2006 Edition

Administrative divisions

11 provinces (marzer, singular - marz); Aragatsotn, Ararat, Armavir, Geghark'unik', Kotayk', Lorri, Shirak, Syunik', Tavush, Vayots' Dzor, Yerevan

Age structure

0-14 years: 20.5% (male 322,189/female 286,944) 15-64 years: 68.4% (male 949,975/female 1,085,484) 65 years and over: 11.1% (male 133,411/female 198,369) (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products

fruit (especially grapes), vegetables; livestock

Airports

13 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways

over 3,047 m

2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2006)

total

11

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)

Area

land

28,400 sq km

total

29,800 sq km

water

1,400 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Maryland

Armed Forces

Ground Forces, Nagorno-Karabakh Self Defense Force (NKSDF), Air Force, Air Defense Force (2006)

Background

Armenia prides itself on being the first nation to formally adopt Christianity (early 4th century). Despite periods of autonomy, over the centuries Armenia came under the sway of various empires including the Roman, Byzantine, Arab, Persian, and Ottoman. During World War I in the western portion of Armenia, Ottoman Turkey instituted a policy of forced resettlement coupled with other harsh practices that resulted in an estimated 1 million Armenian deaths. The eastern area of Armenia was ceded by the Ottomans to Russia in 1828; this portion declared its independence in 1918, but was conquered by the Soviet Red Army in 1920. Armenian leaders remain preoccupied by the long conflict with Muslim 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. Turkey imposed an economic blockade on Armenia and closed the common border because of the Armenian occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding areas. Geography Armenia

Birth rate

12.07 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$930.7 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (2005 est.)

revenues

$786.1 million

Capital

daylight saving time

+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

geographic coordinates

40 11 N, 44 30 E

name

Yerevan

time difference

UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Climate

highland continental, hot summers, cold winters

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Constitution

adopted by nationwide referendum 5 July 1995; amendments adopted through a nationwide referendum 27 November 2005

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

Currency (code)

dram (AMD)

Currency code

AMD

Current account balance

$-118 million (2005 est.)

Death rate

8.23 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Debt - external

$1.819 billion (20 September 2005)

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Anthony F. GODFREY

embassy

1 American Ave., Yerevan 375082

mailing address

American Embassy Yerevan, US Department of State, 7020 Yerevan Place, Washington, DC 20521-7020

telephone

[374](10) 464-700

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

2225 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Tatoul MARKARIAN

telephone

[1] (202) 319-1976

Disputes - international

Armenia supports ethnic Armenian secessionists in Nagorno-Karabakh and since the early 1990s, has militarily occupied 16% of Azerbaijan - Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) continues to mediate dispute; over 800,000 mostly ethnic Azerbaijanis were driven from the occupied lands and Armenia; about 230,000 ethnic Armenians were driven from their homes in Azerbaijan into Armenia; Azerbaijan seeks transit route through Armenia to connect to Naxcivan exclave; border with Turkey remains closed over Nagorno-Karabakh dispute; ethnic Armenian groups in Javakheti region of Georgia seek greater autonomy; tens of thousands of Armenians emigrate, primarily to Russia, to seek employment

Distribution of family income - Gini index

41.3 (2004)

Economic aid - recipient

ODA, $254 million (2004)

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 (copper, 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 liberalization program that resulted in positive growth rates in 1995-2005. Armenia joined the WTO in January 2003. Armenia also has managed to slash inflation, stabilize its currency, and privatize most small- and medium-sized enterprises. Armenia's unemployment rate, however, remains high, despite strong economic growth. The chronic energy shortages Armenia suffered in the early and mid-1990s have been offset by the energy supplied by one of its nuclear power plants at Metsamor. Armenia is now a net energy exporter, although it does not have sufficient generating capacity to replace Metsamor, which is under international pressure to close. The electricity distribution system was privatized in 2002. Armenia's severe trade imbalance has been offset somewhat by international aid, remittances from Armenians working abroad, and foreign direct investment. Economic ties with Russia remain close, especially in the energy sector. The government made some improvements in tax and customs administration in 2005, but anti-corruption measures will be more difficult to implement. Investment in the construction and industrial sectors is expected to continue in 2006 and will help to ensure annual average real GDP growth of about 13.9%.

