Goychay District

Göyçay
Rayon

Map of Azerbaijan showing Goychay rayon
Country Azerbaijan
Capital Goychay
Area
 • Total 736 km2 (284 sq mi)
Population (2011)[1]
 • Total 111,400
Postal code 2300
Telephone code (+994) 20[2]
Website www.goychay.az

Goychay (Azerbaijani: Göyçay, Ҝөјчај, گويچاي) is a rayon of Azerbaijan located in the central part of the county.[3] The region is famous for its pomegranate growing industry, and for its pomegranate festival.

Geography

Goychay rayon is located in Shirvan valley, at the footsteps of Greater Caucasus mountain range. It stretches for about 25 km from north to south and 40 km from east to west, making up 726 km2 in total. The capital of the district Goychay lies on the 216th km of Baku-Qazakh Highway and 18 km away from Ujar railway station. It borders Ismayilli rayon on the northeast, Kürdəmir on the southeast, Ujar on the south and Agdash on the west. Geographically, the rayon is divided into mountainous terrain and lowlands. Bozdag Qaramaryam mountain range makes up the mountainous part. The distance between Goychay rayon and capital Baku is 226 km. The rayon consists of a city and 55 villages. The biggest populated settlements include Bığır, Ləkçılpaq, Çaxırlı and İncə villages.[1][4]

Goychay and Yukhari Shirvan rivers pass through the rayon which contributes to raw materials used for products used for construction. Goychay is rich with river rocks and soft sand, and the clay deposits found in the vicinity of Qarabaqqal village are used for brick production.[1]

History

The name of the rayon was taken from Goychay River which means "Blue River" (Göy çay) in Azerbaijani language due to very clean nature and transparency of the river and light blue color of the water. Due to a 1859 earthquake in Shamakhi, many of its residents moved to west establishing a village of Goychay. Because of demographic growth, the Russian Imperial government created Goychay Uyezd within Baku Governorate during its administrative reforms in December 1867. The rayon was established as an administrative unit of Azerbaijan SSR on 8 August 1930.[5]

Economy

Besides supplying vast amounts of construction materials, Goychay is also famous for its wine-making industry which started rapidly growing in the 1970s. In the 1970s and 1980s, pomegranate refining factory, cotton factory, milk production plant, bread making plant, grape products refinery plants were built.[5][6] Economic sector of the region is agriculture. This sector is based upon grain-growing, cattle-breeding, silkworm-breeding, grape and fruit growing.[7]

Demographic information

The population of Goychay rayon is 111,400 (2011 census).[1] The average population density in the city equals to 145 persons per square km. Approximately 32.89% of the population lives in Goychay city, 67.11% live in the villages. Goychay is home to many nationalities. Ethnic composition is as follows:

Prominent people from Goychay

Ramil Huseynov

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Regionların inkişafı və Dövlət Proqramları Şöbəsi: Göyçay rayonu". Regional Development and State Programmes Department. Retrieved 27 May 2011.
  2. ↑ "Şəhərlərarası telefon kodları". Aztelekom MMC. Aztelekom İB. Retrieved 19 August 2015. (Azerbaijani)
  3. ↑ "GeoNames. Göyçay Rayonu". GeoNames. Retrieved 27 May 2011.
  4. ↑ "Goychay Library System". Retrieved 27 May 2011.
  5. 1 2 3 "Administrative units. Göyçay rayonu" (PDF). Retrieved 27 May 2011.
  6. ↑ "Statistics Committee on Goychay rayon". Retrieved 27 May 2011.
  7. ↑ Goychay rayon
  8. ↑ "Görkəmli şəxsiyyətlər". Retrieved 27 May 2011.
  9. ↑ az:Emin Mahmudov (yazıçı)

Coordinates: 40°39′11″N 47°44′26″E / 40.6531°N 47.7406°E / 40.6531; 47.7406

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