Syunik is the southernmost province (
marzArmenia is subdivided into eleven administrative divisions. Of these, ten are provinces, known as marzer or in the singular form marz in Armenian....
) of
ArmeniaArmenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
. It borders the
Vayots DzorVayots Dzor is a province of Armenia. It lies in the south-east of the country, bordering Nakhichevan in east and Karabakh in west, and it covers an area of 2,308 km². With a population of only 53,230 , it is the most sparsely populated province in the country...
marz to the north,
AzerbaijanAzerbaijan , formally the Republic of Azerbaijan , is a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to the south...
's Nakhchivan exclave to the west,
KarabakhThe Karabakh horse , also known as Karabakh, is a mountain-steppe racing and riding horse. It is named after the geographic region where the horse was originally developed, Karabakh in the Southern Caucasus, an area that is de jure part of Azerbaijan but the highland part of which is currently...
to the east, and
IranIran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran is a country in Western Asia. The name Iran has been in use natively since the Sassanid period and came into international use from 1935, before which the country was known internationally as Persia...
to the south. Its capital is
KapanKapan ; former names include Ghapan, Ghap’an, Kafin, Kafan, Katan, Qafan, Zangezur, and Madan) is the capital of the Syunik province of Armenia...
. Other important cities and towns include
GorisGoris is a city in the Syunik Marz of Armenia. It is about 240 km away from the Armenian capital Yerevan and 70 km from the Syunik Marz center Kapan...
,
SisianSisian is a city in Armenia in Syunik province,historical Zangezur province. It is located on both banks of Vorotan River, 6 km south of the passing highway Yerevan - Meghri, 217 km from Yerevan and 115 km from Kapan...
,
MeghriMeghri is a city in southern Armenia, located in the Syunik province, near the border with Iran. The city's economy is based on the food industry, and contains a bread-baking factory, canneries and a winery...
, Agarak, and
DastakertDastakert is a town in the Syunik province of Armenia. Dastakert has been a town since 1951. The town is situated on the foot of the mountain Airy, at the root of the river Dastakert. Dastakert was first mentioned in 12-13th centuries....
.
Historically, Syunik was one of the 15 provinces of the
Kingdom of ArmeniaThe Kingdom of Armenia was an independent kingdom from 190 BC to AD 387 and a client state of the Roman and Persian empires until 428, stretching from the Caspian to the Mediterranean seas.- History :...
. At various times, the region of present-day Syunik has also been known by other names such as
Syunia,
Sisakan, and
Zangezur. The area's many Armenian cultural sites (such as the
Tatev monasteryThe Monastery of Tatev is a 9th century Armenian monastery is located in the Tatev village in Syunik Province in southern Armenia. The term "Tatev" usually refers to the monastery...
) testify to its rich history.
Syunik is a green but mountainous area. The high-water major rivers are the Meghri,
VoghdjiVoghdji is a river on the south slopes of the Lesser Caucasus range, and is a left tributary of Araks River. It flows over the territory of Armenia and Azerbaijan....
, and Vorotan. Summertime temperatures can reach more than 50°C, although the average temperature is around 22°C. Its border with Nakhchivan to the west is defined by the
Zangezur MountainsThe Zangezur Mountains comprise a mountain range that defines the border between Armenia's southern province of Syunik and Azerbaijan's Nakhichevan Autonomous Republic. The second largest tracts of forests are located in Zangezur where they cover more than 20% of the territory and reach an...
.
Syunik is home to many of Armenia's largest mining operations (at
KajaranKajaran is a city in Armenia in the province of Syunik.The city is home to the Zangezur Copper and Molybdenum Combine....
,
KapanKapan ; former names include Ghapan, Ghap’an, Kafin, Kafan, Katan, Qafan, Zangezur, and Madan) is the capital of the Syunik province of Armenia...
, Agarak) as well as the largest tailing dams (at Artzvanik, Voghtchi, Darazami, Geghanoush). The prospect of a uranium mine being exploited by the Russian State Nuclear Energy Corporation (Rosatom) in the village of Lernadzor has environmentalists and locals concerned.
History
Inscriptions found in the region around
Lake SevanLake Sevan is the largest lake in Armenia and one of the largest high-altitude lakes in the world.Historical names of the lake include Gegharkunik , Sea of Gegham , Lychnitis and Gokcha . The name Sevan literally means "Black Van" referring to Lake Van in modern Turkey...
attributed to the same king (King Artashes I) confirm that in the 2nd century B.C. the District of Syunik constituted part of the
Ancient ArmeniaThe Kingdom of Armenia was an independent kingdom from 190 BC to AD 387 and a client state of the Roman and Persian empires until 428, stretching from the Caspian to the Mediterranean seas.- History :...
