Azerbaijan Assr. The USSR

Separately between Persia and Armenia lies the Nakhichevan Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic (part of the Autonomous Republic).

Relief and climate

By relief A. r. characterized by three stripes extending from the north-west. to the Caspian Sea; the two extreme ones (north and south) represent hills: the first - Ch. Kavk. ridge and the second - the Lesser Caucasus and the Talyshinsky ridge (in the Lankaran district), and the third middle zone is a low-lying plain, irrigated by the river. Kuroy and descending to the south-east. below sea level (approx. 20-25 m). The highest places of A. r. reach up to 4.480 m

Population

The area and population of the Azerbaijan Republic are as follows:

Counties and autonomies	Square (in thousand km 2)	Population in 1926 (in thousand people)	Residents per 1 km 2
1. Agdam district	4,14	124.3	30,0
2. Baku district	4,97	526,4	106,0 (*)
3. Ganjinsky "	6,83	206,7	30,3
4. Geokchaysky"	7,03	173,7	24,8
5. Jabrayil »	4,27	75,1	17,6
6. Zagatala »	4,30	80,0	18,6
7. Kazakh »	5.94	121,0	20,4
8. Cuban"	6,66	188,2	28,3
9. Kurdistan »	3,53	51,5	14,6
10. Lenkoransky »	5,38	207,9	38,6
11. Nukhinsky »	4,30	107,0	24,9
12. Salyan »	9,57	128,4	13,4
13. Shemakha »	6,43	91,0	14,1
14. Nagorno-Karabakh auto. region	4,59	125,2	27,3
15. Nakhichevan Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic	6,52	103,6	15,9
Total	84,46	2.310,0	27,3

* Without mountains. Baku in the Baku district - 73.6 thousand people, and per 1 km 2 - 14.8 hours and throughout the entire A. district - 1.857.2 thousand, and per 1 km 2 - 22.0 people.

According to the population density of the A. r. even taking into account Baku, it is inferior to both the Armenian (29.1 people) and the Georgian SSR (38.6 hours), however, exceeding the average for both the Union (6.9 people) and Europe. parts of the USSR (24.1 people). The lowest density is in the area of the eastern dry steppes. 62.1% of the population of A. r. are Turks, 12.2% Armenians, 9.5% Russians, 3.3% Talysh. The Turkic composition of the population is even more pronounced in the region territorially separated from A. Nakhichevan Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic, where Turks are 84.3% and Armenians are 10.8%. In ed. region Nagorn. In Karabakh, on the contrary, Armenians predominate - 89.1%, and Turks only 10.1%. Thanks to the presence in A. r. All-Union and global oil center. industry - Baku (see), which is the administrative center of the AR, the urban population is 28.1% (without Baku - 10.6%); other large cities of A. r. Ganja - 57.4 thousand people, Nukha - 23.0 thousand people.

Communication routes

Communication routes A. r. presented roads connecting A. r. with the European part of the USSR and other republics of Transcaucasia. In addition, the Alat-Julfa line is being completed, connecting Baku directly with the Nakhichevan Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic and the Armenian SSR and connecting the railway. ring connecting the Transcaucasian republics. federation. Network density roads (1.1 km per 100 km 2 area) is equal to the average density in Europe. parts of the Union. Along the Caspian coast, the only major port is Baku, the main one. image. serving Baku. oil fields as well as the Baku railway. node River navigation is available only along the river. Kure. Bedna A. r. and highways, with which it is less provided compared with the entire Caucasus as a whole.

Agriculture

Agriculture A. r. has a cattle-breeding bias: for example, there are 100 rural areas here. Residents account for 277 heads of livestock, with 223 in the RSFSR and 195 in the USSR. This importance of cattle breeding, which retains a largely nomadic character, is determined by the above-mentioned abundance of mountain meadows that provide food for livestock in the summer, and the presence of unirrigated, dry steppes in the middle zone of the A. region, which serve as winter pasture for livestock not only of the A. region, but also neighboring ones. Armenia and Georgia. The number of livestock in A. r. in amounted to: sheep and goats 2.655 tons, large. horn. livestock 1,270 tons [including buffaloes (draft animals of the A. R.) 340 tons] and horses 160 tons; the number of sheep and horses exceeded pre-war numbers. The sheep here are fat-tailed, and the horses are mostly riding. Field farming A. r. extremely primitive and served by ch. arr. homemade tools. More than 4/5 sowing The area is occupied by grains, the village. The area under them is far ahead of the pre-war one, as is the total area sown. area (in 1926-1.020 t.ha, or 106% of the pre-war). The area under industrial plants recovered only by 90% and in 1926 they occupied 149 thousand hectares. Of the valuable crops, cotton, which is sown on irrigated lands, is of predominant importance. The area under cotton was determined to be 110 t. ha in 1927 (1914-101 t. ha). Viticulture is also widespread in the Republic of Azerbaijan - especially in the Ganja region; it provides 7% of national income, occupies about 26 tons of hectares and has recovered by 90%. All in. Horticulture is developed in the counties, occupying up to 32.7 tons of hectares. Of the less significant industries in A. r. Sericulture has been widespread since ancient times, but fell greatly during the war years and reached in 1927 only 50% of the pre-war level. In addition, tobacco growing and new crops have been developed - kenaf and castor beans.

Forests

Lesa A. r. occupy 915 thousand hectares and make up 10.8% of the total area of the A.R.; The greatest forest cover is in Lankaran district (39%), which is also distinguished by the abundance of valuable species. However, due to the remoteness from communication routes and their predatory use by nomads and the surrounding population, the economic exploitation of the forest is not able to satisfy the needs of the Azerbaijan SSR.

Fishing

Great importance for A. r. has a fishery that before the war produced 190 million kg of fish (1910-12), mainly. arr. herring, and occupied up to 40 thousand people. The catch is made by Ch. arr. along the Caspian coast and river. Kure. State fisheries are united in the Azryba trust; their catch in 1926 was measured at 22,440 thousand kg.

