Life in Daghestan   -  Population      

       Because of Daghestan’s difficult geographical situation, this country have always been a shelter for the immigrants and also gave a comfortable opportunity for these tribes to live isolated from each other. For example, there live a different tribe on every mountain of Daghestan and they speak a language different from each other that they cannot communicate. While being a state of Tzardom Russia in 1897, the population of Daghestan was 571,000 and it reached 1,300,000 in 1926. According to 1916 Russian census there were 81 different nation settled in Daghestan. The was, of course, an exaggerated figure. Most of these ethnical groups in Daghestan population were generally Turanian tribes and group. Some Turk tribes such as Azeri, Khumukh, Nogay, Turkmen, Kara-Papak, Kirgiz, etc. groups of more than 350,000 people were settled on the plains from Samur to Sulak coastline in north.  11 of 32 tribes of native Daghestan peoples are more crowded than others. These are Avars, Khumukhs, Darghins, Lezghis, Lakhs, Tabasarans, Noghays. Rutuls. Sakhurs, Aguls and Tats.

      The biggest of these ethnical groups are Avars which have about 15 sub-groups including Kharatay, Andi and Didos. They are settled in Ahvah, Botlih, Gunib, Hunzah, Untsukul counties in the west mountainous area of Daghestan near Chechen border. Today, with a population of more than 500,000 members, Avars are 25,7% of Daghestan population. Sub groups of Avars are different from each other in respect of life and cultur. Living in the middle of Telke, Darghins are the second biggest group of the country with a population of about 247,000 of which one third live in cities and two third in mountain villages. The third biggest group is Khumukhs who live in northeast and speak Turkish Kipchak dialect. Mohackale, Buynak, Kizlar, Yahsay and Hasavyurt are the cities where Kumuk people live.

      Lezghis (190,000) are the fourth biggest group who live in Kurak, Suleyman Stalsky, Magaramkent, Ahti and partially in Rutul ve Hiv regions in the southeastern part of the country. Tabasarans (85,000) in Khiv, Tabasaran ve Derbent region, Lakhs (84,000) settled in mountainous places between Avars and Darghins in south, Nogays (70,000) living on Nogay desert between Kuma and Terek rivers, Chechens (60,000) living near Chechen Republic in west are the other important groups in Dahgestan. Except these, there are some other groups with lower population such as Rutuls (20,000), Aguls (10,000), Persian origin Tatars (10,000) ve Sakurs (7,000).

       Alonside with these Muslim groups, there are also Russians (250,000), Ukranians, Jews (speaking Tat language and called Yivri and Cuhud) and Armenians living mainl in cities.

      These last four non-Muslim groups form 15% of the whole population. But, from the beginnig of 90s on, there has been a decrease in non-Muslim population because of the fact that Russian people moved to other center Russian lands while Jewish people migrated to Israel. On the other hand, population increases more rapidly in native tribes than others. For example, birth rate is 2,5 times higher than Russians, because of socio-economical, socio-physcological and cultural factors. Traditions, importance of family and marriage, women’s role in family and society cause the birth rate being high. Being 98,895 in 1993 Derbent’s population is more than 100,000 today, in which Azeris are the most crowded group. Still keeping their old identity cards, these people told that, in Stalin period, their Turkish nationality expression on their identity cards were changed as Azeri.

      There is a group living in the north of Derbent, who are called Terekemes (Terakime = Turkmens) in Daghestan. According to traveler Evliya Çelebi, these people are Turkish speaking Kaytags who are from Tabasarans, who were called also Daghestan Terekeme or Kara-Papaks. Today, there live Sunni Daghestani Kara-Papak immigrants settled in villages in Kars province in Turkey. Terekeme people live generally in fourteen villages which are Berekey, Velikent, Cemikent, Padar, Mamedkala, Delicoban, Selik, Karadagli, Tatlar ve Ulu Terekeme. Claiming that Lezhis were real native people of Daghestan, Semseddin Sâmi writes, "Real natives of Daghestan are Lezghis who are Turan origin tribe. These are settled on high and mountainous places. Near Caspian Sea, there settled Turk, Turkmen, Tatar, Nogay and other Turani tribes.” Daghestan peoples have a common fate in respect of life conditions, economy, civilization and historical union, although they linguistic and cultural differences. Daghestan people feel themselves as alliances loyal to each other in respect of economical life and civilization.

     In fact, Daghestan peoples live in such a hormony that is amazing because of those differences. These tribes form a complete unity for sharing the same fate and common social life lasted in centuries. In order to keep this harmony and keep this balance, it is carefully considered to give place for all ethnical music and folklore groups in every festival and programs. Religion and faith have a remarkable contribution in this unity of Daghestan peoples who are mostly Muslim excep Russian, Ukranian, Jewish and Armenian groups. Likewise, there was an artificial conflict at the beginning of 90s between Derbent’s biggest, Azeris and Lezghis, which did not reach serious level thanks to religious union.