Syunik (, ) is the southernmost

province A province is an administrative division within a country or sovereign state, state. The term derives from the ancient Roman , which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire, Roman Empire's territorial possessions ou ...

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 ...

. It is bordered by the

Vayots Dzor Province Vayots Dzor (, ) is a province (''marz'') of Armenia. It lies at the southeastern end of the country, bordering the Nakhchivan exclave of Azerbaijan to the west and the Kalbajar District of Azerbaijan to the east. It covers an area of . With a ...

to the north,

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 ...

Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic The Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic (, ) is a landlocked country, landlocked Enclave and exclave, exclave of the Azerbaijan, Republic of Azerbaijan. The region covers Official portal of Nakhchivan Autonomous RepublicNakhchivan Autonomous Republi ...

exclave to the west, Azerbaijan to the east, and

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 south. Its capital and largest city is the town of

Kapan Kapan ( ) is a town in southeast Armenia, serving as the administrative centre of the Kapan Municipality and also as the provincial capital of Syunik Province. It is located in the valley of the Voghji (river), Voghji River and is on the norther ...

. The

Statistical Committee of Armenia The Statistical Committee of Armenia (), or ArmStat in short, is the national statistical agency of Armenia. History The statistical institution started its main activities on 7 January 1922 and was previously known as the Statistical Departme ...

reported its population was 141,771 in the 2011 census, down from 152,684 at the 2001 census.

Etymology

Syunik was one of the 15 provinces of the Kingdom of Armenia. The early Armenian historian

Movses Khorenatsi Movses Khorenatsi ( 410–490s AD; , ) was a prominent Armenians, Armenian historian from late antiquity and the author of the ''History of Armenia (book), History of the Armenians''. Movses's ''History of the Armenians'' was the first attempt at ...

connected the name of the province with

Sisak Sisak (; also known by other alternative names) is a city in central Croatia, spanning the confluence of the Kupa, Sava and Odra rivers, southeast of the Croatian capital Zagreb, and is usually considered to be where the Posavina (Sava basin ...

, a descendant of the legendary Armenian patriarch

Hayk Hayk (, ), also known as Hayk Nahapet (, , ), is the legendary patriarch and founder of the Armenian nation. His story is told in the ''History of Armenia'' attributed to the Armenian historian Movses Khorenatsi and in the ''Primary History'' ...

and supposed progenitor of the ancient Siunia (or Syunik) dynasty, which ruled Syunik from the first century BC. However, historian

Robert Hewsen Robert H. Hewsen (born Hewsenian; May 20, 1934 – November 17, 2018) was an American historian and professor of history at Rowan University. He was an expert on the ancient history of the South Caucasus. Hewsen is the author of ''Armenia: A Hist ...

considered Sisak to be a later eponym. Historian Armen Petrosyan suggested that Syunik is derived from name of the

Urartian Urartian or Vannic is an extinct Hurro-Urartian language which was spoken by the inhabitants of the ancient kingdom of Urartu (''Biaini'' or ''Biainili'' in Urartian), which was centered on the region around Lake Van and had its capital, Tushp ...

sun god Shivini/Siwini (itself a borrowing from the

Hittites The Hittites () were an Anatolian peoples, Anatolian Proto-Indo-Europeans, Indo-European people who formed one of the first major civilizations of the Bronze Age in West Asia. Possibly originating from beyond the Black Sea, they settled in mo ...

), noting the similarity between the names and the high number of sun-related placenames in the historical Syunik region. At various times, the region of present-day Syunik was also known by other names such as ''Syunia'', ''Sisakan'' and ''

Zangezur Zangezur () is a historical and geographical region in Eastern Armenia on the slopes of the Zangezur Mountains which largely corresponds to the Syunik Province of Armenia. It was ceded to Russia by Qajar Iran according to the Treaty of Gulistan ...

'' (or ''Zangadzor''). The region of Syunik geographically was called ''Siounia Caucasiana'' in the 5-6th century by the

Ravenna Cosmography The ''Ravenna Cosmography'' (, "The Cosmography of the Unknown Ravennese") is a work describing the Ecumene, known world from India to Ireland, compiled by an anonymous cleric in Ravenna around 700 AD. It consists of five books describing ...

Geography

Arevik National Park and Meghri mountains in winter2

Syunik is located between the

from the west, and districts of

Lachin Lachin (, , ; ) is a town in Azerbaijan and the administrative centre of the Lachin District. It was located within the strategic Lachin corridor, which used to link the Nagorno-Karabakh region with Armenia. The town was under control of Armen ...

Qubadli Qubadli (, ) is a city in Azerbaijan and the administrative centre of the Qubadli District. It is situated along the Vorotan (Bargushad) river. History Qubadli was part of the Zangezur uezd of the Elizavetpol Governorate during the Russian E ...

and

Zangilan Zangilan (, ; ) is a city in Azerbaijan and the administrative centre of the Zangilan District. It is situated along the Voghji (Okhchuchay) river. Etymology According to the Armenian historian Hovhannes Gharagyozian, the town's historical ...

of Azerbaijan from the east. It was bordered on the east by

Kashatagh Province Kashatagh Province () was a Administrative divisions of the Republic of Artsakh, province of the Republic of Artsakh. It was the largest province by area (3,376.60 km2). The population as of 2013 was 9,656. Its capital was Lachin, Berdzor. ...

of the

Nagorno-Karabakh Republic Artsakh ( ), officially the Republic of Artsakh or the Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh ( ), was a list of states with limited recognition, breakaway state in the South Caucasus whose territory was internationally recognised as part of Azerbai ...

between 1992 and 2020. The

of Armenia forms its northern border, while

Aras River The Aras is a transboundary river in the Caucasus. It rises in eastern Turkey and flows along the borders between Turkey and Armenia, between Turkey and the Nakhchivan exclave of Azerbaijan, between Iran and both Azerbaijan and Armenia, and, fin ...

at the south separates Syunik from

. Syunik covers an area of 4,506 km² (1740 sq. mi.) (15% of total area of Armenia), making it the second-largest province in Armenia after Gegharkunik in terms of the total area. Kaputdzukh 1991

Historically, the current territory of the province occupies most of the historic Syunik province of Ancient Armenia. Syunik is a mountainous region, mainly covered with thick green forests. The

Zangezur Mountains The Zangezur Mountains (, ) are a mountain range that defines the border between Armenia's southern provinces of Syunik, Vayots Dzor, and Azerbaijan's Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic. The Zangezur region has the second-largest tract of forests ...

occupy most of the territory of Syunik.

