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(Armenian) Լեռնային Ղարաբաղ
(Azerbaijani) Dağlıq Qarabağ
Nagorno-Karabakh
Location of Nagorno-Karabakh
Location of Nagorno-Karabakh
within the Caucasus
Area
 -  Total 4,400 km² 
1,699 sq mi 
 -  Water (%) negligible
 -  Density 29/km² 
75. The Caucasus ( also referred to as North Caucasus) is a geopolitical region located between Europe Asia & Middle East Area is a Quantity expressing the two- Dimensional size of a defined part of a Surface, typically a region bounded by a closed Curve. M^2 redirects here For other uses see M². CM2 redirects here The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. Water is a common Chemical substance that is essential for the survival of all known forms of Life. In Mathematics, a percentage is a way of expressing a number as a Fraction of 100 ( per cent meaning "per hundred" Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume 1/sq mi
Time zone MSK (UTC+3)
For the republic, see Nagorno-Karabakh Republic

Nagorno-Karabakh is a region in the South Caucasus. Moscow Time (Моско́вское вре́мя is the Time zone for the city of Moscow, Russia and most of western Russia including Saint Petersburg Note - please discuss *any* change to this intro on the talk page before making it no matter how minor it may seem The article is about the geographic sense of the term For other uses including Regions and Regional, see Region (disambiguation. The South Caucasus is a mountainous geopolitical area of south-central Eurasia, also referred to as Transcaucasia, or The Transcaucasus. It encompasses the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, a de facto independent republic, and is officially part of the Republic of Azerbaijan[1], about 270 kilometers (170 miles) west of the Azerbaijani capital of Baku and close to the border with Armenia. Note - please discuss *any* change to this intro on the talk page before making it no matter how minor it may seem ||}These lists of unrecognized or partially recognized countries give an overview of contemporary geopolitical entities that wish to be recognized as Sovereign A republic is a State or Country that is not led by a hereditary Monarch, but in which the people (or at least a part of its people have impact on its Azerbaijan ( English; Azərbaycan officially the Republic of Azerbaijan (Azərbaycan Respublikası is the largest and most populous country in the South

Contents

Name

The word Nagorno is transliterated from the Russian word Нагорный, meaning "highland". Russian ( transliteration:,) is the most geographically widespread language of Eurasia, the most widely spoken of the Slavic languages The word is not used in either Armenian or Azerbaijani, but was used in the official name of the region under the Soviet Union. The Armenian language (hy հայերեն լեզու hajɛɹɛn lɛzu —, conventional short form) is an Indo-European language spoken by the Armenian The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991 Due to this, it was the most commonly-known name, though many languages may use their own word for mountainous or upper or highland; for example, the official name used by the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic in France is Haut-Karabakh, meaning "upper Karabakh". Note - please discuss *any* change to this intro on the talk page before making it no matter how minor it may seem

The word Karabakh originated from Turkic and Persian, literally meaning "black garden"[2][3] The name first appears in Georgian and Persian sources in the 13th and 14th centuries. Karabakh (Qarabağ Ղարաբաղ is a geographic and historic region in western Azerbaijan and southern Armenia, extending from the highlands of the Lesser The Turkic languages constitute a Language family of some thirty languages spoken by Turkic peoples across a vast area from Eastern Europe and the Georgia ( საქართველო, Sakartvelo) is a Transcontinental country in the Caucasus region situated at the dividing line between [3] The related term Karabagh is described by the Oxford English Dictionary as being used to denote a kind of patterned rug originally produced in the area, and is an acceptable alternate spelling of Karabakh. The Oxford English Dictionary ( OED) published by the Oxford University Press (OUP is a comprehensive Dictionary of the English Karabakh carpet - one of four major regional groups of carpets made in Azerbaijan named after the Karabakh region which comprises present Nagorno-Karabakh and

Likewise, the names for the region in the various local languages all translate to "mountainous Karabakh", or "mountainous black garden":

It is often referred to by the Armenians living in the area as Artsakh (Armenian: Արցախ; Russian: Арцах), designating the 10th province of the ancient Kingdom of Armenia and a province of the Kingdom of Caucasian Albania. The Armenian language (hy հայերեն լեզու hajɛɹɛn lɛzu —, conventional short form) is an Indo-European language spoken by the Armenian Transliteration is the practice of Transcribing a Word or text written in one Writing system into another writing system or system of rules for such practice Russian ( transliteration:,) is the most geographically widespread language of Eurasia, the most widely spoken of the Slavic languages The Romanization of the Russian alphabet is the process of transliterating the Russian language from the Cyrillic alphabet and The Armenians (Հայեր Hayer) are a Nation and Ethnic group originating in the Caucasus and in the Armenian Highlands A large For the republic see Artsakh Republic Artsakh (Արցախ was the tenth nahang (province of the Kingdom of Armenia The Kingdom of Armenia (or Greater Armenia) was an independent kingdom from 190 BC to AD 387 and a client state of the Roman and Persian empires until This region should not be confused with modern-day Albania in south-eastern Europe. In Urartian inscriptions (9th–7th cc BC), the name Urtekhini is used for the region. Urartian (also called Vannic, in older literature also "Chaldean" is the conventional name for the language spoken by the inhabitants of the ancient kingdom [4] Ancient Greek sources called the area Orkhistene. The Ancient Greek language is the historical stage in the development of the Hellenic language family spanning the Archaic (c [5]

