Mugan Plain

Mugan Plain is one of the ancient territories of Iran, nowadays most of its area, about 2/3, is in the Republic of Azerbaijan and only 1/3 (100.000 Hectares) is located in Iran.

Mugan Plain is located in the west coast of Caspian Sea in the northern borders of Ardabil Province. The Iranian part of the plain from the north is confined to Aras River and the southern borders of the Republic of Azerbaijan, from the east to the earth boundaries of the Republic of Azerbaijan, from the south to the Garmy County and Khorooslou Heights and from the west to the Gharasou River in Aslandouz and Ahar County in East Azerbaijan Province.

The whole area is estimating about 300.000 to 350.000 Hectares. Weather of the plain in summer is hot and dry and in winter is temperate. The soil is brown and it’s rich to cultivate cotton and grape.

The best time to trip to Mugan plain is the second half of winter to the mid of spring, during this period the land is green and the Anemones flowers make unique landscapes.

Migrant and local birds beside the Aras River irrigation channels give the visitors an opportunity to birdwatching.

The northern part of the fertile plain, the Parsabad County is located, a land which widens out from the northern hillsides of Khoroosloudaq & Salavatdaq Mountains to the riverside of Aras by a mild slope. Generally, the landforms of the area are mountainous, foothills and the plains.

Foothill part of Mugan plain is the best part for cultivation and herding and most of the human inhabitance were located in this area.

The rich alluvium was the vital reason to build farms in 30-meter height above the sea.

Since the 18th century, Shahsavan Tribes is herding in pastures of Mugan plain and the Sabalan hillsides. After building a dam as a co-project between Iran and USSSR in 1971 most of the fertile land were sank into the water. This dam made transformations in the lives of the tribes and destroyed the ancient landforms, the dam even made the alignment in the slope lands.

There are some ancient ruins in Mugan plain belonging to the Sassanid Dynasty e.g. Bahram Teppe, Oultan Citadel in Iran and Shahriar in the Republic of Azerbaijan. Historical researches mentioned many citadels such as Oultan Qalasi, although Islamic historians in middle ages mentioned 300 to 5000 ruined cities in Mugan Plain, e.g. Bajeravan, Barzand, Pilsavar and Hamshahreh. These citadels were parts of a major plan of Sassanid Dynasty to investigate on the sedentism in Mugan plain by digging a 120 km irrigation channels.