Nagorno-Karabakh: Difference between revisions
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#redirect [[Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh]] |
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'''Nagorno-Karabakh''' ([[Azerbaijani language|Azerbaijani]]: '''Dağlıq Qarabağ''' or '''Yuxarı Qarabağ''', literally "mountainous black garden" or "upper black garden"; [[Russian language|Russian]]: '''Нагорный Карабах''', [[Transliteration of Russian into English|translit.]] '''Nagornyy Karabakh'''; [[Armenian language|Armenian]]: '''Լեռնային Ղարաբաղ''', [[Transliteration|translit.]] '''Lernayin Gharabagh'''), referred to by [[Armenian (people)|Armenians]] as '''Artsakh''' ([[Armenian language|Armenian]]: '''Արցախ'''), is a region of [[Azerbaijan]], in southern [[Caucasia]], located about 270 km (about 170 mi) west of the Azerbaijani capital of [[Baku]]. The region is now predominantly ethnic Armenian and effectively under Armenian control. The local Armenian separatists declared independence from Azerbaijan on [[December 10]], [[1991]] and established '''Nagorno-Karabakh Republic''' (NKR). The NKR's [[Sovereignty|sovereign]] status is not recognized by any country in the world. |
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|+<big>'''Լեռնային Ղարաբաղի Հանրապետություն<br>(Lernayin Gharabaghi Hanrapetut’yun)'''</big> |
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| style="background:#ffffff;" align="center" colspan=2 | |
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{| border=0 cellpadding=2 cellspacing=0 |
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| align=center width=148 | [[Image:NKR Flag.png|125px|Flag of the NKR]] |
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| align=center width=148 | [[Image:NKR Coat of Arms.gif|125px|The NKR Coat of Arms]] |
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|- |
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| align=center width=148 | ''[[Flag of Nagorno-Karabakh Republic|Flag of the NKR]]'' |
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| align=center width=148 | ''[[The NKR Coat of Arms]]'' |
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|} |
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| align=center colspan=2 | [[Image:Az-qa-kaart-en.PNG|280px|Map of the region]] |
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| align=center colspan=2 | ''Map of the region. ''<small>(Orange area indicates Armenian-controlled territory)</small> |
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| '''[[Political status]]''' |
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| Unrecognized |
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|- |
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| '''[[Languages]]''' |
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| Hayeren / [[Armenian language|Armenian]] |
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|- |
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| '''[[Capital]]''' |
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| [[Stepanakert]] / Xankəndi'' |
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|- |
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| '''[[President]]''' |
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| [[Arkadi Gukasian]] |
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|- |
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| '''[[Independence]]'''<br/> – Declared<br/> – Celebrated<sup>1</sup><br/> – Recognition |
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| From [[Azerbaijan]]<br/> [[December 10]], [[1991]]<br/> [[September 2]], [[1991]]<br/> none |
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|- |
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| '''[[Area]]''' |
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| [[1 E9 m²|4,400 km²]] |
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|- |
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| '''[[Population]]'''<sup>2</sup><br>Ethnic Composition<sup>3</sup><br> |
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| 145,000 ([[2002]] est.)<br>Over 95% Armenian<br>5% minorities |
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| '''[[Currency]]''' |
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| [[Dram (currency)|Dram <small>(AMD)</small>]] (Armenian) |
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|- |
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| '''[[Time zone]]''' |
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| [[Coordinated Universal Time|UTC]] +4 ([[Daylight Saving Time|DST +5]]) |
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|- |
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| '''[[Top-level domain|Internet TLD]]''' |
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| none |
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|- |
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| '''[[List of country calling codes|Calling Code]]''' |
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| 374 ??? |
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| colspan=2 | <sup>1,2,3</sup> [http://www.nkrusa.org/ nkrusa.org] |
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The region's area is 4,400 km², and as of [[1990]] it had a population of 192,000. The population at that time was mainly Armenian (76%) and [[Azeris|Azeri]] (23%), with [[Russia]]n and [[Kurds|Kurdish]] minorities. The capital is called ''[[Stepanakert]]'' (''Xankəndi'' in Azeri). The other major city is [[Shusha]], which today lie in ruins. |
