Lankaran ( az, Lənkəran, ) is a city in
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan (, ; az, Azərbaycan ), officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, , also sometimes officially called the Azerbaijan Republic is a transcontinental country located at the boundary of Eastern Europe and Western Asia. It is a part of th ...
, on the coast of the
Caspian Sea
The Caspian Sea is the world's largest inland body of water, often described as the world's largest lake or a full-fledged sea. An endorheic basin, it lies between Europe and Asia; east of the Caucasus, west of the broad steppe of Central Asia ...
, near the southern border with
Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
. As of 2021, the city had a population of 89,300. It is next to, but independent of,
Lankaran District
Lankaran District (, tly, Lankon rəyon, script=Latn) is one of the 66 districts of Azerbaijan. It is located in the south-east of the country and belongs to the Lankaran-Astara Economic Region. The district borders the districts of Astara, Le ...
. The city forms a distinct first-order division of Azerbaijan.
Etymology
The old form of the name was "Langarkanan" that in
Persian
Persian may refer to:
* People and things from Iran, historically called ''Persia'' in the English language
** Persians, the majority ethnic group in Iran, not to be conflated with the Iranic peoples
** Persian language, an Iranian language of the ...
means "the place of pulling up the anchor(s)" : "Langar" (, anchor) + "kan" (, to pull) + "an"(, suffix of places). However, some sources state that Lankaran is said to come from the Talish words for 'Cane house', which sounds as 'Lan Kəon'. Alternatively, from
Median
In statistics and probability theory, the median is the value separating the higher half from the lower half of a data sample, a population, or a probability distribution. For a data set, it may be thought of as "the middle" value. The basic fe ...
''*Lan(a)karan-'', where *''karan-'' means 'border, region, land' and ''Lan'' is probably a name of a
Caspian Caspian can refer to:
*The Caspian Sea
*The Caspian Depression, surrounding the northern part of the Caspian Sea
*The Caspians, the ancient people living near the Caspian Sea
*Caspian languages, collection of languages and dialects of Caspian peopl ...
tribe.
History
The city was built on a swamp along the northern bank of the river bearing the city's name. There are remains of human settlements in the area dating back to the
Neolithic period
The Neolithic period, or New Stone Age, is an Old World archaeological period and the final division of the Stone Age. It saw the Neolithic Revolution, a wide-ranging set of developments that appear to have arisen independently in several parts ...
as well as ruins of fortified villages from the Bronze and Iron Ages.
[History of Lankaran]
With the death of
Nader Shah (r. 1736–1747), the
Talysh Khanate
Talysh Khanate or Talish Khanate ( fa, خانات تالش, Khānāt-e Tālesh) was a khanate of Iranian origin that was established in Persia and existed from the middle of the 18th century till the beginning of the 19th century, located in the ...
was founded by a certain Seyyed Abbas, whose ancestors were members of the Iranian
Safavid dynasty
The Safavid dynasty (; fa, دودمان صفوی, Dudmâne Safavi, ) was one of Iran's most significant ruling dynasties reigning from 1501 to 1736. Their rule is often considered the beginning of modern Iranian history, as well as one of th ...
, and had moved into the Talish region in the 1720s during a turbulent period in Iranian history. From the founding of the khanate until 1828, it was under the suzerainty of the
Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
ian
Zand Zand may refer to:
* Zend, a class of exegetical commentaries on Zoroastrian scripture
* Zand District, an administrative subdivision of Iran
* Zand Boulevard, in Shiraz, Iran
* Z And, a variable star
As a tribal/clan and dynastic name
* Zand tr ...
and
Qajar
Qajar Iran (), also referred to as Qajar Persia, the Qajar Empire, '. Sublime State of Persia, officially the Sublime State of Iran ( fa, دولت علیّه ایران ') and also known then as the Guarded Domains of Iran ( fa, ممالک م ...
dynasties. In the first half of the 18th century, the
Russians
, native_name_lang = ru
, image =
, caption =
, population =
, popplace =
118 million Russians in the Russian Federation (2002 ''Winkler Prins'' estimate)
, region1 =
, pop1 ...
gained control over it for a few years during the
Russo-Persian War of 1722–1723; in 1732 it was ceded back to Iran by the
Treaty of Resht
The Treaty of Resht was signed between the Russian Empire and Safavid Empire at Rasht on 21 January 1732. According to this treaty Russia waived its claim to any territory south of the Kura River. This included return of the provinces of Gilan, ...
