Agdam (Rayon)

Location of the Ağdam Rayon in Azerbaijan or the Askeran Province in the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (de facto)

Ağdam is a rayon in western Azerbaijan with the capital of the same name, Ağdam . The rayon borders Nagorno-Karabakh and is largely under the control of the internationally unrecognized Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh .

geography

The relief is mainly flat, mountainous in some places. The district is located in the northeastern part of the Lesser Caucasus and covers 1094 km². The mean height above sea level is 410 meters, the highest point is 1365 meters above sea level. The climate is mainly warm-temperate, dry and subtropical. The mean annual rainfall is 300–550 millimeters. The Gargar and Khachin rivers flow within the district.

history

The district was created in 1930 and had about 164,100 inhabitants in 1993 . In 1988 the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict began in Agdam. Azerbaijani refugees from Nagorno-Karabakh arrived in Agdam in the last months of 1988 . The Armenian Army assault on the district began on May 11, 1993. On July 23, 1993, the city of Agdam was captured and destroyed. By May 12, 1994 , the Nagorno-Karabakh armed forces had captured 846.7 km², about 80% of the area. The city's population fled east to other regions of Azerbaijan. The Armenian military is stationed in several camps in the region .

According to Azerbaijani data, the district had 174,600 inhabitants in 2009.

economy

The region is dominated by agriculture. Wheat, cotton and wine are grown and silkworms and cattle are raised. There is also a food industry that processes the goods produced there.