Exploring Azerbaijan's Diverse Ethnic And Religious Minorities

Azerbaijan is a diverse country with more than 13 different ethnic minorities, constituting 5.2% of the population. The largest ethnic group in Azerbaijan is the Azerbaijani, who make up 92% of the population. However, there are several minority groups in the country, each with their own unique culture, language, and history. Lezgins, Russians, and Armenians are among the most well-known minority groups in Azerbaijan, but there are also smaller communities such as Avars, Ashkenazi Jews, and Georgians, each accounting for 2% of the total population. The status of these minority groups has been a topic of discussion and debate, with some expressing concerns about discrimination, forced assimilation, and a lack of representation in public and political life.

Lezgins

Historically, Lezgins have inhabited some northern regions of Azerbaijan, particularly the Qusar District, parts of the Quba District, and the Khachmaz District. They also live in adjoining areas such as Hachmaz and Kuba, as well as in large cities like Baku and Sumqayit. The Lezgin population is divided between Azerbaijan and Russia, with a total population estimated to be around 700,000, including 474,000 in Russia and between 167,600 and 250,000 in Azerbaijan, according to various sources.

The Lezgin society is structured around djamaat, or unions of clans, and has traditionally been egalitarian and organised around autonomous local clans called syhils. Their culture places a strong emphasis on representing the nation with its national animal, the eagle, and values freedom and independence. This is reflected in their rich oral tradition and epic-historical songs about wars and national heroes.

Russians

The first Russian civilian settlers in Azerbaijan arrived between 1830 and 1850, after the ratification of the Treaty of Turkmenchay. In the mid-1800s, ethnic Russians from the governorates of Tambov, Voronezh, and Samara began to arrive in Shamakhy and Shusha, establishing settlements such as Vel, Privolnoye, Prishib, Nikolaevka, and Ivanovka. By 1897, the Russian-speaking population of the Baku Governorate was 73,632, and there was also a large population of Russians in Elisabethpol (modern-day Ganja).

During the Soviet epoch, qualified professionals from other parts of the Soviet Union, particularly Russians, moved to Azerbaijan, mainly to cities. Russians remained the largest ethnic group in Baku, according to the 1926 and 1939 censuses. In 1949, there was a large wave of Russian migration to the industrial city of Sumqayit north of Baku.

However, the activation and rise to power of the National Democratic Azerbaijani Popular Front Party in the early 1990s, along with the deterioration of Azerbaijani-Russian relations and ensuing anti-Russian propaganda, contributed to the exodus of the Russian-speaking population of Azerbaijan. Between 1989 and 1999, the number of Russians in the country fell from 392,000 to 142,000, and by 2009, the Russian population numbered 119,300 people.

Despite the decline, Russians continue to play a significant role in Azerbaijan. They are primarily concentrated in urban centres, and Russian Orthodox believers enjoy freedom of worship in the country. Russian is the second most commonly used language in Azerbaijan, and it is also one of the three languages of instruction in public schools. There are numerous Russian-language media outlets, and an estimated 7% of students in secondary and higher education study in Russian.

Armenians

The number of Armenians in Azerbaijan has decreased significantly over time, especially following the conflicts over the Nagorno-Karabakh region. The 2019 census recorded only 200 Armenians in the country, excluding those in Nagorno-Karabakh. This decline is attributed to mass displacements and emigration due to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

The status of Armenians in Azerbaijan is precarious, and their safety and well-being depend on the resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Talyshi

The Talysh people, or Talyshis, are an Iranian ethnic group, with the majority residing in Azerbaijan and a minority in Iran. They are the indigenous people of the Talish region, which spans the western shore of the Caspian Sea and is shared between Azerbaijan and Iran. The Talysh speak an Indo-European language, which is common in northern Iran, and are predominantly Shi'ite Muslims.

The Talysh have historically inhabited the Talish district in the southwestern part of the Caspian Sea. Today, the northern part of Talish is located in the Republic of Azerbaijan, specifically in the districts of Lankaran, Astara, Lerik, Masally, and Yardimli. There are over 350 Talysh villages and towns within these five districts. The southern part of Talish is located in the western part of the Gilan province of Iran and extends to the village of Kapurchal. The main city of the Talysh people, and their ethnic homeland, is Lankaran, where the majority of the population is ethnically Talysh.