. During the
Russo-Persian War of 1804–1813,
General Kotlyarevsky
Pyotr Stepanovich Kotlyarevsky (23 June 1782 – 2 November 1852) was a Russian military hero of the early 19th century.
Biography
He was born in the village of Olkhovatka near Kharkiv into a cleric's family. Kotlyarevsky was brought up in an i ...
, heading the southernmost Russian contingent during the war,
stormed and captured Lankaran's fortress. Following the
Treaty of Gulistan
The Treaty of Gulistan (russian: Гюлистанский договор; fa, عهدنامه گلستان) was a peace treaty concluded between the Russian Empire and Iran on 24 October 1813 in the village of Gulistan (now in the Goranboy Distri ...
of 1813, it was ceded to Russia.
[Timothy C. Dowlin]
''Russia at War: From the Mongol Conquest to Afghanistan, Chechnya, and Beyond''
pp 728-730 ABC-CLIO, 2 dec. 2014 Qajar Iran would later retake the city during the
Russo-Persian War of 1826–1828, but was forced to return it following the
Treaty of Turkmenchay
The Treaty of Turkmenchay ( fa, عهدنامه ترکمنچای; russian: Туркманчайский договор) was an agreement between Qajar Iran and the Russian Empire, which concluded the Russo-Persian War (1826–28). It was second o ...
(1828), which saw the definite end of Persian influence in the South Caucasus.
Under Russian rule, Lankaran, known as Lenkoran () in
Russian
Russian(s) refers to anything related to Russia, including:
*Russians (, ''russkiye''), an ethnic group of the East Slavic peoples, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries
*Rossiyane (), Russian language term for all citizens and peo ...
, was the center of the
Lenkoran Uyezd
The Lenkoran uezd was a county (''uezd'') within the Baku Governorate of the Russian Empire, and then of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic and the Azerbaijan SSR until its formal abolishment in 1929. The ''uezd'' was located on the southern part ...
of the
Baku Governorate. Following the collapse of the Russian Empire, it was a part of the short-lived
Azerbaijan Democratic Republic
The Azerbaijan Democratic Republic), or simply as Azerbaijan in Paris Peace Conference, 1919–1920,''Bulletin d'Information de l'Azerbaidjan'', No. I, September 1, 1919, pp. 6–7''125 H.C.Debs.'', 58., February 24, 1920, p. 1467. Caucasian Az ...
(1918–1920), then became a part of the
Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic
Azerbaijan ( az, Азәрбајҹан, Azərbaycan, italics=no), officially the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic (Azerbaijan SSR; az, Азәрбајҹан Совет Сосиалист Республикасы, Azərbaycan Sovet Sosialist R ...
following the
sovietization of Azerbaijan
The Red Army invasion of Azerbaijan, also known as the Sovietization or Soviet invasion of Azerbaijan, was a military campaign carried out by the 11th Army of Soviet Russia in April 1920 to install a new Soviet government in the Azerbaijan Democ ...
. In 1991, following the dissolution of the
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen national ...
, it became a part of independent Azerbaijan.
Geography
There are sandy beaches near Lankaran. Thermal
sulphide,
chloride
The chloride ion is the anion (negatively charged ion) Cl−. It is formed when the element chlorine (a halogen) gains an electron or when a compound such as hydrogen chloride is dissolved in water or other polar solvents. Chloride salts ...
,
sodium
Sodium is a chemical element with the symbol Na (from Latin ''natrium'') and atomic number 11. It is a soft, silvery-white, highly reactive metal. Sodium is an alkali metal, being in group 1 of the periodic table. Its only stable iso ...
-
calcium
Calcium is a chemical element with the symbol Ca and atomic number 20. As an alkaline earth metal, calcium is a reactive metal that forms a dark oxide-nitride layer when exposed to air. Its physical and chemical properties are most similar to ...
waters of
Andjin (Upper and Lower) mineral springs are situated 12 km west of the town. Also to the west are the ruins of
Ballabur castle, near the village with the same name.
The region has a vast area of national parks, where a variety of fauna and flora are preserved.
