Contents
Armenia | 
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Past | Armenia | ||
| Background: | Armenia prides itself on being the first nation to formally adopt Christianity (early 4th century). Despite periods of autonomy, over the centuries Armenia came under the sway of various empires including the Roman, Byzantine, Arab, Persian, and Ottoman. During World War I in the western portion of Armenia, Ottoman Turkey instituted a policy of forced resettlement coupled with other harsh practices that resulted in an estimated 1 million Armenian deaths. The eastern area of Armenia was ceded by the Ottomans to Russia in 1828; this portion declared its independence in 1918, but was conquered by the Soviet Red Army in 1920. Armenian leaders remain preoccupied by the long conflict with Muslim Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh, a primarily Armenian-populated region, assigned to Soviet Azerbaijan in the 1920s by Moscow. Armenia and Azerbaijan began fighting over the area in 1988; the struggle escalated after both countries attained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. By May 1994, when a cease-fire took hold, Armenian forces held not only Nagorno-Karabakh but also a significant portion of Azerbaijan proper. The economies of both sides have been hurt by their inability to make substantial progress toward a peaceful resolution. Turkey imposed an economic blockade on Armenia and closed the common border because of the Armenian occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding areas. | ||
Environment | Armenia | ||
| Location: | Southwestern Asia, east of Turkey | ||
| Geographic coordinates: | 40 00 N, 45 00 E | ||
| Map references: | Asia | ||
| Area: | total: 29,800 sq km | ||
| Area - comparative: | slightly smaller than Maryland | ||
| Land boundaries: | total: 1,254 km | ||
| Coastline: | 0 km (landlocked) | ||
| Maritime claims: | none (landlocked) | ||
| Climate: | highland continental, hot summers, cold winters | ||
| Terrain: | Armenian Highland with mountains; little forest land; fast flowing rivers; good soil in Aras River valley | ||
| Elevation extremes: | lowest point: Debed River 400 m | ||
| Natural resources: | small deposits of gold, copper, molybdenum, zinc, bauxite | ||
| Land use: | arable land: 16.78% | ||
| Irrigated land: | 2,860 sq km (2003) | ||
| Total renewable water resources: | 10.5 cu km (1997) | ||
| Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural): | Total: 2.95 cu km/yr (30%/4%/66%) | ||
| Natural hazards: | occasionally severe earthquakes; droughts | ||
| Environment - current issues: | soil pollution from toxic chemicals such as DDT; the energy crisis of the 1990s led to deforestation when citizens scavenged for firewood; pollution of Hrazdan (Razdan) and Aras Rivers; the draining of Sevana Lich (Lake Sevan), a result of its use as a source for hydropower, threatens drinking water supplies; restart of Metsamor nuclear power plant in spite of its location in a seismically active zone | ||
| Environment - international agreements: | party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands | ||
| Geography - note: | landlocked in the Lesser Caucasus Mountains; Sevana Lich (Lake Sevan) is the largest lake in this mountain range | ||
People | Armenia | ||
| Population: | 2,971,650 (July 2007 est.) | ||
| Age structure: | 0-14 years: 19.5% (male 307,610/female 271,381) | ||
| Median age: | total: 30.8 years | ||
| Population growth rate: | -0.129% (2007 est.) | ||
| Birth rate: | 12.34 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) | ||
| Death rate: | 8.29 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) | ||
| Net migration rate: | -5.34 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) | ||
| Gender ratio: | at birth: 1.16 male(s)/female | ||
| Infant mortality rate: | total: 21.69 deaths/1,000 live births | ||
| Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 72.12 years | ||
| Total fertility rate: | 1.34 children born/woman (2007 est.) | ||
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | 0.1% (2003 est.) | ||
