Armenia

§1. Armenia Introduction

Background:
  Armenia prides itself on being the first nation to formally adopt
  Christianity (early 4th century). Despite periods of autonomy, over the
  centuries Armenia came under the sway of various empires including the
  Roman, Byzantine, Arab, Persian, and Ottoman. The eastern area of Armenia
  was ceded by the Ottomans to Russia in 1828; this portion declared its
  independence in 1918, but was conquered by the Soviet Red Army in 1920.
  Armenian leaders remain preoccupied by the long conflict with Muslim
  Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh, a primarily Armenian-populated region,
  assigned to Soviet Azerbaijan in the 1920s by Moscow. Armenia and
  Azerbaijan began fighting over the area 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. Turkey imposed an
  economic blockade on Armenia and closed the common border because of the
  Armenian occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding areas.

§2. Armenia Geography

Location:
  Southwestern Asia, east of Turkey

Geographic coordinates:
  40 00 N, 45 00 E

Map references:
  Asia

Area:
  total: 29,800 km²
  land: 28,400 km²
  water: 1,400 km²

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Maryland

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)

Maritime claims:
  none (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 Lerrnagagat' 4,090 m

Natural resources:
  small deposits of gold, copper, molybdenum, zinc, alumina

Land use:
  arable land: 16.78%
  permanent crops: 2.01%
  other: 81.21% (2005)

Irrigated land:
  2,870 km² (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  occasionally severe earthquakes; droughts

Environment - current issues:
  soil pollution from toxic chemicals such as DDT; the energy crisis of the
  1990s 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 in spite of its
  location in a seismically active zone

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
    Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
    Protection, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Geography - note:
  landlocked in the Lesser Caucasus Mountains; Sevana Lich (Lake Sevan) is
  the largest lake in this mountain range

§3. Armenia People

Population:
  2,976,372 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 20.5% (male 322,189/female 286,944)
  15-64 years: 68.4% (male 949,975/female 1,085,484)
  65 years and over: 11.1% (male 133,411/female 198,369) (2006 est.)

Median age:
  total: 30.4 years
  male: 27.8 years
  female: 33.2 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
  -0.19% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:
  12.07 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:
  8.23 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -5.72 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.17 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.12 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.88 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.9 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 22.47 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 27.59 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 16.51 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 71.84 years
  male: 68.25 years
  female: 76.02 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.33 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  2,600 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 200 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Armenian(s)
  adjective: Armenian

Ethnic groups:
  Armenian 97.9%, Yezidi (Kurd) 1.3%, Russian 0.5%, other 0.3% (2001 census)

Religions:
  Armenian Apostolic 94.7%, other Christian 4%, Yezidi (monotheist with
  elements of nature worship) 1.3%

Languages:
  Armenian 97.7%, Yezidi 1%, Russian 0.9%, other 0.4% (2001 census)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 98.6%
  male: 99.4%
  female: 98% (2003 est.)

§4. Armenia Government

Country name:
  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

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Yerevan

Administrative divisions:
  11 provinces (marzer, singular - marz); Aragatsotn, Ararat, Armavir,
  Geghark'unik', Kotayk', Lorri, Shirak, Syunik', Tavush, Vayots' Dzor,
  Yerevan

Independence:
  21 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 21 September (1991)

Constitution:
  adopted by nationwide referendum 5 July 1995; amendments adopted through a
  nationwide referendum 27 November 2005

Legal system:
  based on civil law system

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Robert KOCHARIAN (since 30 March 1998)
  head of government: Prime Minister Andranik MARGARYAN (since 12 May 2000)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election
    last held 19 February and 5 March 2003 (next to be held in 2008); prime
    minister appointed by the president and confirmed with the majority
    support of the National Assembly; the prime minister and Council of
    Ministers must resign if the National Assembly refuses to accept their
    program
  election results: Robert KOCHARIAN reelected president; percent of vote -
    Robert KOCHARIAN 67.5%, Stepan DEMIRCHYAN 32.5%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Assembly (Parliament) or Azgayin Zhoghov (131 seats;
  members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms; 90 members
  elected by party list, 41 by direct vote)
  elections: last held 25 May 2003 (next to be held in the spring of 2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party - Republican Party 23.5%,
    Justice Bloc 13.6%, Rule of Law 12.3%, ARF (Dashnak) 11.4%, National
    Unity Party 8.8%, United Labor Party 5.7%; seats by faction - Republican
    Party 39, Rule of Law 20, Justice Bloc 14, ARF (Dashnak) 11, National
    Unity 7, United Labor 6, People's Deputy Group 16, independent (not in
    faction or group) 18; note - as of 10 March 2006; voting blocs in the
    legislature are more properly termed factions and can be composed of
    members of several parties; seats by faction change frequently as
    deputies switch parties or announce themselves independent

