Garabulag is a village in the Aghbaba area in the Kars uezd of the former Kars province, later in the former Amasiya (Aghbaba) district, and currently in the Shirak province. The provincial centre lies 41 km to the northwest of the town of Gumru, to the west of Lake Arpa, at a height of 2,050 m above sea level. It was marked in “The Iravan Province Review Book” and on the five-verst map of the Caucasus.

The village was inhabited by 185 Azerbaijanis in 1886, 295 in 1905, 352 in 1908 and 382 Azerbaijanis in 1914. The village was subordinated to the Southwest Caucasian Republic established in Kars in 1918–1919. In February 1920 the village was destroyed being attacked by Armenian armed forces, and the population moved to the Kars province. After the Kars Treaty of 1921, some villagers returned to the village. The village was inhabited by 179 Azerbaijanis in 1931, 215 in 1970 and 293 Azerbaijanis in 1987. In 1988 the Azerbaijanis were once again expelled from their historical and ethnic lands by the Armenian government. At present, the village is inhabited by the Armenians the Georgian districts of Akhilkelek and Bogdanovka (Ninosminda).

The toponym was coined from the hydrothermal terms “bulag” (a spring) and “gara” (black) meaning “less suitable for drinking or use”.

By the decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Armenian SSR dated 3 April 1991, the village was renamed “Shaghik”. According to the law “On the administrative-territorial division of the Republic of Armenia” dated 7 November 1995, it was integrated into the administrative territory of the Shirak province. Geographical coordinates: latitude: 41°02’ N., longitude: 43°35’ E.