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, the Ottoman Empire instituted a policy of forced resettlement coupled with other harsh practices that resulted in at least 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 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 trilateral cease-fire between Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Nagorno-Karabakh took hold, ethnic Armenian forces held not only Nagorno-Karabakh but also seven surrounding regions - approximately 14 percent of Azerbaijan’s territory. The economies of both sides have been hurt by their inability to make substantial progress toward a peaceful resolution.Turkey closed the common border with Armenia in 1993 in support of Azerbaijan in its conflict with Armenia over control of Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding areas, further hampering Armenian economic growth. In 2009, Armenia and Turkey signed Protocols normalizing relations between the two countries, but neither country ratified the Protocols, and Armenia officially withdrew from the Protocols in March 2018. In January 2015, Armenia joined Russia, Belarus, and Kazakhstan as a member of the Eurasian Economic Union. In November 2017, Armenia signed a Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with the EU.

Geographic coordinates: 40 00 N, 45 00 E

Map reference: Asia

Area
Total: 29,743 km²
Land: 28,203 km²
Water: 1540 km²
Rank: 143
Comparative: slightly smaller than Maryland

Land boundaries
Total: 1570 km
Border countries: (4) Azerbaijan 996 km; , Georgia 219 km; , Iran 44 km; , Turkey 311 km

Coastline: 0 km
Note: (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
Mean elevation: 1792 m
Elevation extremes: 400 m
Note: lowest point: Debed River

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

Land use
Agricultural land: 59.7% (2014 est.)
Forest: 9.1% (2014 est.)
Other: 31.2% (2014 est.)

Irrigated land: 2,740 km² (2012)

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

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: 3,038,217 (July 2018 est.)
Rank: 137
Growth rate: -0.25% (2018 est.)
Growth rate rank: 213
Below poverty line: 32% (2013 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Armenian(s)
Adjective: Armenian

Ethnic groups: Armenian 98.1%, Yezidi (Kurd) 1.2%, other 0.7% (2011 est.)

Languages:

Religions: Armenian Apostolic 92.6%, Evangelical 1%, other 2.4%, none 1.1%, unspecified 2.9% (2011 est.)

Age structure
0-14 years: 18.86% (male 303,712 /female 269,279)
15-24 years: 12.37% (male 195,722 /female 179,970)
25-54 years: 43.31% (male 640,089 /female 675,643)
55-64 years: 13.77% (male 192,515 /female 225,882)
65 years and over: 11.7% (male 142,835 /female 212,570) (2018 est.)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 44.4 (2015 est.)
Youth dependency ratio: 28.7 (2015 est.)
Elderly dependency ratio: 15.8 (2015 est.)
Potential support ratio: 6.3 (2015 est.)

Median age
Total: 35.6 years
Male: 33.9 years
Female: 37.4 years (2018 est.)
Rank: 78

Population growth rate: -0.25% (2018 est.)
Rank: 213

Birth rate: 12.6 births/1000 population (2018 est.)
Rank: 153

Death rate: 9.5 deaths/1000 population (2018 est.)
Rank: 47

Net migration rate: -5.7 migrant(s)/1000 population (2017 est.)
Rank: 194

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: 63.1% of total population
Note: (2015-20 est.)
Rate of urbanization: 0.22% annual rate of change

Major urban areas
Population: 1.08 million YEREVAN (capital) (2018)

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, Desertification, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
International agreements signed but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.12 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
0-14 years: 1.14 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
15-24 years: 1.06 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
25-54 years: 0.93 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
55-64 years: 0.84 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
Total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth: 24.4 years (2015/16 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 12.3 deaths/1000 live births (2018 est.)
Male: 13.7 deaths/1000 live births (2018 est.)
Female: 10.7 deaths/1000 live births (2018 est.)
Rank: 110

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 75.1 years (2018 est.)
Male: 71.8 years (2018 est.)
Female: 78.7 years (2018 est.)
Rank: 113

Total fertility rate: 1.64 children born/woman (2018 est.)
Rank: 177

Contraceptive prevalence rate: 57.1% (2015/16)

Drinking water source
Urban: 0% of population
Rural: 0% of population
Total: 0% of population (2015 est.)

