2024 Edition Primary

Background

Armenia prides itself on being the first state to formally adopt Christianity (early 4th century). Armenia has existed as a political entity for centuries, but for much of its history it was under the sway of various empires, including the Roman, Byzantine, Arab, Persian, Ottoman, and Russian. During World War I, the Ottoman Empire instituted a policy of forced resettlement that, coupled with other harsh practices targeting its Armenian subjects, resulted in at least 1 million deaths; these actions have been widely recognized as constituting genocide. During the early 19th century, significant Armenian populations fell under Russian rule. Armenia declared its independence in 1918 in the wake of the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia, but it was conquered by the Soviet Red Army in 1920. Armenia, along with Azerbaijan and Georgia, was initially incorporated into the USSR as part of the Transcaucasian Federated Soviet Socialist Republic; in 1936, the republic was separated into its three constituent entities, which were maintained until the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. For over three decades, Armenia had a longstanding conflict with neighboring Azerbaijan about the status of the Nagorno-Karabakh region, which historically had a mixed Armenian and Azerbaijani population, although ethnic Armenians have constituted the majority since the late 19th century. In 1921, Moscow placed Nagorno-Karabakh within Soviet Azerbaijan as an autonomous oblast. In the late Soviet period, a separatist movement developed that sought to end Azerbaijani control over the region. Fighting over Nagorno-Karabakh began in 1988 and escalated after Armenia and Azerbaijan declared independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. By the time a cease-fire took effect in 1994, separatists with Armenian support controlled Nagorno‑Karabakh and seven surrounding Azerbaijani territories. Armenia and Azerbaijan engaged in a second military conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh in 2020; Armenia lost control over much of the territory it had previously captured, returning the southern part of Nagorno-Karabakh and the territories around it to Azerbaijan. In September 2023, Azerbaijan took military action to regain control over Nagorno-Karabakh; after an armed conflict that lasted only one day, nearly the entire ethnic Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh fled to Armenia. Turkey closed its border with Armenia in 1993 in support of Azerbaijan during the first period of conflict with Armenia and has since maintained a closed border, leaving Armenia with closed borders both in the west (with Turkey) and east (with Azerbaijan). Armenia and Turkey engaged in intensive diplomacy to normalize relations and open the border in 2009, but the signed agreement was not ratified in either country. In 2015, Armenia joined the Eurasian Economic Union alongside Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan. In 2017, Armenia signed a Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with the EU. In 2018, former President of Armenia (2008-18) Serzh SARGSIAN of the Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) tried to extend his time in power, prompting protests that became known as the “Velvet Revolution.” After SARGSIAN resigned, the National Assembly elected the leader of the protests, Civil Contract party chief Nikol PASHINYAN, as the new prime minister. PASHINYAN’s party has prevailed in subsequent legislative elections, most recently in 2021. 

Area

land

28,203 sq km

total

29,743 sq km

water

1,540 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Maryland

Climate

highland continental, hot summers, cold winters

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Elevation

highest point

Aragats Lerrnagagat' 4,090 m

lowest point

Debed River 400 m

mean elevation

1,792 m

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

1,554 sq km (2020)

Land boundaries

border countries

Azerbaijan 996 km; Georgia 219 km; Iran 44 km; Turkey 311 km

total

1,570 km

Land use

agricultural land

59.7% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 15.8% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 1.9% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 42% (2018 est.)

forest

9.1% (2018 est.)

other

31.2% (2018 est.)

Location

Southwestern Asia, between Turkey (to the west) and Azerbaijan; note - Armenia views itself as part of Europe; geopolitically, it can be classified as falling within Europe, the Middle East, or both

Major lakes (area sq km)

fresh water lake(s)

Lake Sevan - 1,360 sq km

Map references

Asia

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Natural hazards

occasionally severe earthquakes; droughts

Natural resources

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

Population distribution

most of the population is located in the northern half of the country; the capital of Yerevan is home to more than five times as many people as Gyumri, the second largest city in the country

Terrain

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

Age structure

0-14 years

17.7% (male 275,589/female 250,630)

15-64 years

67% (male 991,490/female 1,004,101)

65 years and over

15.3% (2024 est.) (male 189,336/female 265,619)

Alcohol consumption per capita

beer

0.52 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

0.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

2.78 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total

3.77 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

0.46 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

10.5 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Child marriage

men married by age 18

0.4% (2016 est.)

women married by age 15

0%

women married by age 18

5.3%

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

2.6% (2015/16)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

57.1% (2015/16)

Current health expenditure

12.2% of GDP (2020)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

64.8% (2023 est.)