Mount Kaputjugh Kaputjugh (, ; , ) is the highest mountain in the Zangezur range, forming the border between the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic of Azerbaijan and the Syunik Province of Armenia Armenia, officially the Republic of Armenia, is a landlocked ...

with a height of 3905 meters (12,812') and Mount Gazanasar with a height of 3829 meters (12,562') are the highest peaks of the province. Many of the forests in Syunik are protected by the government, including the Arevik National Park, the

Shikahogh State Reserve Shikahogh State Reserve () is Armenia’s second largest forest reserve, covering some 10,330 ha of land, and located in southern Armenia in the Syunik Province. Environmentalists have said it has been largely unaffected by Armenia’s massive po ...

, the Boghakar Sanctuary, the Goris Sanctuary, the Plane Grove Sanctuary, the Sev Lake Sanctuary, and the Zangezur Sanctuary. Major water basins include the rivers of Vorotan, Voghji,

Sisian Sisian ( ) is a town and the centre of the Sisian Municipality of the Syunik Province in southern Armenia. It is located on both banks of the Vorotan River, at an altitude of 1600 m above sea level, 6 km south of the Yerevan- Meghri highway, at ...

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 ...

and

Vachagan The Vachagan () is a river in the southern Syunik Province of Armenia. Geography The Vachagan is a tributary of the Voghji running through a portion of southern Syunik Province, Armenia. It has a total length of and a catchment area A catc ...

. Summer temperature can reach up to 40 °C (104 °F), although the average temperature is around 22 °C (72 °F), while in winter it may reach down to -12.5 °C (9.5 °F). Its border with Nakhchivan to the west is defined by the Zangezur Mountains. The Meghri mountain ridge at the extreme south of Armenia used to be home to the

endangered An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction. Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching, inv ...

Caucasian leopard. However, only one was detected by

camera trap A camera trap is a camera that is automatically triggered by motion in its vicinity, like the presence of an animal or a human being. It is typically equipped with a motion sensor—usually a passive infrared (PIR) sensor or an active infrared ...

between August 2006 and April 2007, and no signs of other leopards were found during track surveys conducted over an area of . The local prey base could support 4–10 individuals, but

poaching Poaching is the illegal hunting or capturing of wild animals, usually associated with land use rights. Poaching was once performed by impoverished peasants for subsistence purposes and to supplement meager diets. It was set against the huntin ...

and disturbance caused by livestock breeding, gathering of edible plants and mushrooms, deforestation and human-induced wildfires are so high that they exceed the tolerance of the leopards. During surveys in 2013–2014, camera traps recorded leopards in 24 locations in southern Armenia, of which 14 are located in the Zangezur Mountains.

History

Kingdom of Armenia

Inscriptions found in the region around

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 ...

attributed to King

Artaxias I Artaxias I (from ) was the founder of the Artaxiad dynasty of Kingdom of Armenia (antiquity), Armenia, ruling from 189 BC to 160 BC. Artaxias was a member of a branch of the Orontid dynasty, the earlier ruling dynasty of Armenia. He expanded his ...

confirm that the historic province of Syunik was part of the Artaxiad Kingdom of Armenia during the 2nd century BC. The first dynasty to rule Syunik was the

Siunia dynasty The Siuni or Siwni dynasty () was an ancient Armenians, ArmenianIn the west stretched the country called Siunia (in Armenian Siunik') whose rulers belonged to a special Armenian family of descendents of Sisak princely () dynasty which ruled the prov ...

, beginning in the 1st century. The first known ''

nakharar ''Nakharar'' ( ''naxarar'', from Parthian ''naxvadār'' "holder of the primacy") was a hereditary title of the highest order given to houses of the ancient and medieval Armenian nobility. ''Nakharar'' system Medieval Armenia was divided into l ...

'' ruler was Valinak Siak (c. 330) and his successor was his brother Andok or Andovk (Antiochus, c. 340). In 379, Babik (Bagben) the son of Andok, was re-established as a ''nakharar'' by the

Mamikonian Mamikonian or Mamikonean () was an Armenian aristocratic dynasty which dominated Armenia between the 4th and 8th centuries—through the late antique kingdom, Sasanian, Byzantine, and Arab dominations. They were the most notable noble house in ...

family. Babik had a sister called

Pharantzem Parandzem (died winter 369/70) was the consort of King Arshak II of Armenia. She was a member of the noble house of Siwni. She was regent of Armenia during the absence of her spouse and son in 368–370, and is famous for her defense of the for ...

who had married the Arsacid Prince Gnel, nephew of the Armenian King Arsaces II (Arshak II) and later married Arsaces II as her second husband. Babik's rule lasted for less than ten years and by about 386 or 387, Dara was deposed by the

Sassanid Empire The Sasanian Empire (), officially Eranshahr ( , "Empire of the Iranians"), was an Iranian empire that was founded and ruled by the House of Sasan from 224 to 651. Enduring for over four centuries, the length of the Sasanian dynasty's reign ...

. Valinak (c. 400–409) was followed by Vasak (409–452). Vasak had two sons: Babik (Bagben), Bakur and a daughter who married Vasak's successor, Varazvahan (452–472). Varazvahan's son Gelehon ruled from 470 to 477, who died in 483. Babik (Bagben) the brother of Varazvahan became the new ''nakharar'' in 477. Hadz the brother of Gelehon died on 25 September 482. The Syunik Province was later governed by Vahan (c. 570), Philip (Philipo, c. 580), Stephen (Stephanos, c. 590–597), Sahak (Isaac, c. 597) and Grigor (Gregory, until 640).

Medieval Syunik

A dynasty was formed, governed by a branch of the Bagratuni, with minor vassal princes from one or more previous dynasties. Vasak III (c. 800) suffered an assault from the

emir Emir (; ' (), also Romanization of Arabic, transliterated as amir, is a word of Arabic language, Arabic origin that can refer to a male monarch, aristocratic, aristocrat, holder of high-ranking military or political office, or other person po ...

Manazkert Malazgirt (; ; ), historically known as Manzikert (), is a town in Muş Province in Turkey. It is the seat of Malazgirt District.Chalat, in the district of Dzoluk. He then called for help from the Persian revolutionary chief

Babak Khorramdin Bābak Khorramdin (, , from , ''Pāpak/Pābag''; 795 or 798 – January 838) was one of the main Iranian revolutionary leaders of the Iranian Khorram-Dinān ("Those of the joyous religion"), which was a local freedom movement fighting the Abbasi ...

, who married a daughter of the king. After the death of Vasak III in 821, Babak inherited the country that revolted against him. Babak suppressed the revolt but was harassed by both Muslims and Armenians. Finally, he abdicated and the children of Vasak, Philip and Sahak, regained power. Philip controlled over eastern Syunik, including the cantons of the ''Vayots Dzor'' and ''Baghk''. Sahak governed the western canton of Syunik, known as ''Gegharkunik''. In 826, Sahak allied with his ancient enemy – Sevada, the Qaisite emir of Manazkert – against the governor of

Caliph A caliphate ( ) is an institution or public office under the leadership of an Islamic steward with Khalifa, the title of caliph (; , ), a person considered a political–religious successor to the Islamic prophet Muhammad and a leader of ...

