2000 Edition

Background

An Orthodox Christian country, Armenia was incorporated into Russia in 1828 and the USSR in 1920. Armenian leaders remain preoccupied by the long conflict with Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh, a primarily Armenian-populated exclave, assigned to Soviet Azerbaijan in the 1920s by Moscow. Armenia and Azerbaijan began fighting over the exclave 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.

Area

land

28,400 sq km

total

29,800 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

highest point

Aragats Lerr 4,095 m

lowest point

Debed River 400 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, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, 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

border countries

Azerbaijan-proper 566 km, Azerbaijan-Naxcivan exclave 221 km, Georgia 164 km, Iran 35 km, Turkey 268 km

total

1,254 km

Land use

arable land

17%

forests and woodland

15%

other

41% (1993 est.)

permanent crops

3%

permanent pastures

24%

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

Age structure

0-14 years: 24% (male 415,297; female 400,590) 15-64 years: 66% (male 1,084,588; female 1,131,387) 65 years and over: 10% (male 129,890; female 182,584) (2000 est.)

Birth rate

10.97 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate

9.53 deaths/1,000 population (2000 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

Infant mortality rate

41.48 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)

Languages

Armenian 96%, Russian 2%, other 2%

Life expectancy at birth

female

71.04 years (2000 est.)

male

61.98 years

total population

66.4 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

98% (1989 est.)

male

99%

total population

99%

Nationality

adjective

Armenian

noun

Armenian(s)

Net migration rate

-4.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Population

3,344,336 (July 2000 est.)

Population growth rate

-0.28% (2000 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

0.95 male(s)/female (2000 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.47 children born/woman (2000 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*

Capital

Yerevan

Constitution

adopted by nationwide referendum 5 July 1995

Country name

conventional long form

Republic of Armenia

conventional short form

Armenia

former

Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic; Armenian Republic

local long form

Hayastani Hanrapetut'yun

local short form

Hayastan

Data code

AM

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

telephone

(2) 151-551

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

2225 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Arman KIRAKOSIAN

telephone

(202) 319-1976

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister

chief of state

President Robert KOCHARIAN (since 30 March 1998)

election results

Robert KOCHARIAN elected president; percent of vote - Robert KOCHARIAN 59%, Karen DEMIRCHYAN 41%

elections

president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; special election last held 30 March 1998 (next to be held NA March 2003); prime minister appointed by the president

head of government

Prime Minister Aram SARKISYAN (since 3 November 1999)

FAX

(202) 319-2982

(2) 151-550

consulate(s) general

Los Angeles

Flag description

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

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)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court; Constitutional Court

Legal system

based on civil law system

Legislative branch

unicameral National Assembly (Parliament) or Azgayin Zhoghov (131 seats; members serve four-year terms)

election results

percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - unity bloc 61 (Republican Party 41, People's Party of Armenia 20), Stability Group (independent Armenian deputies who have formed a bloc) 21, ACP 10, independents 10, ARF (Dashnak) 8, Law and Unity Party 7, NDU 6, Law-Governed Party 6, unfilled 2; note - seats by party change frequently

elections

last held 30 May 1999 (next to be held in the spring of 2003)

National holiday

Referendum Day, 21 September

Political parties and leaders

Armenian Communist Party or ACP ; Armenian National Movement or ANM [Vano SIRADEGIAN, chairman]; Armenian Revolutionary Federation ("Dashnak" Party) or ARF ; Christian Democratic Union or CDU ; Democratic Liberal Party [Ramkavar AZATAKAN, chairman]; Free Armenian's Mission [Ruben MNATSANIAN, chairman]; Law and Unity Party ; Law-Governed Party ; Mission Party ; National Democratic Union or NDU [Vazgen MANUKIAN]; National State Party ; People's Party of Armenia ; Republican Party ; Shamiram Women's Movement or SWM ; Social Democratic (Hnchakian) Party ; Stability Group [Vartan AYVAZIAN, chairman]; Union of National Self-Determination or NSDU

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

fruit (especially grapes), vegetables; livestock

Budget

expenditures

$566 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999 est.)

revenues

$360 million

Currency

1 dram = 100 luma

Debt - external

$862.7 million (1999)

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 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 (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 1995-99. Armenia also managed to slash inflation and to privatize most small- and 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. Continued Russian financial difficulties have hurt the trade sector especially, but have been offset by international aid, domestic restructuring, and foreign direct investment.

Electricity - consumption

5.361 billion kWh (1998)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (1998)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (1998)

Electricity - production

5.764 billion kWh (1998)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

48.92%

hydro

26.44%

nuclear

24.64%

other

0% (1998)

Exchange rates

dram per US$1 - 527.02 (January 2000), 535.06 (1999), 504.92 (1998), 490.85 (1997), 414.04 (1996), 405.91 (1995)

Exports

$240 million (1999 est.)

Exports - commodities

diamonds, scrap metal, machinery and equipment, cognac, copper ore

Exports - partners

Belgium, Russia, Iran, Turkmenistan, US, Georgia (1998)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $9.9 billion (1999 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

40%

industry

25%

services

35% (1999 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $2,900 (1999 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

5% (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Imports

$782 million (1999 est.)

Imports - commodities

natural gas, petroleum, tobacco products, foodstuffs, diamonds

Imports - partners

Russia, US, UK, Iran, Turkey, Belgium (1998)

Industrial production growth rate

-2% (1998)

Industries

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)

2.5% (1999)

Labor force

1.5 million (1999)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture 55%, services 25%, manufacturing, mining, and construction 20% (1999 est.)

Population below poverty line

45% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate

20% (1998 est.)

note

official rate is 9.3% for 1998

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

1 (1999)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 9, FM 6, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios

850,000 (1997)

Telephone system

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

Telephones - main lines in use

583,000 (1995)

Telephones - mobile cellular

NA

Television broadcast stations

4 (1998)

Televisions

825,000 (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

paved

15,998 km (including 7,567 km of expressways)

total

15,998 km

unpaved

0 km (1998 est.)

Pipelines

natural gas 900 km (1991)

Ports and harbors

none

Railways

broad gauge

825 km 1.520-m gauge (825 km electrified) (1995)

total

825 km in common carrier service; does not include industrial lines

Waterways

NA km

Military branches

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

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$75 million (FY99)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

4% (FY99)

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 896,646 (2000 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 708,940 (2000 est.)

Military manpower - military age

18 years of age

Military manpower - reaching military age annually

males

33,391 (2000 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 regarding 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

ARUBA