Death rate

9.6 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Demographic profile

Armenia’s population peaked at nearly 3.7 million in the late 1980s but has declined sharply since independence in 1991, to just over 3 million in 2021, largely as a result of its decreasing fertility rate, increasing death rate, and negative net emigration rate.  The total fertility rate (the average number of children born per woman) first fell below the 2.1 replacement level in the late 1990s and has hovered around 1.6-1.65 for over 15 years.  In an effort to increase the country’s birth rate, the government has expanded its child benefits, including a substantial increase in the lump sum payment for having a first and second child and a boost in the monthly payment to mothers of children under two.  Reversing net negative migration, however, remains the biggest obstacle to stabilizing or increasing population growth.  Emigration causes Armenia not only lose individuals but also the children they might have.  The emigration of a significant number of working-age people combined with decreased fertility and increased life expectancy is causing the elderly share of Armenia’s population to grow.  The growing elderly population will put increasing pressure on the government’s ability to fund the pension system, health care, and other services for seniors.  Improving education, creating more jobs (particularly in the formal sector), promoting labor market participation, and increasing productivity would mitigate the financial impact of supporting a growing elderly population. Armenia has a long history of migration, some forced and some voluntary.  Its large diaspora is diverse and dispersed around the world.  Widely varying estimates suggest the Armenian diaspora may number anywhere from 5-9 million, easily outnumbering the number of Armenians living in Armenia.  Armenians forged communities abroad from ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome to Russia and to the Americas, where they excelled as craftsmen, merchants, and in other occupations.  Several waves of Armenian migration occurred in the 20th century.  In the aftermath of the 1915 Armenian genocide, hundreds of thousands of survivors fled to communities in the Caucasus (including present day Armenia), Lebanon, Syria, Iran, Europe, and Russia and established new communities in Africa and the Americas.  In the 1930s, the Soviets deported thousands of Armenians to Siberia and Central Asia.  After World War II, the Soviets encouraged the Armenian diaspora in France, the Middle East, and Iran to return the Armenian homeland in order to encourage population growth after significant losses in the male workforce during the war.  Following Armenian independence in 1991, the economic downturn and high unemployment prompted hundreds of thousands of Armenians to seek better economic opportunities primarily in Russia but also in the US, former Soviet states, and Europe.  In the early 1990s, hundreds of thousands of Armenians fled from Azerbaijan to Armenia because of the ongoing Nagorno-Karbakh conflict, but many of them then emigrated again, mainly to Russia and the US.  When the economy became more stable in the late 1990s, permanent emigration slowed, but Armenians continued to seek temporary seasonal work in Russia.  The remittances families receive from relatives working abroad is vital to Armenian households and the country’s economy.

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

19.1

potential support ratio

5.2 (2021 est.)

total dependency ratio

49.6

youth dependency ratio

30.6

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 100% of population

improved: total

total: 100% of population

improved: urban

urban: 100% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 0% of population

unimproved: total

total: 0% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population

Education expenditures

2.8% of GDP (2021 est.)

Ethnic groups

Armenian 98.1%, Yezidi 1.1%, other 0.8% (2022 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

0.8 (2024 est.)

Hospital bed density

4.2 beds/1,000 population (2014)

Infant mortality rate

female

10 deaths/1,000 live births

male

13.1 deaths/1,000 live births

total

11.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)

Languages

Languages

Armenian (official) 97.9%, Kurmanji (spoken by Yezidi minority) 1%, other 1.1%; note - Russian is widely spoken (2011 est.)

major-language sample(s)

Աշխարհի Փաստագիրք, Անփոխարինելի Աղբյւր Հիմնական Տեղեկատվւթյան. (Armenian)The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Life expectancy at birth

female

80.1 years

male

73.4 years

total population

76.7 years (2024 est.)

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

99.7% (2020)

male

99.8%

total population

99.8%

Major urban areas - population

1.095 million YEREVAN (capital) (2023)

Maternal mortality ratio

27 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Median age

female

40.3 years

male

37.6 years

total

38.9 years (2024 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

25.2 years (2019 est.)

