Girkhbulag is a village in the Novo-Bayazid uezd of the former Iravan governorate, later in the former Basarkechar (Vardenis) district, and currently in the Gegharkunik province. The provincial centre lies 77 km to the southeast of the town of Kavar (Gavar), southeast of Lake Goycha, at a height of 1,960 m above sea level. It is marked in “The Iravan Province Review Book”.

The village was inhabited only by Azerbaijanis: 247 in 1831, and along with the Armenians, 23 Azerbaijanis lived in the village in 1897. After 1831 the Armenians relocated from the Bayazid region of Türkiye were settled in the village. In 1905–1906 the Azerbaijanis were oppressed by Armenians and completely expelled from the village. After 1906 the village was inhabited only by Armenians.

The toponym was coined by combining the words “girkh” (forty) used in the Azerbaijani language to mean “plenty”, and “bulag” (a spring). The village was named “Girkhbulag”, as there were many springs in the area. There were summer pastures of the Iravan khans in the territory of Girkhbulag.

By the decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Armenian SSR dated 3 January 1935, the village was renamed “Akunk”. According to the law “On the administrative-territorial division of the Republic of Armenia” dated 7 November 1995, it was integrated into the administrative area of the Gegharkunik province.

Geographical coordinates: latitude: 40°09’ N., longitude: 45°43’ E.