Elista (Russian: Элиста́, [ɪlʲɪˈsta];[8][note 1] Kalmyk: Элст, Elst, [ɛləsˈtə])[9] is the capital city of the Republic of Kalmykia, Russia.

Some western tourists started to visit Elista from the mid-1990s, and more after it received publicity as the host city of the 1998 Chess Olympiad.

The Elista crosses the urban area from west to east, dividing it into two sections, a larger northern part and a smaller southern one.

[5] Since 1991, the town has been characterized by the slow decay of Soviet-built institutions, and the large construction projects instigated by the republic's millionaire president Kirsan Ilyumzhinov.

The town center has a number of renovated public parks focused on the main square, boasting statues to both Lenin and the Buddha.

The site has a public swimming pool and a museum of Kalmyk Buddhist art, which is also infrequently used as a conference center.

During his visit in 1998, the 14th Dalai Lama chose a location west of the town center to build the Burkhan Bakshin Altan Sume, a Buddhist temple for city residents.

Elista has a small regional airport which is open daily during the week, providing flights to Moscow and various cities in the southern part of the Russian Federation.

Due to the high cost of air travel, people usually prefer to take the bus between Elista and Moscow.