Physicians density: 2.8 physicians/1000 population (2014)

Hospital bed density: 4.2 beds/1000 population (2015)

Sanitation facility access
Urban: 3.8% of population (2015 est.)
Rural: 21.8% of population (2015 est.)
Total: 10.5% of population (2015 est.)

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.2% (2017 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 91
People living with hivaids: 3,400 (2017 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 121
Deaths note: <200 (2017 est.)

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 20.2% (2016)
Rank: 101

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 2.6% (2016)
Rank: 106

Education expenditures: 2.8% of GDP (2016)
Rank: 151

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)
Total population: 99.7% (2015 est.)
Male: 99.7% (2015 est.)
Female: 99.6% (2015 est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 13 years (2015)
Male: 13 years (2015)
Female: 13 years (2015)

Country name
Conventional long form: Republic of Armenia
Conventional short form: Armenia
Local long form: Hayastani Hanrapetutyun
Local short form: Hayastan
Former: Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic, Armenian Republic
Etymology: the etymology of the countrys 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; Hayks 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 impresive ruins still survive

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 the Soviet Union)

National holiday: Independence Day, 21 September (1991)

Constitution
History: previous 1915, 1978; latest adopted 5 July 1995 (2017)
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, 2007, 2008, last in 2015 (2017): note: a 2015 amendment, approved in December 2015 by a public referendum and effective for the 2017-18 electoral cycle, changes the government type from the current semi-presidential system to a parliamentary system

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 Armen SARKISSIAN (since 9 April 2018)
Head of government: Prime Minister Nikol PASHINYAN (since 8 May 2018); First Deputy Prime Minister Ararat MIRZOYAN (since 11 May 2018)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister
Electionsappointments: president indirectly elected by the National Assembly in 3 rounds if needed for a single 7-year term; election last held on 2 March 2018; prime minister elected by majority vote in 2 rounds if needed by the National Assembly; election last held on 8 May 2018
Election results: Armen SARKISSIAN elected president in first round; note - Armen SARKISSIAN ran unopposed and won the Assembly vote 90-10; Nikol PASHINYAN elected prime minister in second round; note - Nikol PASHINYAN ran unopposed and won the Assembly vote 59-42: note: Nikol PASHINYAN resigned his post on 16 October 2018 but remains on as Acting Prime Minister until new elections are held on 9 December 2018

Legislative branch
Description: unicameral National Assembly (Parliament) or Azgayin Zhoghov (minimum 101 seats, currently 132; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms)
Elections: last held on 9 December 2018 (next elections to be held December 2023)
Election results: percent of vote by party - My Step Alliance 70.4%, BHK 8.3%, Bright Armenia 6.4%, other 14.9%; seats by party - My Step Alliance 88, BHK 26, Bright Armenia 18; composition - men 112, women 20, percent of women 15.2%

Judicial branch
Highest courts: Court of Cassation (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: Armenian National Congress or ANC (bloc of independent and opposition parties) [Levon TER-PETROSSIAN]Armenian National Movement or ANM [Ararat ZURABIAN]Armenian Revolutionary Federation or ARF ('Dashnak' Party) [Hrant MARKARIAN]Bright Armenia [Edmon MARUKYAN]Christian Democratic Rebirth Party [Levon SHIRINYAN] Citizen's Decision [Suren SAHAKYAN] Civil Contract [Nikol PASHINYAN]Heritage Party [Raffi HOVHANNISIAN]Mission Party [Manuk SUKIASYAN]My Step Alliance (Civil Contract Party and Mission Party) [Nikol PASHINYAN]National Progress Party [Lusine HAROYAN]People's Party of Armenia [Stepan DEMIRCHIAN]Prosperous Armenia or BHK [Gagik TSARUKYAN]Republic [Aram SARGSYAN]Republican Party of Armenia or RPA [Serzh SARGSIAN]Rule of Law Party (Orinats Yerkir) or OEK [Artur BAGHDASARIAN]Sasna Tser [Varuzhan AVETISYAN] We Alliance or FD-H [Aram SARGSIAN]

International organization participation: ADB, BSEC, CD, CE, CIS, CSTO, EAEC (observer), EAEU, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, GCTU, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), 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, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Varuzhan NERSESSYAN (since November 2018)
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 consulate: Glendale (CA)
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Richard MILLS (since 13 February 2015)
From the us embassy: 1 American Ave., Yerevan 0082
From the us mailing address: American Embassy Yerevan, US Department of State, 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

