
Qabala District () is one of the 66
districts
A district is a type of administrative division that in some countries is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or counties, several municipalities, subdivisions ...
of
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan, officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, is a Boundaries between the continents, transcontinental and landlocked country at the boundary of West Asia and Eastern Europe. It is a part of the South Caucasus region and is bounded by ...
. It is located in the north of the country in the
Shaki-Zagatala Economic Region
Shaki-Zagatala Economic Region () is one of the 14 economic regions of Azerbaijan. It borders Russia to the north and Georgia to the west, as well as the economic regions of Quba-Khachmaz, Mountainous Shirvan, Central Aran, and Ganja-Dashkasa ...
. The district borders the districts of
Oghuz,
Shaki,
Agdash,
Goychay,
Ismayilli,
Quba
Quba () is a city and the administrative centre of the Quba District (Azerbaijan), Quba District of Azerbaijan. The city lies on the north-eastern slopes of Mount Shahdagh, Shahdag mountain, at an altitude of 600 metres above sea level, on the ...
,
Qusar, and the
Russia
Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...
n
Republic of Dagestan
Dagestan ( ; ; ), officially the Republic of Dagestan, is a republic of Russia situated in the North Caucasus of Eastern Europe, along the Caspian Sea. It is located north of the Greater Caucasus, and is a part of the North Caucasian Fede ...
. Its capital and largest city is
Qabala
Qabala () is a city and the administrative centre of the Qabala District of Azerbaijan. The municipality consists of the city of Gabala and the village of Küsnət, Qabala, Küsnat. Before the city was known as Kutkashen, but after the Republic o ...
. As of 2020, the district had a population of 107,800.
History
Qabala bears the name of the ancient Gabala, a city which was the capital of the ancient state of
Caucasian Albania
Caucasian Albania is a modern exonym for a former state located in ancient times in the Caucasus, mostly in what is now Azerbaijan (where both of its capitals were located). The modern endonyms for the area are ''Aghwank'' and ''Aluank'', among ...
. The ruins of the old city are located 20 kilometres southwest of the present centre of the district. The remnants of the large buildings, city gates, tower walls and patterns of material culture indicate that Gabala was one of the most prominent cities at that time.
Ancient Gabala was founded as a city in the late 4th-early 3rd century BC and survived up to the mid 18th century AD. Many changes occurred in the life of the city through the period of existence. Due to different historical events, the city was damaged more than once.
Though the
Roman
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
*Rome, the capital city of Italy
*Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
*Roman people, the people of Roman civilization
*Epistle to the Romans, shortened to Romans, a letter w ...
troops attacked Albania in the 60s BC they were not able to occupy Gabala. During the
Sassanid
The Sasanian Empire (), officially Eranshahr ( , "Empire of the Iranian peoples, Iranians"), was an List of monarchs of Iran, Iranian empire that was founded and ruled by the House of Sasan from 224 to 651. Enduring for over four centuries, th ...
period, Qabala was a large trade and handicraft centre. The situation remained the same in the times of the Islamic caliphate. Though Qabala experienced a decline during the Mongolian invasion in the 13th century, it was restored later. Qabala lost its position in the mid 18th century and the population gradually declined.
The small feudal state
Qutqashen Sultanate was established on the territory of Qabala in the mid 18th century. It was later included in the
Shaki Khanate
The Shaki Khanate (also spelled Shakki; ) was a khanate under Iranian and later Russian suzerainty, which controlled the town of Shaki and its surroundings, now located in present-day Azerbaijan.
History
Since 1551, Shaki had been under the c ...
and was ruled by the Shaki naibs appointed by the khans of Shaki.
Following the downfall of the Shaki Khanate, the Qutqashen sultanate was included in the Shaki province. The Qutqashen district was created in 1930. The district was renamed back to Qabala in March 1991, after falling of the Soviet Union.
