Caucasus
The Caucasus () or Caucasia (), is a region spanning Eastern Europe and Western Asia. It is situated between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, comprising parts of Southern Russia, Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan. The Caucasus Mountains, i ...
. It rises in eastern
Turkey
Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...
and flows along the borders between Turkey and
Armenia
Armenia, officially the Republic of Armenia, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of West Asia. It is a part of the Caucasus region and is bordered by Turkey to the west, Georgia (country), Georgia to the north and Azerbaijan to ...
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan, officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, is a Boundaries between the continents, transcontinental and landlocked country at the boundary of West Asia and Eastern Europe. It is a part of the South Caucasus region and is bounded by ...
, between
Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to the west, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia to the northwest, the Caspian Sea to the north, Turkmenistan to the nort ...
and both Azerbaijan and Armenia, and, finally, through Azerbaijan where it flows into the Kura river as a right tributary. It drains the south side of the
Lesser Caucasus
The Lesser Caucasus or Lesser Caucasus Mountains, also called Caucasus Minor, is the second of the two main ranges of the Caucasus Mountains, of length about . The western portion of the Lesser Caucasus overlaps and converges with east Turkey an ...
Mountains, while the Kura drains the north side of the Lesser Caucasus. The river's total length is and its
watershed
Watershed may refer to:
Hydrology
* Drainage divide, the line that separates neighbouring drainage basins
* Drainage basin, an area of land where surface water converges (North American usage)
Music
* Watershed Music Festival, an annual country ...
covers an area of . The Aras is one of the longest rivers in the Caucasus.
Names
In classical antiquity, the river was known to the Greeks as Araxes (). Its modern
Armenian
Armenian may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to Armenia, a country in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia
* Armenians, the national people of Armenia, or people of Armenian descent
** Armenian diaspora, Armenian communities around the ...
name is ''Arax'' or ''Araks'' (). Historically, it was called (, in modern pronunciation) by Armenians and its
Old Georgian
Old Georgian (ႤႬႠჂ ႵႠႰႧႭჃႪႨ, ''enay kartuli'') is a literary language of the Georgian monarchies attested from the 5th century. The language remains in use as the liturgical language of the Georgian Orthodox Church and for ...
name is ''Rakhsi'' (). In Azerbaijani, the river's name is ''Araz''. In
Persian
Persian may refer to:
* People and things from Iran, historically called ''Persia'' in the English language
** Persians, the majority ethnic group in Iran, not to be conflated with the Iranic peoples
** Persian language, an Iranian language of the ...
,
Kurdish
Kurdish may refer to:
*Kurds or Kurdish people
*Kurdish language
** Northern Kurdish (Kurmanji)
**Central Kurdish (Sorani)
**Southern Kurdish
** Laki Kurdish
*Kurdish alphabets
*Kurdistan, the land of the Kurdish people which includes:
**Southern ...
The Aras is supported by the Kocagün stream, Dallı stream and Orman stream from the
Bingöl Mountains
Bingöl Mountains (; ) is a mountain range in Turkey at the zero point of the provincial border of Erzurum and Muş.
Geology and geomorphology
Bingöl Mountains is an example of Shield volcanoes. Dağkale Hill, which is the highest point of ...
on the borders of
Varto
Varto (; or , ''Varto'') is a town in Muş Province, Turkey. It is the seat of Varto District.Tekman district. It is surrounded by the
Aras Mountains
Aras Mountains (), is a mountain range in northeastern Turkey. Also known as Haykakan Par (). It is located on the border of Erzurum, Kars, Ağrı and Iğdır provinces. It is a ridge at the middle of the Armenian highlands. It starts near sourc ...
from the south. The Aras meets the Akhuryan River southeast of Digor. From Digor it flows along the
Armenia–Turkey border
The Armenia–Turkey border (; ) is 311 km (193 m) in length and runs from the tripoint with Georgia (country), Georgia in the north to the tripoint with Azerbaijan in the south. The land border has been closed since 3 April 1993. The bord ...
, then runs close to the corridor that connects Turkey to
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan, officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, is a Boundaries between the continents, transcontinental and landlocked country at the boundary of West Asia and Eastern Europe. It is a part of the South Caucasus region and is bounded by ...
's Nakhchivan exclave, and continues along the Iranian-Armenian and the Iranian-Azerbaijani border. The Aras is fed by several major tributaries, including the Arpa Çayı (also known as the Akhuryan), which gathers the waters from the
Kars River
The Kars is a river in the Kars Province in northeastern Turkey. This 93 km long river is the largest tributary of the Akhuryan river.
