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Sumqayit (Sumqayıt in Azerbaijani; former Russian name Sumgait) is a city in Azerbaijan, located near the Caspian Sea, about 30 kilometres away from the capital, Baku. The city has a population of 289,700, making it the third-largest city in Azerbaijan. The city has a territory of about 100 km². It was founded on November 22, 1949. Two settlements are within the city administration: Jorat and a settlement named after Haji Zeynalabdin Taghiyev.
Demographics
- Population: 289 700 inhabitants
- Density of population, per km²: 2682
- Annual population upsurge (pers): 1944
- Average lifetime: 70 years
- Ethnicity: Azerbaijanis 95,7%, Russians 1,7%, Ukrainians 0,3%, Tatars 0,3%, Jews 0,1%, others 1,9%.
Economics
- Gross domestic product (million USD): 69, 898
- Gross domestic product per head (USD): 240,6
- Import (million USD): 53,1
- Export (million USD): 36,7
History
In February 29, 1988, violence erupted against the ethnic Armenian population living in Sumqayit, setting off a series of killings involving Azeris and Armenians. Approximately 33 Armenians and 8 non-Armenians died, with over 2000 injuries in 3 days of ethnic rioting. As a result, the whole Armenian population was forced from Sumqayit. The Sumqayit riots marked the beginning of the long-term stand-off between Armenians and Azeris, culminating in the later Nagorno-Karabakh war and continuing into the present.