1999 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1999 (Internet Archive)
Introduction
Background
Armenia was one of the 15 successor republics to the USSR in December 1991. Its leaders remain preoccupied by the long conflict with Azerbaijan over the Nagorno-Karabakh enclave. Although a cease-fire has been in effect since May 1994, the sides have not made substantial progress toward a peaceful resolution. In January 1998, differences between President TER-PETROSSIAN and members of his cabinet over the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process came to a head. With the prime minister, defense minister, and security minister arrayed against him, an isolated TER-PETROSSIAN resigned the presidency on 3 February 1998. Prime Minister Robert KOCHARIAN was elected president in March 1998. Concerns about Armenia's economic performance have continued since 1997 with a slowdown in growth and the serious impact of the 1998 financial crisis in Russia.
Geography
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: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants
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
Armenian Highland with mountains; little forest land; fast flowing rivers; good soil in Aras River valley
People and Society
Age structure
0-14 years: 25% (male 442,117; female 425,561) 15-64 years: 66% (male 1,100,334; female 1,148,595) 65 years and over: 9% (male 122,170; female 170,457) (1999 est.)
Birth rate
13.53 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate
9.03 deaths/1,000 population (1999 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
41.12 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Languages
Armenian 96%, Russian 2%, other 2%
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 66.56 years male: 62.21 years female: 71.13 years (1999 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
-8.26 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Population
3,409,234 (July 1999 est.)
Population growth rate
-0.38% (1999 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: 0.72 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate
1.68 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Government
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*
Capital
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%
Flag description
three equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue, and gold
Government type
republic
Independence
28 May 1918-2 December 1920 (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, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (applicant) Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Rouben R. SHUGARIAN chancery: 2225 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Michael LEMMON embassy: 18 General Bagramian Avenue, Yerevan mailing address: American Embassy Yerevan, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-7020
Judicial branch
Supreme Court; Constitutional Court Political parties and leaders: Armenian National Movement or ANM
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 in the spring of 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; note--seats by party change frequently
National holiday
Referendum Day, 21 September
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Economy
Agriculture--products
fruit (especially grapes), vegetables; livestock
Budget
revenues: $322 million expenditures: $424 million, including capital expenditures of $80 million (1998 est.)
Currency
1 dram = 100 luma
Debt--external
$820 million (of which $75 million to Russia) (1997 est.)
Economic aid--recipient
$245.5 million (1995)
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 has been given renewed emphasis by the current administration. 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 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 1995-98. Armenia also managed to slash inflation and to privatize most smalland medium-sized enterprises. The chronic energy shortages Armenia suffered in recent years have been largely offset by the energy supplied by one of its nuclear power plants at Metsamor. The Russian financial crisis generated concerns about Armenia's economic performance in 1998. Although inflation dropped to 10% and GDP grew about 6%, the industrial sector remained moribund. Much of Armenia's population remains heavily dependent on remittances from relatives abroad, and remittances from Russia fell off sharply in 1998.
Electricity--consumption
7.6 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports
0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports
0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--production
7.6 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source
fossil fuel: 46.05% hydro: 26.32% nuclear: 27.63% other: 0% (1996)
Exchange rates
dram per US$1--535.62 (January 1999), 504.92 (1998), 490.85 (1997), 414.04 (1996), 405.91 (1995), 288.65 (1994)
Exports
$230 million (f.o.b., 1998 est.)
Exports--commodities
gold and jewelry, aluminum, transport equipment, electrical equipment, scrap metal
Exports--partners
Iran, Russia, Turkmenistan, Georgia
Fiscal year
calendar year
GDP
purchasing power parity--$9.2 billion (1998 est.)
GDP--composition by sector
agriculture: 35% industry: 30% services: 35% (1998 est.)
GDP--per capita
purchasing power parity?$2,700 (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate
6% (1998 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Imports
$840 million (c.i.f., 1998 est.)
Imports--commodities
grain, other foods, fuel, other energy
Imports--partners
Iran, Russia, Turkmenistan, Georgia, US, EU
Industrial production growth rate
NA%
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 prices)
10% (1998 est.)
Labor force
1.6 million (1997)
Labor force--by occupation
manufacturing, mining, and construction 25%, agriculture 38%, services 37%
Population below poverty line
50% (1998 est.)
Unemployment rate
20% (1998 est.)
Communications
Radio broadcast stations
AM 9, FM 6, shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios
NA
Telephone system
the Ministry of Communications oversees the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications; the national operator is Armentel; the Greek Telecoms Company owns 90% of Armentel and will provide a $60 million eight-year loan; Armenia has about 4,000 Internet users on one satellite channel domestic: local--350,000 telephones are located in Yerevan; a fiber-optic loop provides digital service to 80,000 of Yerevan's customers; GSM cellular is available in Yerevan, as is paging; intercity--the former Soviet system provides service to 380,000 numbers mostly governmental international: Yerevan is connected to the Trans-Asia-Europe line through Iran; additional international service is available by microwave, land line, and satellite through the Moscow switch; 1 INTELSAT earth station
Telephones
730,000 (1998 est.)
Television broadcast stations
3 (in addition, programs are received by relay from Russia; 100% of the population receive Armenian and Russian TV programs) (1997)
Televisions
NA
Transportation
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 and Security
Military branches
Army, Air Force and Air Defense Aviation, Air Defense Force, Security Forces (internal and border troops)
Military expenditures--dollar figure
$72.1 million (1999)
Military expenditures--percent of GDP
4% (1999)
Military manpower--availability
males age 15-49: 922,124 (1999 est.) Military manpower--fit for military service: males age 15-49: 732,495 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--military age
18 years of age
Military manpower--reaching military age annually
males: 32,052 (1999 est.)
Transnational Issues
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; increasingly used as a transshipment point for illicit drugs--mostly opium and hashish--to Western Europe and the US via Iran, Central Asia, and Russia