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The Epic Interactive Encyclopedia 1998
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Epic Interactive Encyclopedia, The - 1998 Edition (1998)(Epic Marketing).iso
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Nagorno-Karabakh
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1992-09-01
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Autonomous region (oblast) of the Soviet
republic of Azerbaijan; population (1987)
180,000 (76% Armenian, 23% Azeri), the
Christian Armenians forming an enclave within
the predominantly Shi'ite Muslim Azerbaijan.
Since Feb 1988 the region has been the site
of ethnic conflicts between the two groups
and the subject of violent disputes between
Azerbaijan and the neighbouring republic of
Armenia area 4,400 sq km/1,700 sq mi capital
Stepanakert history an autonomous
protectorate after the Russian revolution in
1917, Nagorno-Karabakh was annexed in 1923 to
Azerbaijan against the wishes of the local
population. Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh
felt discriminated against by the Azerbaijan
republic. Inter-ethnic violence was provoked
in 1988 by the local council voting to
transfer the region's administrative control
to Armenia, and in response the area was
placed under direct rule from Moscow Jan-Nov
1989. During autumn 1989 the conflict within
the republic escalated, with Azerbaijan first
imposing an economic blockade on Armenia, and
then descending into civil war and
threatening secession from the USSR, which
resulted in 20,000 Soviet troops being sent
to the republic in Jan 1990. The Armenian
parliament had voted to annex
Nagorno-Karabakh in Dec 1989, and there were
attacks on Armenians in Baku, the capital of
Azerbaijan. There have been large-scale
cross-border migrations of Armenians from
Azerbaija and Azeris from Armenia, involving
over 300,000 people. Between 1988 and Jan
1990 some 170 people were killed in clashes.