Tovuz covers 412 km2. The rayon is mountainous in the south, where it is crossed by the Lesser Caucasus mountains.[4]
The region includes rich deposits of ores and precious metals, notably gold.[5]
The region is located in the north-west of the Republic, bordering Georgia to the north, Armenia to the west, Gadabay to the south and south-west, Shamkir to the east, Samukh from north-east to the north.[6]
The southern part of the district is located in the lowlands, the northern part lies in low mountainous and foothill zone, where positive and negative relief forms are shifted. There are three climate areas in the district:[6]
Dry subtropical climate. Characterized by soft summers and hot springs.
Mild hot dry climate. This is a climate up to place less than 1000 meters high. The winter is mild and the spring is warmer.
Mild cold, forest climate. This climatic hill covers the area from 1,000 to 2,000 meters. The spring is cool, and the winter is a bit frosty.
the Zayam River in the eastern part and its small arms,
The Kur River divides the region into two parts. The left coast is used as the main pasture for cattle breeding. The right bank of the river is used for agriculture, occupies the forest fund of the region and the meadow grassland. The annual rainfall is 40–70 mm.[6]
Villages
There about 20 main villages in the district. They are Quşçu, Öysüzlü, Ayıblı, Alakol, Yuxarı Öysüzlü, Abulbəyli, Düz Qırıqlı, Düz Cırdaxan, Yanıqlı, Qəribli, Azaplı, Bozalqanlı, Dönük Qırıqlı, İbrahimhacılı, Dondar Quşçu, Kirən, Əlibəyli villages and Qovlar settlement. Qovlar settlement is more populated area among them.[7]
Population
According to the statistics urbanization is low in the district. 26968 people live in the city and 130907 people live in the village. According to census of 2019, Tovuz has over 175.5 thousand people, out of which 1531 are war veterans.
Over 25536 are students and currently are in process of education.[8]
According to census of 2012 quantity of people from different nations were divided in this way:[9]
Tovuz District
157875
Azerbaijanis
157599
Turkish
157
Russians
76
Talysh
6
Таtars
4
Armenians
4
Other nations
21
Cultural centers
In Tovuz district, there are 4 museums, 13 cultural centers, 6 libraries and a Photo Gallery.Mədəniyyət - TOVUZ RAYON Icra Hakimiyyəti. Museums include Heydar Aliyev Center, History and Local Lore Museum, Ozan Ashug Museum and State Symbols Museum.[10][11]
The ancient village of Goytepe (Göy Tepe) is one of the largest archaeological monuments in Tovuz District, and in Ganja – Gazakh region. It is located 2 km to the northeast from the village of Aşağı Quşçu, and well south of the current course of Kura river, but closer to Tovuz river which is flowing into Kura.
Starting in 2008, “Tovuz Archaeological expedition” conducted new archaeological investigations at Goytepe, and also at the Mentesh tepe ancient settlement nearby. This is a joint investigation of archaeologists from Azerbaijan, Japan and France.
In this same area of Azerbaijan are also located the ancient sites of Shomu Tepe, Soyuq Bulaq, and Boyuk Kesik. Shulaveris Gora is just across the border in Georgia.
Mentesh tepe
Mentesh tepe is located close to Zeyem river about 10km east of Goytepe.[12] The excavations of Neolithic levels at Mentesh Tepe have brought to light a material culture related to the Shulaveri-Shomu culture, with some similarity to Baba-Dervish site. The earliest levels of Mentesh represent an advanced Neolitic culture with full domestication of cereals and animals. The pottery is also found, although in small numbers.
The occupation at Mentesh continued for a long period to the end of the Early Bronze Age. Local metallurgy here started already in the first half of the 6th millennium, and developed further during the second half of the 5th millennium.[13]
Economy
The region is dominated by agriculture. Wine, fruit, vegetables and grain crops are all produced along with cattle.[4]
Stock raising is one of the main revenue source of this region:[9]
Year
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
The number of cattle
38280
39993
40813
41558
41741
42275
Number of cows and buffalos
16185
16987
17330
17416
17420
17587
Number of sheep and goat
183429
192050
193543
195542
195749
196362
Birds
340033
347605
375607
385025
409252
Pigs
200
210
215
-
-
-
horses
659
664
724
804
774
Donkeys
3049
3051
3052
2986
2795
Meat(tons)
23424
24852
25532
25839
27350
28225
Eggs
14628
14970
15140
15310
15840
16015
Wool production(tons)
295
331
340
344
351
358
There are 24 entities which operate in industrial and agricultural sphere:[9]
Year
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
Bread
1844
1626
1840
2156
2686
Building sand(,000 tons)
5
6.7
7.8
13.4
5.9
Flour(tons)
1536
1504
1306
888
483
Wheat bran(tons)
497.6
349.4
190.7
148.7
131.6
Wheat groats(tons)
72.5
32.9
31.0
15.0
100
Wine(,000 dal)
17.1
26.2
17.0
13.7
25.3
Fruit alcohol(,000 dal)
63.0
36.3
-
-
-
Cognac, thousand dal
6.7
36.4
11.1
10.3
9.1
Refined sugar,tons
140.0
155.7
70.0
28.0
--
Asphalt, bituminous mixtures.
0.4
--
1.4
--
--
Where the sown areas for agricultural plants are:[9]
Year
2005
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
Tovuz District
27 182
26 868
26 927
26 827
22 659
21 839
2020 Tovuz clashes
According to Azerbaijani MOD, in the afternoon of July 12, Armenian Armed Forces started to fire on Azerbaijani State Border Service positions in Tovuz region using artillery mounds.[14] Thus, clashes between the Armenian Armed Forces and Azerbaijani Armed Forces broke out on July 12.The skirmishes resumed on 13 July and are ongoing with varying intensity, having resulted in at least 16 military and one civilian casualties. Among Azerbaijani military casualties were one major general (Polad Hashimov), one colonel (Ilgar Mirzayev) and two majors (Anar Novruzov and Namig Ahmadov).[15] However, the fighting has decreased, the situation in the region is still considered as volatile.[16]
^Harutyunyan, Sargis; Danielyan, Emil. "Armenia-Azerbaijan Border 'Calm' After Deadly Clashes". azatutyun.am. RFE/RL. Archived from the original on 5 August 2020. Retrieved 5 August 2020. ...the border between Armenia's northern Tavush province and the Tovuz district in Azerbaijan, the scene of the clashes.
^Samadov (www.anarsamadov.net), Anar. "Azərbaycanın regionları". Azərbaycan Respublikasının Dövlət Statistika Komitəsi (in Azerbaijani). Retrieved 2019-06-29.