Aras River

The Aras River is one of the largest rivers in the Caucasus, and in the Nakhchivan region, it forms a natural border between Azerbaijan and Iran. Originating from high mountains in eastern Turkey, it flows eastward, facing Armenia and Nakhchivan, reaches the Iranian border, and finally joins the Kura River in the Sabirabad region of Azerbaijan.

During this long route, the Aras River determines both geographical and historical borders. Within the Nakhchivan region, the Aras River is distinguished by its wide channel and powerful flow. The flow of the river is highly irregular: its increase starts at the end of winter and reaches the highest mark in April-May due to snowmelt and precipitation.

Gradually, the flow decreases during all summer and reaches the minimum value in September. A short-term recovery is observed with autumn rainfall; this cycle regularly repeats itself every year. The Julfa River represents the most transparent section of Aras River in Nakhchivan. In this place, it essentially delimits the border between the two countries, and its two banks are very close to each other. The wide surface of the river, together with mountain ranges in the background, forms a powerful landscape.

One of the largest watersheds of the Aras Dam is located around it; it was constructed during the 1960s as a common effort of the Soviet Union and Iran and has now become an important water supply and source of energy. The Aras River is also of immense significance from the geological and historical point of view: It was made a border by the 19th-century Treaties of Gulistan (1813) and Turkmenchay (1828) and continued to function as a natural boundary for the regional states all through the 20th century.

Nowadays, with its energy projects, dams, and transportation corridors, it is considered the region’s strategic geographical axis. Its overall structure demonstrates that this 1,072 km-long river not only shapes Nakhchivan’s natural landscape but also plays a central role in the region’s historical and political identity.