Ulukhanli is an urban-type settlement in the Iravan uezd of the Iravan govenorate, later in the former Zangibasar (Masis) district, in the present Ararat province. The provincial centre is located 18 km to the northwest of the town of Gamarli, near the Zangi River and at a height of 830 m above sea level. It was mentioned in “The Iravan Province Review Book” compiled in 1728 and marked on the five-verst map of the Caucasus. It had been within the Gamarli (Artashat) district until the formation of the Zangibasar district.

The village had Azerbaijani population: 1,737 in 1831, 2,968 in 1873, 3,062 in 1886, 2,757 in 1897, 3,171 in 1908, 3,488 in 1914, 3,173 in 1918, 8,000 in 1919. In 1918 the Zangibasar National Council, which was formed to prevent Armenian aggression, operated in Ulukhanli. The Azerbaijanis were deported in late 1919 having been exposed to the aggression of Armenian armed units. The Azerbaijanis who survived could return to their homes only after the establishment of Soviet power on the territory of present-day Armenia. The village was inhabited by 1,882 Azerbaijanis in 1922, 1,948 Azerbaijanis, 72 Kurds and nine Armenians in 1926, 1,781 Azerbaijanis, five Armenians and 25 Kurds in 1931. According to the decision of the USSR Council of Ministers “On the resettlement of collective farmers and other Azerbaijani population from the Armenian SSR to the Kur-Araz lowland of the Azerbaijan SSR” dated 23 December 1947, the Azerbaijani population was forcibly deported to Azerbaijan. Later, some of those deported managed to return to their native lands. Ulukhanli was inhabited by 1,195 people in 1939, 3,138 in 1959, 4,961 in 1970, 8,142 in 1975, 13,248 in 1980, the majority of those were Azerbaijanis. From November to December 1988 all the Azerbaijani population was deported from Armenia by the Armenian state. At present, the urban-type settlement is inhabited by Armenians only.

The toponym was coined on the basis of the tribal name “Ulukhanli”. The village was renamed “Narimanli” in 1924.

By the decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of Armenian SSR dated 31 December 1937, the name of the village was initially changed to Zangibasar, and then it was renamed “Masis” on 31 July 1950. According to the law “On the Administrative-Territorial Division of Armenia” dated 7 November 1995, it was integrated into the administrative area of the Ararat province of Armenia.

Geographic coordinates: latitude 40°00’N, longitude 44°29’E.