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.
Government type: republic
Capital: Yerevan
Currency: 1 dram = 100 luma
Geography of Armenia
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
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)
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: Armenia is landlocked.
More Geography
People of Armenia
Population: 2,982,904 (July 2005 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) \
Population growth rate: -0.21%
Birth rate: 11.47 births/1,000 population
Death rate: 9.74 deaths/1,000 population
Net migration rate: -3.87 migrant(s)/1,000 population
Infant mortality rate: 41.27 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 66.49 years
male: 62.12 years
female: 71.08 years
Total fertility rate: 1.5 children born/woman
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.)
SOURCE: The World Factbook |