Nationality

adjective

Armenian

noun

Armenian(s)

Net migration rate

-5.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

20.2% (2016)

Physician density

4.4 physicians/1,000 population (2017)

Population

female

1,520,350 (2024 est.)

male

1,456,415

total

2,976,765

Population distribution

most of the population is located in the northern half of the country; the capital of Yerevan is home to more than five times as many people as Gyumri, the second largest city in the country

Population growth rate

-0.42% (2024 est.)

Religions

Armenian Apostolic Christian 95.2%, other Christian 1.6%, other 0.9%, none 0.6%, unspecified 1.7% (2022 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 84.6% of population

improved: total

total: 94.4% of population

improved: urban

urban: 100% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 15.4% of population

unimproved: total

total: 5.6% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

14 years (2021)

male

13 years

total

13 years

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.1 male(s)/female

15-64 years

0.99 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.71 male(s)/female

at birth

1.07 male(s)/female

total population

0.96 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Tobacco use

female

1.5% (2020 est.)

male

49.4% (2020 est.)

total

25.5% (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.65 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

0.23% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

63.7% of total population (2023)

Administrative divisions

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

Capital

etymology

name likely derives from the ancient Urartian fortress of Erebuni established on the current site of Yerevan in 782 B.C. and whose impressive ruins still survive

geographic coordinates

40 10 N, 44 30 E

name

Yerevan

time difference

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

Citizenship

citizenship by birth

no

citizenship by descent only

at least one parent must be a citizen of Armenia

dual citizenship recognized

yes

residency requirement for naturalization

3 years

Constitution

amendments

proposed by the president of the republic or by the National Assembly; passage requires approval by the president, by the National Assembly, and by a referendum with at least 25% registered voter participation and more than 50% of votes; constitutional articles on the form of government and democratic procedures are not amendable; amended 2005, 2015, last in 2020; the Constitutional Reform Council formed in 2019 was dissolved in December 2021, and replaced by a new Constitutional Reform Council, whose members were officially appointed in late January 2022; the new council is expected to address the form of government, i.e. presidential or semi-presidential or parliamentary,  and whether to merge the Court of Cassation with the Constitutional Court

history

previous 1915, 1978; latest adopted 5 July 1995

Country name

conventional long form

Republic of Armenia

conventional short form

Armenia

etymology

the etymology of the country's name remains obscure; according to tradition, the country is named after Hayk, the legendary patriarch of the Armenians and the great-great-grandson of Noah; Hayk's descendant, Aram, purportedly is the source of the name Armenia

former

Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic, Armenian Republic

local long form

Hayastani Hanrapetut'yun

local short form

Hayastan

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Kristina A. KVIEN (since 21 February 2023)

email address and website

acsyerevan@state.govhttps://am.usembassy.gov/

embassy

1 American Ave., Yerevan 0082

FAX

[374] (10) 464-742

mailing address

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 Lilit MAKUNTS (since 15 September 2021)

consulate(s) general

Glendale (CA)

email address and website

armembassyusa@mfa.amhttps://usa.mfa.am/en/

FAX

[1] (202) 319-2982

telephone

[1] (202) 319-1976

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister

chief of state

President Vahagn KHACHATURYAN (since 13 March 2022)

election results

2022: Vahagn KHACHATURYAN elected president in second round; note - Vahagn KHACHATURYAN (independent) ran unopposed and won the Assembly vote 71-02018: Armen SARKISSIAN elected president in first round; note - Armen SARKISSIAN (indpendent) ran unopposed and won the Assembly vote 90-10

elections/appointments

president indirectly elected by the National Assembly in 3 rounds if needed for a single 7-year term; election last held on 2 and 3 March 2022 (next election to be held in 2029); prime minister indirectly elected by majority vote in two rounds if needed by the National Assembly

head of government

Prime Minister Nikol PASHINYAN (since 10 September 2021)

note

note: Nikol PASHINYAN was first elected prime minister on 8 May 2018 and reelected on January 2019; in response to a political crisis that followed Armenia's defeat in the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War in late 2020, PASHINYAN called an early legislative election for 21 June 2021; his party won the election and PASHINYAN was elected prime minister for a third time; his election was confirmed by the president on 2 August 2021, and he was sworn in on 10 September 2021

Flag description

three equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue, and orange; the color red recalls the blood shed for liberty, blue the Armenian skies as well as hope, and orange the land and the courage of the workers who farm it

Government type

parliamentary democracy; note - constitutional changes adopted in December 2015 transformed the government to a parliamentary system