Gizil-Agach State Reserve
Ghzil-Aghaj State Reserve ( az, Qızılağac dövlət qoruğu), meaning golden tree, was established on July 3, 1929 by the Committee on Protection of the Ancient and Art Monuments of Azerbaijan on an area of 884 km² on Kyzylagach Bay at the so ...
hosts over 250 kinds of plants, 30 species of fish and more than 220 kinds of birds. Lankaran is also known for ''
Parrotia'', or ironwood. It is naturally grown in the region and could be seen in
Hirkan National Park
Hirkan National Park ( az, Hirkan Milli Parkı) — is a National Parks of Azerbaijan, national park of Azerbaijan. It was established in an area in Lankaran Rayon and Astara Rayon administrative districts on February 9, 2004 on the basis of the ...
. Local myth has it that it is the only wood that sinks in water, hence the name (ironwood). Historically it has been used for heating since it burns for a long time and is not easily extinguished. The
Persian leopard
''Panthera pardus tulliana'' is a leopard subspecies native to the Iranian Plateau and surrounding areas encompassing Turkey, the Caucasus, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Armenia, Iraq, Iran, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan and possibly Pakistan. Since 2016, ...
(Panthera pardus saxicolous) subspecies of the
leopard
The leopard (''Panthera pardus'') is one of the five extant species in the genus '' Panthera'', a member of the cat family, Felidae. It occurs in a wide range in sub-Saharan Africa, in some parts of Western and Central Asia, Southern Russia, a ...
, lives in the national park as well. In 1937, members of the ''
Opilio lepidus'' species of
harvestman
The Opiliones (formerly Phalangida) are an order of arachnids colloquially known as harvestmen, harvesters, harvest spiders, or daddy longlegs. , over 6,650 species of harvestmen have been discovered worldwide, although the total number of ext ...
were sighted in the area.
Climate
Lankaran has a
hot-summer Mediterranean climate
A Mediterranean climate (also called a dry summer temperate climate ''Cs'') is a temperate climate sub-type, generally characterized by warm, dry summers and mild, fairly wet winters; these weather conditions are typically experienced in the ...
(
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...
: ''Csa''), with cool, wet winters and very warm, partially dry/highly humid summers.
Economy
Dominating spheres in the economy of Lankaran are vegetable-growing,
tea-growing, paddy cultivating, cattle-breeding, citrus plants,
beekeeping
Beekeeping (or apiculture) is the maintenance of bee colonies, commonly in man-made beehives. Honey bees in the genus '' Apis'' are the most-commonly-kept species but other honey-producing bees such as ''Melipona'' stingless bees are also kept. ...
,
fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch fish. Fish are often caught as wildlife from the natural environment, but may also be caught from stocked bodies of water such as ponds, canals, park wetlands and reservoirs. Fishing techniques inclu ...
, and grain farming. Favourable humid subtropical climate, availability of good arable land, water and sufficient labour resources of the city provides a good basis for agricultural activities as well as the development of agro-processing enterprises. The city is also home to Azerbaijan's first
tea
Tea is an aromatic beverage prepared by pouring hot or boiling water over cured or fresh leaves of ''Camellia sinensis'', an evergreen shrub native to East Asia which probably originated in the borderlands of southwestern China and north ...
plant, built in 1937.
Demographics
The vast majority of the population of Lankaran is
Talysh Talysh may refer to:
*Talysh people
* History of Talysh
*Talysh language
*Talysh Khanate, in existence from 1747 to 1828
*Talysh-Mughan Autonomous Republic, a self-declared autonomy, which existed briefly in the south of Azerbaijan in 1993
*Talysh ...
, and the rest are
Azerbaijanis
Azerbaijanis (; az, Azərbaycanlılar, ), Azeris ( az, Azərilər, ), or Azerbaijani Turks ( az, Azərbaycan Türkləri, ) are a Turkic people living mainly in northwestern Iran and the Republic of Azerbaijan. They are the second-most numer ...
and other nationalities.
Religion
The religion with the largest community of followers is Islam. The majority of the Muslims are
Shia Muslims
Shīʿa Islam or Shīʿīsm is the second-largest branch of Islam. It holds that the Islamic prophet Muhammad designated ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib as his successor (''khalīfa'') and the Imam (spiritual and political leader) after him, most n ...
, and the Republic of Azerbaijan has the second-highest Shia population percentage in the world after
Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
. The city's notable mosques include
Kichik Bazar Mosque and
Boyuk Bazar Mosque.
Culture
As of 2012, the city along with
Baku
Baku (, ; az, Bakı ) is the capital and largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and of the Caucasus region. Baku is located below sea level, which makes it the lowest lying national capital in the world a ...
and
Ganja
Ganja (, ; ) is one of the oldest and most commonly used synonyms for marijuana. Its usage in English dates to before 1689.
