Language: Armenian
Currency: Drarm (AMD)
Calling Code: 374
Armenia (in Armenian: Հայաստան, Hayastán),
officially Republic of Armenia, is a country of the South Caucasus
and without exit to the sea. It shares borders with Turkey to the
west, Georgia to the north, Azerbaijan to the east and Iran and the
Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic of Azerbaijan to the south.
Armenia is a former Soviet republic, a unitary, multiparty state in
a process of democratization that has its roots in one of the oldest
civilizations in the world. Endowed with a rich cultural heritage,
it stood out as the first nation to adopt Christianity as an
official religion in the early years of the fourth century (the
traditional date is 301) Although Armenia is a secular
constitutional state, the Christian faith plays a important role in
its history and in the identity of the Armenian people.
Culturally, historically and politically, Armenia is considered part
of Europe, but its location in the South Caucasus places it on a
supposed imaginary frontier between Europe and Asia: in reality it
is a transcontinental country, halfway between two geographical
areas. These classifications are arbitrary, as there is no easily
definable geographical difference between Asia and Europe.
Armenia is currently a member of more than 35 international
organizations, including the United Nations, the Council of Europe,
the Asian Development Bank, the Commonwealth of Independent States,
the World Trade Organization and the Black Sea Economic Cooperation
Organization. He is one of the members of the Association for Peace
of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, as well as of the
military alliance Organization of the Treaty of Collective Security
(CSTO). He is also an observer member of the Eurasian Economic
Community, the Francophony and the Non-Aligned Movement.
Ararat Province
Khor Virap Monastery offers a great view of the mountain Ararat. According to Old Testament this was the mountain where Noah's Ark have landed after the Great Flood.
Armavir Province
Etchmiadzin Monastery is an ancient Christian complex that is made up of Etchmiadzin Cathedral, the mother church of the Armenian Apostolic Church, church of Hripsime, Gayane basilica
Kotayk Province
Geghard Monastery originally found in the 4th century AD is one of the oldest Christian monasteries. It is situated in Goght, Kotayk Province of Armenia.
Lori Province
Akhtala Monastery is located 185 kilometers (115 mi) north of Armenian capital of Yerevan near a town of Akhtala of Lori Province.
Debed Canyon is located in Armenia and stretches for 178 km. This picturesque valley is an important highway between Armenia and neighboring Georgia.
Haghpat Monastery located in Haghpat, Lori Province of Armenia was found in 10th century by Saint Nishan (Sourb Nshan).
Kobayr Monastery is located just of the Highway 6 in a Lori Province of Armenia. The name is derived from a village of Kober or Kobyar that is located near by.
Odzun Monastery in Lori Province, Armenia is a medieval monastery that was built during early Medieval period in a remote plateau on the left bank of Debed river.
Sanahin Monastery was constructed in the 10th century on the slopes of Mount Tchantinler, although first references of a Christian church on this location date back to the 4th and 5th centuries.
Yerevan Province
Erebuni Fortress was built 782 BC by King Argishti I on a strategic hill overlooking Armenian capital of Yerevan below.
The toponym "Armenia" goes back to the Hurrian name of the Armi-
region adjacent to Melitene, located on the Armenian Highlands. This
name passed into the Old Persian language through the Aramaic
ˊarmǝn-āiē, and in the form “Arminiyaiy” it occurs 6 times in the
Behistun inscription of 522 BC. The ancient Greek form of the name is
ancient Greek. Ἀρμενία. The ancient Greek name for Armenians used before
the spread of Ἀρμένιοι (Arménioi) was Μελιττήνιοι (Melittínioi).
According to the Armenian historian of the 5th century Movses
Khorenatsi, the name "Armenia" and the corresponding ancient Greek and
ancient Persian toponyms are given by the name of the Urartian king
Aram.
In Armenian, the name of the country sounds like Hayk (Arm. Հայք). In
the Middle Ages, the place of the Armenian toponymic suffix "-k" was
taken by the borrowed Iranian suffix "-stan" and the country began to be
called Hayastan (arm. Հայաստան). The name of the country is associated
with the legendary progenitor of the Armenians, Hayk, who defeated the
army of the Babylonian king Bel in battle and founded the Armenian
state. Presumably, this happened in 2492 BC. This year is considered the
first in the ancient Armenian pagan calendar. Another version connects
this name with the ancient state of Hayas (XVI-XIII centuries BC).
According to the third version, the self-name of Armenia comes from the
Urartian name of Melitene - Ḫāti.
The flag of Armenia is a rectangular panel of three equal horizontal
stripes: the top is red, the middle is blue and the bottom is orange.
The ratio of the flag's width to its length is 1:2. The flag of Armenia
was adopted by the Supreme Council of the Republic of Armenia on August
24, 1990. On June 15, 2006, the National Assembly of the Republic of
Armenia adopted a new law "On the State Flag of the Republic of
Armenia".
The Armenian government interprets the meaning of flowers as follows:
The red color symbolizes the Armenian Highlands, the constant struggle
of the Armenian people for existence, the Christian faith, freedom and
independence of Armenia. The blue color symbolizes the desire of the
Armenian people to live under a peaceful sky. The orange color
symbolizes the creative talent and diligence of the Armenian people.
The coat of arms of Armenia was adopted on April 19, 1992 and specified
by the law of June 15, 2006.
The emblem consists of the following elements: the shield - in the
center - Mount Ararat, which is a symbol of the Armenian nation, on its
top is Noah's ark, because, according to the Armenian tradition, after
the flood, the ark stopped on Mount Ararat (according to the Bible - on
the mountains of Ararat). The shield is divided into 4 parts, which
symbolize the four independent Armenian kingdoms of different times
(clockwise): Arsacids, Rubenids, Artashesids and Bagratids.
Lion and Eagle, which support the shield, symbolize wisdom, pride,
patience and nobility. The main color of the coat of arms of Armenia is
golden, the kingdoms of historical Armenia are red and blue, Mount
Ararat in the center of the coat of arms is depicted on an orange
shield. These colors were traditionally used in the coats of arms and
banners of the royal dynasties of Armenia and are similar to the colors
of the flag of the Republic of Armenia.
At the bottom of the shield are five more elements: a broken chain, a
sword, ears of wheat, a branch and a ribbon.
The anthem of Armenia is the composition "Our Motherland" (arm. Մեր Հայրենիք, "Mer Hayrenik", literally - "Our Fatherland"). Approved on July 1, 1991, re-approved by the law of December 25, 2006. The anthem of the First Republic of Armenia of 1918-1920 is taken as the basis. The author of the poems is Mikael Nalbandyan (1829-1866), the author of the music is Barsegh Kanachyan (1885-1967). When singing the anthem at most official events, only the first and fourth stanzas are used.
Armenia lies in the highlands surrounding the mountains of Ararat.
There is evidence of an early civilisation in Armenia in the Bronze
Age and earlier, dating to about 4000 BC. Archaeological surveys in
2010 and 2011 at the Areni-1 cave complex have resulted in the
discovery of the world's earliest known leather shoe, skirt, and
wine-producing facility.
According to the story of Hayk, the legendary founder of Armenia,
around 2107 BC Hayk fought against Belus, the Babylonian God of War,
at Çavuştepe along the Engil river to establish the very first
Armenian state. Historically, this event coincides with the
destruction of Akkad by the Gutian dynasty of Sumer in 2115 BC, a
time when Hayk may have left with the “more than 300 members of his
household” as told in the legend, and also during the beginning of
when a Mesopotamian Dark Age was occurring due to the fall of the
Akkadian Empire in 2154 BC which may have acted as a backdrop for
the events in the legend making him leave Mesopotamia.
Several Bronze Age states flourished in the area of Greater Armenia,
including the Hittites (at the height of their power), Mitanni
(southwestern historical Armenia), and Hayasa-Azzi (1500–1200 BC).
The Nairi people (12th to 9th centuries BC) and Urartu (1000–600 BC)
successively established their sovereignty over the Armenian
Highlands. Each of the aforementioned nations and tribes
participated in the ethnogenesis of the Armenians A large cuneiform
lapidary inscription found in Yerevan established that the modern
capital of Armenia was founded in the summer of 782 BC by King
Argishti I. Yerevan is the world's oldest city to have documented
the exact date of its foundation.
During the late 6th century BC, the first geographical entity that
was called Armenia by neighbouring populations was established under
the Orontid Dynasty within the Achaemenid Empire, as part of the
latters' territories. The kingdom became fully sovereign from the
sphere of influence of the Seleucid Empire in 190 BC under King
Artaxias I and begun the rule of the Artaxiad dynasty. Armenia
reached its height between 95 and 66 BC under Tigranes the Great,
becoming the most powerful kingdom of its time east of the Roman
Republic.
In the next centuries, Armenia was in the Persian Empire's sphere of
influence during the reign of Tiridates I, the founder of the
Arsacid dynasty of Armenia, which itself was a branch of the
Parthian Empire. Throughout its history, the kingdom of Armenia
enjoyed both periods of independence and periods of autonomy subject
to contemporary empires. Its strategic location between two
continents has subjected it to invasions by many peoples, including
Assyria (under Ashurbanipal, at around 669–627 BC, the boundaries of
Assyria reached as far as Armenia and the Caucasus Mountains),
Medes, Achaemenid Empire, Greeks, Parthians, Romans, Sasanian
Empire, Byzantine Empire, Arabs, Seljuk Empire, Mongols, Ottoman
Empire, the successive Safavid, Afsharid, and Qajar dynasties of
Iran, and the Russians.
Religion in ancient Armenia was historically related to a set of
beliefs that, in Persia, led to the emergence of Zoroastrianism. It
particularly focused on the worship of Mithra and also included a
pantheon of gods such as Aramazd, Vahagn, Anahit, and Astghik. The
country used the solar Armenian calendar, which consisted of 12
months.
Christianity spread into the country as early as AD 40. Tiridates
III of Armenia (238–314) made Christianity the state religion in
301, partly, in defiance of the Sasanian Empire, it seems, becoming
the first officially Christian state, ten years before the Roman
Empire granted Christianity an official toleration under Galerius,
and 36 years before Constantine the Great was baptised. Prior to
this, during the latter part of the Parthian period, Armenia was a
predominantly Zoroastrian country.
After the fall of the Kingdom of Armenia in 428, most of Armenia was
incorporated as a marzpanate within the Sasanian Empire. Following
the Battle of Avarayr in 451, Christian Armenians maintained their
religion and Armenia gained autonomy.
After the Sasanian period (428–636), Armenia emerged as Arminiya, an autonomous principality under the Umayyad Caliphate, reuniting Armenian lands previously taken by the Byzantine Empire as well. The principality was ruled by the Prince of Armenia, and recognised by the Caliph and the Byzantine Emperor. It was part of the administrative division/emirate Arminiya created by the Arabs, which also included parts of Georgia and Caucasian Albania, and had its centre in the Armenian city, Dvin. Arminiya lasted until 884, when it regained its independence from the weakened Abbasid Caliphate under Ashot I of Armenia.
In 1045, the Byzantine Empire conquered Bagratid
Armenia. Soon, the other Armenian states fell under Byzantine
control as well. The Byzantine rule was short lived, as in 1071 the
Seljuk Empire defeated the Byzantines and conquered Armenia at the
Battle of Manzikert, establishing the Seljuk Empire. To escape death
or servitude at the hands of those who had assassinated his
relative, Gagik II of Armenia, King of Ani, an Armenian named Ruben
I, Prince of Armenia, went with some of his countrymen into the
gorges of the Taurus Mountains and then into Tarsus of Cilicia. The
Byzantine governor of the palace gave them shelter where the
Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia was eventually established on 6 January
1198 under Leo I, King of Armenia, a descendant of Prince Ruben.
Cilicia was a strong ally of the European Crusaders, and saw itself
as a bastion of Christendom in the East. Cilicia's significance in
Armenian history and statehood is also attested by the transfer of
the seat of the Catholicos of the Armenian Apostolic Church, the
spiritual leader of the Armenian people, to the region.
The Seljuk Empire soon started to collapse. In the early 12th
century, Armenian princes of the Zakarid family drove out the Seljuk
Turks and established a semi-independent principality in northern
and eastern Armenia known as Zakarid Armenia, which lasted under the
patronage of the Georgian Kingdom. The Orbelian Dynasty shared
control with the Zakarids in various parts of the country,
especially in Syunik and Vayots Dzor, while the House of
Hasan-Jalalyan controlled provinces of Artsakh and Utik as the
Kingdom of Artsakh.
