| Native Name: | Къарачай-Черкес АО Къэрэшей-Черкес АО Карачаево-Черкесская АО |
| Conventional Long Name: | Karachay-Cherkessia Autonomous Oblast |
| Common Name: | Karachay-Cherkessia AO |
| Subdivision: | Autonomous oblast |
| Nation: | the Soviet Union |
| Life Span: | 1922–1926 1957–1991 |
| P1: | Mountain Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic1922 Mountain Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic |
| Flag P1: | Flag of the Mountain ASSR (1924 possible reconstruction).png |
| P2: | Karachay Autonomous Oblast1957: Karachay Autonomous Oblast |
| P3: | Cherkess Autonomous Oblast |
| S1: | Karachay Autonomous Oblast1926: Karachay Autonomous Oblast |
| S2: | Cherkess Autonomous Oblast |
| S3: | Karachay-Cherkessia1991: Karachay-Cherkessia |
| Flag S3: | Flag of Russia (1991–1993).svg |
| Image Map Caption: | Map of the Soviet Caucasus including the Karachay-Cherkessia AO. |
| Capital: | Cherkessk |
| Era: | 20th century |
| Date Start: | 12 January |
| Year Start: | 1922 |
| Event1: | Split into Karachay AO and Cherkess AO |
| Date Event1: | 1926 |
| Event2: | Recreation |
| Date Event2: | 1957 |
| Year End: | 1991 |
| Today: | Russia |
Karachay-Cherkessia Autonomous Oblast (;[1] Karachay-Balkar: Къарачай-Черкес автоном область|translit=Qaraçay-Çerkes avtonom oblast;[2] Kabardian: Къэрэшей-Черкес автономнэ область |translit=Qərəṩey-Cherkes avtonomnə oblast’;[1] Къарча-Черкес автоном область, Q̇arća-Ćerkes avtonom oblast’[1]) was an autonomous oblast of the Soviet Union that was created on 12 January 1922, and was the predecessor of the Karachay-Cherkess Republic.[3] The Karachay-Cherkess oblast was first formed in 1922 for the Circassian (Cherkess) and Karachays peoples. The oblast was dissolved in 1926, to form the Karachay Autonomous Oblast and Cherkess Autonomous Oblast. Karachay Autonomous Oblast was dissolved in 1943, when the Karachays were exiled to Central Asia for their alleged collaboration with the Germans. In 1957, upon their return, the Karachay-Cherkess autonomous oblast was recreated. During this time, part of the territory was incorporated into the Georgian SSR. In 1991 it became a republic.