▁reputation ▁for ▁international ▁ch ess ▁compet itions . ▁ ▁Geography ▁The ▁republic ▁is ▁located ▁in ▁the ▁south western ▁part ▁of ▁European ▁Russia . ▁Being ▁just ▁north ▁of ▁the ▁North ▁C au cas us , ▁it ▁borders , ▁clock wise , ▁with ▁Vol g og rad ▁O blast ▁in ▁the ▁north west ▁and ▁north , ▁A stra k han ▁O blast ▁in ▁the ▁north ▁and ▁east , ▁D ag est an ▁in ▁the ▁south , ▁St av ropol ▁K rai ▁in ▁the ▁south west , ▁and ▁with ▁Rost ov ▁O blast ▁in ▁the ▁west . ▁It ▁is ▁was hed ▁by ▁the ▁C asp ian ▁Sea ▁in ▁the ▁sout heast . ▁ ▁A ▁small ▁stretch ▁of ▁the ▁Vol ga ▁River ▁flows ▁through ▁eastern ▁Kal my k ia . ▁Other ▁major ▁rivers ▁include ▁the ▁Y eg or ly k , ▁the ▁K uma , ▁and ▁the ▁Many ch . ▁Lake ▁Many ch - G ud ilo ▁is ▁the ▁largest ▁lake ; ▁other ▁la kes ▁of ▁significance ▁include ▁L akes ▁Sar pa ▁and ▁Ts agan - K h ak . ▁In ▁all , ▁however , ▁Kal my k ia