Balakan
Encyclopedia
Balakan is a rayon
of northwestern Azerbaijan
, located between Georgia and Russia. It borders Georgia to south and Dagestan of Russia to east and north. There is an Azerbaijan-Georgia
border crossing at Postbina in the rayon that is open to both local residents and foreigners.
s in the region speak of early human inhabitation. Balakan was a part of Caucasian Albania
. A Greek writer of the time who authored books on the battle between the Roman
troops and Caucasian Albanians on the bank of Alazani
(Qanıx) river in 65 A.D., described the locals as calm, prideful and full of courage. Etymology of names such as "Getovlar" (similar to Hettax), Hunbulanchay (similar to Huns
), Ingiloy
(similar to Gellah) and others confirm habitation of the region by early nomadic Turkic
tribes.
In the 7th century Balakan was invaded by Arabs and Balakən settelement was destroyed. After the Arab rule was overthrown in 9th-10th centuries, Balakan established its political and economic links with Shaki. Both provinces developed sericulture
as their primary industry.
In 1803 the Balakan Rayon territory was incorporated into the Russian Empire
and was administratively a part of Georgia
until 1842, after that it was a separate oblast
. In 1844 the Char-Balakan Military Region was founded. From 1860 to the end of the Russian Empire it was a part of Georgia within the Tiflis Governorate
.
When Democratic Republic of Georgia
was established, Balakan was a part of Zaqatala District, one of Georgia's eastern provinces. After the Soviet occupation
of Georgia in 1921, Zaqatala District was handed over to Azerbaijani SSR by the Bolshevik Government.
During the Great Patriotic War, 6,882 residents of Balakan fought the Nazi Germany and 2,315 of them died on the front lines. During Nagorno-Karabakh War
, Balakan lost 152 residents who fought in Karabakh.
Balakan rayon was created on August 8, 1930. The settlement Balakən was assigned to be the administrative center of the rayon. It later grew to become a city type settlement in 1954 and received a status of a city in 1968. In 1963, the rayon was abolished and joined with Zaqatala Rayon. In 1965, it was again re-established as an independent rayon.
Among the historical monuments are the 9th century Albanian church
18 km away from the administrative center of Balakan, Peri castle dating to 7th-8th centuries in Qullar
village, 17th century mosque with a 45 meter minaret in Balakən city, Nokho Cave in the Qubek gorge pertaining to the Iron Age, ruins and pilgrimage site from the 5th-8th centuries located 2 km west of Mahamalar
village, 1st-2nd century BC necropolis
1 km north of the same village, mosque built in 1780 and an underground water storage facilities from the 18th century in Qullar village, a 19th century fortress and 18th century mosque in Mahamalar, a 14th century mosque in Katex
village, 17th century four-edged castle and two tombs, a 14th century mausoleum in Tülü
village, mosque built in 1910 in İtitala
village, 14th century temple in Hənifə village, 16th century mosque in Xalatala
and temples in Mazımçay
, ruins of a settlement from Middle Ages on Maklakan mountain.
and is very rich with flora and fauna. Balakan mountains makes up the big part of Zakatala State Reserve
. The Katex
waterfalls is located in the reserve. Due to existence of many mountains in the rayon, Balakan is rich with many rivers. The mountainous part of rayon is cold, the temperature in lower parts is mild. Average annual humidity reaches 41%, average monthly temperature is +13°C. The northern part of rayon is enriched with vegetation, among them hornbeam
, alder
, oak
, chestnut
, walnut
, acacia
trees, as well as raspberry
, rose hip
and mespilus. There are over 30 plants used for medical treatment purposes.
Balakan region is considered one of the most resourceful regions of Azerbaijan by its economic potential, natural resources and cultural heritage. The economy of rayon is based on agrarian
sector. Main segments of the agriculture are tobacco growing
, horticulture
, sericulture
and corn
cultivation. Additionally, cattlebreeding, wheat growing, winemaking
and fishery
are widely practised. There are 123 agricultural farming businesses in Balakan rayon.
and industrial Absheron Peninsula.
There are 48 secondary schools with 16,872 (2007 census) students and 1,629 teachers and 24 kindergartens in the region. Additionally, there are 1 stadium, 29 sports facilities and 20 sports complexes. There are 6 hospitals, tuberculosis
treatment center and family planning centers with 126 doctors and 497 nurses. The capital city has one central library which has 49 branches throughout the rayon. Over 370 students study at 7 musical schools.
According to 2010 census, Balakan rayon has 89,406 residents, out of which 10,200 (11%) live in urban and 79,206 (88,6%) live in rural areas. Men make up 48.2%, women - 51.8% of the population. The population density is 95.7 people per 1 km2. In 2010, there were 1,238 newborns and 510 deaths in rayon.