Independence

21 September 1991 (from the Soviet Union); notable earlier dates: 321 B.C. (Kingdom of Armenia established under the Orontid Dynasty), A.D. 884 (Armenian Kingdom reestablished under the Bagratid Dynasty); 1198 (Cilician Kingdom established); 28 May 1918 (Democratic Republic of Armenia declared)

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

International organization participation

ADB, BSEC, CD, CE, CIS, CSTO, EAEC (observer), EAEU, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, GCTU, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, MIGA, NAM (observer), OAS (observer), OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

highest court(s)

Court of Cassation or Appeals Court (consists of the Criminal Chamber with a chairman and 5 judges and the Civil and Administrative Chamber with a chairman and 10 judges – with both civil and administrative specializations); Constitutional Court (consists of 9 judges)

judge selection and term of office

Court of Cassation judges nominated by the Supreme Judicial Council, a 10-member body of selected judges and legal scholars; judges appointed by the president; judges can serve until age 65; Constitutional Court judges - 4 appointed by the president, and 5 elected by the National Assembly; judges can serve until age 70

subordinate courts

criminal and civil appellate courts; administrative appellate court; first instance courts; specialized administrative and bankruptcy courts

Legal system

civil law system

Legislative branch

description

unicameral National Assembly (Parliament) or Azgayin Zhoghov (minimum 101 seats; current - 107 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by closed party-list proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms; four mandates are reserved for national minorities)

election results

percent of vote by party/coalition - Civil Contract 53.9%, Armenia Alliance 21%, I Have Honour Alliance 5.2%, other 19.9%; seats by party/coalition - Civil Contract 71, Armenia Alliance 29, I Have Honour Alliance 7; composition - men 68, women 39, percentage women 36.5%

elections

last held early on 20 June 2021 (next to be held in June 2026)

note

note 1: additional seats allocated as necessary; the numbers usually change with each parliamentary convocationnote 2: four mandates are reserved for national minorities; no more than 70% of the top membership of a party list can belong to the same sex; political parties must meet a 5% threshold and alliances a 7% threshold to win seats; at least three parties must be seated in the Parliament

National anthem

lyrics/music

Mikael NALBANDIAN/Barsegh KANACHYAN

name

"Mer Hayrenik" (Our Fatherland)

note

note: adopted 1991; based on the anthem of the Democratic Republic of Armenia (1918-1922) but with different lyrics

National heritage

selected World Heritage Site locales

Monasteries of Haghpat and Sanahin; Monastery of Geghard and the Upper Azat Valley; Cathedral and Churches of Echmiatsin

total World Heritage Sites

3 (3 cultural)

National holiday

Independence Day, 21 September (1991)

National symbol(s)

Mount Ararat, eagle, lion; national colors: red, blue, orange

Political parties

Armenia Alliance or HDArmenian National Congress or ANCBright ArmeniaCivil Contract or KPCountry To Live InHomeland of ArmeniansHomeland PartyI Have Honor Alliance (formerly known as the Republican Party of Armenia) PUDLiberal PartyNational Democratic PartyProsperous Armenia or BHKRepublic Party (Hanrapetutyun Party)

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

milk, potatoes, grapes, tomatoes, vegetables, wheat, watermelons, apricots, apples, barley (2022)

note

note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Budget

expenditures

$4.13 billion (2022 est.)

note

note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenses converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

revenues

$4.617 billion (2022 est.)

Credit ratings

Fitch rating

B+ (2020)

Moody's rating

Ba3 (2019)

note

note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.

Current account balance

Current account balance 2021

-$482.982 million (2021 est.)

Current account balance 2022

$150.994 million (2022 est.)

Current account balance 2023

-$510.104 million (2023 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

Debt - external

Debt - external 2022

$6.028 billion (2022 est.)

note

note: present value of external debt in current US dollars

Economic overview

EEU-and CIS-member state but seeking more EU and US trade; business-friendly growth environments; stable monetary regime but vulnerable demand economy; key copper and gold exporter; persistent unemployment; large diaspora and remittances

Exchange rates

Currency

drams (AMD) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2019

480.445 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

489.009 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

503.77 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

435.666 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

392.476 (2023 est.)

Exports

Exports 2021

$5.012 billion (2021 est.)

Exports 2022

$10.038 billion (2022 est.)

