Agri Map

Agri Province is found in the highlands of east Turkey and borders Iran on east and provinces Kars, Erzurum, Mus, Bitlis, Van, and Igdir on west. It has 511,238 inhabitants, which occupy a 11,099km2 area topped with its capital Agri, which lies on a 1,650m plateau. The province has 46% mountains, 29% plains, 18% plateaus, and 7% high meadows designated by mount Ararat, the highest mountain in Turkey and the national symbol of Armenia - Agri Dagi (5,137m). Grains are cultivated on fertile volcanic plains that are fed by tributaries of the Murat River. The Ayrarat in historically Western Armenia, is home to Ishak Pasha Palace, Kurdish epic locations, and meteor craters. The residents of the majority of Kurdish people are farmers, stockmen.

History

History The eastern part of Turkey is the Agri Province which had a quite long and complicated history and was formed by the geographic position as the crossroads of the civilizations. There are historical indications that the area was initially occupied by the Hurrians, circa the 18th century BCE. These ancient people were successful in the mountainous land of Eastern Anatolia and made their contribution to the initial cultural evolution. The Kingdom of Urartu had gained control of the majority of the region by the first millennium before the common era, boasting a strong kingdom that would prosper in the close vicinity of Lake Van, before eventually being overtaken by the growing Armenian Kingdom. Agri was included in the Ayrarat province at the times of the Armenian Kingdom with a strong culture of Armenia in it.

As Islam conquered the 9th century AD via the Abbasid Caliphate, the region changed its religious environment to incorporate the Islamic practices and management. The Battle of Manzikert of 1071 paved the way to the entry of Turks into the region by the Seljuk Empire, which formed the basis of the Turkish influence and made it possible to preserve a variety of other cultural manifestations. Nonetheless, invasions to the area like the Mongol destruction in 1243 during the Battle of Kose Dag left the area messed up when the area was integrated into the Ilkhanate within the Mongol dominion. It ushered in Ottoman rule following the conquest of the Battle of Chaldiran in 1514 by Sultan Selim I as the short-lived Safavid Persia was overthrown. Agri was incorporated and grew to have a fluctuating yet critical position as a borderland most near to Persia, in the Erzurum Vilayet of the Ottoman Empire. Towards the 19th century, the tribes of the Kurds took a more conspicuous place in the region, and even the town of Agri was established in 1850 during the Ottoman rule.

Ethnic tensions between Kurdish groups and Armenian inhabitants were boiling at this time, but most people became less intense at the start of the horrific events of the Armenian Genocide that started in 1915 and dramatically changed the demographic landscape of the state. After the fall of the Ottoman Empire after World War I Agri joined the Turkish Republic. There were revolts in the region such as the Agri Rebellion of 1926-1930 as the region tried to establish local control but was suppressed with the help of central government forces. The time also saw the administrative reforms: the district was created in 1869 and promoted to the status of province in the year 1927 and the capital was transferred to the city of Agri in 1946. One of the most admirable buildings that remind history of the sophistication of the culture of the area, is the magnificent Ishak Pasha Palace, built during almost one hundred years (1685-1784). The issues still faced by Agri Province in modern times include geopolitical turmoil in the area as well as the economic development of the area and tourism around the popular mount of Ararat (Agri Dagi) the highest position in Turkey at 5,137 meters known as the legendary resting place of Noah s ark.

Culture

Culture Agri Province is a culturally diverse and rich region in eastern Turkey which is influenced by its historical status as a crossroad of civilizations. The residents are predominantly Kurdish people whose historical representation by the Armenian population in addition to the Turkish influence have made the region very multifaceted. Kurdish culture has a significant impact on the organization of social life and the affiliation with the tribes is an important aspect in the local culture and structure. Community interactions are based on the culture that focuses on hospitality, respect to the elders, and good family ties.

