Demographics of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic

This article is about the demographic features of the population of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR), including population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population.

In 2001, the NKR's reported population was 95% Armenian, with the remaining total including Russians, Assyrians, Greeks, and Kurds.[1] In March 2007, the local government announced that its population had grown to 138,000. The annual birth rate was recorded at 2,200–2,300 per year, an increase from nearly 1,500 in 1999. Until 2000, the net migration was at a negative.[2] For the first half of 2007, 1,010 births and 659 deaths were reported, with a net emigration of 27.[3]

Most of the Armenian population is Christian and belongs to the Armenian Apostolic Church. Certain Orthodox Christian and Evangelical Christian denominations also exist; other religions include Judaism.[1]

Historical overview of Nagorno Karabakh's demographics

18th century

Concrete numbers about the demographic situation in Nagorno Karabakh appear since the 18th century. Archimandrite Minas Tigranian, after completing his secret mission to Persian Armenia ordered by the Russian Tsar Peter the Great stated in a report dated March 14, 1717 that the patriarch of the Gandzasar Monastery, in Nagorno Karabakh, had under his authority 900 Armenian villages.[4]

In his letter of 1769 to Russia’s Count P. Panin, the Georgian king Erekle II, in his description of Nagorno Karabakh, suggests: "Seven families rule the region of Khamse. Its population is totally Armenian." [5][6]

When discussing Karabakh and Shusha in the 18th century, the Russian diplomat and historian S. M. Bronevskiy (Russian: С. М. Броневский) indicated in his Historical Notes that Karabakh, which he said "is located in Greater Armenia" had as many as 30–40,000 armed Armenian men in 1796.[7]

19th century

A survey prepared by the Russian imperial authorities in 1823, several years before the 1828 Armenian migration from Persia to the newly established Armenian Province, shows that all Armenians of Karabakh compactly resided in its highland portion, i.e. on the territory of the five traditional Armenian principalities in Nagorno Karabakh, and constituted an absolute demographic majority on those lands. The survey's more than 260 pages recorded that the district of Khachen had twelve Armenian villages and no Tatar (Muslim) villages; Jalapert (Jraberd) had eight Armenian villages and no Tatar villages; Dizak had fourteen Armenian villages and one Tatar village; Gulistan had twelve Armenian and five Tatar villages; and Varanda had twenty-three Armenian villages and one Tatar village.[8][9]

20th century

During the Soviet times, the leaders of the Azerbaijan SSR tried to change demographic balance in the Nagorno Karabakh Autonomous Region (NKAO) by increasing the number of Azeri residents through opening a university with Azeri, Russian and Armenian sectors and a shoe factory, sending Azerbaijanis from other parts of Azerbaijan SSR to the NKAO. "By doing this," Aliyev said in an interview in 2002 "I tried to increase the number of Azeris and to reduce the number of Armenians.”[10][11]

Nearing the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1989, the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast boasted a population of 145,593 Armenians (76.4%), 42,871 Azeris (22.4%),[12] and several thousand Kurds, Russians, Greeks, and Assyrians. Most of the Azeri and Kurdish populations fled the region during the heaviest years of fighting in the war from 1992 to 1993. The main language spoken in Nagorno-Karabakh is Armenian; however, Karabakh Armenians speak a dialect of Armenian which is considerably different from that which is spoken in Armenia as it is layered with Russian, Turkish and Persian words.[13]

2000s

In 2001, the NKR's reported population was 95% Armenian, with the remaining total including Assyrians, Greeks, and Kurds.[1] In March 2007, the local government announced that its population had grown to 138,000. The annual birth rate was recorded at 2,200-2,300 per year, an increase from nearly 1,500 in 1999. Until 2000, the country's net migration was at a negative.[14] For the first half of 2007, 1,010 births and 659 deaths were reported, with a net emigration of 27.[15]

In 2011, officials from YAP submitted a letter to OSCE which included the statement, "The OSCE fact-finding mission report released last year also found that some 15,000 Armenians have been illegally settled on Azerbaijan's occupied territories." However, the OSCE report, released in March 2011, estimates the population of territories controlled by ethnic Armenians "adjacent to the breakaway Azerbaijani region of Nagorno-Karabakh" to be 14,000, and states "there has been no significant growth in the population since 2005."[16]