, 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 10 August 848. 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 Pilippean, brother of Babgen, directed (822–23) an expedition to Aghuania defeating and killing the prince Varaz-Terdat II (of the Persian dynasty Mihrakane of Aghuania) in Morgog. A general sent by the

Bugha al-Kabir Bugha al-Kabir (), also known as Bugha al-Turki (), was a 9th-century Khazar general who served the Abbasid Caliphate. Biography He was of Khazar origin, and was acquired along with his sons as a military slave ('' ghulam'') by al-Mu'tasim i ...

, 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

Gardman Gardman (), also known as Gardmank' or Gardmanadzor, was one of the eight cantons of the ancient province of Utik' in the Kingdom of Armenia and simultaneously, together with the canton of Tuch'katak, an Armenian principality. It roughly corres ...

on the eastern border of

. 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. Arcax

The

Caliphate A caliphate ( ) is an institution or public office under the leadership of an Islamic steward with Khalifa, the title of caliph (; , ), a person considered a political–religious successor to the Islamic prophet Muhammad and a leader of ...

tried to control all these regions, and for this reason, Bogha decided to repopulate the city of Chamkor in the Kura River with Muslims. Chamkor, being near Barda and

Ganja ''Ganja'' (, ; ) is one of the oldest and most commonly used synonyms for cannabis flower, specifically marijuana or hashish. Its usage in English dates to before 1689. Etymology ''Ganja'' is borrowed from Hindi (, IPA: �aːɲd͡ʒa� ...

, 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

fiefdom A fief (; ) was a central element in medieval contracts based on feudal law. It consisted of a form of property holding or other rights granted by an overlord to a vassal, who held it in fealty or "in fee" in return for a form of feudal alle ...

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

Vaspurakan Vaspurakan (, Western Armenian pronunciation: ''Vasbouragan'') was the eighth province of the ancient kingdom of Armenia, which later became an independent kingdom during the Middle Ages, centered on Lake Van. Located in what is now southeaster ...

, 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

Kaysites The Kaysite dynasty () was a Muslim Arab dynasty that ruled an emirate centered in Manzikert from c. 860 until 964. Their state was the most powerful Arab amirate in Armenia after the collapse of the ''ostikan''ate of Arminiya in the late 9 ...

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

Alinja Alinja (also known as "Alıncak"; ; ) is a village and municipality in the Julfa District of Nakhchivan, Azerbaijan. The mausoleum and shrine of the Hurufi Fazlallah are located on a hillside overlooking the village. Qara Iskander, the ruler o ...

, 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 Dvin ( or ; , ''Doúbios'' or Τίβιον, ''Tíbion''; , Dabīl or Doubil) was a large commercial city and the capital of early medieval Armenia. It was situated north of the previous ancient capital of Armenia, the city of Artaxata, along t ...

. Only

Byzantine The Byzantine Empire, also known as the Eastern Roman Empire, was the continuation of the Roman Empire centred on Constantinople during late antiquity and the Middle Ages. Having survived the events that caused the fall of the Western Roman E ...

movements and the withdrawal of the Sadjids permitted him to recover the throne sometime 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. Vorotnavank Monastery 2011-2

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 Baghk, and Vasak (who died in 922) an indeterminate territory. Nasr, the emir of

, captured territory through

perfidy In the context of war, perfidy is a form of deceptive tactic where one side pretends to act in good faith, such as signaling a truce (e.g., raising a white flag), but does so with the deliberate intention of breaking that promise. The goal is t ...

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 Arran. 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). During his periods Syunik was vassal of

Great Seljuk Empire The Seljuk Empire, or the Great Seljuk Empire, was a high medieval, culturally Turco-Persian, Sunni Muslim empire, established and ruled by the Qïnïq branch of Oghuz Turks. The empire spanned a total area of from Anatolia and the Levant ...

. Grigor was married with the princess Chahandoukht, daughter of

Sevada of Aghuania ''Sevada schimperi'' is a species of flowering plant belonging to the family Amaranthaceae. It is the sole species in genus ''Sevada''. It is a subshrub with a native range from Egypt to northeastern Tropical Africa and the Arabian Peninsula ...

. 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

Seljuq Seljuk (, ''Selcuk'') or Saljuq (, ''Saljūq'') may refer to: * Seljuk Empire (1051–1153), a medieval empire in the Middle East and central Asia * Seljuk dynasty (c. 950–1307), the ruling dynasty of the Seljuk Empire and subsequent polities * S ...

Turks. It was ruled by Seljuks of

Hamadan Hamadan ( ; , ) is a mountainous city in western Iran. It is located in the Central District of Hamadan County in Hamadan province, serving as the capital of the province, county, and district. As of the 2016 Iranian census, it had a po ...

Atabegs of Azerbaijan Atabeg, Atabek, or Atabey is a hereditary title of nobility of Turkic origin, indicating a governor of a nation or province who was subordinate to a monarch and charged with raising the crown prince. The first instance of the title's use was wi ...

Kingdom of Georgia The Kingdom of Georgia (), also known as the Georgian Empire, was a Middle Ages, medieval Eurasian monarchy that was founded in Anno Domini, AD. It reached Georgian Golden Age, its Golden Age of political and economic strength during the reign ...

, Khwarezmshahs,

Ilkhanate The Ilkhanate or Il-khanate was a Mongol khanate founded in the southwestern territories of the Mongol Empire. It was ruled by the Il-Khans or Ilkhanids (), and known to the Mongols as ''Hülegü Ulus'' (). The Ilkhanid realm was officially known ...

Chupanids The Chobanids or the Chupanids () were descendants of a Mongol family of the Suldus clan that came to prominence in 14th century Persia. At first serving under the Ilkhans, they took '' de facto'' control of the territory after the fall of the I ...

Jalayirids The Jalayirid Sultanate () was a dynasty of Mongol Jalayir origin, which ruled over modern-day Iraq and western Iran after the breakup of the Ilkhanate in the 1330s.Bayne Fisher, William. ''The Cambridge History of Iran'', p. 3: "From then until ...

Kara Koyunlu The Qara Qoyunlu or Kara Koyunlu (, ; ), also known as the Black Sheep Turkomans, were a culturally Persianate, Muslim Turkoman "Kara Koyunlu, also spelled Qara Qoyunlu, Turkish Karakoyunlular, English Black Sheep, Turkmen tribal federation th ...

