Gabakhli is a village in the Sharur-Daralayaz uezd of the former Iravan governorate, later in the former Keshishkend (Yeghegnadzor) district, and currently in the Vayots Dzor province. It lies 16 km to the northeast of the Yeghegnadzor settlement, on the left bank of the Arpachay, at a height of 1,850 m above sea level. It was marked on the five-verst map of the Caucasus.

The village was solely inhabited by Azerbaijanis: 45 in 1831, 268 in 1873, 429 in 1886, 566 in 1897, 614 in 1904, 675 in 1914 and 763 Azerbaijanis in 1916. In 1918 the villagers exposed to aggression by Armenian armed forces were deported. Following the establishment of Soviet power in the territory of present-day Armenia, some Azerbaijanis managed to return to their village. The village was solely inhabited by Azerbaijanis: 59 in 1922, 217 in 1926 and 330 Azerbaijanis in 1931. In late November 1988 the villagers were deported from their historical and ethnic lands by the Armenian government. At present, the village is inhabited by Armenians.

The toponym was coined by adding the identifying suffix “-li” to the name of the Turkic Gabag tribe, and means “a place, village belonging to the Gabag tribe”. It was one of the Turkic tribes called “Gabag” living in Armenia and spending winter in Karabakh.

By the decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Armenian SSR dated 8 August 1991, the village was renamed “Gokhtanik”. 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 Vayots Dzor province.

Geographical coordinates: latitude: 39°52’ N., longitude: 45°28’ E.