# Zakatal okrug

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Prehistory Stone Age  • Bronze Age  • Iron Age
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High Middle Ages Seljuk Empire 1037–1194 Khwarazmian Empire 1077–1231 Eldiguzids 1135–1225 Mongol Empire1206–1368 Ilkhanate 1256–1335 Chobanids 1335–1357 Timurid Empire 1370–1507 Qara Qoyunlu 1374–1468 Aq Qoyunlu 1378–1503 :
Early modern history Safavid Iran 1501–1736       • Safavid Shirvan 1501–1736       • Safavid Karabakh 1501–1747       • Chokhur-e Sa'd 1502–1736 Ottoman Empire 1299–1922       • Shirvan Eyalet [az] 1578–1607       • Ganja-Qarabagh Eyalet (I) [az] 1588–1606       • Revan Eyalet (I) [az] 1583–1604           • Nakhchivan Sanjak (I) [az] 1583–1604       • Ganja-Qarabagh Eyalet (II) [az] 1725–1735       • Revan Eyalet (II) [az] 1724–1736           • Nakhchivan Sanjak (II) [az] 1724–1736       • Tiflis Eyalet (II) [az] 1723–1735           • Kazak Sanjak (II) [az] 1723–1735 Afsharid Iran 1736–1796       • Division of Afsharid Empire 1747 Khanates of the Caucasus 1604–1844       • Elisu Sultanate 1604–1844       • Kazakh sultanate 1605–1801       • Djaro-Belokani c.1600s–c.1800s       • Shaki Khanate 1743–1819       • Ganja Khanate 1747–1805       • Talysh Khanate 1747–1828       • Nakhichevan Khanate 1747–1828       • Qutqashen Sultanate 1747–1841       • Baku Khanate 1747–1806       • Shamshadil sultanate 1747–1801       • Quba Khanate 1747–1806       • Karabakh Khanate 1748–1822           • Treaty of Kurakchay 1805       • Shirvan Khanate 1748–1820 Zand dynasty1751–1794 Qajar Iran1789–1925       • Fourth Russo-Persian War 1804–1813           • Treaty of Gulistan 1813       • Fifth Russo-Persian War 1826–1828           • Treaty of Turkmenchay 1828 Russian Empire 1721–1917       • Second Russo-Persian War 1722–1723       • Caucasus Viceroyalty 1801–1917           • Baku Governorate 1846–1920           • Erivan Governorate 1849–1917          • Zakatal okrug 1859–1918           • Elizavetpol Governorate 1867–1920       • Special Transcaucasian Committee 1917 :
Modern history Transcaucasian Commissariat 1917–1918       • March Days 1918 Transcaucasian Democratic Federative Republic 1918 Baku Commune 1918 Centrocaspian Dictatorship 1918 Republic of Aras 1918–1919 Mughan Soviet Republic 1919 Azerbaijan Democratic Republic 1918 - 1920       • Armenian–Azerbaijani War 1918–1920           • Battle of Baku 1918       • Red Army invasion of Azerbaijan 1920Azerbaijan Socialist Soviet Republic 1920–1922       • Treaty of Kars 1921Soviet Union 1922–1991       • Transcaucasian SFSR 1922–1936           • Azerbaijan SSR 1922–1936       • Azerbaijan SSR 1936–1991           • World War II 1941–1945           • Black January 1990       • Republic of Azerbaijan 1991 :
Contemporary history Republic of Azerbaijan 1991–present       • I Nagorno-Karabakh War 1988–1994           • Bishkek Protocol 1994       • II Nagorno-Karabakh War 2020           • Ceasefire Agreement 2020 :
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The Zakatal okrug was a special administrative district (okrug) of the Caucasus Viceroyalty of the Russian Empire, part of the Tiflis Governorate from 1893 to 1905. The administrative centre of the district was Zakataly (present-day Zaqatala), and it corresponded to most of the contemporary districts of Balakan, Zaqatala and Qax of Azerbaijan. The Zakatal okrug was established from the territories of the erstwhile Free Jamaats of Jar-Balakan, bordering the Tiflis Governorate to the west, the Elizavetpol Governorate to the south and the Dagestan Oblast to the north. The district was the smallest independent (not part of any province or region) administrative unit of the Russian Empire, similarly to the Sukhumi okrug.

## History

The district was originally established under the name Belokan in 1842, within the Georgia-Imeretia Governorate, two years after it was renamed to Jaro-Belokan. The autonomous status of the district was confirmed in 1846, leading to its renaming to Zakataly in 1860 and its placement into the temporary administration of Dagestan during which its administration was organised into a military council, of which the chief was the head of the district, concurrently with Dagestan. In 1881, an independent administration was introduced. The Zakatal okrug was incorporated into the 'civilian' administration of the Tiflis Governorate from 1893 until 1905 when was removed and placed directly under the Viceroy of the Caucasus.
The social structure of the Zakatal okrug was multi-layered in its patriarchal-clans which were involved in "mountain feudalism", which became muddled by growing ethno-nationalism and the social differences they bore. The Free Jamaats (Society) peoples were the collective owners of the lands in which the Ingiloys and Tatars (later Azerbaijanis) lived, for which the latter paid tax to them. In 1863, a rumor circulated that the administration of Zakataly was planning to emancipate the Georgians and Tatars from their financial obligations to the Free Jamaats peoples, leading to an anti-Russian uprising of its Dagestani inhabitants. The uprising became elevated by the declaration of jihad (holy war) until its suppression by local troops assisted by Tatar volunteers.
Following the Russian Revolution, most of the district was incorporated into the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic and transformed into the Zaqatala Governorate, despite also being claimed by the neighboring Democratic Republic of Georgia. On account of the dispute, the authorities of both states agreed to resolve the territorial dispute over Zakatal strictly by peaceful means. A few hundred Armenians remained in the district by 1919 and were harassed by outlaws.
Despite the Russian SFSR initially recognising the Zakatal okrug as part of Georgia in the Treaty of Moscow, a mixed commission consisting of Georgians and Azerbaijanis was formed to arbitrate the dispute following the region's sovietisation. During the administrative-territorial reforms of the 1920s, the Zakataly district was separated into the raions of Balakan, Zagatala, and Gakh.