Timurid Empire The Timurid Empire was a late medieval, culturally Persianate, Turco-Mongol empire that dominated Greater Iran in the early 15th century, comprising modern-day Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, much of Central Asia, the South Caucasus, and parts of co ...

and

Aq Qoyunlu The Aq Qoyunlu or the White Sheep Turkomans (, ; ) was a culturally Persianate society, Persianate,Kaushik Roy, ''Military Transition in Early Modern Asia, 1400–1750'', (Bloomsbury, 2014), 38; "Post-Mongol Persia and Iraq were ruled by two trib ...

successively before Safavid rule. It mostly had autonomous rule and was for some periods fully independent under the Armenian meliks Later, the

Orbelian dynasty The House of Orbelian () was a noble family of Armenia and a dynasty of Armenian lords of the province of Syunik, with a long history of political influence documented in inscriptions throughout the provinces of Vayots Dzor and Syunik, and reco ...

, one of whose members wrote an important history of the country, governed Syunik in times of

Timur Timur, also known as Tamerlane (1320s17/18 February 1405), was a Turco-Mongol conqueror who founded the Timurid Empire in and around modern-day Afghanistan, Iran, and Central Asia, becoming the first ruler of the Timurid dynasty. An undefeat ...

(Tamerlan) as vassals.

Iranian rule

Between the middle of the 18th century and early in the 19th century, the Syunik was part of the

Karabakh khanate The Karabakh Khanate (also spelled Qarabagh; ; ) was a Khanates of the Caucasus, khanate under History of Iran, Iranian and later Russian Empire, Russian suzerainty, which controlled the historical region of Karabakh, now divided between modern ...

of the

Safavid Empire The Guarded Domains of Iran, commonly called Safavid Iran, Safavid Persia or the Safavid Empire, was one of the largest and longest-lasting Iranian empires. It was ruled from 1501 to 1736 by the Safavid dynasty. It is often considered the begi ...

. It was also ruled by the Ottomans between 1578 and 1606 and again between 1722 and 1736. By the beginning of the 18th century, Syunik was associated with the Armenian military leader

David Bek Davit Bek or David Beg (; died 1728) was an Armenian military commander and the leader of an Armenian rebellion against the invading Ottoman Empire and implanted Safavid Muslim tribes in the mountainous region of Zangezur (today the Armenian pr ...

, who led the liberation campaign of the Armenians of Syunik against

Safavid Persia The Guarded Domains of Iran, commonly called Safavid Iran, Safavid Persia or the Safavid Empire, was one of the largest and longest-lasting Iranian empires. It was ruled from 1501 to 1736 by the Safavid dynasty. It is often considered the beg ...

and the invading Ottoman Turks. David Bek started his battles in 1722 with the help of thousands of local Armenian patriots who liberated Syunik. The centre of David Bek's struggle was the

Baghaberd Baghaberd (; also David Bek's Castle) is a 4th to 12th century Armenian fortress located along a ridge overlooking the Voghji River, northwest of the city of Kapan in the Syunik Province of Armenia. Baghaberd is at an elevation of . History Ba ...

Fortress northwest of Kapan and Halidzor Fortress southwest of Kapan where he died in 1728.

Imperial Russian rule

Following the Russo-Persian War of 1804–13, Syunik -along with the rest of

Karabakh Khanate The Karabakh Khanate (also spelled Qarabagh; ; ) was a Khanates of the Caucasus, khanate under History of Iran, Iranian and later Russian Empire, Russian suzerainty, which controlled the historical region of Karabakh, now divided between modern ...

- passed into

Imperial Russian 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 ...

possession, officially signed in 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 ...

in 1813. The khanate was abolished by the Russian government in 1822. The region was divided between the

Erivan Governorate The Erivan Governorate was a province ('' guberniya'') of the Caucasus Viceroyalty of the Russian Empire, with its centеr in Erivan (present-day Yerevan). Its area was 27,830 sq. kilometеrs, roughly corresponding to what is now most of central ...

, and

Baku Governorate The Baku Governorate, known before 1859 as the Shemakha Governorate, was a province (''guberniya'') of the Caucasus Viceroyalty (1801–1917), Caucasus Viceroyalty of the Russian Empire, with its center in the booming metropolis and Caspian Sea p ...

(known as ''Shemakha Governorate'' until 1859). When the

Elisabethpol Governorate The Elizavetpol Governorate, also known after 1918 as the Ganja Governorate, was a province ('' guberniya'') of the Caucasus Viceroyalty of the Russian Empire, with its capital in Yelisavetpol (present-day Ganja). The area of the governorate s ...

was established in 1868, the region became part of the

Zangezursky Uyezd The Zangezur ''uezd'' was a county (''uezd'') of the Elizavetpol Governorate of the Russian Empire with its administrative center in Gerusy (present-day Goris) from 1868 until its formal abolition and partition between the Soviet republics of Ar ...

, with its administration based in the town of Geryusy starting from 1870. According to the official census of the Russian Empire in 1897, the total population of Zangezursky Uyezd was 137,971, with 51.6% of them were Caucasian Tatars and 46,1% were Armenians.Audrey L. Altstadt. The Azerbaijani Turks: power and identity under Russian rule. Hoover Press, 1992. , The beginning of 20th century saw an outbreak in ethnic tensions between the Armenian and Tatar populations in the Caucasus, culminating in the Armenian-Tatar massacres. Clashes occurred in Nakhchivan and Sharur-Daralgez uyezdy of the Erevan gubernia and in

, Shusha and Javanshir uezdy of Elizavetpol gubernia in 1905. According to Armenian sources 128 Armenian and 158 Azerbaijanian villages were "pillaged or destroyed" while the overall estimates of lives lost vary widely, ranging from 3,000 to 10,000, with Muslims suffering higher losses. During these events, the Armenians of Syunik were massacred "without distinction of sex or age" by Azeri forces, and children were mutilated. Tensions were accelerated with the collapse of 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 ...

. The region fell under the authority of the Special Transcaucasian Committee of the

Russian Provisional Government The Russian Provisional Government was a provisional government of the Russian Empire and Russian Republic, announced two days before and established immediately after the abdication of Nicholas II on 2 March, O.S. New_Style.html" ;"title="5 ...

and subsequently the short-lived

Transcaucasian Democratic Federative Republic The Transcaucasian Democratic Federative Republic (TDFR; 22 April – 28 May 1918) was a short-lived sovereign state, state in the Caucasus that included most of the territory of the present-day Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia (coun ...

