Karabakh

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Karabakh is a geographic region in the South Caucasus. It lies mostly in Azerbaijan but also touches eastern Armenia. The region is usually divided into three parts: Highland Karabakh (mountainous areas), Lowland Karabakh (the plains between the Kura and Aras rivers), and the eastern slopes of the Zangezur Mountains.

Name and meaning
The name Karabakh likely comes from Turkic and Persian roots and is often said to mean “black garden.” There are other ideas about its origin, but the name has been used since medieval times and became common after the Mongol era.

Where it is and how big it is
Karabakh is landlocked, in the southeast of Armenia and the west of Azerbaijan. Its historical area has varied a lot. In the 18th century, during the Karabakh Khanate, it stretched from the Zangezur Mountains to the Kur-Araz lowlands and up to the Mingachevir area before turning back toward the mountains.

A long, complex history
- In ancient times, control of Karabakh shifted among Armenian kingdoms and later empires.
- From the 16th to the 18th century it was ruled by Safavids and then various Persian and Turkic powers.
- In 1813, the Treaty of Gulistan moved Karabakh from Iran to the Russian Empire.
- Under Russia, the region had Armenians and Muslims (mostly Azerbaijanis) living there, with Highland Karabakh largely Armenian and the whole region more Muslim in the lowlands.
- After the Russian Empire fell, Armenia and Azerbaijan fought over Karabakh. In 1921 the Soviet authorities decided Karabakh would be part of Azerbaijan, but a Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast (NKAO) for Armenian residents was created within Azerbaijan.
- In the late 1980s and 1990s, fighting broke out again. Many Armenians and Azeris left or were forced to leave, and most of upper Karabakh came under Armenian control during the first war.
- A war in 2020 led to Azerbaijan regaining control of most of the southern Karabakh area and surrounding lands. A ceasefire in November 2020 left some territories around Nagorno-Karabakh under Armenian control, but Azerbaijan held most of the previously Armenian-held areas.

People, language, and culture
Historically, Highland Karabakh had a strong Armenian presence, while the lowland areas had many Azerbaijani Muslims. In the 19th century, Armenian populations were concentrated in the mountains, with Muslims making up the majority overall. The local Armenian community spoke a Karabakh variety of Armenian, influenced by Persian, Russian, and Turkish. The region is also home to plants like the khari-bulbul flower and the Tulipa armena, which grow in its mountains.

Toponymy and maps
Two main naming traditions developed in Karabakh: Armenian and Turkic (later Azerbaijani) names, used by different communities. The Russian Empire and later the Soviet authorities standardized place names in different ways, sometimes replacing local names with those tied to Soviet leaders or concepts. After the Soviet era, both sides renamed many settlements to reflect their claims. In recent years, changes have continued, including adjustments to map names on global platforms.

In short
Karabakh is a historically complex region in the South Caucasus, with a long history of changing rulers, mixed populations, and ongoing disputes over its borders and names. Today, it remains a contested area between Azerbaijan and Armenia, with control and administration shifting through recent conflicts and ceasefires.