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ARMENIA

Armenia

Armenia - A Cradle of Civilization

Armenia, acknowledged as one of the cradles of civilization, is a beautiful country with a sophisticated people and a long and cultured history. As a result, Armenia is an intriguing tourist destination. Numerous monuments and masterpieces of the Ancient era and Middle Ages can be found throughout the country. Tourism in Armenia is rooted in the country's historical landmarks and natural attractions, such as the water resorts of Lake Sevan, the hot springs of Arzni and Jermuk, the forests of Dilijan, Aghveran, Tsaghkadzor, Bjurakan and Gugark, and the mountainous natural caves and cliffs of the Southeast region. The 5165-meter Mount Ararat, geographically located in Turkey, is a national symbol of Armenia and is visible from much of the Southwest region.

Armenia was one of the 15 successor republics to the USSR in December 1991. Its leaders remain preoccupied by the long conflict with Azerbaijan over the Nagorno-Karabakh enclave. Although a cease-fire has been in effect since May 1994, the sides have not made substantial progress toward a peaceful resolution. In January 1998, differences between President TER-PETROSSIAN and members of his cabinet over the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process came to a head. With the prime minister, defense minister, and security minister arrayed against him, an isolated TER-PETROSSIAN resigned the presidency on 3 February 1998. Prime Minister Robert KOCHARIAN was elected president in March 1998. Concerns about Armenia's economic performance have continued since 1997 with a slowdown in growth and the serious impact of the 1998 financial crisis in Russia.

History
Armenia is often referred to as a museum in the open air. There are about 40,000 historical monuments spread across Armenia.

In 301 AD, Armenians were the first nation to make Christianity their state religion. As a result, much of Armenian cultural heritage is shaped by symbols and values associated with the Christian faith.

Many of the 40,000 surviving ancient monuments in Armenia are Christian churches and monasteries, most of which were built over demolished pagan temples. Hence, only one pagan temple remains in Armenia, Garni.

In building their churches, Armenians made a significant contribution to the world's architectural tradition. They developed the concept of laying out the floor plan of a church in the shape of a cross. This early Christian basilica style was later incorporated into the Gothic architecture of European cathedrals.

Capital
Yerevan, the ancient capital of Armenia, extends you a warm and friendly welcome. It is one of the oldest cities in the world. The earliest recorded settlement there dates back to 782 BC. King Argishty I founded a fortress city in the north-eastern part of present-day Yerevan, with the following cuneiform inscription, "With the majesty of God Khald, Argishty, son of Menua, built up this inaccessible castle and named it Erebuni..." You can still see relics from this part of our history at the Erebuni Museum in Yerevan.

Yerevan, which is nestled in the shadow of the snow-capped heights of the majestic Mount Ararat(where the Biblical Noah's Ark first landed escaping the Great Flood) is the capital city of Armenia. With a population numbering over 1.2 million, Yerevan is a bustling city. The central plaza, Republic Square, is designed in the Armenian national style and houses the Government House, the Cabinet and other governmental offices as well as the Erebuni and Armenia hotels.

Also situated on Republic Square are the Armenian History Museum and the Art Gallery of Armenia. Here, one finds informative and interesting models and artifacts of ancient Urartu and Armenia. In the Art Gallery one also finds a worthy section on Armenian art from the seventh century AD. Amongst the many other museums in the capital city, the two most interesting house museums are those of landscape artist Martiros Saryan (1880-1972) and twentieth century composer Aram Khatchaturyan.

As you explore the many interesting sights in Yerevan, you will learn about the culture and history of one of the world's oldest nations.

Cultural Heritage
You can gain further insights into Armenian cultural achievements at other museums, theaters and concert halls. Theater in Armenia has a tradition dating back more than 2,000 years. You can attend a wide choice of performances ranging from concerts to puppet theater and jazz music.

At the top of Mesrop Mashtots Avenue, the main artery of the capital city Yerevan, you will find the Matenadaran-the Institute of Ancient Manuscripts. Matenadaran boasts the world's largest collection of ancient manuscripts (over 16,000). The collection includes many valuable works of foreign philosophers, some of which have survived only in their Armenian translation. Among these are works by Aristotle, Eusebius of Caesarea and many others. The spirit of creativity is fostered and promoted in Armenians from the young age, hence, the Children's Art Gallery, which was the first permanent exhibition of its sort in the world. It is conveniently located at 13 Abovian Street, a well-preserved street from old Yerevan.

The homes of many famous Armenian writers, poets, and artists are now open to tourists. Their hours of operation vary, so please phone in advance. Enjoy a leisurely stroll around Yerevan and take in its unique architectural vistas. Yerevan's architectural character stands out in that of the most of the buildings are constructed of various colors of tufa and basalt, both of them products of volcanic nature. This makes Yerevan one of the few cities with no painted buildings.

The city is enshrined with many internationally acclaimed statues by famous sculptors, such Yervand Kochar and Levon Tokmadjian. Most of the statues depict Armenian national heroes or glorify events of national importance. It is advisable to check out the following:

Sasuntsi Davit, the symbol of collective Armenian character
Vardan Mamikonian, hero of the battle of Avarayr fought in 451 AD
Eighteenth century bard, Sayat Nova
Khachatour Abovian, renowned for revolutionizing modern Armenian language and climbing Mount Ararat in search of Noah's Ark
Outstanding Armenian poets, Hovhannes Toumanian and Avetik Issahakian
Artist Martiros Sarian, famous for his vivid colors and unique interpretation of Armenian landscapes

In the evening you can relax at the Parisian style cafes of the city or stroll by the singing fountains of the Republic Square.

