Borchali

Location of Kvemo Kartli province within Georgia

Borchali (Azerbaijani: Borçalı Borchali, Georgian: ბორჩალო Borchalo, Russian: Борчалы Borchaly, Armenian: Բորչալու Borchalu) is a historical name of the province in southern Georgia largely populated by ethnic Azerbaijanis. It is part of the present day region of Kvemo Kartli.

Etymology

The Borhcali uyezd (district) of Tiflis Governorate of the Russian Empire.

According to the etymological research "Borchali" toponymy is considered coming from the words "hole" and "empty". Means "wolf's nest".

History

Borchaliu Mafrash (bedding bag) textile, late 19th century.

Georgia's Azeri population traces its roots to the events following the Seldjuk invasion in the second half of the eleventh century, when Oghuz tribes settled in southern Georgia. To oppose being subjected to the Seldjuk Empire, Georgians allied with the Cumans (a group of Kipchak tribes to the north of the Caucasus) thus allowing for more Turkic migration into the region. Constant influx of Turkic tribes continued until the late Middle Ages. Their further consolidation led to the formation of the Azeri community. The area populated by ethnic Azeris today is historically known as Borchali (which in the form Burjoglu was originally the name of a Kipchak tribe that settled here in the twelfth century).

Demography

Azeris in Georgia by districts, 2002.

According to the 1897 Russian census, the Borchali uyezd (district) of the Tiflis Governorate, which at the time also included the mainly Armenian populated historical region of Lori, had a population of 128,587. The ethnic makeup of the district was the following:

• Armenians - 47,423 (36.9%)
• Azerbaijanis - 37,742 (29.4%)
• Greeks - 21,393 (16.6%)
• Russians - 8,089 (6.3%)
• Georgians - 7,840 (6.1%)
• Germans - 2,496 (1.9)

In 2002, Kvemo Kartli province of Georgia had the following ethnic makeup of 497,530 total population:

• Azerbaijanis - 224,606 (45.1%)
• Georgians - 222,450 (44.7%)
• Armenians - 31,777 (6.4%)
• Greeks - 7,415 (1.5%)
• Russians - 6,464 (1.3%)

See also

• Azerbaijanis in Georgia
• Whole Azerbaijan
• List of Georgian Azerbaijanis