Electricity - consumption

4.374 billion kWh (2005)

Electricity - exports

650 million kWh; note - exports an unknown quantity to Georgia; includes exports to Nagorno-Karabakh region in Azerbaijan (2003)

Electricity - imports

463 million kWh; note - imports an unknown quantity from Iran (2003)

Electricity - production

6.317 billion kWh (2005)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

42.3%

hydro

27%

nuclear

30.7%

other

0% (2001)

Elevation extremes

highest point

Aragats Lerrnagagat' 4,090 m

lowest point

Debed River 400 m

Environment - current issues

soil pollution from toxic chemicals such as DDT; the energy crisis of the 1990s 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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified

Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Ethnic groups

Armenian 97.9%, Yezidi (Kurd) 1.3%, Russian 0.5%, other 0.3% (2001 census)

Exchange rates

drams per US dollar - 457.69 (2005), 533.45 (2004), 578.76 (2003), 573.35 (2002), 555.08 (2001)

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 reelected president; percent of vote - Robert KOCHARIAN 67.5%, Stepan DEMIRCHYAN 32.5%

elections

president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 19 February and 5 March 2003 (next to be held in 2008); prime minister appointed by the president and confirmed with the majority support of the National Assembly; the prime minister and Council of Ministers must resign if the National Assembly refuses to accept their program

head of government

Prime Minister Andranik MARGARYAN (since 12 May 2000)

Exports

$800 million f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Exports - commodities

diamonds, mineral products, foodstuffs, energy

Exports - partners

Germany 15.6%, Netherlands 13.7%, Belgium 12.8%, Russia 12.2%, Israel 11.5%, US 11.2%, Georgia 4.8% (2005)

FAX

[1] (202) 319-2982

[374](10) 464-742

consulate(s) general

Los Angeles

Fiscal year

calendar year Communications Armenia

Flag description

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

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

23.9%

industry

34.3%

services

41.8% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$4,800 (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

13.9% (2005 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$4.868 billion (2005 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$14.45 billion (2005 est.)

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 People Armenia

Government type

republic

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

less than 200 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

2,600 (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

41.3% (2004)

lowest 10%

1.6%

IDPs

50,000 (conflict with Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh) (2005)

Illicit drugs

illicit cultivation of small amount of cannabis for domestic consumption; minor transit point for illicit drugs - mostly opium and hashish - moving from Southwest Asia to Russia and to a lesser extent the rest of Europe This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006

Imports

$1.5 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Imports - commodities

natural gas, petroleum, tobacco products, foodstuffs, diamonds

Imports - partners

Russia 13.5%, Belgium 8%, Germany 7.9%, Ukraine 7%, Turkmenistan 6.3%, US 6.2%, Israel 5.8%, Iran 5%, Romania 4.2% (2005)

Independence

21 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)

Industrial production growth rate

7.5% (2005 est.)

Industries

diamond-processing, metal-cutting machine tools, forging-pressing machines, electric motors, tires, knitted wear, hosiery, shoes, silk fabric, chemicals, trucks, instruments, microelectronics, jewelry manufacturing, software development, food processing, brandy

Infant mortality rate

female

16.51 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

male

27.59 deaths/1,000 live births

total

22.47 deaths/1,000 live births

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

0.6% (2005 est.)

International organization participation

ACCT (observer), AsDB, BSEC, CE, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM (observer), OAS (observer), OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Internet country code

.am

Internet hosts

8,163 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

9 (2001)

Internet users

150,000 (2005) Transportation Armenia

Investment (gross fixed)

21.4% of GDP (2005 est.)

Irrigated land

2,860 sq km (2003)

Judicial branch

Constitutional Court; Court of Cassation (Appeals Court)

Labor force

1.2 million (2005)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

45%

industry

25%

services

30% (2002 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

16.78%

other

81.21% (2005)

permanent crops

2.01%

Languages

Armenian 97.7%, Yezidi 1%, Russian 0.9%, other 0.4% (2001 census)

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; 90 members elected by party list, 41 by direct vote)

election results

percent of vote by party - Republican Party 23.5%, Justice Bloc 13.6%, Rule of Law 12.3%, ARF (Dashnak) 11.4%, National Unity Party 8.8%, United Labor Party 5.7%; seats by faction - Republican Party 39, Rule of Law 20, Justice Bloc 14, ARF (Dashnak) 11, National Unity 7, United Labor 6, People's Deputy Group 16, independent (not in faction or group) 18; note - as of 10 March 2006; voting blocs in the legislature are more properly termed factions and can be composed of members of several parties; seats by faction change frequently as deputies switch parties or announce themselves independent

elections

last held 25 May 2003 (next to be held in the spring of 2007)

Life expectancy at birth

female

76.02 years (2006 est.)

male

68.25 years

total population

71.84 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

98% (2003 est.) Government Armenia

male

99.4%

total population

98.6%

Location

Southwestern Asia, east of Turkey

Manpower available for military service

females age 18-49

795,084 (2005 est.)