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)
Lyricsmusic: Mikael NALBANDIAN/Barsegh KANACHYAN: note: adopted 1991; based on the anthem of the Democratic Republic of Armenia (1918-1922) but with different lyrics

Economy overview: Under the old Soviet central planning system, Armenia developed a modern industrial sector, supplying machine tools, textiles, and other manufactured goods to sister republics, in exchange for raw materials and energy. Armenia has since switched to small-scale agriculture and away from the large agro industrial complexes of the Soviet era. Armenia has only two open trade borders - Iran and Georgia - because its borders with Azerbaijan and Turkey have been closed since 1991 and 1993, respectively, as a result of Armenia's ongoing conflict with Azerbaijan over the separatist Nagorno-Karabakh region.Armenia joined the World Trade Organization in January 2003. The government has made some improvements in tax and customs administration in recent years, but anti-corruption measures have been largely ineffective. Armenia will need to pursue additional economic reforms and strengthen the rule of law in order to raise its economic growth and improve economic competitiveness and employment opportunities, especially given its economic isolation from Turkey and Azerbaijan.Armenia's geographic isolation, a narrow export base, and pervasive monopolies in important business sectors have made it particularly vulnerable to volatility in the global commodity markets and the economic challenges in Russia. Armenia is particularly dependent on Russian commercial and governmental support, as most key Armenian infrastructure is Russian-owned and/or managed, especially in the energy sector. Remittances from expatriates working in Russia are equivalent to about 12-14% of GDP. Armenia joined the Russia-led Eurasian Economic Union in January 2015, but has remained interested in pursuing closer ties with the EU as well, signing a Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement with the EU in November 2017. Armenia’s rising government debt is leading Yerevan to tighten its fiscal policies - the amount is approaching the debt to GDP ratio threshold set by national legislation.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 136

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 12

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 142

Gross national saving:
Rank: 112

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 76.7% (2017 est.)
Government consumption: 14.2% (2017 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 17.3% (2017 est.)
Investment in inventories: 4.1% (2017 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 38.1% (2017 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -50.4% (2017 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 16.7% (2017 est.)
Industry: 28.2% (2017 est.)
Services: 54.8% (2017 est.)

Agriculture products: fruit (especially grapes and apricots), vegetables; livestock

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: 5.4% (2017 est.)
Rank: 51

Labor force: 1.507 million (2017 est.)
Rank: 131
By occupation agriculture: 36.3%
By occupation industry: 17%
By occupation services: 46.7% (2013 est.)

Unemployment rate:
Rank: 183

Population below poverty line: 32% (2013 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 25.7% (2014)
Highest 10: 25.7% (2014)

Distribution of family income gini index:
Rank: 125

Budget
Revenues: 2.644 billion (2017 est.)
Expenditures: 3.192 billion (2017 est.)
Surplus or deficit: -4.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 167

Taxes and other revenues: 22.9% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Rank: 130

Public debt:
Rank: 89

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices:
Rank: 44

Central bank discount rate:
Rank: 57

Commercial bank prime lending rate:
Rank: 47

Stock of narrow money:
Rank: 141

Stock of broad money:
Rank: 149

Stock of domestic credit:
Rank: 120

Market value of publicly traded shares:
Rank: 121

Current account balance:
Rank: 107

Exports:
Rank: 135
Partners: Russia 24.2%, Bulgaria 12.8%, Switzerland 12%, Georgia 6.9%, Germany 5.9%, China 5.5%, Iraq 5.4%, UAE 4.6%, Netherlands 4.1% (2017)
Commodities: unwrought copper, pig iron, nonferrous metals, gold, diamonds, mineral products, foodstuffs, brandy, cigarettes, energy

Imports:
Rank: 142
Commodities: natural gas, petroleum, tobacco products, foodstuffs, diamonds, pharmaceuticals, cars
Partners: Russia 28%, China 11.5%, Turkey 5.5%, Germany 4.9%, Iran 4.3% (2017)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
Rank: 119

Debt external:
Rank: 113

Stock of direct foreign investment at home:
Rank: 109

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad:
Rank: 107

Exchange rates:

