Balak is a village in the Zangezur uezd of the former Yelizavetpol (Ganja) governorate, later in the former Garakilsa (Sisian) district, in the present Syunik district. The provincial centre lies 116 km to the northeast of the town of Gafan, on the right bank of the Bazarchay River, and at a height of 1,680 m above sea level. The settlement was integrated into the administrative area of Armenia following the establishment of the Zangezur uezd in Soviet Armenia on 31 August 1921. It was mentioned in “The Iravan Province Comprehensive Data Book” of 1590.

Armenians were settled in the village having been removed from the Iranian provinces of Khoy and Salmas in 1828–1829. The Azerbaijanis were driven out of their historical land by the armed Armenians.

The toponym was coined from the word “balak” used in Old Turkic in the sense of “a hill”. The official documents indicate it as “balak”.

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 Syunik province.

Geographic coordinates: latitude: 39°32’ N., longitude: 45°56′ E.