Kars Oblast

Infobox Russian governorate
EnglishName=Kars Oblast
RussianName=Карсская область
RussianOldName=Карсская область
Locator

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CoatOfArmsLink=Coat of arms of the Kars Oblast
AdmCtrName=Kars
FoundationDate=1878
AbolishmentDate=1917
PoliticalStatus=Oblast
PoliticalStatusLink=Oblast
Region=Caucasus
Area= 16473
Population=290654
CensusYear=1897
GovAsOf=1917
HeadTitle=Governor
HeadName=Governor of Kars|

Kars Oblast ( _ru. Карсская область, "Karsskaya Oblast") was one of Transcaucasian governorates of Russian Empire between 1878 and 1917. Its capital was in the city of Kars, presently in the Republic of Turkey.

History

Kars Oblast was created in 1878 from some of the lands conquered by Russia from Ottoman Empire and transferred to Russia by the Treaty of San Stefano (1878). The lands of the Oblast had previously belonged to the Ottoman Kars Eyaleti and Çıldır Eyaleti before 1845 and Erzurum Eyaleti after 1845. [http://brocgaus.ru/text//048/807.htm Карсская область] (Kars Oblast) in Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary ru icon]

With the incorporation of the region into Russian Empire, a large portion (82,000 during 1878-81, according to Russian sources) of the local Muslim (Turkish) population left for Turkey. Instead, Armenians, Georgians, and Russian (including Molokan and Doukhobor religious minorities) migrated to the newly conquered lands from Russia's other Transcaucasian provinces.

After the October Revolution of 1917 and the disintegration of Russian Empire, the lands of its Kars Oblast were controlled for a short while by Democratic Republic of Armenia and, in its northern part, by Democratic Republic of Georgia. However, Turkey soon reoccupied the area. Reincorporation of most of the lands of the former Kars Oblast into the Turkish state was officially confirmed by the Treaty of Kars (1921).

Administrative division

Since 1881, Kars Oblast consisted of four okrugs (districts):
* Kars (Карсский округ)
* Ardahan (Ардаганский округ)
* Kağızman (Кагызманский округ)
* Oltu (Ольтинский округ)Two more okrugs, Zarushat (Заришат) and Shoragyal (Шорагял; also spelt Shuregel) existed in 1878-81.

Demographics

1892

As of 1892, the population of Kars Oblast was estimated as 200,868. The ethnic composition, and religious affiliation of ethnic groups, was reported as follows:
* Turks (this number also included a some Adjarians): 24% (Sunni Muslims)
* Armenians: 21.5%
* Kurds: 15% (Sunni Muslims and some Yazidi)
* Muslim Karapapaks: 14% (Sunni and some Shi'a)
* Alevi Karapapaks (reported as 'Turkmen'): 5%
* Greeks: 13.5% (Orthodox Christians)
* Russians: 7% (mostly "sectarians", i.e. Molokans, Doukhobors, etc.)

The religious composition of the population was reported as follows:
* Orthodox Christians: 14%
* "Sectarians" (Molokans, Doukhobors, etc.): 5%
* Armenian Apostolic Church: 21%
* Other Christian churches: 0.75%
* Muslims: 53%, among which:
** Sunni: 46%
** Shi'a: 7%
* Alevi (reported as "Ali Illahi"): 5%
* Yazidi: 1.25%

1897

The Russian Empire Census of 1897 counted 290,654 residents in Kars Oblast, including 160,571 men and 130,083 women. This number may perhaps imply that the 200,868 estimate for 1892 given by Brockhaus is too low, or that a large-scale migration from other provinces of the empire took place in between. The following breakdown of the population by the mother tongue was reported: [ [http://demoscope.ru/weekly/ssp/rus_lan_97.php?reg=99 Первая всеобщая перепись населения Российской Империи 1897 г.Распределение населения по родному языку и регионам] (Census 1897)]
*Turkic: 104,457, including:
** Tatar: 2,347
** Bashkir: 207
** Turkish: 63,547
** Karapapak: 29,879
** "Turkmen" (Alavi Karapapak): 8,442
* Armenian: 73,406
* Kurdish: 42,968
* Greek: 32,593
*East Slavic: 27,856, including:
** Russian: 22,327
** Ukrainian: 5,279
** Belarusian: 250
* Polish: 3243
* "Jewish" (Yiddish etc.): 1,138
* Lithuanian: 892
* Chaldean Neo-Aramaic ('Assyrian'): 585
* Persian: 568
* Georgian: 543
* Ossetian: 520
* Estonian: 455
* Lezgin: 448
* German: 430

The 30,000 excess population of male over females was mainly attributed to the "European" ethnic groups. Viz.,among the 27,856 speakers of Russian, Ukrianian, and Belarusian, 19,910 men and 7,946 women were recorded. The Polish, and Lithuanian speakers were almost exclusively (99%) male as well; Germans and Jews, 80 to 90% males. This preponderance of males in the "European" ethnic groups (reported, usually to a lesser extent, in neighboring governorates as well) may indicate presence of a large numbers of soldiers or exiled persons in the region.

ee also

* Russian Armenia

References