Syunik

Syunik is the southernmost province (marz) of Armenia, located in the country’s southern region. Its administrative capital is the town of Kapan. The province includes parts of the Zangezur Mountain range and features a varied landscape of valleys, canyons, forests and rivers, with the Vorotan River and its dramatic gorge among the notable geomorphological sights.

The area is rich in cultural and historical sites. Tatev Monastery, connected to the village of Halidzor by the Wings of Tatev cable car, is a major landmark. The archeological site of Karahunj (Carahunge), near Sisian, is often cited as one of the oldest known observatories in the world. The Selim Caravanserai along the historic Silk Road is another notable monument within Syunik.

Historically, Syunik has been part of the ancient Kingdom of Armenia and later came under Persian, Russian and Soviet rule before joining independent Armenia in 1991. In modern times its borders lie along Armenia’s southern boundary with Iran and along the western frontier with Azerbaijan’s Nakhchivan enclave, giving the region strategic significance for transit and security.

The economy is dominated by mining, notably the Kajaran copper-molybdenum mine and the Zangezur Copper Molybdenum Combine, complemented by agriculture, forestry and growing tourism linked to its natural and cultural attractions. Population centers include Kapan (the capital), Goris, Sisian, Meghri, Kajaran, and Halidzor, forming the core of the region’s rural-urban landscape.