Geography
Most of
Gabala district is composed of mountains which begin from the highlands of the South slope of the north part of the
Caucasus
The Caucasus () or Caucasia (), is a region spanning Eastern Europe and Western Asia. It is situated between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, comprising parts of Southern Russia, Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan. The Caucasus Mountains, i ...
spreading to the central part of Alazan-Haftaran (Ganikh-Ayrichay) valley, the south part spreads from frontal highlands of Ajinohur to Gabala high plateau and the south border of this high plateau substitutes orographic units of Surkhaykhan (Akhar-Bakhar) chain of mountains up to watershed. Saral, Choban baba, Muchug, Tufan and Aghbulag mountain ranges all together form branches of the watershed of
Greater Caucasus
The Greater Caucasus, ''Didi K’avk’asioni''; is the major mountain range of the Caucasus Mountains. It stretches for about from west-northwest to east-southeast, from the Taman Peninsula of the Black Sea to the Absheron Peninsula of t ...
which encompasses the territory of the region as a chain from the west to the east. The territory of the Gabala region is divided into three areas in geomorphological terms: the mountainous area, plains, and high plateau. The hilly relief forms in the territory of Gabala alternate one another from highlands to intermontane valleys, from deep scattered precipitous ravines to plane surfaced plateaus. The highest peaks of the Great Caucasus within Azerbaijan is also located in this region (in the northern borders of Gabala). Bazarduzu (4466 m), Tufandagh (4206 m), Bazaryurd (4126 m) and Shahdagh (4243 m) are the highest peaks located here. It is estimated that two major mountain glaciers of 6 km existing in Azerbaijan exist merely on the above peaks (excluding 0.15 km 2 glaciers on Gapichig peak (Nakhchivan).
Rivers
The mountainous relief forms and high humidity of climate in the Gabala district is the primary reason for the formation of a thick river network in this region. The length of 486 rivers out of 8359 running in Azerbaijan territory is more than 10 km and 12 of them, and also 2 of 23 having the length more than 100 km flowing from South slope of Greater Caucasus are located in Gabala. Gara, Tikanli, Bum Hamzali, Damiraparan and Vandam are considered the main rivers running in Gabala which are the branches of the Turyanchay and Goychay rivers. The water supply of these rivers consists of subsoil water (40-50%), rainwater (25-30%), and snow water (20-30%) depending on seasons.
Lakes
The most of lakes in the territory of the Gabala region formed by glaciers and located usually in mountainous areas. Tufanghol (3 277 m height from the sea level), Kulak ghol (3 380 m height from the sea level which is also the highest lake in the region), Gotur ghol, Ismayil Bey Gutgachinli lake (3 305 m height from the sea level), and Nohur lake are the major lakes mostly fed with snow and glacier waters.
Economy
Gabala district is located in Shaki-Zagatala Economic Region in the north-western part of Azerbaijan (southern hills of Great Caucasus Mountains). The main sector of the regional economy is based on agriculture. The agriculture of the region encompasses tobacco-cultivation, silkworm breeding, tea-growing, floriculture, paddy growing, fruit-growing, grain-growing, winegrowing, and sheep breeding. In 2015, over the different branches of the economy the total value of production were in the amount of 203,517 manat, compared to the same period of last year gross output in industry increased by 130 thousand AZN or 0.5%, agriculture 3.244 AZN or 5,6%, construction - 25.222 thousand AZN or 40.4%, transport - 246 thousand AZN or 7.3%, communication - 13 thousand AZN or 1.2%, trade - 457 thousand AZN or 1.97% in Gabala region. Also in 2016, construction and installation works were completed in the ski centre and the "Tufandag" hotel being part of the "Tufandag" Winter-Summer Tourism Complex.
Events
Gabala International Music Festival
Gabala International Music Festival is an annual festival of classical music held every summer beginning in 2009 in Qabala, Gabala, Azerbaijan. The festival is organised with the support of Heydar Aliyev Foundation at the initiative of the rector ...
is the major event held annually in August in Gabala beginning from 2009 with the support of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and organized by Azerbaijan's Culture and Tourism Ministry and Music Union. During this festival, musicians perform in the open air. The musicians participating in the festival, come from Europe, the US and Israel, as well as republics of the former Soviet Union. Jazz and mugham evenings and piano competition were held within the festival. Farhad Badalbeyli and Dmitry Yablonsky are the artistic directors of the event. Until now, Tbilisi City Hall Jazz Orchestra "BIG-BAND of Georgia, Jóvenes Clásicos Del Son of Cuba, Baku Chamber Orchestra of Azerbaijan, Budapest Gypsy Band of Hungary, and Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra of Israel have participated in this festival. Mugham, as well as classic, chamber, jazz, flamenco, and vocal music are usually performed.