The ethnic composition of the rayon is very rich. Representatives of 27 ethnicities live in Balakan rayon.
The largest group, Azeris
make up 68.4% of the population (61,170 people living throughout the region), Avars
- 28,4% (25,370 people living mainly in Qabaqçöl
, Mahamalar
and Mazımçay
villages), Ingiloys
(Muslim
Georgians
) - 2.4% (2,145 people living mainly in İtitala
village) and other ethnicities such as Georgians
(23 residents), Lezgins (223 residents), Russians
(138 residents), Laks
(23 residents), Persians
(226 residents), Tatars
(27 residents), Tsakhurs (13 residents), Turks (11 residents), Ukrainians
(6 residents), Armenians
(3 residents) and Talysh
(1 resident) - 1.49%.
and Georgian
speakers.
Administrative divisions of Azerbaijan
Politically, Azerbaijan is divided into:*59 districts ,*11 cities ,*1 autonomous republic , which itself contains:**7 districts**1 city...
of northwestern 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...
, located between Georgia and Russia. It borders Georgia to south and Dagestan of Russia to east and north. There is an 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...
border crossing at Postbina in the rayon that is open to both local residents and foreigners.
History of the rayon
Archeological finds including many historical monuments and kurganKurgan
Kurgan is the Turkic term for a tumulus; mound of earth and stones raised over a grave or graves, originating with its use in Soviet archaeology, now widely used for tumuli in the context of Eastern European and Central Asian archaeology....
s in the region speak of early human inhabitation. Balakan was a part of Caucasian Albania
Caucasian Albania
Albania is a name for the historical region of the eastern Caucasus, that existed on the territory of present-day republic of...
. A Greek writer of the time who authored books on the battle between the Roman
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
troops and Caucasian Albanians on the bank of Alazani
Alazani
The Alazani is a river that flows through the Caucasus.It is the main tributary of the Kura in eastern Georgia, and flows for 351 km...
(Qanıx) river in 65 A.D., described the locals as calm, prideful and full of courage. Etymology of names such as "Getovlar" (similar to Hettax), Hunbulanchay (similar to Huns
Huns
The Huns were a group of nomadic people who, appearing from east of the Volga River, migrated into Europe c. AD 370 and established the vast Hunnic Empire there. Since de Guignes linked them with the Xiongnu, who had been northern neighbours of China 300 years prior to the emergence of the Huns,...
), Ingiloy
Ingiloy Kötüklü
İngiloy Kötüklü is a village and municipality in the Qakh Rayon of Azerbaijan. It has a population of 721....
(similar to Gellah) and others confirm habitation of the region by early nomadic Turkic
Turkic peoples
The Turkic peoples are peoples residing in northern, central and western Asia, southern Siberia and northwestern China and parts of eastern Europe. They speak languages belonging to the Turkic language family. They share, to varying degrees, certain cultural traits and historical backgrounds...
tribes.
In the 7th century Balakan was invaded by Arabs and Balakən settelement was destroyed. After the Arab rule was overthrown in 9th-10th centuries, Balakan established its political and economic links with Shaki. Both provinces developed sericulture
Sericulture
Sericulture, or silk farming, is the rearing of silkworms for the production of raw silk.Although there are several commercial species of silkworms, Bombyx mori is the most widely used and intensively studied. According to Confucian texts, the discovery of silk production by B...
as their primary industry.
In 1803 the Balakan Rayon territory was incorporated into the Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
and was administratively a part of 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...
until 1842, after that it was a separate oblast
Oblast
Oblast is a type of administrative division in Slavic countries, including some countries of the former Soviet Union. The word "oblast" is a loanword in English, but it is nevertheless often translated as "area", "zone", "province", or "region"...
. In 1844 the Char-Balakan Military Region was founded. From 1860 to the end of the Russian Empire it was a part of Georgia within the Tiflis Governorate
Tiflis Governorate
Tiflis Governorate was one of the guberniyas of the Russian Empire with its centre in Tiflis . In 1897 it constituted 44,607 sq. kilometres in area and had a population of 1,051,032 inhabitants...
.
When Democratic Republic of Georgia
Democratic Republic of Georgia
The Democratic Republic of Georgia , 1918–1921, was the first modern establishment of a Republic of Georgia.The DRG was created after the collapse of the Russian Empire that began with the Russian Revolution of 1917...
was established, Balakan was a part of Zaqatala District, one of Georgia's eastern provinces. After the Soviet occupation
Red Army invasion of Georgia
The Red Army invasion of Georgia also known as the Soviet–Georgian War or the Soviet invasion of Georgia was a military campaign by the Soviet Russian Red Army against the Democratic Republic of Georgia aimed at overthrowing the Social-Democratic government and installing the Bolshevik regime...
of Georgia in 1921, Zaqatala District was handed over to Azerbaijani SSR by the Bolshevik Government.
