Dashkasan is a rayon of Azerbaijan. The district was called Dastafur until 1956. The district is located in northwestern Azerbaijan, 33–41 km away from Ganja city and on northeastern edge of Lesser Caucasus rising 1,600-1,800 meters above sea level. The regional capital of the raion is Dashkasan city located by Qoshqar River on a mountain. The capital was established as an urban facility on March 16, 1948, after the end of World War I, mainly to explore and mine iron ore and other natural resources.
Administrative divisions
The rayon itself was founded as an administrative center in 1930 and was named Dastafur until 1956 when it was renamed to Dashkasan. In 1963, the rayon status was eliminated and Dashkasan province was merged with Khanlar Rayon. However, in 1965, it was split again and Dashkasan regained its administrative rayon status. There is one city, six city type settlements and 42 villages in Dahskasan Rayon. Dashkasan rayon shares an 8 km border with Armenia and 24.5 km border with Shamkir Rayon, 23 km border with Kalbajar Rayon, 41 km border with Gadabay Rayon, 56.3 km border with Khanlar Rayon.
Demographics
Ethnic Groups
Population 30,510
Azeris 99,5%
Russians 0,3%
Other 0,2%
Religion
Muslim 99,8%
Other 0,2%
Language
Azerbaijani Language 100%
Population
Nature
The rayon covers the Dashkasan plateau of the Lesser Caucasian Mountain range encompassing parts and tips of Shahdagh and Murovdag ranges. The highest altitudes are at Hinaldag Peak and Qoshqar Peak. Part of Bashkend-Dastafur lowlands also falls in Dashkasan rayon. This part of the region is rich with cretaceous chalk. Average annual rainfall is 600–900 mm. It mostly rains during spring time. The mountains are enriched with oak forests. There is a lot of vegetation used for curing various deceases. Among the treating plants, one can find thyme, achillea, asteraceae, stellaria, mountain viola, etc. There are also so-called treatment springs containing pure mountain water which cleanse the internal organs.
In Dashkasan locale the temperature changes from -5 C to -20 C in winter and from +20 C to +35 C in summer. The average annual temperature is 0-100 in Dashkaran. The average monthly temperature in January is -2-140, the average monthly temperature of July is + 5-200. Sometimes the absolutemaximum temperature of air is higher than + 20-310, the absolute minimum temperature of air is lower than 20-300 in summer. In the middlemountain range, the average absolute minimum air temperature changes from +50 to +70 during the year. The average annual soil surface temperature is + 80, the average temperature of January is -50, the average monthly July temperature is 210. The average annual relative humidity of the air is 75% and changes between 67-82% per year. The annual rainfalls in the area are 600–900 mm. Most of the rainfalls fall in the spring. The possible evaporation is 300–800 mm from the soil surface in a year.
