Арарат

Administrative center of Ararat region – Artashat
Territory – 2096 km²
Population- 279.000

The Territory of a Region

The territory of Ararat Region is separated into two parts- flats and mountains. The climate of Ararat plateau is extremely dry. Though it is very pleasure during long, windless autumn, when the fruits are ripe.

The mountainous part is mostly occupied by the slopes of Geghama Mountains , Urst Mountains and Yeranos Mountains. There are also several small forests , which were founded by Armenian King Khosrov Kotak in the 4th century. Now in this territory Khosrov Reserve is located.

During his victories and failures the amount and the composition of population has changed. Armenians were again dominating in this territory after 1830, when thousand of Armenians were moved here from Iranian regions Khoy and Salmast. Now the population here is homogeneous, but there are also Kurds, Russians and Assyrians with little amount.

In the region only flats are populated, the mountainous part isn’t populated at all. Only in summer in some parts you can see people temporally populated in pastures.

Cities

The biggest city in region is the administrative center Artashat. It is situated on the highway of Yerevan-Goris-Stepanavan, 10 km to north-west from the historical capital Artashat, from which the city got its name. In Artasha some branches of industry are developed. There is a wine factory, a canning factory, a crystal factory and a pottery factory.

The other cities of Ararat Region are Masis, Ararat and Vedi. Ararat is known as centre of heavy industry. There is the cement factory and the factory for the extraction of gold. Masis and Vedi are known for food industry and light industry.
In Ararat Region Zangakatoun village is very famous, where poet Paruyr Sevak was born.