During the Great Patriotic War, 6,882 residents of Balakan fought the Nazi Germany and 2,315 of them died on the front lines. During Nagorno-Karabakh War
Nagorno-Karabakh War
The Nagorno-Karabakh War was an armed conflict that took place from February 1988 to May 1994, in the small enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh in southwestern Azerbaijan, between the majority ethnic Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh backed by the Republic of Armenia, and the Republic of Azerbaijan...
, Balakan lost 152 residents who fought in Karabakh.
Balakan rayon was created on August 8, 1930. The settlement Balakən was assigned to be the administrative center of the rayon. It later grew to become a city type settlement in 1954 and received a status of a city in 1968. In 1963, the rayon was abolished and joined with Zaqatala Rayon. In 1965, it was again re-established as an independent rayon.
Among the historical monuments are the 9th century Albanian church
Church of Caucasian Albania
The Albanian Apostolic Church or the Church of Caucasian Albania was an ancient autocephalous church under the religious jurisdiction of the Armenian Apostolic Church that existed from the fifth century to 1830 and was centered in Caucasian Albania, a region mostly located in present day Azerbaijan...
18 km away from the administrative center of Balakan, Peri castle dating to 7th-8th centuries in Qullar
Qullar, Balakan
Qullar is a village and municipality in the Balakan Rayon of Azerbaijan. It has a population of 5,794. The municipality consists of the villages of Qullar and Acılıqbinə....
village, 17th century mosque with a 45 meter minaret in Balakən city, Nokho Cave in the Qubek gorge pertaining to the Iron Age, ruins and pilgrimage site from the 5th-8th centuries located 2 km west of Mahamalar
Mahamalar
Mahamalar is a village and municipality in the Balakan Rayon of Azerbaijan. It has a population of 4,752. The municipality consists of the villages of Mahamalar and Solban....
village, 1st-2nd century BC necropolis
Necropolis
A necropolis is a large cemetery or burial ground, usually including structural tombs. The word comes from the Greek νεκρόπολις - nekropolis, literally meaning "city of the dead"...
1 km north of the same village, mosque built in 1780 and an underground water storage facilities from the 18th century in Qullar village, a 19th century fortress and 18th century mosque in Mahamalar, a 14th century mosque in Katex
Katex
Katex is a village and the most populous municipality, except for the capital Balakən, in the Balakan Rayon of Azerbaijan. It has a population of 7,432. The municipality consists of the villages of Katex and Beretbinə....
village, 17th century four-edged castle and two tombs, a 14th century mausoleum in Tülü
Tülü, Balakan
Tülü is a village and municipality in the Balakan Rayon of Azerbaijan. It has a population of 5,719. The municipality consists of the villages of Tülü, Mazımqarışan, and Mazımüstü....
village, mosque built in 1910 in İtitala
Ititala
İtitala is a village and municipality in the Balakan Rayon of Azerbaijan. It has a population of 2,115....
village, 14th century temple in Hənifə village, 16th century mosque in Xalatala
Xalatala
Xalatala is a village and municipality in the Balakan Rayon of Azerbaijan. It has a population of 2,731. The municipality consists of the villages of Xalatala and Göyrücük....
and temples in Mazımçay
Mazimçay
Mazımçay is a village in the Balakan Rayon of Azerbaijan. The village forms part of the municipality of Gərəkli....
, ruins of a settlement from Middle Ages on Maklakan mountain.
Geography and economy
The rayon is situated at the foothills of Greater CaucasusGreater Caucasus
Greater Caucasus , sometimes translated as "Caucasus Major", "Big Caucasus" or "Large Caucasus") is the major mountain range of the Caucasus Mountains....
and is very rich with flora and fauna. Balakan mountains makes up the big part of Zakatala State Reserve
Zakatala State Reserve
The reserve of Zakatala, located in the north of Azerbaijan, was created in 1929. It consists of an area of 25.218 ha on the southern slopes of the Caucasus mountains.- Wildlife :...
