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{{Short description|District in northwestern Azerbaijan}}
{{Coord|41|07|08|N|45|27|14|E|region:AZ|display=title}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Aghstafa District
| type = [[Administrative divisions of Azerbaijan|District]]
| parts_type = Settlements<ref name="preslib">{{cite web |url=https://files.preslib.az/projects/azerbaijan/gl2.pdf |title=İnzibati-ərazi vahidləri |author=<!--Not stated--> |date= |website=preslib.az |publisher= |access-date=28 February 2021 |quote=}}</ref>
| parts = 39
| established_title = Established
| established_date = 24 April 1990
| image_map = Aghstafa District in Azerbaijan.svg
|
| subdivision_type = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_name = {{flag|Azerbaijan}}
| subdivision_type1 = [[Economic regions of Azerbaijan|Region]]
| subdivision_name1 = [[Gazakh-Tovuz Economic Region|Gazakh-Tovuz]]
| population_as_of = [[Census in Azerbaijan|2020]]
| population_footnotes = <ref name="statgov">{{cite web |url=https://www.stat.gov.az/source/demoqraphy/ap/az/population_2020.zip |title=Population of Azerbaijan |author=<!--Not stated--> |date= |website=stat.gov.az |publisher=[[State Statistics Committee]] |access-date=22 February 2021 |quote=}}</ref>
| population_total = 88500
| area_total_km2 = 1500
| population_density_km2 = auto
| leader_title = [[Governor]]
| leader_name = Seymur Orujov<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://apa.az/en/domestic-policy/President-Ilham-Aliyev-received-Seymur-Orujov-on-his-appointment-as-head-of-Aghstafa-District-Executive-Authority-and-Elchin-Rzayev-on-his-appointment-as-head-of-Imishli-District-Executive-Authority-in-a-video-format-321357|title=President Ilham Aliyev received Seymur Orujov on his appointment as head of Aghstafa District Executive Authority and Elchin Rzayev on his appointment as head of Imishli District Executive Authority in a video format|website=Apa.az}}</ref>
| postal_code_type = Postal code
| postal_code = 0500
| seat_type = Capital
| seat = [[Aghstafa]]
| timezone = [[Azerbaijan Time|AZT]]
| utc_offset = +4
| website = {{URL|agstafa-ih.gov.az}}
}}
'''Aghstafa District''' ({{langx|az|Ağstafa rayonu}}) is one of the 66 [[Administrative divisions of Azerbaijan|districts]] of [[Azerbaijan]]. Located in the northwest of the country, it belongs to the [[Gazakh-Tovuz Economic Region]]. The district borders the districts of [[Qazakh District|Qazakh]], [[Tovuz District|Tovuz]], as well as the [[Kakheti]] and [[Kvemo Kartli]] regions of [[Georgia (country)|Georgia]]. Its capital and largest city is [[Aghstafa]]. As of 2020, the district had a population of 88,500.<ref name="statgov" />
== Overview ==
Aghstafa District was created on 24 January 1939 as an independent administrative unit out of the larger Qazakh region of Azerbaijan. On 4 December 1959, the status of the district was abolished and it was incorporated into [[Qazakh District]]. On 14 April 1990, by the decree of the [[National Assembly of Azerbaijan|Council of Deputies of Azerbaijan SSR]], it was split from Qazakh District and was again re-established as a separate district. The regional center of the district is its capital
Aghstafa. The district is located in the northwestern part of the country, between [[Qabirri]] basin and [[Lesser Caucasus]] mountain range, and Ganja-Gazakh
lowlands and [[Ceyrançöl]] highlands. It is sandwiched by Qazakh District in the west and [[Tovuz District]] in east, and borders [[Armenia]] on the southern frontier and [[Georgia (country)|Georgia]] on the northern.
The area of the district is 1,503.7 km<sup>2</sup>. There are 36 villages in the district. There are 39 secondary schools, lyceum, musical school, 2 museums, 38 cultural clubs, State Arts Gallery, 49 libraries, 3 city and 10 village hospitals functioning in the district. Ganja, Qazakh and Qarayazi lowlands make up most of the district's area, whilst its southwestern and northeastern parts comprise lesser mountain sites.
