Kars oblast
Kars oblast
Карсская область | |
---|---|
Country | Russian Empire (current Turkey) |
Viceroyalty | Caucasus |
Established | 1878 |
Treaty of Brest-Litovsk | 3 March 1918 |
Capital | Kars |
Area | |
• Total | 18,739.50 km2 (7,235.36 sq mi) |
Population (1916) | |
• Total | 364,214 |
• Density | 19/km2 (50/sq mi) |
• Urban | 12.30% |
• Rural | 87.70% |
The Kars oblast
History
The Kars oblast was a province established after the region's annexation into the Russian Empire through the
With the incorporation of the region into Russian Empire, between 1879–1882 more than 110,000 people from the Kars oblast and 30,000 from the Batum oblast migrated to the new borders of the Ottoman Empire,
During the
On 3 March 1918, in the aftermath of the October Revolution the Russian SFSR ceded the entire Kars Oblast through the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk to the Ottoman Empire, who had been unreconciled with its loss of the territory since 1878. Despite the ineffectual resistance of the Transcaucasian Democratic Federative Republic which had initially rejected the aforementioned treaty, the Ottoman Third Army was successful in occupying the Kars Oblast and expelling its more than 100,000 Armenian inhabitants.[6]
The Ottoman
The South-West Caucasus Republic administered the entire Kars Oblast and neighboring formerly occupied districts for three months before provoking British intervention by order of General
Despite the apparent defeat of the Ottoman Empire, Turkish agitators were reported by Armenian intelligence to have been freely roaming the countryside of Kars encouraging sedition among the Muslim villages, culminating in a series of anti-Armenian uprisings in July 1919.[11]
The Kars Oblast for the third time in six years saw invading Turkish troops, this time under the command of General Kâzım Karabekir in September 1920 during the Turkish-Armenian War. The disastrous war for Armenia resulted in the permanent expulsion of the region's ethnic Armenian population, many who inexorably remained befalling massacre, resulting in the region joining the Republic of Turkey through the Treaty of Alexandropol on 3 December 1920. Turkey's annexation of Kars and the adjacent Surmalu uezd was confirmed in the treaties of Kars and Moscow in 1921, by virtue of the new Soviet regime in Armenia.[12]
After Turkey's annexation of the region, Soviet diplomat
Administrative divisions
The districts (okrugs) of the Kars Oblast in 1917 were as follows:[14]
Name | Capital | Population | Area | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1897 | 1916 | |||
Ardahan okrug (Ардаганскій округъ) | Ardagan (Ardahan) | 65,763 | 89,036 | 4,917.90 square versts (5,596.88 km2; 2,160.97 sq mi) |
Kagizman okrug (Кагызманскій округъ) | Kagyzman (Kağızman) | 59,230 | 83,208 | 3,843.17 square versts (4,373.77 km2; 1,688.72 sq mi) |
Kars okrug (Карсскій округъ) | Kars | 134,142 | 191,970 | 5,083.81 square versts (5,785.69 km2; 2,233.87 sq mi) |
Olti okrug (Ольтинскій округъ) | Olty (Oltu) | 31,519 | 40,091[b] | 2,621.27 square versts (2,983.17 km2; 1,151.81 sq mi) |
Demographics
Population estimate
1886
Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
