Armenia
Republic of ArmeniaHayastani Hanrapetut'yun
republicIndependence 21 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)
Armenia as the 2003 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 122 fields, one of 34 editions from 1992 to 2025.
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Introduction
1 fieldBackground
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. It was incorporated into Russia in 1828 and the USSR 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.
Geography
Southwestern Asia, east of Turkey
18 fieldsLand useshare of 29,800 sq km
Terrain
- Armenian Highland with mountains;
- little forest land;
- fast flowing rivers;
- good soil in Aras River valley
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, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, 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
People
19 fieldsPer 1,000 population(2003 est.)
Male · female
Ethnic groups(2002)
Age structure
- 0-14 years:
- 21.1% (male 356,587; female 346,648)
- 15-64 years:
- 68.3% (male 1,113,241; female 1,158,245)
- 65 years and over:
- 10.6% (male 147,156; female 204,571) (2003 est.)
Sex ratio
- at birth:
- 1.05 male(s)/female
- under 15 years:
- 1.03 male(s)/female
- 15-64 years:
- 0.96 male(s)/female
- 65 years and over:
- 0.72 male(s)/female
- total population:
- 0.95 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Government
Republic; President Robert KOCHARIAN (since 30 March 1998); Prime Minister Andranik MARKARYAN (since 12 May 2000)
18 fieldsPresidential electionpercent of vote
Legislature, 66 seats, elected 25 May 2003one dot, one seat
Country name
- conventional long form:
- Republic of Armenia
- conventional short form:
- Armenia
- local short form:
- Hayastan
- former:
- Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic; Armenian Republic
- local long form:
- Hayastani Hanrapetut'yun
Administrative divisions
11 provinces (marzer, singular - marz); Aragatsotn, Ararat, Armavir, Geghark'unik', Kotayk', Lorri, Shirak, Syunik', Tavush, Vayots' Dzor, Yerevan
Executive branch
- chief of state:
- President Robert KOCHARIAN (since 30 March 1998)
- head of government:
- Prime Minister Andranik MARKARYAN (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 NA 2008);
- prime minister appointed by the president;
- 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; 75 members selected by direct vote, 56 by party list)
- 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 party - Republican Party 23, Justice Bloc 14, Rule of Law 12, ARF (Dashnak) 11, National Unity 9, United Labor 6;
- note - seats by party change frequently as deputies switch parties or announce themselves independent
note: electoral law was changed in 2002 so ratio in next elections will be 75 deputies elected by party list, 56 by direct election
Political parties and leaders
- Agro-Industrial Party [Vladimir BADALIAN];
- Armenia Party [Myasnik MALKHASYAN];
- Armenian National Movement or ANM [Alex ARZUMANYAN, chairman];
- Armenian Ramkavar Liberal Party or HRAK [Ruben MIRZAKHANYAN, chairman];
- Armenian Revolutionary Federation ("Dashnak" Party) or ARF [Vahan HOVHANISSIAN];
- Democratic Party [Aram SARKISYAN];
- Justice Bloc (comprised of the Democratic Party, National Democratic Party, National Democratic Union, and the People's Party);
- National Democratic Party [Shavarsh KOCHARIAN];
- National Democratic Union or NDU [Vazgen MANUKIAN];
- National Unity Party [Artashes GEGAMIAN, chairman];
- People's Party of Armenia [Stepan DEMIRCHYAN];
- Republic Party [Albert BAZEYAN and Aram SARKISYAN, chairmen];
- Republican Party or RPA [Andranik MARKARYAN];
- Rule of Law Party [Artur BAGDASARIAN, chairman];
- Union of Constitutional Rights [Hrant KHACHATURYAN];
- United Labor Party [Gurgen ARSENIAN]
International organization participation
BSEC, CE, CIS, COE, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ESCAP, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM (observer), OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Arman KIRAKOSSIAN
- chancery:
- 2225 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
- consulate(s) general:
- Los Angeles
- FAX:
- [1] (202) 319-2982
- telephone:
- [1] (202) 319-1976
Diplomatic representation from the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador John M. ORDWAY
- embassy:
- 18 Baghramyan Ave., Yerevan 375019
- mailing address:
- American Embassy Yerevan, Department of State, 7020 Yerevan Place, Washington, DC 20521-7020
- telephone:
- [374](1) 521-611, 520-791, 542-177, 542-132, 524-661, 527-001, 524-840
- FAX:
- [374](1) 520-800
Economy
41 fieldsGDP - composition by sector(2001 est.)
Trading partnersexports left, imports right
Electricity
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 program that has resulted in positive growth rates in 1995-2003.
Armenia also has managed to slash inflation, stabilize the local currency (the dram), and privatize most small- and medium-sized enterprises. 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, domestic restructuring of the economy, and foreign direct investment. Economic ties with Russia remain close, especially in the energy sector.
Industries
metal-cutting machine tools, forging-pressing machines, electric motors, tires, knitted wear, hosiery, shoes, silk fabric, chemicals, trucks, instruments, microelectronics, gem cutting, jewelry manufacturing, software development, food processing, brandy
Exchange rates
drams per US dollar - NA (2002), 555.08 (2001), 539.53 (2000), 535.06 (1999), 504.92 (1998)
Communications
8 fieldsTelephone 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:
- 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 - 1 Intelsat (2000)
Transportation
8 fieldsAirports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right
Networkskm
Railways
- total:
- 852 km in common carrier service; does not include industrial lines
- broad gauge:
- 852 km 1.520-m gauge (779 km electrified) (2002)
Military
Army, Air and Air Defense Forces, Border Guards
7 fieldsTransnational Issues
2 fieldsDisputes - international
- Armenia supports ethnic Armenian secessionists in Nagorno-Karabakh and militarily occupies 16% of Azerbaijan - Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) continues to mediate dispute;
- border with Turkey remains closed over Nagorno-Karabakh dispute;
- traditional demands regarding former Armenian lands in Turkey have subsided;
- ethnic Armenian groups in Javakheti region of Georgia seek greater autonomy, closer ties with Armenia
Illicit drugs
- illicit cultivation of small amount of cannabis for domestic consumption;
- used as a transit point for illicit drugs - mostly opium and hashish - moving from Southwest Asia to Russia and to a lesser extent the rest of Europe
Cite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Armenia.” The World Factbook 2003. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/armenia/2003.