Minerals

Fossil wealth of A. r. represented by the world-famous Baku oil region (see) and copper deposits; In addition, there are sulfur pyrites, iron, silver-lead ores, coal, salt, etc.

Industry

Industry A. r. 4/5 consists of mining industry ch. arr. represented by the Baku Oil Region. In addition to oil, one can mention the mining of copper in the Gadabay region and sulfur pyrites. In 1925, the exploitation of the Chovdar barite mine began. The rest of the industry in A. r. is poorly developed and, in terms of product value, half consists of the food and flavoring industries, ch. arr. flour milling, tobacco, winemaking, etc. Textile industry, so far only cotton boom is represented. f-coy them. Lenin (Baku) and the cloth factory transferred from Tambov to Ganja, has significant prospects for development due to raw material and energy conditions. So, it is already ending with the construction of a cotton boom. factory in Ganja (in two stages the capacity will be increased to 66 thousand spindles); In addition, it is planned to build another cotton boom at different times. f-ki in Nakhichev. ASSR and in Sa-bir-Abad (Petropavlovka), a cloth factory in Ganja and a kenaf factory in Baku. The launch of these factories will require over 10 thousand new workers.

Budget

State and local budget of A. r. 1925/26 was determined at 40 million rubles, of which 3/8 falls on the state and 5/8 on the local one. A large share of the local budget comes from the city of Baku, which occupies 56% of the local budget of the republic and more than 1/3 of the combined state budget. and local budget of A. r. Thanks to this, the average size of the local budget per inhabitant is measured by A. rub. 10 rub. 87 kopecks, with the USSR average being 8 rubles. 80 k.

Public education

Public education in A. r. has made very great progress in recent years; The percentage of literate people among those conscripted into the Red Army increased significantly, amounting to 89.1%. By 1925 in A. r. there were 1,320 primary schools, covering 127 thousand students. A relatively large percentage of out-of-school children are of Turkic nationality (especially girls), but the number of schoolchildren of this nationality is increasing from year to year. In 1925, 8,133 students were enrolled in 52 second-level schools. In A. r. three universities - all in Baku: university (1,855 students), polytechnic institute (2,391 students) and conservatory (517 students) - data 1927/28.

M. Galitsky.

Literature

Dubensky, Essays on the economic geography of Transcaucasia, Tiflis, 1924;
Gekhtman, Brief sketch of the economic geography of Transcaucasia (Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan), 1923.

Story

The first news of Eastern Transcaucasia is found in Assyrian chronicles. In the 7th century. before Christ era, Eastern Transcaucasia is conquered by the Scythians (Massagetians, Sakas), who left their mark in the named countries. Turkic colonization acquired large proportions in connection with the Seljuk conquests of the 11th century. The Turkic-Mongol conquests in the 13th and 14th centuries were of great importance for the Turkization of the region. After the collapse of the Mongol empires and the empire of Tamerlane in the East. Transcaucasia formed a number of khanates, usually in vassal dependence on Persia. The existence of these khanates was brought to an end by the Russian conquest of the early 19th century. After the conquest and abolition of the khanates, the tsarist government relied on the petty nobility - the beks, who became the conductors of government policy, remaining closely associated with land ownership and primitive subsistence farming. Construction of the Transcaucasian railway. dor. () and subsequently the construction of the Petrovsk-Balajari-Baku line (early 900s) brought Azerbaijan into the orbit of capitalism and exacerbated class contradictions: oil wealth served as bait for Russian capitalists. and foreign (Nobel, Rothschild, etc.).

Baku, a trading port with Persia and a large industry. center, in the early 900s. became the center of a deep labor movement and played a major role in the history of social democracy. The difficulty of the transition from a subsistence economy to a cash economy and the intensification of competition with alien elements, especially under the influence of the Russification policy of the tsarist government, gave impetus to the awakening of the national movement. This movement adopted the ideology as its political program

Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic

The Azerbaijan SSR (Azerbaijan) is located in the eastern part of Transcaucasia. It borders on the south with Iran and Turkey. In the east it is washed by the Caspian Sea. Area 86.6 thousand. km 2. Population 5689 thousand people. (as of January 1, 1976). National composition (according to the 1970 census, thousand people): Azerbaijanis 3777, Russians 510, Armenians 484, Lezgins 137, etc. Average population density 65.7 people. by 1 km 2(as of January 1, 1976). The capital is Baku (1,406 thousand inhabitants as of January 1, 1976). The largest city is Kirovabad (211 thousand inhabitants). New cities have grown: Sumgait (168 thousand inhabitants), Mingachevir, Stepanakert, Ali-Bayramly, Dashkesan, etc. The Azerbaijan SSR includes the Nakhichevan Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic and the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Okrug. There are 61 districts, 60 cities and 125 urban-type settlements in the republic.

Nature. Almost 1/2 of the territory of the Azerbaijan SSR is occupied by mountains. In the north is the southeastern part of the Greater Caucasus, in the south is the Lesser Caucasus, between which the Kura Depression is located; to the south-east - Talysh Mountains, in the south-west. (a separate territory of the Armenian SSR) - the Middle Araxes basin and its northern mountain frame - the Daralagez (Ayots Dzor) and Zangezur ridges. The highest point is the city of Bazarduzu (4480 m). Minerals: oil, gas, iron and polymetallic ores, alunite. The climate and soil and vegetation cover are characterized by altitudinal zonation. The climate changes from dry and humid subtropical to the climate of upland tundras. In lowland areas, the average temperature in July is 25-28 °C, in January from 3 °C to 1.5-2 °C, temperatures drop above (up to -10 °C in the highlands). Precipitation from 200-300 mm in year in coastal and lowland areas (excluding Lankaran lowland - 1200-1400 mm) up to 1300 mm on the southern slope of the Greater Caucasus. The main river is Kura. The most significant lakes are Hajikabul and Boyukshor. The predominant vegetation is dry steppes, semi-deserts and high-mountain meadows on various types of chestnut, brown, sierozem and mountain meadow soils. On the mountain slopes there are broad-leaved forests on mountain forest soils; 11% of the territory is occupied by forests