The Talysh people have a high birth rate and are currently the ethnic group experiencing the highest growth rate in modern Azerbaijan. They are also known for their longevity, with a high number of centenarians.

The Talysh have traditionally been associated with either Gilan or Mughan, especially with Ardabil, which appears to have shared a similar linguistic and ethnic bond with Talish prior to the Turkicization of Iranian Azerbaijan. During the Safavid period, which began in the 16th century, several Talysh chieftains were among the first supporters of the Safavids, who gave them the governorship of Astara. From 1539 onwards, the governorship of Astara was held hereditarily by the family of Bayandor Khan Talesh.

During the decline of Safavid rule in the early 18th century, Talysh leaders attempted to establish autonomous principalities. However, the Iranian military leader Nader Shah rose to power, and the Talysh people were unable to resist his campaigns. After Nader Shah's assassination in 1747, his empire fragmented, and Jamal al-Din, the son of a local leader, established the Talysh Khanate with Lankaran as its capital.

In the 19th century, there was a migration of Talysh towards the north of the modern Republic of Azerbaijan in search of work in the oil industry and fisheries. As a result, several Talysh-speaking settlements have continued to exist in the Absheron Peninsula, particularly in Baku, and there is a significant Talysh community in Sumgait.

During the early Soviet period, there were Talysh high schools, a Talysh newspaper called "Red Talysh", and several Talysh language books were published. However, by the end of the 1930s, these schools were closed, and the Talysh identity was not acknowledged in official statistics. Instead, the Talysh were classified as "Azerbaijani".

Talysh people experienced strong suppression of their identity, language, and culture during Soviet times. Like other ethnic groups in the republic, such as the Tats and Kurds, the Talysh were subjected to forced assimilation by the Azerbaijani authorities. In the 1959 census, the Talysh population was reported to be only 85 individuals, and they were not included in any subsequent Soviet population censuses until 1989.

It was only in 1989 that Talysh ethnicity was returned to the census, with a count of 21,169 Talysh people in the Azerbaijan Soviet Republic. According to the official 1999 census of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the number of Talysh people in the country was 76,000. However, Talysh nationalists and unofficial statistics claim that the actual number is significantly higher, with estimates ranging from 200,000 to 600,000 Talysh citizens living in Azerbaijan.

The Talysh people have faced challenges due to the long-term deprivation of cultural and education rights, as well as economic neglect of their region, which borders Iran and the Caspian Sea. They have also been subjected to intimidation and repression by the Azerbaijani state, with reports of leading Talysh activists, journalists, and other prominent figures being harassed and their identity documents confiscated.

Despite these challenges, the Talysh community in Azerbaijan continues to preserve its unique culture and traditions, and they play an important role in the diverse ethnic landscape of the country.

Avars

The Avars are a minority group in Azerbaijan, with a population of 48,600 (as of the 2019 census). They are a Caucasus people and speak Avar, a northeastern Caucasian language, as well as Azerbaijani. They live in the northern regions of Azerbaijan, with the majority living in the Balakan and Zaqatala districts.

The Avars are the largest ethnic group in neighbouring Dagestan, where they are known as Ma'arulal or "free mountaineers, who inhabit the highest lands". They have a strong sense of honour and a strict code of honour, which has been carried with them wherever they have settled. The Avar people were finally subdued by the Russian Empire in 1864, along with the rest of Dagestan, but their code of honour has never diminished.

In Azerbaijan, the Avars are pressured to assimilate into the dominant Azeri culture and are considered Azeri even in census counts. They are officially Sunni Muslim, and Islam is a strong part of their identity. However, their craving for honour supersedes their religious beliefs, and their quest for dignity is far more important to them than obedience to Allah.

There are now more than 50 Avar believers, and the New Testament, Genesis, Proverbs, Ruth, and Jonah have all been translated into the Avar language.

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