1997 Edition

Area

total : 29,800 sq km land: 28,400 sq km water: 1,400 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Maryland

Climate

highland continental, hot summers, cold winters

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Debed River 400 m highest point: Aragats Lerr 4,095 m

Environment - current issues

soil pollution from toxic chemicals such as DDT; energy blockade, the result of conflict with Azerbaijan, has led to deforestation when citizens scavenged 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; restart of Metsamor nuclear power plant without adequate (IAEA-recommended) safety and backup systems

Environment - international agreements

party to : Biodiversity, Climate Change, Nuclear Test Ban, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Desertification

Geographic coordinates

40 00 N, 45 00 E

Geography - note

landlocked

Irrigated land

2,870 sq km (1993 est.)

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

Land use

arable land : 17% permanent crops: 3% permanent pastures: 24% forests and woodland: 15% other: 41% (1993 est.)

Location

Southwestern Asia, east of Turkey

Map references

Commonwealth of Independent States

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Natural hazards

occasionally severe earthquakes; droughts

Natural resources

small deposits of gold, copper, molybdenum, zinc, alumina

Terrain

high Armenian Plateau with mountains; little forest land; fast flowing rivers; good soil in Aras River valley

Age structure

0-14 years: 27% (male 476,375; female 456,723) 15-64 years: 65% (male 1,088,103; female 1,134,649) 65 years and over: 8% (male 115,135; female 162,644) (July 1997 est.)

Birth rate

13.59 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate

8.6 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Ethnic groups

Armenian 93%, Azeri 3%, Russian 2%, other (mostly Yezidi Kurds) 2% (1989) note: as of the end of 1993, virtually all Azeris had emigrated from Armenia

Infant mortality rate

40.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Languages

Armenian 96%, Russian 2%, other 2%

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 66.9 years male: 62.69 years female: 71.32 years (1997 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female : 98% (1989 est.)

Nationality

noun: Armenian(s) adjective: Armenian

Net migration rate

-8.32 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Population

3,433,629 (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate

-0.33% (1997 est.)

Religions

Armenian Orthodox 94%

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.71 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Administrative divisions

10 provinces (marzer, singular - marz) and 1 city* (k'aghak'ner, singular - k'aghak'); Aragatsotn, Ararat, Armavir, Geghark'unik', Kotayk', Lorri, Shirak, Syunik', Tavush, Vayots' Dzor, Yerevan*

Constitution

adopted by nationwide referendum 5 July 1995

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

Data code

AM

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Peter TOMSEN embassy: 18 Gen Bagramian, Yerevan mailing address : use embassy street address telephone: [374] (2) 151-144, 524-661

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Ruben SHUGARIAN chancery: 2225 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 319-1976

Executive branch

chief of state : President Levon Akopovich TER-PETROSSIAN (since NA October 1991); note - prior to becoming Armenia's first president, TER-PETROSSIAN was chairman of the Armenian Supreme Soviet since 4 August 1990 head of government: Prime Minister Robert KOCHARIAN (since 20 March 1997) cabinet : Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 22 September 1996 (next to be held NA September 2001); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Levon Akopovich TER-PETROSSIAN elected president; percent of vote - Levon Akopovich TER-PETROSSIAN 52%, Vazgen MANUKYAN 41%

FAX

[1] (202) 319-2982 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles

[374] (2) 151-550

Flag description

three equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue, and gold

Government type

republic

Independence

28 May 1918 (First Armenian Republic); 23 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)

International organization participation

BSEC, CCC, CE (guest), CIS, EBRD, ECE, ESCAP, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NACC, NAM (observer), OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (applicant)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court; Constitutional Court

Legal system

based on civil law system

Legislative branch

unicameral National Assembly or Azgayin Zhoghov (190 seats; members serve five-year terms) elections: last held 5 July 1995 (next to be held NA 2000) election results : percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Republican Bloc 159 (ANM 63, DLP-Hanrapetutyun Bloc 6, Republic Party 4, CDU 3, Intellectual Armenia 3, Social Democratic Party 2, independents 78), SWM 8, ACP 7, NDU 5, NSDU 3, DLP 1, ARF 1, other 4, vacant 2

National capital

Yerevan

National holiday

Referendum Day, 21 September

Republic Bloc (Hanrapetoutioun)

