Azeris in Russia
Encyclopedia
Aside from the large Azeri community native to Russia
's Dagestan Republic, the majority of Azeris in Russia are fairly recent immigrants. Azeris started settling in Russia (with the exception of Dagestan) around the late 19th century, but their migration became intensive after World War II
. It rapidly increased with the collapse of the Soviet Union
in 1991. According to the 2002 All-Russian Population Census
, there are 621,840 Azeris residing in Russia , however the actual numbers are a lot higher due to recent migrations of guest workers from Azerbaijan
. The estimated total Azeri population of Russia might be reaching as many as 3,000,000 people, with more than one and half million of them living in Moscow
. The majority of them have come to Russia since 1991 from rural Azerbaijan, Georgia
and Armenia
. Today most provinces of Russia have more or less significant Azeri communities, the biggest ones, according to official numbers, residing in Dagestan, Moscow, Khanty-Mansi, Krasnoyarsk
, Rostov-on-the-Don
, Saratov
, Sverdlovsk
, Samara
, Stavropol
, etc.
living in the historical quarter Mahal and making up about ⅓ of the city's population. Azeris constitute 55% of the population of the Derbent rayon (over twenty towns and villages), 18% of that of the Tabasaran rayon (villages of Maraga, Tsanak, Kheli-Pendzhi, Yersi, Zil, Arak, Darvag, and Yekrakh), 4% in the Rutul rayon (village of Nizhny Katrukh) and 3% in the Kizlyar rayon (villages of Bolshebredikhinskoye and Persidskoye). The rest live in the cities of Makhachkala
, Khasavyurt
, Buynaksk
and Kizlyar
. Among cultural benefits, available to Dagestani Azeris, there are newspapers and magazines printed in the Azeri language
, public schools where Azeri is taught as a first language, and the Azeri State Dramatic Theater in Derbent. Traditionally Azeris of Dagestan were engaged in carpet weaving, currying, jewellery- and copper utensils making. Starting from the 1920s, the industrialization era opened new career opportunities for Dagestanis.
While the majority of Dagestani Azeris descend from the native population of the region, a portion of them (mostly the city-dwellers) come from families, which immigrated to Dagestan from Iran
in the 19th century (they were registered as Persians
in the early Soviet censūs). These families were subject to deportation in the 1930s, as were all those who retained foreign citizenship while living in the USSR on a permanent basis. Azeris in Dagestan are mostly Shia Muslims, however similarly to those of Azeris in Azerbaijan
, their religious beliefs are influenced by old pagan traditions.
For centuries Azeri has been the lingua franca
of Southern Dagestan. It managed to retain that status till nowadays, despite huge competition with Russian
in the past 50 years.
, they have been employed in major economical areas, such as trade and oil industry. Among Russia's 100 richest people ranked by the Forbes
in 2004, 3 ethnic Azeris were ranked 10, 66 and 74.
Azeris have established numerous cultural communities, the largest one being the All-Russian Azeri Congress, which controls smaller communities throughout Russia. In addition, the Moscow Public Secondary School #157 is set up for students with keen interest in the Azeri language and culture.
Among ethnic Caucasus diasporas in Moscow, Azeris stand out as the least integrated into Russian society and constitute about 1% of the city's population. They have been described as the strongest adherents to their traditions and marriages within their own ethnic community compared to local Armenians, Georgians, Ukrainians, and Tatars. According to a 2006 survey, 71% of Moscow Azeris described themselves as being religious. A great number of them has retained Azerbaijani citizenship and is willing to relocate back to Azerbaijan at some point.
A 2005 study indicated noticeable social differences between the Azeris who are native to or lived considerable parts of their lives in Moscow and the Azeris who are recent immigrants. About half of the people in the first group have a post-secondary degree, whereas among immigrant Azeris only 25% do. Fluency in the Russian language is characteristic of virtually all of those in the first group (moreover, 24% of Azeris from this group showed it as their first language), while almost one-third of those in the second group speak very limited Russian. About half of Azeri newcomers are engaged in commerce and service sector, compared to the native and earlier immigrant Azeris who tend to pursue careers in sciences, health care, education and the arts.