.
Early rulers
The first dynasty to rule Syunik was the Siak, beginning in the 1st century. The first known ruler was Valinak Siak (c. 330). His successor was his brother Andok (c. 340).
Syunik was occupied by the Persian Empire, c. 369. In 379, King Babik, son of Andok, was re-established as ruler by the
MamikonianMamikonian or Mamikoneans was a noble family which dominated Armenian politics between the 4th and 8th century. They ruled the Armenian regions of Taron, Sasun, Bagrevand and others...
s. His sister, Pharantzem, was married to Gnel, nephew of
Arshak IIArshak II was the son of King Tiran and was himself king of Armenia from 350-367.- Reign :In the early years of Arshak's reign, he found himself courted by the empires of Rome and Persia, both of which hope to win Armenia to their side in the ongoing conflicts between them...
, King of Armenia. This lasted for less than ten years and by about 386 or 387, King Dara was deposed by the Persians.
King Valinak (c. 400-409) was followed by Vasak (409-452). Vasak had two sons, Bagben and Bakur, and a daughter who married Vasak's successor, Varazvahan (452-472). His son Gelehon ruled from 470 to 477 and died in 483. Babik (Bagben) the brother of Varazvahan, became the new king in 477. Hadz, brother of Gelehon, died on September 25, 482.
Syunik was later ruled by other kings:
VahanVahan is a Sanskrit word meaning 'vehicle.' More specifically it means 'a vehicle of consciousness'.
'Vahaa' may also refer to:* Vahan, Armenia - a town* VAHAN - an Armenian manufactured assault rifle...
c. 570, Philipo c. 580, Stephanos c. 590-597, Sahak c. 597, and
GrigorGrigor is both a given name and a surname; see Grigor Grigor can also mean:* Grigor Dimitrov, Bulgarian tennis player* Grigor Parlichev* Grigor Stoyanovich...
until 640.
Late first millennium
A dynasty was formed, governed by a branch of the
BagratuniThe Bagratuni or Bagratid royal dynasty of Armenia is a royal family whose branches formerly ruled many regional polities, including the Armenian lands of Syunik, Lori, Vaspurakan, Vanand, Taron, and Tayk....
, with minor vassal princes from one or more previous dynasties, perhaps of Persian origin. Vasak III (c. 800) suffered an assault from the
emirEmir , is a high title of nobility or office, used throughout the Arab World and historically in 19th-century Afghanistan and also in the medieval Muslim World...
of
ManazkertMalazgirt is a town in Muş Province in eastern Turkey, with a population of 23,697 .-Founding:...
, Sevada. He established a garrison in Chalat, in the district of Dzoluk. He then called for help from the Persian revolutionary chief
Babak KhorramdinBābak Khorram-Din was one of the main Persian revolutionary leaders of the Iranian Khorram-Dinān , which was a local freedom movement fighting the Abbasid Caliphate...
, who married a daughter of the king.
After Vasak III (821) died, Babak inherited the country, which revolted against him. Babak suppressed the revolt, but was harassed by both Muslims and
ArmeniansThe Armenians are a nation and ethnic group which originated in the Caucasus and the Armenian Highland. It is estimated that there are 8 million Armenians around the world. There is a large concentration of Armenians in the Caucasus, especially in Armenia, and there is a significant presence in...
. Finally, he abdicated and the children of Vasak, Philipo, and Sahak regained power. Philipo governed Eastern Syunik, with the districts of
Vayots DzorVayots Dzor is a province of Armenia. It lies in the south-east of the country, bordering Nakhichevan in east and Karabakh in west, and it covers an area of 2,308 km². With a population of only 53,230 , it is the most sparsely populated province in the country...
and Balq (Goucha). Sahak governed in Western Syunik, also known as Gelarquniq, with capital in Khoth. These local dynasties disappeared during the ephemeral domination from Babak.
In 826, Sahak allied with his ancient enemy - Sevada, the Qaisite emir of Manazkert - against the governor of
CaliphThe Caliph is the head of state in a Caliphate, and the title for the leader of the Islamic Ummah, an Islamic community ruled by the Shari'ah. It is a transliterated version of the Arabic word which means "successor" or "representative"...