=== Etymology ===
The region is named after the [[Aghstafa (river)|Aghstafa river]], the [[hydronym]] of which comes from ''ağsu'' ("drinking water") + ''tafa'' ("[[daf]]"), meaning "noisy river".<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://www.lib.az/users/1/upload/files/Azerbaycan_toponimlerinin_ensiklopedik_lugeti.pdf |title=Azərbaycan Toponimlərinin Ensiklopedik Lüğəti |publisher=Sharg-Garb Publishing and Printing House |year=2007 |volume=1 |page=30 |language=az |trans-title=Encyclopedic Dictionary of Azerbaijani Toponyms |quote=Ağstafa: hidr., mür. Ermənistanda və Azərb.-nın Qazax r-nu ərazisində çay. Kürün sağ qoludur. Pəmbək silsiləsindən (Ermənistan) 3000 m. hündürlükdən başlanır. Üstündə eyniadlı su anbarı və su qovşağı var. Ermənistanda Aqstev adlanır. XII əsr erməni mənbələrində Axstev kimi təqdim edilir. Ağstafa variantında ilk dəfə XIV əsrdə Həmdullah Qəzvininin əsərlərində işlənmişdir. Xalq arasında hidronim "oğuz təpəsi", "oğuz tayfası" kimi yozumlanır. Hidronim ağsu (şirin su, içməyə yararlı su) ve tafa (qaval, zınqırov; səs-küylü) sözlərindən düzəlib, "səs-küylü çay" deməkdir.<br>Ağstafa: oyk., sadə. 1. Azərb.-da inzibati r-n. Müxtəlif illərdə gah müstəqil r-n, gah da Qazax r-nunun tərkibində ayrıca şəhər kimi fəaliyyət göstərmişdir. Mərkəzi Ağstafa şəhəridir. Gəncə-Qazax düzənliyindədir; 2. Azərb.-da şəhər, eyniadlı r-nun mərkəzi. Adını ərazidən axan eyniadlı çaydan almışdır. XIX əsrin sonlarına qədər burada İtibulaq ("sürətlə axan bulaq" mənasında) adlanan karvansara olmuşdur. |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190330070622/https://www.lib.az/users/1/upload/files/Azerbaycan_toponimlerinin_ensiklopedik_lugeti.pdf |archive-date=2019-03-30}}</ref>
According to various [[Folk etymology|folk etymologies]], the area's name comes from the name of the [[Oghuz Turks]], which include mainly the population of [[Azerbaijan]], [[Turkey]] and [[Turkmenistan]]. Per these folk etymologies, Ağstafa is either a merger of ''Oğuz + tayfa'' ''(Oghuz + tribe)'' or ''Oğuz + təpə'' ''(Oghuz + hill)''.<ref name=reference1>[http://www.agstafa-mks.az/rayonumuz.htm Ağstafa rayonu. Retrieved September 28, 2010] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706130731/http://www.agstafa-mks.az/rayonumuz.htm|date=July 6, 2011}}</ref>
==Economy==
The region is rich with [[bentonite]], [[sand]], raw cement material ([[volcanic ash]]) and other resources which are considered a core of the Aghstafa economy. The [[Kura (Caspian Sea)|Kura River]] passes through the region. Lower sections of [[Aghstafa River|Aghstafa]] and [[Həsənsu]] rivers also flow through the district. Aghstafa has always been in the spotlight because of the historic [[Silk Way]] trade which went through the region. Caravans from and to Georgia and Iran would stop in Aghstafa. It was therefore named the "Camel route". In the 1990s, the caravan route was re-established within the [[TRACECA]] project initiated by [[Heydar Aliyev]] administration. Then Aghstafa gained importance when it became a transit route on the [[Kars–Tbilisi–Baku railway|Baku-Tbilisi railroad]] built in 1881. A railroad junction at Aghstafa was built in 1914 thus creating leading to construction of Aghstafa city.<ref>[http://www.mct.gov.az/?/az/cities/view/327 Ağstafa şəhəri. Retrieved September 28, 2010]</ref> In addition to the existing railway, the geostrategic importance of Aghstafa was enriched by [[Baku-Gazakh-Tbilisi gas pipeline]], [[Baku–Tbilisi–Ceyhan pipeline]], [[South Caucasus Pipeline|Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum gas pipeline]].<ref name=reference1/>
During the first nine months of 2013, the cost of total product output in Aghstafa region was AZN 90.9 million, an increase of 8.0 percent in comparison with the same period last year. During the first nine months of 2017, total volume of total product output on the region of Aghstafa increased by 43.6 percent and reached 143.7 million manat. The total volume of industrial production increased by 38.3 percent, agriculture - by 0.9 percent, transport services - 3.3 percent, communication services - 4.3 percent, trade - 0.4 percent and construction - three times in comparison with the same period last year. The volume of investments directed to fixed assets increased 2.7 times and amounted to more than 68.7 million manat.