(commonly referred to as Caucasians (кавказцы), despite the fact that the term has a different dominant meaning in English
), Azeris often face Caucasophobia, which might result in severe discrimination and violence.
Azeris born elsewhere:
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
's Dagestan Republic, the majority of Azeris in Russia are fairly recent immigrants. Azeris started settling in Russia (with the exception of Dagestan) around the late 19th century, but their migration became intensive after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. It rapidly increased with the collapse of the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
in 1991. According to the 2002 All-Russian Population Census
Russian Census (2002)
Russian Census of 2002 was the first census of the Russian Federation carried out on October 9 through October 16, 2002. It was carried out by the Russian Federal Service of State Statistics .-Resident population:...
, there are 621,840 Azeris residing in Russia , however the actual numbers are a lot higher due to recent migrations of guest workers from Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan , officially the Republic of Azerbaijan is the largest country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to...
. The estimated total Azeri population of Russia might be reaching as many as 3,000,000 people, with more than one and half million of them living in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
. The majority of them have come to Russia since 1991 from rural Azerbaijan, Georgia
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
and Armenia
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
. Today most provinces of Russia have more or less significant Azeri communities, the biggest ones, according to official numbers, residing in Dagestan, Moscow, Khanty-Mansi, Krasnoyarsk
Krasnoyarsk Krai
Krasnoyarsk Krai is a federal subject of Russia . It is the second largest federal subject after the Sakha Republic, and Russia's largest krai, occupying an area of , which is 13% of the country's total territory. The administrative center of the krai is the city of Krasnoyarsk...
, Rostov-on-the-Don
Rostov Oblast
Rostov Oblast is a federal subject of Russia , located in the Southern Federal District. Rostov Oblast has an area of and a population of making it the sixth most populous federal subject in Russia...
, Saratov
Saratov Oblast
Saratov Oblast is a federal subject of Russia , located in the Volga Federal District. Its administrative center is the city of Saratov. Population: -Demographics:Population:...
, Sverdlovsk
Sverdlovsk Oblast
Sverdlovsk Oblast is a federal subject of Russia located in the Urals Federal District. Its administrative center is the city of Yekaterinburg formerly known as Sverdlovsk. Population: -Geography:...
, Samara
Samara Oblast
Samara Oblast is a federal subject of Russia . Its administrative center is the city of Samara. Population: In 1936–1990, it was known as Kuybyshev Oblast , after the Soviet name of Samara .-Demographics:Population:...
, Stavropol
Stavropol Krai
Stavropol Krai is a federal subject of Russia . Its administrative center is the city of Stavropol. Population: -Geography:Stavropol Krai encompasses the central part of the Fore-Caucasus and most of the northern slopes of Caucasus Major...
, etc.
Dagestan
111,656 Azeris lived in the Dagestan Republic as of 2002, which makes them the region's seventh largest ethnic group. Most of them are natives of the city of DerbentDerbent
Derbent |Lak]]: Чурул, Churul; Persian: دربند; Judæo-Tat: דארבּאנד/Дэрбэнд/Dərbənd) is a city in the Republic of Dagestan, Russia, close to the Azerbaijani border. It is the southernmost city in Russia, and it is the second most important city of Dagestan...
living in the historical quarter Mahal and making up about ⅓ of the city's population. Azeris constitute 55% of the population of the Derbent rayon (over twenty towns and villages), 18% of that of the Tabasaran rayon (villages of Maraga, Tsanak, Kheli-Pendzhi, Yersi, Zil, Arak, Darvag, and Yekrakh), 4% in the Rutul rayon (village of Nizhny Katrukh) and 3% in the Kizlyar rayon (villages of Bolshebredikhinskoye and Persidskoye). The rest live in the cities of Makhachkala
Makhachkala
-Twin towns/sister cities:Makhachkala is twinned with: Sfax, Tunisia Siping, China Spokane, United States Vladikavkaz, Russia Yalova, Turkey Ndola, Zambia-See also:*...
