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NAVIGATION
Republic of Armenia
Hayastani Hanrapetut'yun
Hayastan
former: Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic; Armenian Republic
INTRODUCTION
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Background:
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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. It was incorporated into Russia in 1828 and the USSR 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. |
GEOGRAPHY
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Location:
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Southwestern Asia, east of Turkey |
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Geographic coordinates:
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40 00 N, 45 00 E |
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Map references:
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Asia |
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Area:
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total: 29,800 sq km
water: 1,400 sq km land: 28,400 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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slightly smaller than Maryland |
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Land boundaries:
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total: 1,254 km
border countries: Azerbaijan-proper 566 km, Azerbaijan-Naxcivan exclave 221 km, Georgia 164 km, Iran 35 km, Turkey 268 km |
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Coastline:
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0 km (landlocked) |
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Maritime claims:
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none (landlocked) |
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Climate:
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highland continental, hot summers, cold winters |
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Terrain:
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Armenian Highland with mountains; little forest land; fast flowing rivers; good soil in Aras River valley |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Debed River 400 m
highest point: Aragats Lerrnagagat' 4,090 m |
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Natural resources:
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small deposits of gold, copper, molybdenum, zinc, alumina |
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Land use:
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arable land: 17.52%
permanent crops: 2.3% other: 80.18% (1998 est.) |
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Irrigated land:
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2,870 sq km (1998 est.) |
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Natural hazards:
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occasionally severe earthquakes; droughts |
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Environment - current issues:
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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 |
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Environment - international agreements:
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party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants |
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Geography - note:
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landlocked in the Lesser Caucasus Mountains; Sevana Lich (Lake Sevan) is the largest lake in this mountain range |
PEOPLE
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Population:
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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.) |
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Age structure:
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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.) |
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Population growth rate:
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-0.15% (2002 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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12 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
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Death rate:
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9.94 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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-3.51 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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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.) |
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Infant mortality rate:
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41.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: 66.59 years
female: 71.12 years (2002 est.) male: 62.27 years |
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Total fertility rate:
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1.53 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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0.01% (1999 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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less than 500 (1999 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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less than 100 (1999 est.) |
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Nationality:
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noun: Armenian(s)
adjective: Armenian |
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Ethnic groups:
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Armenian 93%, Azeri 1%, Russian 2%, other (mostly Yezidi Kurds) 4% (2002)
note: as of the end of 1993, virtually all Azeris had emigrated from Armenia |
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Religions:
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Armenian Apostolic 94%, other Christian 4%, Yezidi (Zoroastrian/animist) 2% |
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Languages:
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Armenian 96%, Russian 2%, other 2% |
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99% male: 99% female: 98% (1989 est.) |