Administrative divisions of the Republic of Artsakh explained

Regions of the Republic of Artsakh
Շրջանները Արցախի Հանրապետության
(Shrjannerë Arts’akhi Hanrapetut’yan) (Armenian)
Map:Administrative divisions of the Republic of Artsakh.svg
Caption:Provinces of the Republic of Artsakh.
Solid colors: Soviet-era NKAO controlled by Artsakh from 2020–23;
horizontal stripes: Azerbaijani-ruled, claimed by Artsakh
Category:Unitary state
Territory:Artsakh
Current Number:6 provinces
1 special status city
Population Range:2,560 (Shahumyan) – 49,986 (Stepanakert)
Area Range:9.9order=flipNaNorder=flip (Stepanakert) – 1304order=flipNaNorder=flip (Kashatagh)
Government:Region government, National government
Subdivision:Urban community, Rural community

The administrative divisions of the Republic of Artsakh were of two types; provinces and cities. There were six provinces and one special administrative city (the capital of the Republic, Stepanakert).[1]

Municipalities in Artsakh were divided into 2 categories: urban communities and rural communities. Before the 2020 war, there were 10 towns (urban) and 322 villages (rural) in Artsakh.[2]

Administrative divisions

These divisions included territories never controlled by the Republic of Artsakh. They were officially considered occupied by Azerbaijan.[3]

ProvincePopulation
(2005 census)[4]
Area (km2)CapitalMap
18,963 1,795
16,979 1,222
49,98625.66
23,158 951
4,324 383
12,005 1,877
2,560 1,830
9,763 3,377

Azerbaijan divisions and claimed territories

Before the Artsakh republic was established, the territory was organized by the Republic of Azerbaijan into a number of rayons (districts). Artsakh extended its provinces across the border of the former Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast (NKAO), removing the administrative distinction between the two areas.[5] The following districts, which were not part of the NKAO but were in Azerbaijan proper, were completely within the de facto borders of Artsakh before the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war: Lachin, Qubadli, Zangilan, Jabrayil, Kalbajar. Additionally, parts of the following districts were partly under the control of Artsakh: Agdam District and Fuzuli District.

Former Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast
District (Rayon)Area (km2)Under NKR control (km2)%
Askeran District92886093
Hadrut District67900
Mardakert District1,7051,47587
Martuni District79244756
Shusha District28016960
NKAO4,3842,95167

Pre-2020 war

Before the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war, there were seven provinces. The districts of Azerbaijan surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh that were administered by Artsakh were: Lachin District, Qubadli District, Zangilan District, Jabrayil District and Kalbajar District, as well as parts of Agdam, and Fuzuli District. On the other hand, the eastern ends of Martakert and Martuni were under Azerbaijani control.

Former Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast
District (Rayon)Area (km2)Under NKR control (km2)%
Askeran District928928100
Hadrut District679679100
Mardakert District1,7051,57192
Martuni District79263280
Shusha District280280100
NKAO4,3844.09093
Rayons of Azerbaijan SSR other than in NKAO
Southern part of Goranboy District55800
Kalbajar District1,9361,936100
Lachin District1,8351,835100
Qubadli District802802100
Zangilan District707707100
Jabrayil District1,0501,050100
Fuzuli District1,39046233.2
Agdam District1,15084273.2
Azerbaijan8,8707,63486.1

See also

Notes and References

  1. http://gov.nkr.am/en/regions/ NKR regions
  2. http://www.president.nkr.am/en/nkr/statePower/ Administrative Territorial System of the Nagorno Karabagh Republic
  3. News: Bill on territories occupied by Azerbaijan brought to the agenda of Artsakh Parliament . Siranush Ghazanchyan . Public Radio of Armenia . 1 February 2022 . 2 February 2022.
  4. http://census.stat-nkr.am/nkr/1-1.pdf NKR official census of 2005
  5. Toal . Gerard . O'Loughlin . John . Land for Peace in Nagorny Karabakh? Political Geographies and Public Attitudes Inside a Contested De Facto State . Territory, Politics, Governance . 5 November 2013 . 1 . 2 . 158–182 . 10.1080/21622671.2013.842184 . 54576963 . 27 November 2020.