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | 2,600 (2003 est.) | ||
| HIV/AIDS - deaths: | less than 200 (2003 est.) | ||
| Nationality: | noun: Armenian(s) | ||
| Ethnic groups: | Armenian 97.9%, Yezidi (Kurd) 1.3%, Russian 0.5%, other 0.3% (2001 census) | ||
| Religions: | Armenian Apostolic 94.7%, other Christian 4%, Yezidi (monotheist with elements of nature worship) 1.3% | ||
| Languages: | Armenian 97.7%, Yezidi 1%, Russian 0.9%, other 0.4% (2001 census) | ||
| Literacy: | definition: age 15 and over can read and write | ||
Government | Armenia | ||
| Country name: | conventional long form: Republic of Armenia | ||
| Government type: | republic | ||
| Capital: | name: Yerevan | ||
| Administrative divisions: | 11 provinces (marzer, singular - marz); Aragatsotn, Ararat, Armavir, Geghark'unik', Kotayk', Lorri, Shirak, Syunik', Tavush, Vayots' Dzor, Yerevan | ||
| Independence: | 21 September 1991 (from Soviet Union) | ||
| National holiday: | Independence Day, 21 September (1991) | ||
| Constitution: | adopted by nationwide referendum 5 July 1995; amendments adopted through a nationwide referendum 27 November 2005 | ||
| Legal system: | based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction | ||
| Suffrage: | 18 years of age; universal | ||
| Executive branch: | chief of state: President Robert KOCHARIAN (since 30 March 1998) | ||
| Legislative branch: | unicameral National Assembly (Parliament) or Azgayin Zhoghov (131 seats; members elected by popular vote, 90 members elected by party list and 41 by direct vote; to serve four-year terms) | ||
| Judicial branch: | Constitutional Court; Court of Cassation (Appeals Court) | ||
| Political parties and leaders: | Armenian National Movement or ANM [Ararat ZURABYAN]; Armenian People's Party [Tigran KARAPETYAN]; Armenian Ramkavar Azadagan Party Alliance or HRAK (includes former Dashink Party, National Revival Party, and Ramkavar Liberal Party); Armenian Revolutionary Federation ("Dashnak" Party) or ARF [Hrant MARKARYAN]; Heritage Party [Raffi HOVHANNISYAN]; National Democratic Party [Shavarsh KOCHARIAN]; National Democratic Union or NDU [Vazgen MANUKIAN]; National Unity Party [Artashes GEGHAMYAN]; People's Party of Armenia [Stepan DEMIRCHYAN]; Prosperous Armenia [Gagik TSAROUKYAN]; Republic Party [Aram SARKISYAN]; Republican Party of Armenia or HHK [Serzh SARGSYAN]; Rule of Law Party (Orinats Yerkir) [Artur BAGHDASARYAN]; Union of Constitutional Rights [Hrant KHACHATURYAN]; United Labor Party [Gurgen ARSENYAN] | ||
| Political pressure groups and leaders: | Yerkrapah Union [Manvel GRIGORIAN], Aylentrank (Impeachment) [Nikol PASHINYAN] | ||
| International organization participation: | ACCT (observer), AsDB, BSEC, CE, CIS, CSTO, EAEC (observer), EAPC, EBRD, FAO, GCTU, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, MIGA, NAM (observer), OAS (observer), OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO | ||
| Diplomatic representation in the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Tatoul MARKARIAN | ||
| Diplomatic representation from the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph S. PENNINGTON | ||
| Flag description: | three equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue, and orange | ||
Business | Armenia | ||
| Business - overview: | Armenia has made progress in implementing many economic reforms including privatization, price reforms, and prudent fiscal policies. Economic growth has averaged over 20% in recent years while inflation has remained moderated and poverty has declined. Under the old Soviet central planning system, Armenia had developed a modern industrial sector, supplying machine tools, textiles, and other manufactured goods to sister republics in exchange for raw materials and energy. Since the implosion of the USSR in December 1991, Armenia has switched to small-scale agriculture away from the large agroindustrial complexes of the Soviet era. The privatization of industry has been at a slower pace, but has been given renewed emphasis by the current administration. Armenia