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Revision as of 13:21, 12 January 2006 by 195.250.64.76 (talk)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)- This article is about the autonomous region; for the city see Nakhichevan (city)
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| National motto: none | |||||
| Official language | Azerbaijani | ||||
| Capital | Nakhichevan (city) | ||||
| Head of State | Ilham Aliyev | ||||
| Parliamentary Chairman | Vagif Talybov | ||||
| Area - Total - % water |
5,500 km² negligible | ||||
| Population - Total |
365,000+ | ||||
| Establishment - Declared - Recognition |
1991 recognized internationally only as part of Azerbaijan | ||||
| Currency | Azerbaijani Manat | ||||
| Time zone - in summer |
EET (UTC+4) EEST (UTC+5) | ||||
| National anthem | none (uses National Anthem of Azerbaijan) | ||||
| Internet TLD | .az | ||||
| Calling Code | +994 | ||||
The Nakhichevan Autonomous Republic (Azerbaijani: Naxçıvan Muxtar Respublikası) is an exclave of Azerbaijan. The 5,500 km² region borders Armenia (221 km), Turkey (9 km) and Iran (179 km) and consists of 6 rayons: Babak, Julfa, Ordubad, Sadarak, Shahbuz and Sharur. The main city is Nakhichevan, home to the Nakhichevan State University.
Climate and Resources
Nakhichevan is extremely arid and mountainous and contains large salt deposits. Major industries in the region include: the mining of minerals such as salt, molybdenum, and lead, cotton ginning/cleaning, silk spinning, fruit canning, meat packing, tobacco producing, growing of grain and market garden produce, and, in the dryer regions, sheep farming. The Republic contains very basic facilities and lacks heating fuel during the winter.
History
The city of Nakhichevan was first mentioned in Ptolemy's "Geography" as Naksuana and was said to be established in 4400 BCE. Nakhijevan is ancient Armenian for the "First Station" or "First town" of Noah the Patriarch. Naksuana is ancient Greek for "the land of sweet water". Nakhijevan was one of the prominentt cities of the Kingdom of Armenia. Since it changed kingdoms (Armenia, 2492BC-428AD, 885-1045, Zakarian Armenian Princedom XII-XIIIcc., Republic of Armenian 1918-1920), empires (Iran, Byzantium, Arabia, Russia), sultanates (XVc.), and khanates (1639-1828), the name of Nakhichevan was altered many times, changing to: Nakhijevan, Nakshijahan, Nuhchikhan (the place where Noah landed), Nesheva and etc. Throughout history Nakhichevan land brought up prominent persons such as Hindushah ibn Nakhchivani, Abdurrakhman en Neshevi, Ekmouladdin Nakhchivani, Ejemi Nakhchivani, Generals Ehsan, Kelbali, Ismail, Hussein, Jamshid khan Nakhichevanski and others.
The oldest material culture artifacts found in Nakhichevan date back to the Neolithic Age. The region was part of the states of Armenia, Ararat-Urartu, Mannae and Media in 8 – 7 BCE, Achaemenid state in 6 BCE, and later became part of the state of Atropatene a vassal kingdom pf Armenia then of Iran. In 3 century Nakhichevan was conquered by Persia from Armenia for some months, in 623 by Byzantium, and in the middle 7th century by Arabs. In 8th century this area was ruined by Babak uprising. Nakhichevan was part of feudal states of Bagratides Armenian Kingdom, then after 1045 of Sajids and Salarids in, and fell under control of Seljuks in 11th century. There are many thousands of Armenian churches, monasteries, crosstones and other artefacts of the Armenian culture, systematically ruined by Azerbaijanian vandals.
In 12th century the city of Nakhichevan became the capital of the Ildegezid state. The magnificent 12th century mausoleum of Momine khatun, the wife of Ildegizid ruler Jahan Pehlevan, is the main attraction of modern Nakhichevan. In 13 – 14 centuries the region was invaded by mongols and Tamerlane. In the 15th century, the territory of Nakhichevan became part of the states of Kara Koyunlu and Ak Koyunlu. In the 16th century control of the region passed to the Safavid dynasty of Persia. Because of its geographic position, it frequently suffered during the wars between Persia and the Ottoman Empire in 14th – 18th centuries. The Nakhichevan khanate emerged in the region in 1747 after the death of Nadir Shah Afshar, the ruler of Persia. After the two Russo-Iranian wars and the Treaty of Turkmenchay, Nakhichevan khanate passed into Russian possession in 1828. Nakhichevan khanate was dissolved in 1840, and the area became Nakhichevan uyezd of Erivan governorate of the Russian Empire.
After the February Revolution the region was under the authority of Special Transcaucasian Committee of the Russian Provisional Government. In 1918 Musavat Party proclaimed in Nakhichevan the Republic of Araks. In late 1918 Nakhichevan was occupied by British troops. In 1918-1920 the province and city were the part of the 1st Republic of Armenia. But this ancient Armenian land again and again became an object of aggression in the time of Turks and Azeris, and after the 1920 the I Republic of Armenia was devided between Kemalist Turkey and Soviet Russia. Armenia lost much of its territory. Among them Nakhijevan province was annexed and became a part of the Turkish-protected Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic. During 1920-1980s Armenians were forcely emmigrated from Nakhchivan Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic. All the Armenian Churches and Monasteries in Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic as well as 10,000 Armenian ancient "Khachkar"s ("Stone" Crosses) - artefacts of Armenian Medieval Culture in 1991-2006 are ruined by the authorities of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
Azeris say, after withdrawal of British then troops Nakhichevan was occupied by 11th Red Army troops and Soviet Socialist Republic of Nakhichevan was proclaimed on 28 July 1920. In 16 March 1921, by the Moscow treaty between Soviet Russia and Kemalist Turkey, Armenia was devided between them as Poland in 1939 between the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany. On 9 February 1924 Nakhichevan Soviet Socialist Autonomous Republic within the Azerbaijan SSR was formed. In January 1990 Nakhichevan declared independence from USSR to protest suppression of national movement in Azerbaijan, and became Nakhichevan Autonomous Republic within newly independent Republic of Azerbaijan a year later. It now exists and is internationally recognized as a part of Azerbaijan governed by its own elected parliament.
Geography
Nakhichevan is an atmospheric, semi-desert region that is separated from the main portion of Azerbaijan by Armenia. A range of arid mountains make up the border with Armenia and Iran.
Demographics
As of 1990, Nakhichevan's population was estimated to be 350,000. 98% of the population are Azeri. Ethnic Russians constituted the remaining population.
Disputes
- Nakhichevan has been under blockade by Armenia since 1989. The primary routes to mainland Azerbaijan is via the international air corridor through Armenia and through the Eastern Azerbaijan province of Iran, which has become unaffordable due to high taxes imposed by the Iranian government.
- Armenia has occupied the village of Karki within the republic since 1989.
- Nakhichevan issued a declaration in the late 1990's recognizing the sovereignty of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) and calling upon Azerbaijan to do so. While sympathetic to the TRNC, Azerbaijan has not followed suit because of Greek Cypriot threats to recognize the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (Armenian-occupied Azeri territory).