During the 1230s, the Mongol Empire conquered Zakarid Armenia and
then the remainder of Armenia. The Mongolian invasions were soon
followed by those of other Central Asian tribes, such as the Kara
Koyunlu, Timurid dynasty and Ağ Qoyunlu, which continued from the
13th century until the 15th century. After incessant invasions, each
bringing destruction to the country, with time Armenia became
weakened.
In the 16th century, the Ottoman Empire and the Safavid dynasty of
Iran divided Armenia. From the early 16th century, both Western
Armenia and Eastern Armenia fell to the Safavid Empire. Owing to the
century long Turco-Iranian geopolitical rivalry that would last in
Western Asia, significant parts of the region were frequently fought
over between the two rivalling empires. From the mid 16th century
with the Peace of Amasya, and decisively from the first half of the
17th century with the Treaty of Zuhab until the first half of the
19th century, Eastern Armenia was ruled by the successive Safavid,
Afsharid and Qajar empires, while Western Armenia remained under
Ottoman rule.
From 1604, Abbas I of Iran implemented a "scorched earth" policy in
the region to protect his north-western frontier against any
invading Ottoman forces, a policy that involved a forced
resettlement of masses of Armenians outside of their homelands.
In the 1813 Treaty of Gulistan and the 1828 Treaty of Turkmenchay,
following the Russo-Persian War (1804–13) and the Russo-Persian War
(1826–28), respectively, the Qajar dynasty of Iran was forced to
irrevocably cede Eastern Armenia, consisting of the Erivan and
Karabakh Khanates, to Imperial Russia.
While Western Armenia still remained under Ottoman rule, the
Armenians were granted considerable autonomy within their own
enclaves and lived in relative harmony with other groups in the
empire (including the ruling Turks). However, as Christians under a
strict Muslim social structure, Armenians faced pervasive
discrimination. When they began pushing for more rights within the
Ottoman Empire, Sultan Abdul Hamid II, in response, organised
state-sponsored massacres against the Armenians between 1894 and
1896, resulting in an estimated death toll of 80,000 to 300,000
people. The Hamidian massacres, as they came to be known, gave Hamid
international infamy as the "Red Sultan" or "Bloody Sultan". This
period is known as Russian Armenia.
During the 1890s, the Armenian Revolutionary Federation, commonly
known as Dashnaktsutyun, became active within the Ottoman Empire
with the aim of unifying the various small groups in the empire that
were advocating for reform and defending Armenian villages from
massacres that were widespread in some of the Armenian-populated
areas of the empire. Dashnaktsutyun members also formed Armenian
fedayi groups that defended Armenian civilians through armed
resistance. The Dashnaks also worked for the wider goal of creating
a "free, independent and unified" Armenia, although they sometimes
set aside this goal in favour of a more realistic approach, such as
advocating autonomy.
The Ottoman Empire began to collapse, and in 1908, the Young Turk Revolution overthrew the government of Sultan Hamid. In April 1909, the Adana massacre occurred in the Adana Vilayet of the Ottoman Empire resulting in the deaths of as many as 20,000–30,000 Armenians. The Armenians living in the empire hoped that the Committee of Union and Progress would change their second-class status. The Armenian reform package (1914) was presented as a solution by appointing an inspector general over Armenian issues.
The outbreak of World War I led to confrontation between the Ottoman
Empire and the Russian Empire in the Caucasus and Persian Campaigns.
The new government in Istanbul began to look on the Armenians with
distrust and suspicion, because the Imperial Russian Army contained
a contingent of Armenian volunteers. On 24 April 1915, Armenian
intellectuals were arrested by Ottoman authorities and, with the
Tehcir Law (29 May 1915), eventually a large proportion of Armenians
living in Anatolia perished in what has become known as the Armenian
Genocide.
The genocide was implemented in two phases: the wholesale killing of
the able-bodied male population through massacre and subjection of
army conscripts to forced labour, followed by the deportation of
women, children, the elderly and infirm on death marches leading to
the Syrian desert. Driven forward by military escorts, the deportees
were deprived of food and water and subjected to periodic robbery,
rape, and massacre. There was local Armenian resistance in the
region, developed against the activities of the Ottoman Empire. The
events of 1915 to 1917 are regarded by Armenians and the vast
majority of Western historians to have been state-sponsored mass
killings, or genocide.
Turkish authorities deny the genocide took place to this day. The
Armenian Genocide is acknowledged to have been one of the first
modern genocides. According to the research conducted by Arnold J.
Toynbee, an estimated 600,000 Armenians died during deportation from
1915–16. This figure, however, accounts for solely the first year of
the Genocide and does not take into account those who died or were
killed after the report was compiled on 24 May 1916. The
International Association of Genocide Scholars places the death toll
at "more than a million". The total number of people killed has been
most widely estimated at between 1 and 1.5 million.
Armenia and the Armenian diaspora have been campaigning for official
recognition of the events as genocide for over 30 years. These
events are traditionally commemorated yearly on 24 April, the
Armenian Martyr Day, or the Day of the Armenian Genocide.
Sanahin Monastery in Northern Armenia.
Visas
European Union passport holders and nationals of Schengen Agreement
member states can now enter Armenia without a visa and stay for a
period of up to 180 days per year. Together with other countries,
that means the list of passports that don't need a visa now
includes: Argentina, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Brazil,
Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France,
Germany, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan,
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania,
Luxembourg, Macau, Malta, Moldova, Netherlands, Norway, Poland,
Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden,
Switzerland, Tajikistan, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Uruguay,
Uzbekistan. Iranian passport holders don't need a visa to enter and
stay 90 days . U.S. passport holders don't need a visa to enter
Armenia.
Citizens of most other countries may obtain single-entry tourist
visas at any border control point. 21/120 day tourist visas cost
3000/15000 dram. Alternatively, those eligible for a visa on arrival
can arrange an e-Visa beforehand. They cost US$40 and are generally
approved within two business days. Travelers arriving with an e-Visa
can enter Armenia at Ayrum railway station, Bavra, Bagratashen, and
Gogavan land borders with the Republic of Georgia, Zvartnots
International Airport, and Meghri land border with Iran.
Passport holders of Afghanistan, Algeria, Bangladesh, Cameroon, Côte
d'Ivoire, Egypt, Ghana, Iraq, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Nepal,
Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan,
Syria, Sierra Leone, Tunisia, and Vietnam require an invitation and
must apply for a visa at the nearest embassy/consulate before
arriving. Holders of Indian passports are eligible to apply for
e-visa and/or visa on arrival, however, e-visa is recommended, as
per Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia. Chinese passports are
now exempt from the invitation requirement, but the e-visa facility
is not available to them.
Although border guards at land crossings do accept non-Armenian
currencies, they may not give you a good exchange rate, so it is
best to have Armenian dram before you arrive at the border. Some
travelers have been charged as much as US$20 to purchase a visa.
Border guards and customs officials cannot give change for large
foreign notes.
Visas bought at the Yerevan airport must be paid for in local
currency. There is a change booth and an ATM at the Yerevan airport
before immigration control. There is a hefty surcharge of
approximately US$10 for changing traveler's cheques, which are not
widely used in Armenia.
By plane
Zvartnots International Airport (IATA: EVN), 10 km west of Yerevan
is the country's main airport.
The national carrier was Armavia (now defunct), and served
destinations across the CIS, Europe and the Middle East. Some West
Asian airlines (Syrian, Iranian, etc.) also serve the airport.
There are very frequent flights from across the CIS. Russian
airlines include: Aeroflot, S7, Ural, Polet, Kuban Airlines,
Saravia, Tatarstan, UTAir and Yamal. Others include Belevia
(Belarus), Dniproavia (Dnepropetrovsk, Ukraine) and SCAT
(Kazakhstan).
Several European airlines also serve Yerevan: Czech Airlines, Air
France, Austrian, LOT and Atlasglobal from Istanbul Turkey.
Shirak Airport (IATA: LWN) in Gyumri has a few flights from Russia.
By train
There is an overnight train once every other day to Tbilisi,
Georgia. The train links with Turkey and Azerbaijan are severed.
By car
It is possible to drive to Armenia via Iran or Georgia. The borders
with Turkey and Azerbaijan are closed. Local travel agents can
arrange transport to the border; some Georgian agents can arrange
transport all the way through to Tbilisi. Although more expensive
than a train or bus, a private car may be more comfortable and can
be used for some sightseeing along the way.
By bus
Georgia
As of 2014 there is a comfortable Mercedes Vito minibus (marshrutka)
service from Tbilisi to Yerevan for about US$17 (30GEL). Marshrutkas
leave from the parking lot in front of the railway station (old
name: vagzlis moadeni; new name and name of the metro stop: sadguris
moedani) at 9am, 11am, 1pm, 3pm and 5pm. Reservations can be made
under +995 598 57 12 12 in Russian, Georgian and possibly basic
English, too. From this service, it is also possible to get out at
Alaverdi (closest major town to Haghpat and Sanahin monasteries).
Marshrutka also leave from "Ortachala" bus station in Tbilisi , at
least in the mornings before 11am, 30GEL.
As of Oct 2018, the price was 35 GEL and the minibus departed only
in front of the railway station.
Iran
There is a daily modern bus service to Yerevan available from Tehran
or Tabriz for about $60/$50; check travel agencies for that.
Otherwise, the only Iran/Armenia land border at Norduz/Agarak is
very badly served by public transport. On the Armenian side, you can
get as far as Meghri by one Marshrutka a day from Yerevan. It leaves
from the Sasuntsidavit bus stop that is near/behind the main train
station. It leaves when it's full, so be there by 7:30 or 8:00 at
the latest. Also be prepared for the marshrutka to be packed with
luggage and people. That marshrutka might head down to Agarak after
passing Meghri, though it's best to confirm this with the driver.
The driver might also be able to set you up with a sleepover option
close to the border in Agarak for about 10 € per night. In both
directions, the marshrutka leaves quite early in the morning.
Kapan and Kajaran are more frequently served by marshrutkas, but it
is a long and mountainous (and therefore expensive) stretch to the
border from there. From Meghri, it is around 8 km to the border, and
hitching or taking a taxi is the only option if your marshrutka
didn't take you all the way to Agarak in the first place. On the
Iranian side, the closest public transport can be found around 50 km
to the west in Jolfa, so a taxi (around 10-15$) again is the only
(commercial) choice. The border is not busy at all, so when
hitching, you have to mainly stick with the truck drivers and
knowing some Russian, Persian or Azeri/Turkish helps a lot here.
Many truck drivers go from Norduz to Tabriz. Consider for yourself
whether this is a safe option.
By day tour
One of the best options for getting to the major tourist sites -
some of which have infrequent public transport - are the many day
tours advertised throughout Yerevan. Starting at $6, you can choose
from a variety of half to full day trips which include a good number
of the country’s major attractions. Some of the more remote and
exotic destinations such as the Petroglyphs of Ughtasar and many of
the caves require special planning.
By mini-bus or bus
Public transportation is very good and inexpensive in Armenia, but
it can be tough to get to more remote sites outside of populated
areas. The system could be described as a hub and spoke system, with
each city offering local transportation to its surrounding villages
as well as connections to Yerevan. Most inter-city travel is by
14-seat minibuses or buses. Yerevan has several bus interchange
stations that serve the whole country, so you should find out which
bus interchange station services the area of your destination. Note
that unlike many countries in Eastern Europe, Armenian minibuses do
not sell tickets beforehand and, in fact, do not issue tickets at
all. You simply pay the driver at any point during the trip (though
some will collect at the beginning). Exact change is never required,
but a 20,000 note for a 1,000 dram ride might present a problem.
Tips are unheard of on public transportation.
By taxi or car
The average Western tourist can hire a taxi to go almost anywhere in
the country on very short notice. If you are traveling with a lot of
big or heavy bags, then going by taxi is the best option. Prices are
about 100 drams (33 US cents) per km. Most taxis do not have meters,
though, so you should negotiate a price before you leave. A taxi is
a good option for longer trips, especially if you don't like waiting
for hours for a minibus. Tip. Before arriving have "GG" taxi or
"Yandex" taxi on your phone. They are cheap, fast and reliable.
If you are used to driving in the West and have not driven outside
of America or Western or Central Europe, you should hire a driver
when you rent your car, as driving in Armenia is often a difficult
undertaking for the average tourist. A growing number of car rental
companies may be used, including SIXT (office at Zvartnots airport),
Europacar, Hertz, and Naniko.
Most main roads around Yerevan are in decent to fair shape, with
some being in unusually good condition. When you travel north
(Dilidjan) or south (Jermuk), roads are less well-maintained and
rather bumpy, and you can feel this especially when using public
transport! (Minibuses are often in bad condition, too.) Potholes are
very much a part of the experience and can test your driving skills.
