The highest peaks in Armenia
(above sea level, in kilometers)
Aragats - 4,090
Kaputdzugh - 3,906
Ajdahak - 3,598
Mets Ishkhanasar - 3,549
Vardenis - 3,522
The longest rivers
(in kilometers)
Arax (flows into the Kura) - 158
Debed (flows into the Khrami) - 152
Hrazdan (flows into the Arax) - 146
Vorotan (flows into the Arax) - 119
Aghstev (flows into the Kura) - 99

The main lakes of Armenia
(area in square km)
Sevan - 1,256 (1,897 meters above sea level)
Akna - 0.5 (3,030 m)
Aygher - 0.16 (856 m)
Kari - 0.12 (3,190 m)
Kaputan - 0.10 (3,286 m)
Transportation and communication facilities

Air transportation
Armenia's international air terminals are "Zvartnots" (II category of ICAO), "Erebuni" in Yerevan and "Shirak" in Giumri. There are airports of local significance in all major towns (10). Local flights are operated by means of small-sized airplanes and helicopters from the "Erebuni" airport.
Railroad
The total length of railroad facilities in Armenia is 820 km, with 90% of them electrified. Armenia has railroad connection with Georgia (Poti, Batumi, Tbilisi), and with Russia and Europe (via Tbilisi) through one line, with Azerbaijan (extending farther to Russia and Europe) through two lines and with Turkey through one line. The three last-mentioned lines are currently out of use because of the continuing blockade of Armenia by Turkey and Azerbaijan.
Motor transport and surfaced roads
The overall extent of surfaced roads in Armenia is 7,700 km. The total length of roads of interstate, regional and local significance is 1,400 km, 2,520 km and 3,780 km respectively. 98% of interstate and 77% of other roads have steady surface. There are interurban bus services operating countrywide in the direction of all densely populated areas. International bus services are available in Yerevan from where passengers can travel to Georgia, Nagorny Karabagh, Russia and Iran.

Currency
The Armenian Dram is legal tender for all debts, public and private, on the territory of the Republic of Armenia. At the close of December 2000, 1 US dollar cost approximately 550 Armenian drams. Due to the agreement concluded between the Central Bank of Armenia and the Nagorno-Karabagh Republic, the Armenian dram is the only legal tender for all debts, public and private, also on the territory of this unrecognized state. Most of payments are made in cash. Sometimes, US dollars are used along with Armenian drams for payment (at large markets or fairs). Only few establishments in Yerevan (shops, hotels, restaurants, firms) accept credit cards. There is a branching net of currency exchange offaces in Armenia. The US dollar is the most frequently used foreign currency in Armenia. Among other widespread currencies are the Russian ruble and the German mark. Many exchange offaces in downtown Yerevan exchange drams for British pounds, French francs and sometimes even for Georgian laris. Many banks effect money transfers from and to Armenia either through their own networks or through their correspondent banks abroad. There is also the Western Union system. Banks accept the American Express and Thomas Cook travelers' cheques for payment. Seven cash-dispensers in Yerevan stay open 24 hours a day to provide dram and dollar cash to owners of major international plastic cards.

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HISTORY

Ancient Armenian tribes are believed to have first appeared on the territory of the Armenian Plateau 3-4 thousand years before Christ. Asia Minor, the Armenian Plateau and the western regions of the Iranian Plateau are considered to be the lands where Indo-European nations had come from. The names of the state "Arminiya" and its people "Armina" are first mentioned in the cuneiforms of Persian King Darius I (522-486 B.C.). Herodotes mentioned Arminas as "Armens". The history of the Armenian state comes through three millenniums, rising up to the history of the state Urartu, which was the same age as its rival Assyria. The Assyrians called the territory of ancient Armenia "The Land of Nairi". The native name of Armenians "Hay" is supposed to have originated from the name of the people Hayassa. The earliest Armenian kingdom emerged in the wake of Urartu's collapse at the close of the VII century BC. That kingdom was domineered by the Yervanduni (Yervandid) clan. Later, the kingdom fell into vassal dependence on the Persian Orb of Achaemenid dynasty and still later became a target of attacks by the army of Alexander the Macedonian. After the collapse of Macedonian monarchy, Armenia was annexed to the state of Selevkids. This was one of the Hellenistic states that emerged after the collapse of the Macedonian Empire.

