Kalbajar–Lachin Economic Region
Kalbajar-Lachin was one of formerly ten economic regions of Azerbaijan.
It bordered Armenia to the west and Iran to the south, as well as the economic regions of Upper Karabakh — almost congruous with the Armenian-inhabited Nagorno-Karabakh — and Ganja-Gazakh. The region consisted of the districts of Kalbajar, Lachin, Qubadli and Zangilan.
On July 7, 2021, Azerbaijan reorganized its internal economic regions. During the process, Ilham Aliyev created a new region out of Kalbajar-Lachin and the newly-captured Jabrayil District from Nagorno-Karabakh.
The new region is now called the Eastern Zangezur Economic Region. The name is motivated by Azerbaijani irredentism; it borders Armenia's Syunik province, implying that there is a "Western Zangezur" – that is, Syunik itself.[1]
For a long time, the Kalbajar-Lachin economic region had been known as agrarian region with large arable lands and pasture areas (sheep- and cattle breeding, livestock products, wool, fodder crops, beekeeping, wine, tobacco, grain-growing, etc.)[2]
References
- Laurence Boers, "Augmented Azerbaijan? The Return of Azerbaijani Irredentism," Eurasianet 5 August 2021.
- https://apa.az/az/resmi-xeber/azerbaycanin-iqtisadi-rayonlarinin-yeni-bolgusu-tesdiqlenib-ferman-651583 Azərbaycanın iqtisadi rayonlarının yeni bölgüsü təsdiqlənib - FƏRMAN, apa.az