Historical reference. Class society on the territory of Azerbaijan arose at the beginning of the 1st millennium BC. e. From the 9th century BC e. There were ancient states: Mana, Media, Atropatena, Caucasian Albania. In the 3rd-10th centuries. n. e. the territory was under the rule of the Iranian Sassanids and the Arab Caliphate; This period includes anti-feudal, liberation protests (anti-Sasanian uprisings, the Mazdakite movement, Babek's uprising). By 9-16 centuries. include the feudal states of the Shirvanshahs, Hulagunds and others. In the 11th-13th centuries. The Azerbaijani nationality was mainly formed. In the 11th-14th centuries. There were invasions of the Seljuk Turks, Mongol-Tatars, and Timur. In the 16th-18th centuries. territory within the Safavid state; was the object of a struggle between Iran and Turkey; people's liberation movement (Kor-ogly, etc.). From the middle of the 18th century. there were over 15 feudal states (Sheki, Karabakh, Kuba khanates, etc.). In the 1st third of the 19th century. Northern Azerbaijan is annexed to Russia. The peasant reform of 1870 accelerated the development of capitalism; by the end of the 19th century. Baku is the largest industrial center; the first social democratic organizations appeared; the working class waged a strike struggle (Baku strikes). Working people took part in the Revolution of 1905-07, the February Revolution of 1917 and the Great October Socialist Revolution. Soviet power was established in November 1917, the Baku Commune was formed - a stronghold of Soviet power in Transcaucasia. In the summer of 1918, the Anglo-Turkish intervention began, the Musavatists seized power. With the help of the Red Army, the working people restored Soviet power. On April 28, 1920, the Azerbaijani SSR was proclaimed, which from March 12, 1922 was part of the TSFSR, and from December 5, 1936 directly into the USSR as a union republic. As a result of industrialization, collectivization of agriculture and the cultural revolution carried out under the leadership of the Communist Party, a basically socialist society was built in the republic.

During the Great Patriotic War, the Azerbaijani people mobilized all their forces to repel fascist aggression.

As of January 1, 1976, the Communist Party of Azerbaijan had 276,508 members and 11,315 candidates for party membership; in the ranks of the Leninist Communist Youth Union of Azerbaijan there were 647,315 members; There are over 1657.1 thousand trade union members in the republic.

The Azerbaijani people, together with all the fraternal peoples of the USSR, achieved new successes in communist construction in the post-war decades.

The Azerbaijan SSR was awarded 2 Orders of Lenin (1935, 1964), the Order of the October Revolution (1970) and the Order of Friendship of Peoples (1972).

Economy. Over the years of socialist construction, Azerbaijan has become an industrial-agrarian republic. In the national economy of the USSR, Azerbaijan stands out for its oil, oil refining and related chemical industries, as well as mechanical engineering.

Azerbaijan has developed economic ties with all union republics.

In 1975, the volume of industrial output exceeded the level of 1940 by 8.3 times, and the level of 1913 by 49 times.

For the production of the most important types of industrial products, see the data in table. 1.

Table 1. - Production of the most important types of industrial products

Oil (including gas condensate), million. T
Oil (including gas condensate), million. T
Gas, million m 3
Electricity, billion. kWh
Iron ore, thousand T
Steel, thousand T
Rolled ferrous metals (finished), thousand. T
Sulfuric acid in monohydrate, thousand. T
Mineral fertilizers (in conventional units), thousand. T
Pumping machines, thousand pcs.
Deep well pumps, thousand pcs.
Cement, thousand T
Cotton fiber, thousand T
Cotton fabrics, million. m
Woolen fabrics, million. m
Silk fabrics, million. m
Leather shoes, million pairs
Fish catch, catch of sea animals, thousand. T
Canned food, million conventional cans
Grape wine, thousand gave*
Meat, thousand T

* Without wine, the processing and bottling of which is carried out on the territory of other republics.

90% of electricity is produced at thermal power plants, of which the most significant is the Ali-Bayramly State District Power Plant (1100 MW). The Azerbaijan State District Power Plant is under construction (1977). Azerbaijan is the oldest region in the USSR for oil production (produced on the Absheron Peninsula, in the Kura-Araks Lowland, in offshore fields) and gas. The oil refining and petrochemical industries, mechanical engineering, non-ferrous metallurgy, light and food industries are developed.

Gross agricultural output in 1975 compared to 1940 increased 3.5 times. At the end of 1975 there were 496 state farms and 873 collective farms. In 1975, 30.8 thousand tractors (in physical units; 6.1 thousand in 1940), 4.4 thousand grain harvesters (0.7 thousand in 1940), 22.1 thousand trucks worked in agriculture . Agricultural land in 1975 amounted to 4.1 million. ha(47.1% of the entire territory), including arable land - 1.4 million. ha, hayfields - 0.1 million ha and pastures - 2 million. ha. Irrigation is important for agriculture. The area of irrigated land in 1975 reached 1141 thousand. ha. The largest canals are: Verkhne-Shirvan, Verkhne-Karabakh and Samur-Apsheron. Agricultural products account for 65% of all gross agricultural output (1975). For data on sown areas and gross harvest of agricultural crops, see table. 2.