Heritage
Armenian khatchkars are a unique part of the national heritage. Intricately decorated crosses are carved on monolithic rocks. There are over 4,000 khatchkars in Armenia, and every one of them has a singular pattern.

Religion
Etchmiadzin is the religious center of Armenia. It is the Holy Seat of the Armenian Apostolic Church. Its Cathedral was built in 301 AD on a site of a former pagan temple.

Other significant attractions include:

The ruins of Urartu Fortress (28 BC)
Khor-Virab Monastery and the ruins of Dvin, the capital of Armenia during the reign of the Bagratuni dynasty (2BC)
the pagan Temple of Garni (AD 1 )
Geghard monastery (AD10) hewn out of rock
Amberd Fortress (AD 11)

The mountainous terrain of Armenia is rich in mineral water sources, renowned for their healing powers. Although Armenian mineral water from such sources as Jermouk, Arzni, Bejni, Hankavan, and Dilijan is bottled and widely available throughout the country, it is advisable to make the most of their healing powers by visiting the sources themselves, all of them being picturesque and popular resorts.

For instance, Dilijan, with its rolling hills and lush forests is ideal for hiking, back-packing and camping. Its beauty has inspired many famous composers and musicians, such as Benjamin Britten, Aram Khachaturian, Dimitri Shostakovich, Mstislav Rostropovich, and many others who stayed here at a vacation resort for musicians.

Climate
The climate in Armenia is markedly continental. Summers are dry and sunny, lasting from June to mid-September. The temperature fluctuates between 22° and 36°C. However, the low humidity level mitigates the effect of high temperatures. Evening breezes blowing down the mountains provide a welcome refreshing and cooling effect.

Springs are short, while falls are long. Autumns are remarkable for their spectacularly colorful foliage.

Winters are quite cold with plenty of snow and temperatures ranging between -5° and -10°C. Winter sports enthusiasts can enjoy skiing down the hills of Tsakhkadzor, conveniently located 30 minutes outside of Yerevan.

Geography

Location: Southwestern Asia, east of Turkey

Area-comparative: slightly smaller than Maryland

Land boundaries:

Coastline: 0 km (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

Natural resources: small deposits of gold, copper, molybdenum, zinc, alumina

Geography—note: landlocked

People

Population: 3,409,234 (July 1999 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Armenian(s)
adjective: Armenian

Ethnic groups: Armenian 93%, Azeri 3%, Russian 2%, other (mostly Yezidi Kurds) 2% (1989)

Religions: Armenian Orthodox 94%

Languages: Armenian 96%, Russian 2%, other 2%

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Armenia
conventional short form: Armenia
local long form: Hayastani Hanrapetut'yun
local short form: Hayastan

Government type: Republic

Capital: Yerevan

National Holiday: Referendum Day, 21 September

Constitution: Adopted by nationwide referendum 5 July 1995

Legal system: based on civil law system

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Rouben R. SHUGARIAN
chancery: 2225 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 319-1976
FAX: [1] (202) 319-2982
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Michael LEMMON
embassy: 18 General Bagramian Avenue, Yerevan
mailing address: American Embassy Yerevan, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-7020
telephone: [374] (2) 151-551
FAX: [374] (2) 151-550

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue, and gold

Economy

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 area. 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 1995-98. 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. The Russian financial crisis generated concerns about Armenia's economic performance in 1998. Although inflation dropped to 10% and GDP grew about 6%, the industrial sector remained moribund. Much of Armenia's population remains heavily dependent on remittances from relatives abroad, and remittances from Russia fell off sharply in 1998.

Labor force—by occupation: manufacturing, mining, and construction 25%, agriculture 38%, services 37%

Unemployment rate: 20% (1998 est.)

Industries: much of industry is shut down; metal-cutting machine tools, forging-pressing machines, electric motors, tires, knitted wear, hosiery, shoes, silk fabric, washing machines, chemicals, trucks, watches, instruments, microelectronics

Agriculture—products: fruit (especially grapes), vegetables; livestock

Exports—commodities: gold and jewelry, aluminum, transport equipment, electrical equipment, scrap metal

Imports—commodities: grain, other foods, fuel, other energy

Currency: 1 dram = 100 luma

Communication

Telephone system: the Ministry of Communications oversees the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications; the national operator is Armentel; the Greek Telecoms Company owns 90% of Armentel and will provide a $60 million eight-year loan; Armenia has about 4,000 Internet users on one satellite channel
domestic: local-350,000 telephones are located in Yerevan; a fiber-optic loop provides digital service to 80,000 of Yerevan's customers; GSM cellular is available in Yerevan, as is paging; intercity-the former Soviet system provides service to 380,000 numbers mostly governmental
international: Yerevan is connected to the Trans-Asia-Europe line through Iran; additional international service is available by microwave, land line, and satellite through the Moscow switch; 1 INTELSAT earth station

Transportation

Railways:
total: 825 km in common carrier service; does not include industrial lines
broad gauge: 825 km 1.520-m gauge (1992)

Highways:
total: 8,580 km
paved: 8,580 km
unpaved: 0 km (1996 est.)

Airports: 11 (1996 est.)

Military

Military branches: Army, Air Force and Air Defense Aviation, Air Defense Force, Security Forces (internal and border troops)