. When the TDFR was dissolved in May 1918, Zangezur, Nakhchivan, and

Nagorno-Karabakh Nagorno-Karabakh (, ; ) is a region in Azerbaijan, covering the southeastern stretch of the Lesser Caucasus mountain range. Part of the greater region of Karabakh, it spans the area between Lower Karabakh and Syunik Province, Syunik. Its ter ...

became heavily contested between the newly formed and short-lived states of the

Republic of 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 to the north and Azerbaijan to the east, and Ir ...

and the

Azerbaijan Democratic Republic The Azerbaijan Democratic Republic (), also known as the Azerbaijan People's Republic (; ), was the first secular democracy, democratic republic in the Turkic peoples, Turkic and Muslim worlds. *Tadeusz Swietochowski. ''Russia and Azerbaijan: ...

. At the time, Syunik had an Armenian majority of 350,000 and a Muslim population of 180,000. According to

Thomas de Waal Thomas Patrick Lowndes de Waal (born 1966) is a British journalist and writer on the Caucasus. He is a senior fellow at Carnegie Europe. He is best known for his 2003 book '' Black Garden: Armenia and Azerbaijan Through Peace and War''. Li ...

, the dispute over Syunik resulted in the displacement of region's Caucasian Tatar minority through direct military action by Armenian guerrilla commanders

Andranik Andranik Ozanian, commonly known as General Andranik or simply Andranik (25 February 186531 August 1927), was an Armenian military commander and statesman, the best known '' fedayi'' and a key figure of the Armenian national liberation moveme ...

. ''Black Garden: Armenia And Azerbaijan Through Peace and War''. New York: New York University Press, pp. 129. Rouben Ter Minassian and later

Garegin Nzhdeh Garegin Ter-Harutyunyan, better known by his ''nom de guerre'' Garegin Nzhdeh (, ; 1 January 1886 – 21 December 1955), was an Armenian statesman, military commander and nationalist revolutionary. As a member of the Armenian Revolutionary Fed ...

Republic of Armenia

Between 1918 and 1920 Syunik was included in the short-lived

. After the Sovietization of Armenia, Syunik became the main centre of the resistance against the Bolsheviks, thus becoming part of the unrecognized

Republic of Mountainous Armenia The Republic of Mountainous Armenia (), also known as simply Mountainous Armenia (), was an anti-Bolshevik Armenian state roughly corresponding with the territory that is now the present-day Armenian provinces of Vayots Dzor and Syunik, and s ...

. The city of

Goris Goris ( ) is a town and the centre of the Goris Municipality in the Syunik Province in southern Armenia. Located in the valley of the Goris (or Vararak) River, it is 254 kilometres from the Armenian capital Yerevan and 67 kilometres from the provi ...

became the capital of the unrecognized state, and

was chosen as prime minister and minister of defence. Later, in July,

Simon Vratsian Simon Vratsian (; 1882 – 21 May 1969) was an Armenian politician and activist of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation. He was one of the leaders of the First Republic of Armenia (1918–1920) and served as its last prime minister for 10 days ...

took the office as prime minister while Nzhdeh became the governor and the general commander. Nzhdeh actively engaged in expelling the 3/5th Azerbaijani population of Zangezur. Between April and July 1921, the Red Army conducted massive military operations in the region, attacking Syunik from the north and east. After months of fierce battles with the Red Army, the Republic of Mountainous Armenia capitulated in July 1921 following Soviet Russia's promises to keep the mountainous region as a part of Soviet Armenia. After the conflict, Garegin Nzhdeh, his soldiers, and many prominent Armenian intellectuals, including leaders of the

, crossed the

border Borders are generally defined as geography, geographical boundaries, imposed either by features such as oceans and terrain, or by polity, political entities such as governments, sovereign states, federated states, and other administrative divisio ...

into the neighbouring city of

Tabriz Tabriz (; ) is a city in the Central District (Tabriz County), Central District of Tabriz County, in the East Azerbaijan province, East Azerbaijan province of northwestern Iran. It serves as capital of the province, the county, and the distric ...

in Persia. Thus, Syunik became part of the

Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic The Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic (ArSSR), also known as Soviet Armenia, or simply Armenia, was one of the Republics of the Soviet Union, constituent republics of the Soviet Union, located in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Soviet Armenia ...

in July 1921.

Soviet Syunik

Armenian forces eventually secured the region but their efforts were in vain when the

Bolshevik The Bolsheviks, led by Vladimir Lenin, were a radical Faction (political), faction of the Marxist Russian Social Democratic Labour Party (RSDLP) which split with the Mensheviks at the 2nd Congress of the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party, ...

s, successful in the

Russian Civil War The Russian Civil War () was a multi-party civil war in the former Russian Empire sparked by the 1917 overthrowing of the Russian Provisional Government in the October Revolution, as many factions vied to determine Russia's political future. I ...

, pushed deep into the Caucasus. Syunik was one of the last major holdouts of the independent Armenian state whose leaders were eventually expelled by incoming Soviet authorities to Iran. During

Sovietization Sovietization ( ) is the adoption of a political system based on the model of soviets (workers' councils) or the adoption of a way of life, mentality, and culture modeled after the Soviet Union. A notable wave of Sovietization (in the second me ...

, 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 SFSR , image_flag = Flag of the Transcaucasian SFSR (variant).svg , flag_type = Flag(1925–1936) , image_coat = Emblem of the Transcaucasian SFSR (1930-1936).svg , symbol_type = Emblem(1930–1936) ...

and part of the

Armenian SSR The Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic (ArSSR), also known as Soviet Armenia, or simply Armenia, was one of the constituent republics of the Soviet Union, located in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Soviet Armenia bordered the Soviet republics ...

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

district. As an administrative unit, modern-day Syunik was divided into the raions of Meghri, Kapan, Goris and Sisian. Despite the region's troubled early years in 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 ...

, 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 shaken by the renewal of the conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh with neighbouring Azerbaijan. In 1987–1989, the remaining Azeri inhabitants fled the region as a result of interethnic violence. This exodus of Azeri population made Syunik and Armenia, in general, more homogeneous.

Independence of Armenia

Since the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, Syunik has been a constituent part of the Republic of Armenia. After the independence of Armenia, the 4 rayons of Soviet Syunik were merged during the 1995 administrative reform to form the Syunik Province with the town of Kapan as the provincial capital. Being the republic's southernmost province, it has gained a strategic and economic importance for Armenia. The border with Iran enhanced the export of vital energy resources from Armenia to Iran and other regions. Recently, a new 140-kilometer-long Armenia-Iran pipeline has been opened, projected to supply Armenia with up to 1.1 billion m³ of gas per year until 2019, when the target of the supply is expected to rise to 2.3 billion m³ annually." The new pipeline attracted Armenia's northern neighbor Georgia, seeking to lessen its dependence on energy from Russia. In 2000, an old cemetery was found between the villages of Kornidzor and Khndzoresk near Goris. It was built during the

rule. As a result of the

2020 Nagorno-Karabakh War The Second Nagorno-Karabakh War was an armed conflict in 2020 that took place in the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding occupied territories. It was a major escalation of an unresolved conflict over the region, involvi ...

