The Russian republic of Dagestan is home to both complex terrain and a multitude of ethnicities. Dagestan is located more than 1,300 kilometers (about 800 miles) from Moscow in the easternmost part of the North Caucasus mountain range. Several Caucasus republics have experienced militancy in the past, but Dagestan is different from those areas in large part because the complex physical terrain of the region compounds its ethnic divisions, making it uniquely suited to militant activity. Dagestan is made up of both mountainous highlands and coastal flatlands. The presence of international borders as a man-made division is another advantage for militants, who can seek refuge or obtain resources across the border. The climate and resulting weather conditions in Dagestan diverge from other areas in the Russian Caucasus due to its location on the edge of the mountain range.