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Gegharkunik Province

Gegharkunik
Գեղարքունիք
Province
Coat of arms of Gegharkunik
Coat of arms
Location of Gegharkunik within Armenia
Location of Gegharkunik within Armenia
Coordinates: 40°25′N 45°12′E / 40.417°N 45.200°E / 40.417; 45.200Coordinates: 40°25′N 45°12′E / 40.417°N 45.200°E / 40.417; 45.200
Country Armenia
Capital
and largest city
Gavar
Government
 • Governor Nver Poghosian
Area
 • Total 5,349 km2 (2,065 sq mi)
Area rank 1st
Population (2011)
 • Total 235,075
 • Rank 7th
 • Density 44/km2 (110/sq mi)
Time zone AMT (UTC+04)
Postal code 1201–1626
ISO 3166 code AM.GR
FIPS 10-4 AM04
Website Official website

Gegharkunik (Armenian: , Armenian pronunciation: [ɡɛʁɑɾkʰuˈnikʰ]), is a province (marz) of Armenia. Its capital and largest city is the town of Gavar.

Gegharkunik Province is located at the eastern part of Armenia, bordering Azerbaijan and the Shahumyan Region of Nagorno-Karabakh Republic. With an area of 5,348 km², Gegharkunik is the largest province in Armenia. However, approximately 1,278 km² of its territory is covered by Lake Sevan, the largest lake in the Caucasus and a major tourist attraction of the region.

The village of Artsvashen province has an exclave inside Azerbaijan is also a part of the province. However, it was attacked and forcefully occupied by Azerbaijan during the Nagorno-Karabakh War.

The Yerevan-Sevan-Dilijan republican highway runs through the province.

The name of Gegharkunik is derived from Gegham, a 5th-generation Haykazuni King and one of the descendants of the legendary patriarch and founder of the Armenian nation Hayk. Gegham was the father of Sisak (founder of the Siunia dynasty), and Harma (grandfather of Ara the Beautiful). Gegham mountains and the Lake of Gegham (currently known as Lake Sevan) were also named after Gegham.


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