Etymology
''Ganja'' is borrowed from Hindi/Urdu ( hi, गांजा, links=no, ur, , links=no, IPA: aːɲd ...
participated in
Earth Hour movement.
Cuisine
Lankaran's cuisine has largely been affected by its multicultural history, hence the large variety of food originating during
Talysh Khanate
Talysh Khanate or Talish Khanate ( fa, خانات تالش, Khānāt-e Tālesh) was a khanate of Iranian origin that was established in Persia and existed from the middle of the 18th century till the beginning of the 19th century, located in the ...
. Lankaran's signature cuisine includes lavangi, Lankaran kulcha, marji plov, white plov, pumpkin plov and turshu kebab.
[Cuisine of Lankaran]
Music and media
Lankaran is home to several national folk performers, including the ''Bacılar'' (The Sisters) national
Talysh Talysh may refer to:
*Talysh people
* History of Talysh
*Talysh language
*Talysh Khanate, in existence from 1747 to 1828
*Talysh-Mughan Autonomous Republic, a self-declared autonomy, which existed briefly in the south of Azerbaijan in 1993
*Talysh ...
folk and dance collective.
The regional channel ''Janub TV'' and newspaper ''Lankaran'' are headquartered in the city.
Sports
The city used to have a professional
football
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
team competing in the top-flight of
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan (, ; az, Azərbaycan ), officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, , also sometimes officially called the Azerbaijan Republic is a transcontinental country located at the boundary of Eastern Europe and Western Asia. It is a part of th ...
i football -
Khazar Lankaran
Khazar Lankaran FK ( tly, Xəzər Lankon Futboli Klub, script=Latn, az, Xəzər Lənkəran Futbol Klubu) is an Azerbaijani football club based in Lankaran that last played in the Azerbaijan Premier League during the 2015–16 season.
Since the ...
, which played in the
Azerbaijan Premier League
The Azerbaijan Premier League ( az, Azərbaycan Premyer Liqası) is a professional league for men's association football clubs. At the top of the Azerbaijan football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. It is conteste ...
. Sporting venues in the city include the
Lankaran City Stadium
Khazar Lankaran Central Stadium ( az, Xəzər Lənkəran Mərkəzi Stadionu) is a multi-use stadium in Lankaran, Azerbaijan. It is currently used mostly for football matches and is the home stadium of FK Khazar Lankaran. The stadium holds 15,00 ...
and Lankaran Olympic Sports Complex. The stadium was one of the venues for the group stages of the
2012 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup
The 2012 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup was the third edition of the women's football tournament, and was held in Azerbaijan from 22 September to 13 October, following a decision by the executive committee on 19 March 2010. Defending champions Sou ...
.
In 2012, the city won to host European Masters Weightlifting Championship.
Transport
Air
The
Lankaran International Airport's international terminal was opened in September 2008.
Railway
The city has rail service from historic terminals in downtown to
Baku
Baku (, ; az, Bakı ) is the capital and largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and of the Caucasus region. Baku is located below sea level, which makes it the lowest lying national capital in the world a ...
in the east and
Astara in the south.
Education
The following universities are located in Lankaran:
*
Lankaran State University
Lankaran State University ( az, Lənkəran Dövlət Universiteti, tly, Lankoni Dovləti Universitet, script=Latn) is a public university located in Lankaran, Azerbaijan. In 1991 it began to operate as a branch of Baku State University
Baku Sta ...
– founded in 1991,
Lankaran State University
Lankaran State University ( az, Lənkəran Dövlət Universiteti, tly, Lankoni Dovləti Universitet, script=Latn) is a public university located in Lankaran, Azerbaijan. In 1991 it began to operate as a branch of Baku State University
Baku Sta ...
is Lankaran's first university to start courses.
Notable people
The city's notable residents include:
Major-General
Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...
of the Soviet
armoured troops during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
Hazi Aslanov
Hazi Aslanov ( az, Həzi Əhəd oğlu Aslanov; russian: Ази Агад оглы Асланов; commonly described as Azi Aslanov and A. A. Aslanov,Aleksander A. Maslov, David M. Glantz, ''Fallen Soviet Generals: Soviet General Officers Killed i ...