Be careful and consider getting an all-wheel drive or sport utility
vehicle when renting.
By thumb
Not as common as in the days of the post-Soviet collapse,
hitchhiking is still perfectly safe and acceptable. Drivers often
don't expect anything in the way of compensation, but offer anyway
and sometimes they'll take the marshutni fare. Flag cars down by
holding your arm in front of you and patting the air; this is how
taxis, buses and marshutnis are flagged. Don't be too surprised if
you befriend a driver during your ride and eventually end up staying
at his house for a few days with his family!
By bicycle
Due to the mountainous terrain, bicycling is not as common a mode of
transport in Armenia as it is in the rest of Europe. It can be a
great way to see and experience much of the countryside, though, if
you can handle the inclines.
Recommended Reading: "Tour De Armenia", a cycling travel book
By train
Trains in Armenia are Soviet-style and a little slow as a means of
moving around the country. Trains can be taken up to Gyumri and from
there on to Alaverdi and Georgia, or they can be taken up to Lake
Sevan all the way to the far side.
By plane
Domestic flights are not an option as there are only two working
airports and no internal flights in this small country. Intermittent
service to Karabakh has been available in the past and scheduled
flights from Yerevan to Stepanakert may start up again - if
passengers can be assured that Azerbaijan will not shoot them down.
By tour operator
Aside from the plentiful day tours, you can take a package tour of
Armenia.
Armenia is located in the northeast of the Armenian
Highland between 38° and 42° north latitude and between 43° and 47° east
longitude. From the north and east, the territory of the state is framed
by the ridges of the Lesser Caucasus. It borders Georgia to the north,
Azerbaijan and the unrecognized Nagorno-Karabakh Republic to the east,
Iran to the south, the Nakhichevan Autonomous Republic (Azerbaijan) to
the southwest, and Turkey to the west.
Despite the fact that geographically Armenia is located in Western Asia,
it has close political and cultural ties with Europe. Armenia has always
been at the crossroads connecting Europe and Asia. Depending on the
interpretation of the border, Armenia may be in Europe or Asia.
The relief of Armenia is mainly mountainous: with an area of the
state of about 29,800 km², over 90% of the territory is located at an
altitude of more than 1000 m above sea level. The highest point is Mount
Aragats (4095 m), the lowest is the gorge of the Debed River (380 m). In
the south-west of the country is the intermountain Ararat Valley, an
important agricultural region.
The highest point of the region and the historical symbol of Armenia -
Mount Ararat - has been located in Turkey since 1921.
Despite the fact that Armenia is located at the latitude of the subtropical zone, the subtropical climate is observed only in the southern part of Armenia (near the city of Meghri). In other regions, the climate is alpine, continental - hot summers and cold winters. On the plains, the average temperature in January is -5 °C, in July - +25 °C; in the middle mountains (1000-1500 m) - -10 ° C and +20 ° C, at altitudes from 1500 to 2000 m - -14 and +16, respectively. The minimum amount of precipitation in the Ararat valley is 200-250 mm per year, in the middle mountains - 500 mm, and in the highlands - 700-900 mm. The highest amount of precipitation is observed in the Lori region and Syunik regions, the territory of which is mainly covered with forests.
Soils are formed mainly on volcanic rocks. The soil cover of Armenia is
very diverse, at the same time, most of the soils are infertile and
difficult for economic development. According to the nature of soils,
the territory of Armenia can be divided into the following belts:
Semi-desert soils are located mainly in the Ararat valley at an altitude
of 850-1250 m above sea level, occupying an area of 236 thousand
hectares. They are characterized mainly by a low content of humus (up to
2%, for solonchak-alkaline soils 2.6%). Varieties of semi-desert soils
are brown semi-desert soils (occupy 152 thousand hectares, distributed
in the lowlands of the Ararat foothills), irrigated brown meadow soils
(53 thousand hectares on the Ararat plain at altitudes of 800-950 m),
paleohydromorphic (about 2 thousand hectares in area adjacent to
Yerevan), hydromorphic solonchak-alkaline soils (53 thousand hectares on
the Ararat plain).
Steppe soils occupy an area of 797 thousand hectares at altitudes of
1300–2450 m. They are represented by chernozem (718 thousand Lori,
Shirak and the Sevan basin), floodplain (48 thousand hectares in the
river valleys and in areas freed up as a result of the fall of the Sevan
level) soils and soils (18 thousand hectares on the coast of Sevan freed
from water). Chernozems and meadow-chernozems are characterized by a
relatively high content of humus (3.5–12% and 10–13%, respectively). The
content of humus in floodplain soils and soils is low or very low (2–4%
and 0.3–0.5%, respectively).
Dry steppe soils are represented by chestnut soils. They are located on
the dry foothills of the Ararat valley, Vayots Dzor region, Syunik
region at altitudes of 1250-1950 m; occupy an area of 242 thousand
hectares. They are characterized by an average content of humus (2-4%),
rockiness, unfavorable water-physical properties.
Forest soils occupy an area of 712 thousand ha at altitudes of
500–2400 m and are characterized by a significant content of humus
(4–11%). Represented by forest brown (133 thousand ha on slopes
1800–2250 m high), brown (564 thousand ha on ridges 500–1700 m high, and
on sunny slopes up to a height of 2400 m, in Gugark, Pambak, Syunik) and
soddy carbonate ( 15 thousand hectares on the slopes of Gugark, Ahum,
Bargushat) with soils.
Mountain-meadow soils occupy an area of 629,000 ha at altitudes of
2,200-4,000 m. They are distributed in the mountains throughout almost
all of Armenia (with the exception of Shirak). They are subdivided into
mountain meadow soils proper (346 thousand ha at altitudes of 2200–2600
m) and meadow-steppe soils (283 thousand ha at altitudes of 1800–2600
m). They are characterized by high humus content (13–20% and 8–13% for
mountain-meadow and meadow-steppe, respectively).
The Republic of Armenia has rich recreational resources, and in case of appropriate investments, it is possible to create a diversified highly developed system of the recreational industry and international tourism, which, in terms of socio-economic and environmental parameters, can become one of the main directions of the Armenian economy.
The bowels of Armenia are rich in ore minerals. Deposits of nonferrous
and ferrous ores, rock salt, bentonite and refractory clays, perlite,
diatomites, calcareous and volcanic tuffs, pumice, granites, marble, and
others are of industrial importance. Industrial accumulations of
semi-precious and ornamental stones were found: agate, amethyst,
turquoise, jasper, obsidian.
Reserves of ores and metals are approved for 20 deposits: 3 - copper, 6
- molybdenum, 5 - polymetallic (lead, zinc, etc.), four - gold, 2 - iron
and recently discovered - uranium. Most of the deposits are complex ores
- copper-molybdenum or gold-polymetallic.
On the territory of Armenia there are about 9480 small and large rivers,
of which 379 have a length of 10 km or more. The total length of the
rivers is approximately 23 thousand km. The main river of Armenia is the
Araks with its tributary Hrazdan.
There are over 100 lakes in Armenia, the largest of which is Lake Sevan,
located at an altitude of 1900 m above sea level - an important fishing
region of the republic and the largest source of fresh water in the
entire Transcaucasia.
Despite this, there is a shortage of water resources in the country as a
whole, which is partly solved through the use of reservoirs and
groundwater. There are 74 reservoirs in Armenia with a total volume of
988 million m³; the largest of them is Akhuryanskoye, with a volume of
525 million m³. Approximately 96% of the water used for drinking needs
comes from underground sources.
In the country over the past 30 years, under the influence of erosion
and landslides, 140 thousand hectares of arable land and 300 thousand
hectares of hayfields and pastures have been taken out of agricultural
circulation; Of the 114 thousand hectares of eroded lands to be
reclaimed, about 3.5% has been restored. The share of the territory
covered with forests decreased from 11.2% to 8-9%. The state of the air
environment also inspires concern. The air condition has especially
deteriorated in Yerevan, Alaverdi, Vanadzor and Hrazdan.
In connection with the construction of the HPP cascade on the Hrazdan
River and the use of water resources for land irrigation, the water
level in Lake Sevan is lowering, which leads to a change in the regime
of surface and ground waters and a violation of biodiversity.
In March 2011, American experts compiled a rating for 163 countries on
the state of ecology, where Armenia ranked 76th, Georgia - 59th, and
Azerbaijan - 84th place.
The territory of the Republic of Armenia is completely located in the third geographical time zone, but the time of the fourth time zone, UTC + 4, is applied (during the whole year). The use of official time is regulated by the law “On the Procedure for Calculating Time on the Territory of the Republic of Armenia”, adopted on December 5, 1997.
About 3500 plant species from 150 families are known on the territory of
Armenia.
Broad-leaved forests dominated by oak and beech are widespread in the
north-east of the country, more xerophilic oak forests are in the
south-east. The plain parts of Armenia are characterized by steppe
vegetation: feather grass steppes are typical, along with feather grass
there are fescue, thin-legged, couch grass. Shrubs grow on rocky and
stony soils - almonds, hold a tree, astragalus, chistets, thyme, sage
and others.
In Armenia, there is the largest plane tree grove in the CIS, in which
the Eastern plane tree (Platanus orientalis) grows. The grove is located
in the Syunik region, in the valley of the Tsav River, within the
Shikahogh Reserve. It stretches along the river for about 15 km,
covering an area of about 120 hectares.
The fauna of Armenia includes 76 species of mammals, 304 species of birds, 44 species of reptiles, 6 species of amphibians, 24 species of fish and about 10,000 species of invertebrates. In the northern part of the country there are bears (including silver Iranian bears), lynxes, wild boars, deer, forest and reed cats. In the mountain steppes there are wolves, badgers, foxes, hares, moufflons, bezoar goats. Numerous rodents also live in the steppes and semi-deserts - voles, ground squirrels, gerbils, mole rats, jerboas; of reptiles - Caucasian agama, Greek tortoise, gyurza, Armenian viper. Trout, whitefish and other types of fish are found in Lake Sevan. Raccoon dogs are acclimatized in Armenia.
As of 2011, 452 plant species, 40 mushroom species, 308 animal species
(including 153 vertebrate and 155 invertebrate species) are included in
the Red Book of Armenia.
There are about 108 endemic plant species and 339 endemic animals in the
country. Relatively more endemics are observed in the eastern and
southern parts of Armenia. Of the total number of animal species found
in Armenia, 7% are endemic. Among fish species, 30% are endemic, among
reptile species - 12%. Among the endemics, the Sevan trout, or Ishkhan,
is of commercial importance.
In Soviet times, industry began to develop in Armenia: Armenia supplied
machine tools and equipment, textile and other industrial products to
the domestic market of the USSR in exchange for supplies of raw
materials and electricity. Agriculture developed on the basis of large
agro-industrial complexes.
The Karabakh conflict, the severing of intra-union economic ties, and
the closure of the Turkish-Armenian border led to a serious economic
downturn in the early 1990s. Many plants and factories stopped due to
the lack of raw materials and energy resources, agriculture returned
back to the small-scale economy. After gaining independence, a number of
market reforms were implemented in Armenia, including privatization,
pricing reform and the transition to a frugal fiscal policy, but
geographic isolation, limited export resources and monopolization of the
main economic sectors made Armenia particularly sensitive to the crisis
in the global economy and economic downturn in Russia. In 1994, the
Armenian government initiated an IMF-supported economic liberalization
program that reduced inflation, stabilized its currency, and privatized
most small and medium enterprises.
In the mid-2000s, the annual growth of the Armenian economy exceeded 10%
for several years, but in 2009, due to the global financial crisis,
Armenia experienced a sharp economic downturn, GDP fell by more than
14%, despite large loans from international organizations. The main
causes of the crisis were a sharp contraction in the construction sector
and a decrease in cash receipts from workers who left to work abroad. In
2010, some revival of the economy began.
Armenia is an industrial-agrarian country. The structure of GDP accounts
for: agriculture - 31.1%, industry - 21.8%, trade - 8.7%, construction -
8.5%, transport - 5.1%, other areas - 24.9%. Leading industries:
mechanical engineering and metalworking, chemical and petrochemical,
non-ferrous metallurgy, production of building materials (including
those based on deposits of colored tuffs, perlites, limestones, granites
and marbles), food, light.
The country has significant reserves of copper-molybdenum and
polymetallic ores, bauxites, building stone, mineral waters, deposits of
precious metals (gold), semi-precious and ornamental stones.
The structure of GDP, according to the US CIA, in 2014 had the following
form: services - 46.6%, industry - 31.5%, agriculture - 21.9%.