, but he was defeated and died in Kavakert. His son Grigor-Sufan succeeded him as prince of Western Syunik. In the Eastern region, Philipo died on August 10,
848-Europe:* The Saracens destroy Leontini.* Charles the Bald, Louis the German and Lothar meet in Koblenz.* Máel Sechnaill mac Maíl Ruanaid, King of Mide, defeats a Norse army at Sciath Nechtain, in Ireland....
. He was succeeded by three children (Babgen, Vasak-Ichkhanik and Achot) that ruled jointly. Babgen fought with Grigor-Sufan and killed him (sometime in 849-851) but Babgen died shortly after (851) and Vasak-Ichkhanik (Vasak IV) followed him. Vasak-Ichkhanik had peaceful relations with Vasak-Gabor, who had ascended to the throne of Western Syunik, replacing his father Grigor-Sufan. Nerseh, brother of Babgen, directed (851?) an expedition to
AghuaniaAlbania is the historical name for the country of the eastern Caucasus, roughly corresponding to the...
defeating and killing the prince Varaz-Terdat (of the Persian dynasty Mihrakane of Aghuania) in Morgog. A general sent by the
CaliphThe Caliph is the head of state in a Caliphate, and the title for the leader of the Islamic Ummah, an Islamic community ruled by the Shari'ah. It is a transliterated version of the Arabic word which means "successor" or "representative"...
, Bogha al-Kabir, destroyed Armenia and Aghuania in these years, and sent a detachment to Eastern Syunik where was governing Vasak IV with his brother Achot. The people of Syunik were sheltered in the fortress of Balq, but Vasak fled to Kotaiq, and was pursued to the region of
GardmanGardman was an old region of the province of Utik in the Kingdom of Armenia and Caucasian Albania. It was ruled by the local Mihranid family of Persian origin, which later became the ruling dynasty of Caucasian Albania. It was conquered by the Arabs in 855. The Mihranids ruled the region from...
on the eastern border of
Lake SevanLake Sevan is the largest lake in Armenia and one of the largest high-altitude lakes in the world.Historical names of the lake include Gegharkunik , Sea of Gegham , Lychnitis and Gokcha . The name Sevan literally means "Black Van" referring to Lake Van in modern Turkey...
. Gardman's prince (ichkhan) Ketridj or Ketritchn betrayed him and delivered him to Bogha (859). Achot was also seized (859). But Bogha invaded Gardman and imprisoned Kertridj. He then went to Outi where he captured the prince of Sevordiq, Stephannos Kun.
The
CaliphateThe term caliphate refers to the first form of government inspired by Islam. It was initially led by Muhammad's disciples as a continuation of the political authority the prophet established, known as the 'rashidun caliphates'. It represented the political unity of the Muslim Ummah, and was the...
tried to control all these regions, and for this reason Bogha decided to repopulate the city of Chamkor in the
KuraKura may refer to:* Kura River in Turkey, Georgia and Azerbaijan* Kura River in Russia* Kura Test Range in Kamchatka Krai, Russia, a major ICBM testing site during the Cold War* Kura, Nigeria, a Local Government Area of Kano State...
river with Muslims. Chamkor, being near
BardaBarda is the capital city of Barda Rayon, Azerbaijan. For a long period Barda was the seat of kings of Caucasian Albania and the Albanian Church, as well as an important trading and cultural centre, but it declined after the Arab invasions...
and Ganja, was intended to act as a regional monitoring post. By order of the new Caliph in 862, the imprisoned princes were to be released and allowed to return to their former domains on the condition of becoming Muslim. (However, they all abandoned Islam after their return.)
The prince of Western Syunik, Vasak-Gabor, was married to a daughter of the Bagratid prince Ashot the Great named Miriam, and received the title of Ichkhan from the Syunik people - delivered to him by Ashot in name of the Caliph. His successor was his son, Grigor-Sufan II (887-909). The prince of Eastern Syunik, Vasak IV, died around 887, and was followed by his brother Achot who died c. 906.
The son of Vasak IV, Sembat, that received the
fiefdomUnder the system of medieval European feudalism, a fiefdom, fief, feud, feoff, or fee, often consisted of inheritable lands or revenue-producing property granted by a liege lord, generally to a vassal, in return for a form of allegiance, originally to give him the means to fulfill his military...
from Vayots Dzor. Chahaponk (Jahuk) governed from 887 until sometime after 920. He revolted in 903 against the Bagratid Sembat I, refusing to pay him taxes. Because of this, he was assaulted by the prince of
VaspurakanVaspurakan was first a province and then a kingdom of Greater Armenia during the Middle Ages centered around Lake Van. The region is considered to be the cradle of Armenian civilization...
