Welcome
The Centenarians of Azerbaijan's Lerik Region
Administrative district of Lerik
General information
Lerik district is situated in the south of our country, in borderline with Iran. The territory of the district consists of forest and mountainous areas. The total area of the district is 1.084 thousand square kilometers, population is 64.9 thousand people, also 30.4 thousand people are able- bodied, and 19.6 thousand of them have been provided with jobs. 17% or 10.8 thousand of the population are unemployed. Out of the total area of the district, 72.6 thousand is the state, 14.9 thousand private and 19.8 thousand municipal property. Arable area is 14.3 thousand hectares.
Industry
5 industrial enterprises functioned in Lerik district in 2001. Increase was observed in the district’s industrial enterprises and the volume of production was 1079.7 million manats. 117 people worked in industrial enterprises of the district; average monthly wage of workers was 237.7 thousand manats and the volume of industrial production assets was 8674 million manats. But it should be noted that several important fields of the district are still inactive and this resulted in restriction of selling base of agricultural products. Such situation industry negatively influenced proper use opportunities of agriculture’s possible potential in the district. Besides, disoperation of main natural resources of the district marble (stone shops), mineral water purifying enterprises have negatively influenced socio- economic development of the district.
Agriculture
Agriculture is the main activity field of Lerik’s population. The majority of population is almost engaged in husbandry and cattle-breeding. Recent reforms in the district stimulated rapid development of agriculture. For example, in comparison with 1996 production of agricultural stuffs: potato increased by 7451 (2.25 times), grain 10 344 tons (3.1 times), fruit and berries 1400 (2.1 times), wheat 10 935 (3.7 times), tea plants 8 tons (2.6 times), but vegetable production decreased by 785 tons (1.3 times), and vine was almost not produced. It should be noted that main reason of sharp decline in vine production was the halt of vine- processing enterprises in the district, as a result of substitution of vineyards for grain fields. So agrarian reforms in the district brought to the involvement of the district’s agrarian potential in economic turnover and gave positive results. In addition, it should be pointed out that infrastructure favourable for proper use of the district’s agrarian potential is very low and this caused elimination of several technical products (tobacco, grapes etc.). One of the main activities of the population has been developing, in recent years. For example, in comparison with 1996, the number of horned cattle increased by 818, sheep and goats 12 102 stocks. Development of cattle-breeding positively influenced the increase of cattle-breeding products in the district and in the corresponding period meat production increased by 515 tons. It should be noted that milk decreased by 2209 tons and egg 628 000. As is obvious, mainly cattle-breeding for slaughter is more developed. So, we can summarize although agriculture has recently developed in the district there are still several serious lacks.
Enterprises
State enterprises
Industry- 1. Azer Khalcha (Carpet) PU Lerik district shop
2. Chinar PU Lerik Zirva branch
3. Lerik cannery
Joint Stock Companies
Agrarian- 1. Lerik Aqrotekhservis (agro technical service) JSC
2. Lerik kandkimya JSC (rural chemistry)
Service- 1. Lerik Khidmat JSC (service)
State Nature Sanctuaries. The following sanctuaries in range, namely Shaki, Gusar, Gabala, Ismasyilli, Gakh State nature sanctuaries, Gubadli, Lachin, Dashalti, Gizilja, Arazboyu, Ordubad State nature sanctuaries, Zuvand state sanctuary, Garayazi-Agstafa, Barda, Shamkir State nature sanctuaries, Lesser Gizilagaj, Absheron, Gil State nature sanctuaries, Bandovan and Korchay State nature sanctuaries have been established to protect respectively the nature complexes of the Great Caucasus, the nature complexes of the Lesser Caucasus, the unique endemic and relict flora of Hirkan, Tugay forests along the Kura-river banks with its fauna, migratory waterbirds and shorebirds and gazelles and waterbirds. It needs to be mentioned that following the Armenian aggression two State nature reserves (Bastichay and Garagol) and four State nature sanctuaries (Lachin, Gubadli, Dashalti, Arazboyu) were invaded and its operation has been completely halted.
LERIK