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Nagorno-Karabakh comprises one of the historical parts of [[Alwania]], or Caucasian Albania. In ancient times the region was called [[Artzakh]]. In [[95 BC]] it was conquered by [[Tigranes II]], ruler of the [[Kingdom of Armenia]]. In the early [[4th century]] AD Alwanians managed to regain Artsakh, and eventually in [[387]] AD it became a part of Alwania again. In the [[5th century]] [[Christianity]] become the official religion in Alwania. |
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In the [[7th century|7th]] and [[8th century|8th centuries]], the region was invaded by [[Arabs]], who pillaged it and converted a portion of the population to [[Islam]]. Under Arabs Alwanian church was subordinated to the [[Armenian Church]], which prompted rapid Gregorianization of the local population. Since the [[8th century]] Alwania diminished in size and came to exist only as a principality of [[Khachen]] in Artsakh. |
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In the early [[17th century]], control of the district passed to [[Persia]], which allowed local [[autonomy]]; and in the mid-[[18th century]] the Karabakh khanate was formed. Karabakh passed to the [[Imperial Russia]] by the [[Treaty of Gulistan]] in [[1813]], before the rest of Russia-controlled Armenian territories, which were incorporated into the Empire in [[1828]]. In [[1822]], the Karabakh khanate was dissolved and the area became part of a Russian province which later formed Azerbaijan. |
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After the [[Russian Revolution]] in [[1917]], Karabakh became part of the [[Transcaucasian Federation]], which soon dissolved into separate [[Armenia|Armenian]], [[Azerbaijan|Azeri]] and [[Georgia (country)|Georgian]] states. Azerbaijan claimed sovereignty over the province and sought to conquer it with help from the [[Young Turks]]. Despite the fact that Turkey was defeated in the course of [[World War I]], Karabakh was subdued by Azerbaijan, with approval from the [[Allies#World_War_I|Allies]] interested in the [[oil]]fields nearby Azerbaijan's capital, [[Baku]]. |
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In [[1920]], [[Transcaucasia]] was taken over by the [[bolsheviks]] who made promises they would return Karabakh to Armenia. Needing to appease [[Turkey]], however, [[Soviet Union|Moscow]] never kept this promise. The young Turkish republic was one of the first countries to establish diplomatic relations with Soviet Russia and Moscow hoped Turkey would, with a little help from Russia, develop along [[Communist]] lines. As a result, the [[Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Region]] was established as a state within the [[Azerbaijan SSR]] in [[1923]] on most of the territory and the rest was directly incorporated into Azerbaijan. |
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{| border=1 align=left cellpadding=4 cellspacing=0 style="margin-top:0.5em; margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:0.5em; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaaaaa solid; border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 95%;" |
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| align="center" | [[Image:Karabakh ethnic map.png|style="margin: 0em;"|Current ethnic settlement pattern]] |
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| align="center" | ''Ethnic groups of the region in [[1995]]:'' <small>([http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/commonwealth/ethnocaucasus.jpg See entire map])</small> |
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With the fall of the [[Soviet Union|USSR]] in the early 1990s, the question of Nagorno-Karabakh reemerged. Complaining about "forced Azerification" of the region, the majority Armenian population started a movement to transfer it to [[Armenia]]. In November [[1991]], seeking to squelch this movement, the Parliament of Azerbaijan abolished the autonomous status of the region. In response the Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians held a [[December 10]], [[1991]] referendum in which the overwhelming majority of the population voted for outright independence. The Azeri community of Nagorno-Karabakh boycotted this referendum. |
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These events led to violent actions against Armenians living in [[Sumgait]], [[Baku]] and elsewhere in Azerbaijan and Azerbaijanis living in Armenia. As a result, a vast majority of Azerbaijanis in Armenia and Armenians in Azerbaijan (except for Nagorno-Karabakh) were displaced. A land war between Armenia and Azerbaijan followed the events of civil violence. Military actions were heavily influenced by the [[Russian Federation|Russian]] military inspiring and balancing on the rivalry between the two neighboring nations to keep both under control. |
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Azerbaijanis were driven out of Nagorno-Karabakh and territories neighboring Nagorno-Karabakh (populated by Azerbaijanis), which are still under control of the Armenian military. An unofficial cease-fire was reached on [[May 12th]], [[1994]] through Russian negotiation, and continues today. Today Armenians remain in control of the Soviet era autonomous region, a strip of land (called the [[Lachin corridor]]) linking it with the Republic of Armenia, as well as the so-called security zone--strips of territory along the region borders which had been used by Azerbaijan artillery during the war. |
