Map of Armenia | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024 | More stats

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Background:


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Location: Southwestern Asia, between Turkey (to the west) and Azerbaijan
Note: Armenia views itself as part of Europe; geopolitically, it can be classified as falling within Europe, the Middle East, or both

Geographic coordinates: 40 00 N, 45 00 E

Map reference: Asia

Area
Total: 29,743 km²
Land: 28,203 km²
Water: 1,540 km²
Comparative: slightly smaller than Maryland
Country comparison total: 1,570 km
Country comparison border countries: (4) Azerbaijan 996 km; Georgia 219 km; Iran 44 km; Turkey 311 km

Land boundaries
Total: 1,570 km
Border countries: (4) Azerbaijan 996 km; Georgia 219 km; Iran 44 km; Turkey 311 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
Highest point: Aragats Lerrnagagat' 4,090 m
Lowest point: Debed River 400 m
Mean elevation: 1,792 m

Natural resources: small deposits of gold, copper, molybdenum, zinc, bauxite

Land use
Agricultural land: 59.7% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land arable land: 15.8% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent crops: 1.9% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent pasture: 42% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land forest: 9.1% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land other: 31.2% (2018 est.)

Irrigated land: 1,554 km² (2020)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal
Municipal: 650 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
Industrial: 190 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
Agricultural: 1.99 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total renewable water resources: 7.77 billion m³ (2020 est.)

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
Distribution: most of the population is located in the northern half of the country; the capital of Yerevan is home to more than five times as many people as Gyumri, the second largest city in the country
Total: 2,976,765
Male: 1,456,415
Female: 1,520,350 (2024 est.)
Growth rate: -0.42% (2024 est.)
Below poverty line: 24.8% (2022 est.)
Below poverty line note: % of population with income below national poverty line

Nationality
Noun: Armenian(s)
Adjective: Armenian

Ethnic groups: Armenian 98.1%, Yezidi 1.1%, other 0.8% (2022 est.)

Languages: Armenian (official) 97.9%, Kurmanji (spoken by Yezidi minority) 1%, other 1.1%
Note: Russian is widely spoken (2011 est.)
Major-language samples: Աշխարհի Փաստագիրք, Անփոխարինելի Աղբյւր Հիմնական Տեղեկատվւթյան. (Armenian); Gheos World Guide, the indispensable source for basic information.

Religions: Armenian Apostolic Christian 95.2%, other Christian 1.6%, other 0.9%, none 0.6%, unspecified 1.7% (2022 est.)

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 17.7% (male 275,589/female 250,630)
15-64 years: 67% (male 991,490/female 1,004,101)
65 years and over: 15.3% (2024 est.) (male 189,336/female 265,619)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 49.6
Youth dependency ratio: 30.6
Elderly dependency ratio: 19.1
Potential support ratio: 5.2 (2021 est.)

Median age
Total: 38.9 years (2024 est.)
Male: 37.6 years
Female: 40.3 years

Population growth rate: -0.42% (2024 est.)

Birth rate: 10.5 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Death rate: 9.6 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Net migration rate: -5.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Population distribution: most of the population is located in the northern half of the country; the capital of Yerevan is home to more than five times as many people as Gyumri, the second largest city in the country

Urbanization
Urban population: 63.7% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 0.23% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: 1.095 million YEREVAN (capital) (2023)

Environment
Current issues: soil pollution from toxic chemicals such as DDT; deforestation; pollution of Hrazdan 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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
International agreements signed but not ratified: Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Air pollutants
Particulate matter emissions: 34.13 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: 5.16 megatons (2016 est.)
Methane emissions: 2.91 megatons (2020 est.)

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth: 25.2 years (2019 est.)

Maternal mortality ratio: 27 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 11.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
Male: 13.1 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 10 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 76.7 years (2024 est.)
Male: 73.4 years
Female: 80.1 years

Total fertility rate: 1.65 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate: 57.1% (2015/16)

Drinking water source
Improved urban: 100% of population
Improved rural: 100% of population
Improved total: 100% of population
Unimproved urban: 0% of population
Unimproved rural: 0% of population
Unimproved total: 0% of population (2020 est.)

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density: 4.2 beds/1,000 population (2014)

Sanitation facility access
Improved urban: 100% of population
Improved rural: 84.6% of population
Improved total: 94.4% of population
Unimproved urban: 0% of population
Unimproved rural: 15.4% of population
Unimproved total: 5.6% of population (2020 est.)

