It received the status of an urban-type settlement in 1946 and that of a city in 1962, growing into an important industrial center in subsequent years.

By the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Ghamarlu had become a large village where gardening, cotton growing, and viticulture were developed.

[6] In 1995, with the new law of the territorial administration of the Republic of Armenia, Artashat became the capital of the newly formed Ararat Province.

The majority of the population in Artashat are ethnic Armenians whose ancestors migrated from the Iranian districts of Khoy and Salmas, after the Russo-Persian War of 1826–28.

The regulating body of the church is the Araratian Pontifical Diocese, headed by Archbishop Navasard Kchoyan (seat in Yerevan).

In 2004, a new amusement park was inaugurated in the center of Artashat, which is used to host public celebrations, concerts and musical shows at nights.

During the events dedicated to the 1600th anniversary of the invention of the Armenian alphabet, sculptors from all over Armenia and the diaspora created many cultural monuments in the center of Artashat.

At present, the Artashat Drama Theatre named after Amo Kharazyan regularly performs several Armenian and international classic as well as modern works.

Artashat is a major point on the M-2 Motorway that connects the capital Yerevan with southern Armenia reaching up to the Iranian border.

After facing serious difficulties during the economic crisis of the 1990s in Armenia, many firms in Artashat overcame the hard situation and started producing their products to serve the domestic and international markets.

In 2009, the mineral water and soft drinks company Ararat Group opened a factory in Artashat with a total investment of US$27 million.

After the 1999 Armenian Premier League season, the club was dissolved due to financial difficulties and is currently inactive from professional football.