Martuni Province

Martuni Մարտունի
Province
Xocəvənd
Capital	Martuni
Government
• Governor	Nelson Soghomonyan
Area
• Total	951 km2 (367 sq mi)
• Rank	Ranked 6th
Population  (2015)
• Total	24,300
• Rank	Ranked 2nd
Website	Martuni Region

Martuni Province (Armenian: Մարտունու շրջան, Russian: Мартунинский район) was a province of the breakaway Republic of Artsakh, de facto and de jure part of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

History

The territory was formed from the Soviet-era raion of Martuni District within the former Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast. The eastern part of that district is under the control of the Azerbaijan. Martuni Province consists of the branch of the former Oblast which juts out farthest to the east, almost reaches Stepanakert on the west, and goes a little past Karmir Shuka on the south. The western half has many hills and small mountains, full of small villages, while the eastern half is very flat, with fewer villages, and the larger regional center of Martuni. Historically, this area was also known as Myus Haband and Varand. The Martuni Province has 35 rural communities and one urban community.

In 1991, the Azerbaijani parliament, with the Law on Abolishment of Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast, abolished the Martuni District and forcibly consolidated its territory into the neighboring Khojavend District.

Following the 2023 Nagorno-Karabakh offensive, Martuni came under control of Azerbaijani forces on 26 September 2023.

Sites of interest

• Amaras Monastery, one of the oldest monasteries in the former Kingdom of Armenia.

Gallery

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