Tashir(Armenian:Տաշիր) is a town and urban municipal community located inLori Provinceat the north ofArmenia.It is located 42 km north of the provincial centreVanadzorand 154 north of the capitalYerevan.As per the January 2023 official estimate, the population of Tashir was around 7,300.[2]
Tashir
Տաշիր | |
|---|---|
 Coat of arms | |
  Tashir | |
| Coordinates:41°07′28″N44°16′55″E/ 41.12444°N 44.28194°E | |
| Country |  Armenia |
| Province | Lori |
| Established | 1844 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 5.6 km2(2.2 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 1,500 m (4,900 ft) |
| Population | |
| • Total | 7,773 |
| • Estimate (2023)[2] | 7,300 |
| • Density | 1,400/km2(3,600/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+4(AMT) |
| Postal code | 2101 |
Etymology
editTashir was first mentioned by the Armenian historianMovses Khorenatsiin his 5th-century monumental workHistory of Armeniaas one of the cantons of the lords ofGugark.
History
editHistorically, the area of modern-day Tashir was included in theTashir cantonof the historicalGugarkprovince, the 13th province ofGreater Armenia.With the Arab invasion of Armenia in 654, the region was granted to theBagratid dynasty,who founded theBagratid Kingdom of Armenialater in 885.
The region became a prominent centre of the Armenian culture and scholars under the rule of the Zakarid princes of Armenia. However, after the Mongols capturedAniin 1236, Zakarid Armenia turned into aMongol protectorateas part of theIlkhanate.After the fall of the Ilkhanate in the mid-14th century, the Zakarid princes controlled over Tashir until 1360 when they fell to the invading Turkic tribes.
After suffering from the invasion ofAq Qoyunlu,Kara Koyunlu,Ottomansand Persians from the 14th to 18th centuries, most of the territories in northern Armenia were annexed from Qajar Persia in favour of theRussian EmpireIn 1801. The region of Tashir became officially part of the Russian Empire at theTreaty of Gulistansigned on 24 October 1813 between Imperial Russia andQajar Persia.
The newly-established settlement was named after theViceroy of the CaucasusMikhail Semyonovich Vorontsov.[3]In 1846, it was included in theBorchaly uezdof theTiflis Governorate.
In 1935, during the Soviet rule, the settlement was renamedKalininoafter the Russian Bolshevik revolutionary leaderMikhail Kalininand was called. In 1961, Kalinino was granted the statues of anurban-type settlementto become the centre ofKalinino raion.In 1983, it was granted with the status of a town.[4]
With the independence of Armenia in 1991, the town was renamed Tashir after the historic Tashir canton ofGugark,and was eventually included within the Lori Province formed as per the 1995 administrative reforms of independent Armenia.
Geography
edit
Situated at the northern part of Lori plain, Tashir is located on the shores of Tashir river, at an elevation of 1500 meters abovesea level.[5]The town is surrounded with black prairies,alpine meadowsand many marshes. The town is dominated by theJavakhk rangeof theLesser Caucasusfrom the west.Mount Achkasarwhich is the highest point of the range with a height of 3,196 meters, is located 25 km west of Tashir.
The town is characterized with acontinental climate,with an average temperature of −4.3 in January, and 17 in July. The annual precipitation level is about 770 mm.