## Economy

The main occupations of the predominantly Sunni population included cattle breeding, agriculture, viticulture, picking fruits (mainly walnuts), handicrafts and silkworm breeding.

## Administrative divisions

The prefectures (участки, uchastki) of the Zakatal okrug were:
| Name | Administrative centre | 1912 population | Area |
| Aliabadskiy prefecture (Алиабадский участок) | Aliabad | 14,254 | 430.45 square versts (489.88 km$^2$; 189.14 sq mi) |
| Dzharo-Mukhakhskiy prefecture (Джаро-Мухахский участок) | Zakataly (Zaqatala) | 38,879 | 1,737.01 square versts (1,976.83 km$^2$; 763.26 sq mi) |
| Kakhskiy prefecture (Кахский участок) | Kakh (Qax) | 17,595 | 1,334.78 square versts (1,519.06 km$^2$; 586.51 sq mi) |
| Almalinskiy rayon (Алмалинский район) | Almalo (Almalı) | – | – |
| Belokanskiy rayon (Белоканский район) | Belokany (Balakən) | – | – |
| Mukhakhskiy rayon (Мухахский район) | Mukhakh (Muxax) | – | – |
There once existed a Gornye magaly (lit. 'mountain quarters') district "along the headwaters of the Samur", however, it was dissolved in 1860. There was also a Belokanskiy prefecture (Белоканский участок) prior to 1912.

## Demographics
### Russian Empire Census

According to the Russian Empire Census, the Zakatal okrug—then part of the Tiflis Governorate—had a population of 84,224 on 28 January [O.S. 15 January] 1897, including 45,418 men and 38,806 women. The plurality of the population indicated Avar-Andean to be their mother tongue, with significant Tatar, Georgian, and Dargin speaking minorities.
Linguistic composition of the Zakatal okrug in 1897 :
| Language | Native speakers | % |
| Avar-Andean | 31,670 | 37.60 |
| Tatar | 28,950 | 34.37 |
| Georgian | 12,389 | 14.71 |
| Dargin | 7,441 | 8.83 |
| Armenian | 2,100 | 2.49 |
| Kyurin | 975 | 1.16 |
| Russian | 315 | 0.37 |
| Ukrainian | 118 | 0.14 |
| Polish | 115 | 0.14 |
| Kazi-Kumukh | 61 | 0.07 |
| German | 11 | 0.01 |
| Jewish | 11 | 0.01 |
| Persian | 7 | 0.01 |
| Ossetian | 6 | 0.01 |
| Mingrelian | 3 | 0.00 |
| Turkish | 3 | 0.00 |
| Greek | 2 | 0.00 |
| Imeretian | 2 | 0.00 |
| Belarusian | 1 | 0.00 |
| Kist | 1 | 0.00 |
| Other | 43 | 0.05 |
| TOTAL | 84,224 | 100.00 |

### Kavkazskiy kalendar

According to the 1917 publication of Kavkazskiy kalendar, the Zakatal okrug had a population of 92,608 on 14 January [O.S. 1 January] 1916, including 48,323 men and 44,285 women, 86,128 of whom were the permanent population, and 6,480 were temporary residents:
| Nationality | Urban | Urban | Rural | Rural | TOTAL | TOTAL |
| Nationality | Number | % | Number | % | Number | % |
| Sunni Muslims | 288 | 6.39 | 42,491 | 48.23 | 42,779 | 46.19 |
| North Caucasians | 1,068 | 23.71 | 40,712 | 46.21 | 41,780 | 45.11 |
| Georgians | 204 | 4.53 | 4,370 | 4.96 | 4,574 | 4.94 |
| Armenians | 2,165 | 48.06 | 365 | 0.41 | 2,530 | 2.73 |
| Shia Muslims | 486 | 10.79 | 91 | 0.10 | 577 | 0.62 |
| Russians | 270 | 5.99 | 56 | 0.06 | 326 | 0.35 |
| Other Europeans | 21 | 0.47 | 2 | 0.00 | 23 | 0.02 |
| Asiatic Christians | 0 | 0.00 | 16 | 0.02 | 16 | 0.02 |
| Jews | 3 | 0.07 | 0 | 0.00 | 3 | 0.00 |
| TOTAL | 4,505 | 100.00 | 88,103 | 100.00 | 92,608 | 100.00 |