Table 2. - Sown areas and gross harvest of agricultural crops

Total sown area, thousand. ha
Total sown area, thousand. ha
Cereals
Including:

corn (grain)
Industrial crops
Including:
cotton

Potato

Forage crops
Gross collection, thousand T
Grain crops, thousand T
Including: wheat
corn (for grain)
Raw cotton

Potato

One of the leading branches of agriculture is cotton growing, which provides more than 30% of the proceeds from the sale of agricultural products on collective and state farms. High-quality varieties of tobacco are grown. The Azerbaijan SSR is one of the all-Union bases of early vegetable growing. The area of vineyards is 178 thousand. ha in 1975 (33 thousand) ha in 1940), fruit and berry plantings - 147 thousand. ha(37 thousand ha in 1940), tea plantings - 8.5 thousand. ha(5.1 thousand ha in 1940). Gross grape harvest - 706 thousand. T in 1975 (81 thousand T in 1940), fruits and berries - 151.9 thousand. T(115 thousand T in 1940), tea - 13.1 thousand. T(0.24 thousand T in 1940).

An important place in agriculture is occupied by livestock farming for meat, wool and meat and dairy production (see Table 3). It provides 15% of the proceeds from the sale of agricultural products on collective and state farms. On the growth of livestock production, see the data in table. 4.


Cattle
including cows and buffaloes
Sheep and goats

Poultry, million

Table 4. - Production of basic livestock products


Meat (in slaughter weight), thousand. T
Milk, thousand T
Eggs, million pieces
Wool, thousand T

The main mode of transport is railway. The operational length of the railways is 1.85 thousand. km. The length of roads is 22 thousand. km(1975), including hard surface 14.7 thousand. km. The major port is Baku. There are 0.5 thousand navigable river routes. km. Air transport is developed. There are operating oil pipelines: Baku - Batumi, Ali-Bayramli - Baku; gas pipelines: Karadag - Akstafa with branches to Yerevan and Tbilisi, Karadag - Sumgait, Ali-Bayramli - Karadag.

The standard of living of the population of the republic is steadily increasing. National income for 1966-75 increased 1.8 times. Real income per capita in 1975 compared to 1965 increased 1.5 times. Retail turnover of state and cooperative trade (including public catering) increased from 297 million rubles. in 1940 to 2757 million rubles. in 1975, while trade turnover per capita quadrupled. The amount of deposits in savings banks in 1975 reached 896 million rubles. (8 million rubles in 1940), the average deposit is 941 rubles. (26 rubles in 1940). At the end of 1975, the city's housing stock amounted to 28.5 million. m 2 total (useful) area. During 1971-75, 6.9 million were put into operation at the expense of the state, collective farms and the population. m 2 total (useful) area.

Cultural construction. According to the 1897 census, literate people made up 9.2% of the population, among men - 13.1%, among women - 4.2%. In the 1914/15 school year. There were 976 secondary schools of all types (73.1 thousand students), 3 secondary specialized educational institutions (455 students), and no higher educational institutions. After the establishment of Soviet power, a new school was created with teaching in the native language. By 1939, literacy of the population had risen to 82.8%; according to the 1970 census, it reached 99.6%. In 1975, 127 thousand children were educated in permanent preschool institutions.

In the 1975/76 school year. In 4618 general education schools of all types, 1656 thousand students studied, in 125 vocational educational institutions - 63.3 thousand students (including 49 vocational educational institutions providing secondary education - 30.9 thousand students), in 78 secondary specialized educational institutions - 72.3 thousand students, in 17 universities - 99.0 thousand students. The largest universities: Azerbaijan University, Azerbaijan Institute of Oil and Chemistry, Azerbaijan Medical Institute, Conservatory.

In 1975, per 1000 people employed in the national economy, there were 775 people. with higher and secondary (complete and incomplete) education (122 people in 1939). The leading scientific institution of the republic is the Academy of Sciences of the Azerbaijan SSR. As of January 1, 1976, 21.3 thousand researchers worked in scientific institutions.

The network of cultural institutions has received significant development. On January 1, 1975, there were 14 theaters, including the Azerbaijan Opera and Ballet Theater. M. F. Akhundov, Azerbaijan Drama Theater named after. M. Azizbekov, Russian Drama Theater named after. S. Vurgun, Theater for Young Spectators named after. M. Gorky, Musical Comedy Theater named after. Sh. Kurbanov, Azerbaijan Drama Theater named after. J. Jabarli; 2.2 thousand stationary cinema installations; 2806 club establishments. The largest republican library: State Library of the Azerbaijan SSR named after. M. F. Akhundov in Baku (founded in 1923, over 3 million copies of books, brochures, magazines, etc.); there were: 3,479 public libraries (26.7 million copies of books and magazines), 41 museums.

In 1975, 1,156 titles of books and brochures were published with a circulation of 11.3 million copies, including 799 publications in the Azerbaijani language with a circulation of 9.1 million copies. (1141 titles with a circulation of 4974 thousand copies in 1940). 123 magazine publications were published (single circulation 1,771 thousand copies, annual circulation 34.8 million copies), including 71 publications in the Azerbaijani language (44 publications with an annual circulation of 722 thousand copies in 1940). 117 newspapers were published. The total one-time circulation of newspapers is 2,711 thousand copies, the annual circulation is 519 million copies.

The Azerbaijan Telegraph Agency (AzTAG) was created in 1920, since 1972 - Azerinform. The Republican Book Chamber has been operating since 1925. The first radio broadcasts began in Baku in 1926. In 1956, the Baku Television Center came into operation. Radio and television programs are conducted in Azerbaijani, Russian and Armenian.

In the republic in 1975 there were 748 hospital institutions with 54.8 thousand beds (222 hospitals with 12.6 thousand beds in 1940); 16.5 thousand doctors and 46.5 thousand paramedical personnel worked (3.3 thousand doctors and 7.5 thousand paramedical personnel in 1940). Popular balneological resorts: Istisu, Naftalan and etc.

