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Armenia

OFFICIAL NAME:
Republic of Armenia

Geography
Area: 29,800 sq. km. (11,500 sq. mi.); slightly larger than Maryland.
Cities: Capital--Yerevan.
Terrain: High plateau with mountains, little forest land.
Climate: Highland continental, hot summers, cold winters.

People
Nationality: Noun--Armenian(s). Adjective--Armenian.
Population (official est.): 3,213,011 de jure (3,002,594 de facto). These figures represent the final results of the October 2001 census, as announced in January 2003.
Ethnic groups: Armenian 98%; Yezidi 1.2%; Russian, Greek, and other 0.8%.
Religion: Armenian Apostolic Church (more than 90% nominally affiliated).
Languages: Armenian (96%), Russian, other.
Education: Literacy--99%.
Health: Infant mortality rate--20/1,000. Life expectancy--66.6 years.
Work force (1.24 million; 10.5% unemployed): Industry and construction--24.5%; agriculture and forestry--24.6%; trade--17.3%; education--13.4%; other--22.2%.

Government
Type: Republic.
Constitution: Approved in November 2005 referendum.
Independence: 1918 (First Armenian Republic); 1991 (from Soviet Union).
Branches: Executive--president (head of state) with wider powers relative to other branches, prime minister (head of cabinet), Council of Ministers (cabinet). Legislative--unicameral National Assembly (parliament). Judicial--Constitutional Court.
Administrative subdivisions: 10 marzes (provinces) in addition to the city of Yerevan, which has the status of a province.
Political parties represented in the National Assembly: Republican Party of Armenia, Prosperous Armenia, Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) Dashnaktsutyun, Country of Law (Orinats Yerkir), and the Heritage Party. Other parties include: People's Party of Armenia, National Accord Party, Republic Party, New Times Party, United Labor Party, Dashink Party, National Democratic Union, and the Armenian National Movement. In addition, there are dozens of other registered parties, many of which become active only during national campaigns, if at all.
Suffrage: Universal at 18.

Economy (2005)
GDP: $4.867 billion.
GDP growth rate: 13.9%.
Per capita GDP: $1,514.
Inflation: 0.06%.
Natural resources: Copper, zinc, gold, and lead; hydroelectric power; small amounts of gas and petroleum.
Agriculture: Products--fruits and vegetables, wines, dairy, some livestock.
Industry: Types--chemicals, electronic products, machinery, processed food, synthetic rubber, and textiles.
Trade: Exports--$950.4 million: diamonds, scrap metal, machinery and equipment, brandy, copper ore. Export partners (2004)--Belgium 18%, Israel 15.3%, Russia 12.5%, U.S. 8.1%, Netherlands 7.2%, Iran 5.5%, Georgia 4.3%. Imports (2004)--$1.767.9 billion: natural gas, petroleum, tobacco products, foodstuffs, and diamonds. Import partners--Russia 11.3%, Belgium 10.1%, Israel 8.4%, Iran 7.1%, U.S. 7.6%.

PEOPLE AND HISTORICAL HIGHLIGHTS
Ethnic groups in Armenia include Armenians (95%), Kurds, Russians, Greeks, and others. More than 90% of the population is nominally affiliated with the Armenian Apostolic Church. Languages are Armenian (96%), Russian, and others.

Armenia first emerged into history around 800 BC as part of the Kingdom of Urartu or Van, which flourished in the Caucasus and eastern Asia Minor until 600 BC. After the destruction of the Seleucid Empire, the first Armenian state was founded in 190 BC. At its zenith, from 95 to 65 BC, Armenia extended its rule over the entire Caucasus and the area that is now eastern Turkey, Syria, and Lebanon. For a time, Armenia was the strongest state in the Roman East. It became part of the Roman Empire in 64 BC and adopted a Western political, philosophical, and religious orientation.

In 301 AD, Armenia became the first nation to adopt Christianity as a state religion, establishing a church that still exists independently of both the Roman Catholic and the Eastern Orthodox churches. During its later political eclipses, Armenia depended on the church to preserve and protect its unique identity. From around 1100 to 1350, the focus of Armenian nationalism moved south, as the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia, which had close ties to European Crusader states, flourished in southeastern Asia Minor until conquered by Muslim states.

Between the 4th and 19th centuries, Armenia was conquered and ruled by, among others, Persians, Byzantines, Arabs, Mongols, and Turks. For a brief period from 1918 to 1920, it was an independent republic. In late 1920, the communists came to power following an invasion of Armenia by the Red Army, and in 1922, Armenia became part of the Trans-Caucasian Soviet Socialist Republic. In 1936, it became the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic. Armenia declared its independence from the Soviet Union on September 21, 1991.