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| National motto: | |||||
| Official language | Armenian | ||||
| Capital | Yerevan | ||||
| Capital's coordinates | 40° 16' N, 44° 34' E | ||||
| Largest City | Yerevan | ||||
| President | Robert Kocharian | ||||
| Prime minister | Andranik Markaryan | ||||
| Area - Total - % water | Ranked 138th 29'800 kmē 4.7% | ||||
| Population
- Total (2003 est) - Density | Ranked 128th
3'326'448 112/kmē | ||||
| Independence | From Soviet Union
September 23, 1991 | ||||
| Currency | Dram (AMD) | ||||
| Time zone | UTC +5 | ||||
| National anthem | Mer Hayrenik (Our Fatherland) | ||||
| Internet TLD | .AM | ||||
| Calling Code | 374 | ||||
| Table of contents |
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2 Politics 3 Provinces 4 Geography 5 Economy 6 Demographics 7 Culture 8 Miscellaneous topics 9 External links and references |
Armenia was incorporated into Russian Empire 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, and the Turkish economic blockade of Armenia.
The Government of Armenia's stated aim is to build a Western-style parliamentary democracy as the basis of its form of government. However, international observers have questioned the inherent fairness of parliamentary and presidential elections and constitutional referenda since 1995, citing polling deficiencies, lack of cooperation by the electoral commission, and poor maintenance of electoral lists and polling places.
The unicameral parliament (also called the National Assembly) is dominated by a coalition, called "Unity" (Miasnutyun). A new party, the Republic Party, is headed by ex-Prime Minister Aram Sargsian and has become the primary voice of the opposition.
Armenians voted overwhelmingly for independence in a September 1991 referendum. Levon Ter-Petrossian was president until January 1998, when public demonstrations against his policies on Nagorno-Karabakh forced his resignation. In 1999, the assassination of Prime Minister Vazgen Sargsian, parliament Speaker Karen Demirchian and six other officials led to a period of political instability, however President Robert Kocharian was successful in riding out the unrest.
Armedia is divided into 11 provinces (marzer, singular - marz):
History
Main article: History of ArmeniaPolitics
Main article: Politics of ArmeniaProvinces
Main article: Provinces of Armenia
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Armenia is a landlocked country located in south-west Asia, east of Turkey. The terrain is mostly mountainous, with fast flowing rivers and few forests. The climate is highland continental: hot summers and cold winters. The land rises to 4,095 m at Aragats Lerr, and no point is below 400m above sea-level. Pollution from toxic chemicals such as DDT is not helping the already poor soil quality in many parts of the county. An energy blockade, the result of the conflict with Azerbaijan, has led to deforestation.
Armenia is a primarily Oriental Orthodox country.Geography
Main article: Geography of ArmeniaEconomy
Main article: Economy of ArmeniaDemographics
Main article: Demographics of Armenia
| Date | English Name | Local Name | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 21 September | Referendum Day | National holiday (Day of independence in 1991) | |
simple:Armenia Miscellaneous topics
External links and references