, the territories to the east of Syunik, which had been under Armenian control since the

First Nagorno-Karabakh War The First Nagorno-Karabakh War was an ethnic conflict, ethnic and territorial conflict that took place from February 1988 to May 1994, in the enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh in southwestern Azerbaijan, between the majority ethnic Armenians of Nag ...

, came under Azerbaijani control, lengthening the province's border with Azerbaijan and creating fears about the province's security. In one border settlement in Syunik,

Shurnukh Shurnukh () is a village in the Goris Municipality of the Syunik Province in Armenia. The village is located on the Armenia-Azerbaijan border. Following the end of the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war and the withdrawal of Armenian forces from the adja ...

, 12 houses came under the control of Azerbaijan after being found to be located on the Azerbaijani side of the border. Additionally, several parts of the important highway between Goris and Kapan came under Azerbaijani control. The ninth point of the

2020 Nagorno-Karabakh ceasefire agreement The 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh ceasefire agreement was an armistice agreement that ended the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War. It was signed on 9November by the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, the Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan and the Pr ...

that ended the 2020 war stated that "All economic and transport connections in the region shall be unblocked. The Republic of Armenia shall guarantee the security of transport connections between the western regions of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic in order to arrange unobstructed movement of persons, vehicles and cargo in both directions." The president of Azerbaijan

Ilham Aliyev Ilham Heydar Oghlu Aliyev (born 24 December 1961) is an Azerbaijani politician who has been the fourth president of Azerbaijan since 2003. He is also the leader of the New Azerbaijan Party since 2005. The son and second child of former Aze ...

insists that this means that Armenia is obligated to provide a "corridor" to Azerbaijan through Syunik and threatened to establish the "corridor" by force if Armenia does not oblige. Prime minister of Armenia

Nikol Pashinyan Nikol Vovayi Pashinyan (born 1 June 1975) is an Armenian politician who is serving as the 16th and current Prime Minister of Armenia, prime minister of Armenia since 8 May 2018. A journalist by profession, Pashinyan founded his own newspaper in ...

rejected this, arguing that the ceasefire agreement does not call for a corridor through Syunik but for the general opening of transportation routes between the two countries. Starting on 12 May 2021, Azerbaijani forces crossed several kilometers into Armenian territory in Syunik and occupied the area around Lake Sev in Syunik, precipitating a border crisis between Armenia and Azerbaijan. On 10 November 2021 it was announced the alternate Goris-Kapan highway completely within Armenia's borders was completed.

Demographics

Population

In 1989, the Syunik Province (then part of the

, and

districts in 1930–1995) had a population of 141,501. 66,170 or 46.76% of which was urban, divided into Goris (23,795) and Kapan (42,375), and 75,331 or 53.24% were rural, distributed into the districts of Sisian (29,768), Goris (17,979), Meghri (14,341), and Kapan (13,243). According to the 2011 official census, Syunik has a population of 141,771 (69,836 men and 71,935 women), forming around 4.7% of the entire population of Armenia. The urban population is 95,170 (67.13%) and the rural is 46,601 (32.87%). The province has 7 urban and 102 rural communities. The largest urban community is the provincial center of Kapan, with a population of 43,190. The other urban centres are Goris, Sisian, Kajaran, Meghri, Agarak and Dastakert. With a population of 2,661, the village of

Shinuhayr Shinuhayr () is a village in the Tatev Municipality of the Syunik Province in Armenia, 9 km south of Goris, on the left bank of the Vorotan River, on the plateau, about 1500 meters above sea level. The distance from the province center of K ...

is the largest rural municipality of Syunik.

Ethnic groups and religion

Syunik is almost entirely populated by ethnic Armenians who belong to the

Armenian Apostolic Church The Armenian Apostolic Church () is the Autocephaly, autocephalous national church of Armenia. Part of Oriental Orthodoxy, it is one of the most ancient Christianity, Christian churches. The Armenian Apostolic Church, like the Armenian Catholic ...

. The regulating body of the church is the

Diocese of Syunik Diocese of Syunik ( ''Syunyats t'em'') is one of the largest dioceses of the Armenian Apostolic Church covering the Syunik Province of Armenia. It is named after the historic province of Syunik; the 9th province of the Kingdom of Armenia. The di ...

, currently headed by Rev. Fr. Zaven Yazichyan. The Saint Gregory Cathedral of

is the seat of the diocese.

Administrative divisions

As a result of the administrative reforms took place on 24 November 2015, 17 June 2016 and 9 June 2017, Syunik is currently divided into 8 municipal communities (''hamaynkner''), of which 5 are urban, and 3 are rural: File:455 La ville de Goris.JPG, Goris File:Kajaran.jpg, Kajaran File:Kapan general view.jpg, Kapan File:Meghri.jpg, Meghri File:Sisian general.jpg, Sisian File:Gorayk 2505.jpg, Gorayk File:Shinuhayr village and Vorotan canyon view - panoramio.jpg, Shinuhayr File:Tegh.jpg, Tegh File:Трасса Север-Юг. Армения. Национальный парк Аревик.jpg, National park "Arevik" File:Сюник 2023.5 13.jpg, Near Alidzor

Culture

Fortresses and archaeological sites

Near the village of

Angeghakot Angeghakot () is a village in the Sisian Municipality of the Syunik Province in Armenia. A large reservoir, the Vorotan Cascade#Angeghakot Reservoir, Angeghakot Reservoir, spanning more than the entire length of the village lies to the south. D ...

in the

Sisian Municipality Sisian Municipality, referred to as Sisian Community ( ''Sisian Hamaynk''), is an urban community and administrative subdivision of Syunik Province of Armenia Armenia, officially the Republic of Armenia, is a landlocked country in the Arme ...

is located the

prehistoric Prehistory, also called pre-literary history, is the period of human history between the first known use of stone tools by hominins million years ago and the beginning of recorded history with the invention of writing systems. The use o ...

site of

Godedzor Godedzor is a prehistoric, prehistorical archaeological site located about 1.5 kilometres west of the village of Angeghakot in the Syunik Province of Armenia. The settlement of Nerkin Godedzor is in the Vorotan (river), Vorotan river gorge, at th ...

that goes back to about 4000 BC.This was an important centre for

obsidian Obsidian ( ) is a naturally occurring volcanic glass formed when lava extrusive rock, extruded from a volcano cools rapidly with minimal crystal growth. It is an igneous rock. Produced from felsic lava, obsidian is rich in the lighter element ...

trade in Syunik obsidian. It had links with the sites located as far as

Lake Urmia Lake Urmia is an endorheic salt lake in Iran. The lake is located between the provinces of East Azerbaijan and West Azerbaijan in Iran, and west of the southern portion of the Caspian Sea. At its greatest extent, it was the largest lake in th ...

in Iran such as

Yanik Tepe Yanik Tepe () is a Chalcolithic and Bronze Age archaeological site in East Azerbaijan province, Iran. Site description The site is located in Tabriz, Iran, east of Lake Urmia and about 30 kilometers southwest of the city of Tabriz. Yanik T ...

and

Dalma Tepe Dalma Tepe (Persian: دالما تپه) is an archaeological site about 2km northeast of Naqadeh (formerly Solduz), Naqadeh County, in the Iranian province of West Azerbaijan. It is the type site of Dalma culture, a prehistoric culture of north-w ...

