The Effects of the Dilucu Border Gate on Iğdır

After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, Azerbaijan declared independence, in the process, Azerbaijan s Nakhchivan Autonomous Region, asserting its autonomy from the Treaty of Moscow in 1921, started to have borders with Turkey. With the opening of the Dilucu Border Gate in 1992, Turkey and Nakhchivan started to have economic and social relations. In addition to the opening of the Dilucu Border Gate, the region of Igdir became a province and the subsequent administrative changes, including the immigration developments that occurred, caused the region to change dramatically. The region s economic, social and cultural elements were greatly affected. On top of this, the cross-border trade made possible by the Dilucu Border Gate improved the standard of life of the local residents. However, due to both the Nakhchivan Autonomous Region’s new restrictions and Turkey’s own new regulations on border trading, long-term gains in the region were prevented. In this study, the socio-economic structure of the Igdir Dilucu Border Gate and its effects on the area are analyzed. A variety of data sources in this study are obtained from the previously conducted research on this issue, as well as from the Turkey Statistical Institute, the Dilucu Directorate of Customs and Customs Enforcement, the Igdir Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Municipality of Igdir.