Nakhichevan Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic

The Nakhichevan Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic was formed on February 9, 1924. It is located in the south of Transcaucasia. Borders on the southwest. with Turkey and Iran. Area 5.5 thousand. km 2. Population 227 thousand people. (as of January 1, 1976). National composition (according to the 1970 census, thousand people): Azerbaijanis 190, Armenians 6, Russians 4, etc. Average population density 41.2 people. by 1 km 2(as of January 1, 1976). The capital is Nakhchivan.

In 1975, the volume of industrial output exceeded the 1940 level by 12 times. The food and mining industries stand out. There are electrical, metalworking, woodworking, and construction materials industries.

In 1975 there were 24 state farms and 49 collective farms. Irrigated farming predominates in agriculture. The sown area of all agricultural crops in 1975 amounted to 40 thousand. ha. They cultivate cotton, tobacco and vegetables. Gardening and viticulture are developed. They raise mainly sheep and cattle. Livestock (as of January 1, 1976, thousand): 61 cattle, 312 sheep and goats.

In the 1975/76 school year. 71.9 thousand students studied in 225 general education schools of all types (before the establishment of Soviet power, 6.2 thousand students studied in general education schools), in 3 vocational schools - 1.1 thousand students (in 1 secondary vocational school - 600 students), in 4 secondary specialized educational institutions - 1.5 thousand students, in the pedagogical institute in Nakhichevan - 2.1 thousand students (before the establishment of Soviet power there were no secondary specialized and higher educational institutions).

In 1975, per 1000 people employed in the national economy, there were 773 people. with higher and secondary (complete or incomplete) education.

Among the scientific institutions is the scientific center of the Academy of Sciences of the Azerbaijan SSR in Nakhichevan.

In 1975 there were: 1 theater, 238 public libraries, 3 museums, 218 club institutions, 180 stationary film installations.

In 1975, 0.4 thousand doctors worked in the Nakhichevan Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic, i.e. 1 doctor for 608 inhabitants. (58 doctors, i.e. 1 doctor per 2.3 thousand inhabitants, in 1940); there were 2.1 thousand hospital beds (0.4 thousand beds in 1940).

The Nakhichevan Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic was awarded the Order of Lenin (1967), the Order of Friendship of Peoples (1972) and the Order of the October Revolution (1974).

Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Region

Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Okrug was formed on July 7, 1923. Located in the southeastern part of the Lesser Caucasus. Area 4.4 thousand. km 2. Population 156 thousand people. (as of January 1, 1976). Average population density 35.4 people. by 1 km 2. Center - Stepanakert.

In 1975, the volume of industrial output exceeded the 1940 level by 11 times. The food and light industries are the most developed. A new industry is electrical engineering. There are forestry, woodworking industries, and production of building materials. Carpet weaving. In 1975 there were 18 state farms and 64 collective farms. The sown area of all agricultural crops in 1975 amounted to 63.1 thousand. ha. They cultivate grains, cotton, tobacco, and fodder crops. Viticulture and fruit growing are developed. Animal husbandry for meat, milk and wool production. Livestock (as of January 1, 1975, thousand): cattle 86.8, sheep and goats 290.2, pigs 69.1.

In the 1975/76 school year. over 42 thousand students studied in 205 general education schools of all types, over 1.6 thousand students in 4 vocational educational institutions, over 1.8 thousand students in 5 secondary specialized educational institutions, and at the Pedagogical Institute in Stepanakert - 1.6 thousand students. Among the scientific institutions: Karabakh scientific and experimental base of the Institute of Genetics and Selection of the Academy of Sciences of the Azerbaijan SSR.

In 1975 there were: 1 theater, 188 public libraries, 3 museums, 222 club institutions, 188 stationary film installations.

In 1975, there were 312 doctors working, i.e., 1 doctor for 499 people; there were 1.6 thousand hospital beds.

The Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Region was awarded the Order of Lenin (1967) and the Order of Friendship of Peoples (1972).

In the east it is washed by the Caspian Sea. Area 86.6 thousand. km 2. Population 5689 thousand people. (as of January 1, 1976). National composition (according to the 1970 census, thousand people): Azerbaijanis 3777, Russians 510, Armenians 484, Lezgins 137, etc. Average population density 65.7 people. by 1 km 2(as of January 1, 1976). The capital is Baku (1,406 thousand inhabitants as of January 1, 1976). The largest city is Kirovabad (211 thousand inhabitants). New cities have grown: Sumgait (168 thousand inhabitants), Mingachevir, Stepanakert, Ali-Bayramly, Dashkesan, etc. The Azerbaijan SSR includes the Nakhichevan Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic and the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Okrug. There are 61 districts, 60 cities and 125 urban-type settlements in the republic.

During the Great Patriotic War, the Azerbaijani people mobilized all their forces to repel fascist aggression.

The Azerbaijani people, together with all the fraternal peoples of the USSR, achieved new successes in communist construction in the post-war decades.

The Azerbaijan SSR was awarded 2 Orders of Lenin (1935, 1964), the Order of the October Revolution (1970) and the Order of Friendship of Peoples (1972).

Azerbaijan has developed economic ties with all union republics.

In 1975, the volume of industrial output exceeded the level of 1940 by 8.3 times, and the level of 1913 by 49 times.

For the production of the most important types of industrial products, see the data in table. 1.

Table 1. - Production of the most important types of industrial products

Oil (including gas condensate), million. T	1940	1970	1975
Oil (including gas condensate), million. T	22	20	17
Gas, million m 3	2498	5521	9890
Electricity, billion. kw h	2	12	15
Iron ore, thousand T	-	1413	1346
Steel, thousand T	24	733	825
Rolled ferrous metals (finished), thousand. T	8,5	585	670
Sulfuric acid in monohydrate, thousand. T	26	126	378
Mineral fertilizers (in conventional units), thousand. T		580	896
Pumping machines, thousand pcs.	1	2	3
Deep well pumps, thousand pcs.	31	77	85
Cement, thousand T	112	1409	1398
Cotton fiber, thousand T	58	131	178
Cotton fabrics, million. m	49	133	125,5
Woolen fabrics, million. m	0,5	8,5	12,5
Silk fabrics, million. m	0,2	18,5	32
Leather shoes, million pairs	2	11	15
Fish catch, catch of sea animals, thousand. T	33	73	57
Canned food, million conventional cans	20,0	185	295
Grape wine, thousand gave*	906	4222	6721
Meat, thousand T	17	48	64

* Without wine, the processing and bottling of which is carried out on the territory of other republics.

