Khinalig

Khinalig is a village and municipality in the Quba District of Azerbaijan. It lies in the Greater Caucasus mountains, near the Shahdag massif, at about 2,000 meters above sea level. The village is remote and connected by mountain roads from Quba.

The settlement is inhabited by the Khinalig people, who traditionally speak the Khinalug language (also known as Khinalig), a Northeast Caucasian language with a small number of native speakers. Most residents are bilingual in Azerbaijani, and the local language is considered endangered.

Culturally, the Khinalig community maintains a highland pastoralist heritage, distinctive dress and crafts, and traditional music. The village’s stone houses and winding streets reflect adaptation to the mountain environment. The area has attracted ethnographers and linguists studying language preservation.

Khinalig is noted for its long history of habitation in the Caucasus, in a remote highland setting that has helped preserve traditional ways of life. In recent decades it has become a focus for research on endangered languages and mountain communities, as well as eco-tourism.