is a food importer, and its mineral deposits (copper, gold, bauxite) are small. In the mid-1990s the Armenian Government launched an ambitious IMF-sponsored economic liberalization program that resulted in positive growth rates. Armenia has managed to slash inflation, stabilize its currency, and privatize most small- and medium-sized enterprises. Despite strong economic growth, Armenia's unemployment rate remains high. Armenia is a net energy exporter. Construction of a natural gas pipeline between Iran and Armenia is halfway completed and is scheduled to be commissioned by January 2009. Economic ties with Russia remain close, especially in the energy sector. The electricity distribution system was privatized in 2002 and bought by Russia's RAO-UES in 2005. Armenia's severe trade imbalance has been offset somewhat by international aid, remittances from Armenians working abroad, and foreign direct investment. Armenia joined the WTO in January 2003. The government made some improvements in tax and customs administration in recent years, but anti-corruption measures will be more difficult to implement. Armenia will need to pursue additional economic reforms in order to improve its economic competitiveness and to build on recent improvements in poverty and unemployment, especially given it economic isolation from two of its nearest geographic neighbors, Turkey and Azerbaijan. | ||
| GDP (purchasing power parity): | $16.83 billion (2007 est.) | ||
| GDP (official exchange rate): | $9.27 billion (2007 est.) | ||
| GDP - real growth rate: | 10.5% (2007 est.) | ||
| GDP - per capita (PPP): | $5,700 (2007 est.) | ||
| GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture: 17.2% | ||
| Labor force: | 1.2 million (November 2006) | ||
| Labor force - by occupation: | agriculture: 45% | ||
| Unemployment rate: | 7.4% (November 2006 est.) | ||
| Population below poverty line: | 26.5% (2004 est.) | ||
| Household income or consumption by percentage share: | lowest 10%: 1.6% | ||
| Distribution of family income - Gini index: | 41 (2004) | ||
| Inflation rate (consumer prices): | 4.5% (2007 est.) | ||
| Investment (gross fixed): | 32.7% of GDP (2007 est.) | ||
| Budget: | revenues: $1.501 billion | ||
| Agriculture - products: | fruit (especially grapes), vegetables; livestock | ||
| Industries: | diamond-processing, metal-cutting machine tools, forging-pressing machines, electric motors, tires, knitted wear, hosiery, shoes, silk fabric, chemicals, trucks, instruments, microelectronics, jewelry manufacturing, software development, food processing, brandy | ||
| Industrial production growth rate: | 4% (2007 est.) | ||
| Electricity - production: | 5.975 billion kWh (2005) | ||
| Electricity - production by source: | fossil fuel: 42.3% | ||
| Electricity - consumption: | 4.194 billion kWh (2005) | ||
| Electricity - exports: | 1.011 billion kWh; note - exports an unknown quantity to Georgia; includes exports to Nagorno-Karabakh region in Azerbaijan (2005) | ||
| Electricity - imports: | 231 million kWh; note - imports an unknown quantity from Iran (2005) | ||
| Oil - production: | 0 bbl/day (2005) | ||
| Oil - consumption: | 40,000 bbl/day (2005 est.) | ||
| Oil - exports: | 0 bbl/day (2004) | ||
| Oil - imports: | 41,240 bbl/day (2004) | ||
| Oil - proved reserves: | 0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.) | ||
| Natural gas - production: | 0 cu m (2005 est.) | ||
| Natural gas - consumption: | 1.63 billion cu m (2005 est.) | ||
| Natural gas - exports: | 0 cu m (2005 est.) | ||
| Natural gas - imports: | 1.63 billion cu m (2005) | ||
| Natural gas - proved reserves: | 0 cu m (1 January 2006) | ||
| Current account balance: | -$275.1 million (2007 est.) | ||
| Exports: | $1.09 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.) | ||
| Exports - commodities: | diamonds, mineral products, foodstuffs, energy | ||
| Exports - partners: | Germany 18.1%, Netherlands 14.1%, Belgium 13.4%, Russia 13.1%, Israel 7.1%, US 6.1%, Georgia 5.1%, Iran 4.9% (2006) | ||
| Imports: | $2.478 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.) | ||
