Quba 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 ...

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 ...

. Located in the northeast of the country, it belongs to the

Guba-Khachmaz Economic Region Guba-Khachmaz Economic Region () is one of the 14 economic regions of Azerbaijan. It borders Russia to the north, as well as the economic regions of Shaki-Zagatala, Mountainous Shirvan, and Absheron-Khizi. It has an area of . Its population wa ...

. The district borders the districts of Qusar,

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 ...

, Ismayilli,

Shamakhi Shamakhi (, ) is a city in Azerbaijan and the administrative centre of the Shamakhi District. The city's estimated population was 31,704. It is famous for its traditional dancers, the Shamakhi Dancers, and also for perhaps giving its name to th ...

, Shabran, and Khachmaz. Its capital and largest city is

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 ...

. As of 2020, the district had a population of 173,400. The fertile region surrounding Quba is best known for its production of apples and the city area of Quba is known for its fine

carpets A carpet is a textile floor covering typically consisting of an upper layer of Pile (textile), pile attached to a backing. The pile was traditionally made from wool, but since the 20th century synthetic fiber, synthetic fibres such as polyprop ...

History

Quba rose to prominence in the 18th century. In 1747,

Nader Shah Nader Shah Afshar (; 6 August 1698 or 22 October 1688 – 20 June 1747) was the founder of the Afsharid dynasty of Iran and one of the most powerful rulers in Iranian history, ruling as shah of Iran (Persia) from 1736 to 1747, when he was a ...

ruler of the

Afsharid Dynasty The Afsharid dynasty () was an Iran, Iranian dynasty founded by Nader Shah () of the Qirqlu clan of the Turkoman (ethnonym), Turkoman Afshar people, Afshar tribe, ruling over the Afsharid Empire. List of Afsharid monarchs Family tree ...

was assassinated. That same year, Hussein-Ali, the Shah's designated ruler of the region, decided to attempt to unify the Azeri khanates as an independent kingdom. One of his first moves was to relocate his capital from the less defensible Xudat in the

Caspian Caspian can refer to: *The Caspian Sea *The Caspian Depression, surrounding the northern part of the Caspian Sea *The Caspians, the ancient people living near the Caspian Sea *The Caspian languages spoken in northern Iran and southeastern Azerbaij ...

lowlands to Quba where he built a fortress. Hussein-Ali died in 1757 and his son Fatali Khan carried on the expansion with Quba reaping the riches of its status as the capital. Some ruins from this period, such as

Çirax Qala Chirag Gala (), also spelled Çiraq Qala or Çirax Qala, which means ''lamp castle'' in Azerbaijani is a ruined ancient fortress overlooking the Caspian coastal plains north of Baku in Azerbaijan. It is located on the top of a mountain, in the ...

on the way to

Baku Baku (, ; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Azerbaijan, largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and in the Caucasus region. Baku is below sea level, which makes it the List of capital ci ...

, exist today. However, upon Fatali Khan's death in 1789, the city's fortunes began to turn. In 1806, the khanate was occupied and soon absorbed by the

Russian Empire The Russian Empire was an empire that spanned most of northern Eurasia from its establishment in November 1721 until the proclamation of the Russian Republic in September 1917. At its height in the late 19th century, it covered about , roughl ...

. As a result, the city fell into the background of Azerbaijani history and politics. The city is home to several historic buildings, including the Juma Mosque (Cuma Məscid or Friday Mosque), Ardabil Mosque (Ərdəbil Məscid) and old hamman (baths). The region is home to Azerbaijan's largest community of

Mountain Jews Mountain Jews are the Mizrahi Jews, Mizrahi Jewish subgroup of the eastern and northern Caucasus, mainly Azerbaijan, and various republics in the Russian Federation: Chechnya, Ingushetia, Dagestan, Karachay-Cherkessia, and Kabardino-Balkaria. M ...

in the community of

Qırmızı Qəsəbə Qırmızı Qəsəbə is a village and municipality in the Quba District of Azerbaijan. As of 2010, it had a population of 3,598, mostly Jews. It is widely believed to be the world's only population centre exclusively made up of Jewish people outsi ...

(formerly in , ), located just across the river from Quba City.

Agriculture of Quba

Guba region has been known for its fruitful gardens since the

Soviet era The history of the Soviet Union (USSR) (1922–91) began with the ideals of the Russian Bolshevik Revolution and ended in dissolution amidst economic collapse and political disintegration. Established in 1922 following the Russian Civil War, ...