Armenia joined the WTO in 2003. Since 2015, Armenia has been a member of
the Eurasian Economic Union.
In the economy of Armenia, 5 economic regions are distinguished,
differing in natural and economic-geographical conditions and industrial
specialization:
Ararat (electricity, engineering, chemical industry, production of
building materials, agriculture),
Shirak (textile industry, mechanical engineering; animal husbandry),
Pridebedsky (copper industry, chemical industry; agriculture,
engineering),
Sevan-Agstevsky (electricity, livestock, grain and tobacco),
Syunik (mining, agriculture, hydroelectric power and engineering).
The main industrial center of Armenia is Yerevan, followed by Gyumri and
Vanadzor.
In the December 2014 Forbes ranking of “best countries to do business”,
Armenia was ranked 56th in the world. As of June 2015, the country ranks
35th in the World Bank's Ease of Doing Business ranking. According to
the Canadian Fraser Institute's Global Economic Freedom Index published
in 2016, Armenia ranks 18th in the world in terms of economic freedom.
In 2020, Armenia ranked 81st in the UN Human Development Index and was
included in the group of countries with a high level of development. In
the same year, the country was ranked 32nd in the world in the Economic
Freedom Index.
In 2014, Armenia ranked 94th out of 175 countries in the Corruption
Perceptions Index, ahead of neighboring Azerbaijan (126th) and Iran
(136th) and lagging behind neighboring Turkey (64th) and Georgia ( 50th
place).
Raw copper, molybdenum and other non-ferrous metals account for the
largest share in the value of export deliveries from Armenia. A serious
imbalance in foreign trade, caused by economic isolation from
neighboring countries - Turkey and Azerbaijan, is offset by some
international assistance (including from the Armenian diaspora),
remittances from Armenians working abroad, and foreign direct
investment. Despite significant economic growth, the unemployment rate
remains high.
The monetary unit of Armenia is the dram, which is equal to 100 lumas. Dram has been in circulation since November 22, 1993. Before the introduction of the dram into circulation, Soviet rubles were used, subsequently exchanged at the rate of 200 rubles. for 1 AMD In monetary circulation there are coins in denominations of 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500 drams, as well as banknotes in denominations of 1000, 5000, 10,000, 20,000, 50,000 and 100,000 drams. The design of all modern banknotes was developed by the English company Thomas de la Rue. The design of banknotes of the 1993-1995 sample was developed by the German company Giesecke & Devrient. Coins of the 1994 sample (except for 10 drams) and banknotes of the 1993-1995 sample are not currently used.
According to the official data of the Armenian
Statistical Service for 2020, 27% of the population lives below the
poverty line. Of these, 51.1% live in rural areas, 48.9% of the
population lives in cities (21% in Yerevan). Moreover, 1.2% of the rural
population lives in extreme poverty. Tens of thousands of people from
Armenia regularly go to work as guest workers, mainly to Russia (since
there is a visa-free regime and Armenia is a member of the Eurasian
Union), and some of them subsequently settle there with their families,
receiving local citizenship
Meanwhile, the level of poverty of the population, until recently, was
slowly declining, and this was noted even by international observers.
The subsequent COVID-19 pandemic again accelerated the growth of the
country's slow reduction of poverty, which had just begun, and the same
World Bank predicted a decrease in the already slow pace of poverty
reduction and the risks of a financial and economic recession.
Modern industry in Armenia was created during the Soviet era, when the country supplied machine tools and equipment, textile and other industrial products to the domestic market of the Soviet Union in exchange for supplies of raw materials and electricity. As mentioned above, in the 90s of the last century there was a serious decline due to many negative factors, and most industries did not work due to lack of resources. After the adoption of measures to save the economy in 1994, the industry gradually began to recover but never reached the scale of the Soviet period. Every year, since 2001, the region's largest universal trade and industrial exhibition forum Armenia EXPO has been held in Armenia.
After 1953, the government of the USSR directed
Armenia towards the development of the chemical industry, non-ferrous
metallurgy, metalworking, mechanical engineering, the textile industry,
the production of building materials, as well as the production of
wines, brandy and cognacs. Later, precision instrumentation, the
production of synthetic rubber and plastics, chemical fibers and
electrical appliances were added to this list. In terms of the volume of
electrical products produced, Armenia ranked third among the Union
Republics of the USSR, and in terms of the volume of machine tool
production, it ranked fifth. However, the most important industry was
the chemical industry, which produced mineral fertilizers, synthetic
stones for the production of tools and watches, and fiberglass (based on
the processing of local tuffs and basalts).
As of 2015, Armenia leads among the EAEU countries in terms of
industrial production growth. Thus, in instrumentation, growth was
140.9%, in chemistry and pharmaceuticals - 116.3%, metallurgy - 107.6%,
food industry - 118.6%, light industry - 103.3%.
The share of the mining industry in Armenia's gross
output is approximately 5% (1990s). Armenia produces refined copper,
primary aluminum (based on imported alumina), rolled aluminum and foil,
molybdenum, zinc, lead, barite in concentrates, gold, silver, tellurium,
selenium, rhenium (in sludge and concentrates), copper sulphate,
sulfuric acid and other.
At the beginning of the 21st century, the Armenian government enacted a
new law regulating the exploration and development of mineral deposits.
This law is known as the Mining Code and has been in existence since
1992. It was developed with the participation of specialists from the
European Union and is based on the "Western" model of such acts. It sets
out the procedures for acquiring licenses, the rights and obligations of
their owners, which contribute to attracting foreign investment. In
addition, at the beginning of the 21st century, two large projects were
developed and are being used in the republic - "Remet" and "Molybdenum",
which provide for the creation of a scientific and industrial base for
the metallurgical processing of copper, molybdenum, gold-bearing,
polymetallic concentrates with the production of high-purity metals.
Many energy facilities in Armenia are Russian-owned
and/or under Russian management. The gas transmission and distribution
systems operated by Gazprom Armenia are owned by Gazprom. The Hrazdan
TPP is also owned by Gazprom, and the Sevan-Hrazdan HPP cascade is owned
by RusHydro. In 2002, the power distribution networks were privatized
and in 2015 they became the property of the Tashir group of the Russian
billionaire of Armenian origin S. Karapetyan.
Nuclear power
In 1977-1979, a nuclear power plant with two power units was built in
Metsamor near Yerevan. The Armenian nuclear power plant was shut down
shortly after the Spitak earthquake for fear that aftershocks would lead
to catastrophic consequences. In connection with the energy crisis, the
nuclear power plant was put back into operation in 1996.
Hydroelectric power station
In 1962, the construction of the Sevan-Hrazdan irrigation complex and
the cascade of hydroelectric power stations, which began in 1937, was
completed. Six hydroelectric power stations were built on the Hrazdan
River and many irrigation canals and reservoirs, and tunnels were laid
in the mountains to discharge river waters into Lake Sevan in order to
replenish its water reserves. As a result, part of the electricity
generated in the republic was exported to Georgia and Azerbaijan in
exchange for natural gas. Gas-fired power plants were built in Yerevan,
Hrazdan and Vanadzor. In 1970, they provided more energy than
hydroelectric power plants.
Gross agricultural product in 2014 amounted to 993.4
billion drams, of which 605.7 billion - the share of crop production,
387.64 billion - the share of livestock.
According to official data, the level of self-sufficiency of the most
important foodstuffs in the country is about 60%. According to 2013
data, the level of self-sufficiency of food products: wheat - 46.8%,
sugar - 92.6%, potatoes - 102.5%, vegetables and fruits - more than 99%,
eggs - 96.3%, beef - 86.2 %, pork - 46.3%, lamb and goat meat - 100%,
chicken - 19.8%, milk - 85%, etc.
About 46.8% of the territory of Armenia is suitable for agriculture.
Ararat plain, Shirak plain and other lands are used. Cotton, grapes,
almonds, olives, cereals, and vegetables are grown. Pastures and
hayfields occupy about 28% of the entire territory. In 2014, about 74%
of the country's agricultural land was cultivated.
Crop production
It is known that Armenia is one of the oldest centers of grape culture,
and the oldest winery in the world was also found on the territory of
Armenia.
Armenian grapes have a high sugar content, delicate aroma and delicate
taste. Some table varieties are classified as the best in the world
assortment, while others are highly valued as raw materials for the
production of strong dessert wines and cognacs. Particularly noteworthy
are cognac varieties, which are almost unparalleled. Vineyards in
Armenia are found at an altitude of 1400 m, where they bear excellent
fruit.
Fruit growing is inferior to viticulture both in terms of its place in
the gross agricultural output, and in terms of marketability and
industrial significance. Stone fruits are more common than others (about
2/3 of all fruit trees in the republic), especially apricots and
peaches, then plums and cherry plums, cherries and cherries, goof,
dogwood, and from pome fruits - apples, pears and quince. The proportion
of walnuts, hazelnuts, and subtropical figs, pomegranates, and almonds
is insignificant. Some Armenian varieties of apricots, peaches, walnuts,
quince are superior in quality to the best varieties in the world or
equal to them.
At the same time, land-poor Armenia is distinguished
by the richness of natural fodder lands. Pastures and hayfields occupy
about 28% of its entire territory. The leading livestock sectors of the
country are cattle breeding and sheep breeding.
Cattle breeding is developed, first of all, on the Lori plateau, which
is also considered the traditional center of breeding cattle, then in
Shirak, in some districts of the Ararat plain, the Sevan basin and
Zangezur.
Among the successes of cattle breeding, one can note the successful
breeding of a new breed of cows - the Caucasian Brown. Cows of this
breed are well adapted to the most diverse natural and forage conditions
in almost all regions of the republic and are characterized by fairly
high productivity.
Sheep breeding in the republic has favorable conditions for successful
development. Small cattle are more adapted to grazing. It is developed
on the steep slopes and rugged surfaces of high mountainous regions
where alpine pastures lie, namely in the Arna basin, in Zangezur, in the
Sevan basin, on the western slopes of Aragats. In a number of other
mountainous regions, sheep breeding develops in parallel with cattle
breeding.
In the ponds of Armenia with emersed vegetation and
soft bottom soil, carp, silver carp and grass carp are bred. In narrow
ponds with concrete walls and bottoms, the main types of fish bred for
sale are: rainbow trout, brook trout, Sevan trout, Siberian sturgeon.
Recreational fishing is allowed in all water bodies, except for those
located in protected areas.
The main fish resources of Armenia are concentrated in Lake Sevan,
however, due to the overuse of fish resources during the years of
perestroika, they have drastically decreased. At the moment, commercial
fishing in Sevan is prohibited for a period of 3 years. The main types
of fish living in Armenia are: Sevan trout, whitefish, Sevan khramulya,
carp.
Many birds and animals have been hunted in Armenia for a long time,
including quail, rock partridge, mallard, rock dove, foxes, wolves
(hunting them is now even rewarded), deer, wild boars, mouflons. The
populations of many game species have declined drastically, and hunting
of many of these mammals is now prohibited. Snakes, including the
Armenian viper and Gyurza, are collected and used in folk medicine.
The main tourist centers are Tsaghkadzor, Jermuk,
Arzni and Dilijan, etc. The cities of Kajaran, Sisian, Meghri are known
for their mineral springs, similar in composition to the springs in
Karlovy Vary in the Czech Republic. The Geghard monastery complex, the
pagan temple of Garni, Noravank, Lake Sevan, the ruins of the Zvartnots
temple, the Amberd fortress and Matenadaran are also very popular among
tourists.
According to the Ministry of Economy, in 2015 there were 186 registered
hotels in Armenia, as well as 337 hotel facilities - hotels, motels,
sanatoriums, hostels, boarding houses, rest houses and tourist camps.
1.9 million tourists visited Armenia in 2019
Armenia is a country rich in cultural and natural
monuments, which is why it is called “an open-air museum”. There are
over 4 thousand unique monuments in Armenia. Among them are monuments of
the pre-Christian era: the ruins of the Urartian Erebuni, Teishebaini,
the ancient Armenian capitals of Armavir, Artashat, the Hellenistic
temple of Helios Garni and others.
Armenia is especially rich in monuments related to Christian
architecture. These are the cathedral in Vagharshapat, the monasteries
of Noravank, Geghard, Khor Virap, Goshavank, Sevanavank, the ruins of
the ancient church of Zvartnots, the cemetery of khachkars in Noraduz
and many others. Among the natural monuments, one can note the unique
Lake Sevan, the waterfall in Jermuk, the Parz and Kari lakes, the cliffs
of Khndzoresk, as well as the most beautiful and diverse mountain
landscape of the country.