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 20.2% (2016)

Alcohol consumption
Per capita total: 3.77 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita beer: 0.52 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita wine: 0.46 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita spirits: 2.78 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita other alcohols: 0.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Tobacco use
Total: 25.5% (2020 est.)
Male: 49.4% (2020 est.)
Female: 1.5% (2020 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 2.6% (2015/16)

Education expenditures: 2.8% of GDP (2021 est.)

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 99.8%
Male: 99.8%
Female: 99.7% (2020)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 13 years
Male: 13 years
Female: 14 years (2021)

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15 24 total: 19% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 male: 21.5% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 female: 16% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment


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Country name
Conventional long form: Republic of Armenia
Conventional short form: Armenia
Local long form: Hayastani Hanrapetut'yun
Local short form: Hayastan
Former: Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic, Armenian Republic
Etymology: the etymology of the country's name remains obscure; according to tradition, the country is named after Hayk, the legendary patriarch of the Armenians and the great-great-grandson of Noah; Hayk's descendant, Aram, purportedly is the source of the name Armenia

Government type: parliamentary democracy
Note: constitutional changes adopted in December 2015 transformed the government to a parliamentary system

Capital
Name: Yerevan
Geographic coordinates: 40 10 N, 44 30 E
Time difference: UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Etymology: name likely derives from the ancient Urartian fortress of Erebuni established on the current site of Yerevan in 782 B.C. and whose impressive ruins still survive

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 the Soviet Union); notable earlier dates: 321 B.C. (Kingdom of Armenia established under the Orontid Dynasty), A.D. 884 (Armenian Kingdom reestablished under the Bagratid Dynasty); 1198 (Cilician Kingdom established); 28 May 1918 (Democratic Republic of Armenia declared)

National holiday: Independence Day, 21 September (1991)

Constitution
History: previous 1915, 1978; latest adopted 5 July 1995
Amendments: proposed by the president of the republic or by the National Assembly; passage requires approval by the president, by the National Assembly, and by a referendum with at least 25% registered voter participation and more than 50% of votes; constitutional articles on the form of government and democratic procedures are not amendable; amended 2005, 2015, last in 2020; the Constitutional Reform Council formed in 2019 was dissolved in December 2021, and replaced by a new Constitutional Reform Council, whose members were officially appointed in late January 2022; the new council is expected to address the form of government, i.e. presidential or semi-presidential or parliamentary, and whether to merge the Court of Cassation with the Constitutional Court

Legal system: civil law system

International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

Citizenship
Citizenship by birth: no
Citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Armenia
Dual citizenship recognized: yes
Residency requirement for naturalization: 3 years

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Vahagn KHACHATURYAN (since 13 March 2022)
Head of government: Prime Minister Nikol PASHINYAN (since 10 September 2021)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister
Elections/appointments: president indirectly elected by the National Assembly in 3 rounds if needed for a single 7-year term; election last held on 2 and 3 March 2022 (next election to be held in 2,029); prime minister indirectly elected by majority vote in two rounds if needed by the National Assembly
Election results: 2022: Vahagn KHACHATURYAN elected president in second round
Note: Nikol PASHINYAN was first elected prime minister on 8 May 2018 and reelected on January 2019; in response to a political crisis that followed Armenia's defeat in the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War in late 2020, PASHINYAN called an early legislative election for 21 June 2021; his party won the election and PASHINYAN was elected prime minister for a third time; his election was confirmed by the president on 2 August 2021, and he was sworn in on 10 September 2021

Legislative branch
Description: unicameral National Assembly (Parliament) or Azgayin Zhoghov (minimum 101 seats; current - 107 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by closed party-list proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms; four mandates are reserved for national minorities)
Elections: last held early on 20 June 2021 (next to be held in June 2,026)
Elections results: percent of vote by party/coalition - Civil Contract 53.9%, Armenia Alliance 21%, I Have Honour Alliance 5.2%, other 19.9%; seats by party/coalition - Civil Contract 71, Armenia Alliance 29, I Have Honour Alliance 7; composition - men 68, women 39, percentage women 36.5%
Note 1: additional seats allocated as necessary; the numbers usually change with each parliamentary convocation
Note 2: four mandates are reserved for national minorities; no more than 70% of the top membership of a party list can belong to the same sex; political parties must meet a 5% threshold and alliances a 7% threshold to win seats; at least three parties must be seated in the Parliament

