The Effects of Zangezur Corridor on Turkey's Eastern Mediterranean Ports Hinterland

Year 2023, Volume: 2 Issue: 4, 1 - 16, 30.12.2023

Burcu Aracıoğlu , Soner Esmer

Abstract

In the historical process, it is seen that many roads such as the Silk Road and the Spice Road have been established to maintain international trade between the continents of Asia and Europe. Countries located on these routes have gained significant socio-cultural and economic gains with these structures they are a part of. It is seen that these trade routes have been changed, disused or restructured with the changes experienced over time, such as geographical discoveries. The corridor known as the Zengezur Corridor which will be focused on within the scope of this study, is considered as one of these new structures.

The Zangezur region, which was given to Armenians by the Soviets in order to cut the relations between Turkey and Azerbaijan, was taken back by Azerbaijan in 2020. The Zangezur region, with its location on the Azerbaijan-Nakhchivan border, has a very critical importance in terms of a trade route that can be established.

In this study, the effects of this logistics corridor between Turkey and the Turkic Republics, which have cultural and historical ties, on Turkey's Eastern Mediterranean ports will be analyzed. With this connection, in addition to the road and railway infrastructure of the region, it is thought that important advantages can be developed within the scope of Asia - Europe trade with port connections with an expanded hinterland. In this study, expectations for this structure, existing commercial and transport infrastructure will be analyzed and suggestions will be tried to be developed.

Keywords

Transport Geography, Zengezur Corridor, Eastern Mediterranean, Port

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