Armenia-Azerbaijan Peace Treaty

GS II- International Relations

Context:

• Armenia and Azerbaijan have agreed to a peace treaty after nearly four decades of conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh.
• This marks a historic resolution in the South Caucasus region.

About Nagorno-Karabakh

Location:

• A mountainous, landlocked region in the Caucasus, situated between the Black Sea and Caspian Sea.

Political Status:

• Internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan but historically populated by ethnic Armenians.
• Previously had an unrecognized separatist government closely aligned with Armenia.

Historical Conflict:

• First Nagorno-Karabakh War (1988–1994):
  • Began when the region declared independence from Azerbaijan.
  • Resulted in Armenian control over the territory.
• Recent Conflict (September 2023):
  • Azerbaijan regained full control of Nagorno-Karabakh after a 24-hour military operation.
  • Led to the mass exodus of 120,000 ethnic Armenians.

About Armenia

Location & Borders:

• Landlocked country in South Caucasus.
• Borders: Turkey, Georgia, Azerbaijan, and Iran.

Geographic Features:

• Mountains:
  • Dominated by the Lesser Caucasus Mountains.
  • Highest Peak: Mount Aragats (4,090 meters).
• Rivers:
  • Aras River, forming the southern border with Turkey and Iran.
• Lakes:
  • Lake Sevan, one of the largest freshwater lakes in the region.

Capital:

• Yerevan

About Azerbaijan

Location & Borders:

• Situated in eastern Transcaucasia.
• Borders: Russia, Georgia, Armenia, Iran, and the Caspian Sea.

Geographic Features:

• Mountains:
  • Greater Caucasus Mountains in the north.
  • Highest Peak: Mount Bazardüzü (4,466 meters).
• Rivers:
  • Major rivers include the Kura and Aras, vital for agriculture and hydroelectric power.
• Caspian Sea Coastline:
  • Strategic location for trade and energy exports.

Capital:

• Baku (a major oil-rich city on the Caspian Sea coast).