Lankaran facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids

Lankaran

Lənkəran
Lankon

City

Lankaran Lighthouse

Lankaran Springs & Wellness Resort

Lankaran International Airport

Palace of Talysh Khans

Zindan Fortress

Boyuk Bazar Mosque

Kichik Bazar Mosque

Statue of Hazi Aslanov

Statue of Samovar

A street in Lankaran

Seal

Area

• Total

70 km² (30 sq mi)

Population

(2021)

• Total

89,300

Time zone

UTC+4 (AZT)

Area code(s)

+994 025 25

Lankaran (which is Lənkəran in Azerbaijani and Lankon in Talysh) is a city in Azerbaijan. It is located on the coast of the Caspian Sea. The city is very close to Azerbaijan's southern border with Iran. In 2021, about 89,300 people lived there. Lankaran is a separate city, but it is next to the Lankaran District.

Most of the people living in Lankaran are Talysh people. The city is the main center for the Talysh people and their homeland, called Talish (or Talyshstan). In the past, Lankaran was an important capital for different states and regions. These included the Iranian province of Talish and the Talysh Khanate.

What Does the Name Lankaran Mean?

The exact meaning of the name "Lankaran" is not fully known. One idea is that it comes from two Persian words. These words are Langarkunān or Langarkanān. Both mean "the place for dropping or weighing anchors." This simply means "sea port." Over time, the pronunciation changed to Lankarān or Lankon in the Talysh language.

Another idea is that the name comes from the Talysh word lankran. This word means "cane house."

A Look at Lankaran's History

We don't know exactly when Lankaran was first built. An archaeologist from France, Jacques de Morgan, found very old remains in Lankaran. These included ancient stone structures called dolmens and old graves.

Early History and Wars

After a ruler named Nader Shah died in 1747, the Talysh Khanate was formed. Seyyed Abbas started this khanate. His family came from the Iranian Safavid dynasty. They had moved to the Talish region in the 1720s. From when it started until 1828, the khanate was under the rule of the Iranian Zand and Qajar families.

In the early 1700s, the Russians took control of Lankaran for a few years. This happened during the Russo-Persian War of 1722–1723. But in 1732, the city was given back to Iran by the Treaty of Resht.

During another war, the Russo-Persian War of 1804–1813, a Russian general named Pyotr Kotlyarevsky attacked and captured Lankaran's fortress. After this, the Treaty of Gulistan in 1813 gave Lankaran to Russia. Iran tried to take the city back during the Russo-Persian War of 1826–1828. However, they had to give it back after the Treaty of Turkmenchay in 1828. This treaty ended Iran's power in the South Caucasus region.

Lankaran in Modern Times

Under Russian rule, Lankaran was known as Lenkoran. It was the center of the Lenkoran Uyezd in the Baku Governorate. After the Russian Empire fell, Lankaran became part of the short-lived Azerbaijan Democratic Republic (1918–1920). Then, it became part of the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic after the Soviets took over Azerbaijan. In 1991, when the Soviet Union broke up, Lankaran became part of independent Azerbaijan.

Lankaran's Geography and Nature

Lankaran has sandy beaches along its coast. About 12 kilometers west of the city, you can find Andjin mineral springs. These springs have warm, healthy waters. Also to the west are the old ruins of Ballabur castle.

National Parks and Unique Plants

Large areas around Lankaran are covered by national parks. These parks protect many different animals and plants. The Gizil-Agach State Reserve has over 250 types of plants. It also has 30 kinds of fish and more than 220 types of birds.

Lankaran is famous for its Parrotia trees, also known as ironwood. These trees grow naturally in the region. You can see them in Hirkan National Park. People in the area have a story that ironwood is the only wood that sinks in water. This is why it's called "ironwood." Historically, people used it for heating because it burns for a long time.

Animals of the Region

The Persian leopard (a type of leopard) lives in the national park. In 1937, a type of harvestman spider, called Opilio lepidus, was seen in the area.