==Demography==
The population of Aghstafa district is 78,983. The most populated villages are [[Dağ Kəsəmən]], [[Köçəsgər]], [[Muğanlı, Agstafa|Muğanlı]] and Aşağı
Kəsəmən and the town of Aghstafa.
*[[Azerbaijanis]] - 98.7%
*[[Meskhetian Turks]] - 0.6%
* Other - 0.7%<ref name=reference1/>
=== Population ===
The territory of Aghstafa district is 1,504 km<sup>2</sup>, with a population of 83.3 thousand people registered in January 2013. According to the information on January 1, 2017, the population of the district was 86,529. 21,205 lived in the city and 65,324 lived in the villages.
The population of the region is 42,651 men and 43,878 women.
The number of people currently employed are 43,481. The number of employees working in the agricultural sector are 17,856 people, employees working in the industry are 330 people, employees working in the education field are 3,726.
Seventy-seven families (223 people) from Nagorno-Karabakh and other territories temporarily settled in Aghstafa region. The total number of refugees settled in the region are 457 families, 1,698 people.
According to the [[State Statistics Committee (Azerbaijan)|State Statistics Committee]], the population of city recorded 87,200 persons as of 2018, which increased by 12,700 persons (approximately 17 percent) from 74,500 persons in 2000.<ref name=":02">{{Cite web|url=https://www.stat.gov.az/source/demoqraphy/?lang=en|title=Political division, population size and structure: Population by towns and regions of the Republic of Azerbaijan|website=The State Statistical Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan|language=en|access-date=2018-12-18}}</ref> 43,000 of total population are men, 44,200 are women.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.stat.gov.az/source/demoqraphy/?lang=en|title=Political division, population size and structure: Population by sex, towns and regions, urban settlements of the Republic of Azerbaijan at the beginning of the 2018|website=The State Statistical Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan|language=en|access-date=2018-12-18}}</ref> More than 26.4 percent of the population (about 23,100 persons) consists of young people and teenagers aged 14–29.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.stat.gov.az/source/demoqraphy/?lang=en|title=Political division, population size and structure: Population at age 14-29 by towns and regions of the Republic of Azerbaijan at the beginning of the 2018|website=The State Statistical Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan|language=en|access-date=2018-12-18}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
|+'''The population of the district by the year (at the beginning of the year, thsd. persons)''' <ref name=":02" />
!Territory
!2000
!2001
!2002
!2003
!2004
!2005
!2006
!2007
!2008
!2009
!2010
!2011
!2012
!2013
!2014
!2015
!2016
!2017
!2018
!2019
!2020
!2021
|-
|Aghstafa region
|
|75,1
|75,5
|76,0
|76,6
|77,3
|78,0
|78,6
|79,3
|80,2
|80,6
|81,4
|81,9
|82,7
|83,6
|84,6
|85,7
|86,6
|87,2
|87,9
|88,5
|88,8
|-
|urban population
|
|14,8
|14,9
|15,0
|19,7
|19,9
|20,1
|20,1
|20,0
|20,2
|20,2
|20,2
|20,3
|20,4
|20,6
|20,8
|21,0
|21,2
|21,3
|21,4
|21,6
|21,6
|-
|rural population
|59,8
|60,3
|60,6
|61,0
|56,9
|57,4
|57,9
|58,5
|59,3
|60,0
|60,4
|61,2
|61,6
|62,3
|63,0
|63,8
|64,7
|65,4
|65,9
|66,5
|66,9
|67,2
|}
== Education ==
There are 39 libraries, 13 culture houses, a musical school, 3 museums, a painting gallery and 25 clubs in the region. A Central Hospital, a rural hospital, and 15 rural health posts serve the population of the district.
There are 39 schools, 4 preschools and 34 kindergartens in the district.
== Geographical position ==
Aghstafa district was established on January 24, 1939, as one of the administrative districts of Azerbaijan. The Area of Aghstafa district, which is 1.74 of the territory of the Republic, is 1,504 km². The territory of the Aghstafa district joined the Gazakh district on December 4, 1959, and it was separated and became an administrative district from April 14, 1990.
There is one town (Aghstafa town), nine settlements (Vurgun, [[Poylu, Agstafa|Poylu]], Shakarli, Jeyranchol, Saloglu, Soyuqbulag, Soyuqbulaglar, Hazi Aslanov, Garajazi) and twenty-nine villages in the district.
