, az, Araz, fa, ارس, tr, Aras
The Aras (also known as the Araks, Arax, Araxes, or Araz) is a river in the
Caucasus
The Caucasus () or Caucasia (), is a region between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, mainly comprising Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and parts of Southern Russia. The Caucasus Mountains, including the Greater Caucasus range, have historically ...
. It rises in eastern
Turkey
Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a list of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolia, Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with ...
and flows along the borders between Turkey and
Armenia
Armenia (), , group=pron officially the Republic of Armenia,, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of Western Asia.The UNbr>classification of world regions places Armenia in Western Asia; the CIA World Factbook , , and ''Ox ...
, between Turkey and the
Nakhchivan exclave of
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan (, ; az, Azərbaycan ), officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, , also sometimes officially called the Azerbaijan Republic is a transcontinental country located at the boundary of Eastern Europe and Western Asia. It is a part of th ...
, between
Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
and both Azerbaijan and Armenia, and, finally, through Azerbaijan where it flows into the
Kura river. It drains the south side of the
Lesser Caucasus
The Lesser Caucasus, also called Caucasus Minor, is the second of the two main mountain ranges of Caucasus mountains, of length about . The western portion of the Lesser Caucasus overlaps and converges with east Turkey and northwest Iran.
It runs ...
Mountains while the Kura drains the north side of the Lesser Caucasus. The river's total length is and its
watershed
Watershed is a hydrological term, which has been adopted in other fields in a more or less figurative sense. It may refer to:
Hydrology
* Drainage divide, the line that separates neighbouring drainage basins
* Drainage basin, called a "watershe ...
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 ( gr, Ἀράξης). Its modern Armenian name is ''Arax'' or ''Araks'' ( hy, Արաքս). Historically it was also known as ''Yeraskh'' ( xcl, Երասխ) and its
Old Georgian
Old Georgian (ႤႬႠჂ ႵႠႰႧႭჃႪႨ, ''enay kartuli'') was 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 ...
and
Kurdish
Kurdish may refer to:
*Kurds or Kurdish people
*Kurdish languages
*Kurdish alphabets
*Kurdistan, the land of the Kurdish people which includes:
**Southern Kurdistan
**Eastern Kurdistan
**Northern Kurdistan
**Western Kurdistan
See also
* Kurd (dis ...
its name is (''Aras''), and in
Turkish
Turkish may refer to:
*a Turkic language spoken by the Turks
* of or about Turkey
** Turkish language
*** Turkish alphabet
** Turkish people, a Turkic ethnic group and nation
*** Turkish citizen, a citizen of Turkey
*** Turkish communities and mi ...
it is ''Aras''.
Geography
The Aras rises near
Erzurum
Erzurum (; ) is a city in eastern Anatolia, Turkey. It is the largest city and capital of Erzurum Province and is 1,900 meters (6,233 feet) above sea level. Erzurum had a population of 367,250 in 2010.
The city uses the double-headed eagle as ...
in
Turkey
Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a list of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolia, Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with ...
and meets with the
Akhuryan River
The Akhuryan ( hy, Ախուրյան ''Axuryan''; xcl, Ախուրեան ''Axurean''; russian: Арпачай or Ахурян), or Arpachay ( tr, Arpaçay) is a river in the South Caucasus. It originates in Armenia and flows from Lake Arpi, alon ...
southeast of
Digor. From Digor it flows along the
Armenia–Turkey border
The Armenia–Turkey border ( hy, Հայաստան–Թուրքիա սահման, translit=Hayastan–T’urk’ia sahman, tr, Ermenistan–Türkiye sınırı) is 311 km (193 m) in length and runs from the tripoint with Georgia (country), G ...
and then runs close to the corridor that connects Turkey to
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan (, ; az, Azərbaycan ), officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, , also sometimes officially called the Azerbaijan Republic is a transcontinental country located at the boundary of Eastern Europe and Western Asia. It is a part of th ...
's
Nakhchivan exclave. It then continues along the Iranian-Armenian and the Iranian-Azerbaijan border.
Tributaries
The following rivers are tributaries of the Aras, from source to mouth:
*
Akhuryan
Akhuryan ( hy, , translit=Axuryan), is a major village and rural community (municipality) in the Shirak Province of Armenia. The Statistical Committee of Armenia reported its population was 7,113 as per the 2011 official census down from 9,696 at ...
(left)
*Metsamor (left)
*
Hrazdan
Hrazdan ( hy, wikt:Հրազդան, Հրազդան), 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 ...
(left)
*
Azat
Azat ( hy, ազատ; 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 ...
(left)
*Vedi (left)
*
Arpa (left)
*
Zangmar (right)
*Naxçıvançay (left)
*
Qatur
, native_name_lang = fa
, settlement_type = City
, image_skyline =
, imagesize =
, image_alt =
, image_caption =
, image_flag =
, flag_alt =
, image_ ...