. The sites of interest in this area include, *

Zorats Karer Carahunge (, also romanized as Karahunj and Qarahunj), also known as Zorats Karer (), Dik-Dik Karer (), Tsits Karer () and Karenish (), is a prehistoric archaeological site near the town of Sisian in the Syunik Province of Armenia. It is also of ...

prehistoric archaeological site, is believed by many scientists including

Paris Herouni Paris Misaki Herouni (, December 17, 1933 – December 5, 2008) was a Soviet and Armenian physicist and engineer. He was a member of the Armenian National Academy of Sciences in the fields of Radiophysics, radio-physics, Radio-frequency engineeri ...

and Onik Khnkikyan to be a prehistoric astronomical observatory,Paris Herouni, Armenians and Old Armenia, Yerevan, 2004. *

fortress of the 4th century, *

Vorotnaberd Vorotnaberd (; also Davit Bek's Castle) is an important fortress along a ridge overlooking the Vorotan gorge, between the villages of Vaghatin and Vorotan in the Syunik Province of Armenia. Vorotnaberd is above sea level. History Vorotna ...

fortress of the 5th century, *

Meghri Fortress Meghri Fortress () is an 11th-century Armenian fortress located in the town of Meghri. It is located on a hill overlooking the old section of the town from the north. History Meghri Fortress was probably built during the years of formation and ...

of the 11th century, * Halidzor Fortress of the 17th century, * the artificial caves of

Khndzoresk Khndzoresk (, ) is a village in the Goris Municipality of the Syunik Province in Armenia. The village is located to the east of the Goris-Stepanakert highway, on the steep slopes of Khor Dzor (Deep Gorge), which the village is named after, accord ...

Churches and monasteries

* Surp Hovhannes Monastery of 691 of

. *

Tatev monastery The Tatev Monastery () is a 9th-century Armenian Apostolic Christian monastery located on a large basalt plateau near the village of Tatev in the Syunik Province in southeastern Armenia. The term "Tatev" usually refers to the monastery. The mo ...

of the 9th century. *

Vorotnavank Vorotnavank () is a monastic complex located along a ridge overlooking the Vorotan gorge, between the villages of Vaghatin and Vorotan, about 14 km east of Sisian in the Syunik Province of Armenia. The complex is surrounded by a high stone wal ...

monastic complex of the 10th century. *

Vahanavank Vahanavank () is a 10th-11th century Armenian Apostolic Church, Armenian Apostolic cathedral located approximately 5 kilometers west of the town of Kapan in the Syunik Province of Armenia, situated at the foot of Tigranasar mountain along the rig ...

monastic complex of the 10th century. * Bgheno-Noravank monastery of the 11th century. * Tatevi Anapat monastic complex of the 17th century.

Transportation

Economy

Agriculture

Around 74% (3,336 km²) of the total area of the province are

arable land Arable land (from the , "able to be ploughed") is any land capable of being ploughed and used to grow crops.''Oxford English Dictionary'', "arable, ''adj''. and ''n.''" Oxford University Press (Oxford), 2013. Alternatively, for the purposes of a ...

s, out of which 13.2% (440 km²) are ploughed. The rural population is mainly involved in agriculture and cattle-breeding. The province contributes 6.5% of the annual agricultural product of Armenia. The main crops are grains, dry grains, potatoes and vegetables. The village of

has

fish farming Fish farming or pisciculture involves commercial breeding of fish, most often for food, in fish tanks or artificial enclosures such as fish ponds. It is a particular type of aquaculture, which is the controlled cultivation and harvesting of ...

ponds, while the village of Achanan is home to a poultry farm.

Industry

Syunik is among the main contributing provinces in the industrial sector of Armenia. It has a share of 17% of the annual total industrial product of Armenia. The economy is of the province is mainly based on the industrial sector, including mining, building materials production and food-processing. The prospect of a

uranium Uranium is a chemical element; it has chemical symbol, symbol U and atomic number 92. It is a silvery-grey metal in the actinide series of the periodic table. A uranium atom has 92 protons and 92 electrons, of which 6 are valence electrons. Ura ...

mine being exploited by the Russian State Nuclear Energy Corporation (Rosatom) in the village of

Lernadzor Lernadzor () is a village in the Kajaran Municipality of the Syunik Province in Armenia. Toponymy The village was previously known as ''Kyurdikend''. Demographics The village's population was 866 at the 2011 census, up from 416 at the 2001 ...

. * The province is home to many of Armenia's largest mining operations including the Kapan mine and Kajaran Mine operated by the

Zangezur Copper and Molybdenum Combine Zangezur Copper-Molybdenum Combine (ZCMC) is the largest mining company in Armenia and one of the 10 leading molybdenum producers in the world. The history oZCMCgoes back to the Soviet era. In the spring of 1952, the combine released its first seria ...

since 1951, based in Kajaran.''The Specter of Uranium Once Again Hangs Over Syunik''
Hetq Online, 10 November 2008. The town of Kajaran is also home to the "Danesia" company for roofing sheets founded in 2000. * Kapan is home to a number of industrial firms operating in the industrial district of the town. The largest firms are the "Kapan CH.SH.SH." for building materials founded in 1947, the Kapan machine tools plant founded in 1972, the "Sonatex" knitting factory founded in 1985, and the "Marila LLC" for meat and dairy products founded in 2010. * Goris is home to the Vorotan Hydropower Plant opened in 1989 and considered one of the main providers of electrical power in Armenia. Other large industrial firms in Goris include the "Vosmar" company for

asphalt concrete Asphalt concrete (commonly called asphalt, blacktop, or pavement in North America, and Tarmacadam, tarmac or bitumen macadam in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland) is a composite material commonly used to surface road surface, roads ...

and crushed stone founded in 2002, the "Goris Gamma" for electronic devices founded in 2003, and the "Goris Group" for bottled spring water founded in 2005. * Sisian is home to the "Sis-Alp" dairy factory founded in 2007, the "Bazalt-M" building materials production plant founded in 2009, and the Sisian ceramics plant operating since 2014. * The Meghri Cannery founded in 1930, and the Meghri Road-building enterprise for asphalt and concrete production founded in 1997, are also among the major industrial firms of the province. Meghri used to have a large wine factory during the Soviet years. * The Agarak Copper-Molybdenum mine complex produces copper and molybdenum concentrate through bulk-selective flotation recovery of molybdenum and copper minerals. It was fully acquired by "GeoProMining" company in 2007. * The village of Shamb is home to the "Tatni Mineral Water Factory" founded in 2010, while Norashenik is home to the Freedom Distillery for fruit vodka products opened in 2014.