---|---|---|
1871 | 67,128 | — |
1872 | 69,996 | +4.27% |
1876 | 78,650 | +2.96% |
1880 | 114,282 | +9.79% |
1882 | 162,979 | +19.42% |
1886 | 174,044 | +1.66% |
1892 | 200,868 | +2.42% |
1893 | 206,765 | +2.94% |
1897 | 290,654 | +8.89% |
1899 | 273,124 | −3.06% |
1902 | 297,125 | +2.85% |
1903 | 304,193 | +2.38% |
1908 | 310,155 | +0.39% |
1910 | 368,057 | +8.94% |
1912 | 371,903 | +0.52% |
1913 | 382,745 | +2.92% |
1914 | 391,213 | +2.21% |
1915 | 255,461 | −34.70% |
1916 | 364,214 | +42.57% |
For 1897, see The first general census of the population of the Russian Empire in 1897. For 1903–1916, see Caucasian Calendar publications for years 1904–1917. |
Ethnic group | Ardаhan | Kagizman | Kars | Olti | TOTAL | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | |
Turkish | 20,351 | 46.63 | 2,652 | 7.76 | 7,280 | 9.46 | 11,540 | 59.71 | 41,823 | 24.03 |
Armenian | 262 | 0.60 | 12,544 | 36.72 | 22,544 | 29.31 | 1,734 | 8.97 | 37,084 | 21.31 |
Kurd | 6,974 | 15.98 | 12,003 | 35.14 | 5,124 | 6.66 | 2,333 | 12.07 | 26,434 | 15.19 |
Karapapakh | 6,229 | 14.27 | 593 | 1.74 | 17,308 | 22.50 | 4 | 0.02 | 24,134 | 13.87 |
Greek | 5,617 | 12.87 | 4,880 | 14.29 | 11,002 | 14.30 | 2,026 | 10.48 | 23,525 | 13.52 |
Russian | 1,036 | 2.37 | 0 | 0.00 | 9,657 | 12.56 | 1 | 0.06 | 10,695 | 6.14 |
Turkmen | 3,128 | 7.17 | 1,426 | 4.17 | 2,749 | 3.57 | 1,591 | 8.23 | 8,893 | 5.11 |
Ossetian | 0 | 0.00 | 0 | 0.00 | 418 | 0.54 | 12 | 0.06 | 430 | 0.25 |
Assyrian | 0 | 0.00 | 0 | 0.00 | 321 | 0.42 | 0 | 0.00 | 321 | 0.18 |
Estonian | 0 | 0.00 | 0 | 0.00 | 280 | 0.36 | 0 | 0.00 | 280 | 0.16 |
Lezgin | 0 | 0.00 | 41 | 0.12 | 155 | 0.20 | 0 | 0.00 | 196 | 0.11 |
Persian | 9 | 0.02 | 9 | 0.03 | 60 | 0.08 | 3 | 0.02 | 81 | 0.05 |
Roma | 0 | 0.00 | 0 | 0.00 | 9 | 0.01 | 69 | 0.36 | 78 | 0.05 |
Adjarian | 21 | 0.05 | 0 | 0.00 | 0 | 0.00 | 0 | 0.00 | 21 | 0.01 |
Abkhazian | 0 | 0.00 | 0 | 0.00 | 0 | 0.00 | 12 | 0.06 | 12 | 0.01 |
Georgian | 9 | 0.02 | 0 | 0.00 | 0 | 0.00 | 0 | 0.00 | 9 | 0.01 |
Polish | 0 | 0.00 | 0 | 0.00 | 7 | 0.01 | 0 | 0.00 | 7 | 0.00 |
Bulgarian | 1 | 0.00 | 0 | 0.00 | 3 | 0.01 | 1 | 0.01 | 5 | 0.00 |
Circassian | 5 | 0.01 | 0 | 0.00 | 0 | 0.00 | 0 | 0.00 | 5 | 0.00 |
Kabardian | 1 | 0.00 | 0 | 0.00 | 0 | 0.00 | 0 | 0.00 | 1 | 0.00 |
Other | 0 | 0.00 | 10 | 0.03 | 0 | 0.00 | 0 | 0.00 | 10 | 0.01 |
TOTAL | 43,643 | 100.00 | 34,158 | 100.00 | 76,917 | 100.00 | 19,326 | 100.00 | 174,044 | 100.00 |
1892
In 1892, the population of Kars Oblast was estimated as 200,868. The ethnic composition was reported as follows:[2]
Ethnic group | Number | % |
---|---|---|
Turk[c] | 48,208 | 24 |
Armenian | 43,187 | 21.5 |
Kurd | 30,130 | 15 |
Karapapakh
|
29,126 | 14 |
Greek | 27,117 | 13.5 |
Russian[d] | 14,061 | 7 |
Karapapakh[e]
|
10,043 | 5 |
Faith | Percentage (%) |
---|---|
Islam | 53 |
↳ Sunni | 46 |
↳ Shia | 7 |
Armenian Apostolic | 21 |
Eastern Orthodoxy | 14 |
Alevism | 5 |
Spiritual Christianity[f] | 5 |
Yazidism | 1.25 |
Other Christian churches | 0.75 |
Russian Empire Census
According to the
Language | Native speakers | % |
---|---|---|
Armenian | 73,406 | 25.26 |
Turkish | 63,547 | 21.86 |
Kurdish
|
42,968 | 14.78 |
