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Guide
Introduction
| |
| Background: |
An Orthodox Christian
country, Armenia was incorporated into Russia in 1828 and the USSR in
1920. Armenian leaders remain preoccupied by the long conflict with
Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh, a primarily Armenian-populated
exclave, assigned to Soviet Azerbaijan in the 1920s by Moscow. Armenia
and Azerbaijan began fighting over the exclave 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. |
| Location: |
Southwestern Asia, east of
Turkey |
| Geographic
coordinates: |
40 00 N, 45 00 E |
| Map
references: |
Commonwealth of Independent
States |
| Area: |
total: 29,800 sq
km
land: 28,400 sq km
water: 1,400 sq km |
| Area
- comparative: |
slightly smaller than
Maryland |
| 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 |
| 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
highest point: Aragats Lerr 4,095 m |
| Natural
resources: |
small deposits of gold,
copper, molybdenum, zinc, alumina |
| Land
use: |
arable land: 17%
permanent crops: 3%
permanent pastures: 24%
forests and woodland: 15%
other: 41% (1993 est.) |
| Irrigated
land: |
2,870 sq km (1993 est.) |
| Natural
hazards: |
occasionally severe
earthquakes; droughts |
| Environment
- current issues: |
soil pollution from toxic
chemicals such as DDT; energy blockade, the result of conflict with
Azerbaijan, has 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 without adequate (IAEA-recommended) safety and
backup systems |
| Environment
- international agreements: |
party to: Air
Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Hazardous
Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
Pollutants |
| Geography
- note: |
landlocked |
| Population: |
3,336,100 (July 2001 est.) |
| Age
structure: |
0-14 years:
23.23% (male 394,194; female 380,911)
15-64 years: 67.04% (male 1,094,646; female 1,141,760)
65 years and over: 9.73% (male 135,477; female 189,112)
(2001 est.) |
| Population
growth rate: |
-0.21% (2001 est.) |
| Birth
rate: |
11.47 births/1,000 population
(2001 est.) |
| Death
rate: |
9.74 deaths/1,000 population
(2001 est.) |
| Net
migration rate: |
-3.87 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2001 est.) |
| Sex
ratio: |
at birth: 1.05
male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
| Infant
mortality rate: |
41.27 deaths/1,000 live
births (2001 est.) |
| Life
expectancy at birth: |
total population:
66.49 years
male: 62.12 years
female: 71.08 years (2001 est.) |
| Total
fertility rate: |
1.5 children born/woman (2001
est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- adult prevalence rate: |
0.01% (1999 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- people living with HIV/AIDS: |
less than 500 (1999 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- deaths: |
less than 100 (1999 est.) |
| Nationality: |
noun: Armenian(s)
adjective: Armenian |
| Ethnic
groups: |
Armenian 93%, Azeri 3%,
Russian 2%, other (mostly Yezidi Kurds) 2% (1989)
note: as of the end of 1993, virtually all Azeris had
emigrated from Armenia |
| Religions: |
Armenian Orthodox 94% |
| Languages: |
Armenian 96%, Russian 2%,
other 2% |
| Literacy: |
definition: age
15 and over can read and write
total population: 99%
male: 99%
female: 98% (1989 est.) |
| 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 |
| Government
type: |
republic |
| Administrative
divisions: |
10 provinces (marzer,
singular - marz) and 1 city* (k'aghak'ner, singular - k'aghak');
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 |
| Legal
system: |
based on civil law system |
| 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; special election last held 30 March 1998 (next to be
held NA March 2003); prime minister appointed by the president
election results: Robert KOCHARIAN elected president;
percent of vote - Robert KOCHARIAN 59.5%, Karen DEMIRCHYAN 40.5% |
| Legislative
branch: |
unicameral National Assembly
(Parliament) or Azgayin Zhoghov (131 seats; members serve four-year
terms)
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 10, ARF (Dashnak) 8, Law and Unity Party 7, NDU 6,
Law-Governed Party 6, independents 10, unfilled 2; note - seats by party
change frequently |
| Judicial
branch: |
Supreme Court; Constitutional
Court |
| Political
parties and leaders: |
Armenia Party [Myasnik
ALKHASYAN]; Armenian Communist Party or ACP [Vladimir DARBINYAN];
Armenian Revolutionary Federation ("Dashnak" Party) or ARF [Hrant
MARKARYAN]; Christian Democratic Union or CDU [Azat ARSHAKYN, chairman];
Democratic Liberal Party [Ramkavar AZATAKAN, chairman]; Free Armenian's
Mission [Ruben MNATSANIAN, chairman]; Law and Unity Party [Artashes
GEGAMIAN, chairman]; Law-Governed Party [Artur BAGDASARIAN, chairman];
Mission Party [Artush PAPOIAN, chairman]; National Democratic Union or
NDU [Vazgen MANUKIAN]; National State Party [Samvel SHAGINIAN];
Pan-Armenian National Movement or PANM [Vano SIRADEGHYAN]; People's
Party of Armenia [Stepan DEMIRCHYAN]; Republican Party or RPA [Andranik
MARKARYAN]; Shamiram Women's Movement or SWM [Gayane SARUKHYAN]; Social
Democratic (Hnchakian) Party [Ernst SOGOMONYAN]; Stability Group [Vartan
AYVAZIAN, chairman]; Union of National Self-Determination or NSDU [Paruir
HAIRIKIAN, chairman]; Unity Bloc [Stepan DEMIRCHIAN and Andranik
