Lori Province
40.8616024844.51385498Coordinates: 40° 52′ N, 44° 31′ E
Lori (
[lɔˈri], Armenian Լոռու մարզ, Loṙu marz) is a province in northern Armenia. It borders Georgia to the north, Shirak Province to the west, Aragazotn and Kotajk to the south, and Tavush to the east. The capital is Vanadzor. The area is 3789 km² and the population is 217,103 (as of 2011). The climate is relatively mild because mountain ranges protect against cold spells from the north.
Other towns besides Wanadzor are Alawerdi, Spitak, Stepanawan and Tashir, as well as the former urban-type settlements of Achtala, Shamlugh and Tumanjan, which were elevated to towns in the 1990s. In addition to these eight urban municipalities, there are 105 rural municipalities with a total of 122 villages; the largest villages (each with a population of over 2000) are Arevashogh, Dzhaschen, Gugark, Kurtan, Margahowit, Mezawan, Odsun, and Schnogh (as of 2011). Until the 1990s, the present village of Dsoraget also had the status of an urban-type settlement.
The province was formed during the administrative reorganization in the framework of decentralization in 1995 from the rajons Gugark, Spitak, Stepanawan, Tashir (until 1991 Kalinino) and Tumanjan, which had existed in the Armenian SSR of the Soviet Union since 1930/37, as well as the rajon-free towns of Alawerdi, Spitak, Stepanawan and Vanadzor.
The area was badly affected by the 1988 Spitak earthquake, especially the southern part with the towns of Spitak, Stepanawan and Wanadsor and their surrounding areas.
Lori is home to two UNESCO World Heritage Sites, the Haghpat and Sanahin monasteries. They were built in the 10th-13th centuries and, along with the Achtala Monastery and the Geghard Monastery near Yerevan, formed the spiritual centre of medieval Armenia with their libraries and schools. The ruins of Bardzrakash, Chuchap and Srbanes monasteries are located in the province.
Administration breakdown
Since the administrative reform of November 2017, the Armenian province of Lori includes 57 municipalities, of which seven are urban and 50 are rural:
| Municipality | Area (km2) | Population | Incorporated settlements |
| Achtala | Achtala Aroghjaranin Kiz, Bendik, Mez Ajrum, Neghoz, Pokr Ajrum, Shamlugh, Chochkan, Werin Achtala | ||
| Alawerdi | Akner, Akori, Jilisa, Kachachkut, Haghpat, Zaghkashat | ||
| Spitak | 5,5 | 13.000 | |
| Stepanawan | 14 | 12.800 | Armanis, Katnaghbjur, Urasar |
| Tashir | Blagodarnoye, Dashtadem, Getawan, Katnarat, Kruglaja Shishka, Lernahovit, Medovka, Meghvahovit, Noramut, Novoseltsovo, Saratovka | ||
| Tumanjan | Kober Kajaran, Shamut, Lorut, Ahnidsor, Atan, Marz, Karindsch | ||
| Wanadsor | 32 | 82.200 |
Personalities
- Haruthiun Abeljanz (1849-1921), Swiss chemist
