Astara district

The name of the district comes from the district center, the city of Astara. According to one version, the toponym Astara itself comes from the Iranian words “ast” (ravine, pit) and “hooray” (place), that is, a place where there are many ravines ^[1] . According to the second version, it comes from the Persian word "istirahet" (rest).

Astara district was formed on August 8, 1930. On January 4, 1963 it was abolished, and the territory was transferred to the Lankaran region, and on January 6, 1965 it was restored ^[2] .

The area borders in the northwest with Lerik , and in the north-east with Lankaran regions , in the east it is washed by the Caspian Sea , in the south and west it borders with the Islamic Republic of Iran .

The relief of the region in the west is mountainous (Talysh and Pestasar ranges), in the east - low (Lankaran lowland). In mountainous areas, some peaks reach a height of 2000 meters. The strip along the coast of the Caspian consists of anthropogenic , in the mountains and foothills - of paleogenic sediments ^[3] . Clay is extracted, a number of mineral springs are located (Ag-Kerpu, Alasha, Sipiyapart, Isti-su, Sym, Bi, Torada, Sheikh Nasrulla and others) ^[4] . On the territory of the Astara district, gley-podzolic, brown mountain-forest, mountain meadow soddy soils and others are widespread. There are sandy areas on the Caspian coast. 37.4 hectares of the area are covered by forests. Of plants, relict chestnut oak, Persian parrotia , Lankaran albica , Dzelkva , as well as hornbeam , hazelnuts , walnuts , linden and others are common. Landscapes are low-lying, meadow-forest and mountain-forest ^[5] . Of the animals on the territory of the region live leopards , lynxes , bears , forest cats , porcupines , stone martens , badgers , foxes , jackals , wolves , wild boars and others. Of the birds - pheasants , herons , geese , ducks , pigeons , partridges , hazel grouse and others. On the territory of the Hyrcanic National Park .

The climate is mild and hot, summers are dry. On the plain and foothills, the climate is humid subtropical. The average temperature in January ranges from −1.5 to 4 ° С, in July 15 - 25 ° С. The average annual rainfall is 1200-1750 mm. In the mountains there are numerous mountain rivers. Of the large rivers, Tangerud flows through the territory of the district, and Astarachay flows along the border with Iran.

In 1976, the population density was 90.3 people per km² ^[5] , in 2009 this figure was 155 people per km².

In 2009, 78% of the population lives in villages ^[10] .

In the Astara district there are 15 representative offices of the executive branch and 50 municipalities.

1. By city executive office:
   1. Astara municipality .
2. In the village of Kijaba:
   1. Kijabinsky (Kizhab) settlement municipality
   2. Burzuband (Burzuband) municipality
   3. Ovalinsky (Oval) municipality
   4. Ozhakaran (Ozhakeran) municipality
   5. Tulaguvansky (Tulaguvan) municipality
   6. Shamatyuk (Shamatyuk) municipality
3. By Archevan Executive Representation:
   1. Archivansky (Archivchan) municipality
4. According to the Shuvinsk executive office:
   1. Shuvinsky (Shuvi) municipality
   2. Sarak (Sarak) municipality
   3. Siyatyuk (Siyatyuk) municipality
   4. Degadi (Degadi) Municipality
5. By Sanjaradi Executive Representation:
   1. Sanjaradi (Sanjaradi) municipality
   2. Artupinsky (Arthopa) municipality
   3. Alashinsky (Alasha) municipality
   4. Zungyulashsky (Zungulyazh) municipality
6. Suparibag Executive Representation:
   1. Rudakenar (Rudakenar) municipality
   2. Suparibag (Suparibag) municipality
   3. Selakeran (Selakeran) municipality
   4. Machitmahalla (Machitmahalla) municipality
   5. Gapachymahalla (Gapichimahalla) municipality
7. By Tangarud Executive Representation:
   1. Tangarud (Tangarud) municipality
   2. Mashkhansky (Mashkhan) municipality
8. By the Pension Executive Representation:
   1. Pensarsky (Pensar) municipality
   2. Telman (Telman) municipality
9. By Kakalos Executive Representation:
   1. Kakalos (Kakalos) municipality
   2. Gada Shahagaj (Gada Shahagaj) municipality
   3. Kolatan (Kolatan) municipality
10. By Shiyakeran Executive Representation:
    1. Shiyakeran (Shiyakeran) municipality
11. According to the Shahagadzh Executive Representation:
    1. Shahagaj (Shahagaj) municipality
12. By Siyakukh Executive Representation:
    1. Siyakukh (Siyakukh) municipality
    2. Vagoysky (Vago) municipality
    3. Rinai (Rina) municipality
    4. Mikiji (Miki) municipality
    5. Marzasinsky (Marzasa) municipality
    6. Sygaloninsky (Sygalon) municipality
    7. Shaglazuzinsky (Shaglazuza) municipality
13. According to the Hamusham Executive Representation:
    1. Hamoshamsky (Hamosham) municipality
    2. Torada (Toradi) Municipality
14. According to Askhanakeran Executive Representation:
    1. Askhanakeran (Askhanakeran) municipality
    2. Motlayatag (Motlaytag) municipality
15. According to the Palikesh Executive Representation:
    1. Palikesh (Palikash) municipality
    2. Symsky (Sym) municipality
    3. Shumrud (Shumrud) municipality
    4. Lominsky (Lomin) municipality
    5. Sipiyapard (Sipiyapard) municipality
    6. Durian (Duruyan) municipality
    7. Shavgoisk (Shavgo) municipality
    8. Tulia (Tuli) municipality.
16. By Telman Executive Office:
    1. Telman (Telman) municipality.