Judicial branch:
  Constitutional Court; Court of Cassation (Appeals Court)

Political parties and leaders:
  Agro-Industrial Party [Vladimir BADALYAN]; Armenia Party [Myasnik
  MALKHASYAN]; Armenian National Movement or ANM [Alex ARZUMANYAN, chairman];
  Armenian Ramkavar Liberal Party or HRAK [Harutyun MIRZAKHANYAN, chairman];
  Armenian Revolutionary Federation ("Dashnak" Party) or ARF [Levon
  MKRTCHYAN]; Democratic Party [Aram SARKISYAN]; Justice Bloc (comprised of
  the Democratic Party, National Democratic Party, National Democratic Union,
  the People's Party, and the Republic Party) [Stepan DEMIRCHYAN]; National
  Democratic Party [Shavarsh KOCHARIAN]; National Democratic Union or NDU
  [Vazgen MANUKIAN]; National Revival Party [Albert BAZEYAN]; National Unity
  Party [Artashes GEGHAMYAN, chairman]; People's Party of Armenia [Stepan
  DEMIRCHYAN]; Republic Party [Aram SARKISYAN, chairman]; Republican Party or
  RPA [Andranik MARGARYAN]; Rule of Law Party [Samvel BALASANYAN]; Union of
  Constitutional Rights [Hrant KHACHATURYAN]; United Labor Party [Gurgen
  ARSENYAN]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Yerkrapah Union [Manvel GRIGORIAN]

International organization participation:
  ACCT (observer), AsDB, BSEC, CE, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC,
  IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM (observer), OAS (observer), OIF (observer),
  OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
  WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Tatoul MARKARIAN
  chancery: 2225 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 319-1976
  FAX: [1] (202) 319-2982
  consulate(s) general: Los Angeles

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador John M. EVANS
  embassy: 1 American Ave., Yerevan 375082
  mailing address: American Embassy Yerevan, Department of State, 7020
    Yerevan Place, Washington, DC 20521-7020
  telephone: [374](10) 464-700
  FAX: [374](10) 464-742

Flag description:
  three equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue, and orange

§5. Armenia Economy

Economy - overview:
  Under the old Soviet central planning system, Armenia had developed a
  modern industrial sector, supplying machine tools, textiles, and other
  manufactured goods to sister republics in exchange for raw materials and
  energy. Since the implosion of the USSR in December 1991, Armenia has
  switched to small-scale agriculture away from the large agroindustrial
  complexes of the Soviet era. The agricultural sector has long-term needs
  for more investment and updated technology. The privatization of industry
  has been at a slower pace, but has been given renewed emphasis by the
  current administration. Armenia is a food importer, and its mineral
  deposits (copper, gold, bauxite) are small. The ongoing conflict with
  Azerbaijan over the ethnic Armenian-dominated region of Nagorno-Karabakh
  and the breakup of the centrally directed economic system of the former
  Soviet Union contributed to a severe economic decline in the early 1990s.
  By 1994, however, the Armenian Government had launched an ambitious
  IMF-sponsored economic liberalization program that resulted in positive
  growth rates in 1995-2005. Armenia joined the WTO in January 2003. Armenia
  also has managed to slash inflation, stabilize its currency, and privatize
  most small- and medium-sized enterprises. Armenia's unemployment rate,
  however, remains high, despite strong economic growth. The chronic energy
  shortages Armenia suffered in the early and mid-1990s have been offset by
  the energy supplied by one of its nuclear power plants at Metsamor. Armenia
  is now a net energy exporter, although it does not have sufficient
  generating capacity to replace Metsamor, which is under international
  pressure to close. The electricity distribution system was privatized in
  2002. Armenia's severe trade imbalance has been offset somewhat by
  international aid, remittances from Armenians working abroad, and foreign
  direct investment. Economic ties with Russia remain close, especially in
  the energy sector. The government made some improvements in tax and customs
  administration in 2005, but anti-corruption measures will be more difficult
  to implement. Investment in the construction and industrial sectors is
  expected to continue in 2006 and will help to ensure annual average real
  GDP growth of about 13.9%.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $15.7 billion (2005 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
  $4.868 billion (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  13.9% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
  $5,300 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 19.8%
  industry: 41%
  services: 39.2% (2005 est.)

Labor force:
  1.2 million (2005)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 45%, industry 25%, services 30% (2002 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  31.6% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  43% (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: 1.6%
  highest 10%: 41.3% (2004)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  41.3 (2004)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  -0.2% (2005 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  25% of GDP (2005 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $786.1 million
  expenditures: $930.7 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (2005
    est.)

