ARMENIA
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ARMENIA
@Armenia:Geography
Location: Southwestern Asia, east of Turkey
Map references: Commonwealth of Independent States - European States
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ARMENIA - MAJOR CITIES
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Latitude, Internat'l Time
Population Longitude Phone Code Zone
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YEREVAN 1,235,000 40.11N, 44.30E 7- GMT+4
Gyumri 205,000 40.48N, 43.50E 7- GMT+4
Kirovakan 169,000 40.48N, 44.30E 7- GMT+4
Hrazdan 63,000 40.29N, 44.45E 7- GMT+4
Saint Etchmiadzin 60,000 40.11N, 44.17E 7- GMT+4
Abovian 59,000 40.17N, 44.36E 7- GMT+4
Kaphan 47,000 39.11N, 46.22E 7- GMT+4
Hoktemberian 44,000 40.10N, 44.00E 7- GMT+4
Charentsavan 36,000 40.25N, 44.37E 7- GMT+4
Artashat 33,000 39.58N, 44.34E 7- GMT+4
Kamo 32,000 40.21N, 45.07E 7- GMT+4
Sevan 27,000 40.33N, 44.56E 7- GMT+4
Goris 27,000 39.31N, 46.22E 7- GMT+4
Alaverdi 25,000 41.08N, 44.40E 7- GMT+4
Massis 25,000 40.04N, 44.26E 7- GMT+4
Ashtarak 25,000 40.19N, 44.23E 7- GMT+4
Stepanavan 24,000 41.01N, 44.24E 7- GMT+4
Dilijan 24,000 40.45N, 44.52E 7- GMT+4
Artik 23,000 40.38N, 44.03E 7- GMT+4
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Area:
total area: 29,800 sq km
land area: 28,400 sq km
comparative area: slightly larger than Maryland
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
Natural resources: small deposits of gold, copper, molybdenum, zinc,
alumina
Land use:
arable land: 17%
permanent crops: 3%
meadows and pastures: 20%
forest and woodland: 0%
other: 60%
Irrigated land: 3,050 sq km (1990)
Environment:
current issues: soil pollution from toxic chemicals such as DDT;
energy blockade, the result of conflict with Azerbaijan, has led to
deforestation as citizens scavenge for firewood; pollution of Hrazdan
(Razdan) and Aras Rivers; the draining of Sevana Lich, a result of its
use as a source for hydropower, threatens drinking water supplies
natural hazards: occasionally severe earthquakes; droughts
international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Nuclear Test Ban, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Desertification
Note: landlocked
@Armenia:People
Population: 3,557,284 (July 1995 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 31% (female 542,664; male 570,998)
15-64 years: 61% (female 1,103,171; male 1,076,226)
65 years and over: 8% (female 154,784; male 109,441) (July 1995 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.94% (1995 est.)
Birth rate: 22.79 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Death rate: 6.66 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Net migration rate: -6.68 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 26 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 72.36 years
male: 68.94 years
female: 75.95 years (1995 est.)
Total fertility rate: 3.06 children born/woman (1995 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Armenian(s)
adjective: Armenian
Ethnic divisions: Armenian 93%, Azeri 3%, Russian 2%, other (mostly
Yezidi Kurds) 2% (1989)
note: as of the end of 1994, most Azeris had emigrated from Armenia
Religions: Armenian Orthodox 94%
Languages: Armenian 96%, Russian 2%, other 2%
Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1989)
total population: 99%
male: 99%
female: 98%
Labor force: 1.578 million
by occupation: industry and construction 34%, agriculture and forestry
31%, other 35% (1992)
@Armenia:Government
Names:
conventional long form: Republic of Armenia
conventional short form: Armenia
local long form: Hayastani Hanrapetut'yun
local short form: Hayastan
former: Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic; Armenian Republic
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*
Independence: 28 May 1918 (First Armenian Republic); 23 September 1991
(from Soviet Union)
National holiday: Referendum Day, 21 September
Constitution: adopted NA April 1978; referendum on new constitution to
be held 5 July 1995
Legal system: based on civil law system
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Levon Akopovich TER-PETROSYAN (since October
1991) election last held 16 October 1991 (next to be held NA 1996);
results - Levon Akopovich TER-PETROSYAN 86%; radical nationalists
about 7%; note - Levon Akopovich TER-PETROSYAN was elected Chairman of
the Armenian Supreme Soviet 4 August 1990 before becoming president
head of government: Prime Minister Hrant BAGRATYAN (since 16 February
1993); First Deputy Prime Minister Vigen CHITECHYAN (since 16 February
1993)
cabinet: Council of Ministers; appointed by the president
Legislative branch: unicameral
Supreme Soviet: elections last held 20 May 1990 (next to be held 5
July 1995); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (260 total)
non-aligned 136, ANM 52, DPA 17, Democratic Liberal Party 17, ARF 12,
NDU 9, Christian Democratic Party 1, Constitutional Rights Union 1,
ONS 1, Republican Party 1, Nagorno-Karabakh representatives 13
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders: Armenian National Movement (ANM),
Ter-Husik LAZARYAN, chairman; National Democratic Union (NDU), David
VARTANYAN, chairman; Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF,
Dashnaktsutyun); note - banned until reorganized; Democratic Party of
Armenia (DPA; Communist Party), Aram SARKISYAN, chairman; Christian
Democratic Party, Azat ARSHAKYAN, chairman; Greens Party, Hakob
SANASARIAN, chairman; Democratic Liberal Party, Rouben MIRZAKHANYAN,