males age 18-49

722,836

Manpower fit for military service

females age 18-49

656,493 (2005 est.)

males age 18-49

551,938

Manpower reaching military service age annually

females age 18-49

31,182 (2005 est.)

males age 18-49

31,774

Map references

Asia

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Median age

female

33.2 years (2006 est.)

male

27.8 years

total

30.4 years

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$135 million (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

6.5% (FY01) Transnational Issues Armenia

Military service age and obligation

18 to 27 years of age for compulsory military service, conscript service obligation - 12 months; 18 years of age for voluntary military service (2004)

National holiday

Independence Day, 21 September (1991)

Nationality

adjective

Armenian

noun

Armenian(s)

Natural gas - consumption

1.685 billion cu m (2005 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2005 est.)

Natural gas - imports

1.685 billion cu m (2005 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2005 est.)

Natural hazards

occasionally severe earthquakes; droughts

Natural resources

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

Net migration rate

-5.72 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Oil - consumption

40,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports

NA bbl/day

Oil - imports

NA bbl/day

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2005)

Pipelines

gas 2,002 km (2006)

Political parties and leaders

Agro-Industrial Party [Vladimir BADALYAN]; Armenia Party [Myasnik MALKHASYAN]; Armenian National Movement or ANM [Alex ARZUMANYAN, chairman]; Armenian Ramkavar Liberal Party or HRAK [Harutyun MIRZAKHANYAN, chairman]; Armenian Revolutionary Federation ("Dashnak" Party) or ARF [Levon MKRTCHYAN]; Democratic Party [Aram SARKISYAN]; Justice Bloc (comprised of the Democratic Party, National Democratic Party, National Democratic Union, the People's Party, and the Republic Party) [Stepan DEMIRCHYAN]; National Democratic Party [Shavarsh KOCHARIAN]; National Democratic Union or NDU [Vazgen MANUKIAN]; National Revival Party [Albert BAZEYAN]; National Unity Party [Artashes GEGHAMYAN, chairman]; People's Party of Armenia [Stepan DEMIRCHYAN]; Republic Party [Aram SARKISYAN, chairman]; Republican Party or RPA [Andranik MARGARYAN]; Rule of Law Party [Samvel BALASANYAN]; Union of Constitutional Rights [Hrant KHACHATURYAN]; United Labor Party [Gurgen ARSENYAN]

Political pressure groups and leaders

Yerkrapah Union [Manvel GRIGORIAN]

Population

2,976,372 (July 2006 est.)

Population below poverty line

43% (2003 est.)

Population growth rate

-0.19% (2006 est.)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 9, FM 6, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios

850,000 (1997)

Railways

broad gauge

845 km 1.520-m gauge (828 km electrified)

note

some lines are out of service (2005)

total

845 km

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin)

235,101 (Azerbaijan)

Religions

Armenian Apostolic 94.7%, other Christian 4%, Yezidi (monotheist with elements of nature worship) 1.3%

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$754.9 million (2005 est.)

Roadways

paved

7,633 km (includes 1,561 km of expressways) (2003) Military Armenia

total

7,633 km

Sex ratio

at birth

1.17 male(s)/female

total population

0.9 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

under 15 years

1.12 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.88 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Telephone system

domestic

the majority of subscribers and the most modern equipment are in Yerevan (this includes paging and mobile cellular service)

general assessment

system inadequate; now 90% privately owned and undergoing modernization and expansion

international

country code - 374; 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 - 3 (2005)

Telephones - main lines in use

582,500 (2004)

Telephones - mobile cellular

320,000 (2005)

Television broadcast stations

3 (plus an unknown number of repeaters) (1998)

Televisions

825,000 (1997)

Terrain

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

Total fertility rate

1.33 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Trafficking in persons

current situation

Armenia is a major source and, to a lesser extent, a transit and destination country for women and girls trafficked for sexual exploitation largely to the UAE and Turkey; traffickers, many of them women, route victims directly into Dubai or through Moscow; profits derived from the trafficking of Armenian victims reportedly increased dramatically from 2005

tier rating

Tier 2 Watch List - Armenia has failed to show evidence of increasing efforts, particularly in the areas of enforcement, trafficking-related corruption, and victim protection; the government increased implementation of its anti-trafficking law, but failed to impose significant penalties for convicted traffickers and failed to vigorously investigate and prosecute ongoing and widespread allegations of public officials' complicity in trafficking; victim protection efforts remain in early, formative stages and a lack of sensitivity for victims remains a problem, particularly in the judiciary

Unemployment rate

31.6% (2004 est.)