, Sargis-Ashot. Sembat submitted, was forgiven and married to the sister of the prince of Vaspurakan, receiving the city and district of Nakhchivan, which in 902 was upset with the
KaysitesThe Kaysite dynasty was a Muslim Arab dynasty that ruled an amirate centered in Manzikert from c. 860 until 964. Their state was the most powerful Arab amirate in Armenia after the collapse of the ostikanate of Arminiya in the late 9th century.-Origin:...
or Qaisids.
A few years later, the prince allied with the emir of Sadjid, Yusuf, against Eastern Syunik, which they invaded together. Sembat was sheltered in the fortress of Erendchak (today Alindja, northeast of Nakhchivan) and Yusuf remained owner of Eastern Syunik. Sembat requested refuge from his brother-in-law Khatchik-Gagik, which was granted. In the same year (909), the prince of Western Syunik, Grigor Sufan II, submitted to the emir Yusuf in Dwin. Only
ByzantineThe Byzantine Empire or Eastern Roman Empire, was the continuation of the Roman Empire during the Middle Ages, centered on the capital of Constantinople, and ruled by Emperors in direct and de jure succession to the ancient Roman Emperors...
movements and the withdrawal of the Sadjids permitted him to recover the throne some time later. Sembat, with his three brothers Sahak, Babgen, and Vasak, governed again. Also in Western Syunik, Sahak, Ashot and Vasak, brothers of Grigor-Sufan II, were governing the country. After them the dynasty of Western Syunik became extinct and the territory was subsumed by the Muslims.
The eastern part remained divided: Sembat, which had the main title, governed the western part of the Eastern Syunik with the Vayots Dzor, bordered by Vaspurakan. Sahak governed the eastern part until the river Hakar. Babgen governed the district of the Balq, and Vasak (who died in 922) an indeterminate territory. Nasr, the emir of
AzerbaijanAzerbaijan , formally the Republic of Azerbaijan , is a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to the south...
, captured territory through
perfidyIn the context of war, perfidy is a form of deception, in which one side promises to act in good faith with the intention of breaking that promise once the enemy has exposed himself In the context of war, perfidy is a form of deception, in which one side promises to act in good faith (e.g. by...
against Babgen and Sahak in Dwin. After the invasion, Sembat unseated Nasr and obtained the freedom of his brothers. Sembat was followed by his son Vasak, and Sahak in turn by his son Sembat. Vasak received the royal title from the Muslims at the end of his reign, which lasted until 963.
The throne was inherited by his nephew Sembat (963-998) who was recognized as king by the emirs of Tauris and of
ArranArran , also known as Aran, Ardhan , Al-Ran , Aghvank and Alvank , Ran-i or Caucasian Albania , was a geographical name used in ancient and medieval times to signify the territory which lies within the triangle of land, lowland in the east and mountainous in the west, formed by the...
. He was married to the princess of Aghuania, Chahandoukht. At his death, he was followed by Vasak (c. 998-1019). Vasak was succeeded by two nephews (the children of his sister and a Prince Achot) called Sembat and Grigor (1019-1084). The latter was married with the princess Chahandoukht, daughter of Sevada of Aghuania. The only successor to the two princes, was a daughter of Grigor's called Chahandoukht. Rule passed to the prince of Aghuania, Seneqerim Ioan who governed both territories from 1084 until his death in 1105. Seneqerim Ioan was followed by his son Grigor of Syunik and Aghuania, who governed until 1166, when the country was conquered by the Seljucids Turks.
Later, the
Orbelian DynastyThe Orbelian lords of Syunik were a noble family, documented in inscriptions throughout Vayots Dzor and Syunik, and recorded by the family bishop Stepanos in his 1297 History of Syunik....
, one of whose members wrote an important history of the country, governed Syunik in times of
TimurTimur , also known as Tamerlane , was a 14th-century conqueror of much of western and central Asia, and founder of the Timurid Empire and Timurid dynasty in Central Asia, which survived until 1857 as the Mughal...
(Tamerlan) as vassals. Between mid-17th c and early 19th c, the region was part of the
Karabakh khanateThe Karabakh khanate was a Turkic khanate established in 1747 under nominal Persian suzerainty in Karabakh and adjacent areas until 1805, when the Russian Empire gained control over the Karabakh khanate in 1805 from Persia, but the Russian annexation of Karabakh was not formalized until the Treaty...
of the
Safavid EmpireThe Safavids were one of the ruling dynasties of Iran. They ruled one of the greatest Iranian empires since the Islamic conquest of Persia and established the Ithnāˤashari school of Shi'a Islam as the official religion of their empire, marking one of the most important turning points in the...