Agriculture - products:
  fruit (especially grapes), vegetables; livestock

Industries:
  diamond-processing, metal-cutting machine tools, forging-pressing machines,
  electric motors, tires, knitted wear, hosiery, shoes, silk fabric,
  chemicals, trucks, instruments, microelectronics, jewelry manufacturing,
  software development, food processing, brandy

Industrial production growth rate:
  7.5% (2005 est.)

Electricity - production:
  6.317 billion kWh (2005)

Electricity - consumption:
  4.374 billion kWh (2005)

Electricity - exports:
  650 million kWh; note - exports an unknown quantity to Georgia; includes
  exports to Nagorno-Karabakh region in Azerbaijan (2003)

Electricity - imports:
  463 million kWh; note - imports an unknown quantity from Iran (2003)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - consumption:
  40,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA bbl/day

Oil - imports:
  NA bbl/day

Natural gas - production:
  0 m³ (2005 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  1.685 billion m³ (2005 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 m³ (2005 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  1.685 billion m³ (2005 est.)

Current account balance:
  $-237.7 million (2005 est.)

Exports:
  $800 million f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  diamonds, mineral products, foodstuffs, energy

Exports - partners:
  Belgium 18%, Israel 15.3%, Germany 13.3%, Russia 12.5%, US 8.1%,
  Netherlands 7.2%, Iran 5.5%, Georgia 4.3%, UAE 4% (2004)

Imports:
  $1.5 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  natural gas, petroleum, tobacco products, foodstuffs, diamonds

Imports - partners:
  Russia 11.3%, Belgium 10.1%, Israel 8.4%, US 7.6%, Iran 7.1%, UAE 6.1%,
  Ukraine 5.9%, Italy 5.5%, Germany 5.2%, Georgia 4.6%, France 4.5% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $625.6 million (2005 est.)

Debt - external:
  $1.819 billion (20 September 2005)

Economic aid - recipient:
  ODA, $254 million (2004)

Currency (code):
  dram (AMD)

Exchange rates:
  drams per US dollar - 457.69 (2005), 533.45 (2004), 578.76 (2003), 573.35
  (2002), 555.08 (2001)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

§6. Armenia Communications

Telephones - main lines in use:
  582,500 (2004)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  203,300 (2004)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: system inadequate; now 90% privately owned and
    undergoing modernization and expansion
  domestic: the majority of subscribers and the most modern equipment are in
    Yerevan (this includes paging and mobile cellular service)
  international: country code - 374; Yerevan is connected to the
    Trans-Asia-Europe fiber-optic cable through Iran; additional
    international service is available by microwave radio relay and landline
    connections to the other countries of the Commonwealth of Independent
    States and through the Moscow international switch and by satellite to
    the rest of the world; satellite earth stations - 3 (2005)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 9, FM 6, shortwave 1 (1998)

Television broadcast stations:
  3 (plus an unknown number of repeaters) (1998)

Internet country code:
  .am

Internet hosts:
  8,852 (2005)

Internet users:
  150,000 (2005)

§7. Armenia Transportation

Airports:
  16 (2005)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 11
  over 3,047 m: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
  914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2005)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 5
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 2
  under 914 m: 1 (2005)

Pipelines:
  gas 1,871 km (2004)

Railways:
  total: 845 km
  broad gauge: 845 km 1.520-m gauge (828 km electrified)
  note: some lines are out of service (2004)

Roadways:
  total: 7,633 km
  paved: 7,633 km (includes 1,561 km of expressways) (2003)

§8. Armenia Military

Military branches:
  Army, Air Force, Air Defense Force

Military service age and obligation:
  18-27 years of age for compulsory military service, conscript service
  obligation - 12 months; 18 years of age for voluntary military service (May
  2004)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 722,836 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 551,938 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 31,774 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $135 million (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  6.5% (FY01)

§9. Armenia Transnational Issues

Disputes - international:
  Armenia supports ethnic Armenian secessionists in Nagorno-Karabakh and
  since the early 1990s, has militarily occupied 16% of Azerbaijan -
  Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) continues to
  mediate dispute; over 800,000 mostly ethnic Azerbaijanis were driven from
  the occupied lands and Armenia; about 230,000 ethnic Armenians were driven
  from their homes in Azerbaijan into Armenia; Azerbaijan seeks transit route
  through Armenia to connect to Naxcivan exclave; border with Turkey remains
  closed over Nagorno-Karabakh dispute; ethnic Armenian groups in Javakheti
  region of Georgia seek greater autonomy; tens of thousands of Armenians
  emigrate, primarily to Russia, to seek employment

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
  refugees (country of origin): 235,101 (Azerbaijan)
  IDPs: 50,000 (conflict with Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh) (2005)

Illicit drugs:
  illicit cultivation of small amount of cannabis for domestic consumption;
  minor transit point for illicit drugs - mostly opium and hashish - moving
  from Southwest Asia to Russia and to a lesser extent the rest of Europe


<Factbook 2006>
