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Qakh District | |
|---|---|
 Map of Azerbaijan showing the Qakh District | |
| Country |  Azerbaijan |
| Region | Shaki-Zagatala |
| Established | 8 August 1930 |
| Capital | Qakh |
| Settlements[1] | 59 |
| Government | |
| • Governor | Musa Shakiliyev[2] |
| Area | |
• Total | 1,490 km2 (580 sq mi) |
| Population | |
• Total | 57,200 |
| • Density | 38.4/km2 (99.4/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+4 (AZT) |
| Postal code | 3400 |
| Website | qax-ih |
Qakh District (Azerbaijani:Qax rayonu;Georgian:კახის რაიონი,romanized: K′akhis raioni;Tsakhur:Къахын район,romanized: Qaxın rayon) is one of the 66districts ofAzerbaijan. It is located in the north of the country, in theShaki-Zagatala Economic Region. The district borders the districts ofZagatala,Shaki,Samukh,Yevlakh, as well as theKakheti region ofGeorgia and theRussianRepublic of Dagestan. Its capital and largest city isQakh. As of 2020, the district had a population of 57,200.[4]
The region is dominated by hot and subtropical climate. However mountainous areas are rather cold. Annual rain precipitation varies from 300mm (in the south) to 1600mm in mountain areas.[citation needed]
Meadows, water resources, forests, and fertile soils are providing space for agricultural development, especially for walnut, chestnut production.[citation needed]
Heavy rains and snowmelts from mountains often result in a flood.[citation needed]
The region also has one of the biggest Natural Reserves in Azerbaijan named “Ilisu Natural Reserve”. Reserve is located near Aghchay village.[citation needed]
Region borders with Dagestan Republic (Russia) in north east, Zagatala region in the north, Samukh region in the south, Georgia in the west.[5]Gakh region accounts for 13% of water supplies of Caucasus (3873 cubic kilometers), 100 thousand cub meters of which are extracted for the administrative district, 63 000 of which used for irrigation and only 2 000 cub meters are used for agriculture. Rest is used for domestic consumption and production.[6]
The local economy is specialized in crop production and livestock. The most common products produced here are tobacco and grain.[citation needed]
The main enterprises are canned food and vegetables. Other enterprises cover sweets, oil products, and beverages. Enterprises mainly cover domestic demand and ship products to other districts.[citation needed]
The region is also rich with minerals and building raw materials, such as rubble, sand, clay, sulfur, etc.[citation needed]
These materials are widespread in river valleys, especially in the valleys of the Kurmuk River and its branches.[citation needed]
Furthermore, mineral springs are also common in the region. Near Suskand village “Gah” mineral water is produced.[6]
The Qakh region of Azerbaijan has a long history dating back to ancient times. Archaeological excavations the area had been populated duringEneolithic,Bronze and earlyIron Ages. What remains of these early inhabitants' activities indicates they engaged largely in sedentary cultivation, animal-breeding and art. Qax (Kakhi) region was part of Kakheti-Hereti Kingdom and then part of the united Georgian kingdom.[citation needed]
In 1921 Kakhi Region became part of Azerbaijan.[citation needed]
With the spread of Christianity throughout the region during the existence ofCaucasian Albania, some Churches were built in the Qakh district.[7] In the 8th century A.D., Qakh fell under ArabUmayyad occupation. Starting from the 11th century firstOghuz Turks and laterQipchaq Turks inhabited the area, the region was incorporated into theSeljuq Empire. Qakh was later a part ofAtabeg andShirvanshah states. With the invasion ofHulaguids in Azerbaijan in the 13th century, Mongolian nomadic tribes populated the region.
According to the legend mentioned by 19th century author I. Linevich, the city of Qakh was calledToraghay (Azerbaijani:Torağay) until 16th century. This word was mentioned inMahmud Kashgari's dictionary called "Dīwān Lughāt al-Turk". According to the dictionary, it means "shelter between the mountains" in theKipchak language. Considering the city of Qakh is located in a lowland area between the mountains, it can be said that the Kipchaks who came through theNorth Caucasus settled in Qakh and called the area as "Toraghay". One of the districts of the regional center of Qakh is still calledQakh-mughal. This can be explained as the influence of Mongol period.[8]
In 1562, by the order of theSafavid ShahTahmasp I,Ilisu Sultanate was established in Qakh. In the 18th century, Ilisu Sultanate became so powerful that, theOttoman Emperor conferred its ruler Ali Sultan Bey the highest title ofPasha recognizing him as theBeylerbey ofShaki.[citation needed]
In 1803 the sultanate of Ilisu was annexed to the Russian empire. The ruler of the sultanate,Daniyal, inspired the people to rise against Russian rule in 1844, due to a disagreement between him and the government of Russia. Sultan Daniyel was defeated near the village ofİlisu and continued his struggle against Russian along with the leader of the national freedom movement,Sheykh Shamil. Russians burnt Ilisu and divided the territory of the sultanate into mahals (territorial units) and annexed them to theJar-Balaken daire (a territorial unit) converting it into a colony of tsarist Russia. With proclamation of independence ofAzerbaijan Democratic Republic in May 1918, Qakh became disputed between ADR and DRG. During the Soviet rule, Qakh was established as raion ofAzerbaijan SSR in 1930.[9]
The overall statistics indicate the population growth fluctuates. For instance, In 2000 there were 832 newly born, in 2006 - 816, down to 753 in 2009.[10]
The Qakh District is also a centre of the Georgian minority in Azerbaijan, with most of the ones in this district being of Christian origin.
| Ethnic group | 1999[11] | 2009[12][13][14] | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population | % | Population | % | |
| Total | 51 161 | 100.00 | 53 259 | 100.00 |
| Azerbaijanis | 39 355 | 76.92 | 43 946 | 82.51 |
| Ingiloy (Georgians) | 7 450 | 14.56 | 7 447 | 13.98 |
| Tsakhurs | 2 612 | 5.11 | 1 008 | 1.89 |
| Lezgins | 609 | 1.19 | 253 | 0.48 |
| Russians | 91 | 0.18 | 67 | 0.13 |
| Turks | 96 | 0.19 | 64 | 0.12 |
| Avars | 11 | 0.02 | 9 | 0.02 |
| Tatars | 7 | 0.01 | 7 | 0.01 |
| Armenians | 5 | 0.01 | 7 | 0.01 |
| Ukrainians | 26 | 0.05 | 5 | 0.01 |
| Others | 899 | 1.76 | 446 | 0.84 |
There are 59 villages in the district:
41°25′00″N46°55′00″E / 41.4167°N 46.9167°E /41.4167; 46.9167