. It was during this period in the region's history that
David BekDavid Bek was an Armenian military commander and one of the most prominent military figures of the Armenian liberation movement of the 18th century against the occupying forces of Safavid Iran and the Ottoman Empire...
headed an armed struggled against the Safavids and the
Ottoman EmpireThe Ottoman Empire or Ottoman State , also known by its contemporaries as the Turkish Empire or Turkey , was an empire that lasted from 1299 to November 1, 1922 The Ottoman Empire or Ottoman State (Ottoman Turkish: دَوْلَتِ عَلِیَّهِ عُثْمَانِیَّه Dawlet-il ʿAliyyat-il ʿOs̠māniyye, Modern Turkish:...
, both of which were fighting for control of the area.
Imperial Russian rule
Following the
Russo-Persian War of 1804-1813The 1804-1813 Russo-Persian War, one of the many wars between the Persian Empire and Imperial Russia, began like many wars as a territorial dispute. The Persian king, Fath Ali Shah Qajar, wanted to consolidate the northernmost reaches of his Qajar dynasty by securing land near the Caspian Sea's...
, Syunik passed into
Imperial RussianThe Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia, and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
possession by the Treaty of Gulistan in 1813 together with the rest of the Karabakh khanate. The khanate was abolished by the Russian government in 1822. The region was first divided under the
Erivan GovernorateErivan Governorate ) was one of the guberniyas of the Russian Empire, with its centre in Erivan . Its area was 27,830 sq. kilometres...
and the Shemakha Governorate, after 1859 the Erivan Governorate and the
Baku GovernorateBaku Governorate was one of the guberniyas of the Russian Empire, with its centre in Baku. Area : 34,4000 sq. verstas, population : 789,659. The only foreign border of the governorate was Persia, in the south.The Governorate was established in 1846 as Shemakha Governorate, in place of several...
. When the
Elisabethpol GovernorateElisabethpol Governorate or Elizavetpol Governorate ; was one of the guberniyas of the Russian Empire, with its centre in Elisabethpol . Its area was 44,136 sq...
was established in 1868, the region became the Zangezur uyezd, with its seat of administration in
GeryusyGoris is a city in the Syunik Marz of Armenia. It is about 240 km away from the Armenian capital Yerevan and 70 km from the Syunik Marz center Kapan...
.
The beginning of 20th century saw an outbreak in ethnic tensions between the Armenian and Azerbaijani populations in the Caucasus, culminating in the
Armenian-Tatar massacresThe Armenian-Tatar massacres refers to the bloody inter-ethnic confrontation between Christian Armenians and Muslim Tartars throughout the Caucasus in 1905—1907....
. During these events, the Armenians of Syunik were massacred "without distinction of sex or age" by Azeri forces. Tensions were accelerated with the collapse of the
Russian EmpireThe Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia, and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
. The region fell under the authority of the Special Transcaucasian Committee of the
Russian Provisional GovernmentThe Russian Provisional Government was the short-lived administrative body which sought to govern Russia immediately following the abdication of Tsar Nicholas II in February 1917. In September 14, the State Duma of the Russian Empire officially dissolved the newly created Directorate, and the...
and subsequently the short-lived
Transcaucasian Democratic Federative RepublicThe Transcaucasian Democratic Federative Republic was a short-lived state composed of the modern-day countries of Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia in the South Caucasus.-...
. When the TDFR was dissolved in May 1918, Syunik, Nakhchivan, and
Nagorno-KarabakhNagorno-Karabakh is a landlocked region in the South Caucasus, lying between Lower Karabakh and Zangezur and covering the southeastern range of the Lesser Caucasus mountains...
became heavily contested between the newly formed and short-lived states of the
Democratic Republic of ArmeniaThe Democratic Republic of Armenia was the first modern establishment of an Armenian republic. The republic was established in the former territory of Eastern Armenia in the Russian Empire following the Russian Revolution of 1917...
(DRA) and the
Azerbaijan Democratic RepublicThe Azerbaijan Democratic Republic was the first successful attempt to establish a democratic and secular republic in the Muslim world . The ADR was founded on May 28, 1918 after the collapse of the Russian Empire that began with the Russian Revolution of 1917 by Azerbaijani National Council in...