Fundamentals of the state system
Armenia is a unitary republic.
The main institutions of Armenian statehood were formed in the first
years of the country's independent development.
The nominal head of state is the president, currently Vahagn
Khachaturian.
The president is elected by the country's parliament for a term of 7
years. The same person cannot hold the presidency for more than one
term.
The President of the Republic, after the beginning of the term of office
of the newly elected National Assembly, appoints the candidate
represented by the parliamentary majority as Prime Minister. In other
cases, the President of the Republic shall immediately appoint as Prime
Minister the candidate elected by the National Assembly.
The President, on the proposal of the Prime Minister, appoints the
members of the government and dismisses them from office.
According to the law adopted in May 2019, the government consists of the
prime minister, 2 vice-premiers and 12 ministers.
The law provides for the activities of the following ministries:
the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs;
Ministry of Health care;
the Ministry of Justice;
Ministry of Defence;
Ministry of Emergency Situations;
Ministry of Foreign Affairs;
Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports;
the Ministry of the Environment;
Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructures;
Ministry of Industry and High Technologies;
Ministry of Economics;
Ministry of Finance.
The highest legislative body is the National Assembly. The National Assembly is elected by popular vote for a five-year term. A citizen of the Republic of Armenia, at least 25 years of age, who has permanently resided on its territory for at least three years prior to election day, can become a deputy.
The highest judicial instance of the Republic of Armenia, except for issues of constitutional justice, is the Court of Cassation, which is called upon to ensure the uniform application of the law. Constitutional justice in the Republic of Armenia is exercised by the Constitutional Court. The independence of the courts is guaranteed by the constitution and laws. The Council of Justice is formed and operates in accordance with the procedure established by the constitution and law.
Armenia is a unitary state, which is subdivided into 10 regions (marzes)
and the city of Yerevan.
The regions are made up of urban and rural communities. Some communities
are enlarged and include several settlements. Regional leaders are
appointed and dismissed by the government. Local self-government is
carried out in communities by councils of elders and community leaders
(city mayor, village headman), elected for three years. The Mayor of
Yerevan is elected by the Council of Elders of Yerevan.
As of 2007, there were 915 villages, 49 cities and 932 communities in
the republic, of which 866 were rural.
The armed forces of Armenia include four types of troops - ground
forces, air force, air defense forces and border troops. The Armed
Forces of Armenia were formed after the collapse of the Soviet Union in
1991 and with the establishment of the Ministry of Defense in 1992. The
Armed Forces of Armenia are subordinate to the Government of the
country. Minister of Defense - Vagharshak Harutyunyan. Chief of the
General Staff - Colonel-General Onik Gasparyan. According to 2011 data,
48,570 people are in service.
Armenian units (border, including contract military personnel, police
troops) guard from the border with Georgia and Azerbaijan, while Russian
troops continue to control the Armenian borders with Iran and Turkey.
Since 1992, Armenia has been a member of the CSTO. In 2017, an agreement
was ratified with Russia on the creation of the Joint Group of Forces,
which will cover the land part of the border between Russia and Armenia
and protect borders in the airspace. The treaty provides for the
creation of a joint air defense (AD) system.
Armenia is a party to the CFE Treaty, which sets limits on the main
types of conventional weapons, such as tanks, artillery, armored
vehicles, combat aircraft and helicopters, and provides for a reduction
in the number of troops to the number stipulated in the agreement. The
Armenian authorities, according to the terms of the agreement, comply
with the restrictions.
In 2019, the military budget of Armenia will amount to $ 647 million.
At the moment, Armenia is participating in a peacekeeping mission in
Syria and Kosovo. Also, Armenian peacekeepers participate in the NATO
mission in Afghanistan, and in 2005-2008 they were in Iraq.
Men who have reached the age of 18 are called up for military service
for a period of 2 years. Contract servicemen also serve in the army.
Since 2016, the National Defense Research University has been operating
under the Ministry of Defense.
In 2018, the British magazine "The Economist" recognized Armenia as the
country of the year for achievements in building democracy. Being
classified on the Democracy Index as a hybrid regime, it has achieved
the largest improvement in its performance in the region. In a similar
study for 2019, Armenia moved up another 17 positions and took a leading
position in the region and in the EAEU.
According to V-Dem, an independent Swedish institute for the study of
democracy, as of 2021, Armenia is the most democratic country in the
South Caucasus, ranking 54 out of 179 countries in the world democracy
ranking published by the organization in 2022. Among the former Soviet
republics, only the Baltic countries and Moldova outstripped Armenia in
this rating.
In the annual publication "Corruption Perceptions Index" for 2019 among the countries of the CIS and the region, Armenia made the biggest breakthrough over the year - from 35 to 42 points, rising from 105th position to 77th.
According to Freedom House, the human rights situation in Armenia is generally better than in most countries of the post-Soviet space, but has significant problems, and is somewhat similar to the situation in Georgia. According to the same organization, Armenia belongs to the so-called "partially free" countries.
As of September 2011, the Republic of Armenia
maintains diplomatic relations with 149 UN member states. There are 26
embassies in the capital Yerevan.
Armenia, together with some other former Soviet republics, is part of
the CSTO - a military-political union created on the basis of the
Collective Security Treaty, as well as the CIS Joint Air Defense System.
In October 2014, Armenia joined the Eurasian Economic Union.
According to K. Zatulin, "Armenia is the only official
military-political and economic ally of Russia in the Caucasus."
The 102nd Russian military base in Gyumri is located on the territory of
Armenia, carrying out combat duty as part of the Joint Air Defense
System of the CIS countries.
Trade turnover with Russia amounted to 20.8% of the foreign trade of the
republic (2010). Russia is one of the main investors in the Armenian
economy: the total volume of Russian investments exceeded $240 million.
Many large Armenian enterprises are owned by Russian companies. Gas
monopoly "Gazprom Armenia" is wholly owned by the Russian "Gazprom". The
Russian Federation owns the Hrazdan Thermal Power Plant, which supplies
electricity not only to Armenia, but also to Iran and Georgia. The power
plant, along with several other Armenian enterprises, was transferred to
Russia in 2002 to pay off the state debt of Armenia.
Armenia and Azerbaijan are negotiating the status of Nagorno-Karabakh
within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group. It is often repeated in
Baku that if the negotiations fail, Azerbaijan is ready to return the
uncontrolled territories by military means.
On November 2, 2008, the presidents of Azerbaijan, Armenia and Russia
signed a declaration concerning the Karabakh conflict. The leaders of
the three states agreed to work together to improve the situation in the
Caucasus.
Azerbaijan's foreign policy is aimed at removing Armenia from regional
projects. In 2006, in an interview with the Arabic-language Al Jazeera
TV channel, I. Aliyev stated that Azerbaijan was and would continue to
pursue a policy aimed at driving Armenia into an energy and transport
impasse until it regained its control over Nagorno-Karabakh.
Greece was one of the first countries to recognize the independence of Armenia on September 21, 1991, and one of those that officially recognized the Armenian Genocide. Armenia also recognizes the Greek Genocide. Relations between Armenia and Greece are very close due to cultural, historical and political ties. Greece is the second military partner of Armenia after Russia and the closest ally in NATO.
Cyprus was a supporter of Armenia in its struggle for the recognition of the Armenian Genocide, economic stability and the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, with respect for the will of the NKR population. Armenia, on the other hand, stands for a united Cyprus after the Turkish invasion in 1974 and supports a peaceful solution to the Cyprus conflict. Cyprus also openly supports the European integration of Armenia. Today, relations between Armenia and Cyprus include cooperation in the areas of trade, military, intelligence services, foreign policy and culture.
Since Armenia's border with Turkey and Azerbaijan is closed and Armenia has no access to the sea, Georgia plays a crucial role for Armenia in terms of exports and imports of various products and goods. There is a railway between Armenia and Georgia. Armenia exports electricity to Georgia. In 2009, Armenia ranked 4th in terms of imports of Georgian goods (7.9% of total exports).
Armenia has declared its intentions regarding European integration and
has even declared joining the EU as a long-term goal. Armenia has been
participating in the European Neighborhood Policy since 2004, and in the
Eastern Partnership since its inception in 2009.
Armenia has signed a Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement
with the EU, which is expected to be ratified in 2020.
Iran
On the border of Iran and Armenia, there is an automobile crossing
Karchevan, which has been actively operating since the early 1990s.
There are projects and agreements on the construction of a railway
between the two countries.
In May 2004, the main contract for the construction of the Iran-Armenia
gas pipeline was signed. The grand opening of the gas pipeline took
place on March 19, 2007 in the presence of the Presidents of Armenia R.
Kocharian and Iran M. Ahmadinejad.
China
Diplomatic relations were established in 1996. As of 2014, Armenian
exports to China amounted to $171 million, and imports - $417 million.
China ranks 2nd in Armenia's foreign trade (11.7%).
USA
The United States of America recognized the independence of Armenia on
December 25, 1991 and opened an embassy in Yerevan in February 1992.
Even before Armenia gained independence in 1991, the US Armenian lobby
represented the interests of Armenia.
Turkey
Turkey officially recognized the independence of Armenia on December 24,
1991, but still refuses to establish diplomatic relations with it.
Relations between Armenia and Turkey are complicated by Armenia's
demands and Turkey's refusal to recognize the 1915 Ottoman Armenian
genocide. During the Karabakh conflict, Turkey announced a blockade of
the Armenian-Turkish border, which is officially explained by the
participation of Armenian troops in the Karabakh war. As a result, trade
and economic relations between the two states are difficult and
unofficial.
On September 6, 2008, Turkish President A. Gul paid a visit to Armenia.
On October 10, 2009, Turkish and Armenian Foreign Ministers A. Davutoglu
and E. Nalbandyan signed in Zurich (Switzerland) the "Protocol on the
establishment of diplomatic relations" and the "Protocol on the
development of bilateral relations"; The documents provide for the
creation of a joint commission of "independent historians" to study the
issue of the 1915 Armenian genocide. On October 11 of the same year, the
Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry criticized Turkey for signing agreements
without resolving the Karabakh conflict.
In March 2022, Armenia announced its readiness to establish diplomatic
relations with Turkey.
Pakistan
Pakistan does not recognize Armenia. High-ranking Pakistani officials
explain this with Azerbaijan's support in the Nagorno-Karabakh issue.
In terms of population, Armenia, according to some
estimates, ranks 135th. Population censuses note the declining
population of the country and a very homogeneous ethnic composition;
Armenia is the only country of the former USSR with a practically
mono-ethnic population (98.11% of which are Armenians). An important
factor influencing the dynamics of the country's population is
emigration, primarily to Russia. In 2001, the first population census
since independence in 1991 was conducted in Armenia, according to which
the permanent population of the country was 3,213,011 people. The
resident population as of mid-2010 was estimated by the UN to be
3,092,000.
The population of Armenia, according to the results of the census on
October 12, 2011, amounted to 2,871,771 people of the actual population
(accounted for by the census on the territory of Armenia without
temporarily leaving the country, a decrease of 130,823 people was noted
compared to the 2001 census) or 3,018,854 of the permanent population (
including those temporarily absent from the country, there was a
decrease in the resident population of 194,157 compared to the 2001
census). According to official data, as of January 1, 2016, the
permanent population was 2,998,600 people.
The country is highly urbanized (63.35%), but the share of the urban population is declining: the decline in the urban population in the 2001-2011 intercensal period was −7.5%; over the same period, the decline in the rural population was -3.4%. In total, as of 2013, there were 49 cities in the republic, the largest of which is the capital of Armenia Yerevan (1,061,000 people), and the smallest is Dastakert with a population of 300 people.
The state language of Armenia is Armenian. The
Armenian language is one of the Indo-European languages and stands out
there as a separate branch[206]. It is one of the ancient written
languages; the Armenian alphabet was created by M. Mashtots in 405.
In 2019, "Armenian type art and its cultural manifestations" are
included in the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural
Heritage of Humanity.
In the country, in addition to the Armenian (more precisely, Eastern
Armenian) language, Russian is widespread (it is spoken by about 70% of
the population) and English, as well as Kurdish as the language of the
largest national minority.
The Russian language functions in an informative role: the newspapers
Republic of Armenia, Golos Armenii, etc. are published in it. The
Russian language continues to have a humanitarian function: it is
necessary for reading literature in Russian, including professional,
which reflects its importance as a translator scientific and special
knowledge, and also gives the opportunity to familiarize with Russian
culture.
The Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Armenia
approved the regulation on the functioning of schools with in-depth
teaching of the Russian language. There are more than 60 such schools in
Armenia. The country also has 40 general education and 3 private schools
that have Russian classes. In all such classes, teaching is carried out
according to the programs and textbooks of the Russian Federation. In
ordinary schools, the Russian language is taught at school from the
second to the eleventh grades, while other foreign languages are
taught only from the fifth.
Religiously, the majority of the population of Armenia
(almost 93% according to the 2011 census) are Christians belonging to
the Armenian Apostolic Church. The fundamentals of the doctrine of the
Armenian Apostolic Church are taught in the schools of Armenia. Article
18 of the first chapter of the current Constitution of Armenia
proclaims: "The Republic of Armenia recognizes the exclusive mission of
the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church as a national church in the spiritual
life of the Armenian people, in the development of their national
culture and the preservation of their national identity." In Yerevan
there is the Cathedral of St. Gregory the Illuminator, which, along with
the Sameba Cathedral in Tbilisi, is the largest in Transcaucasia.
There is a small community of the Armenian Catholic Church (36
parishes), whose followers are called "Franks" by the rest of the
Armenians. There are also small communities of Orthodox Christians -
Russians, Greeks, Ukrainians, etc., as well as a community of Russian
Molokans.
Followers of Islam also live in Armenia - this religion is practiced by
Kurds, Persians, Azerbaijanis and other peoples. However, due to the
exodus of Azerbaijanis due to the Karabakh conflict, the Muslim
community has declined. The Blue Mosque operates in Yerevan for Muslims.
More than 40 thousand Yezidis (1.3% of the population) also live in
Armenia, who mainly practice Yezidism. On September 29, 2012, the Yazidi
temple "Ziarat" was solemnly opened in the Armavir region of Armenia.
This is the first temple built outside the original homeland of the
Yezidis, Iraqi Kurdistan, designed to satisfy the spiritual beliefs of
the Yezidis of Armenia.
Railways
The total length of the Armenian railways, according to 2001 data, is
852 km. The roads are electrified and have a high capacity, but they
need to be reconstructed. The Armenian railway operating on the
territory of Armenia has connections with the Georgian (the only open
connection), as well as with the Azerbaijani and Turkish railways, which
are not used due to closed borders with these states. Thus, the railway
communications of Armenia with foreign countries are provided only
through the territory of Georgia.
The prospective Iran-Armenia railway will allow Armenia to use an
alternative transportation route. According to various sources, the cost
of building the Armenia-Iran railway may amount to $3-4 billion, the
length will be about 300 km.
Automobile transport
The length of paved roads is 8.4 thousand km. A significant part of the
roads is in a worn condition. In mountainous regions and in the
provinces, they are often simply absent, all transportation is carried
out along gravel and gravel roads, which are quite difficult to pass
without the help of local residents.
In 2012, the construction of the North-South highway with a total length
of 556 km began in Armenia. The cost of the project was estimated at
about $ 2 billion. For 2019, less than half of the work has been
completed.
According to the draft budget for 2020, three times more roads are
planned to be built and repaired in Armenia than from 2015 to 2018.
Air Transport
In the conditions of the closed border with Azerbaijan and Turkey, as
well as the unstable situation on the Georgian-Russian border, air
transport is actually the main type of international passenger traffic.
Regular passenger air transportation is carried out through 2 airports -
Zvartnots (Yerevan) and Shirak (Gyumri). The possibility of building an
additional alternate airport was discussed.
Zvartnots International Airport is located 10 km west of Yerevan. It was
built in 1961 as the "Western" airport, then in 1980 it was rebuilt and
renamed "Zvartnots". In 1998, a new cargo terminal was opened, and in
the summer of 2007, a new international passenger terminal. Flights to
70 cities of the world are made from here.
Shirak Airport is located 110 km north of Yerevan, 5 km from Gyumri, the
second largest city in Armenia, located in the northwestern part of the
country, and has been operating since 1961. Regular passenger air
transportation is carried out mainly by budget airlines Pobeda and
Ryanair. The airport is convenient for residents of northern Armenia and
Javakhetia (Georgia).
Erebuni Airport is located in Yerevan, 7 km south of the city. It is
mainly used for military needs: the aircraft of the Armenian Air Force
and the Russian Air Force are based here, which jointly carry out duty
to protect the southern borders of the CSTO member countries. Private
passenger charter flights to the CIS countries are made from the
airport, as well as an irregular tourist helicopter service with the
Stepanakert (Khojaly) airport located in Nagorno-Karabakh (de jure - on
the territory of Azerbaijan; de facto - on the territory of the
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic).
The capitally restored, expanded and re-equipped airport in the city of
Kapan in the Syunik region was scheduled to be put into operation in
2020. Flights from Yerevan will last about 45 minutes.
Cableways
There are ropeways in Armenia in Yerevan, Tsaghkadzor (tourist center in
the Kotayk region), Jermuk (tourist center in the Vayots Dzor region),
Alaverdi (tourist center in the Lori region). In 2010, the world's
longest cable car was built to the Tatev Monastery (tourist center in
the Syunik region). There are also commercial ropeways, for example,
near the city of Kajaran (serves the mining industry in the Syunik
region).
Pipeline transport
A network of gas pipelines with a total length of 900 km has been laid
in Armenia. At present, the international gas pipelines Armenia-Georgia
and Armenia-Iran are in operation.
Mobile communication and Internet
Currently, there are 3 mobile operators in Armenia: Telecom Armenia CJSC
(formerly VEON Armenia and Armentel, currently operating under the
Beeline brand), Mobile TeleSystems (a subsidiary of K-Telecom ”,
operating under the VivaCell MTC brand), “Ucom”.
As of 2019, according to a report by Freedom House, Armenia shares the
8th place with France in the list of countries with the freest internet.
The Internet is quite widespread throughout the country. According to
2015 data, the level of Internet penetration in Armenian households
reaches 75%.
.am is the ccTLD for Armenia. A domain in the .am zone can be registered
by anyone, both a resident and a non-resident of Armenia. Restrictions
on registration of well-known brand domains have been lifted. According
to the "DomainWire Global TLD Report" in 2016, the Armenian national
domain is in the top three world leaders in terms of growth.
As the authoritative Encyclopedia Britannica notes,
Armenia is one of the oldest centers of world civilization. Armenian
culture has its roots in ancient times. On the territory of Armenia,
there were repeatedly figurines, figurines, ornaments, crafts dating
back to the 2nd-1st millennium BC. By the beginning - the middle of the
1st millennium BC. Armenian mythology is being formed, which has taken
an exceptional role in the formation of Armenian culture, and from the
VI century BC the development of pagan architecture begins. The dominion
of the Macedonians and the era of Hellenism that followed it had its
influence on culture.
One of the main roles in the development and preservation of Armenian
culture and the strengthening of Armenian self-consciousness was played
by the adoption by Armenia of Christianity in the first years of the 4th
century and the creation of the Armenian alphabet in 406 by M. Mashtots.
The general rise of Armenian culture covers the period up to the 7th
century inclusive. The adoption of Christianity became the reason for
the creation of one of the most important layers of Armenian culture -
church architecture, and the creation of the alphabet marked the
beginning of the development of Armenian literature. A huge number of
fairy tales, songs, epics have been created. In the era of the Middle
Ages, the art of sculptural relief, ornamental carving began to develop
rapidly in Armenia, and the art of miniature reached a high level. The
art of church architecture reached its peak. The subsequent significant
development begins at the end of the 9th century, and it is connected
with the restoration of the independent Armenian kingdom in 885, which
marked the beginning of a new golden age in Armenian history. The period
of cultural upsurge continued until the 13th century inclusive and is
characterized by some authors as the Armenian Renaissance.
Until the 6th century, only the ancient Armenian calendar was used. According to tradition, the chronology according to the ancient Armenian calendar begins with the victory of the legendary progenitor of the Armenian people Hayk over the Babylonian king Bel in 2492 BC. In 584, a new church calendar was adopted. As the beginning of the era, the date corresponding to July 11, 552 of the European chronology appears in the ancient Armenian chronology.
In the III-I centuries BC the Armenians had special “priestly writings”,
which were used to create temple books and annals. Of the pre-Christian
Armenian authors, Olump, the author of the "Temple History", is known.
The monuments of pre-Christian literature of Armenia were destroyed in
the 4th century during the adoption of Christianity as a new state
religion.
A century later, in the 5th century, a new Armenian literature arose,
and classical ancient Armenian became the language of writing. Among the
early medieval Armenian poets, the most famous are Stepanos Syunetsi,
John Mandakuni (V century), Davtak Kertog, Komitas Akhtsetsi (VII
century), Saakdukht, Khosrovidukht (VIII century), and others. Famous
early medieval Armenian historians are Movses Khorenatsi, Lazar
Parpetsi, Favstos Buzand , Yeghishe (V century), Sebeos (VII century),
Ghevond (VIII century), Tovma Artsruni (IX century), Hovhannes
Draskhanakertsi (X century), theologians - Yeznik Koghbatsi (V century),
Vrtanes Kertog (VI century), John Mairavanetsi (VII century), Hovhannes
Odznetsi (VIII century), Anania Narekatsi (X century). Since the 10th
century, after the restoration of the Armenian kingdom, a new era of
rebirth begins in Armenian culture.
At the beginning of the 11th century, the greatest medieval Armenian
poet Grigor Narekatsi completed his lyrical-mystical poem "The Book of
Lamentations". In the High Middle Ages, the secular poetic word
continued to develop in the work of the 11th-12th century poets
Hovhannes Imastaser, Nerses Lambronatsi, Nerses Shnorhali. In the 13th
century, Frik, the founder of the poetry of social protest, and
Kostandin Yerznkatsi, the initiator of love lyrics in Armenian
literature, wrote in the Middle Armenian literary language. In the
poetry of the authors of the XIV-XV centuries, Hovhannes Tulkurantsi,
Mkrtich Nagash, love and social lyrics develop. The largest
representatives of the genre of the poem are Khachatur Kecharetsi,
Arakel Syunetsi, Arakel Bagishetsi, and others. Significant historical
works by Stepanos Taronatsi, Aristakes Lastivertsi (XI century), Matthew
of Edessa (XII century), Kirakos Gandzaketsi, Vardan Areveltsi (XIII
century) and others were created. Fiction is also developing. In the XII
century, Mkhitar Gosh created fables, in the XIII century - Vardan
Aygektsi. In the Middle Ages, Armenian fables were collected in the
collection Agvesagirk (Fox Book).
In the 16th-18th centuries, poetry developed in the
works of such authors as Grigoris Akhtamartsi, Nerses Mokatsi, Nahapet
Kuchak, Baghdasar Dpir, Petros Gapantsi, Nagash Hovnatan and the ashug
poet Sayat-Nova. Historiography has been revived again. Historians
Arakel Davrizhetsi, Zakaria Kanakertsi, Grigor Daranagetsi and others
wrote. Classicism became the main trend in Armenian literature in the
second half of the 18th and early 19th centuries. The beginning of the
new Armenian literature and the victory of the new Armenian literary
language was marked by the historical novel “The Wounds of Armenia” by
Kh. Abovyan. Famous Armenian poets of the middle of the 19th century M.
Peshiktashlyan, P. Duryan. In 1860, the work of G. Sundukyan and A.
Paronyan, the Armenian realistic dramaturgy was born. During this
period, the largest Armenian novelist Raffi began his creative activity.
By the end of the 19th century, critical realism became the leading
trend in Armenian literature. The genre of the novel reaches significant
development. The greatest prose writers of the time were Nar-Dos,
Muratsan, A. Arpiarnyan, V. Papazyan, G. Zohrab, A. Shirvanzade, and
others. The work of O. Tumanyan and A. Isahakyan dates back to the end
of the 19th—beginning of the 20th century. At the beginning of the
century, the poet V. Teryan worked. At the same time, a new generation
of poets appeared, among which the most famous are Siamanto, D.
Varuzhan, M. Metsarents and R. Sevak.
The outstanding poet Charents began his literary activity in the
mid-1910s. The most prominent representatives of the diverse Armenian
prose of the 1920s-1930s were A. Bakunts, S. Zoryan and V. Totovents, D.
Demirchyan entered a new phase of creative activity. In the post-war
years, R. Kochar, G. Sevunts, H. Dashtents worked in the genre of the
novel, and V. Ananyan worked in the genre of the story. Such authors as
G. Emin, S. Kaputikyan, H. Shiraz, V. Davtyan, P. Sevak, S. Khanzadyan,
A. Sagiyan, G. Hovhannisyan, A. Saginyan and others gained fame and
continued their fruitful creative activity a few more decades. From
1950-1960, a new generation of writers entered the literary arena - G.
