Mount Ararat

Mount Ararat is a massive, dormant compound volcano. It sits in the Eastern Anatolia region of Turkey.

This mountain is a major geological feature in West Asia. It is the third most prominent mountain in that region. It stands behind Mount Elbrus and Mount Damavand. The mountain is a complex structure known as a stratovolcano. A stratovolcano is built from layers of lava and debris. This volcano covers a large area of about 400 square kilometers.

The mountain consists of two main volcanic cones. These are Greater Ararat and Little Ararat. Greater Ararat is the larger and higher peak. It is the highest point in Turkey and the Armenian highlands. Little Ararat is the eastern cone. It is smaller and lower than the western peak. A wide north-south crack separates these two cones. This crack is a surface expression of an extensional fault. This fault is a break in the Earth's crust. Many smaller parasitic cones and lava domes sit along this fault line.

Geology explains how this massive structure formed. The mountain sits within a pull-apart basin. This basin was created by the movement of tectonic plates. Specifically, the Arabian Platform and Laurasia are moving toward each other. This movement caused the ancient Tethys Ocean to close. As the ocean closed, the land began to thicken and rise. This process is called crustal shortening. The tension between faults created a system of cracks. These cracks control where the volcanic eruptions happen. The movement also split a single depression into two basins. These are the Iğdir and Doğubeyazıt basins.

Mount Ararat has many different names. In Turkey, it is called Mount Ağrı. This name may mean "mountain of pain." This likely refers to the difficulty of climbing it. Some believe it comes from the name of a village called Ağori. In Armenia, the mountain is called Masis. This name can mean "high" or "noble." The Kurdish name is Agiri, which means "fiery mountain." In Europe, the name Ararat became famous during the Middle Ages. This happened because people linked it to Noah's Ark.

History shows how borders around the mountain have changed. For a long time, the area was a border between the Ottoman and Persian empires. After the Russo-Persian War, the territory changed hands. The Russian Empire took control of some areas. Later, the mountain became part of Turkey. This happened through the 1920 Turkish invasion of Armenia. The 1921 Treaty of Moscow and Treaty of Kars made this official. In the late 1920s, Turkey also occupied part of the eastern flank of Little Ararat. This occurred during the Kurdish Ararat rebellion.

Scientists are currently studying the mountain's changing ice cap. The summit is covered in snow and ice. However, this ice cap has been shrinking since 1957. Researchers found that the ice cap lost 29% of its area between 1976 and 2011. This is an average loss of 1.2% per year. One study suggests the permanent glacier might become temporary by 2065. This change happens because of glacial withdrawal. The height of the mountain may even appear lower as the ice melts.

Mount Ararat remains a powerful symbol for many people. It is the principal national symbol of Armenia. It appears on the Armenian coat of arms. The mountain is also a major icon for Armenian nationalism. It has inspired much literature and art. Even though it sits in Turkey, it is deeply connected to Armenian identity. The mountain's location forms a near-quadripoint. This is a place where four borders meet. These borders belong to Turkey, Iran, Armenia, and the Nakhchivan exclave of Azerbaijan.