(ADR). At the time, Syunik had an Armenian majority of 350,000 and a Muslim population of 180,000. According to
Thomas de WaalThomas Patrick Lowndes de Waal , is a British journalist, writer and an expert on the Caucasus. Thomas is the son of Anglican priest Victor de Waal and of writer on religion Esther de Waal, brother of Africa specialist Alex de Waal and potter and writer Edmund de Waal.Thomas de Waal has reported...
, the dispute over Syunik resulted in the ethnic cleansing of region's local Azeri minority through direct military action.
Soviet Syunik
Armenian forces eventually secured the region but their efforts were in vain when the
BolshevikThe Bolsheviks, originally also Bolshevists were a faction of the Marxist Russian Social Democratic Labour Party which split apart from the Menshevik faction at the Second Party Congress in 1903...
s, successful in the
Russian Civil WarThe Russian Civil War was a multi-party war that occurred within the former Russian Empire after the Russian provisional government collapsed and the Soviets under the domination of the Bolshevik party assumed power, first in Petrograd The Russian Civil War (1917–1923) was a multi-party war that...
, pushed deep into the Caucasus. Syunik was one of the last major holdouts of the DRA whose leaders were eventually expelled by incoming Soviet authorities to Iran. During
SovietizationSovietization is term that may be used with two distinct meanings:*the adoption of a political system based on the model of soviets .*the adoption of a way of life and mentality modelled after the Soviet Union....
, Syunik became part of Soviet Armenia, while the two other disputed territories, Nakhchivan and Nagorno-Karabakh became part of Soviet Azerbaijan. It then became part of Armenia under the
Transcaucasian SFSRThe Transcaucasian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic , also known as the Transcaucasian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic, the Transcaucasian SFSR and the TSFSR for short, was a short-lived republic of the Soviet Union...
and part of the
Armenian SSR in 1936. Under Soviet rule, Syunik suffered a devastating earthquake in April 1931, leaving 80% of its villages destroyed. A subsequent earthquake hit the region in May during the same year, destroying 27 of 38 villages in the
SisianSisian is a city in Armenia in Syunik province,historical Zangezur province. It is located on both banks of Vorotan River, 6 km south of the passing highway Yerevan - Meghri, 217 km from Yerevan and 115 km from Kapan...
district.
Despite the region's troubled early years in the
Soviet UnionThe Union of Soviet Socialist Republics was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. The name is a translation of the , tr. Soyuz Sovetskikh Sotsialisticheskikh Respublik, abbreviated СССР, SSSR. The common short name is Soviet Union, from , Sovetskiy Soyuz...
, it gradually began to recover with much of the area's infrastructure rebuilt and improved. During the Soviet era, Syunik was noted as a source of metal and ore production. However, the region was shook by the renewal of the conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh with neighboring Azerbaijan. In 1988-1989, the remaining Azeri inhabitants fled the region as Armenian refugees from Azerbaijan entered. This exchange in population made Syunik and Armenia in general more homogeneous.
Recent history
Since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, Syunik has been a constituent part of the Republic of Armenia. The republic's southernmost province, it has become strategically and ecomically important for Armenia, sharing a border with Iran from which vital energy resources are exported. Recently, a new 140-kilometer-long
Armenia-Iran pipelineThe Iran–Armenia Gas Pipeline is a 140 km pipeline from Iran to Armenia. The 100 km Iranian section runs from Tabriz to the Iran–Armenia border. The Armenian section runs from the Meghri region to Sardarian, and another 197 km of pipeline is planned to reach the center of the country, where it will...
has been opened that is "projected to supply Armenia with up to 1.1 billion cubic meters (bcm) of gas per year until 2019, when that supply target is expected to rise to 2.3 bcm annually." The new pipeline has attracted Armenia's northern neighbor, Georgia which seeks to lessen its dependence on energy from Russia. Also, 2 tombs and a cemetery were found between villages of Kornidzor and Khndzoresk in Goris region. These were built by Armenian architects during
Kara KoyunluThe Kara Koyunlu or Qara Qoyunlu, also called the Black Sheep Turkomans ; , were a Shi'ite Oghuz Turkic tribal federation that ruled over the territory comprising the present-day Armenia, Azerbaijan, north western Iran, eastern Turkey and Iraq from...
rule and were found by researchers of the Preservation Committee for Historical and Cultural Monuments of the Armenian Republic in 2000.
Communities
The province of Syunik consists of the following 109 communities (
hamaynkner), of which 7 (
bold in the table) are considered urban and 102 are considered rural. The division below is by
raionA raion is a type of administrative unit of some post-Soviet states. The term, which is from French rayon 'honeycomb, department,' describes both a type of a subnational entity and a division of a city, and is almost always translated as "district"...