The administrative center of the district is Aghstafa. The status of the city was given to Aghstafa in 1941. According to the 2017's information, the population of the city where located 300 meters above sea level on the right bank of Aghstafa River, is 86,529 people. The distance from Baku is 450 km.
Forested areas account for 3,510 hectares of the district's territory. The main part of the forests is Tugai forest. Covering a territory of 3,510 hectares, a number of plants and birds are protected in the Garayazi State Reserve, the names of which are listed in the [[IUCN Red List]].
The region is located in the western part of Azerbaijan, on the border with [[Georgia (country)|Georgia]] and [[Armenia]]. The Kur River, the largest river in [[Azerbaijan]], and the Kura branch - Aghstafachay, as well as several small rivers flow from this region. Candargol Lake is also located in this region. The surface of the district mainly consists of plain such as Ganja-Gazakh and Garayazi plains. Sediments belonging to the [[Cretaceous]], [[Paleogene]], [[Quaternary]] are spread in the region. There are minerals such as saw stone, bentonite clay, pebble, sand, cement raw material, etc.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://agstafa-ih.gov.az/az/page/10.html|title=Rayon haqqında | Azərbaycan Respublikası Ağstafa Rayon İcra Hakimiyyəti|website=agstafa-ih.gov.az}}</ref>
== Tourism and historical monuments ==
===Prehistoric monuments===
* Paleolithic tent settlement(Paleolithic)- village Kochesker
* Open Palaeolithic tent(Paleolithic)- village Tatli
* Toyratepe settlement(neolith(late Stone Age)-Bronze Age)-village Ashagi Goychali
* 1st Shomutepe settlement (neolith)-Aghstafa city
* Gargalar hill settlement (neolith)-village [[Girili]]
* Arzamastepe settlement (neolith)-settlement Vurgun
* Molla Nagi hill (Stone Age-neolith)-village Kochesker
* Kichik tepe settlement (Stone Age, neolith and Bronze Age)-village Ashagi Goyjali
* Chapiish settlement (eneolith-Bronze Age)-surrounding of Hasangulu river
* Chinlitepe settlement (eneolith)-village Tatli
* Ancient settlement and graveyard (choban dashi)(Bronze Age-Early Iron Age)-village Dagkesemen
* Jantepe settlement (Bronze Age)-
* Sari gaznag graveyard (Bronze Age)- village Kochesker
* Alchagtepe settlement (Bronze Age-Iron Age)-village Tatli
* Alchagtepe settlement (Bronze Age)-village Tatli
* Gabagtepe settlement (Bronze Age-Iron Age)- village Pirili
* Yastitepe settlement (late Bronze Age)-
* Durnatepe settlement (late Bronze Age-early Iron Age)- village Kochesker
* Boyuktepe settlement ([[Böyük Kəsik]]) (late Bronze Age-early Iron Age)- village Kochesker
* Hasarlitepe settlement (late Bronze Age-early Iron Age)-village Yukhari
* Saritepe settlement (late Bronze Age-early Iron Age)- village Yukhari
* Goshatepe settlement (late Bronze Age-Iron Age)-village Yukhari
* Hasarligala ancient settlement (late Bronze Age-Iron Age)-village Tatli
* 2nd Shomutepe settlement (Bronze Age-early Iron Age)- village Yukhari
* Nadir bey hill settlement (late Bronze Age)-village Hasansu
* Agalig tepesi settlement (late Bronze Age-early Iron Age)-
* Aranchi hill settlement (late Bronze Age- Iron Age)-
* Deyirmantepe settlement (late Bronze Age- early Middle Age)- Dagkesemen highway
* Agtepe settlement (late Bronze Age-antic period)- village Ashagi
* Maraltepe settlement (late Bronze Age-antic period)- village Ashagi
* Shish Guzey sacred place (Iron Age)- village Kochesker<ref>[http://sayt.ws/vusal05/index.php?newsid=10240 abidələr]</ref>
===
Several important archaeological sites in Aghstafa District belong to the prehistoric [[Shulaveri–Shomu culture]]. Among them are [[Soyuqbulaq, Agstafa]], [[Poylu, Agstafa]], and [[Böyük Kəsik]]. Also should be included here Toyra Tepe and
Gargalar sites. Research in this area emerged especially in the 21st century. [[Shomu-Tepe]], the [[type site]] of the Shulaveri–Shomu culture, is also located in the Agstafa District.