Exports 2023

$14.13 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

Exports - commodities

copper ore, gold, diamonds, tobacco, iron alloys (2022)

note

note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Exports - partners

Russia 41%, UAE 9%, China 7%, Georgia 4%, Switzerland 4% (2022)

note

note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

58.2% (2023 est.)

government consumption

14.1% (2023 est.)

household consumption

65.3% (2023 est.)

imports of goods and services

-58.9% (2023 est.)

investment in fixed capital

20.8% (2023 est.)

investment in inventories

0.6% (2023 est.)

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

8.4% (2023 est.)

industry

23.9% (2023 est.)

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

services

59% (2023 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$24.212 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2022

27.9 (2022 est.)

note

note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

23% (2022 est.)

lowest 10%

3.9% (2022 est.)

note

note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

Imports

Imports 2021

$6.12 billion (2021 est.)

Imports 2022

$10.186 billion (2022 est.)

Imports 2023

$14.279 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

Imports - commodities

postage stamps/documents, cars, broadcasting equipment, refined petroleum, natural gas (2022)

note

note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Imports - partners

Russia 23%, UAE 19%, China 10%, Georgia 5%, Iran 5% (2022)

note

note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

Industrial production growth rate

5.51% (2023 est.)

note

note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021

7.18% (2021 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

8.64% (2022 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023

1.98% (2023 est.)

note

note: annual % change based on consumer prices

Labor force

1.356 million (2023 est.)

note

note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Population below poverty line

24.8% (2022 est.)

note

note: % of population with income below national poverty line

Public debt

note

note: central government debt as a % of GDP

Public debt 2022

46.55% of GDP (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021

$47.165 billion (2021 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$53.108 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$57.728 billion (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

note

note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real GDP growth rate 2021

5.8% (2021 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2022

12.6% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

8.7% (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2021

$16,900 (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2022

$19,100 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$20,800 (2023 est.)

Remittances

note

note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Remittances 2021

11.22% of GDP (2021 est.)

Remittances 2022

10.43% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

7.64% of GDP (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

note

note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2021

$3.23 billion (2021 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022

$4.112 billion (2022 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023

$3.607 billion (2023 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

21.83% (of GDP) (2022 est.)

note

note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

Unemployment rate

note

note: % of labor force seeking employment

Unemployment rate 2021

10.01% (2021 est.)

Unemployment rate 2022

8.61% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

8.59% (2023 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

16% (2023 est.)

male

21.5% (2023 est.)

note

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

total

19% (2023 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from coal and metallurgical coke

62,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

from consumed natural gas

5.613 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

1.669 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

total emissions

7.344 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

Coal

consumption

23,000 metric tons (2022 est.)

exports

32.3 metric tons (2022 est.)

imports

47,000 metric tons (2022 est.)

production

60 metric tons (2022 est.)

proven reserves

317 million metric tons (2022 est.)

Electricity

consumption

7.393 billion kWh (2022 est.)

exports

1.12 billion kWh (2022 est.)

imports

362.079 million kWh (2022 est.)

installed generating capacity

3.893 million kW (2022 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

621.552 million kWh (2022 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population

100% (2022 est.)

Electricity generation sources

fossil fuels

43.4% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

hydroelectricity

22.8% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

nuclear

30% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

solar

3.8% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2022

60.957 million Btu/person (2022 est.)

Natural gas

consumption

2.861 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

imports

2.861 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Nuclear energy

Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors

0.42GW (2023 est.)

Number of nuclear reactors permanently shut down

1 (2023)

Number of operational nuclear reactors

1 (2023)

Percent of total electricity production

31.1% (2023 est.)

Petroleum

refined petroleum consumption

14,000 bbl/day (2022 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

15 (2020 est.)

total

430,407 (2020 est.)

Broadcast media

Armenia’s government-run Public Television network operates alongside 100 privately owned TV stations that provide local to near nationwide coverage; three Russian TV companies are broadcast in Armenia under interstate agreements; subscription cable TV services are available in most regions; several major international broadcasters are available, including CNN; Armenian TV completed conversion from analog to digital broadcasting in late 2016; Public Radio of Armenia is a national, state-run broadcast network that operates alongside 18 privately owned radio stations (2019)

Internet country code

.am

Internet users

percent of population

79% (2021 est.)

