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The World Factbook 2002
| Armenia |

Introduction | Armenia

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 | Armenia

Location: | Southwestern Asia, east of Turkey
Geographic coordinates: | 40 00 N, 45 00 E
Map references: | Asia
Area: | total: 29,800 sq km water: 1,400 sq km land: 28,400 sq km
Area - comparative: | slightly smaller than Maryland
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
Coastline: | 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: | none (landlocked)
Climate: | highland continental, hot summers, cold winters
Terrain: | Armenian Highland with mountains; little forest land; fast flowing rivers; good soil in Aras River valley
Elevation extremes: | lowest point: Debed River 400 m highest point: Aragats Lerrnagagat' 4,090 m
Natural resources: | small deposits of gold, copper, molybdenum, zinc, alumina
Land use: | arable land: 18% permanent crops: 2% other: 80% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: | 2,870 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: | occasionally severe earthquakes; droughts

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
Geography - note: | landlocked in the Lesser Caucasus Mountains; Sevana Lich (Lake Sevan) is the largest lake in this mountain range

People | Armenia

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.)
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.)
Population growth rate: | -0.15% (2002 est.)
Birth rate: | 12 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Death rate: | 9.94 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Net migration rate: | -3.51 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
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.)
Infant mortality rate: | 41.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 66.59 years female: 71.12 years (2002 est.) male: 62.27 years
Total fertility rate: | 1.53 children born/woman (2002 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | 0.01% (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | less than 500 (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: | less than 100 (1999 est.)
Nationality: | noun: Armenian(s) adjective: Armenian
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
Religions: | Armenian Apostolic 94%, other Christian 4%, Yezidi (Zoroastrian/animist) 2%
Languages: | Armenian 96%, Russian 2%, other 2%
Literacy: | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 98% (1989 est.)

Government | Armenia

Country name: | conventional long form: Republic of Armenia conventional short form: Armenia local short form: Hayastan former: Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic; Armenian Republic local long form: Hayastani Hanrapetut'yun
Government type: | republic
Capital: | Yerevan
Administrative divisions: | 11 provinces (marzer, singular - marz); Aragatsotn, Ararat, Armavir, Geghark'unik', Kotayk', Lorri, Shirak, Syunik', Tavush, Vayots' Dzor, Yerevan
Independence: | 21 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)
National holiday: | Independence Day, 21 September (1991)
Constitution: | adopted by nationwide referendum 5 July 1995
Legal system: | based on civil law system
Suffrage: | 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Robert KOCHARIAN (since 30 March 1998)
head of government: Prime Minister Andranik MARKARYAN (since 12 May 2000)
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 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%

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Assembly (Parliament) or Azgayin Zhoghov (131 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 30 May 1999 (next to be held in the spring of 2003)
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, ARF (Dashnak) 8, Law and Unity Party 7, NDU 6, Law-Governed Party 6, independents 10, unfilled 2; note - seats by party change frequently

Judicial branch: | Supreme Court; Constitutional Court

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
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)
Diplomatic representation in the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Arman KIRAKOSIAN consulate(s) general: Los Angeles FAX: [1] (202) 319-2982 telephone: [1] (202) 319-1976 chancery: 2225 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
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 State, Washington, DC 20521-7020 telephone: [374](1) 521-611, 543-900 FAX: [374](1) 520-800, 542-152
Flag description: | three equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue, and orange

Economy | Armenia

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.

GDP: | purchasing power parity - $11.2 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: | 9.6% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita: | purchasing power parity - $3,350 (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture: 29% industry: 32% services: 39% (2000 est.)
Population below poverty line: | 55% (2001 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: | lowest 10%: 2.3% highest 10%: 35.2% (1996)
Distribution of family income - Gini index: | 44.4 (1996)
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.)
Unemployment rate: | 20% note: official rate is 10.9% for 2000 (2001 est.)
Budget: | revenues: $358 million expenditures: $458 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)
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
Industrial production growth rate: | 3.8% (2001)
Electricity - production: | 5.69 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source: | fossil fuel: 36.34% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 32.34% hydro: 31.32%
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)
Agriculture - products: | fruit (especially grapes), vegetables; livestock
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)
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)
Debt - external: | $839 million (June 2001)
Economic aid - recipient: | $245.5 million (1995)
Currency: | dram (AMD)
Currency code: | AMD
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)
Fiscal year: | calendar year

Communications | Armenia

Telephones - main lines in use: | 568,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular: | 25,000 (2001)

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)

Radio broadcast stations: | AM 9, FM 6, shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios: | 850,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: | 3 (plus an unknown number of repeaters) (1998)
Televisions: | 825,000 (1997)
Internet country code: | .am
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): | 9 (2001)
Internet users: | 30,000 (2001)

Transportation | Armenia

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.)
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)
Waterways: | NA km
Pipelines: | natural gas 900 km (1991)
Ports and harbors: | none
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)

Military | Armenia

Military branches: | Army, Air and Air Defense Forces, Border Guards
Military manpower - military age: | 18 years of age (2002 est.)
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 - reaching military age annually: | males: 34,998 (2002 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: | $135 million (FY01)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: | 6.5% (FY01)

Transnational Issues | Armenia

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