chairman; Republican Party, Ashot NAVARSARDYAN, chairman; Union for
Self-Determination (ONS), Paruir AIRIKYAN, chairman
Member of: BSEC, CCC, CIS, EBRD, ECE, ESCAP, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
IDA, IFAD, ILO, IMF, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ITU, NACC, NAM
(observer), OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Ruben SHUGARIAN
chancery: Suite 210, 1660 L Street NW, Washington, DC 20036
telephone: [1] (202) 628-5766
FAX: [1] (202) 628-5769
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission: Ambassador Harry J. GILMORE
embassy: 18 Gen Bagramian, Yerevan
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [7] (8852) 151-144, 524-661
FAX: [7] (8852) 151-138
Flag: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue, and gold
Economy
Overview: Under the old Soviet central planning system, Armenia had
developed a more modern industrial sector, supplying machine building
equipment, textiles, and other manufactured goods to sister republics
in exchange for raw materials and energy resources. Armenia is a large
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. In addition, bread is
strictly rationed and there are shortages of other goods. In 1994, the
economy seemed to bottom out. The government has managed to increase
its financial and budgetary discipline, bringing inflation down from
around 40% per month in first half 1994 to single digits in second
half 1994 and the first quarter of 1995. A full economic recovery
cannot be expected until the conflict is settled and the blockade
lifted.
National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $8.1 billion (1994
estimate as extrapolated from World Bank estimate for 1992)
National product real growth rate: -2% (1994 est.)
National product per capita: $2,290 (1994 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 27% per month average (1994 est.)
Unemployment rate: 6.5% of officially registered unemployed but large
numbers of underemployed (1994 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $NA
expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA
Exports: $43 million to countries outside the FSU (f.o.b., 1994)
commodities: gold and jewelry, aluminum, transport equipment,
electrical equipment
partners: Iran, Russia, Turkmenistan, Georgia
Imports: $120 million from countries outside the FSU (c.i.f., 1994)
commodities: grain, other foods, fuel, other energy
partners: Iran, Russia, Turkmenistan, Georgia, US, EU
External debt: $NA
Industrial production: growth rate 7% (1994 est.); accounts for 41% of
GDP
Electricity:
capacity: 4,620,000 kW
production: 5.7 billion kWh
consumption per capita: 1,620 kWh (1994)
Industries: traditionally diverse, including (as a percent of output
of former USSR) metalcutting machine tools (5.5%), forging-pressing
machines (1.9%), electric motors (9%), tires (1.5%), knitted wear
(4.4%), hosiery (3.0%), shoes (2.2%), silk fabric (0.8%), washing
machines (2.0%), chemicals, trucks, watches, instruments, and
microelectronics (1990); currently, much of industry is shut down
Agriculture: only 17% of land area is arable; employs 31% of labor
force as residents increasingly turn to subsistence agriculture;
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:
recipient: considerable humanitarian aid, mostly food and energy
products, from US and EU; Russia granted 60 billion rubles in
technical credits in late 1994 and approved a 110 billion ruble credit
almost half of which was to go toward the restart of the Metsamor
nuclear power plant
Currency: 1 dram = 100 luma (introduced new currency in November 1993)
Exchange rates: dram per US$1 - 406 (end December 1994)
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Armenia:Transportation
Railroads:
total: 840 km in common carrier service; does not include industrial
lines
broad gauge: 840 km 1.520-m gauge (1990)
Highways:
total: 11,300 km
paved: 10,500 km
unpaved: earth 800 km (1990)
Inland waterways: NA km
Pipelines: natural gas 900 km (1991)
Ports: none
Airports:
total: 11
with paved runways over 3,047 m: 2
with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 2
with unpaved runways 1,524 to 2,438 m: 2
with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 3
with unpaved runways under 914 m: 1
@Armenia:Communications
Telephone system: about 650,000 telephones; 177 telephones/1,000
persons; progress on installation of fiber optic cable and
construction of facilities for mobile cellular phone service remains
in the negotiation phase for joint venture agreement
local: NA
intercity: NA
international: international connections to other former republics of
the USSR are by landline or microwave and to other countries by
satellite and by leased connection through the Moscow international
gateway switch; 1 INTELSAT satellite link
Radio:
broadcast stations: AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA
radios: NA
Television:
broadcast stations: NA; note - 100% of population receives Armenian
and Russian TV programs
televisions: NA
@Armenia:Defense Forces
Branches: Army, Air and Air Defense Forces, National Guard, Security
Forces (internal and border troops)
Manpower availability: males age 15-49 877,414; males fit for military
service 699,167; males reach military age (18) annually 28,634 (1995
est.)
Defense expenditures: 250 million rubles, NA% of GDP (1992 est.); note
- conversion of the military budget into US dollars using the current
exchange rate could produce misleading results
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