Most of the Armenian population is Christian and belongs to the Armenian Apostolic Church. Certain Orthodox Christian and Evangelical Christian denominations also exist; other religions include Judaism.[1]

With the turmoil caused by the Syrian Civil War, several hundred Syrian-Armenian citizens have moved from Syria to Nagorno-Karabakh Republic. Many of these refugees are being offered assistance by the government in the form of land, housing, extra educational assistance, and other such basics that will help them quickly assimilate and start their new lives. [17] As the civil war continues, many more families are expected to make the move to Nagorno-Karabakh.

Population of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic [18]

Year Population (000s) Urban Rural Net Immigration
2000 134.4 68.4 66.0 16.1
2001 135.7 68.7 67.0 11.5
2002 136.6 69.3 67.3 4.9
2003 137.0 69.1 67.9 1.3
2004 137.2 69.8 67.4 -2.6
2005 137.7 70.5 67.2 1.7
2006 137.7 70.8 66.9 -3.2

Population by Age Group

Age Group Total (000s) Urban Rural % of Pop % of Urban Pop % of Rural Pop
0-6 15.7 7.5 8.2 11.4 10.6 12.3
7-17 25.2 12.8 12.4 18.3 18.1 18.5
18-59 75.8 41.9 33.9 55.0 59.2 50.7
60+ 21.0 8.6 12.4 15.3 12.1 18.5

Population by entity Map of Provinces

Pop (000s) 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2015
Total 134.4 135.7 136.6 137.0 137.2 137.7 137.7 148.9
Stepanakert 49.5 49.5 49.7 49.8 49.9 50.0 50.4 55.2
Askeran Region 16.0 16.6 16.6 16.8 16.9 17.0 17.0 18.1
Hadrut Region 11.4 11.4 11.8 11.9 11.9 12.0 12.4 13.6
Martakert Region 18.9 18.7 18.8 18.8 18.8 18.9 18.9 19.9
Martuni Region 22.8 22.9 23.0 23.0 23.0 23.2 23.1 24.3
Shahumyan Region 2.0 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.8 3.1
Shushi Region 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.4 4.5 5.4
Kashatagh Region 9.8 10.0 10.0 9.9 9.8 9.7 8.6 9.3

Urban population by regon

Pop (000s) 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2015
Total 68.4 68.7 69.3 69.1 69.8 70.5 70.8 84.5
Stepanakert 49.5 49.5 49.7 49.8 49.9 50.0 50.4 55.2
Askeran Region 2.3 2.1 2.0 1.9 2.0 2.0 2.1 2.3
Hadrut Region 2.5 2.5 2.8 2.8 2.7 2.8 3.0 4.1
Martakert Region 3.8 3.8 3.8 3.8 4.0 4.2 3.8 4.6
Martuni Region 4.3 4.5 4.7 4.5 4.8 4.9 4.9 10.2
Shahumyan Region 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.5 0.5 0.4 0.5 0.6
Shushi Region 2.7 2.9 3.0 3.1 3.1 3.3 3.3 4.2
Kashatagh Region 2.9 2.9 2.7 2.7 2.8 2.9 2.7 3.3

Rural Population by region

Pop (000s) 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2015
Total 66.0 67.0 67.3 67.9 67.4 67.2 66.9 64.4
Stepanakert 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
Askeran Region 13.7 14.5 14.6 14.9 14.9 15.0 14.9 15.8
Hadrut Region 8.9 8.9 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.2 9.4 9.5
Martakert Region 15.1 14.9 15.0 15.0 14.8 14.7 15.1 15.3
Martuni Region 18.5 18.4 18.3 18.5 18.2 18.3 18.2 14.1
Shahumyan Region 1.6 2.0 1.9 2.0 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.5
Shushi Region 1.3 1.2 1.2 1.2 1.3 1.1 1.2 1.2
Kashatagh Region 6.9 7.1 7.3 7.2 7.0 6.8 5.9 6.0

Vital statistics

Registered births and deaths [19]