Judicial branch
Highest courts: Court of Cassation or Appeals Court (consists of the Criminal Chamber with a chairman and 5 judges and the Civil and Administrative Chamber with a chairman and 10 judges – with both civil and administrative specializations); Constitutional Court (consists of 9 judges)
Judge selection and term of office: Court of Cassation judges nominated by the Supreme Judicial Council, a 10-member body of selected judges and legal scholars; judges appointed by the president; judges can serve until age 65; Constitutional Court judges - 4 appointed by the president, and 5 elected by the National Assembly; judges can serve until age 70
Subordinate courts: criminal and civil appellate courts; administrative appellate court; first instance courts; specialized administrative and bankruptcy courts

Political parties and leaders: Armenia Alliance or HD, Armenian National Congress or ANC, Bright Armenia, Civil Contract or KP, Country To Live In, Homeland of Armenians, Homeland Party, I Have Honor Alliance (formerly known as the Republican Party of Armenia) PUD, Liberal Party, National Democratic Party, Prosperous Armenia or BHK, Republic Party (Hanrapetutyun Party)

International organization participation: ADB, BSEC, CD, CE, CIS, CSTO, EAEC (observer), EAEU, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, GCTU, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, MIGA, NAM (observer), OAS (observer), OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us: chief of mission: Ambassador Lilit MAKUNTS (since 15 September 2021)
In the us chancery: 2,225 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 319-1976
In the us fax: [1] (202) 319-2,982
In the us email and websitel: armembassyusa@mfa.am; [link]
In the us consulates general: Glendale (CA)
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Kristina A. KVIEN (since 21 February 2023)
From the us embassy: 1 American Ave., Yerevan 0082
From the us mailing address: 7,020 Yerevan Place, Washington, DC 20,521-7,020
From the us telephone: [374] (10) 464-700
From the us fax: [374] (10) 464-742
From the us email address and website: acsyerevan@state.gov; [link]

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue, and orange; the color red recalls the blood shed for liberty, blue the Armenian skies as well as hope, and orange the land and the courage of the workers who farm it

National symbols: Mount Ararat, eagle, lion; national colors: red, blue, orange

National anthem
Name: 'Mer Hayrenik' (Our Fatherland)
Lyrics/music: Mikael NALBANDIAN/Barsegh KANACHYAN
Note: adopted 1991; based on the anthem of the Democratic Republic of Armenia (1918-1922) but with different lyrics

National heritage
Total world heritage sites: 3 (3 cultural)
Selected world heritage site locales:


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Economy overview: EEU-and CIS-member state but seeking more EU and US trade; business-friendly growth environments; stable monetary regime but vulnerable demand economy; key copper and gold exporter; persistent unemployment; large diaspora and remittances

Real gdp purchasing power parity: $57.728 billion (2023 est.); $53.108 billion (2022 est.); $47.165 billion (2021 est.)
Note: data in 2021 dollars

Real gdp growth rate: 8.7% (2023 est.); 12.6% (2022 est.); 5.8% (2021 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real gdp per capita: $20,800 (2023 est.); $19,100 (2022 est.); $16,900 (2021 est.)
Note: data in 2021 dollars

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 65.3% (2023 est.)
Government consumption: 14.1% (2023 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 20.8% (2023 est.)
Investment in inventories: 0.6% (2023 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 58.2% (2023 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -58.9% (2023 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 8.4% (2023 est.)
Industry: 23.9% (2023 est.)
Services: 59% (2023 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Agriculture products: milk, potatoes, grapes, tomatoes, vegetables, wheat, watermelons, apricots, apples, barley (2022)
Note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Industries: brandy, mining, diamond processing, metal-cutting machine tools, forging and pressing machines, electric motors, knitted wear, hosiery, shoes, silk fabric, chemicals, trucks, instruments, microelectronics, jewelry, software, food processing

Industrial production growth rate: 5.51% (2023 est.)
Note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Labor force: 1.356 million (2023 est.)
Note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Unemployment rate: 8.59% (2023 est.); 8.61% (2022 est.); 10.01% (2021 est.)
Note: % of labor force seeking employment

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15 24 total: 19% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 male: 21.5% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 female: 16% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

Population below poverty line: 24.8% (2022 est.)
Note: % of population with income below national poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $4.617 billion (2022 est.)
Expenditures: $4.13 billion (2022 est.)
Note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenses converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