, Khasavyurt
Khasavyurt
Khasavyurt is a city in the Republic of Dagestan, Russia. Population: It was founded in 1846 and granted town status in 1931. The main local industries are food processing, brick making and garment making....
, Buynaksk
Buynaksk
Buynaksk is a town in the Republic of Dagestan, Russia, located at the foothills of the Greater Caucasus on the Shura-Ozen River, southwest of the republic's capital Makhachkala. Population: 40,000 ....
and Kizlyar
Kizlyar
Kizlyar is a town in the Republic of Dagestan, Russia, located in the delta of the Terek River northwest of Makhachkala. Population: 30,000 ....
. Among cultural benefits, available to Dagestani Azeris, there are newspapers and magazines printed in the Azeri language
Azerbaijani language
Azerbaijani or Azeri or Torki is a language belonging to the Turkic language family, spoken in southwestern Asia by the Azerbaijani people, primarily in Azerbaijan and northwestern Iran...
, public schools where Azeri is taught as a first language, and the Azeri State Dramatic Theater in Derbent. Traditionally Azeris of Dagestan were engaged in carpet weaving, currying, jewellery- and copper utensils making. Starting from the 1920s, the industrialization era opened new career opportunities for Dagestanis.
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
in the 19th century (they were registered as Persians
Persian people
The Persian people are part of the Iranian peoples who speak the modern Persian language and closely akin Iranian dialects and languages. The origin of the ethnic Iranian/Persian peoples are traced to the Ancient Iranian peoples, who were part of the ancient Indo-Iranians and themselves part of...
in the early Soviet censūs). These families were subject to deportation in the 1930s, as were all those who retained foreign citizenship while living in the USSR on a permanent basis. Azeris in Dagestan are mostly Shia Muslims, however similarly to those of Azeris in Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan , officially the Republic of Azerbaijan is the largest country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to...
, their religious beliefs are influenced by old pagan traditions.
For centuries Azeri has been the lingua franca
Lingua franca
A lingua franca is a language systematically used to make communication possible between people not sharing a mother tongue, in particular when it is a third language, distinct from both mother tongues.-Characteristics:"Lingua franca" is a functionally defined term, independent of the linguistic...
of Southern Dagestan. It managed to retain that status till nowadays, despite huge competition with Russian
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
in the past 50 years.
Rest of Russia
For the past decade, Azeris have played significant roles in developing the Russian economy. With many of them being involved in entrepreneurshipEntrepreneurship
Entrepreneurship is the act of being an entrepreneur, which can be defined as "one who undertakes innovations, finance and business acumen in an effort to transform innovations into economic goods". This may result in new organizations or may be part of revitalizing mature organizations in response...
, they have been employed in major economical areas, such as trade and oil industry. Among Russia's 100 richest people ranked by the Forbes
Forbes
Forbes is an American publishing and media company. Its flagship publication, the Forbes magazine, is published biweekly. Its primary competitors in the national business magazine category are Fortune, which is also published biweekly, and Business Week...
in 2004, 3 ethnic Azeris were ranked 10, 66 and 74.
Azeris have established numerous cultural communities, the largest one being the All-Russian Azeri Congress, which controls smaller communities throughout Russia. In addition, the Moscow Public Secondary School #157 is set up for students with keen interest in the Azeri language and culture.
Among ethnic Caucasus diasporas in Moscow, Azeris stand out as the least integrated into Russian society and constitute about 1% of the city's population. They have been described as the strongest adherents to their traditions and marriages within their own ethnic community compared to local Armenians, Georgians, Ukrainians, and Tatars. According to a 2006 survey, 71% of Moscow Azeris described themselves as being religious. A great number of them has retained Azerbaijani citizenship and is willing to relocate back to Azerbaijan at some point.