Average population (x 1000) Live births Deaths Natural change Crude birth rate (per 1000) Crude death rate (per 1000) Natural change (per 1000) Infant mortality rate (per 1000 births) Life expectancy males Life expectancy females
1995 125 1 799 1 197 602 14.4 9.6 4.8
1996 123 1 964 1 323 641 15.9 10.7 5.2
1997 126 1 887 1 205 682 14.9 9.5 5.4
1998 130 1 897 1 207 690 14.6 9.3 5.3
1999 132 1 645 1 104 541 12.5 8.4 4.1
2000 134 2 222 1 185 1 037 16.6 8.9 7.7
2001 135 2 306 1 075 1 231 17.1 8.0 9.1
2002 136 2 190 1 242 948 16.1 9.1 7.0
2003 137 2 058 1 232 826 15.0 9.0 6.0
2004 137 2 095 1 306 789 15.3 9.5 5.8
2005 137 2 004 1 260 744 14.6 9.2 5.4
2006 138 2 102 1 235 867 15.3 9.0 6.3
2007 138 2 145 1 227 918 15.5 8.9 6.6
2008 139 2 418 1 317 1 101 17.4 9.5 7.9 13.6 70.0 76.3
2009 141 2 821 1 266 1 555 20.0 9.0 11.0 10.6 70.3 76.9
2010 143 2 694 1 341 1 353 18.8 9.3 9.5 12.6 71.2 76.5
2011 144 2 586 1 297 1 289 17.9 9.0 8.9 12.0 70.8 75.9
2012 146 2 500 1 232 1 268 17.0 8.4 8.6 7.6 71.8 77.4
2013 147 2 371 1 344 1 027 16.0 9.1 6.9 11.8 71.0 76.0
2014 148 2 428 1 309 1 119 16.3 8.8 7.5 8.6 71.6 76.8

Vital Stats for Urban Population

Year Births Deaths NG BR DR NGR
2000 1,158 566 592 16.9 8.3 8.7
2001 1,162 519 643 16.9 7.6 9.4
2002 1,120 539 581 16.2 7.8 8.4
2003 1,106 579 527 16.0 8.4 7.6
2004 1,235 662 573 17.7 9.5 8.2
2005 1,132 640 492 16.1 9.1 7.0
2006 1,202 605 597 17.0 8.6 8.4

Vital Statistics for Rural Population

Year Births Deaths NG BR DR NGR
2000 1,064 619 445 16.1 9.4 6.7
2001 1,144 556 588 17.1 8.3 8.8
2002 1,070 703 367 15.9 10.4 5.5
2003 952 653 299 14.0 9.6 4.4
2004 860 644 216 12.8 9.6 3.2
2005 872 620 252 13.0 9.2 3.8
2006 900 630 270 13.5 9.4 4.0

Ethnic groups [20] [21]

The population of the Nagorno-Karabach Republic is now almost exclusively Armenian. Almost all Azerbaijanis (41,000 at the territory of the Nagorno-Karabach AO in 1989) have left the area. The majority of the Russians and Ukrainians have also left.

The population of the 7 rayons of Azerbaijan not belonging to the Nagorno-Karabach AO (Kalbajar, Lachin, Gubadly, Zangilan, Jabrail, Fuzuli and Aghdam) but now for the most part under control of the Nagorno-Karabach Republic, was 371,441 in 1979, including 363,588 Azerbaijanis and only a small Armenian minority (1,405 or only 0.4%). [22] As the number of Azerbaijanis in the territory under control of the Nagorno-Karabach Republic is now negligible, it can be estimated that as a result of the Nagorno-Karabakh War approximately 400,000 Azerbaijanis have left the area.