History

Early history

Main article: History of Nagorno-Karabakh
A Shushavian from a noble family. Picture by V.V. Vereschagin, a Russian traveller to Shusha in 1865.
A Shushavian from a noble family. Ancient history See also Artsakh The region of Nagorno-Karabakh (ancient name Artsakh, Արծախ falls within the lands occupied by Picture by V.V. Vereschagin, a Russian traveller to Shusha in 1865. Vasily Vasilyevich Vereshchagin (Васи́лий Васи́льевич Вереща́гин 1842–1904 was one of the most famous Russian battle painters and one of

Nagorno-Karabakh falls within the lands occupied by peoples known to modern archaeologists as the Kura-Araxes culture, who lived between the two rivers Kura and Araxes. The Kura-Araxes culture or the Early trans-Caucasian culture, was a civilization that existed from 3400 B See Kura for other rivers called Kura Kura ( Turkish: Kura, Azerbaijani: Kür, Georgian: მტკვარი The native population of Karabakh were various tribes of non-Armenian and non-Indo-European origin, mostly speakers of the Caucasian languages. [6] In the beginning of the 2 century B. C. Karabakh became a part of Armenian Kingdom as a of province of Artsakh. The Kingdom of Armenia (or Greater Armenia) was an independent kingdom from 190 BC to AD 387 and a client state of the Roman and Persian empires until For the republic see Artsakh Republic Artsakh (Արցախ was the tenth nahang (province of the Kingdom of Armenia After the partition of Armenia between Byzantium and Persia in 387 A. D. , Artsakh became a part of Caucasian Albania. This region should not be confused with modern-day Albania in south-eastern Europe. [7]

Armenians have lived in the Karabakh region since Roman times. Ancient Rome was a Civilization that grew out of a small agricultural community founded on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 10th century BC In the early Middle Ages, the native Albanian population of upper Karabakh merged into the Armenian population after 1300 Islamic Turks moved into the steppes of lower Karabakh. This region should not be confused with modern-day Albania in south-eastern Europe. For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. The Turkic peoples are Eurasian peoples residing in northern central and western Eurasia who speak languages belonging to the Turkic language family In physical Geography, a steppe ( German, from степь - "a flat and arid land" степ - /stɛp/ тал - tal дала - /dɑlɑ/ pronounced [8]

In the 7th and 8th centuries, the region was ruled by Caliphate-appointed governors. A caliphate (from the Arabic خلافة or khilāfa) is the political leadership of the Muslim community in classical and medieval Islamic history According to ancient and medieval Armenian sources, the Albanian church was founded by Catholicos Grigor--the head of the Armenian Church--in the 4th c. Saint Gregory the Illuminator or Saint Gregory the Enlightener (Գրիգոր Լուսաւորիչ translit AD. It was later fully absorbed by the Armenian Church. [9][10] In the 11th century, the Khachin principality was established in Artsakh. For the republic see Artsakh Republic Artsakh (Արցախ was the tenth nahang (province of the Kingdom of Armenia In the 15th century, the territory of Karabakh was part of the states of Kara Koyunlu and Ak Koyunlu. The Kara Koyunlu or Qara Qoyunlu, also called the Black Sheep Turkomans ( Turkmen: Garagoýunly; Azeri: Qaraqoyunlu The Ak Koyunlu or Aq Qoyunlu, also called the White Sheep Turkomans ( Turkmen: Akgoýunly, Azeri: Ağqoyunlu,

The monastery at Gandzasar was commissioned by the Hasan Jalalyan family and completed in 1240.
The monastery at Gandzasar was commissioned by the Hasan Jalalyan family and completed in 1240. The Gandzasar monastery (Գանձասար is an Armenian Monastery in Nagorno-Karabakh, situated in the Mardakert region near the village of The House of Hasan-Jalalyan (Հասան-Ջալալյաններ was an Armenian Dynasty that ruled the region of Khachen (Greater Artsakh

In the early 16th century, after the fall of the Ak Koyunlu state, control of the region passed to the Safavid dynasty of Persia, which created the Ganja-Karabakh province (beglarbekdom, bəylərbəyliyi). The Safavids ( صفوی) were an Iranian ref>Helen Chapin Metz The Persian Empire was a series of Iranian empires that ruled over the Iranian plateau, the original Persian homeland and beyond in Western Asia Despite these conquests, the population of Upper Karabakh remained largely Armenian. [11] In the 14th century, a local Armenian leadership emerged, consisting of five noble dynasties led by princes, who held the titles of meliks and were referred to as Khamsa (five in Arabic). Мelik (Մելիք prince from Arabic Malik — king) was a hereditary Armenian noble Title, in various Eastern Armenian principalities The Hamsa (خمسة Khamsa, literally "five" חמסה Khamsa) is a symbol used in Amulets Charms and Jewelry to protect Arabic (ar الْعَرَبيّة (informally ar عَرَبيْ) in terms of the number of speakers is the largest living member of the Semitic language Out of those five melikdoms, only the meliks of Khachen were natives to Karabakh, the other four were founded by migrants from other parts of the South Caucasus. [12][13] Initially under the control of the Ganja Khanate of the Persian Empire, the Armenian meliks were granted a wide degree of autonomy by the Safavid Empire over Upper Karabakh. Ganja khanate was a Muslim principality mostly under the dominion of Iran in 1747 - 1805.