Matevosyan, V. Petrosyan, R. Davoyan, A. Ayvazyan and others.
The history of ancient Armenian translated literature begins from the
beginning of the 5th century. Its first rise covers the era from the 5th
to the beginning of the 8th century, when the Bible, the works of
Aristotle, Plato, Philo of Alexandria, Galen, Aesop, and dozens of other
authors of ancient literature were translated into Armenian. Many
Armenian translations are unique, since the originals of these works
have been lost, and the texts have been partially or completely
preserved only thanks to the Armenian translation. Translation
literature developed later. So, in the 11th century, the "Beginnings" of
Euclid were translated, in the 14th century the works of Thomas Aquinas,
in the 17th century - the Koran, in the 17th-18th centuries a large
number of monuments of European literature.
Ancient epic tales, myths, examples of epic poetry, novels have been preserved in the writings of ancient Armenian authors. Already in the 5th century, David Kertog undertook a poetic adaptation of the epic legend "Tigran and Azhdahak". Greco-Roman authors also transmit data on the ancient mythology of the Armenians, for example, Strabo in the 1st century reports that “The cult of Anaitida is of particular honor among the Armenians, who built sanctuaries in various places in honor of this goddess, including Akilisen.” The most ancient Armenian myths are about Hayk, Aram, Ara the Beautiful, Tork Angeh, Artavazd, Vahagn, Tigran and Azhdahak, Yervand and Yervaz, about vishaps. The main deity of the pre-Christian Armenian pantheon was Aramazd. Anahit occupied an important place in the Armenian pantheon. Fragments from the epic cycles "Persian War" and "Taron War" have been preserved in Armenian sources of the 5th-7th centuries. In the VIII-X centuries, the Armenian epic David of Sasun was formed, which tells about the struggle of the heroes from Sasun against the Arab invaders. The monument is included in the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. In the 14th century, the epic legend Heroes of Kashta arose, telling about the national struggle against the troops of Tamerlane.
Frescoes
The earliest known examples of Armenian fresco painting date back to the
middle of the 5th century, these are fragments of frescoes from the
Poghos-Petros church in Yerevan and the Kasakh basilica. The following
early examples belong mainly to the 7th century (Lmbatavank, Aruchavank,
etc.) and testify to a stable tradition of interior painting. A fragment
of the frescoes of the Tatev Monastery in Syunik, which has survived to
this day, dates back to about 930, and fragments of frescoes with images
of the halo of Christ in the apse, the figure of the seated Virgin, and
an unknown saint (artist Yeghishe) in the Gndevank Monastery date back
to 914.
Early medieval Armenian sculpture is represented by
stone stelae, ornamental and narrative reliefs of the 4th-5th centuries.
The earliest are the reliefs of the slabs of the arcosolium of the tomb
of the Armenian Arshakids in Akhts, dating back to 364. The capital of
the memorial column in Kasakh (around the 4th century) and 2 reliefs of
the end of the 4th century on the facade of the cathedral of the
Etchmiadzin Cathedral have been preserved. In general, early medieval
Armenian sculpture is represented by three main schools - Ayrarat,
Tashir and Syunik. In the 6th-7th centuries, a new flowering of
sculptural art began (round sculpture and reliefs), distinguished by a
wealth of decorative details, and stylistic trends were distinguished.
The Zvartnots temple, built in 640-650, becomes a masterpiece of
architecture and fine art of this era. Figured plot reliefs appear (in
the churches of Ptghni, Mrena), high-relief images of ktitors (Sisian).
In the 5th-7th centuries, the art of khachkars begins to take shape -
sculptural monuments, which are a stone stele with a carved image of a
cross. Khachkar art reaches its highest development in the XII-XIII
centuries. In total, there are several thousand khachkars on the
territory of Armenia, each with its own unique pattern, although all
patterns are usually designed in the same style.
In the history of the fine arts of medieval Armenia, the leading place was occupied by book miniatures - the earliest samples date back to the 6th-7th centuries. Of the approximately 30 thousand Armenian medieval manuscripts that have survived, about 10 thousand are illustrated, of which 5-7 thousand are full-fledged miniatures. A feature of the Armenian miniature is the variety of styles of various local schools - Cilicia, Gladzor, Tatev, Vaspurakan, etc. Among the early examples of Armenian miniature art are the “Gospel of Queen Mlke” (862), the Gospel (986), the “Echmiadzin Gospel” ( 989), “Mugni Gospel” (XI century), “Lviv Gospel” (XII century), etc. The miniature of the XIII-XIV centuries is distinguished by a special variety of styles and techniques, when a number of original local schools of Armenian miniature developed. Famous Armenian miniaturists of the Middle Ages Hovhannes Sandkhkavanetsi, Grigor Mlichetsi, Toros Roslin, Hovhannes Arkaehbair, Toros Taronatsi, Hakob Dzhugaetsi, etc.
Armenian easel painting was formed at the turn of the 17th-18th centuries. One of its first representatives, Nagash Hovnatan, became the founder of the Hovnatanian dynasty of artists. Among the famous representatives of the Armenian easel painting of the 18th century are Hovnatan Hovnatanyan, Hovhannes Mrkuz, Hovhannes Tiratsu, and others. At the beginning of the 18th century, the talented graphic artist Grigor Marzvanetsi worked. In the history of the development of the fine arts of Armenia, the accession of Eastern Armenia to Russia at the beginning of the 19th century was of great importance. In the first half - the middle of the 19th century, artists Hakob Hovnatanyan, Stepanos Nersisyan, Hovhannes Katanyan, and others worked. Since the 1880s, a new galaxy of professional artists has appeared. The largest of them are the landscape painter Gevork Bashinjaghyan, the master of historical and historical genre Vardges Surenyants, and others. At the turn of the 19th-20th centuries, Yeghishe Tatevosyan (story paintings, landscapes), Stepan Aghajanyan (portraits), Panos Terlemezyan, Zakar Zakaryan (still life), Emmanuil Magtesyan, Vardan Makhokhyan (landscape) and others worked. At the beginning of the 20th century, his creative activity begins Martiros Saryan. Graphics develops in the work of Arshak Fetfajyan and Vano Khodjabekyan. Already in 1916, the "Union of Armenian Artists" was founded in Tiflis through the efforts of Armenian artists. During this period, Armenian professional sculpture was formed - Andreas Ter-Marukyan (the author of the first monument in Armenia - the statue of Abovyan (1913), Hakob Gyurjyan.
The applied art of medieval Armenia is represented by rich and diverse ceramics: glazed ceramics with painting and engraving, non-glazed ceramics with indented and relief ornaments, and painted faience vessels. The main centers of ceramic production were located in the cities of Ani and Dvin, which flourished until the 12th-13th centuries. Embroideries of the 14th century, metal art products, including chased silver gilded folds of the 13th-14th centuries, church items, silver and gold settings for handwritten books (for example, the setting of the Cilician Gospel of 1255) have been preserved. In Ani, during the excavations of the Gagikashen church, a copper lampadophore chandelier dating back to the 11th century was discovered. Highly artistic samples of woodcarving are known, the earliest examples of which date back to the 10th century. A separate place in this art is occupied by the wooden doors of churches (the door from Mush, 1134, the doors from the church of Arakelots on Lake Sevan, 1176, etc.).
The Armenian carpet is a term that defines pile and lint-free carpets that were woven by Armenians living both on the territory of the Armenian Highlands and beyond its borders from the pre-Christian period (until the 4th century AD) to the present day. Carpet weaving, being one of the types of Armenian arts and crafts, is inextricably linked with other types of Armenian arts and crafts, continuing the traditions of other types of national fine arts. Medieval authors preserved numerous information about Armenian carpets. Their main difference from Persian, Azerbaijani and other carpets is that stylized images of animals and people are used as ornamental motifs. Traditionally in Armenia, floors are covered with carpets, interior walls of houses, sofas, chests, seats and beds are covered. Numerous carpets with woven dating have been preserved, the earliest of which dates back to 1202. Developing from ancient times, carpet weaving in Armenia has been an integral part of life since ancient times, since almost every Armenian family was engaged in carpet weaving, despite the fact that "carpet weaving was everywhere an ancient female occupation of Armenians."
In the 1st millennium BC, in the era of a slave-owning society, the most
ancient Armenian theater developed, associated with the cult of
ancestors, singing the exploits of heroes, etc., the Armenian tragic
theater of the zainarku-gusans and vokhbergaks arose. The ancient
Armenian comedy theater is also associated with the cult of Gisane-Ara,
with the celebration of the return of spring and bacchanalia in honor of
the goddess of fertility “Anahit”, the actors of which were katakergaks
and katak-gusans.
The theater of Armenia is one of the oldest theaters in the world of the
European type, along with the Greek and Roman ones. In 69 BC in the
capital of Greater Armenia - in Tigranakert - under the influence of
Hellenistic traditions, an ancient Armenian theater arose. According to
the Greek historian Plutarch, it was founded by King Tigran II the Great
(95-55 BC) in the style of the Hellenistic amphitheaters in Syria. It is
also known that the son of Tigranes, King Artavazd II (56-34 BC), who
also wrote tragedies, created a theater of the Hellenistic type in the
northern capital of Armenia, Artashat (which the Romans called the
“Carthage of Armenia”). Starting from the 1st century BC numerous
historical facts confirm the continuity of the existence of the Armenian
professional theater, diverse in genres and types. For example, in
Armavir, the capital of ancient Armenia, inscriptions in Greek were
found with excerpts from the tragedies of Greek authors or, possibly,
the Armenian king Artavazd II. There is evidence of theatrical
performances also in the first centuries of the new era.
The Armenian theater continued its development after the adoption of
Christianity as the state religion in the early years of the 4th
century. The existence of theatrical art in Armenia is also reported by
the authors of the 6th-7th centuries. The earliest surviving dramatic
works (dramatic poem) date back to the 13th-14th centuries, the earliest
surviving tragedy is 1668. The first Armenian amateur performances of
the New Age date back to 1810-1820. In 1836, the Shermazanyan Darbas
Armenian theater was founded in Tbilisi, the Aramyan Tatron Armenian
professional theater operated in 1844-1866, and Armenian theaters were
also founded in 1860-1870.
In the III century BC the qualitative originality of Armenian music was
already formed. In the works of ancient Armenian authors, individual
samples of even pre-Christian Armenian musical creativity have been
preserved. The history of pre-Christian Armenian music is primarily
associated with the gusans, who in the Hellenistic era originally served
in the temple of the ancient Armenian god Gisane.
At the beginning of IV, Armenian Christian music arises, which, along
with Aramaic, Jewish, Cappadocian, underlies the general Christian
musical culture. In the 5th century, Armenian hymnography was formed -
the work of sharakans. At the turn of the 8th-9th centuries, the
Armenian system of musical notation, khazy, was formed. Prior to this,
the Armenians used the letters of the alphabet to record music. The
theory of acoustics was developed in early medieval Armenia. In the 10th
century, tags appeared - relatively voluminous monodies of spiritual and
secular content. In the era of the High Middle Ages, the Armenian
musical notation was improved. From the middle of the 16th century, the
art of the Armenian ashugs began to take shape, among its first
representatives Nagash Hovnatan, Baghdasar Dpir and Sayat-Nova. Already
at the beginning of the 17th century, Khachgruz Kafaetsi compiled the
first collection of Armenian folk songs.
Armenian classical music began to take shape in the 19th century. In 1861, Grigor Sinanyan organized a symphony orchestra - the Sinanyan Orchestra. In 1868, Tigran Chukhajyan created the opera "Arshak II" - the first Armenian national opera and the first opera in the musical history of the entire East. From the end of the 19th century in Armenian classical music, a new movement begins in the collection and processing of ancient folk songs by professional composers, the largest among whom was Komitas. Composers Makar Yekmalyan, Christopher Kara-Murza, Armen Tigranyan, and others worked at the turn of the 19th-20th centuries. Alexander Spendiarov made an important contribution to the development of Armenian symphonic and operatic art.
Armenia is rich in folk musical instruments. Their history spans many centuries and millennia. One of the most ancient Armenian folk instruments is the duduk. In ancient Armenian sources, references to musical instruments have been preserved. For example, Favstos Buzand in the 5th century mentions instrumentalists playing drums, strings, knars and trumpets, the historian of the beginning of the 10th century Hovhannes Draskhanakertsi mentions a stringed instrument with a plectrum. Information in the field of instrumental music and Armenian musical instruments is very scarce, however, a description of some musical instruments and their names have come down to us. So, the wind group included: sring - a type of flute, ekhdzherapokh - horn, poh - copper pipe, percussion group included: tmbuk - drum, string group: bambirn - an instrument with a plectrum, pandir, knar - a type of lyre, jnar - a kind of knar, vin is a kind of knar. The music of the Armenian duduk has been recognized as a masterpiece of the UNESCO World Intangible Cultural Heritage.
