page_title: Avars (Caucasus)
section_title: Description
hierarchical_section_title: Avars (Caucasus) / Description
context_page_description: The Avars are a Northeast Caucasian native ethnic group which is predominant among several ethnic groups living in the Russian republic of Dagestan. The Avars reside in a region known as the North Caucasus between the Black and Caspian Seas. Alongside other ethnic groups in the North Caucasus region, the Caucasian Avars live in ancient villages located approximately 2,000 m above sea level. The Avar language spoken by the Caucasian Avars belongs to the family of Northeast Caucasian languages and is also known as Nakh–Dagestanian. Islam has been the prevailing religion of the Avars since the 13th century.
context_section_description: Avarians are a Northeast Caucasian people with a Northeast Caucasian language. Another tribe with common name "Aβar" according to Encyclopædia Britannica, "one of a people of undetermined origin and language", was the so-called Turanian nomad people, which to make their presence as "Pseudo-Avars"—in opinion of ruler of Turkic qaganate (Gőktürks)—in Europe.
  Avarians inhabit most of the mountainous part of Dagestan as well as portions of the plains (Buynaksk, Khasav'yurt, Kizil'yurt and other regions). They also live in Chechnya, Kalmykia and other regions of the Russian state, as well as in Azerbaijan (mainly in the Balakan and Zakatala rayons, with a population of 50,900 in 1999 and 49,800 in 2009) and Georgia (Kvareli Avars with 1,996 people in 2002).
  In 2002, Avars, who have assimilated with ethnic groups speaking related languages, numbered about 1.04 million, of whom 912,020 live in Russia (2010 census). Of those living in Russia, 850,011 are in Dagestan (2010 census), 32% of them in cities (2002).
  In Turkey, the population census figures for the North Caucasian population are not given as they are considered as "ethnic Turks". According to Ataev B.M., according to A.M. Magomeddadaev's research, the Avarian population there should have been around 53,000 in 2005.
  Avarians call themselves "Awaral" (also "Ma'arulal").
caption: Map of the North Caucasus region
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