The Armenian meliks maintained control over the region until the 18th century. [11] In the early 18th century, Persia's Nader Shah took Karabakh out of control of the Ganja khans in punishment for their support of the Safavids, and placed it under his own control[14][13] At the same time, the Armenian meliks were granted supreme command over neighboring Armenian principalities and Muslim khans in the Caucasus, in return for the meliks' victories over the invading Ottoman Turks in the 1720s. Nāder Shāh Afshār ( also known as Nāder Qoli Beg - نادر قلی بیگ or Tahmāsp Qoli Khān - تهماسپ قلی خان) (November The Safavids ( صفوی) were an Iranian ref>Helen Chapin Metz The Ottoman Empire (1299–1923 ( Old Ottoman Turkish: دولتْ علیّه عثمانیّه Devlet-i Âliye-yi Osmâniyye, Late Ottoman and Modern Turkish The Ottoman Turks were the subdivision of the Ottoman Muslim Millet that dominated the ruling class of the Ottoman Empire. [15] In the mid-18th century, as internal conflicts between the meliks led to their weakening,[11] the Karabakh khanate was formed. The Karabakh khanate was a Turkic Muslim khanate founded in 1747, which remained under a nominal Persian suzerainty but was De facto [16]

Karabakh passed to Imperial Russia by the Kurekchay Treaty, signed between the Khan of Karabakh and Tsar Alexander I of Russia in 1805, and later further formalized by the Russo-Persian Treaty of Gulistan in 1813, before the rest of Transcaucasia was incorporated into the Empire in 1828 by the Treaty of Turkmenchay. The Russian Empire ( Pre-reform Russian: Pоссійская Имперія Modern Russian: Российская Империя translit: Rossiyskaya The Treaty of Kurekchay of May 14, 1805, was a territorial accession treaty signed directly between Tsar Alexander I of Russia and Ibrahim Alexander I of Russia ( Russian: Александр I Павлович / Aleksandr I Pavlovich (23 December 1777 – November 19 1825 served as Emperor of The Treaty of Gulistan (Гюлистанский договор Persian: عهدنامه گلستان was a Peace treaty concluded between Imperial Russia The South Caucasus is a mountainous geopolitical area of south-central Eurasia, also referred to as Transcaucasia, or The Transcaucasus. The Treaty of Turkmenchay (Туркманчайский договор Persian: عهدنامه ترکمنچای was a treaty negotiated in Turkmenchay by which In 1822, the Karabakh khanate was dissolved, and the area became part of the Elisabethpol Governorate within the Russian Empire. Elisabethpol Governorate or Elizavetpol Governorate (Елизаветпольская губерния in pre-1918 Russian spellingЕлисаветпольская губернiя The Russian Empire ( Pre-reform Russian: Pоссійская Имперія Modern Russian: Российская Империя translit: Rossiyskaya After the transfer of the Karabakh khanate to Russia, many Muslim families emigrated to Persia, while many Armenians were induced by the Russian government to emigrate from Persia to Karabakh. [17]

Soviet era

A view of Stepanakert's Soviet-era apartments from the Nairi Hotel.
A view of Stepanakert's Soviet-era apartments from the Nairi Hotel.

The present-day conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh has its roots in the decisions made by Joseph Stalin and the Caucasian Bureau (Kavburo) during the Sovietization of Transcaucasia. Joseph Stalin ( ნამდვილი გვარი ჯუღაშვილი|Iosif Vissarionovich Dzhugashvili; March 5 1953 was General Secretary of the Communist Party Sovietization is term that may be used with two distinct (but related meanings the adoption of a political system based on the model of soviets (workers' councils The South Caucasus is a mountainous geopolitical area of south-central Eurasia, also referred to as Transcaucasia, or The Transcaucasus. Stalin was the acting Commissar of Nationalities for the Soviet Union during the early 1920s, the branch of the government which the Kavburo was created under. Narkomnats was the Soviet People's Commissariat of Nationalities. After the Russian Revolution of 1917, Karabakh became part of the Transcaucasian Democratic Federative Republic, but this soon dissolved into separate Armenian, Azerbaijani, and Georgian states. See also Russian Revolution (1905 The Russian Revolution of 1916 refers to a series of popular revolutions in Russia, and the events surrounding them The Transcaucasian Democratic Federative Republic (TDFR Закавказская демократическая Федеративная Республика (ЗКДФР Zakavkazskaya Armenia (Հայաստան transliterated: Hayastan,) officially the Republic of Armenia (Հայաստանի Հանրապետություն Hayastani Azerbaijan ( English; Azərbaycan officially the Republic of Azerbaijan (Azərbaycan Respublikası is the largest and most populous country in the South Georgia ( საქართველო, Sakartvelo) is a Transcontinental country in the Caucasus region situated at the dividing line between Over the next two years (1918-1920), there were a series of short wars between Armenian and Azerbaijan over several regions, including Karabakh. In July 1918, the First Armenian Assembly of Nagorno-Karabakh declared the region self-governing and created a National Council and government. [18] Later, Ottoman troops entered Karabakh, meeting armed resistance by Armenians.

