The Case of The Southern Caucasus

Environment and Security 14 /

Social and Environmental Issues

some instances, minorities remain only loosely integrated within state structures, and their rights are weakly protected. 10

From a total population of 16 million in the Southern Cau- casus in 1991, about 3-4 million people have left for other countries in the past decade. Of the remaining inhabitants, roughly half live in Azerbaijan and the remainder is divided between Georgia and Armenia, with current populations (2003) of roughly 4.5 million and 3.3 million, respectively. 7 According to UNHCR, many refugees and Internally Dis- placed Persons (IDPs) have remained in the Southern Caucasus, with more then 600,000 in Azerbaijan (1 mil- lion according to information provided by the Azerbaijani Government), about 270,000 in Georgia and some 250,000 refugees in Armenia. 8 These IDPs and refugees are the seg- ment of population most vulnerable to poverty, suffering in particular from the related consequences to their health and education. 9

The slowdown of industry throughout the region in the wake of the Soviet demise has led to a short-term reduction in environ- mental pollution in some areas. Nevertheless, Soviet industrial legacies continue to pollute significant areas, threatening the health of many. In Armenia, high levels of air, water, and soil 7. UNICEF 2003. TransMONEE Database. Available at: www.unicef-icdc.org/ resources/transmonee.html 8. UNHCR, www.unhcr.ch. 9. Cornell et al . 2002. The South Caucasus – A Regional Overview and Conflict Assessment . Prepared for the Swedish Agency for International Develop- ment Cooperation (SIDA), September 2002: www.cornellcaspian.com/ sida/sida.html 10. Matveeva, A. 2002. Profile – The South Caucasus: Nationalism, Conflict and Minorities . Minority Rights Group International. London. www.lgic.info/ media/downloads/southcaucasus.pdf

Conflict and population movement have increased ethnic homogeneity in many parts of the Southern Caucasus. In

Population migration and displacement in the Southern Caucasus, 1988-2004 T HE MAP DOES NOT IMPLY THE EXPRESSION OF ANY OPINION ON THE PART OF THE THREE AGENCIES CONCERNING THE LEGAL STATUS OF ANY COUNTRY , TERRITORY , CITY OR AREA OF ITS AUTHORITY , OR DELINEATION OF ITS FRONTIERS AND BOUNDARIES.

To Western Europe, United States and Russian Federation

To Russian Federation

Russian Federation

CHECHENYA

To Western Europe, United States and Russian Federation

NORTH OSSETIA

To Russian Federation

ABKHAZIA

Caspian Sea

Vladikavkaz

Sukhumi

SOUTH OSSETIA

To Western Europe, United States and Russian Federation

Zugdidi

a

i

l

e

r

g

n

i

M

Tskhinvali

Batumi

Black Sea

Tbilisi

ADJARIA

Georgia

Turkey

0 50 100 150 200 km

Armenia

Sumgait

Population movement and migration linked to...

Azerbaijan

Baku

Economic drivers

NAGORNO- KARABAKH

Conflict

Yerevan

Georgians Azerbaijanis Armenians Ossetians Russians

Stepanakert/ Khankendi

NAKHICHEVAN (Azerbaijan)

Nakhichevan

Chechens

Iran

MAP BY JEAN RADVANYI AND PHILIPPE REKACEWICZ UNEP/GRID-ARENDAL - JULY 2004

Eco-refugees: Population displaced by Caspian Sea level rise

NB: White dashed lines represent Former Soviet Union administrative boundaries of autonomous regions.