Lankaran's Climate

Lankaran has a hot-summer Mediterranean climate. This means it has cool, wet winters. Summers are very warm and humid, but it doesn't rain much then.

Climate data for Lenkaran
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	7.2 (45.0)	7.2 (45.0)	11.0 (51.8)	17.5 (63.5)	22.5 (72.5)	27.2 (81.0)	30.4 (86.7)	29.5 (85.1)	25.9 (78.6)	19.9 (67.8)	14.1 (57.4)	10.1 (50.2)	18.5 (65.4)
Daily mean °C (°F)	3.6 (38.5)	4.1 (39.4)	7.5 (45.5)	13.1 (55.6)	17.8 (64.0)	22.4 (72.3)	25.3 (77.5)	24.6 (76.3)	21.4 (70.5)	15.9 (60.6)	10.4 (50.7)	6.3 (43.3)	14.4 (57.9)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	0.0 (32.0)	1.0 (33.8)	3.9 (39.0)	8.6 (47.5)	13.1 (55.6)	17.5 (63.5)	20.1 (68.2)	19.7 (67.5)	16.9 (62.4)	11.8 (53.2)	6.7 (44.1)	2.5 (36.5)	10.2 (50.3)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	91 (3.6)	114 (4.5)	90 (3.5)	50 (2.0)	54 (2.1)	22 (0.9)	17 (0.7)	50 (2.0)	143 (5.6)	259 (10.2)	168 (6.6)	88 (3.5)	1,146 (45.2)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm)	9.7	8.8	10.4	7.8	6.9	3.5	1.8	3.6	7.9	12.7	10.1	8.2	91.4
Average rainy days	10	10	11	8	8	3	2	4	7	13	12	9	97
Mean monthly sunshine hours	105.4	98.9	124.0	171.0	226.3	282.0	306.9	254.2	189.0	127.1	99.0	108.5	2,092.3
Source 1: World Meteorological Organization (UN) NOAA(Precipitation and rain days)
Source 2: Hong Kong Observatory (sun only)

Lankaran's Economy

Lankaran's economy mainly focuses on growing vegetables and tea. People also grow rice, raise cattle, and farm grains. Citrus fruits are grown, and beekeeping and fishing are important too.

The city has a good climate and fertile land. This helps with farming and food processing businesses. Lankaran is also home to Azerbaijan's very first tea plant. It was built in 1937.

People and Culture

Lankaran is the main city of the Talysh region. This area is the homeland of the Talysh people. Most of the people in Lankaran are Talysh. There are also Azerbaijanis and people from other countries.

Religion in Lankaran

The main religion in Lankaran is Islam. Most Muslims in the city are Shia Muslims. Azerbaijan has the second-highest percentage of Shia Muslims in the world, after Iran. Important mosques in the city include Kichik Bazar Mosque and Boyuk Bazar Mosque.

Local Traditions and Food

In 2012, Lankaran joined the Earth Hour movement, just like the cities of Baku and Ganja.

Lankaran's food has been shaped by its many different cultures over time. Some popular dishes from Lankaran include lavangi, Lankaran kulcha, marji plov, white plov, pumpkin plov, and turshu kebab.

Music and Media

The Bacılar folk and dance group

Lankaran is home to several folk music groups. One famous group is the Bacılar (The Sisters) national Talysh folk and dance collective.

The city also has its own TV channel, Janub TV. The local newspaper, Lankaran, is also based there.

Sports in Lankaran

Fans of the Khazar Lankaran football team

The city used to have a professional football team called Khazar Lankaran. They played in Azerbaijan's top football league, the Azerbaijan Premier League. Sports venues in Lankaran include the Lankaran City Stadium and the Lankaran Olympic Sports Complex. The stadium was used for some games during the 2012 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup.

In 2012, Lankaran was chosen to host the European Masters Weightlifting Championship.