Table 2. - Sown areas and gross harvest of agricultural crops

Total sown area, thousand. ha	1940	1970	1975
Total sown area, thousand. ha	1124	1196	1310
Cereals	797	621	611
Including:
wheat	471	420	412
corn (grain)	10	12	12
Industrial crops	213	210	231
Including:
cotton	188	193	211
Tobacco	7	14	17
Potato	22	15	17
Vegetables	14	32	38
Forage crops	66	308	402
Gross collection, thousand T
Grain crops, thousand T	567	723	893
Including: wheat	298	504	629
corn (for grain)	10	22	28
Raw cotton	154	336	450
Tobacco	5	25	42
Potato	82	130	89
Vegetables	63	410	604

	1941	1971	1976
Cattle	1357	1577	1667
including cows and buffaloes	489	605	622
Sheep and goats	2907	4371	5128
Pigs	120	113	135
Poultry, million	3,8	8,8	12,8

Table 4. - Production of basic livestock products

	1940	1970	1975
Meat (in slaughter weight), thousand. T	41	94	115
Milk, thousand T	275	478	658
Eggs, million pieces	158	413	578
Wool, thousand T	4,2	7,6	9,5

Nakhichevan Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic

In the 1975/76 school year. 71.9 thousand students studied in 225 secondary schools of all types (before the establishment

Article about the word " THE USSR. Azerbaijan SSR" in the Great Soviet Encyclopedia was read 2301 times

In 1988, the Popular Front of Azerbaijan was formed, which became the head of the Azerbaijani national movement, which intensified against the backdrop of the Karabakh conflict.
Perestroika gave new impetus to the movement for the reunification of Karabakh with Armenia. In Karabakh, supporters of this idea created the “Krunk” society (translated from Armenian as “crane”, a symbol of homesickness). At the end of 1987, rallies began in Stepanakert, the administrative center of the autonomy, in support of this initiative. This was followed by official steps: at the beginning of 1988, four of the five district councils of Nagorno-Karabakh (the exception was the Shusha district, where the majority of the population was Azerbaijanis) voted for unification with Armenia.

Protesters with the ADR flag on Lenin Square (now Freedom Square). Baku, 1988

Rallies continued both in Stepanakert and Yerevan. Against this background, on February 20, 1988, a session of the regional council of the NKAO was held, at which it was decided to appeal to the Supreme Council of the USSR with a request to include Karabakh as part of Armenia.

On February 27, Armenian pogroms began in Sumgait, an industrial center several tens of kilometers from Baku. The police were almost useless. Brutal murders of Armenians, torture and rape were committed in Sumgait. According to official data alone, 32 people were killed (26 Armenians and 6 Azerbaijanis), and several hundred were injured. The pogroms were stopped only in the evening of February 29, after internal troops were brought into Sumgayit. About 80 people were later convicted of these crimes.

The consequence of the February events was an increase in the flow of refugees - Armenians from Azerbaijan and Azerbaijanis from Armenia. Some of them were expelled from their places of residence, others were in a hurry to leave, fearing persecution from the titular nation. As of 1989, the total number of refugees amounted to several hundred thousand people.

The Union Center ordered the creation of a commission “to study the issue of improving the economy, culture and welfare of the NKAO”, and also sent a special representative to the region. This was Arkady Volsky, who had previously headed the mechanical engineering department of the CPSU Central Committee. At the beginning of 1989, Volsky was appointed head of the Special Administration Committee of the NKAO. In fact, power over the region was transferred to this committee. The KOU, subordinate to the union center, received the right to control the work of industrial enterprises, the activities of the media, and also dissolve public organizations. Earlier (in September 1988), a state of emergency was introduced in Karabakh - against the backdrop of the interethnic clashes taking place there. The committee existed until November 1989.

In 1989, Azerbaijan began to gradually block communications with Armenia. The movement of passenger trains and buses running across the border was stopped. Flights on the Baku-Yerevan route have been stopped. In September, Azerbaijan also stopped passing transit freight trains heading to Armenia. The transport system was designed in such a way that the bulk of cargo was delivered to Armenia through Azerbaijan. Now this direction has been blocked. In addition, Baku decided to cut off the supply of natural gas to the neighboring republic. For Armenia, this was a particularly strong blow, since not so long ago (in December 1988) it experienced the devastating Spitak earthquake and was in dire need, in particular, of building materials for reconstruction work. Enterprises in Armenia began to shut down due to a lack of raw materials, and fuel became extremely scarce. Part of the cargo destined for Armenia was redirected through Georgia. The Azerbaijanis demanded that Georgia join the blockade, and upon receiving a refusal, they stopped allowing oil products into the republic. For Armenia, the railway line passing through Georgia became the “road of life.” The blockade of Armenia was declared not by the Azerbaijani authorities (although this was fully consistent with their policy), but by the Azerbaijani Popular Front. Popular Front activists organized this action under the guise of a strike. They demanded that Armenia refuse unification with Karabakh and stop helping the Karabakh Armenians.

On September 23, 1989, the Supreme Council of the Azerbaijan SSR adopted the Constitutional Law on the sovereignty of the Azerbaijan SSR. On December 29 of the same year in Jalilabad, Popular Front activists seized the building of the city party committee, and dozens of people were injured. On December 31, on the territory of the Nakhichevan Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic, crowds of people destroyed the state border with Iran. Almost 700 km of the border was destroyed. Thousands of Azerbaijanis crossed the Araks River, excited by the first opportunity in decades to fraternize with their compatriots in Iran. On January 10, 1990, the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR adopted a resolution “On gross violations of the law on the state border of the USSR on the territory of the Nakhichevan Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic,” strongly condemning what happened.