International Jam Festival is another event that takes place in the Gabala district on a regular basis. It was started to be held in 2013 locally and only the 11 regions attended in that year. Since 2014, the audience of the event increased and more than 20 cities and districts of Azerbaijan and foreign countries participated in the festival. In 2015, the festival is attended by seven foreign countries (
Russian Federation
Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...
,
Chuvashia Republic and
Sakha Republic
Sakha, officially the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), is a republics of Russia, republic of Russia, and the largest federal subject of Russia by area. It is located in the Russian Far East, along the Arctic Ocean, with a population of one million ...
of Russian Federation,
Serbia
, image_flag = Flag of Serbia.svg
, national_motto =
, image_coat = Coat of arms of Serbia.svg
, national_anthem = ()
, image_map =
, map_caption = Location of Serbia (gree ...
,
Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyzstan, officially the Kyrgyz Republic, is a landlocked country in Central Asia lying in the Tian Shan and Pamir Mountains, Pamir mountain ranges. Bishkek is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Kyrgyzstan, largest city. Kyrgyz ...
,
Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to the west, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia to the northwest, the Caspian Sea to the north, Turkmenistan to the nort ...
,
Turkey
Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...
) together with 30 cities and regions of Azerbaijan. In 2015, the festival is sponsored by the World Association of Culinary Organizations and the International Organization of Folk Arts. In 2016, participants from Turkey, Iran, Russia, Northern Cyprus, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, China, as well as participants from 30 cities and regions of Azerbaijan attended the festival and demonstrated jams prepared from various fruits, vegetables and even flowers such as cherry, blackberry, strawberry, quince walnut, apricot, rose, plum, violets, mint, rose hips, corn, wild green plum, cucumbers, tomatoes, carrots, yellow raspberries, aubergines, and melons. There are several competitions at the International Jam Festival including “best presentation”, “best jam”, “variety of jam types”, “the most unusual jam”, "the greatest number of species jam", etc. The 5th V International Jam Festival was attended by teams from 25 foreign countries along with companies engaged in the industrial manufacture of jams from over 35 regions of Azerbaijan.
Tourism

The natural climatic conditions, numerous historical monuments, sightseeing places and artefacts in the ancient capital of Caucasian Albania creates great tourism opportunities which have caused the rapid increase in the number of tourism-recreational complexes in the private sector. Today, more than 100 large and small tourism objects are operating in Gabala. Currently, the number of tourism objects in Gabala has increased to 18 which is 5 times more compared to the past.
Climate
Qabala has a humid subtropical climate that is mild with no dry season, constantly moist (year-round rainfall). Summers are hot and muggy with thunderstorms. Winters are mild with precipitation from mid-latitude cyclones. Seasonality is moderate. (Köppen-Geiger classification: Cfa). As with other parts of northern Azerbaijan near the Caucasus mountains, rainfall is moderate to heavy throughout the year. The total annual precipitation is 795mm.
According to the Holdridge life zones system of bioclimatic classification Qabala is situated in or near the warm temperate thorn steppe biome.
The mean annual temperature is 10.9 degrees Celsius (51.6 degrees Fahrenheit). Average monthly temperatures vary by 22.8 °C (41 °F). This indicates a continental type of climate.
Ethnic composition
The rayon has a population of 93,770 people, 13,175 of which live in the regional town centre Qabala and 80,595 reside in the villages. The density is estimated at 60.49 people per square kilometer. An average living age is 70 years. 73,235 residents of Qabala rayon are
Azerbaijanis
Azerbaijanis (; , ), Azeris (, ), or Azerbaijani Turks (, ) are a Turkic peoples, Turkic ethnic group living mainly in the Azerbaijan (Iran), Azerbaijan region of northwestern Iran and the Azerbaijan, Republic of Azerbaijan. They are predomin ...