(right)
*Hajilarchay (right)
*Meghri (left)
*Bəsitçay (left)
*
Voghji (left)
*Kaleybarchay (right)
*
Hakari (left)
*Qarasu/Dareh-Rud (right)
*Köndələnçay (left)
Etymology and history
![Aras River in Persian (IRAN) Empire 1747 map](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8e/Aras_River_in_Persian_%28IRAN%29_Empire_1747_map.JPG)
In
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 across the ...
tradition, the river is named after
Arast, a great-grandson of the legendary Armenian patriarch
Haik.
The name was later
Hellenized
Hellenization (other British spelling Hellenisation) or Hellenism is the adoption of Greek culture, religion, language and identity by non-Greeks. In the ancient period, colonization often led to the Hellenization of indigenous peoples; in the ...
to ''Araxes'' and was applied to the
Kura-Araxes culture, 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 the Garden of Eden that branched fr ...
and
Pishon
The Pishon ( ''Pîšōn'') 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 water the Garden of Eden and from ther ...
.
Robert H. Hewsen
Robert H. Hewsen (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 Historical Atlas'' (2 ...
described Aras as the only "true river" of
Armenia
Armenia (), , group=pron officially the Republic of Armenia,, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of Western Asia.The UNbr>classification of world regions places Armenia in Western Asia; the CIA World Factbook , , and ''Ox ...
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 "Pompeius Strabo". A native of Sicily so clear-sighted that he could see ...
, in ancient times, the Araxes river in
Armenia
Armenia (), , group=pron officially the Republic of Armenia,, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of Western Asia.The UNbr>classification of world regions places Armenia in Western Asia; the CIA World Factbook , , and ''Ox ...
had no outflow to the
Caspian Sea
The Caspian Sea is the world's largest inland body of water, often described as the world's largest lake or a full-fledged sea. An endorheic basin, it lies between Europe and Asia; east of the Caucasus, west of the broad steppe of Central Asia ...
, but spread out in plains and created a lake without outflow.
In 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; ar, الرس) is a Saudi Arabian City, located in Al Qassim Province. It lies southwest of Buraydah, the capital of the province and north of Riyadh, the national capital.
Arrass is the largest city in A ...
) 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 (russian: Гюлистанский договор; fa, عهدنامه گلستان) was a peace treaty concluded between the Russian Empire and Iran on 24 October 1813 in the village of Gulistan (now in the Goranboy Distri ...
and the Treaty of Turkmenchay
The Treaty of Turkmenchay ( fa, عهدنامه ترکمنچای; russian: Туркманчайский договор) was an agreement between Qajar Iran and the Russian Empire, which concluded the Russo-Persian War (1826–28). It was second o ...
, the river was chosen as the border limit between the Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was an empire and the final period of the Russian monarchy from 1721 to 1917, ruling across large parts of Eurasia. It succeeded the Tsardom of Russia following the Treaty of Nystad, which ended the Great Northern War. ...
and Qajar Iran
Qajar Iran (), also referred to as Qajar Persia, the Qajar Empire, '. Sublime State of Persia, officially the Sublime State of Iran ( fa, دولت علیّه ایران ') and also known then as the Guarded Domains of Iran ( fa, ممالک م ...
, as the latter was forced to cede its Caucasian
Caucasian may refer to:
Anthropology
*Anything from the Caucasus region
**
**
** ''Caucasian Exarchate'' (1917–1920), an ecclesiastical exarchate of the Russian Orthodox Church in the Caucasus region
*
*
*
Languages
* Northwest Caucasian l ...
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.
Iran and the Soviet Union
The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen national ...
have built the Aras Dam
The Aras Dam ( az, Araz su anbarı; fa, سد ارس) is an embankment dam on the Aras River along the Azerbaijan–Iran border, border of Iran and Azerbaijan. It is located downstream of Poldasht in West Azerbaijan Province, Iran and Nakhchivan ( ...
on the Aras in the Poldasht
Poldasht ( fa, پلدشت; Azerbaijani: Daş Körpü , also Romanized as Pol Dasht, Pol’desht, Pol-e Dasht, and Pul Dasht; also known as Araplar) is a city and capital of Poldasht County, West Azerbaijan Province, Iran. At the 2016 census, its ...
area in the 20th century, creating the Aras Reservoir
The Aras Dam ( az, Araz su anbarı; fa, سد ارس) is an embankment dam on the Aras River along the Azerbaijan–Iran border, border of Iran and Azerbaijan. It is located downstream of Poldasht in West Azerbaijan Province, Iran and Nakhchivan ( ...
. The Meghri Dam
The Meghri hydroelectric project (also known as the Meghri Dam or Aras Watershed Dam) is a hydroelectric project planned on the Aras River near Armenia's southern town of Meghri on the Armenia–Iran border.
The joint Iranian–Armenia project was ...
is under construction near the Armenian town of Meghri
Meghri ( hy, Մեղրի) is a town and the center of the urban community of Meghri, in 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 est ...
.
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).
History ...
