 .AM - Armenia  Radio
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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. Turkey imposed an
economic blockade on Armenia and closed the common border because of the
Armenian occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding areas.
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Location: |
Southwestern Asia, east of
Turkey |
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Geographic coordinates: |
40 00 N, 45 00 E |
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Map references: |
Asia |
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Area: |
total: 29,800 sq km
land: 28,400 sq km
water: 1,400 sq km |
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Area - comparative: |
slightly smaller than Maryland
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Land boundaries: |
total: 1,254 km
border countries: Azerbaijan-proper 566 km, Azerbaijan-Naxcivan
exclave 221 km, Georgia 164 km, Iran 35 km, Turkey 268 km |
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Coastline: |
0 km (landlocked) |
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Maritime claims: |
none (landlocked) |
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Climate: |
highland continental, hot
summers, cold winters |
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Terrain: |
Armenian Highland with
mountains; little forest land; fast flowing rivers; good soil in Aras
River valley |
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Elevation extremes: |
lowest point: Debed
River 400 m
highest point: Aragats Lerrnagagat' 4,090 m |
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Natural resources: |
small deposits of gold, copper,
molybdenum, zinc, alumina |
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Land use: |
arable land: 17.55%
permanent crops: 2.3%
other: 80.15% (2001) |
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Irrigated land: |
2,870 sq km (1998 est.) |
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Natural hazards: |
occasionally severe
earthquakes; droughts |
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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 |
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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
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent
Organic Pollutants |
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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: |
2,982,904 (July 2005 est.)
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Age structure: |
0-14 years: 21.6% (male
339,453/female 305,214)
15-64 years: 67.5% (male 938,734/female
1,074,240)
65 years and over: 10.9% (male 131,519/female
193,744) (2005 est.) |
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Median age: |
total: 30.07 years
male: 27.45 years
female: 32.84 years (2005 est.)
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Population growth rate: |
-0.25% (2005 est.) |
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Birth rate: |
11.76 births/1,000 population
(2005 est.) |
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Death rate: |
8.16 deaths/1,000 population
(2005 est.) |
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Net migration rate: |
-6.1 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2005 est.) |
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Sex ratio: |
at birth: 1.17
male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.11 male(s)/female
15-64
years: 0.87 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.68
male(s)/female
total population: 0.9 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
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Infant mortality rate: |
total: 23.28
deaths/1,000 live births
male: 28.51 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 17.13 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.) |
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Life expectancy at birth: |
total population: 71.55
years
male: 67.97 years
female: 75.75 years (2005
est.) |
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Total fertility rate: |
1.32 children born/woman (2005
est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: |
0.1% (2003 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: |
2,600 (2003 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths: |
less than 200 (2003 est.)
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Nationality: |
noun: Armenian(s)
adjective: Armenian |
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Ethnic groups: |
Armenian 97.9%, Yezidi (Kurd)
1.3%, Russian 0.5%, other 0.3% (2001 census) |
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Religions: |
Armenian Apostolic 94.7%, other
Christian 4%, Yezidi (monotheist with elements of nature worship) 1.3%
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Languages: |
Armenian 97.7%, Yezidi 1%,
Russian 0.9%, other 0.4% (2001 census) |
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Literacy: |
definition: age 15 and
over can read and write
total population: 98.6%
male: 99.4%
female: 98% (2003 est.) |
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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 |
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Government type: |
republic |
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Capital: |
Yerevan |
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Administrative divisions: |
11 provinces (marzer, singular
- marz); Aragatsotn, Ararat, Armavir, Geghark'unik', Kotayk', Lorri,
Shirak, Syunik', Tavush, Vayots' Dzor, Yerevan |
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Independence: |
21 September 1991 (from Soviet
Union) |
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National holiday: |
Independence Day, 21 September
(1991) |
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Constitution: |
adopted by nationwide
referendum 5 July 1995 |
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Legal system: |
based on civil law system
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Suffrage: |
18 years of age; universal
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Executive branch: |
chief of state:
President Robert KOCHARIAN (since 30 March 1998)
head of
government: Prime Minister Andranik MARGARYAN (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 (next to be held NA
2008); 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% |
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Legislative branch: |
unicameral National Assembly
(Parliament) or Azgayin Zhoghov (131 seats; members elected by popular