Armenian National Movement or ANM [Husik LAZARIAN, chairman]; Democratic Liberal Party [Orthosis GYONJIAN, chairman]; Republican Party [Ashot NAVARSARDIAN, chairman]; Christian Democratic Union or CDU [Azat ARSHAKIAN, chairman]; Intellectual Armenia [H. TOKMAJIAN]; Social Democratic (Hnchakian) Party [Yeghia NAJARIAN] opposition parties: Shamiram Women's Movement or SWM [Shoger MATEVOSIAN]; Armenian Communist Party or ACP [Sergey BADALYAN]; National Democratic Union or NDU [Davit VARDANIAN and Vasgen MANUKIAN]; Union of National Self-Determination or NSDU [Paruir HAIRIKIAN, chairman]; Democratic Liberal Party or DLP [Rouben MIRZAKHANIAN, chairman]; Armenian Revolutionary Federation or ARF [Rouben HAKOBIAN, chairman]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

fruit (especially grapes), vegetables; vineyards near Yerevan are famous for brandy and other liqueurs; minor livestock sector

Budget

revenues : $NA expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

Currency

1 dram = 100 luma (introduced new currency in November 1993)

Debt - external

$850 million (of which $75 million to Russia) (1995 est.)

Economic aid

recipient: ODA, $NA note: commitments (excluding Russia), $1,385 million ($675 million in disbursements) (1992-95)

Economy - overview

Under the old Soviet central planning system, Armenia had developed a modern industrial sector, supplying machine building 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 area. The privatization of industry has been at a much slower pace. Armenia is a food importer and its mineral deposits (gold, bauxite) are small. The ongoing conflict with Azerbaijan over the ethnic Armenian-dominated region of Nagorno-Karabakh and the embargoes imposed by Azerbaijan and Turkey 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 and 1996. Armenia also managed to slash inflation and to privatize most small and medium-sized enterprises. The chronic energy shortages Armenia suffered in recent years has been partially offset by the energy supplied by one of its nuclear power plants at Metsamor, which in 1996 supplied about 40% of the country's energy needs, according to the Armenian Government. Moreover, Armenia is expanding its energy imports from Iran.

Electricity - capacity

2.77 million kW (1994)

Electricity - consumption per capita

1,462 kWh (1995 est.)

Electricity - production

6.3 billion kWh (1996)

Exchange rates

dram per US$1 - 443 (December 1996), 401.8 (end December 1995), 406 (end December 1994)

Exports

total value : $273 million (f.o.b., 1996) commodities: gold and jewelry, aluminum, transport equipment, electrical equipment, scrap metal partners: Iran, Russia, Turkmenistan, Georgia

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $9.7 billion (1996 estimate as extrapolated from World Bank estimate for 1994)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 35% industry: 35% services : 30% (1995 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $2,800 (1996 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

4% (1996 est.)

Imports

total value : $830 million (c.i.f., 1996) commodities: grain, other foods, fuel, other energy partners: Iran, Russia, Turkmenistan, Georgia, US, EU

Industrial production growth rate

1% (1996 est.)

Industries

much of industry is shut down; metal-cutting machine tools, forging-pressing machines, electric motors, tires, knitted wear, hosiery, shoes, silk fabric, washing machines, chemicals, trucks, watches, instruments, microelectronics

Inflation rate - consumer price index

5.7% (1996 est.)

Labor force

total : 1.6 million (1996) by occupation: industry and construction 23%, agriculture 38%, services 37%, other 2%

Unemployment rate

7.4% officially registered unemployed, but large numbers of underemployed (December 1996)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 10, FM 3, shortwave NA (1991)

Radios

NA

Telephone system

joint venture agreement to install fiber-optic cable and construct facilities for cellular telephone service is in the implementation phase domestic: NA international : international connections to other former Soviet republics are by landline or microwave radio relay and to other countries by satellite and by leased connection through the Moscow international gateway switch; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat

Telephones

650,000

Television broadcast stations

1 note: 100% of population receives Armenian and Russian TV programs

Televisions

NA

Airports

11 (1996 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 5 over 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (1996 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m : 2 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 1 (1996 est.)

Highways

total : 7,720 km paved: 7,496 km unpaved: 224 km (1995 est.)

Pipelines

natural gas 900 km (1991)

Ports and harbors

none

Railways

total: 825 km in common carrier service; does not include industrial lines broad gauge: 825 km 1.520-m gauge (1992)

Waterways

NA km

Military branches

Army, Air Force, Air Defense Force, Security Forces (internal and border troops)

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$75 million (1992)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

NA%

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 907,579 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males: 722,715 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - military age

18 years of age

Military manpower - reaching military age annually

males: 30,942 (1997 est.)

Disputes - international

Armenia supports ethnic Armenians in the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan in the longstanding, separatist conflict against the Azerbaijani Government; traditional demands on former Armenian lands in Turkey have subsided

Illicit drugs

illicit cultivator of cannabis mostly for domestic consumption; used as a transshipment point for illicit drugs to Western Europe and the US ______________________________________________________________________ ARUBA (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)