Shusha District (NKAO)
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Shusha District
| type = District
| image_skyline =
| image_caption =
| image_map = Shusha district NKAO location map.png
| map_caption = Map of Shusha District within NKAO
| subdivision_type = Autonomous region
| subdivision_name = {{flagicon|Azerbaijan SSR}} Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast
| subdivision_type2 = Country
| subdivision_name2 = {{flag|Azerbaijan SSR}}
| population_as_of = 1979
| population_total = 16019
| population_footnotes =
| area_total_km2 =
| population_density_km2 =
| established_title = Established
| established_date = 8 August 1930
| established_title1 = Abolished
| established_date1 = 26 November 1991
| postal_code_type =
| postal_code =
| seat_type = Capital
| seat = Shusha
| website =
| official_name =
}}
Shusha District ({{langx|az|Şuşa rayonu, Шуша рајону}}; {{langx|hy|Շուշիի շրջան}}) was an administrative unit within the former Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast (NKAO) of the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic.{{cite encyclopedia |last= |first= |url=http://bse.sci-lib.com/article079682.html |encyclopedia=Great Soviet Encyclopedia |title=Нагорно-Карабахская автономная область |trans-title=Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast |language=ru |edition= |date=1967 |volume= }}
History
The district was formed on 8 August 1930. Its capital was the city of Shusha.{{cite book |author=Мельников С. А., Ибрагимов Ч. Г |title=Азербайджанская ССР. Административно-территориальное деление на 1 января 1977 года |url= |location=Baku |publisher=Азернешр |pages=7–11 |date=1979 |isbn=}} Shusha district was the only district in Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast where Azerbaijanis formed a majority.
The Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast was abolished on 26 November 1991.{{cite web |url=http://e-qanun.az/print.php?internal=view&target=1&docid=6783&doctype=0 |title=Azərbaycan Respublikasının Dağlıq Qarabağ Muxtar Vilayətini ləğv etmək haqqında AZƏRBAYCAN RESPUBLİKASININ QANUNU |trans-title=Law of Azerbaijan Republic on Abolishment of Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast of Azerbaijan Republic |access-date=2011-08-30 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120424015234/http://e-qanun.az/print.php?internal=view&target=1&docid=6783&doctype=0 |archive-date=2012-04-24 }}
Following the First Nagorno-Karabakh war, all of the district came under the control of the self-proclaimed Republic of Artsakh and was incorporated into its Shushi Province. However, following the Battle of Shusha during the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war, Azerbaijan recaptured the city of Shusha and several surrounding villages.{{Cite web |first=Siranush |last=Ghazanchyan |url=https://en.armradio.am/2020/11/13/statement-on-ending-the-war-in-karabakh-not-a-political-document-on-conflict-settlement-armenian-pm/ |title=Statement on ending the war in Karabakh not a political document on conflict settlement – Armenian PM |date=11 November 2020 |access-date=1 December 2020 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20201201173406/https://en.armradio.am/2020/11/13/statement-on-ending-the-war-in-karabakh-not-a-political-document-on-conflict-settlement-armenian-pm/ |archive-date=1 December 2020 |work=Public Radio of Armenia }}
Demographics
| class="wikitable"
! Year ! Population ! Ethnic groups ! Source |
| 1939
| 10,819 | 58.3% Azerbaijanis, 38.6% Armenians, 2.4% Russians |
| 1959
| 10,626 | 61.8% Azerbaijanis, 35.7% Armenians, 1.9% Russians |
| 1970
| 13,664 | 72.4% Azerbaijanis, 26.2% Armenians, 1.0% Russians |
| 1979
| 16,019 | 80.9% Azerbaijanis, 18.0% Armenians, 0.7% Russians |