After the defeat of Ottoman empire in World War I, British troops occupied Karabakh. The Ottoman Empire (1299–1923 ( Old Ottoman Turkish: دولتْ علیّه عثمانیّه Devlet-i Âliye-yi Osmâniyye, Late Ottoman and Modern Turkish World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located [11] The British command provisionally affirmed Khosrov bey Sultanov (appointed by the Azerbaijani government) as the governor-general of Karabakh and Zangezur, pending final decision by the Paris Peace Conference. [19] The decision was opposed by Karabakh Armenians. In February 1920, the Karabakh National Council preliminarily agreed to Azerbaijani jurisdiction, while Armenians elsewhere in Karabakh continued guerrilla fighting, never accepting the agreement. [20][11] The agreement itself was soon annulled by the Ninth Karabagh Assembly, which declared union with Armenia in April. [21][22][11]

In April 1920, while the Azerbaijani army was locked in Karabakh fighting local Armenian forces, Azerbaijan was taken over by Bolsheviks. The Bolsheviks, originally also Bolshevists ( Большевик Большевист (singular, derived from bolshe, "more" were a faction [11] Subsequently, the disputed areas of Karabakh, Zangezur, and Nakhchivan came under the control of Armenia. The Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic (Naxçıvan Muxtar Respublikası Նախիջևանի Ինքնավար Հանրապետություն Нахичеванская Автономная During July and August, however, the Red Army occupied Karabakh, Zangezur, and part of Nakhchivan. The Red Army ( Russian: Рабоче-Крестьянская Красная Армия R aboche- K rest'yanskaya K rasnaya A rmiya On August 10, 1920, Armenia signed a preliminary agreement with the Bolsheviks, agreeing to a temporary Bolshevik occupation of these areas until final settlement would be reached. Events 612 BC - Killing of Sinsharishkun, King of Assyrian Empire Year 1920 ( MCMXX) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display 1920 of the Gregorian calendar [23] In 1921, Armenia and Georgia were also taken over by the Bolsheviks who, in order to attract public support, promised they would allot Karabakh to Armenia, along with Nakhchivan and Zangezur (the strip of land separating Nakhchivan from Azerbaijan proper). The Bolsheviks, originally also Bolshevists ( Большевик Большевист (singular, derived from bolshe, "more" were a faction The Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic (Naxçıvan Muxtar Respublikası Նախիջևանի Ինքնավար Հանրապետություն Нахичеванская Автономная However, the Soviet Union also had far-reaching plans concerning Turkey, hoping that it would, with a little help from them, develop along Communist lines. Turkey (Türkiye known officially as the Republic of Turkey ( is a Eurasian Country that stretches Communism is a Socioeconomic structure that promotes the establishment of an egalitarian, classless, stateless Society based Needing to placate Turkey, the Soviet Union agreed to a division under which Zangezur would fall under the control of Armenia, while Karabakh and Nakhchivan would be under the control of Azerbaijan. Had Turkey not been an issue, Stalin would likely have left Karabakh under Armenian control. [24] As a result, the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast was established within the Azerbaijan SSR on July 7, 1923. The Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast was an autonomous oblast of the Soviet Union created in the Azerbaijan SSR in 1923 This article is about the former Soviet republic for other similar uses see Azerbaijan (disambiguation. Events 1456 - A retrial verdict acquits Joan of Arc of heresy 25 years after her death Year 1923 ( MCMXXIII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

With the Soviet Union firmly in control of the region, the conflict over the region died down for several decades. With the beginning of the dissolution of the Soviet Union in the late 1980s and early 1990s, the question of Nagorno-Karabakh re-emerged. Accusing the Azerbaijani SSR government of conducting forced azerification of the region, the majority Armenian population, with ideological and material support from the Armenian SSR, started a movement to have the autonomous oblast transferred to the Armenian SSR. The Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic (Հայկական ՍովետականՍոցիալիստական Հանրապետություն Haykakan Sovetakan Sotsialistakan Hanrapetutyun

War and independence

Main article: Nagorno-Karabakh War
A restored Armenian T-72, knocked out of commission while attacking Azeri positions in Askeran, serves as a war memorial on the outskirts of Stepanakert.
A restored Armenian T-72, knocked out of commission while attacking Azeri positions in Askeran, serves as a war memorial on the outskirts of Stepanakert. The Nagorno-Karabakh War refers to the armed conflict that took place from February 1988 to May 1994, in the small ethnic Enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh The T-72 is a Soviet -designed Main battle tank that entered production in 1971 For the village see Əsgəran. Askeran (Ասկերան is one of the eight provinces of the unrecognised Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR

On February 20, 1988, Armenian deputies to the National Council of Nagorno-Karabakh voted to unify the region with the Armenian SSR. Events 1472 - Orkney and Shetland are left by Norway to Scotland, due to a Dowry payment Year 1988 ( MCMLXXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link displays 1988 Gregorian calendar) On February 22, 1988, the first direct confrontation of the conflict occurred as a large group of Azeris marched from Agdam against the Armenian populated town of Askeran, "wreaking destruction en route. Events 1495 - King Charles VIII of France enters Naples to claim the city's throne Year 1988 ( MCMLXXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link displays 1988 Gregorian calendar) For the village see Əsgəran. Askeran (Ասկերան is one of the eight provinces of the unrecognised Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR " The confrontation between the Azeris and the police near Askeran degenerated into the Askeran clash, which left two Azeris dead, one of them reportedly killed by an Azeri police officer, as well as 50 Armenian villagers, and an unknown number of Azerbaijanis and police, injured[25][26]. For the village see Əsgəran. Askeran (Ասկերան is one of the eight provinces of the unrecognised Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR The Askeran clash (February 22-23 1988 was one of the starting points of Armenian - Azerbaijani conflict resulting in Nagorno-Karabakh War. Large numbers of refugees left Armenia and Azerbaijan as violence began against the minority populations of the respective countries. [27] In the fall of 1989, intensified inter-ethnic conflict in and around Nagorno-Karabakh led the Soviet Union to grant Azerbaijani authorities greater leeway in controlling the region. The Soviet policy backfired, however, when a joint session of the Armenian Supreme Soviet and the National Council, the legislative body of Nagorno-Karabakh, proclaimed the unification of Nagorno-Karabakh with Armenia. The Supreme Soviet of the USSR (Верхо́вный Сове́т СССР Verkhóvnyj Sovét SSSR) was the highest legislative body in the Soviet Union in