, the administrative subdivisions of Armenia before 1995.
| Goris | Kapan | Sisian | Meghri |
|---|
- Akner
Akner , formerly Brun , is a town in the Syunik Province of Armenia....
- Aravus
Aravus is a town in the Syunik Province of Armenia....
- Bardzravan
Bardzravan is a town in the Syunik Province of Armenia....
- Goris
Goris is a city in the Syunik Marz of Armenia. It is about 240 km away from the Armenian capital Yerevan and 70 km from the Syunik Marz center Kapan...
- Halidzor
Halidzor is a town in the Syunik Province of Armenia. There is a known fortress in the area....
- Hartashen
Hartashen is a town in the Syunik Province of Armenia....
- Harzhis
- Karahunj
Karahunj is a village in Armenia in Syunik province. It is located 4 km south of the city of Goris.-References:* – World-Gazetteer.com...
- Karashen
Karashen is a town in the Syunik Province of Armenia....
- Kashuni
Kashuni is a town in the Syunik Province of Armenia....
- Khnatsakh
Khnatsakh is a town in the Syunik Province of Armenia....
- Khndzoresk
Khndzoresk is a town in the Syunik Province of Armenia.- References :* – World-Gazetteer.com...
- Khot
Khot is a town in the Syunik Province of Armenia....
- Khoznavar
Khoznavar is a town in the Syunik Province of Armenia....
- Kornidzor
- Nerkin Khndzoresk
Nerkin Khndzoresk is a town in the Syunik Province of Armenia....
- Shinuhayr
Shinuhayr is a town in the Syunik province of Armenia.- References :* – World-Gazetteer.com...
- Shurnukh
- Svarants
Svarants is a town in the Syunik Province of Armenia....
- Tandzatap
Tandzatap is a town in the Syunik Province of Armenia....
- Tatev
Tatev is a village in the Syunik Province of Armenia. Here is situated Tatev monastery....
- Tegh
Tegh is a town in the Syunik province of Armenia.- References :* – World-Gazetteer.com*...
- Vaghatur
Vaghatur is a town in the Syunik Province of Armenia....
- Verishen
Verishen is a town in the Syunik province of Armenia.- References :* – World-Gazetteer.com...
- Vorotan
Vorotan is a town in the Syunik Province of Armenia....
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Agarak
Aghvani Aghvani is a town in the Syunik Province of Armenia....
Antarashat
Arajadzor
ArtsvanikArtsvanik is a town in the Syunik Province of Armenia....
ChakatenChakaten is a town in the Syunik Province of Armenia....
ChapniChapni is a town in the Syunik Province of Armenia....
Davit BekDavit Bek is a town in the Syunik Province of Armenia. The town was named for Armenian patriot David Bek....
DovrusDovrus is a town in the Syunik Province of Armenia....
DzorastanDzorastan is a town in the Syunik Province of Armenia....
GeghanushGeghanush is a town in the Syunik Province of Armenia....
GeghiGeghi is a town in the Syunik Province of Armenia....
KaghnutKaghnut is a town in the Syunik Province of Armenia....
KajaranKajaran is a city in Armenia in the province of Syunik.The city is home to the Zangezur Copper and Molybdenum Combine....
KajarantsKajarants is a town in the Syunik Province of Armenia....
KapanKapan ; former names include Ghapan, Ghap’an, Kafin, Kafan, Katan, Qafan, Zangezur, and Madan) is the capital of the Syunik province of Armenia...
KhalajKhalaj is a town in the Syunik Province of Armenia....
KhdrantsKhdrants is a town in the Syunik Province of Armenia....
Lernadzor
Nerkin HandNerkin Hand is a town in the Syunik Province of Armenia....
Nerkin KhotananNerkin Khotanan is a town in the Syunik Province of Armenia....
NorashenikNorashenik is a town in the Syunik Province of Armenia....
OkhtarOkhtar is a town in the Syunik Province of Armenia....
PayahanPayahan is a town in the Syunik Province of Armenia....
SevakarSevakar is a town in the Syunik Province of Armenia....
ShikahoghShikahogh is a town in the Syunik Province of Armenia. The name originated from Shikahogh is a town in the Syunik Province of Armenia. The name originated from Shikahogh is a town in the Syunik Province of Armenia. The name...
ShrvenantsShrvenants is a town in the Syunik Province of Armenia....
SrashenSrashen is a town in the Syunik Province of Armenia....
