Akhvakh people

Akhvakhs

Total population
7,930
Regions with significant populations
Russia	7,930[1]
Languages
Akhvakh language
Religion
Islam

The Akhvakhs (also known as Akhwakh, Akhvakhtsy or G'akhevalal; ахвахцы in Russian) are one of the Andi–Dido peoples of Daghestan and have their own language. They call themselves Atluatii or Ashvado. Prior to 1930 Soviet ethnologists considered them to be a distinct ethnic group. Since that time they have often been classified as Avars.

The Akvakh live in the Akhvakhsky District of Dagestan between the Avar and Andi Rivers. In 1926 they numbered 3,683. The Akhvakhs are mainly Sunni Muslims. They face continued assimilation by the Avars. By the early 1990s it was estimated that about 8,000 people were Akhvakh, although this number includes those who have been fully assimilated as Avars but still recognize that they have Akhvakh ancestry.

References

Sources

• Wixman, Ronald. The Peoples of the USSR: An Ethnographic Handbook. (Armonk, New York: M. E. Sharpe, Inc, 1984) p. 7-8
• Olson, James S., An Ethnohistorical Dictionary of the Russian and Soviet Empires. (Westport: Greenwood Press, 1994) p. 25-26

Peoples of the Caucasus
Caucasian	Caspian Avar–Andic Andi Akhvakh Bagvalals–Tindis Botlix–Godoberi Chamalals Karata Avars Didoic Bezhta Hinukh Hunzibs Khwarshi Tsez Lezgic Aguls Archin Budukh Jek Kryts Lezgians Rutuls Tabasarans Tsakhurs Udin Nakh Bats Chechens including Kists Ingush Other Dargin Khinalug Laks Kartvelian Georgians Pontic Abkhaz–Abaza Circassians
Indo-European	Armenian Armenians Germanic Caucasus Germans Hellenic Caucasus Greeks including Urums Pontic Greeks Iranic Northern Ossetians Western Talysh Tats Kurds Slavic Cossacks Kuban Cossacks Terek Cossacks Russians Ukrainians
Semitic	Georgian Jews Mountain Jews
Mongolic	Kalmyks
Turkic	Kipchak–Cuman Karachay–Balkars Kumyks Kipchak–Nogai Nogai Oghuz Azerbaijanis Meskhetian Turks Turkmens
Ethnic minorities in Armenia  Ethnic minorities in Azerbaijan  Ethnic minorities in Georgia  Ethnic minorities in Russia