On January 11, 1990, a group of radical members of the Popular Front stormed several administrative buildings and seized power in the city of Lankaran, overthrowing Soviet power. On January 13, Armenian pogroms began in Baku, killing dozens of people. On January 19, an emergency session of the Supreme Council of the Nakhichevan Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic adopted a resolution on the withdrawal of the Nakhichevan Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic from the USSR and the declaration of independence. On the night of January 19–20, the Soviet army stormed Baku, resulting in the death of more than a hundred civilians.

Despite this, until August 1991, the Caspian republic was considered by many almost as an outpost of Moscow in Transcaucasia. Azerbaijan was the only one of the three Transcaucasian entities that took part in the referendum on preserving the “renewed” USSR on March 17, 1991, as well as in the “Novo-Ogarevo process” (preparation of a new Union Treaty). Unlike Armenia, where the Communist Party lost its position in power back in 1990, the Supreme Council of Azerbaijan was headed by a representative of the Republican Communist Party, Ayaz Mutalibov. However, such an “outpost” role was situational. Baku sought to maintain control over Nagorno-Karabakh and in this matter tried to rely on the allied authorities, although by 1991 it already had a long list of claims against the Kremlin.

As soon as Baku realized that the Union would soon collapse (and the failure to sign the new Union Treaty spoke eloquently about this), an intensive process of state self-determination began. More similar to the path of such a pioneer in the struggle for secession from the USSR as Georgia. On August 30, 1991, the Supreme Council of Azerbaijan adopted the Declaration of secession from the USSR and independence of the republic. The “restoration” of Azerbaijan’s independence was proclaimed, and continuity with the first Azerbaijani state, the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic (1918–1920), was emphasized.

In response to this, on September 2, 1991, a joint session of the Nagorno-Karabakh Regional Council and the Council of People's Deputies of the Shaumyan region proclaimed the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR) within the borders of the former autonomy and region. At the same time, the Declaration on the Proclamation of the NKR was adopted.
On September 10, the Extraordinary Congress of the Communist Party of Azerbaijan is held, at which a decision is made to dissolve the Communist Party.
On October 18, the Constitutional Act “On State Independence of the Azerbaijan Republic” was adopted. On December 29, a referendum on state independence was held in Azerbaijan, in which 99.58% of the referendum participants voted for independence.

