Armenia

Armenia 

 
Geography                 Economy                 Defense Forces
 

People                    Transportation          Government



Communications            History      	          Travel

GEOGRAPHY

Location

Southwestern Asia, east of Turkey

Area

Land Boundaries

Total 1,254 km, Azerbaijan (east) 566 km, Azerbaijan (south) 221 km, Georgia 164 km, Iran 35 km, Turkey 268 km

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime Claims

None; landlocked

International Disputes

Supports ethnic Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh in their separatist conflict against the Azerbaijani government; traditional demands on former Armenian lands in Turkey have subsided

Climate

Highland continental, hot summers, cold winters

Terrain

High Armenian Plateau with mountains; little forest land; fast flowing rivers; good soil in Aras River valley
lowest point: Debed River 400 m
highest point: Aragats Lerr 4,095 m

Natural Resources

Land Use

Irrigated Land

3,050 sq km (1990)

Environment

Note: Landlocked

PEOPLE

Population

3,463,574 (July 1996 est.)
3,557,284 (July 1995 est.)

Age Structure

0-14 Years

28% (male 497,461; female 476,649) (July 1996 est.)
31% (male 570,998; female 542,664) (July 1995 est.)

15-64 Years

64% (male 1,085,935; female 1,132,282) (July 1996 est.)
61% (male 1,076,226; female 1,103,171) (July 1995 est.)

65 Years and Over

8% (male 111,661; female 159,586) (July 1996 est.)
8% (male 109,441; female 154,784) (July 1995 est.)

Population Growth Rate

0.02% (1996 est.)
0.94% (1995 est.)

Birth Rate

16.27 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)
22.79 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death Rate

7.73 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)
6.66 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Net Migration Rate

-8.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)
-6.68 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
all ages: 0.96 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant Mortality Rate

38.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)
26 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Life Expectancy at Birth

Total Fertility Rate

2.06 children born/woman (1996 est.)
3.06 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Nationality

Ethnic Divisions

Note: As of the end of 1993, virtually all Azeris had emigrated from Armenia

Religions

Languages

Armenian 96%, Russian 2%, other 2%

Literacy

Age 15 and over that can read and write (1989)

Labor Force

1.012 million

By occupation:

GOVERNMENT

Names

Digraph

AM

Type

Republic

Capital

Yerevan

Administrative Divisions

37 regions (shrjanner, singular - shrjan) and 23 cities* (kaghakner, singular - kaghak); Abovyan*, Akhuryani Shrjan, Alaverdi*, Amasiayi Shrjan, Anii Shrjan, Aparani Shrjan, Aragatsi Shrjan, Ararat*, Ararati Shrjan, Armaviri Shrjan, Artashat*, Artashati Shrjan, Art'ik*, Art'iki Shrjan, Ashots'k'i Shrjan, Ashtarak*, Ashtaraki Shrjan, Baghramyani Shrjan, Ch'arents'avan*, Dilijan*, Ejmiatsin*, Ejmiatsni Shrjan, Goris*, Gorisi Shrjan, Gugark'i Shrjan, Gyumri*, Hoktemberyan*, Hrazdan*, Hrazdani Shrjan, Ijevan*, Ijevani Shrjan, Jermuk*, Kamo*, Kamoyi Shrjan, Kapan*, Kapani Shrjan, Kotayk'i Shrjan, Krasnoselski Shrjan, Martunu Shrjan, Masisi Shrjan, Meghru Shrjan, Metsamor*, Nairii Shrjan, Noyemberyani Shrjan, Sevan*, Sevani Shrjan, Sisiani Shrjan, Spitak*, Spitaki Shrjan, Step'anavan*, Step'anavani Shrjan, T'alini Shrjan, Tashiri Shrjan, Taushi Shrjan, T'umanyani Shrjan, Vanadzor*, Vardenisi Shrjan, Vayk'i Shrjan, Yeghegnadzori Shrjan, Yerevan*

Note: with the adoption of the new constitution of 5 July 1995, the country was divided into 10 provinces plus the capital: Aragatsotn, Ararat, Armavir, Gegharkunik, Gugark, Kotayk, Shirak, Syunk, Uak, Vayots Dzor, and the capital city of Yerevan

