| Qarqarçay | |
| Subdivision Type1: | Country |
| Subdivision Name1: | Azerbaijan |
| Length: | 115km (71miles) |
| Mouth: | Kura |
| Mouth Coordinates: | 40.1589°N 47.535°W |
| Basin Size: | 1490km2 |
The Qarqarçay or Karkar (Armenian: Կարկառ) is a river located in Azerbaijan, in the drainage basin of the Kura. Parts of the river flow through the Nagorno Karabakh. Its length is 115km (71miles), the area of the basin is 1490sqkm.[1] The river begins on the Karabakh Plateau at an altitude of 2080m (6,820feet) and is formed by the confluence of the rivers Zarysly and Khalfali.[1] The main tributaries are Ballyja, Badara and Daghdaghan. The Qarqar is fed by rain, snow and underground waters.
The Askeran fortress is situated on the banks of the Qarqar.
Qarqarçay, romanized as Gargarchay, consists of the name Gargar and the Turkic suffix -chay (Azerbaijani: -çay), meaning "river".[2] German scientist Heinrich Hübschmann explains that Karkar (Armenian: Կարկառ) is etymologized from Armenian – meaning “heap of stones”.[3]