| Imports - partners: | Russia 21.8%, Ukraine 7.8%, Belgium 7.6%, Turkmenistan 7.1%, Italy 6.1%, Germany 5.7%, Iran 5.7%, Israel 4.8%, US 4.5%, Georgia 4.1% (2006) | ||
| Economic aid - recipient: | ODA, $193.3 million (2005) | ||
| Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: | $1.407 billion (31 December 2007 est.) | ||
| Debt - external: | $2.261 billion (30 June 2007) | ||
| Market value of publicly traded shares: | $42.8 million (2005) | ||
| Currency (code): | dram (AMD) | ||
| Currency code: | AMD | ||
| Exchange rates: | drams per US dollar - 344.06 (2007), 414.69 (2006), 457.69 (2005), 533.45 (2004), 578.76 (2003) | ||
| Fiscal year: | calendar year | ||
Communications | Armenia | ||
| Telephones - main lines in use: | 594,400 (2005) | ||
| Telephones - mobile cellular: | 318,000 (2005) | ||
| Telephone system: | general assessment: system inadequate; an outdated telecommunications network inherited from the Soviet era; now 90% privately owned and undergoing modernization and expansion; mobile-cellular services monopoly terminated in late 2004 and a second provider began operations in mid-2005 | ||
| Radio broadcast stations: | AM 9, FM 16, shortwave 1 (2006) | ||
| Radios: | 850,000 (1997) | ||
| Television broadcast stations: | 48 (private television stations alongside 2 public networks; major Russian channels widely available) (2006) | ||
| Televisions: | 825,000 (1997) | ||
| Internet country code: | .am | ||
| Internet hosts: | 8,270 (2007) | ||
| Internet Service Providers (ISPs): | 9 (2001) | ||
| Internet users: | 172,800 (2006) | ||
Transportation | Armenia | ||
| Airports: | 12 (2007) | ||
| Airports - with paved runways: | total: 10 | ||
| Airports - with unpaved runways: | total: 2 | ||
| Pipelines: | gas 2,002 km (2006) | ||
| Railways: | total: 839 km | ||
| Roadways: | total: 7,633 km | ||
Security | Armenia | ||
| Military branches: | Armed Forces: Ground Forces, Nagorno-Karabakh Self Defense Force (NKSDF), Air Force, Air Defense Force (2006) | ||
| Military service age and obligation: | 18-27 years of age for compulsory military service; 18 years of age for voluntary military service; 2-year conscript service obligation (2006) | ||
| Manpower available for military service: | males age 18-49: 722,836 | ||
| Manpower fit for military service: | males age 18-49: 551,938 | ||
| Manpower reaching military service age annually: | males age 18-49: 31,774 | ||
| Military expenditures - percent of GDP: | 6.5% (FY01) | ||
International | Armenia | ||
| Disputes - international: | Armenia supports ethnic Armenian secessionists in Nagorno-Karabakh and since the early 1990s, has militarily occupied 16% of Azerbaijan - Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) continues to mediate dispute; over 800,000 mostly ethnic Azerbaijanis were driven from the occupied lands and Armenia; about 230,000 ethnic Armenians were driven from their homes in Azerbaijan into Armenia; Azerbaijan seeks transit route through Armenia to connect to Naxcivan exclave; border with Turkey remains closed over Nagorno-Karabakh dispute; ethnic Armenian groups in Javakheti region of Georgia seek greater autonomy; Armenians continue to emigrate, primarily to Russia, seeking employment | ||
| Refugees and internally displaced persons: | refugees (country of origin): 219,324 (Azerbaijan) | ||
| Trafficking in persons: | current situation: Armenia is a major source and, to a lesser extent, a transit and destination country for women and girls trafficked for sexual exploitation largely to the UAE and Turkey; traffickers, many of them women, route victims directly into Dubai or through Moscow; profits derived from the trafficking of Armenian victims reportedly have increased | ||
| Illicit drugs: | illicit cultivation of small amount of cannabis for domestic consumption; minor transit point for illicit drugs - mostly opium and hashish - moving from Southwest Asia to Russia and to a lesser extent the rest of Europe | ||
| This page was last updated on 17 January, 2008 Source: The World Factbook | |||