. According to the annual report of the Azerbaijan Statistical Committee, the apple orchards in the Guba-Khachmaz economic region covers nearly 22,000 hectares. About 14,000 hectares of these are in the Guba district.

Apple festival

Since 2012, every year an apple festival is held in Guba. Compositions, national dances reflecting Azerbaijani custom and traditions, different types of apples, sweets and drinks prepared from apple are demonstrated at the ceremony. Various competitions are held among the gardeners at the "Apple Festival".

Historical and architectural monuments

There are 134 historical and archaeological monuments in the Quba district. These include the temple of fire worshipers near the village of Khinalig, the Mausoleums of Aghbil dating back to the 16th century, the Sakina Khanum mosque, the Juma mosque, Ardabil mosque, which dates back to the 19th century.

Demographics

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 ...

(All parts of district) - 79.22%, Tats (Southern parts) - 9.10% and

Lezgians 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. ...

(Northwestern parts) - 5.87 % are the largest ethnic groups of Quba District. Khinalugs (1.43%) are living in the village of

Khinalug Khinalug or Khinalyg (; Khinalug: ''Kətş'') is a municipality and an ancient Caucasian village with origins dating back to the Caucasian Albanian period. It is located high up in the mountains of Quba District, Azerbaijan. The municipality ...

. Buduq (Budukh).

Languages

Azeri Azeri or Azeri Turk may refer to: * Azeri people, an ethnic group also known as Azerbaijanis * Citizens of Azerbaijan * Azeri language, the modern-day Turkic language * Old Azeri, an extinct Iranian language * Azeri Turk (journal), Academic jour ...

(mother tongue of 86% of the population) * Lezgi * Tati (

Judeo-Tat Judeo-Tat or Juhuri (, , ) is a Judeo-Persian dialect and the traditional language spoken by the Mountain Jews in the eastern Caucasus Mountains, especially Azerbaijan, parts of Russia and today in Israel. It belongs to the southwestern group ...

) *

* Buduq

Population

According to the Statistical Committee of the

Republic A republic, based on the Latin phrase ''res publica'' ('public affair' or 'people's affair'), is a State (polity), state in which Power (social and political), political power rests with the public (people), typically through their Representat ...

, the number total of the population was 137,8 thousand in 2000. This figure increased by approximately 32.2 thousand and reached 170 thousand In 2018.

General information

Healthcare

There are Central hospital, Regional Perinatal Center, regional Diagnostic center of Guba, rehabilitation centers, center of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Guba Branch of the Scientific Research Institute of Hematology and Transfusiology named after B. Eyvazov, 91 medical stations.

Names of large settlements

Education

There are 155 educational institutions, 135 secondary schools, 15 preschools and 5 kindergartens in the district. There is also a branch of the Azerbaijan State Pedagogical University, Guba Social-Economic College, Medical College, Vocational High School, Private Vocational School.

Notable natives

Abbasgulu Bakikhanov Abbasgulu agha Bakikhanov () (, – January 1847), Abbas Qoli Bakikhanov, or Abbas-Qoli ibn Mirza Mohammad (Taghi) Khan Badkubi was an Azerbaijani writer, historian, journalist, linguist, poet and philosopher. He was son of the third khan of Baku ...

(also spelt Bakixanov or Bakikhanli), a 19th-century writer, historian and philosopher, who lived in the village of Amsar located in 6 km far from Quba city. His museum is located in Quba city. *

Sakina Akhundzadeh Sakina Mirza Heybat qizi Akhundzadeh () (1865 in Quba – 1927 in Quba) was an Azerbaijani playwright. She was the first known female playwright and dramatist in Literature of Azerbaijan, Azerbaijani literature. Life and contributions Sakina Akhun ...

, playwright, was born here in 1865

Gallery

Quba evləri (15).jpg, Building in Quba city Afurja, near Quba, Azerbaijan.jpg, Cliffs above

Afurca Afurca ( Tat: ''Afurcə'') is a village and municipality in the Quba Rayon of Azerbaijan Azerbaijan, officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, is a Boundaries between the continents, transcontinental and landlocked country at the boundary of ...

Quba evləri (32).jpg, Building in Quba city Khinaliqmountain.JPG, Mountains in Khinalug Quba evləri (30).jpg, Building in Quba city Bridge between Quba and Krasnaya Sloboda.jpg, The arch bridge over the Qudyal river connecting

(left) and

(right) File:1875 Kuba rug.png, Kuba rug ca. 1875

References

{{Authority control Districts of Azerbaijan