Population of the Nagorno-Karabach AO (1926-1989) and the Nagorno-Karabach Republic (2005) according to ethnic group
Ethnic
group		 census 1926 census 1939 census 1959 census 1970 census 1979 census 1989 census 20051
Number % Number % Number % Number % Number % Number % Number %
Armenians 111,694 89.1 132,800 88.0 110,053 84.4 121,068 80.5 123,076 75.9 145,450 76.9 137,380 99.7
Azerbaijanis 12,592 10.0 14,053 9.3 17,995 13.8 27,179 18.1 37,264 23.0 40,688 21.5 6 0.0
Russians 596 0.5 3,174 2.1 1,790 1.4 1,310 0.9 1,265 0.8 1,922 1.0 171 0.1
Ukrainians 436 0.3 193 0.1 140 0.1 416 0.2 21 0.0
Others 416 0.3 374 0.2 568 0.4 563 0.4 436 0.3 609 0.3 159 0.1
Total 125,300 150,837 130,406 150,313 162,181 189,085 137,737
1The territory of the Nagorno-Karabach AO and the Nagorno-Karabach Republic is different.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Ethnic composition of the region as provided by the government
  2. ↑ Regnum News Agency. Nagorno Karabakh prime minister: We need to have at least 300,000 population. Regnum. March 9, 2007. Retrieved March 9, 2007.
  3. ↑ Евразийская панорама
  4. ↑ Bournoutian, George A. Armenians and Russia, 1626-1796: A Documentary Record. Costa Mesa, CA: Mazda Publishers, 2001, p. 120–21
  5. ↑ Цагарели А. А. Грамота и гругие исторические документы XVIII столетия, относяшиеся к Грузии, Том 1. СПб 1891, ц. 434-435. This book is available online from Google Books
  6. ↑ Bournoutian, George A. Armenians and Russia, 1626-1796: A Documentary Record. Costa Mesa, CA: Mazda Publishers, 2001, page 246
  7. ↑ S.M.Bronesvskiy. Historical Notes... St. Petersburg. 1996. Исторические выписки о сношениях России с Персиею, Грузиею и вообще с горскими народами, в Кавказе обитающими, со времён Ивана Васильевича доныне». СПб. 1996, секция "Карабаг"
  8. ↑ Description of the Karabakh province prepared in 1823 according to the order of the governor in Georgia Yermolov by state advisor Mogilevsky and colonel Yermolov 2nd (Russian: Opisaniye Karabakhskoy provincii sostavlennoye v 1823 g po rasporyazheniyu glavnoupravlyayushego v Gruzii Yermolova deystvitelnim statskim sovetnikom Mogilevskim i polkovnikom Yermolovim 2-m), Tbilisi, 1866.
  9. ↑ Bournoutian, George A. A History of Qarabagh: An Annotated Translation of Mirza Jamal Javanshir Qarabaghi's Tarikh-E Qarabagh. Costa Mesa, CA: Mazda Publishers, 1994, page 18
  10. ↑ (Russian) "Гейдар Алиев: 'Государство с оппозицией лучше'." Zerkalo. July 22, 2002.
  11. ↑ (Russian) Anon. "Кто на стыке интересов? США, Россия и новая реальность на границе с Ираном" ("Who is at the turn of interests? US, Russia and new reality on the border with Iran"). Regnum. April 4, 2006.
  12. ↑ Human Rights Watch. Seven Years of Conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh. December 1994, p. xiii, ISBN 1-56432-142-8, citing: Natsional'nyi Sostav Naseleniya SSSR, po dannym Vsesoyuznyi Perepisi Naseleniya 1989 g., Moskva, "Finansy i Statistika"
  13. ↑ de Waal, Thomas (2003). Black Garden: Armenia and Azerbaijan Through Peace and War. New York: New York University Press. ISBN 0-8147-1945-7.
  14. ↑ Regnum News Agency. Nagorno Karabakh prime minister: We need to have at least 300,000 population. Regnum. March 9, 2007. Retrieved March 9, 2007.
  15. ↑ Евразийская панорама
  16. ↑ "Azerbaijani Party Appeals To OSCE About Armenian Resettlement". RFERL. 2011-05-13. Retrieved 13 May 2011.
  17. ↑ http://iwpr.net/report-news/karabakh-offers-new-home-syrian-armenians
  18. ↑ www.stat-nkr.am
  19. ↑ The National Statistical Service of Nagorno-Karabach Republic
  20. ↑
  21. ↑ 2005 census of the Nagorno-Karabach Republic
  22. ↑

See also

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