. The Katex
Katex
Katex is a village and the most populous municipality, except for the capital Balakən, in the Balakan Rayon of Azerbaijan. It has a population of 7,432. The municipality consists of the villages of Katex and Beretbinə....
waterfalls is located in the reserve. Due to existence of many mountains in the rayon, Balakan is rich with many rivers. The mountainous part of rayon is cold, the temperature in lower parts is mild. Average annual humidity reaches 41%, average monthly temperature is +13°C. The northern part of rayon is enriched with vegetation, among them hornbeam
Hornbeam
Hornbeams are relatively small hardwood trees in the genus Carpinus . Though some botanists grouped them with the hazels and hop-hornbeams in a segregate family, Corylaceae, modern botanists place the hornbeams in the birch subfamily Coryloideae...
, alder
Alder
Alder is the common name of a genus of flowering plants belonging to the birch family . The genus comprises about 30 species of monoecious trees and shrubs, few reaching large size, distributed throughout the North Temperate Zone and in the Americas along the Andes southwards to...
, oak
Oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
, chestnut
Chestnut
Chestnut , some species called chinkapin or chinquapin, is a genus of eight or nine species of deciduous trees and shrubs in the beech family Fagaceae, native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. The name also refers to the edible nuts they produce.-Species:The chestnut belongs to the...
, walnut
Walnut
Juglans is a plant genus of the family Juglandaceae, the seeds of which are known as walnuts. They are deciduous trees, 10–40 meters tall , with pinnate leaves 200–900 millimetres long , with 5–25 leaflets; the shoots have chambered pith, a character shared with the wingnuts , but not the hickories...
, acacia
Acacia
Acacia is a genus of shrubs and trees belonging to the subfamily Mimosoideae of the family Fabaceae, first described in Africa by the Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus in 1773. Many non-Australian species tend to be thorny, whereas the majority of Australian acacias are not...
trees, as well as raspberry
Raspberry
The raspberry or hindberry is the edible fruit of a multitude of plant species in the genus Rubus, most of which are in the subgenus Idaeobatus; the name also applies to these plants themselves...
, rose hip
Rose hip
The rose hip, or rose haw, is the fruit of the rose plant, that typically is red-to-orange, but ranges from dark purple to black in some species. Rose hips begin to form in spring, and ripen in late summer through autumn.-Usage:...
and mespilus. There are over 30 plants used for medical treatment purposes.
Balakan region is considered one of the most resourceful regions of Azerbaijan by its economic potential, natural resources and cultural heritage. The economy of rayon is based on agrarian
Agrarian society
An agrarian society is a society that depends on agriculture as its primary means for support and sustenance. The society acknowledges other means of livelihood and work habits but stresses the importance of agriculture and farming, and was the most common form of socio-economic oganization for...
sector. Main segments of the agriculture are tobacco growing
Cultivation of tobacco
Tobacco is usually cultivated annually. It is germinated in cold frames or hotbeds and then transplanted to the field until it matures. Tobacco is grown in warm climates with rich, well-drained soil...
, horticulture
Horticulture
Horticulture is the industry and science of plant cultivation including the process of preparing soil for the planting of seeds, tubers, or cuttings. Horticulturists work and conduct research in the disciplines of plant propagation and cultivation, crop production, plant breeding and genetic...
, sericulture
Sericulture
Sericulture, or silk farming, is the rearing of silkworms for the production of raw silk.Although there are several commercial species of silkworms, Bombyx mori is the most widely used and intensively studied. According to Confucian texts, the discovery of silk production by B...
and corn
Corn
Corn is the name used in the United States, Canada, and Australia for the grain maize.In much of the English-speaking world, the term "corn" is a generic term for cereal crops, such as* Barley* Oats* Wheat* Rye- Places :...
cultivation. Additionally, cattlebreeding, wheat growing, winemaking
Winemaking
Winemaking, or vinification, is the production of wine, starting with selection of the grapes or other produce and ending with bottling the finished wine. Although most wine is made from grapes, it may also be made from other fruit or non-toxic plant material...
and fishery
Fishery
Generally, a fishery is an entity engaged in raising or harvesting fish which is determined by some authority to be a fishery. According to the FAO, a fishery is typically defined in terms of the "people involved, species or type of fish, area of water or seabed, method of fishing, class of boats,...
are widely practised. There are 123 agricultural farming businesses in Balakan rayon.
Infrastructure
The 1970-1980s saw rapid economic reforms due to construction of Baku-Balakan Railway which connected the region with capital BakuBaku
Baku , sometimes spelled as Baki or Bakou, is the capital and largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and of the Caucasus region. It is located on the southern shore of the Absheron Peninsula, which projects into the Caspian Sea. The city consists of two principal...
and industrial Absheron Peninsula.
