Town in the south-west of Azerbaijan. The centre of the district of the same name. Founded in 1924-1929. Located between Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh where the Armenian minority live. Occupied on May 8, 1992. Its population in number 71,000 were forced to withdraw from their homes during the war launched by Armenia. No Armenian population used to live in Lachin until the occupation. Approximately, 10,000 Armenians have been settled in the region (2005). In the negotiations on the Nagorno-Karabakh, the Armenian side insists on keeping Lachin as a corridor for communication between the Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia. The Azerbaijani government demands the liberation of all the districts, including Lachin occupied by Armenia.