The entire Azeri population of 250,000 was forced to leave 22 regions of the Republic of Azerbaijan and set their hopes on Azerbaijan at the first stages of the conflict in 1988-1989. In the process of uring these resettlement years’ 410 Azeri people were subjected to tortures by the Armenians executioners, including 57 women, 23 children who were brutally killed, received different physical injuries, and their houses and properties were ransacked. In total, 9 thousands sq. km. of the territory where Azerbaijanis lived was occupied.
The natural increase among the population of the occupied territories fell steeply, children death-rate rose because of the deterioration of living conditions. Compared to the figures from 1989, birth rate fell abruptly in all occupied regions in 1998. During the same period, death rate grew and natality per 1,000 persons strongly reduced. This decrease (for every 1000 persons) was in all regions between 11,2-22,6 men. Natural incresment of the population of Jebrayil, Gubatly, Zangilan and Aghdam in new settled areas much more fell off in shown years (between 16,9 and 22,6 men). Demography rate in occupied regions were lower than the middle level of the Republic.
The main reasons of the natality decrease in the occupied regions: too hard social and economic conditions, life conditions of the mountainous and foothills zones; uncompability with the warm climate in low-lying areas and others.
One of the important problems of the refugees and settlers connects with unemployment difficulties. According to the information of the Refugees Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan 301359 in number were able-bodied refugees and IDPs, 196380 of them or 65,2% of all working resources are out of work.
74 thousand of IDPs because of lack of the necessary conditions lived in tent towns; 99 thiusand in prefabricated houses settlements; 17,5 thousand in public buildings, schools, nusery schools and in hostels; 20,2 thousand at their relatives; the rest are in occupied flats; in unfinished buildings, farms; freight cars and barely on the edge of roads (1999).
Lack of normal heating, electric-power supply, hygiene and sanitary conditions pose a hazard to health of born children, their parents in such refugee’s locations.
So, as a result of the aggression of Armenia more than 1 million in number became refugees and IDPs, 20 thousand perished, 50 thousand became the invalids, 5,1 thousand (according to June 1st, 1992) were taken hostage and were missing, natality in occupied territories fell to 22-26 in number (for every 1000 men).