Azerbaijan Smaller Ethnic Minorities
Figure 9. Ethnic Groups in Azerbaijan
After the Azerbaijanis, Russians, and Armenians, the next
largest group is the Lezgins (Daghestanis), the majority of whom
live across the Russian border in Dagestan, but 171,000 of whom
resided in northern Azerbaijan in 1989
(see
fig. 9). The Lezgins,
who are predominantly
Sunni (see
Glossary) Muslims and speak a
separate Caucasian language, have called for greater rights,
including the right to maintain contacts with Lezgins in Russia.
In October 1992, President Elchibey promised informally that
border regulations would be interpreted loosely to assuage these
Lezgin concerns.
In 1989 another 262,000 people belonging to ninety other
nationalities lived in Azerbaijan. These groups include Avars,
Kurds, Talysh, and Tats. The Talysh in Azerbaijan, estimates of
whose numbers varied from the official 1989 census figure of
21,000 to their own estimates of 200,000 to 300,000, are an
Iranian people living in southeastern Azerbaijan and contiguous
areas of Iran. Like the Lezgins, the Talysh have called for
greater rights since Azerbaijan became independent.
In 1992 Elchibey attempted to reassure ethnic minorities by
issuing an order that the government defend the political,
economic, social, and cultural rights and freedoms of nonAzerbaijanis , and by setting up the Consultative Council on
Interethnic Relations as part of the presidential apparatus. At
no point were Armenians mentioned, however, among the protected
ethnic minorities.
Data as of March 1994
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