Gazakh

Gazakh, also spelled Gakh, refers to a city and the surrounding district in western Azerbaijan. The city of Gazakh serves as the administrative center of Gazakh District, an area that forms part of the country's borderlands with Georgia.

Geographically, Gazakh District lies in the western part of Azerbaijan and borders Georgia to the north. The terrain includes a mix of low mountains and plains, with rural settlements spread across the district. The region is connected to Azerbaijan’s broader agricultural and border-economy networks.

Historically, the area was associated with the Gazakh Khanate, a Turkic-ruled polity that emerged in the 18th century. Following Russian imperial expansion in the Caucasus, the Gazakh area was incorporated into the Russian Empire in the early 19th century. It later became part of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic and, after the Soviet period, the Gazakh District of the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic, and remains a district in independent Azerbaijan.

Demographically, the district is predominantly inhabited by Azerbaijanis, with smaller numbers of other groups living in border and rural communities. The local economy is largely based on agriculture and related activities, including crop production and livestock. Cross-border trade and light industrial activities also contribute to economic life, along with public services and education in the city of Gazakh.

Culturally, Gazakh features the traditions and institutions typical of rural western Azerbaijan, including mosques, schools, and community organizations. The district is known for its rural landscapes, historical sites, and a continuity of local customs in everyday life.