Map of Armenia | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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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. It was incorporated into Russia in 1828 and the USSR 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.


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Location: Southwestern Asia east of Turkey

Geographic coordinates: 40 00 N 45 00 E

Map reference: Asia

Area
Total: 29,800 km²
Water: 1,400 km²
Land: 28,400 km²
Comparative: slightly smaller than Maryland

Land boundaries
Total: 1,254 km
Border countries: (5) Azerbaijan-proper 566 km; , Azerbaijan-Naxcivan exclave 221 km; , Georgia 164 km; , Iran 35 km; , Turkey 268 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
Extremes highest point: Aragats Lerrnagagat' 4,090 m

Natural resources: small deposits of gold copper molybdenum zinc alumina

Land use
Arable land: 17.52%
Permanent crops: 2.3%
Other: 80.18% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 2,870 km² (1998 est.)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: occasionally severe earthquakes; droughts

Geography
Note: landlocked in the Lesser Caucasus Mountains; Sevana Lich (Lake Sevan) is the largest lake in this mountain range


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Population
Note: Armenia's first census since independence was conducted in October 2001, but official figures have not yet been released (July 2002 est.)
Growth rate: -0.15% (2002 est.)
Below poverty line: 55% (2001 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Armenian
Adjective: Armenian

Ethnic groups
Note: as of the end of 1993, virtually all Azeris had emigrated from Armenia

Languages: Armenian 96% Russian 2% other 2%

Religions: Armenian Apostolic 94% other Christian 4% Yezidi (Zoroastrian/animist) 2%

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 22.2% (male 374,597; female 363,115)
15-64 years: 67.7% (male 1,104,100; female 1,150,282)
65 years and over: 10.1% (male 141,330; female 196,675) (2002 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: -0.15% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 12 births/1000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 9.94 deaths/1000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -3.51 migrant(s)/1000 population (2002 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

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
International agreements party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
International agreements signed but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.03 male/female
15-64 years: 0.96 male/female
65 years and over: 0.72 male/female
Total population: 0.95 male/female (2002 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 41.07 deaths/1000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 66.59 years
Female: 71.12 years (2002 est.)
Male: 62.27 years

Total fertility rate: 1.53 children born/woman (2002 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.01% (1999 est.)
People living with hivaids: less than 500 (1999 est.)
Deaths: less than 100 (1999 est.)

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 99%
Male: 99%
Female: 98% (1989 est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional long form: Republic of Armenia
Conventional short form: Armenia
Local short form: Hayastan
Former: Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic; Armenian Republic
Local long form: Hayastani Hanrapetut'yun

Government type: republic

Capital: Yerevan

Administrative divisions: 11 provinces (marzer singular - marz); Aragatsotn Ararat Armavir Geghark'unik' Kotayk' Lorri Shirak Syunik' Tavush Vayots' Dzor Yerevan

Dependent areas

Independence: 21 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday: Independence Day 21 September (1991)

Constitution: adopted by nationwide referendum 5 July 1995

Legal system: based on civil law system

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Robert KOCHARIAN (since 30 March 1998)
Head of government: Prime Minister Andranik MARKARYAN (since 12 May 2000)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister
Elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 19 February and 5 March 2003); prime minister appointed by the president; the prime minister and Council of Ministers must resign if the National Assembly refuses to accept their program
Election results: Robert KOCHARIAN reelected president; percent of vote - Robert KOCHARIAN 67.5%, Stepan DEMIRCHYAN 32.5%

Legislative branch
Elections: last held 30 May 1999 (next to be held in the spring of 2003)
Election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Unity Bloc 61 (Republican Party 41, People's Party of Armenia 20), Stability Group (independent Armenian deputies who have formed a bloc) 21, ACP (Communists) 10, ARF (Dashnak) 8, Law and Unity Party 7, NDU 6, Law-Governed Party 6, independents 11, ANM 1; note - seats by party change frequently as deputies switch parties or announce themselves independent
Note: electoral law was changed in 2002 so ratio in next elections will be 75 deputies elected by party list, 56 by direct election

Judicial branch: Constitutional Court; Court of Cassation (Appeals Court)

Political parties and leaders: Armenian National Movement or ANM [Ararat ZURABIAN chairman]; Agro-Technical People's Group (formerly Stability Group) (parliamentary bloc); Armenian Communist Party or ACP [Vladimir DARBINYAN First Secretary]; Armenia Democratic Party [Aram SARGSIAN]; Armenian Revolutionary Federation ('Dashnak' Party) or ARF [Armen RUSTAMIAN and Aghvan VARTANYAN]; Christian Democratic Union or CDU [Khosrev HARUTYUNIAN]; Constitutional Rights Union [Hrant KHACHATRYAN]; Democratic Liberal Party/Ramkvar Azatakyan or DL/RA [Ruben MIRZAKHANIAN]; Law-Governed Party [Artur BAGDASARIAN chairman]; National Accord Front [Ashot MANUTCHARIAN]; National Accord Party [Artashes GEGAMIAN chairman]; National Democratic Alliance [Arshak ZADOYAN]; National Democratic Party [Shavarsh KOCHARIAN]; National Democratic Union or NDU [Vazgen MANUKIAN]; People's Democratic Party [Gagik ASLANYAN]; People's Deputies Group [Hovhannes HOVHANISSIAN] (parliamentary bloc); People's Party of Armenia [Stepan DEMIRCHYAN]; Republic Party [Albert BAZEYAN chairman]; Republican Party or RPA [Andranik MARKARYAN]; Shamiram Women's Movement or SWM [Shogher MATEVOSIAN]; Social Democratic (Hunchak) Party [George HAKOPIAN]; Social Democratic Union (formerly National Self-Determination Union) [Paruyr HAYRIKIAN]; Unity Bloc [Stepan DEMIRCHIAN and Andranik MARKARYAN] (a coalition of the Republican Party and People's Party of Armenia)