Greek | 32,593 | 11.21 |
Karapapakh | 29,879 | 10.28 |
Russian | 22,327 | 7.68 |
Turkmen | 8,442 | 2.90 |
Ukrainian | 5,279 | 1.82 |
Polish | 3,243 | 1.12 |
Tatar[g] | 2,347 | 0.81 |
Jewish | 1,138 | 0.39 |
Lithuanian | 892 | 0.31 |
Assyrian | 585 | 0.20 |
Persian | 568 | 0.20 |
Georgian | 526 | 0.18 |
Ossetian | 520 | 0.18 |
Estonian | 455 | 0.16 |
German | 430 | 0.15 |
Avar-Andean | 328 | 0.11 |
Belarusian | 250 | 0.09 |
Bashkir | 207 | 0.07 |
Dargin | 120 | 0.04 |
Other | 604 | 0.21 |
TOTAL | 290,654 | 100.00 |
The 30,000 excess population of male over females was mainly attributed to the European language speakers. Among the 27,856 speakers of Russian, Ukrainian, and Belarusian, 19,910 men and 7,946 women were recorded. The Polish, and Lithuanian speakers were almost exclusively (99%) male as well; Germans and Jews, 80–90% males. This preponderance of males in the European language speakers (reported to a lesser extent in neighboring governorates as well) may indicate presence of a large numbers of soldiers or exiled persons in the region. This assumption supported by the fact that 28,875 or 9.9% of the population were military or administrative personnel.[19]
Faith | Male | Female | Both | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Number | % | |||
Muslim | 76,521 | 69,331 | 145,852 | 50.18 |
Armenian Apostolic | 37,726 | 33,397 | 71,123 | 24.47 |
Eastern Orthodox | 31,115 | 18,180 | 49,295 | 16.96 |
Old Believer | 6,069 | 6,351 | 12,420 | 4.27 |
Roman Catholic | 4,286 | 87 | 4,373 | 1.50 |
Armenian Catholic | 1,065 | 779 | 1,844 | 0.63 |
Judaism | 1,114 | 90 | 1,204 | 0.41 |
Lutheran | 854 | 323 | 1,177 | 0.40 |
Reformed
|
15 | 8 | 23 | 0.01 |
Baptist | 7 | 1 | 8 | 0.00 |
Other Christian denomination | 9 | 0 | 9 | 0.00 |
Other non-Christian denomination | 1,790 | 1,536 | 3,326 | 1.14 |
TOTAL | 160,571 | 130,083 | 290,654 | 100.00 |
Kavkazskiy kalendar
According to the 1917 publication of Kavkazskiy kalendar, the Kars Oblast had a population of 364,214 on 14 January [O.S. 1 January] 1916, including 185,895 men and 178,319 women, 308,400 of whom were the permanent population, and 55,814 were temporary residents:[14]
Nationality | Urban | Rural | TOTAL[h] | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | |
Armenians | 36,268 | 80.96 | 81,949 | 25.66 | 118,217 | 32.46 |
Sunni Muslims[i] | 4,055 | 9.05 | 79,249 | 24.81 | 83,304 | 22.87 |
Kurds | 66 | 0.15 | 49,686 | 15.56 | 49,752 | 13.66 |
Roma | 361 | 0.81 | 37,784 | 11.83 | 38,145 | 10.47 |
Shia Muslims[j]
|
322 | 0.72 | 19,122 | 5.99 | 19,444 | 5.34 |
Russians | 1,800 | 4.02 | 17,197 | 5.38 | 18,997 | 5.22 |
Yazidis | 0 | 0.00 | 17,698 | 5.54 | 17,698 | 4.86 |
Asiatic Christian | 1,822 | 4.07 | 14,965 | 4.69 | 16,787 | 4.61 |
North Caucasians
|
0 | 0.00 | 909 | 0.28 | 909 | 0.28 |
Other Europeans | 55 | 0.12 | 741 | 0.23 | 796 | 0.22 |
Georgians | 19 | 0.04 | 117 | 0.04 | 136 | 0.04 |
Jews | 29 | 0.06 | 0 | 0.00 | 29 | 0.01 |
TOTAL | 44,797 | 100.00 | 319,417 | 100.00 | 364,214 | 100.00 |
See also
- Batum Oblast
- Russian Armenia
- First Republic of Armenia
- Democratic Republic of Georgia
- Treaty of San Stefano
- Treaty of Berlin (1878)
Notes
- ^
- ^ 1914 population.