In 2017, the traditional group dance "Kochari" was included in the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity List.
From the VI century BC. pagan architecture developed in ancient Armenia,
from the beginning of the 4th century BC. - Armenian Christian
architecture. Xenophon in the 5th century BC e. reports that the
dwellings of the ancient Armenians had towers. Plutarch calls Artashat
"Armenian Carthage". The most significant monument of Armenian ancient
architecture is the temple of Garni, built by the king of Great Armenia
Trdat I in the 70s of AD.
Among the earliest examples of Armenian church architecture are the
one-nave hall churches of Shirvandzhukh (5th century), the three-nave
basilica churches - Kasakh (4th century), Yereruk (5th century), etc.
Armenian architecture experienced a huge rise in the 7th century, when
the church of St. . Hripsime, Talin Cathedral, Aruchavank, Mren,
Mastara, Sisavan, etc. The Zvartnots temple, built between 641-661, is
considered a masterpiece of Armenian architecture of the 7th century.
The next rise of Armenian architecture dates back to the 10th century,
the period of the development of the sovereign Armenian state. The
churches of Tatev, (895-905), St. Cross in Akhtamar (915-921),
Vaganavank (911), Gndevank (930), Sanahin (957-962), Haghpat (976-991),
etc. The rise of Armenian architecture at the end of the 12th-13th
centuries is associated with the liberation of Armenia by the Zakaryans
. A number of new stone structures were created, including a ceiling on
criss-cross arches. The most famous monuments of the time: Harichavank
(1201), Makaravank (1205), Tegher (1213-1232), Dadivank (1214), Geghard
(1215), Saghmosavank (1215-1235), Hovhannavank (1216), Gandzasar
(1216-1238), Haghartsin (1281) and some others. Some monuments of
Armenian architecture (Akhtamar, X century, Gandzasar, XIII century,
etc.) are currently outside the Armenian state.
Tufa, the most common building material in Armenia, plays an important
role in Armenian architecture, where one of the two largest deposits of
tufa in the world (the other is in Italy) is located. Tuff blocks have
been used in construction since ancient times.
Vishaps (veshaps, azhdahaks) are ancient mythological creatures, which
were depicted as high stone sculptures, menhirs. Vishaps are common in
the mythologies of the countries of the Armenian Highlands and Western
Asia. The peoples inhabiting the Armenian Highlands in the II millennium
BC. e. or earlier, they carved images of vishaps from stone and
installed them near underground water sources. Over time, the
mythological image of vishaps has undergone changes and in the
mythologies of different peoples has become associated with evil
spirits, dragons, etc., often retaining the original connection with
water.
Winemaking and cognac production
Ancient manuscripts and folk tales prove that winemaking and viticulture
in Armenia have been practiced since ancient times, somewhere from the
15th century BC. e. The mention that excellent wines were exported from
the region to neighboring countries for sale can be found in the ancient
Greek historians Herodotus, Xenophon, Strabo. The wines were of high
quality, aged and varied. Armenia is a country with an ancient tradition
of growing grapes.
Cognac production in Armenia was founded in 1887 by
the merchant of the first guild Nerses Tairyan in Yerevan at the first
winery built ten years earlier on the territory of the former Yerevan
fortress. At the improved plant, 2 fire distillers were installed to
smoke cognac spirit.
Armenian cognacs in the times of the former USSR took prizes, often
first places, for which they gained fame in many countries of the world.
UNESCO World Heritage Sites
There are 3 groups of objects included in the UNESCO World Heritage List
in Armenia:
monasteries Haghpat and Sanahin;
the cathedral and churches of Etchmiadzin (including the Etchmiadzin
Cathedral, the Church of St. Hripsime and the Church of St. Gayane) and
the archaeological site of Zvartnots;
Geghard Monastery and the upper reaches of the Azat River.
The Republic of Armenia ensures the right to education regardless of nationality, race, sex, language, religion, political or other views, social origin, property status or other circumstances.
The first evidence of human exploration of the surrounding reality on
the territory of Armenia is found from the third millennium BC, these
are the stone observatories of Karahunj (Zorats-kar) and Metsamor,
cuneiform records, engineering structures of the Urartian period.
The catalyst for the development of scientific thought was the creation
of an alphabet by Mesrop Mashtots at the beginning of the 5th century,
which Armenians use to this day. Subsequently, numerous schools were
opened throughout Armenia, literary works, treatises on history,
philosophy, linguistics, works on the natural sciences, geography,
astronomy, mathematics, etc. were written and translated. The most
prominent representatives of the so-called “golden age of Armenia” are
the historian Movses Khorenatsi (V century), philosopher David Anakht
(VI century), geographer, astronomer and mathematician Anania Shirakatsi
(VII century), grammarian Movses Kertog (VII-VIII century), writer and
astronomer Hovhannes Imastaser (XI-XII century), healer Mkhitar Heratsi
(XII century), writer and legislator Mkhitar Gosh (XII century), etc.
The existence of universities on the territory of Armenia dates back to
the same time: Ani (XI century), Gladzor (XIII century), Tatev (XIV
century), Sanahin Academy (XII century), where, along with theology,
secular disciplines were also taught: history, philosophy, grammar,
mathematics, medicine, music. In 1051, Grigor Magistros, an advocate of
the Armenian Renaissance, translated the geometry of Euclid into
Armenian.
After the establishment of Soviet power in Armenia in 1920, the
repatriation of hundreds of representatives of the Armenian scientific
intelligentsia was organized, who were involved in the organization of
higher education and scientific institutions in the new Armenia:
numerous scientific research institutes, laboratories, centers
conducting scientific research were created. On their basis, in 1935,
the Armenian branch of the USSR Academy of Sciences was established,
which in a short time became one of the major scientific centers of the
country. In 1943, the Academy of Sciences of the Armenian SSR was
created on the basis of the branch. In the Soviet years, computers
"Hrazdan", "Nairi", "Aragats" were developed in Armenia. Among the
outstanding scientists of this period, Viktor Ambartsumyan is the
founder of the school of theoretical astrophysics in the USSR,
orientalist Iosif Orbeli, physicists Artyom and Abram Alikhanyan,
mathematician Sergey Mergelyan, botanist Armen Takhtadzhyan, electrical
engineer Andronik Iosifyan - founder of the Soviet school of
electromechanics, and many others.
During the period of independence, the scientific sphere experienced a
crisis: in 1994-2011, the annual number of patent applications for
inventions decreased from 233 to 140. In 2014-2018, the number of
applications continued to decline and dropped to 0141 in 2018.
In 2015, the Byurakan Astrophysical Observatory received the status of a
regional astronomical center.
Information technologies are dynamically developing in Armenia. The IT
sector is growing annually by 22-25%. As of 2015, there were about
450-500 IT companies operating in the country, providing 3.8% of the
country's GDP. In 2015, their total turnover was about $550 million.
Large international companies such as Microsoft (since 2007), National
Instruments, Mentor Graphics, VMWare and others operate in Armenia.
In 2014, the first technopark in Armenia was opened in the city of
Gyumri, and in 2016 it is planned to open the Vanadzor technopark.
In 2019, the Ministry of High-Tech Industry was established.
According to the constitution (art. 38), every citizen
has the right to receive free higher or other professional education in
state educational institutions on a competitive basis. Education in
Armenia is supervised by the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and
Sports.
In 2005, Armenia officially joined the Bologna Convention.
Secondary education
Secondary education in Armenia is carried out in three-level general
education schools for 12 years at the following levels:
elementary school (grades 1-4),
secondary school - the first cycle of secondary education lasting 5
years (grades 5-9),
high school - the second cycle of secondary education, carried out for 3
years (grades 10-12).
The presence of a certificate of secondary (complete) general education
or another certificate recognized as equivalent to it is a necessary
condition for admission to universities. Admission to all higher
education programs is carried out on a competitive basis based on the
results of entrance examinations.
Educational institutions in Armenia use a 10-point grading scale.
There are 27 public and 25 private higher education
institutions in the country.
One of the leading scientific centers in Armenia is Yerevan State
University. YSU was founded on May 16, 1919. The first classes began in
February 1920. About 13,000 students study at 22 faculties of the
university. 200 out of 1200 teachers have the academic title of doctor
of science and more than 500 have a candidate.
Yerevan State Linguistic University named after V. Ya. Bryusov is the
leading university in Armenia specializing in linguistics and philology.
Founded in 1935. During its activity, the university has trained over
50,000 specialists in the field of Russian, English, French, German,
Italian, Spanish, political science, regional studies, international
tourism, international journalism and other specialties.
The National Polytechnic University of Armenia (former State Engineering
University of Armenia) was founded in 1933 and is a national technical
education leader providing multi-stage engineering education. SEUA has 3
branches in Gyumri, Vanadzor and Kapan.
Yerevan State Medical University Mkhitar Heratsi was founded in 1920. It
is one of the leading universities in the country.
The Yerevan State Conservatory named after Komitas was founded in 1921,
at first as a music studio, and 2 years later as a higher musical
educational institution. The conservatory has a student symphony
orchestra, chamber orchestras, an orchestra of folk instruments and a
folklore choir, and various chamber ensembles.
The American University of Armenia, the French University in Armenia,
the Russian-Armenian (Slavonic) State University and others also operate
in Armenia.
The system of primary health care of the population is primarily aimed
at disease prevention and received support from the World Bank, which
undertook the financing of the program for the establishment of the
institute of family doctors. The offices of family doctors are equipped
with modern equipment and staff who have received appropriate training
and education. Within the framework of the WB loan program, 2
departments for the training of family doctors were established in
Armenia.
Residents of cities, at their discretion, can choose either a family
doctor, or a local therapist and a local pediatrician for children. As a
result of the reform of primary health care, a new type of doctor should
be formed. In 2006, the state assumed responsibility for the social
sphere of health care and introduced free medical care to the population
in primary health care (polyclinics, outpatient clinics).
The first periodicals in Armenian and Russian languages appeared in
Armenia in the middle of the 19th century, however, the printed mass
media were widely developed only after the formation of the First
Republic of Armenia. In the future, if the Soviet period was
characterized by strict political censorship and a high degree of
control by the authorities, then for subsequent times - relative freedom
of the press. Radical advances in terms of press freedom occurred during
the democratic reforms of the late 1980s in the Soviet Union (glasnost).
During this period, there was a significant increase in the number of
periodicals, the affiliation of certain newspapers and magazines to
various political and social movements was clearly identified.
As of the end of the 2000s, more than 10 daily newspapers, both central
and local, were published in Armenia with a total circulation of about
15,000 copies. The leading national newspapers are Zhoghovurd, Aravot,
168 Zham, Haykakan Zhamanak, Zov Gardman, Golos Armenii (Russian), Azg,
Yerkir.
The first broadcasting organization was established in 1934. The
formation of the actual national broadcasting system began immediately
after the declaration of state independence.
The transition to digital broadcasting was carried out in 2016.
“Armenian Television and Radio Broadcasting Network” CJSC provides
terrestrial broadcasting of the digital public broadcasting network, in
which 37 operating nationwide (for example, Public Television of
Armenia, Armenia 2, Shant, Shoghakat, Kentron, Yerkir Media, AR, etc.)
), metropolitan and regional television companies. The most important
task of the sphere is the need to use private multiplexes with
nationwide coverage, which will increase the number of broadcast TV
channels.
Weightlifting, football, chess, boxing, judo,
wrestling, swimming, skiing and rock climbing are popular in Armenia. At
the international level, Armenian athletes perform most successfully in
weightlifting and various types of martial arts. In addition, Armenia is
especially successful in chess. Armenian chess players are three-time
champions of the Chess Olympiad.
The country regularly hosts the Pan-Armenian Games, in which teams from
various countries where the Armenian diaspora is represented take part.
Armenia is a member of: Union of European Football Associations (UEFA);
International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF); International Federation of
Basketball Associations (FIBA); International Volleyball Federation
(FIVB) and others.
The sports infrastructure is expanding. In 2005, a bicycle center was
opened in Yerevan. A new ice stadium was put into operation.
There is a resurgence of interest in mass sports. Since 2015, a half
marathon has been held in Yerevan in October, and since 2018 a
full-distance marathon has been held. A triathlon is held in Sevan, as
well as various similar competitions with partial distances.