vote to serve four-year terms; 75 members elected by party list, 56 by
direct vote)
elections: last held 25 May 2003 (next to be held
in the spring of 2007)
note: percent of vote by party -
Republican Party 23.5%, Justice Bloc 13.6%, Rule of Law 12.3%, ARF
(Dashnak) 11.4%, National Unity Party 8.8%, United Labor Party 5.7%; seats
by party - Republican Party 23, Justice Bloc 14, Rule of Law 12, ARF
(Dashnak) 11, National Unity 9, United Labor 6; note - seats by party
change frequently as deputies switch parties or announce themselves
independent |
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Judicial branch: |
Constitutional Court; Court of
Cassation (Appeals Court) |
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Political parties and leaders: |
Agro-Industrial Party [Vladimir
BADALIAN]; Armenia Party [Myasnik MALKHASYAN]; Armenian National Movement
or ANM [Alex ARZUMANYAN, chairman]; Armenian Ramkavar Liberal Party or
HRAK [Harutyun MIRZAKHANYAN, chairman]; Armenian Revolutionary Federation
("Dashnak" Party) or ARF [Vahan HOVHANISSIAN]; Democratic Party [Aram
SARKISYAN]; Justice Bloc (comprised of the Democratic Party, National
Democratic Party, National Democratic Union, and the People's Party)
[Stepan DEMIRCHYAN]; National Democratic Party [Shavarsh KOCHARIAN];
National Democratic Union or NDU [Vazgen MANUKIAN]; National Unity Party
[Artashes GEGAMIAN, chairman]; People's Party of Armenia [Stepan
DEMIRCHYAN]; Republic Party [Albert BAZEYAN and Aram SARKISYAN, chairmen];
Republican Party or RPA [Andranik MARKARYAN]; Rule of Law Party [Artur
BAGDASARIAN, chairman]; Union of Constitutional Rights [Hrant
KHACHATURYAN]; United Labor Party [Gurgen ARSENIAN] |
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Political pressure groups and leaders: |
Yerkrapah Union [Manvel
GRIGORIAN] |
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International organization participation: |
BSEC, CE, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, FAO,
IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM (observer), OAS (observer), OPCW,
OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WToO, WTO |
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Diplomatic representation in the US: |
chief of mission:
Ambassador Tatoul MARKARIAN
chancery: 2225 R Street NW,
Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 319-1976
FAX: [1] (202) 319-2982
consulate(s) general: Los
Angeles |
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Diplomatic representation from the US: |
chief of mission:
Ambassador John M. EVANS
embassy: 18 Baghramyan Ave., Yerevan
375019
mailing address: American Embassy Yerevan, Department of
State, 7020 Yerevan Place, Washington, DC 20521-7020
telephone:
[374](1) 521-611, 520-791, 542-117, 542-132, 524-661, 527-001, 524-840
FAX: [374](1) 520-800 |
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Flag description: |
three equal horizontal bands of
red (top), blue, and orange |
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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 (copper, 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
liberalization program that resulted in positive growth rates in
1995-2003. Armenia joined the WTO in January 2003. Armenia also has
managed to slash inflation, stabilize the local currency (the dram), and
privatize most small- and medium-sized enterprises. The chronic energy
shortages Armenia suffered in the early and mid-1990s have been offset by
the energy supplied by one of its nuclear power plants at Metsamor.
Armenia is now a net energy exporter, although it does not have sufficient
generating capacity to replace Metsamor, which is under international
pressure to close. The electricity distribution system was privatized in
2002. Armenia's severe trade imbalance has been offset somewhat by
international aid and foreign direct investment. Economic ties with Russia
remain close, especially in the energy sector. |
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GDP: |
purchasing power parity -
$13.65 billion (2004 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate: |
9% (2004 est.) |
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GDP - per capita: |
purchasing power parity -
$4,600 (2004 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector: |
agriculture: 22.9%
industry: 36.1%
services: 41.1% (2004 est.) |
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Investment (gross fixed): |
19.8% of GDP (2004 est.) |
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Population below poverty line: |
50% (2002 est.) |
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Household income or consumption by percentage
share: |
lowest 10%: 2.3%
highest 10%: 46.2% (1999) |
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Distribution of family income - Gini index: |
44.4 (1996) |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices): |
3.5% (2004 est.) |
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Labor force: |
1.4 million (2001) |
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Labor force - by occupation: |
agriculture 45%, industry 25%,
services 30% (2002 est.) |
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Unemployment rate: |
30% (2003 est.) |
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Budget: |
revenues: $428.1 million
expenditures: $491.2 million, including capital expenditures of
NA (2004 est.) |
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Agriculture - products: |
fruit (especially grapes),
vegetables; livestock |
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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 |
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Industrial production growth rate: |
15% (2002 est.) |
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Electricity - production: |
6.492 billion kWh (2002) |
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Electricity - production by source: |
fossil fuel: 42.3%
hydro: 27%
nuclear: 30.7%
other: 0%
(2001) |
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Electricity - consumption: |
5.797 billion kWh (2002) |
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Electricity - exports: |
704 million kWh; note - exports
an unknown quantity to Georgia; includes exports to Nagorno-Karabakh
region in Azerbaijan (2002) |
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Electricity - imports: |
463 million kWh; note - imports
an unknown quantity from Iran (2002) |
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Oil - production: |
0 bbl/day (2001 est.) |
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Oil - consumption: |
5,700 bbl/day (2001 est.)