A sign reading "Free Artsakh Welcomes You" on the main road leading to Stepanakert.
A sign reading "Free Artsakh Welcomes You" on the main road leading to Stepanakert.

On December 10, 1991 in a referendum boycotted by local Azerbaijanis,[26] Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh approved the creation of an independent state. Events 1041 - Empress Zoe of Byzantium elevates her adoptive son to the throne of the Eastern Roman Empire as Michael V Year 1991 ( MCMXCI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar. A Soviet proposal for enhanced autonomy for Nagorno-Karabakh within Azerbaijan satisfied neither side, and a full-scale war subsequently erupted between Azerbaijan and Nagorno-Karabakh, the latter receiving support from Armenia. The Nagorno-Karabakh War refers to the armed conflict that took place from February 1988 to May 1994, in the small ethnic Enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh [28][29][30][31].

The struggle over Nagorno-Karabakh escalated after both Armenia and Azerbaijan attained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. In the post-Soviet power vacuum, military action between Azerbaijan and Armenia was heavily influenced by the Russian military. A power vacuum is an expression for a political situation that can occur when a Government has no identifiable central Authority. The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation (UTC (Вооружённые Си́лы Росси́йской Федера́ции Transliteration Vooruzhyónniye Síly Rossíyskoy Federátsii Furthermore, both the Armenian and Azerbajani military employed a large number of mercenaries from Ukraine and Russia. Ukraine (Україна Ukrayina, /ukrɑˈjinɑ/ is a country in Eastern Europe. Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending [32] As many as one thousand Afghan mujahideen participated in the fighting on Azerbaijan's side. Afghanistan /æfˈgænɪstæn/ officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan ( Pashto: د افغانستان اسلامي جمهوریت, A Mujahid (Arabic ar مجاهد, literally "struggler" is a Muslim involved in a Jihad, id est fighting in a war or [26] There were also fighters from Chechnya fighting on the side of Azerbaijan. The Chechen Republic (ˈʧɛʧɨn rɪˈpʌblɨk Чече́нская Респу́блика Chechenskaya Respublika; Нохчийн Республика Noxçiyn Respublika [26]. Many survivors from Azerbaijani side found shelters in 12 emergency camps set up in other parts of Azerbaijan to cope with the growing number of internally displaced people due to Nagorno-Karabakh war. [33].

By the end of 1993, the conflict had caused thousands of casualties and created hundreds of thousands of refugees on both sides. By May 1994, the Armenians were in control of 14% of the territory of Azerbaijan. At that stage, the Azerbaijani government for the first time during the conflict recognised Nagorno-Karabakh as a third party in the war, and started direct negotiations with the Karabakh authorities. As a result, an unofficial cease-fire was reached on May 12, 1994 through Russian negotiation, and continues today. Events 1191 - Richard I of England marries Berengaria of Navarre. Year 1994 ( MCMXCIV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full 1994 Gregorian calendar)

Armenians feared that in Karabakh, Armenians would one day be a minority as they were in Nakhichevan, another lost part of historic Armenia . . . yet now part of Azerbaijan. [34]

Geography

A view of the forested mountains of Nagorno-Karabakh.
A view of the forested mountains of Nagorno-Karabakh.

Nagorno-Karabakh has a total area of 4,400 square kilometers (1,699 sq mi) and is an enclave surrounded entirely by Azerbaijan; its nearest point to Armenia is across the Lachin corridor, roughly 4 kilometers across. The Lachin corridor is a mountain pass within de-jure borders of Azerbaijan, it is the shortest route which connects Armenia with Nagorno-Karabakh Republic [35] In 1989, it had a population of 192,000. [36] The population at that time was 76% Armenian and 23% Azerbaijanis, with Russian and Kurdish minorities. The Azerbaijanis are an Ethnic group mainly in the Republic of Azerbaijan and northwestern Iran. Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending [36] The capital is Stepanakert (known in Azerbaijan as Xankəndi, Khankendi). Its other major city, today lying partially in ruins, is Shushi (known in Azerbaijan as Shusha).