In Soviet times, the region developed mainly agriculture, increased turnover of tea growing, growing citrus fruits and vegetables. Also, the population was engaged in cocoon growing. In 1975, 15 state farms worked in the district. In 1975, there were 13.3 thousand hectares in the suitable land area - of which: 5.6 thousand hectares of arable land, 2.8 thousand hectares of land allocated for perennial plants, 800 hectares of land left for recreation, 1 thousand hectares allocated for haymaking, 3.1 thousand hectares of pasture. Of 5.6 thousand hectares, 14% is allocated for grain and leguminous crops, 62% for vegetables and potatoes, 24% for fodder crops ^[5] . Tea was grown on 2 thousand hectares, subtropical plants on 600 hectares. State and collective farms of the district contained 8 thousand heads of cattle. In 1975, 78.5 thousand tons of vegetables, 2.9 thousand tons of fresh tea leaf were sold to the state by the farms of the region. In the area there were fish canning and brick-ceramite factories, two tea factories, the district department of the trust "Azselkhoztehnika" ^[5] . There was forestry.

Today the region belongs to the Lenkoran economic region. Astara district is mainly an agricultural region ^[3] . Vegetable growing, citrus growing, tea growing, cattle breeding, rice growing, melon growing flourish in the region. There are 70 farms in the Astara region that grow tea, tangerines, lemons, oranges, feijoa, tomatoes, cabbage, cucumbers, eggplants, rice, and potatoes. Farms for 2017 contain 40,866 heads of cattle, 24,164 heads of small cattle and 193,463 heads of poultry. There are 17.6 thousand hectares of fertile land, of which 2.2 thousand hectares are allocated for pasture, 6.7 thousand hectares are sown (1 thousand hectares are sown with grain, 2.7 thousand hectares are sown with vegetables), 625 hectares are allocated for growing tea, 1,5 thousand hectares - for orchards (including citrus fruits). In 2017, the region produced 4023 tons of grain, 1802 tons of rice, 1002 tons of legumes, 9956 tons of potatoes, 31834 tons of vegetables, 41429 tons of fruits and berries, 22 tons of grapes and 476 tons of tea.

The area has international cargo and oil terminals, a modular type power station, an international gas compressor station, two canneries, a cannery, a brick, crushed stone and asphalt plants, 3 tea factories, 12 rice and 4 flour mills ^[4] .

The Alat-Astara-Iran highway, the Baku-Astara railway pass through the district, the construction of the Astara-Rasht-Qazvin railway, the Adzhikabul-Astara-Abadan gas pipeline are underway ^[4] .

For 2017, there are 18 automatic telephone exchanges and 20 post offices in the district.

Since July 1932, the Astara socio-political newspaper has been published in the region (in 1932-1939, Ostoro Kolkhozchi, in 1939-1965, Kolkhoz Tribunasy, and in 1965-1991, the Council of Astarasa) ^{[11 ]} , as well as the organ of the Union of Writers of Azerbaijan - Alov magazine. In 1930, radio broadcasting began in the district ^[5] .

In the district for 2009 there were 17 preschool institutions, 63 secondary schools, in which at that time 17764 students, a secondary special school, a music school, 55 clubs, a museum, an art gallery and 80 libraries were studying ^[3] .

In the Astara district there are 15 hospitals with 715 beds, 2 medical outpatient clinics, a center for epidemiology and hygiene, 48 feldshero-obstetric centers ^[3] . In 2009, 115 doctors, 24 dentists, 480 paramedical workers, including 72 obstetricians, worked in the district’s medical institutions.

Astara district is rich in the number of architectural monuments. Near the village of Siyaku are the remains of the city of Kirhturbe (X-XII century), a mosque in the village of Vago (1905), a mosque of Haji Teymur and a bath of Meshedi Abutalyba in the village of Pensar (both the XIX century), a mausoleum (XII century), a mosque (XIX century) and a bathhouse (1910) in the village of Shahagadj, the remains of a settlement (XIV-XVII century), the mausoleum of Ahmed ibn Kerim (1472) and a mosque (1905) in the village of Mashkhan, the Piyadzhanapar bridge in the village of Palikesh (XIII century), the mausoleum and the remains of the minaret (both XIII century), a mosque (XIX century) and a bathhouse of Karbalai Hamid Abdullah (1806) in the town of Archivan, a mausoleum (XII century) and a mosque (XIX century) in the city of Astara ^[3] .

• [one]
• On the website of Azerbaijan
• On the website of the Coordinating Council of Azerbaijan Youth