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CONSTITUTIONAL LAW OF THE AZERBAIJAN SSR
ON THE SOVEREIGNTY OF THE AZERBAIJAN SOVIET SOCIALIST REPUBLIC
The Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic, based on the right of every nation to self-determination, on the basis of the freely expressed will of the people of the republic on the basis of equality and preservation of its sovereignty, united with other Soviet republics into the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. Supreme Council of the Azerbaijan SSR: based on the inalienable right of the people of the Azerbaijan SSR to free, independent determination of their destiny;
Realizing that only the free and equal unification of Soviet nations within the framework of a socialist federation guarantees their all-round development;
Aware of the urgent need to free allied relations from various types of deformations that arose as a result of the departure from the Leninist concept of the Soviet Union State;
guided by the basic principles proclaimed in the Treaty on the Formation of the USSR and the provisions of the current Constitution of the USSR on the sovereignty of the Union republics;
Considering it necessary to bring the legislation of the Azerbaijan SSR into conformity with its status as a sovereign republic within the USSR, adopts this Constitutional Law.
1. The Azerbaijan SSR is a sovereign socialist state within the USSR. All power in the Azerbaijan SSR belongs to the people and comes from the people. The people exercise state power both directly and through the Councils of People's Deputies, which form the political basis of the Azerbaijan SSR.
The sovereignty of the Azerbaijan SSR is expressed in the independent exercise of the highest legislative, executive and judicial power by the Azerbaijan SSR throughout its territory in the interests of the entire multinational people of the republic.
The protection of the sovereign rights of the Azerbaijan SSR is carried out by the Azerbaijan SSR and the CCF Union.
2. The Azerbaijan SSR independently resolves all issues related to political, economic, socio-cultural construction in the republic, its administrative and territorial structure. Any interference in the resolution of issues constituting the inalienable right of the Azerbaijan SSR must be regarded as a violation of its sovereign rights.
The competence of the Azerbaijan SSR is limited only on issues voluntarily delegated by the republic itself to the USSR.
3. The constitutional and legal status of the Azerbaijan SSR cannot be changed without the consent of the Supreme Council of the Azerbaijan SSR.
4. Relations between the Azerbaijan SSR and the Union of SSR are built on a contractual basis, based on the sovereignty of the SSR and the sovereignty of the Azerbaijan SSR.
The relations of the Azerbaijan SSR with the union republics are built on the principles of their equality, cooperation, mutual respect for sovereign rights and non-interference in each other’s internal affairs.
5. The sovereignty of the Azerbaijan SSR extends to the entire territory of the republic, including the Nakhichevan Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic and the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Region, which are an integral part of Azerbaijan.
The territory of the Azerbaijan SSR is inalienable and cannot be changed without its consent, expressed by popular vote (referendum), held by decision of the Supreme Council of the Azerbaijan SSR among the entire population of the republic.
The borders of the Azerbaijan SSR with other union republics can only be changed by mutual agreement with the corresponding republics.
6. The laws of the Azerbaijan SSR are valid throughout the entire territory of the Azerbaijan SSR. The laws of the USSR are in force on the territory of the Azerbaijan SSR and do not violate the sovereign rights of the Azerbaijan SSR.
7. The Azerbaijan SSR has the right to freely secede from the USSR. This right is exercised through a popular vote (referendum), carried out by decision of the Supreme Council of the Azerbaijan SSR among the entire population of the republic.
8. In the interests of protecting the Azerbaijan SSR, its sovereignty and the safety of citizens, the Supreme Council of the Azerbaijan SSR, if necessary, may declare a state of emergency throughout the republic or in its individual localities with the introduction of special forms of administration carried out by state bodies of the Azerbaijan SSR.
9. The Azerbaijan SSR participates in resolving issues within the jurisdiction of the USSR in the highest bodies of state power and administration of the USSR and other bodies of the USSR. This right is guaranteed by ensuring the representation of the Azerbaijan SSR in the bodies of state power and administration of the Union on an equal basis with other union republics.
10. The land, its subsoil, forests, waters and other natural resources of the Azerbaijan SSR are national wealth, state property of the republic and belong to the people of Azerbaijan.
The people of the Azerbaijan SSR, represented by their highest bodies of state power and administration, have the inalienable right to dispose of the natural, material and technical resources of the republic.
The procedure for the use and exploitation of natural resources located on the territory of the republic is established by the Supreme Council of the Azerbaijan SSR.
11. The Azerbaijan SSR is taking measures to ensure the economic independence of the republic.
The Azerbaijan SSR ensures comprehensive economic, social and cultural development on its territory, exercises control over the activities of all enterprises, institutions and organizations located on the territory of the republic.
12. The following are subject to the jurisdiction of the Azerbaijan SSR represented by its highest bodies of state power and administration:
1) adoption of the Constitution of the Azerbaijan SSR and amendments to it)
2) monitoring compliance with the Constitution of the Azerbaijan SSR and ensuring compliance of the Constitution of the Nakhichevan ASSR with the Constitution of the Azerbaijan SSR;
3) the formation of autonomous republics and autonomous regions within the Azerbaijan SSR and their abolition; 4) legislation of the Azerbaijan SSR;
5) protection of the sovereignty of the republic, state order, rights and freedoms of citizens;
6) establishing the procedure for the organization and activities of supreme and local bodies of state power and administration;
7) implementation of a unified socio-economic policy, management of the economy of the Azerbaijan SSR; ensuring scientific and technological progress; implementation of measures for the rational use and protection of natural resources;
8) development and approval of state plans for the economic and social development of the Azerbaijan SSR, the state budget of the Azerbaijan SSR and approval of reports on their implementation; management of the implementation of the state budget of the Nakhichevan Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic, budgets of the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Region, districts and cities of republican subordination;
9) establishing control over the activities of financial and credit institutions, the republic’s income received for the formation of the state budget of the Azerbaijan SSR and the State budget of the USSR;
10) management of all sectors of the national economy of the republic;
management of housing and communal services, trade and public catering, consumer services for the population, housing construction and improvement of cities and other settlements, road construction and transport of the Azerbaijan SSR;
11) establishing the procedure for the use of land, subsoil, forests and waters; implementation of environmental policy;
12) management of public education, cultural and cultural organizations and institutions of the Azerbaijan SSR, healthcare, physical culture and sports, social security; protection of historical, cultural and natural monuments;
13) management of internal affairs and state security bodies;
14) creation of the Constitutional Oversight Committee; formation of courts and other justice bodies of the republic, determination of their competence and operating procedures;
15) amnesty and pardon of citizens convicted by the courts of the Azerbaijan SSR;
16) management of political, economic, scientific and cultural relations with foreign countries;
17) representation of the republic in international relations;
18) resolving other issues of republican significance. 13. The state language of the Azerbaijan SSR is the Azerbaijani language.
The Azerbaijan SSR ensures the use of the Azerbaijani language in state and public bodies, cultural, educational and other institutions and carries out state concern for its comprehensive development.
The Azerbaijan SSR ensures the free use and development of the Russian language and other languages of the population that it uses.
14. The Azerbaijan SSR has the right to enter into direct relations with foreign states, conclude agreements with them and exchange diplomatic and consular representatives, and participate in the activities of international organizations.
15. The symbols of the state sovereignty of the Azerbaijan SSR - the flag, coat of arms, anthem - are sacred, and any outrage against them is punishable by law.
This Law comes into force on September 25, 1989.
Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the Azerbaijan SSR E. Kafarova
Secretary of the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the Azerbaijan SSR R. Kazieva
Baku, September 23, 1989

DECLARATION
Supreme Council of the Azerbaijan Republic
On the restoration of state independence of the Azerbaijan Republic

Supreme Council of the Azerbaijan Republic,
- guided by the highest state interests of the people of Azerbaijan and expressing their will;
- noting that from 1918 to 1920 the Republic of Azerbaijan existed as an independent state recognized by the international community;
- based on the Constitution of the Azerbaijan Republic, constitutional laws on the sovereignty of the Azerbaijan Republic and the foundations of the economic independence of the Azerbaijan Republic;
- realizing their responsibility for the fate and ensuring the free development of the people of Azerbaijan;
- guaranteeing the rights and fundamental human freedoms provided for by international acts to all citizens of the Republic of Azerbaijan, regardless of nationality and religion;
- seeking to prevent a threat to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Azerbaijan;
- guided by the sacred duty to ensure the security and inviolability of the state borders of the Republic of Azerbaijan;
- realizing the need to consolidate all patriotic forces of the republic;
- recognizing international pacts, conventions and other documents that do not contradict the interests of the Azerbaijan Republic and its people, wishing to continue to maintain friendly relations with all republics of the USSR;
- expressing readiness to establish equal relations with member states of the international community,
- hoping for recognition of the state independence of the Republic of Azerbaijan by member states of the international community and the United Nations in accordance with other international legal covenants and conventions adopted and enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations;
proclaims the restoration of state independence of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

The Declaration was adopted on August 30, 1991
At the extraordinary session of the Supreme Council of the Azerbaijan Republic