The village of Vank as seen from the Gandzasar monastery.
The village of Vank as seen from the Gandzasar monastery. The Gandzasar monastery (Գանձասար is an Armenian Monastery in Nagorno-Karabakh, situated in the Mardakert region near the village of

The borders of Nagorno-Karabakh resemble a kidney bean with the indentation on the east side. It has tall mountain ridges along the northern edge and along the west and a mountainous south. The part near the indentation of the kidney bean itself is a relatively flat valley, with the two edges of the bean, the provinces of Martakert and Martuni, having flat lands as well. Mardakert (Մարտակերտ Мардакерт also known as Ağdərə is a province of the De facto independent Nagorno-Karabakh Republic For the capital of this province see Martuni (town; for the town in Gegharkunik province Armenia see Martuni Armenia; for the village in Shamkir Rayon Other flatter valleys exist around the Sarsang reservoir, Hadrut, and the south. The Sarsang reservoir is a large Lake in Nagorno-Karabakh formed by a hydroelectric dam Hadrut (Հադրութ in Armenian, Hadrut is a provinces of Nagorno-Karabakh Republic. Much of Nagorno-Karabakh is forested, especially the mountains. A forest is an area with a high density of Trees There are many definitions of a forest based on various criteria [37]

The territory of modern Nagorno-Karabakh forms a portion of the historic region of Karabakh, which lies between the rivers Kura and Araxes, and the modern Armenia-Azerbaijan border. Karabakh (Qarabağ Ղարաբաղ is a geographic and historic region in western Azerbaijan and southern Armenia, extending from the highlands of the Lesser See Kura for other rivers called Kura Kura ( Turkish: Kura, Azerbaijani: Kür, Georgian: მტკვარი In the ancient and medieval times, this larger region consisted of the historic provinces of Artsakh and Utik, which at various times alternated between the kingdoms of Armenia and Caucasian Albania. For the republic see Artsakh Republic Artsakh (Արցախ was the tenth nahang (province of the Kingdom of Armenia Utik (Ուտիք also known as Uti, Utiq, or Outi, or Otena in Latin sources was a historic province of the Kingdom of Armenia and The Kingdom of Armenia (or Greater Armenia) was an independent kingdom from 190 BC to AD 387 and a client state of the Roman and Persian empires until This region should not be confused with modern-day Albania in south-eastern Europe. Beginning with the 13th and 14th centuries, the Artsakh-Utik area received the name Karabakh. The eastern portion of Karabakh (roughly corresponding to Utik) lies on a lower and flatter surface, and has traditionally been called Lower Karabakh, while the western, mountainous portion (roughly corresponding to Artsakh) has been referred to as Mountainous, Upper, or High Karabakh. Nagorno-Karabakh in its modern borders is part of the larger region of Upper Karabakh.

Demographics

"The Soviet Union created the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Region within Azerbaijan in 1924, when over 94 percent of the region's population was Armenian. (The term Nagorno-Karabakh originates from the Russian for "mountainous Karabakh. ") As the Azerbaijani population grew, the Karabakh Armenians chafed under discriminatory rule, and by 1960 hostilities had begun between the two populations of the region. "

—Azerbaijan, A Country Study. ISBN 141910862X, [US Library of Congress Federal Research Division]

Nearing the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1989, the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast boasted a population of 145,593 Armenians (76. The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991 4%), 42,871 Azerbaijanis (22. 4%),[32] and several thousand Kurds, Russians, Greeks, and Assyrians. The Russian people (Русские— Russkie) are an East Slavic Ethnic group, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries The Greeks ( Greek: Έλληνες) are a Nation and Ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighbouring regions The Assyrians are an Ethnic group whose origins lie in what is today Iraq, Iran, Turkey and Syria. Most of the Azerbaijani and Kurdish populations fled the region during the heaviest years of fighting in the war from 1992 to 1993. The main language spoken in Nagorno-Karabakh is Armenian; however, Karabakh Armenians speak a dialect of Armenian which is considerably different from that which is spoken in Armenia as it is layered with Russian, Turkish and Persian words. The Armenian language (hy հայերեն լեզու hajɛɹɛn lɛzu —, conventional short form) is an Indo-European language spoken by the Armenian Russian ( transliteration:,) is the most geographically widespread language of Eurasia, the most widely spoken of the Slavic languages Turkish ( tr Türkçe IPA) is a language spoken by over 63 million people worldwide making it the most commonly spoken of the Turkic languages. [26]

In 2001, the NKR's reported population was 95% Armenian, with the remaining total including Assyrians, Greeks, and Kurds. [38] In March 2007, the local government announced that its population had grown to 138,000. The annual birth rate was recorded at 2,200-2,300 per year, an increase from nearly 1,500 in 1999. Until 2000, the country's net migration was at a negative. [39] For the first half of 2007, 1,010 births and 659 deaths were reported, with a net emigration of 27. [40]

Most of the Armenian population is Christian and belongs to the Armenian Apostolic Church. Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings The Armenian Apostolic Church (Հայաստանեայց Առաքելական Եկեղեցի Hayasdaneaytz Arakelagan Certain Orthodox Christian and Evangelical Christian denominations also exist; other religions include Judaism. The term Orthodox Christianity may refer to The Eastern Orthodox Church: the Eastern Christian churches of Byzantine Evangelicalism is a theological movement tradition and system of beliefs most closely associated with Protestant Christianity, which identifies with the Gospel Judaism (from the Greek Ioudaïsmos, derived from the Hebrew יהודה Yehudah, " Judah " in Hebrew יַהֲדוּת Yahedut [38]