International organization participation: BSEC CCC CE CIS COE EAPC EBRD ECE ESCAP FAO IAEA IBRD ICAO ICRM IDA IFAD IFC IFRCS ILO IMF Interpol IOC IOM ISO ITU NAM (observer) OAS (observer) OPCW OSCE PFP UN UNCTAD UNESCO UNIDO UPU WFTU WHO WIPO WMO WToO WTrO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Arman KIRAKOSIAN
In the us chancery: 2,225 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20,008
In the us consulates general: Los Angeles
In the us fax: [1] (202) 319-2,982
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 319-1976
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador John M. ORDWAY
From the us embassy: 18 Baghramyan Ave., Yerevan 375,019
From the us mailing address: American Embassy Yerevan, Department of State, Washington, DC 20,521-7,020
From the us telephone: [374](1) 521-611, 520-791, 542-177, 542-132, 524-661, 527-001, 524-840
From the us fax: [374](1) 520-800

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top) blue and orange

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview: 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 agricultural sector has long-term needs for more investment and updated technology. 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 (gold bauxite) are small. The ongoing conflict with Azerbaijan over the ethnic Armenian-dominated region of Nagorno-Karabakh and the breakup of the centrally directed economic system of the former Soviet Union contributed to a severe economic decline in the early 1990s. By 1994 however the Armenian Government had launched an ambitious IMF-sponsored economic program that has resulted in positive growth rates in 1995-2001. Armenia also managed to slash inflation and to privatize most small- and medium-sized enterprises. The chronic energy shortages Armenia suffered in recent years have been largely offset by the energy supplied by one of its nuclear power plants at Metsamor. Armenia's severe trade imbalance has been offset somewhat by international aid domestic restructuring of the economy and foreign direct investment.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: 9.6% (2001 est.)

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity - $3,350 (2001 est.)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 29%
Industry: 32%
Services: 39% (2000 est.)

Agriculture products: fruit (especially grapes) vegetables; livestock

Industries: metal-cutting machine tools forging-pressing machines electric motors tires knitted wear hosiery shoes silk fabric chemicals trucks instruments microelectronics gem cutting jewelry manufacturing software development food processing brandy

Industrial production growth rate: 3.8% (2001)

Labor force: 1.4 million (2001)
By occupation agriculture: 44%
By occupation services: 14%
By occupation industry: 42% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate
Note: official rate is 10.9% for 2000 (2001 est.)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: 55% (2001 est.)

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 2%
Highest 10: 35% (1996)

Distribution of family income gini index: 44 (1996)

Budget
Revenues: $358 million
Expenditures: $458 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 3.1% (2000 est.)

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports: $338.5 million f.o.b. (2001 est.)
Commodities: diamonds scrap metal machinery and equipment brandy copper ore
Partners: Belgium 23% Russia 15% US 13% Iran 10% (2000)

Imports: $868.6 million f.o.b. (2001 est.)
Commodities: natural gas petroleum tobacco products foodstuffs diamonds
Partners: Russia 15% US 12% Belgium 10% Iran 9% (2000)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $839 million (June 2001)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: drams per US dollar - 564.08 (January 2002) 555.08 (2001) 539.53 (2000) 535.06 (1999) 504.92 (1998) 490.85 (1997)


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Electricity
Production: 5.69 billion kWh (2000)
Production by source fossil fuel: 36%
Production by source other: 0% (2000)
Production by source nuclear: 32%
Production by source hydro: 31%
Consumption: 4.89 billion kWh (2000)
Exports note: exports an unknown quantity to Georgia; includes exports to Nagorno-Karabakh region in Azerbaijan (2000)
Imports note: imports an unknown quantity from Iran (2000)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Main lines in use: 600,000 (2002)
Mobile cellular: 50,000 (2002)

Telephone system
General assessment: system inadequate; now 90% privately owned and undergoing modernization and expansion
Domestic: the majority of subscribers and the most modern equipment are in Yerevan (this includes paging and mobile cellular service)
International: Yerevan is connected to the Trans-Asia-Europe fiber-optic cable through Iran; additional international service is available by microwave radio relay and landline connections to the other countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States and through the Moscow international switch and by satellite to the rest of the world; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (2000)

Broadcast media

Internet
Country code: .am
Service providers isps: 9 (2001)
Users: 30,000 (2001)

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $135 million (FY01)
Percent of gdp: 6.5% (FY01)

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 12 (2001)
With paved runways total: 5
With paved runways over 3047 m: 2
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 2 (2002)
With unpaved runways total: 7
With unpaved runways over 3047 m: 1
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 2
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 3
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Heliports

Pipelines: natural gas 900 km (1991)

Railways
Total: 852 km in common carrier service; does not include industrial lines
Broad gauge: 852 km 1.520-m gauge (779 km electrified) (2001 est.)

Roadways

Waterways: NA km

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international: Armenia supports ethnic Armenian secessionists in Nagorno-Karabakh and militarily occupies 16% of Azerbaijan - Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) continues to mediate dispute; border with Turkey remains closed over Nagorno-Karabakh dispute; traditional demands regarding former Armenian lands in Turkey have subsided

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs: illicit cultivation of small amount of cannabis for domestic consumption; used as a transit point for illicit drugs - mostly opium and hashish - moving from Southwest Asia to Russia and to a lesser extent the rest of Europe