At the beginning of the II century BC, a united Armenian kingdom was established. Its first king was Artashes I (189-160 BC). The supreme power in the state belonged to King Tigran II the Great (95-55 BC). Tigran the Great and the other sovereigns who succeeded to the throne after him were quite successful for some time in resisting Rome's eastward aggression. Yet, the ultimate success belonged to the Romans. The dynasty of Artashesians retired in the I century BC. It was not until the middle of the I century AD that the crisis had been overcome, as under the conditions of the Armenian-Partev union (Partev - ancient Iran) the Armenian throne was given to Partev's brother king Trdat I belonging to the clan of Arshakuni (Arshakids). King Trdat I proved to be the founder of a new dynasty. Under the rule of this dynasty Armenia became the first country in the world to embrace Christianity as its state religion (301). The Armenian alphabet was created in 405. As a result of the wars waged with its neighbors Armenia lost its independence in 387 and in 428 was divided between the Byzantine Empire and Iran into two (Eastern and Western) parts.

Eastern Armenia lost its sovereignty under the rule of Sasanidian Iran yet preserving some institutions of self-government and the status of feudal lords - nakharars. Neither did it lose its army, which was commanded by the Sparapet. In the spring of 450, the Persians attempted to convert the Armenians to Zoroastrism, the religion they practiced themselves. This encroachment provoked a nationwide riot led by Sparapet Vardan Mamikonian. In 451, the valley of Avarair became a crucial battlefield where Armenian soldiers fought bravely in a losing battle against the Persian army. Later stubborn resistance made the Persians drop their infringements upon the faith and originality of the Armenians. This was officially reflected in a treaty signed in the village of Nvarsak in 484.

Persia grew weaker and less influential in the course of the VII-IX centuries giving way to the stronger Arabian Khalifat and nascent Islam. The closing years of the VII century and the beginning of the VIII century were signified by Armenian riots against the rule of the Khalifat. Those riots were mostly headed by the clan of Bagratuni (Bagratids), who had the title of Governors of Armenia conferred on them in 744. In 885, Ashot I Bagratuni was anointed King of Armenia, which had regained its sovereignty by that time. Armenia lived as a sovereign state for 160 years under the rule of Bagratuni dynasty. That period was remarkable for increased production and trade and greater urbanization. There were also serious achievements in the spiritual life of the country. The royal power of Bagratuni dynasty reached its strongest under King Gagik I (989-1020). In 1045, the country's capital city of Ani was conquered by the Byzantinians. The last representative of Bagratuni dynasty, Gagik II, was dethroned and taken to Byzantium. In the XI century the Cilician Armenian State was established in the north-east Mediterranean to last for three centuries. That was an amazing and unparalleled phenomenon in the history of the world. No other nation had ever been able to create its own state system far outside its native land. The founder of the Cilician Armenian State was Prince Ruben (1080) who became the founder of a new royal dynasty called Rubenian (Rubenids). The Cilician Armenian State reached its zenith in the late XII - early XIII centuries under the rule of King Levon II, who was officially recognized as a sovereign monarch not only by the European states, but also by the Arabs and Byzantinians.

The dynasty that came to replace the Rubenids was Khetumian (Khetumids). They concluded an agreement with the Mongols so as to secure themselves against invasions by Mongolian hordes. In the XIV century, the Cilician State was conquered by the Egyptian Sultanate, which had become powerful by that time. The country's last king Levon VI from the dynasty of Lusinian, fled to Paris. Starting from the second half of the XI century time after time Armenia was subjected to devastating foreign invasions -- Seljuk tribes, the Mongols, the hordes of Timur (Tamerlan). In the second half of the XV century and at the beginning of the XVI century Ottoman Turks, who had conquered Byzantium, grew stronger in Asia Minor. As a result of the wars between Ottoman Turkey and Sefevidian Iran in 1639 Armenia was again divided into two parts (Eastern Armenia under Iran's rule and Western Armenia under Turkey's rule).

