Historical and modern geography of the Zangezur corridor: approach from the context of realities

Abstract

The Zangezur region, historically part of Azerbaijani territory, has long held geostrategic importance by connecting mainland Azerbaijan with the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic and linking Turkey to other Turkic-speaking states. While territorial disputes in the South Caucasus have been widely studied, the historical and geopolitical significance of the Zangezur corridor remains underexplored, particularly from a temporal-spatial perspective encompassing pre-Soviet, Soviet, and post-Soviet periods. This study examines the historical evolution of the region and the strategic implications of the proposed Zangezur corridor after the 2020 Second Karabakh War. It reveals that the Soviet transfer of Zangezur to Armenia in 1920 disrupted connections between Nakhchivan and Azerbaijan and fractured Turkey’s links to the Turkic world. The collapse of the USSR and the ensuing First Karabakh War further entrenched this separation, closing vital transport routes and hindering regional cooperation. Before 2020, proposals to reopen these routes lacked political feasibility. However, Azerbaijan’s victory in the Second Karabakh War and the trilateral declaration signed on November 10th, 2020, with Russia and Armenia, made the corridor's realization possible. Opening the Zangezur corridor stands as one of the most consequential outcomes of the war, with the potential to enhance regional connectivity, stimulate economic integration, and drive geopolitical transformation in the South Caucasus and beyond, while reinforcing the territorial cohesion and strategic alliances among Turkic-speaking nations.