Taxes and other revenues: 21.83% (of GDP) (2022 est.)
Note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

Public debt: 46.55% of GDP (2022 est.)
Note: central government debt as a % of GDP

Revenue
From forest resources: 0.28% of GDP (2018 est.)
From coal: 0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Fiscal year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 1.98% (2023 est.); 8.64% (2022 est.); 7.18% (2021 est.)
Note: annual % change based on consumer prices

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: -$510.104 million (2023 est.); $150.994 million (2022 est.); -$482.982 million (2021 est.)
Note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

Exports: $14.13 billion (2023 est.); $10.038 billion (2022 est.); $5.012 billion (2021 est.)
Note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Partners: Russia 41%, UAE 9%, China 7%, Georgia 4%, Switzerland 4% (2022)
Partners note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
Commodities: copper ore, gold, diamonds, tobacco, iron alloys (2022)
Commodities note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports: $14.279 billion (2023 est.); $10.186 billion (2022 est.); $6.12 billion (2021 est.)
Note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Partners: Russia 23%, UAE 19%, China 10%, Georgia 5%, Iran 5% (2022)
Partners note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
Commodities: postage stamps/documents, cars, broadcasting equipment, refined petroleum, natural gas (2022)
Commodities note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $3.607 billion (2023 est.); $4.112 billion (2022 est.); $3.23 billion (2021 est.)
Note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Debt external: $6.028 billion (2022 est.)
Note: present value of external debt in current US dollars

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates:


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Electricity
Access electrification total population: 100% (2022 est.)
Installed generating capacity: 3.893 million kW (2022 est.)
Consumption: 7.393 billion kWh (2022 est.)
Exports: 1.12 billion kWh (2022 est.)
Imports: 362.079 million kWh (2022 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 621.552 million kWh (2022 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels: 43.4% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Generation sources nuclear: 30% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Generation sources solar: 3.8% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 22.8% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

Coal
Production: 60 metric tons (2022 est.)
Consumption: 23,000 metric tons (2022 est.)
Exports: 32.3 metric tons (2022 est.)
Imports: 47,000 metric tons (2022 est.)
Proven reserves: 317 million metric tons (2022 est.)

Petroleum
Refined petroleum consumption: 14,000 bbl/day (2022 est.)

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas
Consumption: 2.861 billion m³ (2022 est.)
Imports: 2.861 billion m³ (2022 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions: 7.344 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
From coal and metallurgical coke: 62,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 1.669 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
From consumed natural gas: 5.613 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

Energy consumption per capita: 60.957 million Btu/person (2022 est.)


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Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 366,000 (2022 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 13 (2022 est.)
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 3.761 million (2022 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 135 (2022 est.)

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures: 5.3% of GDP (2024 est.); 5.6% of GDP (2023 est.); 4.3% of GDP (2022 est.); 4.4% of GDP (2021 est.); 5% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military and security forces: Armenian Republic Armed Forces: Armenian Army (includes land, air, air defense forces) (2024)
Note: the Police of the Republic of Armenia is responsible for internal security, while the National Security Service is responsible for national security, intelligence activities, and border control

Military service age and obligation: 18-27 for voluntary (men and women), contract (men and women) or compulsory (men) military service; contract military service is 3-12 months or 3 or 5 years; conscripts serve 24 months; men under the age of 36, who have not previously served as contract servicemen and are registered in the reserve, as well as women, regardless of whether they are registered in the reserve can be enrolled in contractual military service; all citizens aged 27 to 50 are registered in the military reserve and may be called to serve if mobilization is declared (2024)
Note: in 2023, Armenia approved six-month voluntary service for women, after which they have the option to switch to a five-year contract; previously, women served on a contract basis; as of 2021, women made up about 10% of the active duty military

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system
Number of registered air carriers: 3 (2020)
Inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 5

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: EK

Airports: 11 (2024)

Heliports: 1 (2024)

Pipelines: 3,838 km gas (high and medium pressure) (2017)

Railways

Roadways
Total: 7,700 km (2019)
Urban: 3,780 km
Non-urban: 3,920 km

Waterways

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international

Refugees and internally displaced persons
Refugees country of origin: 27,929 (Azerbaijan) (mid-year 2022)
Idps: 8,400 (2022)
Stateless persons: 816 (2022)

Illicit drugs: a transit country for illicit drugs with its location between source countries Afghanistan and Iran and the markets of Europe and Russia.