SyunikSyunik is a village in the Syunik Province of Armenia, named for Alexander Syznak, inventor of widely-used cough suppressant, dextromethorphan....
TandzaverTandzaver is a town in the Syunik Province of Armenia....
TsavTsav is a town in the Syunik Province of Armenia with a population of less than 200 people. It has fishfarm, school and clinic....
UzhanisUzhanis is a town in the Syunik Province of Armenia....
VanekVanek is a town in the Syunik Province of Armenia....
Verin GyodakluVerin Gyodaklu is a town in the Syunik Province of Armenia.The current restored official name of the village is Vardavank...
Verin KhotananVerin Khotanan is a town in the Syunik Province of Armenia....
YeghegYegheg is a town in the Syunik Province of Armenia....
YeghvardYeghvard is a town in the Syunik Province of Armenia....
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Aghitu Aghitu is a town in the Syunik Province of Armenia....
AkhlatyanAkhlatyan is a town in the Syunik Province of Armenia....
AngeghakotAngeghakot is a town in the Syunik Province of Armenia.- References :* – World-Gazetteer.com...
ArevisArevis is a town in the Syunik Province of Armenia....
AshotavanAshotavan is a town in the Syunik Province of Armenia....
BalakBalak is a town in the Syunik Province of Armenia....
BnunisBnunis is a town in the Syunik Province of Armenia....
Brnakot
DarbasDarbas is a town in the Syunik Province of Armenia....
DastakertDastakert is a town in the Syunik province of Armenia. Dastakert has been a town since 1951. The town is situated on the foot of the mountain Airy, at the root of the river Dastakert. Dastakert was first mentioned in 12-13th centuries....
GetataghGetatagh is a town in the Syunik Province of Armenia. The town's church, Saint Astvatsatsin, dates from 1702....
GhzljughGhzljugh is a town in the Syunik Province of Armenia....
GoraykGorayk is a town in the Syunik Province of Armenia....
HatsavanHatsavan is a town in the Syunik Province of Armenia....
LorLor is a town in the Syunik Province of Armenia....
LtsenLtsen is a town in the Syunik Province of Armenia....
MutskMutsk is a town in the Syunik Province of Armenia....
Noravan
SalvardSalvard is a town in the Syunik Province of Armenia....
Sarnakunk
ShaghatShaghat is a town in the Syunik Province of Armenia.- References :* – World-Gazetteer.com...
ShakiShaki is a town in the Syunik Province of Armenia.- References :* – World-Gazetteer.com...
ShenataghShenatagh is a town in the Syunik Province of Armenia....
SisianSisian is a city in Armenia in Syunik province,historical Zangezur province. It is located on both banks of Vorotan River, 6 km south of the passing highway Yerevan - Meghri, 217 km from Yerevan and 115 km from Kapan...
SofluSoflu is a town in the Syunik Province of Armenia....
SpandaryanSpandaryan is a town in the Syunik Province of Armenia....
TanahatTanahat is a hamlet in the Syunik Province of Armenia....
TasikTasik is a town in the Syunik Province of Armenia....
TolorsTolors is a town in the Syunik Province of Armenia....
TorunikTorunik is a town in the Syunik Province of Armenia....
TsghukTsghuk is a town in the Syunik Province of Armenia....
UytsUyts is a town in the Syunik Province of Armenia....
VaghatinVaghatin ; formerly, Vagudi and Vagudy) is a town in the Syunik Province of Armenia....
VorotanVorotan is a town in the Syunik Province of Armenia....
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Agarak
Alvank
Gudemnis Gudemnis is a town in the Syunik Province of Armenia....
KarchevanKarchevan is a town in the Syunik Province of Armenia....
KurisKuris is a town in the Syunik Province of Armenia....
LehvazLehvaz is a town in the Syunik Province of Armenia....
LichkLichk is a town in the Syunik Province of Armenia....
MeghriMeghri is a city in southern Armenia, located in the Syunik province, near the border with Iran. The city's economy is based on the food industry, and contains a bread-baking factory, canneries and a winery...
NyuvadiNyuvadi is a town in the Syunik Province of Armenia....
ShvanidzorShvanidzor is a village community in the South-East of Armenia in Syunik province . It borders with Islamic Republic of Iran. Distance between the community and Yerevan – 410 km,...
TashtunTashtun is a town in the Syunik Province of Armenia....
VahravarVahravar is a town in the Syunik Province of Armenia....
VardanidzorVardanidzor is a town in the Syunik Province of Armenia....
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