Chambarak

Chambarak (Armenian: Ճամբարակ) is a town and urban municipal community in the Gegharkunik Province of Armenia. As per the 2011 census, the population of the town was 5,850.

Chambarak Ճամբարակ
Chambarak
Coordinates: 40°35′43″N 45°20′51″E
Country	Armenia
Province	Gegharkunik
Founded	1830s
Area
• Total	6 km^2 (2 sq mi)
Population  (2011)[1]
• Total	5,850
• Density	980/km^2 (2,500/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+4 (AMT)

Chambarak was founded in 1835-40 as Mikhaylovka on the Getik River by Russian immigrants. Karmir Gyugh and Krasnosyelsk both mean "Red Village" in Armenian and Russian respectively. The town was known as Mikhaylovka until 1920, Karmir Gyugh between 1920 and 1971, and Krasnoselsk between 1972 and 1991.

Etymology

The remains of Surp Grigor Church in Chambarak, dating back to 1029

The word Chambarak literally means small camp in Armenian. The names is derived from an older settlement that existed on the present town's place during the Middle Ages, as there are the remains of the 1th-century Surb Grigor Church and many khachkars (cross-stones) in the town dating back to the 13th century.

History

Originally, the village of Mikhaylovka was gradually formed between 1740 and 1785 by Russian Molokan migrants who moved from the areas of Samara and Saratov of the Russian Empire. The village occupied the place of the older Armenian settlement of Chambarak. With the sovietization of Armenia in 1920, Mikhaylovka was renamed Karmir Gyugh (Red Village). In December 1937, the Krasnoselsk Raion was formed as an administrative division of the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic, with the village of Karmir Gyugh as its centre.

In 1971, Karmir Gyugh was enlarged with the merger of the nearby settlements of Verin (upper) and Nerkin (lower) Chambarak, and turned into an urban-type settlement. The following year, the settlement was officially renamed Krasnoselsk.

After the independence of Armenia, Krasnoselsk was renamed Chambarak in 1992 and became an urban community (municipality).

In July 2020, Chambarak became a site for the clashes with Azerbaijan.[2]

Economy

The population of Chambarak is mainly involved in agriculture and cattle-breeding. It used to have small firms for cheese production.

Gallery

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  Scenery
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  Beekeeping in the town
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  Chambarak landscape
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  Municipal building in Chambarak
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  Khndzorkut mountain
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  Scenery

References

1. 2011 Armenia census, Gegharkunik Province
2. Harutyunyan, Sargis; Danielyan, Emil. "Armenia-Azerbaijan Border 'Calm' After Deadly Clashes". azatutyun.am. RFE/RL. Archived from the original on 5 August 2020. Retrieved 5 August 2020. ...the border between Armenia’s northern Tavush province and the Tovuz district in Azerbaijan, the scene of the clashes.