Electricity
Access electrification total population: 100% (2016)
Production: 6.951 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Production rank: 112
Consumption: 5.291 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Consumption rank: 121
Exports: 1.424 billion kWh (2015 est.)
Exports rank: 50
Imports: 275 million kWh (2016 est.)
Imports rank: 90
Installed generating capacity: 4.08 million kW (2016 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 86
Generation sources fossil fuels: 58% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 134
Generation sources nuclear: 9% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 15
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 32% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 65
Generation sources other renewable sources: 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 173

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 105
Crude oil exports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 86
Crude oil imports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 90
Crude oil proven reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 103

Refined petroleum
Products production: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products production rank: 114
Products consumption: 8,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)
Products consumption rank: 162
Products exports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products exports rank: 126
Products imports: 7,145 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products imports rank: 158

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Production rank: 100
Consumption: 2.35 billion m³ (2017 est.)
Consumption rank: 80
Exports: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Exports rank: 62
Imports: 2.35 billion m³ (2017 est.)
Imports rank: 48
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2014 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 106

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 5.501 million Mt (2017 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 131

Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 505,190 (2017 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 17 (2017 est.)
Fixed lines rank: 94
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 3,488,524 (2017 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 115 (2017 est.)
Mobile cellular rank: 135

Telephone system
General assessment: telecommunications investments have made major inroads in modernizing and upgrading the outdated telecommunications network inherited from the Soviet era; now 100% privately owned and undergoing modernization and expansion; with a small populaton and low GDP - moderate growth in mobile market; mobile operators promise mobile broadband to be faster (2017)
Domestic: 17 per 100 fixed-line, 115 per 100 mobile-cellular; reliable fixed-line and mobile-cellular services are available across Yerevan and in major cities and towns; mobile-cellular coverage available in most rural areas (2017)
International: country code - 374; 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, through the Moscow international switch, and by satellite to the rest of the world; satellite earth stations - 3 (2015)

Broadcast media: 2 public TV networks operating alongside about 40 privately owned TV stations that provide local to near nationwide coverage; major Russian broadcast stations are widely available; subscription cable TV services are available in most regions; Armenian TV completed conversion from analog to digital broadcasting in late 2016; Public Radio of Armenia is a national, state-run broadcast network that operates alongside 21 privately owned radio stations; several major international broadcasters are available (2017)

Internet
Country code: .am
Users total: 1,891,775 (July 2016 est.)
Users percent of population: 62% (July 2016 est.)
Users rank: 116

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 315,319 (2017 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 10 (2017 est.)
Rank: 94

Military expenditures:
Rank: 13

Military service age and obligation: 18-27 years of age for voluntary or compulsory military service; 2-year conscript service obligation; 17 year olds are eligible to become cadets at military higher education institutes, where they are classified as military personnel (2012)

National air transport system
Number of registered air carriers: 3 (2015)
Inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 5 (2015)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: EK (2016)

Airports: 11 (2013)
Rank: 153
With paved runways total: 10 (2017)
With paved runways over 3047 m: 2 (2017)
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 2 (2017)
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 4 (2017)
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 2 (2017)
With unpaved runways total: 1 (2013)
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 1 (2013)

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

Railways
Total: 780 km (2014)
Broad gauge: 780 km
Note: 1.520-m gauge (780 km electrified) (2014): note: 726 km operational
Rank: 98

Roadways
Total: 7,792 km (2013)
Rank: 142

Disputes international: the dispute over the break-away Nagorno-Karabakh region and the Armenian military occupation of surrounding lands in Azerbaijan remains the primary focus of regional instabilityresidents have evacuated the former Soviet-era small ethnic enclaves in Armenia and AzerbaijanTurkish authorities have complained that blasting from quarries in Armenia might be damaging the medieval ruins of Ani, on the other side of the Arpacay valleyin 2009, Swiss mediators facilitated an accord reestablishing diplomatic ties between Armenia and Turkey, but neither side has ratified the agreement and the rapprochement effort has falteredlocal border forces struggle to control the illegal transit of goods and people across the porous, undemarcated Armenian, Azerbaijani, and Georgian bordersethnic Armenian groups in the Javakheti region of Georgia seek greater autonomy from the Georgian Government

Refugees and internally displaced persons
Refugees: 14,680 (Syria - ethnic Armenians) (2017)
Stateless persons: 773 (2017)

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