See also

References

  1. ^ CIA official site
  2. ^ The BBC World News. For the republic see Artsakh Republic Artsakh (Արցախ was the tenth nahang (province of the Kingdom of Armenia Asta Karabagi, or "slow Karabagi" is a kind of dance created in Karabag. Bāgh, which usually translates to "garden" is in fact a more general concept Janapar is the wandering marked trail through mountains valleys and villages of Nagorno-Karabakh, with monasteries and fortresses along the way The region of Nagorno-Karabakh is considered to be one of the most heavily mined regions of the former Soviet Union. BBC News — Regions and territories: Nagorno-Karabakh. BBC News. Last updated October 3, 2007. Events 42 BC - First Battle of Philippi: Triumvirs Mark Antony and Octavian fight an indecisive battle with Caesar's Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Retrieved November 21, 2007. Events 164 BC - Judas Maccabaeus, son of Mattathias of the Hasmonean family restores the Temple in Jerusalem. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century.
  3. ^ a b (Armenian) Ulubabyan, Bagrat. Karabagh (Ղարաբաղ). The Soviet Armenian Encyclopedia, vol. The Armenian Encyclopedia (AE Publishing house was initiated in 1967 as the as a department of the Institute of History of the National Academy of Sciences under vii, Yerevan, Armenian SSR, 1981 p. 26
  4. ^ PanArmenian Network. Artsakh: From Ancient Time to 1918. PanArmenian. net. June 9, 2003. Events 53 - Roman Emperor Nero marries Claudia Octavia 62 - Claudia Octavia commits Year 2003 ( MMIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. Retrieved November 21, 2007. Events 164 BC - Judas Maccabaeus, son of Mattathias of the Hasmonean family restores the Temple in Jerusalem. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century.
  5. ^ Strabo (ed. Strabo ( Greek: Στράβων 63/64 BC – ca AD 24 was a Greek historian, geographer and philosopher. H. C. Hamilton, Esq. , W. Falconer, M. A. ) . Geography. The Perseus Digital Library. 11. 14. 4. Retrieved November 21, 2007. Events 164 BC - Judas Maccabaeus, son of Mattathias of the Hasmonean family restores the Temple in Jerusalem. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century.
  6. ^ Hewsen, Robert H. , Ethno-History and the Armenian Influence upon the Caucasian Albanians, in: Samuelian, Thomas J. (Hg. ), Classical Armenian Culture. Influences and Creativity, Chico: 1982, 27-40.
  7. ^ Istorija Vostoka. V 6 t. T. 2, Vostok v srednije veka Moskva, «Vostochnaya Literatura», 2002. ISBN: 5-02-017711-3
  8. ^ Rutland, Peter. "Democracy and Nationalism in Armenia". Europe-Asia Studies 46:841
  9. ^ (Russian) Movses Kaghankatvatsi. Movses Kaghankatvatsi (Մովսես Կաղանկատվացի also referred to as Movses Daskhurantsi (Մովսես Դասխուրանցի was the indigenous Armenian History of Albania. Institute of Ancient Manuscripts (Matenadaran). The Matenadaran or Mashtots Institute of Ancient Manuscripts in Yerevan Armenia, is one of the richest depositories of Manuscripts and Yerevan, Armenian SSR 1984, 1. 9. Retrieved November 21, 2007. Events 164 BC - Judas Maccabaeus, son of Mattathias of the Hasmonean family restores the Temple in Jerusalem. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century.
  10. ^ Tchilingirian, Hratch. "Nagorno Karabagh: Transition and the Elite. " Central Asian Survey. 18:4, winter 1999.
  11. ^ a b c d e f g Cornell, Svante E. The Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict. Uppsala: Department of East European Studies, April 1999.
  12. ^ (Russian) Raffi. Melikdoms of Khamsa
  13. ^ a b (Russian) Mirza Adigezal bey. Karabakh-name, p. 48
  14. ^ (Russian) Abbas-gulu Aga Bakikhanov. Golestan-i Iram; according to a 18th c. local Turkic-Muslim writer Mirza Adigezal bey, Nadir shah placed Karabakh under his own control, while a 19th c. local Turkic Muslim writer Abbas-gulu Aga Bakikhanov states that the shah placed Karabakh under the control of the governor of Tabriz.
  15. ^ Walker, Christopher J. Armenia: Survival of a Nation. London: Routledge, 1990 p. 40 ISBN 0-415-04684-X
  16. ^ azer.org - For the Resolution of the Karabakh Conflict
  17. ^ The penny cyclopædia of the Society for the diffusion of useful knowledge. 1833. «Georgia».
  18. ^ http://www.nesl.edu/center/pubs/nagorno.pdf The Nagorno-Karabagh Crisis: A Blueprint for Resolution, New England Center for International Law & Policy
  19. ^ Circular by colonel D. I. Shuttleworth of the British Command
  20. ^ http://www.nesl.edu/center/pubs/nagorno.pdf The Nagorno-Karabagh Crisis: A Blueprint for Resolution, New England Center for International Law & Policy
  21. ^ http://www.nesl.edu/center/pubs/nagorno.pdf The Nagorno-Karabagh Crisis: A Blueprint for Resolution, New England Center for International Law & Policy
  22. ^ Conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh, Abkhazia, and South Ossetia: A Legal Appraisal by Tim Potier. ISBN 90-411-1477-7
  23. ^ Walker. The Survival of a Nation. pp. 285-290
  24. ^ Service, Robert. Robert Service may refer to Robert W Service (1874–1958 poet Robert Service (historian, (born 1947 a British historian Stalin: A Biography. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 2006 p. 204 ISBN 0-6740-2258-0
  25. ^ Elizabeth Fuller, "Nagorno-Karabakh: The Death and Casualty Toll to Date," RL 531/88, Dec. 14, 1988, pp. 1–2
  26. ^ a b c d e de Waal, Thomas (2003). Thomas de Waal is a British journalist writer and an expert on the Caucasus. Black Garden: Armenia and Azerbaijan Through Peace and War. New York: New York University Press. New York University Press (or NYU Press) founded in 1916 is a University press that is part of New York University. ISBN 0-8147-1945-7.  