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Today Nagorno-Karabakh is a de-facto independent state calling itself the ''Nagorno-Karabakh Republic''. It is closely tied to the Republic of Armenia and uses its currency, the [[Dram (currency)|dram]]. Successive Armenian governments have resisted internal pressure to unite the two, fearing reprisals from Azerbaijan and the international community, which still considers Nagorno-Karabakh part of Azerbaijan. The politics of Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh are so intermingled that a former president of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, [[Robert Kocharian]], has become first prime minister ([[1997]]) and then the president of Armenia ([[1998]] to the present). |
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At present, the mediation process is stalled and ongoing as both sides are equally intransigent. Azerbaijan insists that Armenian troops withdraw from all areas of Azerbaijan outside Nagorno-Karabakh and that all displaced persons be allowed to return to their homes before the status of Karabakh can be discussed. Armenia does not even admit that Nagorno-Karabakh is legally part of Azerbaijan, arguing that because the region declared independence at the same time that Azerbaijan became an independent state, both of them are equally successor states of the Soviet Union. The Armenian government insists that the government of Nagorno-Karabakh be part of any discussions on the region's future and rejects ceding occupied territory or allowing refugees to return prior to talks on the region's status. |
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In the latest episode, representatives of Armenia, Azerbaijan, [[France]], Russia and the [[United States]] met in Paris and Key-West, Florida in the spring of 2001. The details of the talks have remained largely secret, but reportedly the sides discussed non-hierarchical relationships between the central Azerbaijanian government and the Karabakh Armenian authorities. Despite rumours that the parties were again close to a solution, the Azerbaijanian authorities, both during [[Heydar Aliyev]] and after coming into power in October 2003 elections of his son [[Ilham Aliyev]], have firmly denied any agreement has been reached in Paris or Key-West. |
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Recent round of talks between Azerbaijanian and Armenian presidents, Ilham Aliyev and Robert Kocharyan, were held in September 2004 in Astana, [[Kazakhstan]] on the sidelines of the [[Commonwealth of Independent States]] (CIS) summit. Reportedly, one of the suggestions put forward was withdrawal of the occupying forces from the Azeri territories adjacent to Mountainous Karabakh and holding referendums in Mountainous Karabakh and in Azerbaijan regarding the future status of the region. |
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== See also == |
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*[[Elections in Nagorno-Karabakh]] |
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== External links == |
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*[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/country_profiles/3658938.stm Regions and territories: Nagorno-Karabakh] from BBC |
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*[http://www.artsakhworld.com/ ArtsakhWorld.com] – An Armenian site about Nagorno-Karabakh |
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*[http://www.karabakh.org/ Karabakh.org]– An Azeri site about Nagorno-Karabakh |
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*[http://www.nkr.am/eng/ The official site of the 'NKR Ministry of Foreign Affairs'] |
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*[http://www.nkrusa.org/ 'Office of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic in the United States'] |
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*[http://www.cilicia.com/rediscover.pl?Karabakh Karabakh Travel Guide] |
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*[http://www.caucaz.com/home_uk/pays.php?pays=7 Special Karabakh on Caucaz.com, Weekly Online about South Caucasus] |
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*[http://www.flashpoints.info/countries-conflicts/Nagorno-Karabakh-web/Nagorno-Karabakh_briefing.html Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict Briefing] |
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[[Category:Armenia]] |
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[[Category:Azerbaijan]] |
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[[Category:Caucasus]] |
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[[Category:Disputed territories]] |
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[[Category:Nagorno Karabakh]] |
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[[az:Dağlıq Qarabağ]] |
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[[ca:Alt Karabagh]] |
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[[de:Bergkarabach]] |
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[[et:Mägi-Karabahh]] |
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[[fa:قره‌باغ]] |
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[[hr:Gorski Karabah]] |
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[[pl:Górski Karabach]] |
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[[ru:Нагорный Карабах]] |
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[[sl:Gorski Karabah]] |
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Revision as of 21:04, 15 February 2005
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