, 16 020 are
Lezgins
Lezgins ( or ) are a Northeast Caucasian ethnic group native to southern Dagestan, a republic of Russia, and northern Azerbaijan, who speak the Lezgin language. Their social structure is firmly based on equality and deference to individuality ...
, 4,640 are
Udi Udi may refer to:
Places
* Udi, Enugu, a local government areas and city in Nigeria
* Udi Hills, Enugu State, Nigeria
* Udi, a place in the Etawah district of Uttar Pradesh, India
People Given name
* Udi Aloni (born 1959), Israeli-American film ...
, 209 are
Turks
Turk or Turks may refer to:
Communities and ethnic groups
* Turkish people, or the Turks, a Turkic ethnic group and nation
* Turkish citizen, a citizen of the Republic of Turkey
* Turkic peoples, a collection of ethnic groups who speak Turkic lang ...
and 37 are of other nationalities.
Culture
There are 16 culture houses, 31 clubs, a History culture preserve, 69 libraries, an art school, a Picture Gallery, a culture and a recreation Park, H. Aliyev Museum, Historical Ethnography Museum, Martyrs Museum and memorial house-museum of I.B. Gutgashinli which are branches of Historical Ethnography Museum according to Gabala region Culture and Tourism Sector.
The main theatre is a branch of the House of Culture and named after C. Mammadguluzada. There are performances such as “Chinar” instrumental ensembles in Region culture house, “Zop-Zopu” dance ensemble acts in the Bum settlement culture house, and “Changi” (Udi) folklore dance ensemble acts in the Nij settlement culture house.
There are 93 historical-cultural immovable monuments in the local area under state protection according to order #132 dated 02.08.2001 by the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Azerbaijan. One of them is included in the list of Qabala city world important archaeological monuments according to its importance degree. 8 architectures, 53 archaeological monuments, include the list of country important monuments, 9 architecture monuments, 16 archaeological monuments, 2 monumental and memory monuments, 4 decorative applied art monuments is included in the list of historical-cultural monuments having local importance. There are 122 cultural institutions in the structure of the Qabala region Culture and Tourism Sector; among them are the Historical Ethnography Museum, H. Aliyev Museum, Picture Gallery, Art school, Centralized Library system, Historical-Cultural Preserve.
Population
According to the
State Statistics Committee
The State Statistics Committee of Azerbaijan Republic () is a governmental agency within the Cabinet of Azerbaijan in charge of collection, processing and disseminating statistical data on the economy, demographics and other sectors of activity i ...
, as of 2018, the population of city recorded 105,500 persons, which increased by 21,400 persons (about 25.4 percent) from 84,100 persons in 2000.
53,700 of total population are men, 51,800 are women. More than 27,3 percent of the population (about 28,900 persons) consists of young people and teenagers aged 14–29.
Sport and leisure
Qabala has a professional football team
Gabala FC
Gabala SC (, ), also spelled Qabala, is an Azerbaijani professional football club based in Qabala, which have competed in the Azerbaijan Premier League since 2006. They will be set to play in Azerbaijan Premier League from 2025–26 season follo ...
who currently play in the top division of Azerbaijan.
Notable residents
Gabala is the hometown of the Azerbaijani Major General
Polad Hashimov
Polad Israyil oghlu Hashimov (; 2 January 1975 – 14 July 2020) was an Azerbaijanis, Azerbaijani military officer, National Hero of Azerbaijan and a major general who served as the Deputy Commander and the Chief of Staff of the 3rd Army Corps ...
who was killed on July 14 during the Armenian-Azerbaijani clashes on the state border in
Tovuz. After the instruction of President
Ilham Aliyev
Ilham Heydar Oghlu Aliyev (born 24 December 1961) is an Azerbaijani politician who has been the fourth president of Azerbaijan since 2003. He is also the leader of the New Azerbaijan Party since 2005.
The son and second child of former Aze ...
, the street in front of the Alley of Martyrs starts from the intersection with Hazi Aslanov street and ends in the intersection with Arif Hagverdiyev Street in central Gabala was named after General Polad Hasimov on July 5.
References
{{Coord, 40, 58, 53, N, 47, 50, 45, E, display=title, region:AZ_type:city_source:dewiki
Districts of Azerbaijan