GANJA, a town in the Azerbaijan A.S.S.R., in 43' N. and 46° 20' E., altitude 2,446 ft., on a northern spur of the Ar menian plateau above the valley of the Kura river. Pop. (1926) mainly Tatars and Armenians. Its position on the rail way has facilitated wine, liquorice and textile manufactures, in cluding wool, cotton and silk. Calico mills constructed in 1925 have 66,000 spindles. It is the outlet for the copper mines of Kedabek and the sulphur pyrites of Chigari-dzor. Manganese is found in the district, which has cotton plantations, vineyards (those of the German colony being specially noted), fruit gardens and a silkworm breeding industry. Beekeeping is profitable. The town is very old, and changed hands between Persians, Khazars and Arabs even in the seventh century. Later it was captured by Mongols, Persians, Georgians and Turks. In 1804 it became Russian and was known as Elisavetpol until the formation of the Azerbaijan S.S.R. when it resumed its original name. In 1826 the Russians under Paskevich defeated a Persian attack on the town. Amidst the ruins of old Ganja, 4 miles distant, is the "Green Mosque" and the beautiful mosque of the Persian Shah Abbas (1620) is in the modern town. The Persian poet, Shah Nizam (Nizam-ed-Din), was born here in 1141 and his grave is said to be in the vicinity. There is a marked contrast between the newer quarters, and the winding, narrow unhealthy ancient streets, with their low-roofed, windowless huts.