, a Turkish non-governmental organization for nature conservation, in the Aras Valley at the village Yukarı Çıyrıklı, in the Tuzluca
Tuzluca ( az, Duzluca; ku, Qulp; hy, Կողբ ''Koghb''; russian: Кульп or Тузлуджа) is a town and district of the Iğdır Province in the Eastern Anatolia region of Turkey. The northern portion of the district forms part of the inte ...
district of Iğdır Province
Iğdır Province ( tr, Iğdır ili, ku, Parêzgeha Îdirê, , ) is a province in eastern Turkey, located along the borders with Armenia, Azerbaijan (the area of Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic), and Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic ...
, 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 or RAPTOR may refer to:
Animals
The word "raptor" refers to several groups of bird-like dinosaurs which primarily capture and subdue/kill prey with their talons.
* Raptor (bird) or bird of prey, a bird that primarily hunts and feeds on v ...
Shikra
The shikra (''Accipiter badius'') 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 (U of U, UofU, or simply The U) is a public research university in Salt Lake City, Utah. It is the flagship institution of the Utah System of Higher Education. The university was established in 1850 as the University of De ...
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 taken in the Poldasht District
Poldasht County ( fa, شهرستان پلدشت) is in West Azerbaijan province, West Azerbaijan province, Iran. The capital of the county is the city of Poldasht. At the 2006 census, the region's population (as Poldasht District of Maku Count ...
.
File:Aras Nehri.jpg, The Aras, taken from Iğdır
Iğdır ( Turkish ; ku, Îdir or ; hy, Իգդիր, Igdir, also ) is the capital of Iğdır Province in the Eastern Anatolia Region of Turkey.
History
Iğdır went by the Armenian name of Tsolakert during the Middle Ages. s.v. "Igdir," Armenia ...
.
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, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
to the left and (Karabakh Plains) / Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan (, ; az, Azərbaycan ), officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, , also sometimes officially called the Azerbaijan Republic is a transcontinental country located at the boundary of Eastern Europe and Western Asia. It is a part of th ...
to the right.
File:Aras river at Nurduz 04.jpg , Aras river at Nurduz
Nurduz ( fa, نوردوز, also Romanized as Nūrdūz) is a village in Nowjeh Mehr Rural District, Siah Rud District, Jolfa County, East Azerbaijan Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 14, in 4 families. It is situated near Ira ...
, the border post between Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
and Armenia
Armenia (), , group=pron officially the Republic of Armenia,, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of Western Asia.The UNbr>classification of world regions places Armenia in Western Asia; the CIA World Factbook , , and ''Ox ...
See also
* Armenia–Iran border
The Armenia–Iran border ( hy, Հայաստան–Իրան սահման, translit=Hayastan–Iran sahman, fa, مرز ارمنستان-ایران) is 44 km (27 mi) in length and runs from the tripoint with Azerbaijan’s Nakhchivan re ...
* Azerbaijan–Iran border
The Azerbaijan–Iran border ( az, Azərbaycan–İran sərhədi, fa, مرز آذربایجان و ایران) is 765 km (428 m) in length and consists of two non-contiguous sections separated by the Armenia–Iran border.
Description Wes ...
* Geography of Armenia
Armenia is a landlocked country in West Asia, situated in the Transcaucasus region of the South Caucasus, bordered on the north and east by Georgia and Azerbaijan and on the south and west by Iran, Azerbaijan's exclave Nakhchivan, and Turkey.
...
* Geography of Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan is a country in the Caucasus region, situated at the juncture of Europe and Western Asia. Three physical features dominate Azerbaijan: the Caspian Sea, whose shoreline forms a natural boundary to the east; the Greater Caucasus mounta ...
* Geography of Iran
Geographically, the country of Iran is located in West Asia and borders the Caspian Sea, Persian Gulf, and Gulf of Oman. Topographically, it is predominantly located on the Persian Plateau. Its mountains have impacted both the political and the ...
* Geography of Turkey
The Anatolian side of Turkey is a large, roughly rectangular peninsula that bridges southeastern Europe and Asia. Thrace, the European portion of Turkey comprises 3%The Dorling Kindersley World Reference Atlas. New York: Dorling Kindersley, 2014 ...
* Nature 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 indu ...
* 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 Armeni ...
* 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 the ...
* 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 ...
* The Maiden Tower water reservoir The Maiden Tower water reservoir (Azerbaijani language, Azerbaijani: ''Qız Qalası su anbarı'') was built on the Aras (river), Araz river on the international border between Iran and Azerbaijan in 1999–2008. The reservoir is located 12 km below ...
Footnotes
{{Authority control
International rivers of Asia
Rivers of Turkey
Rivers of Armenia
Rivers of Azerbaijan
Rivers of Iran
Armenia–Iran border
Armenia–Turkey border
National symbols of Armenia
Azerbaijan–Iran border
Azerbaijan–Turkey border
Landforms of Iğdır Province
Landforms of Erzurum Province
Border rivers
Rivers of the Republic of Artsakh