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Armenia
Armenia (ärmē'nēu) [key], Hayastan, officially Republic of Armenia, republic (2005 est. pop.
2,983,000), 11,500 sq mi (29,785 sq km), in the S Caucasus. Armenia is bounded by Turkey on the
west, Azerbaijan on the east (the Nakhichevan Autonomous Republic of Azerbaijan is on its
southwestern border), Iran on the southwest, and Georgia on the north. Yerevan is the capital.
One of the world's oldest civilizations, Armenia once included Mount Ararat, which biblical
tradition identifies as the mountain that Noah's ark rested on after the flood. It was the first
country in the world to officially embrace Christianity as its religion (c. A.D. 300)
In the 6th century b.c.e., Armenians settled in the kingdom of Urarty (the Assyrian name
for Ararat), which was in decline. Under Tigrane the Great (fl. 95-55 c.c.e.) the Armenian
empire reached its height and became one of the most powerful in Asia, stretching from
the Caspian to the Mediterranean Seas. Throughout most of its long history, however,
Armenia has been invaded by a succession of empires. Under constant threat of
domination by foreign forces, Armenians became both cosmopolitan as well as fierce
protectors of their culture and tradition.
Over the centuries Armenia was conquered by Greeks, Romans, Persians, Byzantines, Mongols, Arabs, Ottoman
Turks, and Russian. From the 17th century through World War I major portions of Armenia were controlled by their
most brutal invader, the Ottoman Turks, under whom they experienced discrimination, religious persecution, heavy
taxation, and armed attacks. In response to Armenian nationalist stirrings, the Turks massacred thousands of
Armenians in 1894 and 1896. The most horrific massacre took place in April 1915 during World War I, when the
Turks ordered the deportation of the Armenian population to the deserts of Syria and Mesopotamia. According to
the majority of historians, between 600,000 and 1.5 million Armenians were murdered or died of starvation. The
Armenian massacre is considered the first genocide in the 20th century. Turkey denies that a genocide took place,
and claims that a much smaller number died in a civil war.
After the Turkey defeat in World War I, the independent Republic of Armenia was established on May 28, 1918, but
survived only until Nov. 29, 1920, when it was annexed by the Soviet Army. On March 12, 1922, the Soviets joined
Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan to form the Transcaucasian Soviet Socialist Republic, which became part of the
USSR. In 1936, after reorganization, Armenia became a separate constituent republic of the USSR. Since 1988,
Armenia has been involved in a territorial dispute with Azerbaijan over the enclave of Nagorno - Karabagh, to which
both lay claim. Also in 1988, a devastating earthquake killed thousands and wreaked, economic havoc.
Armenia declared its independence form the collapsing Soviet Union on Sept 23, 1991. In the years that followed,
Armenia successfully fought Azerbaijan for control of Nagorno - Karabagh . The majority population of the enclave
are Armenian Christians who want to secede from Azerbaijan and join Armenia. A cease-fire agreement was
reached between the two countries in 1994 the, but the fate of Nagorno - Karabagh remains unresolved. Azerbaijan
has offered broad autonomy to the enclave in exchange for the withdrawal of Armenian troops from Azeri lands. But
the enclave wants either full independence or annexation to Armenia.
An Armenian Diaspora has existed throughout the nation's history, and Armenian emigration has been particularly
heavy since independence from the Soviet Union. An estimated 60% of the total eight million Armenians worldwide
live outside the country, with one million each in the U.S. and Russia. Significant Armenian communities are located
in Georgia, France, Iran, Lebanon, Syria, Argentina, and Canada.
Land and People
The landlocked country, a region of extinct volcanoes and rugged mountains, has an average altitude of 5,900 ft
(1,800 m). Many peaks exceed 10,000 ft (3,048 m); perpetually snowcapped Mt. Aragats (13,432 ft/4,094 m) is the
highest point in Armenia. The climate is continental, with cold, dry winters and scorching, dusty summers. The chief
rivers are the Araks and its tributary, the Razdan, which provide hydroelectricity and irrigation water. Lake Sevan
supports the important fishing industry and is another source of hydroelectric power.
The country's main cities are Yerevan, Kumayri (formerly Leninakan), Vanadzor (formerly Kirovakan), and
Yejmiadzin (seat of the Armenian Church). Ethnic Armenians make up the bulk of the people in this densely
populated republic. In addition, there are Russian, Kurdish, and Azeri minorities. The official language is Armenian;
Russian and various other tongues are spoken by a small minority. The Armenian Church is predominant, and there
are Russian Orthodox, Protestant, and Muslim minorities.
Economy
Agriculture holds a significant place in Armenia's economy, employing more than a third of its population. Wine
grapes, citrus fruits, wheat, barley, potatoes, and sugar beets are the major food crops; cotton and tobacco are the
foremost industrial crops. Armenia has deposits of copper, molybdenum, bauxite, zinc, lead, iron, pyrites,
manganese, gold, chromite, and mercury, which provide the basis for a chemical industry. Salts and other minerals
have enabled health resorts to thrive. Food processing, nonferrous metallurgy, microelectronics, and the
manufacture of electrical equipment, machine tools, textiles, and the famous Armenian brandies and wines are also
among the republic's industries. In 1995 the Metzamor nuclear power plant, closed since the 1988 earthquake, was
reopened to supply electricity to the energy-starved country. The annual value of Armenia's imports is much greater
than that of its exports. The main trading partners are Iran, Russia, Turkmenistan, and Georgia.
Government
The republic has an executive branch, a unicameral legislature, and a judiciary headed by a supreme court. The
president, who is head of state, is elected by popular vote for a five-year term. The prime minister is appointed by
the president. There is a popularly elected 131-member unicameral national assembly, with some members elected
directly and others proportionally. Armenia is divided into 11 provinces.
Armenia's embassy in the U.S. is at 2225 R Street, NW, Washington, DC, 20008; tel: 202-319-1976; fax: 202-319-
2984.
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