Independence

28 May 1918 (First Armenian Republic); 23 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National Holiday

Referendum Day, 21 September

Constitution

Adopted by nationwide referendum 5 July 1995

Legal System

Based on civil law system

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive Branch

Legislative Branch

Unicameral

National Assembly

Elections last held 5 July 1995 (next to be held NA 2000); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (190 total) Republican Bloc 159 (ANM 63, DLP-Hanrapetutyun Bloc 6, Republic Party 4, CDU 3, Intellectual Armenia 3, Social Democratic Party 2, independents 78), SWM 8, ACP 7, NDU 5, NSDU 3, DLP 1, ARF 1, other 4, vacant 2

Judicial Branch

Supreme Court

Political Parties and Leaders

Member of

BSEC, CCC, CIS, EBRD, ECE, ESCAP, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, NACC, NAM (observer), OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (applicant)

National Anthem

Flag

Three equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue, and gold

ECONOMY

Overview

Under the old Soviet central planning system, Armenia had developed a modern industrial sector, supplying machine building tools, textiles, and other manufactured goods to sister republics in exchange for raw materials and energy. Armenia is a food importer and its mineral deposits (gold, bauxite) are small. The economic decline in recent years (1991-94) has been particularly severe due to the ongoing conflict over the ethnic Armenian-dominated region of Nagorno-Karabakh in Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan and Turkey have blockaded pipeline and railroad traffic to Armenia for its support of the Karabakh Armenians. This has left Armenia with chronic energy shortages because of a lack of capacity and frequent disruptions of natural gas deliveries through unstable Georgia, as well as difficulties in obtaining other types of fuel. Nevertheless, the economy appears to have bottomed out due largely to the government's strong reform program. GDP grew by about 5% in 1995. Inflation fell from an average 40% per month in early 1994 to an average 2.4% per month in 1995. A full economic recovery, however, cannot be expected until the conflict is settled and the blockade lifted.

National Product

GDP - purchasing power parity - $9.1 billion (1995 estimate as extrapolated from World Bank estimate for 1994), $8.1 billion (1994 estimate as extrapolated from World Bank estimate for 1992)

National Product Real Growth Rate

5.2% (1995 est.)
-2% (1994 est.)

National Product Per Capita

$2,560 (1995 est.)
$2,290 (1994 est.)

Inflation Rate (consumer Prices)

32.2% (1995 est.)
27% per month average (1994 est.)

Unemployment Rate

8% officially registered unemployed, but large numbers of underemployed (December 1995)
6.5% of officially registered unemployed but large numbers of underemployed (1994 est.)

Budget

Exports

$248 million (f.o.b., 1995)
$43 million to countries outside the FSU (f.o.b., 1994)

Commodities:

Partners:

Imports

$661 million (c.i.f., 1995)
$120 million from countries outside the FSU (c.i.f., 1994)

Commodities:

Partners:

External Debt

$850 million (of which $75 million to Russia) (1995 est.)

Industrial Production

Growth rate 2.4% (1995 est.), 7% (1994 est.); accounts for 36% of GDP

Electricity

Industries

Agriculture

Only 17% of land area is arable; employs 2% of labor force; fruits (especially grapes) and vegetable farming, minor livestock sector; vineyards near Yerevan are famous for brandy and other liqueurs

Illicit Drugs

Illicit cultivator of cannabis mostly for domestic consumption; used as a transshipment point for illicit drugs to Western Europe

Economic Aid

Currency

1 dram = 100 luma (introduced new currency in November 1993)

Exchange Rates

Dram per US$1 - 401.8 (end December 1995), 406 (end December 1994)

Fiscal Year

Calendar year

TRANSPORTATION

Railroads

Highways

Inland Waterways

NA km

Pipelines

Natural gas 900 km (1991)

Ports

None

Airports

COMMUNICATIONS

Telephone System

About 650,000 telephones; joint venture agreement to install fiber-optic cable and construct facilities for cellular telephone service remains in the negotiation phase

Radio

Television

DEFENSE FORCES

Branches

Army, Air and Air Defense Forces, National Guard, Security Forces (internal and border troops)

Manpower Availability

Males age 15-49 901,974; males fit for military service 719,212; males reach military age (18) annually 29,988 (1996 est.)

Defense Expenditures

$75 million, NA% of GDP (1992)

History
World Atlas

Last modified: 2 december 1997