List of rivers of Azerbaijan

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Rivers in Azerbaijan mostly flow into the Caspian Sea, which has no outlet to an ocean. The two longest rivers are the Kur (Kura) and the Aras. The Kur begins in Turkey, runs through Georgia, and then enters Azerbaijan, where it joins the Aras. The Aras also starts in Turkey and forms part of Azerbaijan’s border with Iran.

Major tributaries of the Kur include the Qanix, Qabirri, Turyan, Agstafa, Shekir, Terter and Khachin rivers. The Aras has tributaries such as the Arpachay, Nakhchivan, Okhchu, Hekeri and Kondelenchay. Other large rivers that are not tributaries of the Kur or Aras are the Samur, Gudyal, Velvele, Vilesh and Lenkeran.

Azerbaijan has thousands of rivers: about 8,359 in total. Most are short, with around 8,188 of them under 25 km long, and only 24 longer than 100 km. River networks vary by region: the average density is about 0.39 km of river per square kilometer, and plains have very low density (under 0.05). The Kur and Aras flow through the Kur-Araz Lowland.

Rivers that flow directly into the Caspian mainly come from the north-eastern slopes of the Greater Caucasus and the Talysh Mountains, running through the Samur-Devechi and Lenkeran lowlands. The Kura basin covers about 86,000 square kilometers up to its junction with the Aras, while the Aras basin covers about 101,937 square kilometers. At their junction, the Kura’s water level is higher, so the combined river is still called the Kura.