total

2.212 million (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

roughly 13 per 100 fixed-line and 135 per 100 mobile-cellular; reliable fixed-line and mobile-cellular services are available across Yerevan and in major cities and towns; mobile-cellular coverage available in most rural areas (2022)

general assessment

the telecom sector was able to post modest gains in the mobile and broadband segments; fixed-line services continue to decrease with the rollout of fiber networks; the fixed broadband market remains undeveloped due to the lack of infrastructure outside the main cities; mobile broadband is expected increase by 2026 (2024)

international

country code - 374; Yerevan is connected to the Caucasus Cable System fiber-optic cable through Georgia and Iran to Europe; additional international service is available by microwave radio relay and landline connections to the other countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States, through the Moscow international switch, and by satellite to the rest of the world; satellite earth stations - 3 (2019)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

13 (2022 est.)

total subscriptions

366,000 (2022 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

135 (2022 est.)

total subscriptions

3.761 million (2022 est.)

Airports

11 (2024)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

EK

Heliports

1 (2024)

National air transport system

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

5

number of registered air carriers

3 (2020)

Pipelines

3,838 km gas (high and medium pressure) (2017)

Railways

total

686 km (2017)

Roadways

non-urban

3,920 km

total

7,700 km (2019)

urban

3,780 km

Military - note

the Armenian Armed Forces were officially established in 1992, although their origins go back to 1918; the modern military’s missions include deterrence, territorial defense, crisis management, humanitarian assistance, and disaster response, as well as socio-economic development projects; territorial defense is its primary focus, particularly in regards to tensions with neighboring Azerbaijan; Armenia and Azerbaijan engaged in open conflicts over the Nagorno-Karabakh enclave in 1991-94 and 2020; Azerbaijan seized the entire enclave in 2023 Armenia has traditionally had close military ties with Russia and has hosted Russian military forces; it also had been a member of the Russian-led Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) since 1994 and committed troops to CSTO's rapid reaction force until suspending its membership in 2024; Armenia has relations with NATO going back to 1992 when Armenia joined the North Atlantic Cooperation Council; in 1994, it joined NATO’s Partnership for Peace program and has contributed to the NATO force in Kosovo, as well as the former NATO deployment in Afghanistan (2024)

Military and security forces

Armenian Republic Armed Forces: Armenian Army (includes land, air, air defense forces) (2024)

note

note: the Police of the Republic of Armenia is responsible for internal security, while the National Security Service is responsible for national security, intelligence activities, and border control

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 50,000 active troops (2024)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the military's inventory includes mostly Russian and Soviet-era equipment; in recent years however, Armenia has looked to other countries besides Russia to provide military hardware, including France and India (2024)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2020

5% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military Expenditures 2021

4.4% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military Expenditures 2022

4.3% of GDP (2022 est.)

Military Expenditures 2023

5.6% of GDP (2023 est.)

Military Expenditures 2024

5.3% of GDP (2024 est.)

Military service age and obligation

18-27 for voluntary (men and women), contract (men and women) or compulsory (men) military service; contract military service is 3-12 months or 3 or 5 years; conscripts serve 24 months; men under the age of 36, who have not previously served as contract servicemen and are registered in the reserve, as well as women, regardless of whether they are registered in the reserve can be enrolled in contractual military service; all citizens aged 27 to 50 are registered in the military reserve and may be called to serve if mobilization is declared (2024)

note

note: in 2023, Armenia approved six-month voluntary service for women, after which they have the option to switch to a five-year contract; previously, women served on a contract basis; as of 2021, women made up about 10% of the active duty military

Illicit drugs

a transit country for illicit drugs with its location between source countries Afghanistan and Iran and the markets of Europe and Russia.  

Refugees and internally displaced persons

IDPs

8,400 (2022)

refugees (country of origin)

27,929 (Azerbaijan) (mid-year 2022)

stateless persons

816 (2022)

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

5.16 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

2.91 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

34.13 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Climate

highland continental, hot summers, cold winters

Environment - current issues

soil pollution from toxic chemicals such as DDT; deforestation; pollution of Hrazdan 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, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified

Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Land use

agricultural land

59.7% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 15.8% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 1.9% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 42% (2018 est.)

forest

9.1% (2018 est.)

other

31.2% (2018 est.)

Major lakes (area sq km)

fresh water lake(s)

Lake Sevan - 1,360 sq km

Revenue from coal

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

0.28% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

7.77 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

1.99 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

industrial

190 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

municipal

650 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

0.23% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

63.7% of total population (2023)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

492,800 tons (2014 est.)