South Caucasus
The South Caucasus stretches from the Black Sea in the west to the Caspian Sea coast of Iran in the east. This region spans the southern portion of the Caucasus Mountains and their lowlands, straddling the border between Europe and Asia. The area includes the southern part of the Greater Caucasus mountain range and the entire Lesser Caucasus mountain range. It also encompasses the Colchis Lowlands, the Kura-Aras Lowlands, Qaradagh, the Talysh Mountains, the Lankaran Lowland, Javakheti, and the eastern portion of the Armenian Highlands. All of present-day Armenia lies within these boundaries. The majority of present-day Georgia and Azerbaijan fall inside this zone as well, including the exclave of Nakhchivan. Parts of Iran and Turkey are also included within the region.
Throughout history, most of the South Caucasus was usually under the direct rule of various Iranian-based empires. Ancient kingdoms like Colchis, Urartu, Iberia, Armenia, and Albania existed before being incorporated into the Achaemenid Empire, the Parthian Empire, and the Sassanid Empire. During the Sassanid period, Zoroastrianism became the dominant religion in the region. However, after the rise of Christianity and the conversion of Caucasian kingdoms to the new faith, Zoroastrianism lost its prevalence. Only Persian power and influence still lingering in the region allowed it to survive. In the middle of the 8th century, with the capture of Derbend by Umayyad armies during the Arab-Khazar wars, most of the South Caucasus became part of the Caliphate. Islam spread throughout the region following this conquest. Later, the Orthodox Christian Kingdom of Georgia dominated most of the South Caucasus before falling to Seljuk, Mongol, Turkic, Safavid, Ottoman, Afsharid, and Qajar dynasties.
After two wars in the first half of the 19th century, namely the Russo-Persian War from 1804 to 1813 and the Russo-Persian War from 1826 to 1828, the Russian Empire conquered most of the South Caucasus from the Iranian Qajar dynasty. By the Treaty of Gulistan that followed the earlier conflict, Iran was forced to cede modern-day Dagestan, Eastern Georgia, and most of the Azerbaijan Republic to Russia. By the Treaty of Turkmenchay that followed the later war, Iran lost all of what is modern-day Armenia and the remainder of the contemporary Azerbaijani Republic. After the 1828-1829 war, the Ottomans ceded Western Georgia to the Russians. In 1844, what comprises present-day Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan were combined into a single czarist government-general. This entity was termed a vice-royalty between 1844 and 1881 and again from 1905 to 1917. Following the 1877-78 Russo-Turkish War, Russia annexed Kars, Ardahan, Agri, and Batumi from the Ottomans.
After the fall of the Russian Empire in 1918, the South Caucasus region was unified into a single political entity twice. It existed as the Transcaucasian Democratic Federative Republic from the 9th of April 1918 to the 26th of May 1918. It also appeared as the Transcaucasian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic from the 12th of March 1922 to the 5th of December 1936. Both times these entities dissolved, although the region remained politically bound together in the Soviet Union. The three separate Soviet Socialist Republics of Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia formed this structure. When the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991, all three emerged as internationally recognized sovereign states. Transit through the South Caucasus has been hampered since 1989 due to the ongoing Turkish-Azeri blockade of Armenia. Since their independence, the three countries have had varying degrees of success in their relations with Russia and other nations.
The region remains one of the most politically tense areas in the post-Soviet zone. It contains two heavily disputed areas: Abkhazia and South Ossetia. The Russo-Georgian War took place in 2008 across the South Caucasus, contributing to further instability in the region. This conflict made the area as intricate as the Middle East due to the complex mix of religions and ethno-linguistic groups. In Georgia, after the Rose Revolution in 2004, the country began integrating into wider European society by opening up relations with NATO and the European Union. Armenia continues to foster relations with Russia while also developing ties with the EU. Azerbaijan relies less on Russia and strategically partners with Turkey. On the 8th of November 2023, the European Commission issued an official recommendation to grant EU candidate status to Georgia. This was confirmed on the 14th of December 2023, making Georgia the first country in the South Caucasus to receive such status.
Population data from 1897 shows 798,853 people in Armenia, 1,806,700 in Azerbaijan, and 1,919,400 in Georgia. By 1914, these numbers had grown to 1,014,255, 2,278,245, and 2,697,500 respectively. The total population reached 5,705,282 during the First World War and Russian Revolution period of 1916-17. In 1926, the combined population stood at 5,861,529. By 1939, the three countries housed a total of 8,027,511 people. The population grew to 15,743,484 by 1989. A census between 1999 and 2002 recorded 15,157,711 people across the region. Recent figures from 2009 to 2014 show 15,654,658 inhabitants. These statistics reflect significant demographic shifts over more than a century.
Archaeological excavations and carbon dating of grape seeds from the area have dated back to 8000, 5000 BC. Wine found in Iran has been dated to specific periods while wine found in Georgia has also been dated to ancient eras. The earliest winery, dated to 4000 BC, was found in Armenia. This evidence suggests the South Caucasus may be the birthplace of wine production. The region is one of the native areas of the wine-producing vine Vitis vinifera. Experts speculate that this location marks where viticulture began thousands of years ago. Goods produced in the region today include oil, manganese ore, tea, citrus fruits, and wine.
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Common questions
What is the geographical extent of the South Caucasus region?
The South Caucasus stretches from the Black Sea in the west to the Caspian Sea coast of Iran in the east. This region spans the southern portion of the Caucasus Mountains and their lowlands, straddling the border between Europe and Asia.
When did the Russian Empire conquer most of the South Caucasus from the Iranian Qajar dynasty?
The Russian Empire conquered most of the South Caucasus after two wars in the first half of the 19th century, specifically the Russo-Persian War from 1804 to 1813 and the Russo-Persian War from 1826 to 1828. By the Treaty of Turkmenchay that followed the later war, Iran lost all of what is modern-day Armenia and the remainder of the contemporary Azerbaijani Republic.
Which political entities unified the South Caucasus after the fall of the Russian Empire in 1918?
The South Caucasus region was unified into a single political entity twice following the fall of the Russian Empire in 1918. It existed as the Transcaucasian Democratic Federative Republic from the 9th of April 1918 to the 26th of May 1918 and appeared as the Transcaucasian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic from the 12th of March 1922 to the 5th of December 1936.
When did Georgia receive EU candidate status for the first time in the South Caucasus?
On the 8th of November 2023, the European Commission issued an official recommendation to grant EU candidate status to Georgia. This was confirmed on the 14th of December 2023, making Georgia the first country in the South Caucasus to receive such status.
Where was the earliest winery dated to 4000 BC discovered within the South Caucasus?
The earliest winery, dated to 4000 BC, was found in Armenia. Archaeological excavations and carbon dating of grape seeds from the area have dated back to 8000, 5000 BC, suggesting the South Caucasus may be the birthplace of wine production.