MARKARYAN] (a coalition of the Republican Party and People's Party of
Armenia) |
| Political
pressure groups and leaders: |
NA |
| International
organization participation: |
BSEC, CCC, CE, CIS, EAPC,
EBRD, ECE, ESCAP, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
ILO, IMF, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM (observer), OPCW,
OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO,
WTrO (observer) |
| Diplomatic
representation in the US: |
chief of mission:
Ambassador Arman KIRAKOSIAN
chancery: 2225 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 319-1976
FAX: [1] (202) 319-2982
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles |
| Diplomatic
representation from the US: |
chief of mission:
Ambassador Michael C. LEMMON
embassy: 18 Marshal Bagramian Avenue, Yerevan
mailing address: American Embassy Yerevan, Department of
State, Washington, DC 20521-7020
telephone: [374] (2) 52-16-11
FAX: [374] (2) 151-550 |
| Flag
description: |
three equal horizontal bands
of red (top), blue, and orange |
| 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
1995-2000. 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, importing three times its exports, has been
offset somewhat by international aid, domestic restructuring of the
economy, and foreign direct investment. |
| GDP: |
purchasing power parity - $10
billion (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- real growth rate: |
5% (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- per capita: |
purchasing power parity -
$3,000 (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- composition by sector: |
agriculture: 40%
industry: 25%
services: 35% (1999 est.) |
| Population
below poverty line: |
45% (1999 est.) |
| Household
income or consumption by percentage share: |
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
| Inflation
rate (consumer prices): |
1% (1999 est.) |
| Labor
force: |
1.5 million (1999) |
| Labor
force - by occupation: |
agriculture 55%, services
25%, industry 20% (1999 est.) |
| Unemployment
rate: |
20% (1998 est.)
note: official rate is 9.3% for 1998 |
| Budget: |
revenues: $360
million
expenditures: $566 million, including capital expenditures
of $NA (1999 est.) |
| 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, brandy |
| Industrial
production growth rate: |
5% (2000 est.) |
| Electricity
- production: |
6.668 billion kWh (1999) |
| Electricity
- production by source: |
fossil fuel:
45.56%
hydro: 23.25%
nuclear: 31.19%
other: 0% (1999) |
| Electricity
- consumption: |
6.201 billion kWh (1999) |
| Electricity
- exports: |
0 kWh (1999) |
| Electricity
- imports: |
0 kWh (1999) |
| Agriculture
- products: |
fruit (especially grapes),
vegetables; livestock |
| Exports: |
$284 million (f.o.b., 2000
est.) |
| Exports
- commodities: |
diamonds, scrap metal,
machinery and equipment, brandy, copper ore |
| Exports
- partners: |
Belgium 36%, Iran 15%, Russia
14%, US 7%, Turkmenistan, Georgia (1999) |
| Imports: |
$913 million (f.o.b., 2000
est.) |
| Imports
- commodities: |
natural gas, petroleum,
tobacco products, foodstuffs, diamonds |
| Imports
- partners: |
Russia 17%, US 11%, Belgium
11%, Iran 10%, UK, Turkey (1999) |
| Debt
- external: |
$836 million (January 2001) |
| Economic
aid - recipient: |
$245.5 million (1995) |
| Exchange
rates: |
drams per US dollar - 554.29
(1 February 2001), 539.53 (2000), 535.06 (1999), 504.92 (1998), 490.85
(1997), 414.04 (1996) |
| Fiscal
year: |
calendar year |
| Telephones
- main lines in use: |
568,000 (1997) |
| Telephones
- mobile cellular: |
6,220 (1997) |
| 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 |
| Radio
broadcast stations: |
AM 9, FM 6, shortwave 1
(1998) |
| Television
broadcast stations: |
4 (1998) |
| Televisions: |
825,000 (1997) |
| Internet
country code: |
.am |
| Internet
Service Providers (ISPs): |
1 (1999) |
| Internet
users: |
30,000 (2000) |
| 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) |
| Highways: |
total: 8,431 km
()
paved: NA
unpaved: NA (1997) |
| Pipelines: |
natural gas 900 km (1991) |
| Airports
- with unpaved runways: |
total: 7
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
| Military
branches: |
Army, Air Force and Air
Defense Aviation, Air Defense Force, Security Forces (internal and
border troops) |
| Military
manpower - military age: |
18 years of age |
| Military
manpower - availability: |
males age 15-49:
905,154 (2001 est.) |
| Military
manpower - fit for military service: |
males age 15-49:
715,734 (2001 est.) |
| Military
manpower - reaching military age annually: |
males: 34,998
(2001 est.) |
| Military
expenditures - dollar figure: |
$75 million (FY99) |
| Military
expenditures - percent of GDP: |
4% (FY99) |
| Disputes
- international: |
Armenia supports ethnic
Armenians in the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan in the
longstanding, separatist conflict against the Azerbaijani Government;
traditional demands regarding former Armenian lands in Turkey have
subsided |
| Illicit
drugs: |
illicit cultivator of
cannabis mostly for domestic consumption; increasingly used as a
transshipment point for illicit drugs - mostly opium and hashish - to
Western Europe and the US via Iran, Central Asia, and Russia |
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