The village of Deman, some 300 kilometers from Baku on Azerbaijan's border with Iran, has just 99 inhabitants. Most of the village's former residents were evacuated in 1953 after a border dispute between Iran and the Soviet Union, which resulted in the area being turned into an unoccupied zone. Today, some families persevere in the remote village, and the no-man's-land has become a pasture, accessible only by passing through border posts. (Photos by Abbas Atilay, RFE/RL's Azerbaijani Service)
Once Abandoned, A Tiny Azerbaijani Village Survives
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A boy rides a donkey in the village of Deman, near the Iranian border.
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According to the locals, Iranian armed forces stormed the village in 1948, but were pushed back by the Soviet army.
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After reaching an agreement with Iran in 1953, the Soviet government decided to strengthen its border by creating a neutral zone between the two countries' borders. Most of Deman fell into this zone.
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The residents of Deman were relocated from the border zone to the city of Shirvan. But a few stalwart residents fought for the right to return, which was eventually granted by the Supreme Soviet of Azerbaijan.
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Today, just 99 people live in the village.
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The one-room elementary school in Deman, which has two teachers and seven students.
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A view inside the one-room schoolhouse
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Most residents make a living by raising sheep, goats, and cattle.
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The unoccupied zone is used as pastureland, but residents must receive special permission and cross through border checkpoints in order to reach their herds.
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Residents say they are weary of the constant border checks.
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