| Climate data for Tashir (1991-2020) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 15.0 (59.0) |
15.4 (59.7) |
23.3 (73.9) |
25.7 (78.3) |
27.4 (81.3) |
29.8 (85.6) |
34.6 (94.3) |
32.7 (90.9) |
29.7 (85.5) |
27.5 (81.5) |
22.0 (71.6) |
19.1 (66.4) |
34.6 (94.3) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −4.3 (24.3) |
−3.4 (25.9) |
1.1 (34.0) |
6.1 (43.0) |
10.6 (51.1) |
14.5 (58.1) |
17.0 (62.6) |
17.0 (62.6) |
13.0 (55.4) |
8.3 (46.9) |
2.0 (35.6) |
−2.2 (28.0) |
6.6 (44.0) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −33.6 (−28.5) |
−30.8 (−23.4) |
−23.8 (−10.8) |
−16.0 (3.2) |
−6.4 (20.5) |
−2.4 (27.7) |
0.1 (32.2) |
−0.4 (31.3) |
−6.5 (20.3) |
−10.5 (13.1) |
−25.8 (−14.4) |
−27.8 (−18.0) |
−33.6 (−28.5) |
| Averageprecipitationmm (inches) | 24.4 (0.96) |
26.6 (1.05) |
45.9 (1.81) |
88.0 (3.46) |
128.4 (5.06) |
146.6 (5.77) |
85.2 (3.35) |
62.7 (2.47) |
57.8 (2.28) |
50.6 (1.99) |
32.1 (1.26) |
20.4 (0.80) |
768.7 (30.26) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 1 mm) | 4.5 | 5.1 | 7.7 | 11.9 | 16.3 | 14.6 | 10.5 | 8.5 | 8.1 | 8.2 | 4.8 | 3.6 | 103.8 |
| Averagerelative humidity(%) | 73.7 | 74.8 | 73.9 | 74.7 | 74.9 | 75.7 | 75 | 73.3 | 75.3 | 77 | 76.1 | 74 | 74.9 |
| Source: NOAA[6] | |||||||||||||
Demographics
edit| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1886 | 2,284 | — | |
| 1897 | 3,076 | +2.74% | |
| 1926 | 4,042 | +0.95% | |
| 1939 | 4,245 | +0.38% | |
| 1959 | 4,766 | +0.58% | |
| 2001 | 7,856 | +1.20% | |
| |||
| Source:[7] | |||
Currently, the majority of the population in Tashir are ethnicArmenianswho belong to theArmenian Apostolic Church,regulated by theDiocese of Gougark,based inVanadzor.The town's Surp Sarkis Armenian Apostolic church was built between 1995 and 2000 through donations from businessmanSamvel Karapetyanand his brother Karen.[8]There is also a tiny community of followers of theArmenian Catholic Church.
The healthcare is served through the Tashir Medical Center.[9]
Culture
editThe area of modern-day Tashir was probably settled during the earlyBronze Age.A cyclopean fortress, as well as an ancient cemetery dating back to the 3rd and 2nd millennium BC respectively are found near the town. The remains of a 10th-century church are also visible in the town.
Nowadays, Tashir is home to a cultural center, 3 public libraries, as well as a music school.
Transportation
editTashir is located on the M-3 Motorway that connects onYerevanwithTbilisi.The town is also connected with eastern and western Armenia through the H-31 Road.
TheStepanavan Airportwhich is located 8 km (5 mi) southeast of Tashir on the halfway toStepanavan,is currently under renovation and expected to be ready during 2018.
Economy
editThe majority of the residents of Tashir are involved in industry, mainly the production of canned food and dairy. The town is home to a Swiss cheese factory that produces the cheeses Lori and Chanakh. It was one of the largest plants for dairy products in theSoviet Union.
However, the majority of the inhabitants are employed in agriculture. 32% of the lands are privatized, 71% of which are arable lands and 29% of which are pastures. Half of the state importance lands is 1660 ha.[10]The lands are also used as arable farms and meadows, which cover 951 and 581 hectares, respectively. Other agricultural products and activities include grain, melons and gourds, potatoes and fruits, cattle-breeding, pig-breeding, poultry farming and bee-keeping.
Currently, the town is mainly suffering from its outdated network of regional roads, the sewage system and the water supply network.
Education
editTashir has 3 public education schools as well as many kindergartens. In 2015, the number of the students in the town reached up to 1186.[11]
However, among the main problems of the community are the outdated school buildings and complexes.
Sport
editThere are two sport schools in the town mainly dedicated to individual sports including wrestling, weightlifting, martial arts and chess. There is also a regular-sized football training filed in the town.
As of 2015, the number of children attending the sport schools is around 120 children.[12]
Notable people
edit- Samvel Karapetyan,Armenian-born Russianbusinessman and owner ofTashir Group[citation needed]
References
edit
- ^2011 Armenia census, Lori Province
- ^ab"Permanent Population Figures of the Republic of Armenia as of 1 January 2023"(PDF).Statistical Committee of the Republic of Armenia.2023-01-01.Archived(PDF)from the original on 2023-06-14.Retrieved2023-06-13.
- ^History of Armenia
- ^Tashir community, Lori Province
- ^Our TownArchived2015-05-26 at theWayback Machine
- ^"World Meteorological Organization Climate Normals for 1991-2020: Tashir-37618"(CSV).ncei.noaa.gov.NOAA.Retrieved16 March2024.
- ^Հայաստանի Հանրապետության բնակավայրերի բառարան[Republic of Armenia settlements dictionary](PDF)(in Armenian). Yerevan: Cadastre Committee of the Republic of Armenia. 2008. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 11 March 2018.
- ^Churches of Lori Province
- ^Tashir Medical Center
- ^About the community of Tashir
- ^Education in TashirArchived2016-03-07 at theWayback Machine
- ^Sport in TashirArchived2016-03-07 at theWayback Machine
