Şirvan, Azerbaijan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Shirvan
Şirvan
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Road sign at the entrance to Shirvan city
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Map of Azerbaijan showing Shirvan
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| Country |  Azerbaijan |
| Region | Shirvan-Salyan |
| Area | |
| • Total | 72.7 km2 (28.1 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 12 m (42 ft) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 87,400 |
| • Density | 1,202.2/km2 (3,114/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+4 (AZT) |
Shirvan (Azerbaijani: Şirvan) is a city in Azerbaijan. It is located right on the Kura River. The city was known as Zubovka until 1938. Then it was called Ali Bayramli until 2008.
Shirvan became a village in 1938. It gained the status of a city on January 4, 1963. The city covers an area of 72.7 km2. About 87,400 people lived there in 2020. This means there are about 1226 people for every 1 km2. The city also includes the smaller areas of Hajigarahmanly and Bairamly. Most people in Shirvan are Azerbaijani (98.5%). Others include Russians, Ukrainians, and Turks.
Contents
History of Shirvan City
The name Shirvan originally belonged to a larger region in the South Caucasus. However, the city of Shirvan started in the 1800s. It was first a Russian village called Zubovka. This name honored General Valerian Zubov. Locally, people called it Qarachukhar. The city's name has changed several times over the years.
In 1796, a special army led by General Zubov came to Azerbaijan. The Russian empress, Yekaterina, was very interested in this journey. General Zubov's army had 30,000 soldiers. They were blessed by priests in St. Petersburg before they left.
General Zubov's army did well in Azerbaijan. He named a village Yekaterinaserd. Two thousand Russian Cossacks were moved there first. They had tools for both farming and fighting. They could grow crops or use their weapons as needed.
The city was called Zubovka until 1938. Then, it was renamed Ali Bayramli from 1938 to 2008. This name honored Ali Bayramov.
The Parliament of Azerbaijan decided to rename the city 'Şirvan' on April 25, 2008. The name 'Shirvan' likely comes from the Persian word Shīr (Persian: شیر), which means 'Lion'.
Because Shirvan is close to the Kura River and is quite low, it has often faced floods throughout its history.
Economy and Industry
Shirvan is an important oil center for the Shirvan region. It used to produce a lot of the oil found on land. The city also has factories that make machines, and it has light industries (like making clothes) and food industries. A railway line also runs through the city, which helps with trade and transport.
Making oil and gas is the main part of Shirvan's economy. About 90% of what the city produces comes from this industry.
Ancient Discoveries
When people dug in the area around Shirvan, they found old items. These items show that people lived here a very long time ago. Caravan routes, which were paths for traders, once passed through the land where Shirvan is now.
About 2 km from the city, near Mishovdag, archaeologists found the remains of a city from the 1300s. They found 12 pottery ovens in good condition in the areas where crafts were made. They also found many everyday items and beautiful examples of folk crafts. These included carpets, stone carvings, and jewelry.
Geography and Nature
Shirvan is on the left bank of the Kura River. It is located on the Shirvan plain, which is a flat area. The city is also a transport hub, meaning many roads and railways meet there. The Shirvan GRES, which is one of the largest power plants in Europe, is in the city. The Shirvan Children's Music School has been open for over 40 years.
The city of Shirvan was founded in 1954. This happened because oil was found in the Kurovdag oil field nearby.
Weather in Shirvan
Shirvan has a semi-desert climate. This means summers are usually dry and very hot. Temperatures can reach 44 °C, which often causes dry conditions. Winters are cool but not very cold. Temperatures rarely drop below -6 °C.
| Season | Autumn | Winter | Spring | Summer | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | |
| Average maximum | °C | 26 | 19 | 13 | 8 | 6 | 7 | 11 | 18 | 23 | 28 | 31 |
| Average temperature | °C | 22 | 16 | 12 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 7 | 14 | 19 | 24 | 27 |
| Average minimum | °C | 17 | 11 | 6 | 2 | -1 | 0 | 3 | 9 | 13 | 18 | 21 |
| Fog | Days | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Precipitation level | mm | 17 | 37 | 33 | 25 | 23 | 40 | 32 | 33 | 28 | 20 | 5 |
| Humidity | % | 69 | 77 | 68 | 76 | 78 | 80 | 74 | 70 | 66 | 61 | 57 |
| Wind | km/h | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 8 |
| Longitude of the day | hours | 13 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 15 | 16 | 15 |
| Dew point | °C | 16 | 12 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 13 | 16 | 18 |
| Sum of active temperatures | °C | 369 | 186 | 66 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 117 | 279 | 417 | 521 |
| Solar radiation | Mj/m2 | 15 | 10 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 10 | 13 | 17 | 20 | 22 | 2 |
How Shirvan is Governed
The city of Shirvan includes the main city area and the smaller towns of Bayramly, Chilpagly, and Haji Gahramanly. These areas together form the municipality of Shirvan. The person in charge of the city's government is called the mayor. Currently, the mayor is Mardan Jamalov.
Population Facts
The State Statistics Committee reported that in 2018, Shirvan had 85,800 people. This was an increase of about 24.3% from the year 2000, when the population was 69,000. Out of the total population, 42,100 were men and 43,700 were women. A large part of the population, about 27.3% (or 23,500 people), were young people and teenagers aged 14 to 29.
| Territory | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shirvan town | 69.0 | 69.1 | 69.4 | 69.5 | 70.5 | 71.0 | 71.5 | 72.9 | 73.8 | 74.8 | 75.7 | 76.8 | 78.7 | 80.9 | 81.8 | 82.9 | 84.0 | 85.0 | 85.8 |
Who Lives in Shirvan?
- The total population is 85,800.
- Most people are Azerbaijanis, making up 99.7% (68,652 people).
- A smaller group are Meskhetian Turks, making up 0.3% (207 people).
Famous People from Shirvan
Some well-known people who come from Shirvan include:
- Farida Mammadova, a historian.
- Samadagha Shikhlarov, a footballer.
- Oksana Rasulova, a dancer.
See also
In Spanish: Shirván (ciudad) para niños
