Стр. 21 - Azərbaycan xalçaları

21
Despite the policy of the Tsar to change the ethnic content of the Iravan governorate in fa-
vor of Armenians, the number of Azerbaijanis in the Iravan governorate was always higher.
According to the 1917 Caucasus census, despite genocides and deportations for more than
100 years, the number of Azerbaijanis was 373,582 (33.35%). The number of Armenians, how-
ever, reached 669,871 (59.8%) because of the aforementioned deportations. The population
of the main five cities in the Iravan governorate (Aleksandropol, Nakhchivan, Novobayazid,
Ordubad, and Iravan) totaled 132,559 people (11.83%). The remainder of the population was in
rural areas (967,683 people or 88.17%), specifically 122,208 in Nakhchivan, 104,791 in Surmeli,
and 90,250 in Sherur-Daralayaz. Azerbaijanis comprised 18.9% (25,044 people) of the urban
population and 35.3% (348,538 people) of the rural population (Map 12).
Agriculture was the major contributor to the economy of the Iravan governorate.
70.1% of the governorate lands belonged to the treasury and 25.6% to the mulkedars (landown-
ers). Due to the conditions created as a result of the First World War, such as mobilization of
labor animals, involvement of people on the front, and so on, agricultural lands were reduced
threefold.
The Iravan governorate was the closest home front for the Caucasus army. Reserve units and
voluntary troops were therefore stationed in Iravan, Aleksandropol, Nakhchivan, and other
counties of the governorate.
The news of the overthrow of the Tsar following the February Revolution in 1917 reached
Iravan governorate at the beginning of March. Local administrative organs of the temporary
government began to form. The Governorate Executive Committee established on March 14
(27) declared itself the local representative of the Special Transcaucasian Committee (OZA-
KOM or Особый Закавказский Комитет in Russian). Executive committees were created in
Iravan city was the capital of the governorate (Map 11). The territory of Iravan governorate
was 23,194.79 sq. versts (1 verst = 1,0668 km). According to the 1917 Caucasus census, 1,120,242
people lived in the governorate (48.3 people per sq. verst). 52.6% (589,125 people) of the gov-
ernorate population were men and 47.4% (531,117 people) were women. 90.6% (1,014,868 peo-
ple) were local citizens and 9.4% (105,374 people) were temporary residents.
Map 11
The Plan Of Iravan City
Source: СМОМПК, вып. I, Тифлис, 1881