2002 Edition
CIA World Factbook 2002 (Project Gutenberg)
Introduction
Background
An Armenian Apostolic 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 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
Area
total: 29,800 sq km water: 1,400 sq km land: 28,400 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 Lerrnagagat' 4,090 m
Environment - current issues
soil pollution from toxic chemicals such as DDT; energy blockade, the result of conflict with Azerbaijan and disagreements with Turkey, 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 in spite of its location in a seismically-active zone
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 in the Lesser Caucasus Mountains; Sevana Lich (Lake Sevan) is the largest lake in this mountain range
Irrigated land
2,870 sq km (1998 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: 18% permanent crops: 2% other: 80% (1998 est.)
Location
Southwestern Asia, east of Turkey
Map references
Asia
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: 22.2% (male 374,597; female 363,115) 15-64 years: 67.7% (male 1,104,100; female 1,150,282) 65 years and over: 10.1% (male 141,330; female 196,675) (2002 est.)
Birth rate
12 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Death rate
9.94 deaths/1,000 population (2002 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
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
0.01% (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths
less than 100 (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS
less than 500 (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate
41.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Languages
Armenian 96%, Russian 2%, other 2%
Life expectancy at birth
71.12 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 1.53 children born/woman (2002 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
-3.51 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Population
3,330,099 note: Armenia's first census since independence was conducted in October 2001, but official figures have not yet been released (July 2002 est.)
Population growth rate
-0.15% (2002 est.)
Religions
Armenian Apostolic 94%, other Christian 4%, Yezidi (Zoroastrian/animist) 2%
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 (2002 est.)
Government
Administrative divisions
11 provinces (marzer, singular - marz); 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
Republic of Armenia conventional short form: Republic; Armenian Republic local long form: Hayastani Hanrapetut'yun
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 [374](1) 521-611, 543-900 FAX:
Diplomatic representation in the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Arman KIRAKOSIAN consulate(s) general: Los [1] (202) 319-1976 chancery:
Executive branch
chief of state: President Robert KOCHARIAN (since 30 March 1998) head of Prime Minister Andranik MARKARYAN (since 12 May 2000) cabinet: 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 election results: Robert KOCHARIAN elected president; percent of vote - Robert KOCHARIAN 59.5%, Karen DEMIRCHYAN 40.5%
Flag description
three equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue, and orange
Government type
republic
Independence
21 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)
International organization participation
BSEC, CCC, CE, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ESCAP, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM (observer), OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)
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 elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: 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, ARF (Dashnak) 8, Law and Unity Party 7, NDU 6, Law-Governed Party 6, independents 10, unfilled 2; note - seats by party change frequently
National holiday
Independence Day, 21 September (1991)
Political parties and leaders
Agro-Technical People's Group (formerly Stability Group) [Hmayk HOVHANISSIAN]; Armenian Communist Party or ACP [Vladimir DARBINYAN]; Armenia Democratic Party [Armen SARGSIAN]; Armenian Revolutionary Federation ("Dashnak" Party) or ARF [Hrant MARKARYAN]; Christian Democratic Union or CDU [Azat ARSHAKYN, chairman]; Constitutional Rights Union [Hrant KHACHATRYAN]; Democratic Liberal Party/Ramkvar Azatakyan or DL/RA [Ruben MIRZAKHANIAN, chairman]; Law and Unity Party [Artashes GEGAMIAN, chairman]; Law-Governed Party [Artur BAGDASARIAN, chairman]; National Accord Front [Ashot MANUTCHARIAN]; National Democratic Alliance [Arshak ZADOYAN]; National Democratic Party [Shavarsh KOCHARIAN]; National Democratic Union or NDU [Vazgen MANUKIAN]; Pan-Armenian National Movement or PANM [Alex ARZOUMANYAN]; People's Democratic Party [Gagik ASLANYAN]; People's Deputies Group [Hovhannes HOVHANISSIAN]; People's Party of Armenia [Stepan DEMIRCHYAN]; Republic Party [Aram SARGSIAN]; Republican Party or RPA [Andranik MARKARYAN]; Shamiram Women's Movement or SWM [Shogher MATEVOSIAN]; Social Democratic (Hunchak) Party [Yeghia SHAMSHAYN]; Social Democratic Union (formerly National Self-Determination Union) [Paruyr HAYRIKIAN]; Twenty-first Century Party [David SHAKHNAZARIAN]; Unity Bloc [Stepan DEMIRCHIAN and Andranik MARKARYAN] (a coalition of the Republican Party and People's Party of Armenia); Yerkrapah Union [Manval GRIGORYAN]
Political pressure groups and leaders
NA
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Economy
Agriculture - products
fruit (especially grapes), vegetables; livestock
Budget
revenues: $358 million expenditures: $458 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)
Currency
dram (AMD)
Currency code
AMD
Debt - external
$839 million (June 2001)
Distribution of family income - Gini index
44.4 (1996)
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 1995-2001. 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. Armenia's severe trade imbalance has been offset somewhat by international aid, domestic restructuring of the economy, and foreign direct investment.