,
General of the Artillery General of the Artillery is/was a general officer of artillery, and may be:
*General of the Artillery (Germany) and Austria-Hungary
* General of the Artillery (Imperial Russia)
* General of the Artillery (Poland)
*Feldzeugmeister (OF-8) of the Austr ...
in the
Imperial Russian Army
The Imperial Russian Army (russian: Ру́сская импера́торская а́рмия, tr. ) was the armed land force of the Russian Empire, active from around 1721 to the Russian Revolution of 1917. In the early 1850s, the Russian Ar ...
Samad bey Mehmandarov
Samad bey Sadykh bey oghlu Mehmandarov ( az, Səməd bəy Sadıx bəy oğlu Mehmandarov; October 16, 1855 – February 12, 1931) was an Azerbaijani General of the Artillery in the Imperial Russian Army and served as Minister of Defense o ...
, folk singer and theatre actress
Jahan Talyshinskaya
Jahan Mir Rzakhan qizi Talyshinskaya ( az, Cahan Talışinskaya) (9 February 1909 in Lankaran – 1 March 1967 in Baku) was an Azerbaijani folk singer and theatre actress.
Early career
Born in Lankaran to a wealthy noble family, from her mate ...
, social activist
Maryam Bayramalibeyova
Maryam Teymur qizi Bayramalibeyova (Azeri: ''Məryəm Bayraməlibəyova'') (1898, Lankaran – 1987, Baku) was an Azerbaijani social activist and feminist.
Early life
Maryam Bayramalibeyova was the daughter of Azerbaijani historian and journalist ...
, pop singer
Ilhama Gasimova
Ilhama Gasimova ( az, İlhamə Qasımova; born 1976, Bala Şürük, Lankaran Rayon, Azerbaijan) is an Azerbaijani pop singer.
Early life
Ilhama Gasimova was born in the village of Bala Şürük and raised in Lankaran, where she graduated from s ...
, weightlifter
Turan Mirzayev, singer
Hagigat Rzayeva
Hagigat Ali qizi Rzayeva ( az, Həqiqət Rzayeva) (20 May 1907, Lankaran – 2 August 1969, Baku) was a Soviet Azerbaijani actress and singer of folk, opera, and pop music.
Career
Hagigat Rzayeva was born on 20 May 1907 in a small village near ...
and footballer
Dmitriy Kramarenko
Dmitriy Sergeyevich Kramarenko (born 12 September 1974) is an Azerbaijani football coach and a former goalkeeper. He is a goalkeepers coach at CSKA Moscow.
International career
He made his debut for Azerbaijan national football team in 1992 at ...
.
Twin towns
Lankaran is
twinned with:
*
Monterey
Monterey (; es, Monterrey; Ohlone: ) is a city located in Monterey County on the southern edge of Monterey Bay on the U.S. state of California's Central Coast. Founded on June 3, 1770, it functioned as the capital of Alta California under both ...
, United States (since 2011)
*
Iskenderun, Turkey
*
Cerveteri
Cerveteri () is a town and ''comune'' of northern Lazio in the region of the Metropolitan City of Rome. Known by the ancient Romans as Caere, and previously by the Etruscans as Caisra or Cisra, and as Agylla (or ) by the Greeks, its modern name de ...
, İtalia (since 2013)
Gallery
File:Lankaran SV100334.jpg, The central street of Lankaran
File:Lankaran Springs & Wellness Resort.jpg, Lankaran Springs & Wellness Resort
File:Dosa Park - -Lenkeran.jpg, Dosa Park
File:Böyük bazar məscidi.png, Boyuk Bazar Mosque
File:Kiçik bazar mosque.png, Kichik Bazar Mosque
File:Лесная станция в Ленкорани.jpg, Forest Station
File:レンコラン IMG 6251.jpg, Hotel Gala
File:IMAG1398~2.jpg, Zindan Fortress
File:IMAG1401~2.jpg, Sutamurdov bridge
See also
*
Lankaran Lowland
The Lankaran Lowland ( az, Lənkəran ovalığı, tly, Lankoni çoləriyə, script=Latn) is a narrow strip of lowland in southern Azerbaijan by the Caspian Sea. It is the southward extension of the Kura-Aras Lowland which in itself is an extension ...
References
External links
Official city webpage(English version)Lankaran State UniversitySoviet topographic map 1:100,000 (published in 1991)Satellite photo via Google Maps*
{{Authority control
Lankaran
Port cities in Azerbaijan
Districts of Azerbaijan
Baku Governorate
Populated places on the Caspian Sea