A 2005 study indicated noticeable social differences between the Azeris who are native to or lived considerable parts of their lives in Moscow and the Azeris who are recent immigrants. About half of the people in the first group have a post-secondary degree, whereas among immigrant Azeris only 25% do. Fluency in the Russian language is characteristic of virtually all of those in the first group (moreover, 24% of Azeris from this group showed it as their first language), while almost one-third of those in the second group speak very limited Russian. About half of Azeri newcomers are engaged in commerce and service sector, compared to the native and earlier immigrant Azeris who tend to pursue careers in sciences, health care, education and the arts.
Discrimination
Like many other people, who originated in the CaucasusCaucasus
The Caucasus, also Caucas or Caucasia , is a geopolitical region at the border of Europe and Asia, and situated between the Black and the Caspian sea...
(commonly referred to as Caucasians (кавказцы), despite the fact that the term has a different dominant meaning in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
), Azeris often face Caucasophobia, which might result in severe discrimination and violence.
Famous Azeris of Russia
Russian-born Azeris:- Pyotr Babayev, 1917 revolutionistOctober RevolutionThe October Revolution , also known as the Great October Socialist Revolution , Red October, the October Uprising or the Bolshevik Revolution, was a political revolution and a part of the Russian Revolution of 1917...
after whom the Babayevski confectionery factory was named - Geydar Dzhemal, philosopher
- Alla Akhoundova, poet
- Tamilla AbassovaTamilla AbassovaTamilla Rashidovna Abassova is a Russian racing cyclist who won the silver medal in the women's sprint event at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens and the silver medal at the 2005 UCI Track Cycling World Championships in the same event.-External links:* *...
, 2004 Olympic2004 Summer OlympicsThe 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to August 29, 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team...
silver medalist - Elmira Mirzoeva, International Chess Grandmaster
- Aleksandr Samedov, football player
Azeris born elsewhere:
- Avraamy Aslanbegov, Russian admiral
- Alexander KazembekAlexander Kazembek (Russian orientalist)Alexander Kasimovich Kazembek , Russia, born Muhammad Ali Kazim-bey , was a famous orientalist, historian and philologist of Azeri origin...
, 19th century RussiaRussiaRussia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n linguist and scholar - Huseyn Khan Nakhchivanski, Cavalry General and General-Adjutant of the Emperor of Russia
- Vagit AlekperovVagit AlekperovVagit Alekperov ; is an Azerbaijani businessman and currently a President of the leading Russian oil company LUKOIL.He is currently rated by Forbes magazine as the eighth richest person in Russia with $13.9 billion of net worth and the 50th richest person in the world.-Biography:He was born in...
, President of the leading RussiaRussiaRussia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n oil company LUKOILLUKoilLukoil/LUKoil ; ) is Russia's second largest oil company and its second largest producer of oil. In 2009, the company produced 97.615 million tons of oil; .... - Rustam IbragimbekovRustam IbragimbekovRustam Mammad Ibrahim oglu Ibrahimbeyov, also spelled Ibragimbekov is Azerbaijani, Soviet and an Azerbaijani-American screenwriter, dramatist and producer, well known beyond his home Azerbaijan and the CIS....
, screenwriter, Academy Award winner - Iskender Khalilov,businessman,founder of ISR Holding
- Farman SalmanovFarman SalmanovFarman Gurban oglu Salmanov was an Azerbaijani geologist famous for discovering great oil fields in Western Siberia in Tyumen Oblast in 1961....
, geologist who first discovered oil fields in SiberiaSiberiaSiberia is an extensive region constituting almost all of Northern Asia. Comprising the central and eastern portion of the Russian Federation, it was part of the Soviet Union from its beginning, as its predecessor states, the Tsardom of Russia and the Russian Empire, conquered it during the 16th... - Kerim KerimovKerim KerimovLieutenant-General Kerim Aliyevich Kerimov was an Azerbaijani-Soviet/Russian aerospace engineer and a renowned rocket scientist, one of the founders of the Soviet space industry, and for many years a central figure in the Soviet space program. Despite his prominent role, his identity was kept a...