Electricity - consumption
4.89 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports
704 million kWh note: exports an unknown quantity to Georgia; includes exports to Nagorno-Karabakh region in Azerbaijan (2000)
Electricity - imports
300 million kWh note: imports an unknown quantity from Iran (2000)
Electricity - production
5.69 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source
fossil fuel: 36.34% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 32.34% hydro: 31.32%
Exchange rates
drams per US dollar - 564.08 (January 2002), 555.08 (2001), 539.53 (2000), 535.06 (1999), 504.92 (1998), 490.85 (1997)
Exports
$338.5 million (f.o.b., 2001 est.)
Exports - commodities
diamonds, scrap metal, machinery and equipment, brandy, copper ore
Exports - partners
Belgium 23%, Russia 15%, US 13%, Iran 10% (2000)
Fiscal year
calendar year
GDP
purchasing power parity - $11.2 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector
agriculture: 29% industry: 32% services: 39% (2000 est.)
GDP - per capita
purchasing power parity - $3,350 (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate
9.6% (2001 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: 2.3% highest 10%: 35.2% (1996)
Imports
$868.6 million (f.o.b., 2001 est.)
Imports - commodities
natural gas, petroleum, tobacco products, foodstuffs, diamonds
Imports - partners
Russia 15%, US 12%, Belgium 10%, Iran 9% (2000)
Industrial production growth rate
3.8% (2001)
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
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
3.1% (2000 est.)
Labor force
1.4 million (2001)
Labor force - by occupation
agriculture 44%, services 14%, industry 42% (2000 est.)
Population below poverty line
55% (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate
20% note: official rate is 10.9% for 2000 (2001 est.)
Communications
Internet country code
.am
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
9 (2001)
Internet users
30,000 (2001)
Radio broadcast stations
AM 9, FM 6, shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios
850,000 (1997)
Telephone 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)
Telephones - main lines in use
568,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular
25,000 (2001)
Television broadcast stations
3 (plus an unknown number of repeaters) (1998)
Televisions
825,000 (1997)
Transportation
Airports
7 (2001)
Airports - with unpaved runways
total: 7 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 1 (2001)
Highways
total: 11,300 km paved: 10,500 km (includes some all-weather gravel-surfaced roads) unpaved: 800 km (these roads are made of unstabilized earth and are difficult to negotiate in wet weather) (1990)
Pipelines
natural gas 900 km (1991)
Ports and harbors
none
Railways
total: 852 km in common carrier service; does not include industrial lines broad gauge: 852 km 1.520-m gauge (779 km electrified) (2001 est.)
Waterways
NA km
Military and Security
Military branches
Army, Air and Air Defense Forces, Border Guards
Military expenditures - dollar figure
$135 million (FY01)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP
6.5% (FY01)
Military manpower - availability
males age 15-49: 912,650 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service
males age 15-49: 722,035 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - military age
18 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually
males: 34,998 (2002 est.)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international
Armenia supports ethnic Armenian secessionists in Nagorno-Karabakh and militarily occupies almost one-fifth 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
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 This page was last updated on 1 January 2002 Andorra