Argun (Caucasus)

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Argun
Shatili valley, Georgia
Location of mouth in Russia Show map of Chechnya Argun (Caucasus) (Georgia) Show map of Georgia Argun (Caucasus) (Caucasus Mountains) Show map of Caucasus Mountains
Location
Countries	Georgia and Russia
Region	Mtskheta-Mtianeti
Federal subject	Chechnya
Physical characteristics
Source
• elevation	2,474 m (8,117 ft)
Mouth	Sunzha
• coordinates	43°21′12″N 45°56′56″E / 43.3532°N 45.9490°E / 43.3532; 45.9490
• elevation	69 m (226 ft)
Length	148 km (92 mi)
Basin size	3,390 km2 (1,310 sq mi)
Basin features
Progression	Sunzha→ Terek→ Caspian Sea

The Argun (Russian: Аргу́н, Chechen: Орга, Orga,^[1] Georgian: არღუნი, arghuni), also known as Chantiy-Argun, cognate with one of the biggest Chechen teips Chantiy, is a river in the Caucasus. It flows through the northern Caucasus, Georgia, and the Chechen Republic of Russia. It is an affluent of the Sunzha and lies within the river basin of the Terek. It is 148 kilometres (92 mi) long, and has a drainage basin of 3,390 square kilometres (1,310 sq mi).^[2] The river has its sources on the northern slopes of the Caucasus in Khevsureti, Georgia. The Argun flows in western Chechnya through the Itum-Kalinsky and Shatoysky districts.

This area was the first place where the Chechens established themselves. Many ruins of former villages built in the traditional style can still be seen. The Argun serves as a natural border between the Shalinsky and the Groznensky Districts. The occupation of its valley by the Russians in 1858 was an important event in the last phase of the Russian conquest of Chechnya and Dagestan. Before the First and Second Chechen Wars the region around the river was populated by numerous farms and houses. The town of Argun is named after the river.

On September 7, 2008, the only bridge crossing the Argun River, connecting northern and southern territories of Chechnya, collapsed. Drivers caught on the bridge escaped without injury. A federal road administration representative linked the accident to abnormal stress from heavy military vehicles.^[3]

Veden

Terek River

Sunzha River

Grozny

Berdikel

Vozdvizhenskoye

Dachu-Borzoi

Shatoy

Itum Kale

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Blue dots are on the Argun River.