, head of Soviet space programSoviet space programThe Soviet space program is the rocketry and space exploration programs conducted by the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics from the 1930s until its dissolution in 1991... - Tahir SalahovTahir SalahovTahir Salahov is an Azerbaijani painter and draughtsman....
, artist - Muslim Magomayev, singer
- Geidar MamedaliyevGeidar MamedaliyevGeidar Nuruddin oglu Mamedaliyev is a Russian wrestler who won silver medal at the 2004 Olympics in Athens.- External links :*...
, 2004 Olympic2004 Summer OlympicsThe 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to August 29, 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team...
champion (silver) - Emin AgalarovEmin AgalarovEmin Araz oglu Agalarov , simply known under the stage name Emin, is an Azerbaijani singer-songwriter and businessman. He writes and performs songs in English. Emin went to fame with his debut album Still which sold over 100,000 copies worldwide...
, businessman, singer and songwriter - Aras AgalarovAras AgalarovAras Agalarov is an Azerbaijani-born Russian businessman, with an estimated fortune of $1.2Bn, the 962nd richest man in the world.Born in Baku, he was educated at the Baku Polytechnical Institute...
, businessman, billionaire, founder of Crocus International - Farkhad AkhmedovFarkhad AkhmedovFarkhad Temurovich Akhmedov , , born September 15, 1955 is a businessman and politician.Farkhad was born in Baku, Azerbaijan and continues to maintain business interests there, such as AzNar JSC. A natural beverage manufacturer located in Goychay, which Farkhad purchased and renovated in 2007 in...
,politician,businessman,founder of Northgas - Igor Ashurbeyli,general director of Anti-Almaz, businessman
- Farman SalmanovFarman SalmanovFarman Gurban oglu Salmanov was an Azerbaijani geologist famous for discovering great oil fields in Western Siberia in Tyumen Oblast in 1961....
, Geolist, Hero of Socialist Labor, member-correspondent of the Russian Academy of Sciences,legendary pioneer developer of the Western Siberian oil and gas fields - Georgiy Mamedov, diplomat, currently ambassador to Canada, until 2004 Deputy Foreign Minister of Russian Federation in charge of nuclear disarmament
- Enver Mamedov,Soviet diplomat,a mass media manager
- Musa Manarov,Cosmonaut,flight engineer on Soyuz TM-4
- Murad Ibragimbekov,actor,producer, cinematographer
- Fakhraddin ManafovFakhraddin ManafovFakhraddin Manaf oglu Manafov is an Azerbaijani and Soviet actor.He was born in Stepanakert , capital of Soviet Azerbaijan's Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast. His family moved to Baku when he was around 5. He made his first movie appearance in 1978...
,actor and cinematographer - Eduard Bağırov,writer
- Çingiz Hüseynov,writer
- Emin MakhmudovEmin MakhmudovEmin Dzhabrail-Ogly Makhmudov is an Azerbaijani-born Russian footballer who plays as a midfielder for FC Spartak Moscow. He made his debut in the Russian Premier League on April 24, 2010 for FC Saturn Moscow Oblast....
,soccer player of Spartac FC
See also
- ASAIF
- Azeris
- List of Azerbaijanis
- AzerbaijanAzerbaijanAzerbaijan , officially the Republic of Azerbaijan is the largest country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to...
- RussiaRussiaRussia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
- Demographics of RussiaDemographics of RussiaThe demographics of Russia is about the demographic features of the population of the Russian Federation, including population growth, population density, ethnic composition, education level, health, economic status, and other aspects of the population....
- DagestanDagestanThe Republic of Dagestan is a federal subject of Russia, located in the North Caucasus region. Its capital and the largest city is Makhachkala, located at the center of Dagestan on the Caspian Sea...