1998 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 (Lake Sevan), 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: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Nuclear Test Ban, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

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: 26% (male 460,191; female 441,906) 15-64 years: 65% (male 1,092,652; female 1,139,916) 65 years and over: 9% (male 119,464; female 167,646) (July 1998 est.)

Birth rate

13.52 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate

8.82 deaths/1,000 population (1998 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

40.77 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Languages

Armenian 96%, Russian 2%, other 2%

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 66.73 years male: 62.45 years female: 71.23 years (1998 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

-8.29 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Population

3,421,775 (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate

-0.36% (1998 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: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.69 children born/woman (1998 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

Executive branch

chief of state: President Robert KOCHARIAN (since 30 March 1998) head of government: Prime Minister Armen DARBINYAN (since 10 April 1998) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; special election last held 30 March 1998 (next election to be held March 2003); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Robert KOCHARIAN elected president; percent of vote-Robert KOCHARIAN 59%, Karen DEMIRCHYAN 41%

FAX

[1] (202) 319-2982 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Peter TOMSEN embassy: 18 General Baghramian Avenue, Yerevan mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [374] (2) 524-661, 521-611

[374] (2) 151-550, 151-511

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, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ESCAP, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, NAM (observer), OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (applicant) Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Rouben SHUGARIAN chancery: 2225 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 319-1976

Judicial branch

Supreme Court; Constitutional Court Political parties and leaders: Armenian National Movement or ANM [Vano SIRADEGIAN, chairman]; National Democratic Union or NDU [Vazgen MANUKIAN]; Intellectual Armenia [H. TOKMAJIAN]; Social Democratic (Hnchakian) Party [Yeghia NACHARIAN]; Shamiram Women's Movement or SWM [Maria NERSISSIAN]; Armenian Communist Party or ACP [Sergey BADALYAN]; Union of National Self-Determination or NSDU [Paruir HAIRIKIAN, chairman]; Armenian Revolutionary Federation ("Dashnak" Party) or ARF; Christian Democratic Union or CDU [Azat ARSHAKYN, chairman]; Democratic Liberal Party [Orthosis GYONJIAN, chairman]; Republican Party [Andranik MARKARYAN]

Legal system

based on civil law system

Legislative branch

unicameral National Assembly (Parliament) or Azgayin Zhoghov (190 seats; members serve four-year terms) elections: last held 5 July 1995 (next to be held NA July 1999) 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

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: $322 million expenditures: $424 million, including capital expenditures of $80 million (1998 est.)

Currency

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

Debt-external

$820 million (of which $75 million to Russia) (1997 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 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 agricultural sector has long-term needs for more investment and updated technology. The privatization of industry has been at a slower pace, but ahead of most of the rest of the CIS. 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 1995-97. 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

2.768 million kW (1995)

Electricity-consumption per capita

1,570 kWh (1995)

Electricity-production

6.3 billion kWh (1996)

Exchange rates

dram per US$1-499.89 (November 1997), 414.04 (1996), 405.91 (1995), 288.65 (1994), 9.11 (1993)

Exports

total value: $290 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 Communications

GDP

purchasing power parity-$9.5 billion (1997 est.)

GDP-composition by sector

agriculture: 38% industry: 32% services: 30% (1996 est.)

GDP-per capita

purchasing power parity-$2,750 (1997 est.)

GDP-real growth rate

2.7% (1997 est.)

Imports

total value: $727 million (c.i.f., 1996) commodities: grain, other foods, fuel, other energy partners: Iran, Russia, Turkmenistan, Georgia, US, EU

Industrial production growth rate

0.7% (1997 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

13.2% (1997 est.)

Labor force

total: 1.6 million (1997) by occupation: manufacturing, mining, and construction 25%, agriculture 38%, services 37%

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

Unemployment rate

10.6% officially registered unemployed, but large numbers of underemployed (June 1997)

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: 8,580 km paved: 8,580 km unpaved: 0 km (1996 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

33.3 billion drams (1998); note-conversion of defense expenditures into US dollars using prevailing exchange rates could produce misleading results

Military expenditures-percent of GDP

NA%

Military manpower-availability

males age 15-49: 914,134 (1998 est.) Military manpower-fit for military service: males: 726,938 (1998 est.)

Military manpower-military age

18 years of age

Military manpower-reaching military age annually

males: 31,814 (1998 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 (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)