- ^ Including Adjarians.
- ^ Mostly sectarians.
- ^ Reported as "Turkmen".
- Doukhobors.
- ^ Before 1918, Azerbaijanis were generally known as "Tatars". This term, employed by the Russians, referred to Turkic-speaking Muslims of the South Caucasus. After 1918, with the establishment of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic and "especially during the Soviet era", the Tatar group identified itself as "Azerbaijani".[17][18]
- ^ These statistics do not include the population of the Olti Okrug due to the absence of its data in the 1916–1917 publications of the Caucasian Calendar.[21]
- ^ Primarily Turco-Tatars.[21]
- ^ Primarily Tatars.[21]
References
- ^ Tsutsiev 2014.
- ^ a b c d Карсская область (Kars Oblast) in Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary (in Russian)
- ^ "КАРССКАЯ ОБЛАСТЬ — информация на портале Энциклопедия Всемирная история". w.histrf.ru. Retrieved 2021-12-05.
- ^ Frary & Kozelsky 2014, pp. 221–222.
- ^ Frary & Kozelsky 2014, p. 246.
- OCLC 238471.
- OCLC 238471.
- ^ Andersen, Andrew. "Armenia in the Aftermath of Mudros: Conflicting claims and Strife with the Neighbors".
- OCLC 238471.
- OCLC 238471.
- OCLC 238471.
- )
- OCLC 1301902295.
- ^ a b Кавказский календарь на 1917 год, pp. 198–201.
- ^ "население северо-восточной турции". www.ethno-kavkaz.narod.ru. Retrieved 2022-02-22.
- ^ a b "Демоскоп Weekly - Приложение. Справочник статистических показателей". www.demoscope.ru. Retrieved 2022-02-22.
- ^ Bournoutian 2018, p. 35 (note 25).
- ^ Tsutsiev 2014, p. 50.
- JSTOR 26548902.
- ^ "Демоскоп Weekly - Приложение. Справочник статистических показателей". www.demoscope.ru. Retrieved 2022-02-22.
- ^ a b c Hovannisian 1971, p. 67.
Bibliography
- OCLC 1037283914.
- Frary, Lucien J.; Kozelsky, Mara, eds. (12 August 2014). Russian-Ottoman Borderlands: The Eastern Question Reconsidered. Madison, Wisconsin: )
- ISBN 978-0520019843.
- Кавказский календарь на 1917 год [Caucasian calendar for 1917] (in Russian) (72nd ed.). Tiflis: Tipografiya kantselyarii Ye.I.V. na Kavkaze, kazenny dom. 1917. Archived from the original on 4 November 2021.
- Tsutsiev, Arthur (2014). Atlas of the Ethno-Political History of the Caucasus (PDF). Translated by Nora Seligman Favorov. New Haven: ISBN 9780300153088. Archived(PDF) from the original on 17 June 2023.
Further reading
- Gurallar, Neşe (2020). "Russian Modernization in East Anatolia: The Case of Kars". Muqarnas Online. 37 (1): 247–264. S2CID 228969076.