Novolaksky District

Novolaksky District (English) Новолакский район (Russian)
Location of Novolaksky District on the map of the Republic of Dagestan
Administrative status
Country	Russia
Federal subject	Republic of Dagestan[1]
Administrative center	selo of Novolakskoye[1]
Statistics
Area	180 km2 (69 sq mi)[citation needed]
Population (2010 Census, preliminary)	29,622 inhabitants[2]
Population (2002 Census)	22,019 inhabitants[1]
- Urban population	0%
- Rural population	100%
Density	165 /km2 (430 /sq mi)[3]
Time zone	MSD (UTC+04:00)[4]

Novolaksky District (Russian: Новолакский райо́н) is an administrative and a municipal district (raion), one of the forty-one in the Republic of Dagestan, Russia. It is located in the western portion of the republic and borders with Khasavyurtovsky District in the northeast, Kazbekovsky District in the southeast, and the Chechen Republic in the west. The area of the district is 180 square kilometers (69 sq mi).^{[citation needed]} Its administrative center is the rural locality (a selo) of Novolakskoye.^[1] District's population: 29,622 (2010 Census preliminary results);^[2] 22,019 (2002 Census);^[1] 13,381 (1989 Census).^[5] Population of Novolakskoye accounts for 18.9% of the district's population.^[1]

History

The area was historically part of Akkia, the homeland of the Akki Chechens (one of the nine Chechen tukkhums). It was part of the Chechen ASSR under the Soviet Union until 1944 (known as Aukhovsky District, which included what is now Novolaksky District plus parts of Kazbekovsky District and Khasavyurtovsky District), when the Chechens were deported to Siberia and Kazakhstan. Aukhovsky District was then dismembered, and Avars, Laks, Russians, and Kumyks were moved in to replace the deported Chechen population. Novolaksky District was resettled mainly by Laks (hence the name "Novolaksky"; literally "New Lak District"), but some Russians and Avars were settled there too.

The mainly Chechen placenames were removed and replaced with Russian, Avar and Lak ones:

• Banayaul (Chechen) was renamed Beria-aul, and then renamed to Novolakskoye (Russian) and made the capital of the new rayon in Dagestan
• Banaiyurt (Chechen) was renamed to Axar (Lak)
• Youmans (Chechen) was renamed to Shushiya (Lak)
• Keşen-Aux (Chechen) was renamed to Chapayevo (Russian)
• Altmirzayurt (Chechen) was renamed to Novochurtax (Lak)
• Yariksu-Aux (Chechen) was renamed to Novokuli (Lak)
• Barçhoy (Chechen) was renamed to Duchi (Lak)
• Biltaul (Chechen) was renamed to Tuxchar (Lak)
• Minaitugay (Chechen) was renamed to Gamiyax (Lak)

When the Chechens began returning in 1957, conflict erupted, as they found others literally living in their houses. Conflict between Chechens (who had since absorbed the Caucasus Germans, who were Chechenized during their time in Siberia) on one side and Avars, Laks and Russians on the other erupted. However, thankfully, the two sides came to an understanding. Neither Laks nor Chechens had much hatred for the other side, and both blamed Moscow for the conflict rather htan the other ethnic group. Chechens understood that Laks had been forced against their will to move there, and didn't want to be homeless; Laks understood that Akkia was the Chechens' historical home and they had nowhere else to go. The conflict is being solved currently by the government of Dagestan with the help of local governments. Laks are being resettled, village by village, to the marsh north of Makhachkala, and Chechen names and the Chechen ownership have been restored to many villages. The process, however, is not complete, and there is still room for pitfalls in the negotiation process. Furthermore, there is still the problem of the Avar-settled former Chechen villages.

See also

• History of the Lak people
• History of Chechnya

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d e f} Федеральная служба государственной статистики (Federal State Statistics Service) (2004-05-21). "Численность населения России, субъектов Российской Федерации в составе федеральных округов, районов, городских поселений, сельских населённых пунктов – районных центров и сельских населённых пунктов с населением 3 тысячи и более человек (Population of Russia, its federal districts, federal subjects, districts, urban localities, rural localities—administrative centers, and rural localities with population of over 3,000)" (in Russian). Всероссийская перепись населения 2002 года (All-Russia Population Census of 2002). Federal State Statistics Service. http://www.perepis2002.ru/ct/doc/1_TOM_01_04.xls. Retrieved 2010-03-23. 
2. ^ ^{a b} Федеральная служба государственной статистики (Federal State Statistics Service) (2011). "Предварительные итоги Всероссийской переписи населения 2010 года (Preliminary results of the 2010 All-Russian Population Census)" (in Russian). Всероссийская перепись населения 2010 года (All-Russia Population Census of 2010). Federal State Statistics Service. http://www.perepis-2010.ru/results_of_the_census/results-inform.php. Retrieved 2011-04-25. 
3. ^ The value of density was calculated automatically by dividing the 2010 Census population by the area specified in the infobox. Please note that this value may not be accurate as the area specified in the infobox does not necessarily correspond to the area of the entity proper or is reported for the same year as the population.
4. ^ Правительство Российской Федерации. Постановление №725 от 31 августа 2011 г. «О составе территорий, образующих каждую часовую зону, и порядке исчисления времени в часовых зонах, а также о признании утратившими силу отдельных Постановлений Правительства Российской Федерации». Вступил в силу по истечении 7 дней после дня официального опубликования. Опубликован: "Российская Газета", №197, 6 сентября 2011 г. (Government of the Russian Federation. Resolution #725 of August 31, 2011 On the Composition of the Territories Included into Each Time Zone and on the Procedures of Timekeeping in the Time Zones, as Well as on Abrogation of Several Resolutions of the Government of the Russian Federation. Effective as of after 7 days following the day of the official publication).
5. ^ "Всесоюзная перепись населения 1989 г. Численность наличного населения союзных и автономных республик, автономных областей и округов, краёв, областей, районов, городских поселений и сёл-райцентров. (All Union Population Census of 1989. Present population of union and autonomous republics, autonomous oblasts and okrugs, krais, oblasts, districts, urban settlements, and villages serving as district administrative centers.)" (in Russian). Всесоюзная перепись населения 1989 года (All-Union Population Census of 1989). Demoscope Weekly (website of the Institute of Demographics of the State University—Higher School of Economics. 1989. http://demoscope.ru/weekly/ssp/rus89_reg.php. Retrieved 2010-03-23.