The folk dances that are accompanied by the traditional Kurdish music - the tempo of which is played with the help of such instruments as tembur and daf - are accompanied by music during the celebration of social events in Agri. Vivid dances are usually performed in group activities having coordinated moves that represent community and collective power. Various religious holidays and weddings are major cultural events in the cultural calendar that include centuries-old rituals, narratives, and feasts. Most of the people are of Sunni population practicing Islamic practices combined with pre-Islamic traditions. The mosques become a centre of focus of the communities and on holidays such as the Ramadan and the Eid al-Fitr, there are masses that assemble to offer prayers and charities. Tribal authority is supplemented by the role of religious leaders who can guide by morals and solving conflicts.

The arts and craft such as elaborate carpet weaving, metal work reflects on local aesthetics and talents which have been transmitted through generations. Every town and village tends to specialize in unique patterns and motifs, which are a representation of a local heritage. Conventional clothes are not popular nowadays, but they are still significant on the occasions of cultural events, embroidering and rich color patterns of clothes displaying the Kurdish identity. In spite of the economical challenges and the political crisis, Agri Province prefers resiliency due to the cultural proudness and well-developed community relations. The attempts to save and popularize Kurdish language and culture continue to exist in the context of much more wide Turkish influence, and Agri is a kind of a cultural melting point, where the past and recent life meet and interact.

Language

Language This Province is multilingual in nature, which is also reflected through its history and cultural background. Their most dominant language is Kurdish and mostly Kurmanji which is their language of strong ethnic identity among the dominant Kurdish group. The Kurdish spoken in outward life, socialization, and cultural environment is widespread in the province. It is full of oral tradition or has epic songs, proverbs and storytelling that reminisce memory and historical narratives. In addition to the Kurdish, Turkish is the official state language and is commonly used in administration, education and larger communication. Majority of the citizens are bilingual with Turkish language being applied in the government, schools, and other larger national settings with Kurdish still prevailing in the personal and community.

The province has witnessed linguistic change especially with the national language policies, which advanced the use of Turkish since the creation of the modern Turkish Republic in 1923. The Armenian language was also widely used in Agri prior to the 1915 Armenian genocide that had destroyed the Armenian population. Today its use is minor, only sustained by the diaspora communities out of the province. The historical background of the Assyrian Neo-Aramaic and other minority languages is as well but they are few now. Interdependence of these languages within the province determines the new linguistic landscape in the province. Kurdish has numerous Turkish, Arabic, and Persian loanwords, and some Turkish dialects spoken in the country have Kurdish accent and accent influences vocabulary.

Geography

Geography Agri Province is located in the highland area of the east of Turkey, with borders with Iran and Kars, Erzurum, Mus, Bitlis, Van and Igdir. Agri city is its capital which is located on a 1,650m plateau within the Murat River valley- a tributary of the Euphrates river flowing in fertile volcanic plains. The landscape was formed because of volcanic activity, Ararat s massif grows out of Aras River plains, and snowlines and glaciers in the North. The southwestern slopes rise out of 1,500m plains; and the western routes connect to Taurus ridges. Wheat, barley, livestock are cultivated on fertile alluvial and volcanic soils with an average precipitation of 400mm/annual. Murat River and rivers such as Arabali support agriculture, scarcity issues have prevailed regardless of pasture areas. Land farming is in favor of pastoral farming; high meadows are used to graze sheep and goats seasonally.

Biodiversity also has junipers (Little Ararat), alpine plants; animals such as bears, wolves inhabit ranges. Infrastructure: roads follow passes; there are airports, which serve Agri and Igdir. Sensitive slopes are caused by environmental problems, such as deforestation, overgrazing, and seismic hazards. Tourism also uses Ararat climbs, plateaus for horse riding and hiking, valleys to immerse themselves into the culture through the stark beauty. Province A r Country Turkey Area 11,099 km2 Population 511,238 FAQ's Q.1: What is Mount Ararat and why is it worth visiting? The highest point in Turkey is Mount Ararat (Agri Dagi, 5,137m) which is one of the inactive volcanoes and the location of legendary Noah s Ark. Perfect for climbing in June-September; permits are required. Q.2: What do most people like about Agri? Ishak Pasha Palace in Dogubayazit (Ottoman masterpiece), the meteor crater of Tendurek Mountain (the 2 nd -largest in the world), Aznavur Tepe castle, and the tomb of Ahmedi Hani. Trek high meadows. .

FAQs