Tourism

Tourism is among the developing sectors in the economy of Syunik. The towns of Goris and Kapan have a large number of different levels of hotels and inns. The cultural heritage, as well as the natural beauty of the region attract many local and foreign tourists especially in the summer period. The Wings of Tatev ( ''Tatevi tever'') cableway, operating since 16 October 2010 between

Halidzor Halidzor () is a village in the Tatev Municipality of the Syunik Province in Armenia. The settlement has a rich history and is adorned with historical monuments. Positioned strategically on the international stage, it is home to one of the most pr ...

and the

Tatev The Tatev Monastery () is a 9th-century Armenian Apostolic Christian monastery located on a large basalt plateau near the village of Tatev in the Syunik Province in southeastern Armenia. The term "Tatev" usually refers to the monastery. The mo ...

monastery, is the longest reversible

aerial tramway An aerial tramway, aerial tram, sky tram, cable car or aerial cablecar, aerial cableway, ropeway, téléphérique (French), or Seilbahn (German) is a type of aerial lift which uses one or two stationary cables for support, with a third movin ...

built in only one section, and holds the record for ''Longest non-stop double track cable car'' with the length of . Many forests and woodlands of Syunik are among the protected areas of Armenia such as the Arevik National Park and

. The province has also the wildlife sanctuaries of Boghakar, Goris, Sev Lake, Zangezur and the Plane Grove of Shikahogh river. Other touristic destinations of Syunik include the Mount Khustup and the

Shaki Waterfall Shaki Waterfall () is a waterfall in Armenia, with a height of 18 m. It is located in Syunik Province. The Shaki Waterfall is situated 6 km from the town of Sisian. On the left side of the river Vorotan's gorge, basalt lava flows have sol ...

Education

Syunik is home to the Goris State University operating since 1967 in the town of Goris. Branches of the

Yerevan State University Yerevan State University (YSU; , , ), also simply University of Yerevan, is the oldest continuously operating public university in Armenia. Founded in 1919, it is the largest university in the country. It is thus informally known as Armenia's ...

National Polytechnic University of Armenia The National Polytechnic University of Armenia () is a technical university located in Yerevan, Armenia. Established as the Karl Marx Institute of Polytechnic in 1933, it provides educational and research programs in various fields of technology ...

and Yerevan State Institute of Theatre and Cinematography are also operating in the province. As of the 2015–16 educational year, Syunik has 119 schools.

Sport

Football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...

is the most popular sport in the province.

FC Gandzasar Kapan FC Gandzasar Kapan is an Armenian football club based in the town of Kapan, Syunik Province. The team plays in Armenian Premier League. The club headquarters are located on 18 Garegin Nzhdeh street, Kapan. The Gandzasar Kapan Training Centre is ...

represents Syunik at the

Armenian Premier League The Armenian Premier League (, known as the Armenian Fastex Premier League for sponsorship reasons) is the top association football, football competition in Armenia. From 1936 to 1991, the competition was held as a regional tournament within th ...

Gandzasar Stadium Gandzasar Stadium () is a multi-purpose stadium in Kapan, the capital of Syunik Province, Armenia. It is currently used mostly for football matches and is the home ground of Gandzasar and Syunik. With a capacity of 3,500, Gandzasar Stadium is l ...

in Kapan is the largest sports venue of Syunik. Minor stadiums also exit in Meghri, Goris and Sisian. In 2013, FC Gandzasar Kapan opened its state-of-the-art training centre to become the only football training academy in southern Armenia. The centre has several full-sized football pitches including one with

artificial turf Artificial turf is a surface of synthetic fibers made to look like natural grass, used in sports arenas, residential lawns and commercial applications that traditionally use grass. It is much more durable than grass and easily maintained wi ...

. Previously,

FC Zangezour FC may refer to: Businesses, organisations, and schools * Fergusson College, a science and arts college in Pune, India * Finncomm Airlines (IATA code) * FranklinCovey company, NYSE stock symbol FC * Frontier Corps, a paramilitary force in Pakist ...

was another important football team in the province. However, the team was dissolved in 1997 due to financial difficulties.

Notable people

Aram Manukian Aram Manukian (19 March 187929 January 1919) was an Armenian revolutionary, statesman, and a leading member of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (Dashnaktsutyun) party. He is widely regarded as the founder of the First Republic of Armenia. ...

, statesman, founder of the

* Aksel Bakunts, novelist *

Versand Hakobyan Versand Fransiki Hakobyan (; 15 September 1950 – 19 July 2022) was an Armenian aviation executive, oligarch, and politician who served in the National Assembly of Armenia as a member of Prosperous Armenia from 2007 until 2012. Biography Ha ...

, oligarch and politician *

Sero Khanzadyan Sero Nikolayi Khanzadyan (, , 1915 – June 26, 1998) was a Soviet Union, Soviet and Armenians, Armenian writer and novelist. Early life and education Sero Khanzadyan was born in 1915 to a peasant family in the town of Goris located in the distr ...

, novelist *

Baghdasar Arzoumanian Baghdasar Arzoumanian (; January 1, 1916 – November 19, 2001) was an Armenian architect and designer based in Yerevan, Armenia. He designed a large body of civil and religious buildings as well as many smaller works. Education and background ...

, architect * Oksen Mirzoyan, weightlifter, Olympic and World champion

Gallery

File:Stone Pyramids in Goris.jpg, The "stone-pyramids" of

File:Զանգեզուրի արգելավայր 1 (3).JPG, Zangezur Sanctuary File:Shaki Waterfall.jpg,

File:KapanGareginNzhdeh.jpg, Monument to

and mount

Khustup Khustup () is a mountain located in the southern Syunik Province of Armenia, to the south of Kapan Kapan ( ) is a town in southeast Armenia, serving as the administrative centre of the Kapan Municipality and also as the provincial capital of S ...

near Kapan File:2014 Prowincja Sjunik, Krajobraz widziany z drogi M2 pomiędzy Goris a Szaki (05).jpg, The landscape as seen from the M-2 Motorway between

and Shaki

References

;Notes ;References

External links

Syunik portal

Khustup TV of Syunik

Syunik Tourist Guide

Syunik at Armeniainfo
{{Authority control Provinces of Armenia