Geography
The Kars river originates in the Allahuekber Mountains in the southwest of the Kars province. ...
and
Lake Çıldır
Lake Çıldır (; ka, ჩრდილი, ჩრდილის ტბა, ''Črdilis tba'', meaning "lake of shadows", , ''Tsovak Hyusiso'', meaning "small sea of the north", , ''Paghkatsi lich'', meaning "cold lake"), is a large freshwater lake ...
located in Turkey, the
Hrazdan River
The Hrazdan (, ) is a major river and the second largest in Armenia. It originates at the northwest extremity of Lake Sevan and flows south through the Kotayk Province and Armenia's capital, Yerevan; the lake in turn is fed by several streams. In ...
, which empties into
Lake Sevan
Lake Sevan () is the largest body of water in both Armenia and the Caucasus region. It is one of the largest freshwater Alpine lake, high-altitude (alpine) lakes in Eurasia. The lake is situated in Gegharkunik Province, at an altitude of abov ...
in Armenia, and the Qareh Sū, originating from the Sabalān Mountains in northeastern Iranian Azerbaijan.
The lowest point in Armenia is a point along the Aras at an elevation of .
Tributaries
The following rivers are tributaries of the Aras, from source to mouth:
* Akhuryan (left)
*Metsamor (left)
*
Hrazdan
Hrazdan ( ) is a town and urban municipal community in Armenia serving as the administrative centre of Kotayk Province, located northeast of the capital Yerevan. As of the 2011 census, the population of the town is 44,231.
During the Soviet Uni ...
(left)
*
Azat
Azat (; plural ազատք ''azatkʿ'', collective ազատանի ''azatani'') was a class of Armenian nobility; the term came to designate the middle and lower nobility originally, in contrast to the '' naxarark'' who were the great lords. From ...
Qatur
Qatur ( ) is a city in, and the capital of, Qatur District of Khoy County, West Azerbaijan province, Iran. It also serves as the administrative center for Qatur Rural District.
Etymology
The city's name is said to originate from a disease ...
(right)
*Hajilarchay (right)
*
Meghri
Meghri ( ; ) is a town and the centre of the Meghri Municipality of the Syunik Province in southern Armenia, near the border with Iran. As of the 2011 census, the population of the town was 4,580. According to the 2020 official estimate, Meghri's ...
Armenian
Armenian may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to Armenia, a country in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia
* Armenians, the national people of Armenia, or people of Armenian descent
** Armenian diaspora, Armenian communities around the ...
tradition, the river is named after Arast, a great-grandson of the legendary Armenian patriarch Haik. The name was later
Hellenized
Hellenization or Hellenification is the adoption of Greek culture, religion, language, and identity by non-Greeks. In the ancient period, colonisation often led to the Hellenisation of indigenous people in the Hellenistic period, many of the te ...
to ''Araxes'' and was applied to the
Kura–Araxes culture
The Kura–Araxes culture (also named ''Kur–Araz culture, Mtkvari–Araxes culture, Early Transcaucasian culture, Shengavitian culture'') was an archaeological culture that existed from about 4000 BC until about 2000 BC, which has traditionally ...
, a prehistoric people who flourished in the valleys of the Kura and Aras. The river is also mentioned in the last chapter of Virgil's ''Aeneid'' VIII, as "angry at the bridge," since the Romans built a bridge over it so that it is thereby conquered. The river Aras has been associated with the biblical rivers
Gihon
Gihon is the name of the second river mentioned in the second chapter of the biblical Book of Genesis. The Gihon is mentioned as one of four rivers (along with the Tigris, Euphrates, and Pishon) issuing out of Eden, branching from a single river ...
and
Pishon
The Pishon ( ''Pīšōn''; Koine Greek: Φισών ''Phisṓn'') is one of four rivers (along with Hiddekel (Tigris), Perath (Euphrates) and Gihon) mentioned in the Biblical Book of Genesis. In that passage, a source river flows out of Eden to ...
Armenia
Armenia, officially the Republic of Armenia, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of West Asia. It is a part of the Caucasus region and is bordered by Turkey to the west, Georgia (country), Georgia to the north and Azerbaijan to ...
and as "Mother Araxes," a symbol of pride to the Armenian people.
According to a legend cited by
Strabo
Strabo''Strabo'' (meaning "squinty", as in strabismus) was a term employed by the Romans for anyone whose eyes were distorted or deformed. The father of Pompey was called "Gnaeus Pompeius Strabo, Pompeius Strabo". A native of Sicily so clear-si ...
, in ancient times, the Araxes river in
Armenia
Armenia, officially the Republic of Armenia, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of West Asia. It is a part of the Caucasus region and is bordered by Turkey to the west, Georgia (country), Georgia to the north and Azerbaijan to ...
had no outflow to the
Caspian Sea
The Caspian Sea is the world's largest inland body of water, described as the List of lakes by area, world's largest lake and usually referred to as a full-fledged sea. An endorheic basin, it lies between Europe and Asia: east of the Caucasus, ...
, but spread out in plains and created a lake without outflow.