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Oil - exports: |
NA |
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Oil - imports: |
NA |
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Natural gas - production: |
0 cu m (2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - consumption: |
1.4 billion cu m (2001 est.)
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Natural gas - exports: |
0 cu m (2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - imports: |
1.4 billion cu m (2001 est.)
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Current account balance: |
$-240.4 million (2004 est.)
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Exports: |
$850 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)
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Exports - commodities: |
diamonds, mineral products,
foodstuffs, energy |
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Exports - partners: |
Belgium 16.8%, Israel 14.3%,
Russia 14.2%, Germany 11.4%, Iran 9.9%, US 7.8%, Netherlands 5.8% (2004)
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Imports: |
$1.3 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)
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Imports - commodities: |
natural gas, petroleum, tobacco
products, foodstuffs, diamonds |
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Imports - partners: |
Belgium 10.3%, Iran 10.2%,
Russia 9.8%, Israel 8.6%, US 7.7%, UAE 6.2%, Italy 5.4%, Germany 5%,
France 4.6%, Ukraine 4.5% (2004) |
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Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: |
$555 million (2004 est.) |
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Debt - external: |
$905 million (June 2001) |
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Economic aid - recipient: |
ODA $170 million (2000) |
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Currency: |
dram (AMD) |
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Currency code: |
AMD |
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Exchange rates: |
drams per US dollar - 533.45
(2004), 578.76 (2003), 573.35 (2002), 555.08 (2001), 539.53 (2000) |
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Fiscal year: |
calendar year |
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Telephones - main lines in use: |
562,600 (2003) |
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Telephones - mobile cellular: |
114,400 (2003) |
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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: 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 and through the Moscow international switch and by
satellite to the rest of the world; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat
(2000) |
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Radio broadcast stations: |
AM 9, FM 6, shortwave 1 (1998)
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Radios: |
850,000 (1997) |
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Television broadcast stations: |
3 (plus an unknown number of
repeaters); (1998) |
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Televisions: |
825,000 (1997) |
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Internet country code: |
.am |
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Internet hosts: |
2,206 (2004) |
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Internet Service Providers (ISPs): |
9 (2001) |
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Internet users: |
150,000 (2003) |
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Railways: |
total: 845 km
broad gauge: 845 km 1.520-m gauge (828 km electrified)
note: some lines are out of service (2004) |
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Highways: |
total: 8,431 km
paved: 8,161 km (includes 7,567 km of expressways)
unpaved: 270 km (2002) |
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Pipelines: |
gas 1,871 km (2004) |
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Airports: |
16 (2004 est.) |
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Airports - with paved runways: |
total: 11
over
3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2004 est.) |
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Airports - with unpaved runways: |
total: 5
1,524 to
2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 1
(2004 est.) |
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Military branches: |
Army, Air Force, Air Defense
Force |
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Military manpower - military age and obligation: |
18-27 years of age for
compulsory military service, conscript service obligation - 12 months; 18
years of age for voluntary military service (May 2004) |
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Military manpower - availability: |
males age 18-49: 722,836
(2005 est.) |
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Military manpower - fit for military service: |
males age 18-49: 551,938
(2005 est.) |
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Military manpower - reaching military age
annually: |
males: 31,774 (2005
est.) |
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Military expenditures - dollar figure: |
$135 million (FY01) |
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Military expenditures - percent of GDP: |
6.5% (FY01) |
| Transnational Issues |
Armenia |
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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; tens of thousands of Armenians emigrate,
primarily to Russia, to seek employment |
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Refugees and internally displaced persons: |
refugees (country of
origin): 236,306 (Azerbaijan)
IDPs: 50,000 (conflict with
Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh) (2004) |
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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 |
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