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GEOGRAPHİCAL LOCATİON

Kalbajar region, which is considered as the top of western region of Azerbaijan, is located at a height of one thousand and eight hundred metres above sea level, on the right of Kur River, almost on the source of Tartar River. Though a motor road was laid in here during the Former Soviet Union , these roads, of which first tracks were originated by ancient humans’ footsteps, were made in fact with hands, cavils and not with technique.
The well-known Istisu is in the territory of this region, as well.(We shall speak about Istisu in more detail).
There was no railway to Kalbajar. One could go from Baku to Yevlakh only by train. It is 458 kilometres distance from Baku to Kalbajar and 139 kilometres distance from Barda railway station to Kalbajar. Kalbajar is situated on the left part of Barda-Istisu motor road, between Tartar and Ayrim rivers, on the plains on precipitous cliffs (as if on an island).
Kalbajar, as the monument of ancient times, is an interesting territory, as well. The study of the images engraved on the rocks on the lakeside of “Garagol” and “Zalkha”, on “Ayichingili” and “Parichingili” mountains was commenced from 1968. The late Academic Mirali Gashgai partook in these works alongside with several investigators and scientists of the republic. Most of the images were engraved on the rocks at a height of three thousand metres above sea level and mainly on ragstones.
In 1976, for the first time in Azerbaijan a dwelling place, near the territory where the Kalbajar rock images existed, was found. Round building remains of approximately 20 meters was found out here. Construction of the walls of this compositely constructed building (the walls of which thickness were approximately 2 meters) from rock pieces and cobble-stones gives occasion to say that this place was the fist human dwelling place.
Earthenware crockery pieces, grain stones (handmill, millstone), knives, arrow heads made of flints etc. relating to the same period, that is to 3rd millennium b.c.. By the rock images found here an idea regarding the economical, social and cultural life of local tribes lived in the same period (The Bronze Age) is created.
As an administrative region, Kalbajar was formed during 1930th. It is bordered with Basarkechar region (Goycha region) of the territory of Western Azerbaijan. Its total area is 1936 sq.km and population is 53.962 people (we have to mention that the number of population was registered during the preparation of the book for publishing). There was one city, two settlements (Istisu and Shorbulag) and 128 villages in the territory, until the occupation (from 31st March to 2nd April, 1993) of the region by Armenian and Russian army unit.
 
Physical geography
 
What may be said about the nature of Kalbajar? We can only say that its surface is mountainous. Part of Dalidagh, Keyti, Murovdagh, Kapaz, Eastern Goychagolu, Basarkechar, Mikhtokan, Karabakh chains and Karabakh plateau form the borders of Kalbajar. “Jamishdagh” (peak of Murovdagh chain, height – 3724 meters) and “Dalidagh” (3616 meters, settling rocks and volcanic rocks of Cretaceous, Neogene and Anthropogenic period exist here) are its peak points.
 
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Minerals
 
We shall speak about it later, but we should mention that there is mercury (in the territories of Shorbulag and Aghyatag), mineral waters (in the regions of Istisu, Baghirsag, Goturlu), gold, construction materials and etc here.
Cold and mountainous Tundra climate, of which winter passes droughty, rules over the most part of the territory. Average temperature is from -3°C to
-10°C on January and from +5 °C to 20 °C on July. Annual rainfall is 700-900 mm. Its biggest river is Tar-Tar (upper stream) and its branches. Lev, Tutgu, Ayrim, Gamishlichay Rivers begin from the territory of Kalbajar. There are lakes like “Zalkha” and “Alagollar”, which are the miracles of the nature. Turfy mountain-meadow and brown mountain forest soils are mainly spread in the territory. The central and city part of the region is surrounded by broad-leaved forests (oak,beech, hornbeam), forest-steppe and the top and partially central upland is surrounded by alpine and subalpine meadows. The total area of the forest is 280.000 hectare. There are Caucasian goats, wolves, deers, roebucks, gazelles, brown bears, wild pig, squirrels, hares, wild cats (leopard), foxes, jackal, eagles and etc. in the maintains and forests of Kalbajar.


Rocks
 
Jade, facet, andesite, bournonite, breck, rock crystal, dendrite, zimevite, lime stone, volcano bomb granediodrite, aplite, jasper, quartzite, lapilli, coral, marble, sad rock, riloite, tuf, sutslinok, traverite, microcline, tractolite, pumice, serpentinite, trachyte, shale, syenite, migmatite, amphibolites, conglomerate of larch, diorite, gabro bismuth and etc.
 
Minerals
 
Chalchozine, chalchoprite, lazurite, limonite, chaleite, opal, grothite, topaz, nickelin, chlorites, lion eye, fuchsite, shinpel, bismuthite, aragonite, hematite, diallage, magnesite, molybdenite, barite, antimonite, agate, gold, malacolite, gyps, onyx, millstone, vermillion, dolomite, azurite, amethyst, anhydrite, bronzite, ilement, chaleite, labrodor, leytsite, talcum, silver, patlandit, tourmalite, bronite, crocoite, muscovite and etc.
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