Other ancient archaeological sites in the area include:
* The [[David Gareja monastery complex]] (''Keşiş Dağ'' in [[Azerbaijani language|Azerbaijani]]) is partially located in this region. However, access is on unpaved roads and, because the site is subject to a border dispute between Georgian and Azerbaijani authorities,<ref>{{cite news
| title = Ancient monastery starts modern-day feud in Caucasus
| publisher = [[Middle East Times]]
| author = Michael Mainville
| date = 2007-05-03
| url=http://www.metimes.com/storyview.php?StoryID=20070503-033409-4589r
| access-date = 2007-06-23 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070929095720/http://www.metimes.com/storyview.php?StoryID=20070503-033409-4589r |archive-date = 2007-09-29}}</ref> visitors are treated with considerable suspicion.
* Nekropol (antic period)-village Pirili {{Citation needed|date=July 2007}}
* Tatli Albanian temple (early Middle Ages)-between the villages Yukhari Goychali and Tatli{{Citation needed|date=July 2007}}
* Construction forked mountain air(middle age)- village Kochesker{{Citation needed|date=July 2007}}
* Settlement (4th-7th centuries)-village Dagkesemen{{Citation needed|date=July 2007}}
* Underground water-supply system(19th century)-village Kolkhalafli.{{Citation needed|date=July 2007}}
== Notable natives ==
*Sabir Azeri (1938-2010) - Writer, author of best selling books.
*[[Aslan Aslanov]] (1926–1995) - Doctor of philosophical sciences, the real member of the NA of the Republic of Azerbaijan, deserved scientific figure, rector of Azerbaijan State University of Arts (1977), the vice-president of the Azerbaijan Academy of Sciences and director of the Institute of Philosophy and Law(1988–1995).{{Citation needed|date=July 2007}}
*Baba Mirzayev (1940-2006) - The [[National artist]] of the Azerbaijan Republic
*Bayram Bayramov (1935) - Candidate of technical sciences, owner of the order of "Glory", pensioner by the President, deserved rationalizer of Azerbaijan, the deputy of the chairman of Oil and Gas Extraction Office "Neft Dashlari" (from 1987).{{Citation needed|date=July 2007}}
*Huseyn Arif (1924-1992) - poet
*Ibrahim Rahimov (1849–1927) - The first psychiatrist-doctor of Azerbaijan.{{Citation needed|date=July 2007}}
*[[:az:İlyas Abdullayev|Ilyas Abdullayev]] (1913) the academician of NA of Azerbaijan SSR, the deputy of the chairman of the Council of the Ministers of Azerbaijan SSR (1948–1950), Minister of Agriculture (1950–1953), the first deputy of the chairman of the Council of the Ministers (1954–1958), the chairman of Presidium of the Supreme Council of Azerbaijan SSR (1958–1959), the deputy of the Supreme Councils of USSR and Azerbaijan SSR.{{Citation needed|date=July 2007}}
*Isa Huseynov (1928) - writer
*Museyib Allahverdiyev (1909–1969)- Hero of the Soviet Union(1945), commander of detachment.{{Citation needed|date=July 2007}}
*Nariman Hasanzade (1931) - poet
*Nizami Jafarov (1954) - philologist
*Nusrat Kasamanli (1946-2003) - poet
*[[Samad aga Agamalioglu|Samed aga Agamalioglu]] (1867–1930)-famous revolutionary, the first deputy of Azerbaijan CEC (1921), the chairman of CEC of Azerbaijan SSR, one of the chairmen of CEC of TSFSR (1922–1929), the chairman of the committee of All-Union New Turkish alphabet.{{Citation needed|date=July 2007}}
*[[Suleyman Tatliyev]] (1925)-the chief of the department of the affairs at the Council of the Ministers (1970–1978), the 1st deputy of the chairman of the Council of the Ministers (1978–1985), the chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the Republic (1985–1989), the president of the House of Commerce and Industry of the Republic of Azerbaijan (from 1994), deputy of the Supreme Council of Azerbaijan SSR.{{Citation needed|date=July 2007}}
*Vidadi Babanli (1927) - writer
== References ==
{{Reflist}}
{{Agstafa District}}
{{Administrative divisions of Azerbaijan}}
{{Authority control}}
[[Category:Aghstafa District| ]]
[[Category:Districts of Azerbaijan]]
[[Category:Shulaveri–Shomu culture]]
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