During Islamic times, the Araxes became known in Arabic parlance as al-Rass (not to be confused with modern-day
Ar Rass
Rass (also spelled Ar Rass, or Al-Ras; ) is a List of cities and towns in Saudi Arabia, Saudi Arabian City, located in Al-Qassim Province. It lies southwest of Buraidah, the capital of the province and north of Riyadh, the national capital.
Rass ...
) and in Perso-Turkish contexts as Aras.
In modern history, the Aras gained significance as a geographic political boundary. Under the terms of the
Treaty of Gulistan
The Treaty of Gulistan (also spelled Golestan: ; ) was a peace treaty concluded between the Russian Empire and Qajar Iran on 24 October 1813 in the village of Gülüstan, Goranboy, Gulistan (now in Goranboy District, the Goranboy District of Azerb ...
and the
Treaty of Turkmenchay
The Treaty of Turkmenchay (; ) was an agreement between Qajar Iran and the Russian Empire, which concluded the Russo-Persian War (1826–1828). It was second of the series of treaties (the first was the 1813 Treaty of Gulistan and the last, the ...
, the river was chosen as the border limit between the
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was an empire that spanned most of northern Eurasia from its establishment in November 1721 until the proclamation of the Russian Republic in September 1917. At its height in the late 19th century, it covered about , roughl ...
and
Qajar Iran
The Guarded Domains of Iran, alternatively the Sublime State of Iran and commonly called Qajar Iran, Qajar Persia or the Qajar Empire, was the Iranian state under the rule of the Qajar dynasty, which was of Turkic peoples, Turkic origin,Cyrus G ...
, as the latter was forced to cede its
Caucasian
Caucasian may refer to:
Common meanings
*Anything from the Caucasus region or related to it
** Ethnic groups in the Caucasus
** ''Caucasian Exarchate'' (1917–1920), an ecclesiastical exarchate of the Russian Orthodox Church in the Caucasus re ...
territories to Russia. Because of these 19th-century border changes, one modern, not widely accepted scheme draws Aras River as the line of continental demarcation between Europe and Asia.
In 1963–1970, Iran and the
Soviet Union
The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...
built the
Aras Dam
The Aras Dam (; ) is an embankment dam on the Aras River along the border of Iran and Azerbaijan. It is located downstream of Poldasht in West Azerbaijan Province, Iran and Nakhchivan City in Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, Azerbaijan. The prima ...
near the Azerbaijani city of Nakhchivan, creating the Aras Reservoir. In 1999–2008, Iran built the
Khoda Afarin Dam
Khoda Afarin Dam (, also spelled as Khodaafarin Dam or Khudafarin Dam) is an earth-fill embankment dam on the Aras River straddling the international border between Iran and Azerbaijan. It is located west of Khomarlu in East Azerbaijan Province, ...
Meghri
Meghri ( ; ) is a town and the centre of the Meghri Municipality of the Syunik Province in southern Armenia, near the border with Iran. As of the 2011 census, the population of the town was 4,580. According to the 2020 official estimate, Meghri's ...
.
Aras Valley
In 2006, a bird research and education center was established by
KuzeyDoğa
KuzeyDoğa (Northeastern Nature) is a Turkish conservation non-governmental organization operating primarily in the far eastern section of the country, with a focal area ranging from the shores of the Black Sea to Mount Ağrı (Ararat).
Histor ...
, a Turkish non-governmental organization for nature conservation, in the Aras Valley at the village Yukarı Çıyrıklı, in the
Tuzluca
Tuzluca (; ; ''Koghb''; or Тузлуджа) is a town in the Iğdır Province in the Eastern Anatolia Region, Turkey, Eastern Anatolia region of Turkey. It is the seat of Tuzluca District.Iğdır Province
Iğdır Province (, , , ) is a Provinces of Turkey, province in eastern Turkey, located along the borders with Armenia, Azerbaijan (the area of Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic), and Iran. Its adjacent provinces are Kars Province, Kars to the north ...
, Turkey. It is one of Turkey's two bird-ringing stations that remain active yearly. Between 2006 and 2021, more than 145,000 birds of 201 species were ringed, and 306 bird species were observed at this station. Sixty-three percent of the 489 bird species found in Turkey are recorded at this wetland, making it eastern Turkey's most species-rich wetland for birds. The number of ringed and observed 306 bird species comprises 90 percent of the 340 bird species in Iğdır Province, the most bird species rich landlocked province of Turkey. Seven new bird species were observed during the bird ringing activities in 2012 alone, including the
raptor
Raptor(s) or RAPTOR may refer to:
Animals
The word "raptor" refers to several groups of avian and non-avian dinosaurs which primarily capture and subdue/kill prey with their talons.
* Raptor (bird) or bird of prey, a bird that primarily hunt ...