  27. ^ Lieberman, Benjamin (2006). Terrible Fate: Ethnic Cleansing in the Making of Modern Europe. Chicago: Ivan R. Dee, 284–292. ISBN 1-5666-3646-9.  
  28. ^ Human Rights Watch. Human Rights Watch is a United States -based international Non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on Human rights. Playing the "Communal Card". Communal Violence and Human Rights. ("By early 1992 full-scale fighting broke out between Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians and Azerbaijani authorities. ") / (". . . Karabakh Armenian forces -often with the support of forces from the Republic of Armenia- conducted large-scale operations. . . ") / ("Because 1993 witnessed unrelenting Karabakh Armenian offensives against the Azerbaijani provinces surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh. . . ") / ("Since late 1993, the conflict has also clearly become internationalized: in addition to Azerbaijani and Karabakh Armenian forces, troops from the Republic of Armenia participate on the Karabakh side in fighting inside Azerbaijan and in Nagorno-Karabakh. ")
  29. ^ Human Rights Watch. Human Rights Watch is a United States -based international Non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on Human rights. The former Soviet Union. Human Rights Developments. ("In 1992 the conflict grew far more lethal as both sides -the Azerbaijani National Army and free-lance militias fighting along with it, and ethnic Armenians and mercenaries fighting in the Popular Liberation Army of Artsakh- began. . . ")
  30. ^ United States Institute of Peace. The United States Institute of Peace or USIP, established in 1984, is an independent nonpartisan national institution established and funded by the United States Nagorno-Karabakh Searching for a Solution. Foreword. ("Nagorno-Karabakh’s armed forces have not only fortified their region, but have also occupied a large swath of surrounding Azeri territory in the hopes of linking the enclave to Armenia. ")
  31. ^ United States Institute of Peace. The United States Institute of Peace or USIP, established in 1984, is an independent nonpartisan national institution established and funded by the United States Sovereignty after Empire. Self-Determination Movements in the Former Soviet Union. Hopes and Disappointments: Case Studies. ("Meanwhile, the conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh was gradually transforming into a full-scale war between Azeri and Karabakh irregulars, the latter receiving support from Armenia. ") / ("Azerbaijan's objective advantage in terms of human and economic potential has so far been offset by the superior fighting skills and discipline of Nagorno-Karabakh's forces. After a series of offensives, retreats, and counteroffensives, Nagorno-Karabakh now controls a sizable portion of Azerbaijan proper (. . . ), including the Lachin corridor. ")
  32. ^ a b Human Rights Watch. "Seven Years of Conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh". December 1994, p. xiii, ISBN 1-56432-142-8, citing: Natsional'nyi Sostav Naseleniya SSSR, po dannym Vsesoyuznyi Perepisi Naseleniya 1989 g. , Moskva, "Finansy i Statistika"
  33. ^ UNHCR-Azerbaijan closes last of emergency camps
  34. ^ Kaplan, Robert D. Robert D Kaplan (born 1953 is an American Journalist, currently an editor for the Atlantic Monthly. Eastward to Tartary: Travels in the Balkans, the Middle East, and the Caucasus. New York: Vintage, 2001 p. 324 ISBN 0-3757-0576-7
  35. ^ Country Overview
  36. ^ a b Miller, Donald E. and Lorna Touryan Miller. Armenia: Portraits of Survival and Hope. Berkley: University of California Press, 2003 p. University of California Press, also known as UC Press, is a Publishing house associated with the University of California that engages in Academic 7 ISBN 0-5202-3492-8
  37. ^ Searle-White, Joshua. The Psychology of Nationalism. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2001 p. 33 ISBN 0-3122-3369-8
  38. ^ a b Ethnic composition of the region as provided by the government
  39. ^ Regnum News Agency. Nagorno Karabakh prime minister: We need to have at least 300,000 population. Regnum. March 9, 2007. Events 590 - Bahram Chobin is crowned as king Barham VI of Persia. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Retrieved March 9, 2007. Events 590 - Bahram Chobin is crowned as king Barham VI of Persia. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century.
  40. ^ Евразийская панорама

External links

Non-partisan sources

Armenian perspective

Azerbaijani perspective


The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE which held its first session in Strasbourg on 10 August 1949, can be considered the The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE which held its first session in Strasbourg on 10 August 1949, can be considered the The United States Institute of Peace or USIP, established in 1984, is an independent nonpartisan national institution established and funded by the United States Galina Vasilyevna Starovoitova (Галина Васильевна Старовойтова ( 17 May 1946, Chelyabinsk - November 20, 1998 The United States Institute of Peace or USIP, established in 1984, is an independent nonpartisan national institution established and funded by the United States

Dictionary

Nagorno-Karabakh

-proper noun

  1. A de facto independent Armenian republic in the South Caucasus, fully named Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, with capital city Stepanakert. De jure a breakaway region of Azerbaijan.
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