There are 48 secondary schools with 16,872 (2007 census) students and 1,629 teachers and 24 kindergartens in the region. Additionally, there are 1 stadium, 29 sports facilities and 20 sports complexes. There are 6 hospitals, tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
treatment center and family planning centers with 126 doctors and 497 nurses. The capital city has one central library which has 49 branches throughout the rayon. Over 370 students study at 7 musical schools.
Demographics
There is one city of Balakən and 59 villages in the rayon.According to 2010 census, Balakan rayon has 89,406 residents, out of which 10,200 (11%) live in urban and 79,206 (88,6%) live in rural areas. Men make up 48.2%, women - 51.8% of the population. The population density is 95.7 people per 1 km2. In 2010, there were 1,238 newborns and 510 deaths in rayon.
The ethnic composition of the rayon is very rich. Representatives of 27 ethnicities live in Balakan rayon.
The largest group, Azeris
Azerbaijani people
The Azerbaijanis are a Turkic-speaking people living mainly in northwestern Iran and the Republic of Azerbaijan, as well as in the neighbourhood states, Georgia, Russia and formerly Armenia. Commonly referred to as Azeris or Azerbaijani Turks , they also live in a wider area from the Caucasus to...
make up 68.4% of the population (61,170 people living throughout the region), Avars
Caucasian Avars
Avars or Caucasian Avars are a modern people of Caucasus, mainly of Dagestan, in which they are the predominant group. The Caucasian Avar language belongs to the Northeast Caucasian language family ....
- 28,4% (25,370 people living mainly in Qabaqçöl
Qabaqçöl
Qabaqçöl is a village and municipality in the Balakan Rayon of Azerbaijan. It has a population of 1,004....
, Mahamalar
Mahamalar
Mahamalar is a village and municipality in the Balakan Rayon of Azerbaijan. It has a population of 4,752. The municipality consists of the villages of Mahamalar and Solban....
and Mazımçay
Mazimçay
Mazımçay is a village in the Balakan Rayon of Azerbaijan. The village forms part of the municipality of Gərəkli....
villages), Ingiloys
Ingiloy people
Ingiloys or Ingiloi are an ethnic group of Georgian descent, living in northwestern Azerbaijan. Ingiloys speak Ingiloy dialect of Georgian language....
(Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
Georgians
Georgians
The Georgians are an ethnic group that have originated in Georgia, where they constitute a majority of the population. Large Georgian communities are also present throughout Russia, European Union, United States, and South America....
) - 2.4% (2,145 people living mainly in İtitala
Ititala
İtitala is a village and municipality in the Balakan Rayon of Azerbaijan. It has a population of 2,115....
village) and other ethnicities such as Georgians
Georgians
The Georgians are an ethnic group that have originated in Georgia, where they constitute a majority of the population. Large Georgian communities are also present throughout Russia, European Union, United States, and South America....
(23 residents), Lezgins (223 residents), Russians
Russians
The Russian people are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Russia, speaking the Russian language and primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries....
(138 residents), Laks
Lak people (Dagestan)
The Laks, self-designation Lak, are an indigenous people of Dagestan, speaking the Lak language. There are about 170,000 ethnic Laks.-History:An ancient polity on the Lak territory was the principality of Gumik...
(23 residents), 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...
(226 residents), Tatars
Tatars
Tatars are a Turkic speaking ethnic group , numbering roughly 7 million.The majority of Tatars live in the Russian Federation, with a population of around 5.5 million, about 2 million of which in the republic of Tatarstan.Significant minority populations are found in Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan,...
(27 residents), Tsakhurs (13 residents), Turks (11 residents), Ukrainians
Ukrainians
Ukrainians are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Ukraine, which is the sixth-largest nation in Europe. The Constitution of Ukraine applies the term 'Ukrainians' to all its citizens...
(6 residents), Armenians
Armenians
Armenian people or Armenians are a nation and ethnic group native to the Armenian Highland.The largest concentration is in Armenia having a nearly-homogeneous population with 97.9% or 3,145,354 being ethnic Armenian....
(3 residents) and Talysh
Talysh people
Talysh are an Iranian people indigenous to a region shared between Azerbaijan and Iran which spans the South Caucasus and the southwestern shore of the Caspian Sea. They speak the Talysh language, one of the Northwestern Iranian languages...
(1 resident) - 1.49%.
Language
The majority of the population speak the Azerbaijan language with a minority of AvarAvar language
The modern Avar language belongs to the Avar–Andic group of the Northeast Caucasian language family....
and Georgian
Georgian language
Georgian is the native language of the Georgians and the official language of Georgia, a country in the Caucasus.Georgian is the primary language of about 4 million people in Georgia itself, and of another 500,000 abroad...
speakers.