Shikra
The shikra (''Tachyspiza badia'') is a small bird of prey in the family Accipitridae found widely distributed in Asia and Africa where it is also called the little banded goshawk. The African forms may represent a separate species but have usual ...
, or Little Banded Goshawk (''Accipiter badius''), which was new to Turkey's avifauna.
A Biology professor at the
University of Utah
The University of Utah (the U, U of U, or simply Utah) is a public university, public research university in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. It was established in 1850 as the University of Deseret (Book of Mormon), Deseret by the General A ...
and a president of the KuzeyDoğa Society, Çağan Şekercioğlu, appealed to the Ministry of Forest and Water Management to drop the Tuzluca Dam project, which would destroy the wetland harboring bird wildlife in the Aras Valley. In 2013, the ministry granted the site the highest level of conservation status (Nature Conservation Area).
Gallery
File:Aras-02.jpg, The Aras in the
Poldasht District
Poldasht District () is a former administrative district of Maku County, West Azerbaijan province, Iran. Its capital was the city of Poldasht.
History
After the 2006 National Census, the district was separated from the county in the establ ...
File:Aras Nehri.jpg, The Aras in
Iğdır
Iğdır (; or ; ; or ) is a city in the Eastern Anatolia Region of Turkey. It is the seat of Iğdır Province and Iğdır District.
File:Aras River, Turkey-Armenia-Iran Border Region.JPG, Photograph of the Aras from space
File:Araz River.jpg, The Araz near Joulfa
File:Aras River with Nagorno Karabakh-Azerbaijan at Right - Iran at Left - Iranian Azerbaijan - Iran (7421349614).jpg, Aras River with
Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to the west, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia to the northwest, the Caspian Sea to the north, Turkmenistan to the nort ...
to the left and (Karabakh Plains) /
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan, officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, is a Boundaries between the continents, transcontinental and landlocked country at the boundary of West Asia and Eastern Europe. It is a part of the South Caucasus region and is bounded by ...
to the right
File:Aras river at Nurduz 04.jpg , Aras river at Nurduz, the border post between
Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to the west, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia to the northwest, the Caspian Sea to the north, Turkmenistan to the nort ...
and
Armenia
Armenia, officially the Republic of Armenia, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of West Asia. It is a part of the Caucasus region and is bordered by Turkey to the west, Georgia (country), Georgia to the north and Azerbaijan to ...
Armenia–Turkey border
The Armenia–Turkey border (; ) is 311 km (193 m) in length and runs from the tripoint with Georgia (country), Georgia in the north to the tripoint with Azerbaijan in the south. The land border has been closed since 3 April 1993. The bord ...
*
Azerbaijan–Iran border
The Azerbaijan–Iran border (, ) is 689 km (428 mi) in length and consists of two non-contiguous sections separated by the 44-km long Armenia–Iran border.
Description Western (Nakchivan) section
The border starts in the north-west at t ...
*
Geography of Armenia
Armenia is a landlocked country in the South Caucasus region of the Caucasus. The country is geographically located in West Asia, within the Armenian plateau.The UNbr>classification of world regions places Armenia in West Asia; the CIA World ...
*
Geography of Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan is a country in the Caucasus region, situated at the juncture of Eastern Europe and West Asia. Three physical features dominate Azerbaijan: the Caspian Sea, whose shoreline forms a natural boundary to the east; the Greater Caucasus ...
*
Geography of Iran
Geographically, the country of Iran is located in West Asia and the bodies of water the nation borders are the Caspian Sea, Persian Gulf (Persian Gulf), and Gulf of Oman. Topographically, it is predominantly located on the Iranian plateau, Iran ...
*
Geography of Turkey
The Anatolian side of Turkey is the largest portion in the country that bridges southeastern Europe and west Asia. East Thrace, the European portion of Turkey comprises 3%The Dorling Kindersley World Reference Atlas. New York: Dorling Kindersley ...
*
Environment of Azerbaijan
The environment of Azerbaijan includes a wide diversity of climates, animals, plants, and habitats.
National protection
Due to the tapping of oil reserves in the early 20th century, Azerbaijan has had sufficient resources to develop an indus ...
*
List of rivers of Armenia
The rivers of Armenia are part of either the Caspian Sea or Lake Sevan watersheds. Throughout history, Armenia has been called Nairi by the Assyrians meaning the "Land of the lakes and rivers". There are 16 rivers over long in or bordering Arme ...
*
List of lakes of Armenia
This is a list of lakes of Armenia. Lake Sevan, in Gegharkunik Province, is the largest body of water in Armenia and the entire Caucasus region.
Armenia has one very large lake called Lake Sevan and more than 100 small mountain lakes. None of th ...
*
Rivers and lakes in Azerbaijan
The water bodies of Azerbaijan were formed over a long geological timeframe and changed significantly throughout that period. This is particularly evidenced by remnants of ancient rivers found throughout the country. The country's water systems ar ...