As a result of Russia's policies in the Transcaucasus, after the Russian-Persian wars, the greater part of Eastern Armenia was annexed to Russia (1828). The Armenian public at large welcomed the inclusion of Eastern Armenia into the Russian Empire, fairly thinking that it was a way for part of the Armenian nation to escape physical destruction. In the second part of the XIX century the living conditions of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire kept going from bad to worse. This caused a number of armed riots. The Russian-Turkish wars in 1877-1878 were followed by two agreements signed in San Stephano and Berlin that required that Turkey should carry out reforms to bring about improvements in its Armenian-populated areas. Those long-awaited reforms were never to be carried out. Above all, in 1894-1896, Turkish authorities organized mass killings and massacres of Armenians that claimed 300,000 lives. During World War I, Turkish authorities executed a program of deportation and destruction of the Armenian population, the active phase of which started on April 24, 1915. More than 1,500,000 Armenians were killed and over 800,000 became refugees as a result of the Turkish genocidal campaign. After the collapse of the Russian Empire in 1917, when the Communists led by Vladimir Lenin took control, on May 28, 1918, Armenia declared its independence. This became possible due to the victories against the Turkish Army on the battlefields of Sardarapat, Gharakilisa and Bash-Aparan. In August 1920, the states that won World War I concluded a treaty (later named the Sevres Treaty) with defeated Turkey making it recognize Armenia's independence. Armenia got a territory of 160 square kilometers and a gateway to the Black Sea. But the terms of the Sevres Treaty concerning Armenia were never to be observed because of the rapprochement between Kemalist Turkey and Bolshevist Russia. In the autumn of 1920, after reaching an agreement with the Russian Bolshivist leader V. Lenin, Turkey attacked Armenia and seized the towns of Kars, Ardahan and Sarighamish. Armenia found itself in an extremely heavy situation. In November 1920, the 11th Red Army took control of some regions of Armenia, declaring them a Soviet Republic. That territory became a part of the USSR (up to 1991).

The Karabagh movement began in 1988. Its main demand was that the mostly Armenian-populated province of Artsakh (Karabagh), then part of Azerbaijan, should rejoin Armenia. Karabagh then had an autonomous status within Soviet Azerbaijan. The growing movement for the liberation of Karabagh caused a Communist defeat in the parliamentary elections in Armenia in 1990. On August 23, 1990, the newly elected Parliament of Armenia adopted the Declaration of Independence.

On September 21, 1990, a national referendum in Armenia overwhelmingly confirmed the public aspiration to create an independent state. From 1991 to 1994, the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabagh waged bloody war resisting Azeri aggression with the support of Armenia. The war ended in the Armenians of Karabagh asserting their independence and establishing control over five administrative regions of Azerbaijan. The conflicting sides now observe a cease-fire regime after signing a Russia-mediated agreement in 1994. The Nagorno-Karabagh peace process is currently sponsored by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, with the United States, Russia, and France acting as cochairs of this organization.

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LANGUAGE

The Armenian language is referred to the family of Indo-European languages as a special branch of it, with its alphabet considered to be one of the earliest. Armenian written language was created by Mesrop Mashtots, a a monk scholar, who was later canonized by the Armenian Apostolic Church. The Armenian alphabet consists of 39 letters (8 vowels and 31 consonants). In the Middle Ages, especially before the universal spread of Arabian numerics, the Armenians used the letters of their alphabet to refer to figures as well. The Armenian language has its own peculiarity, as there are two literary branches in the modern Armenian literary language: the Eastern and Western Armenian languages. The Armenians living in the Republic of Armenia and the Nagorno-Karabagh Republic, in Iran and all post-Soviet states speak the Eastern Armenian Language. The Armenians who live in all the rest parts of the world, the descendants of immigrants from Western Armenia speak the Western Armenian Language. The bearers of the two mentioned literary branches of the modern Armenian language understand each other without difficulty. The Armenians have a heritage of over 25 thousand manuscripts currently kept at Matenadaran (the Ancient Manuscripts Museum and Institute) named after Mesrop Mashtots and also in the libraries of Jerusalem, Vienna, London, etc..

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RELIGION AND CHURCH

The Armenian church is one of the most ancient Christian churches in the world. Armenia is known to have proclaimed Christianity as its official state religion as far back as 301 AD, under King Trdat III, long before other peoples officially converted to this religion. The Armenian Apostolic Church is the "Elder Sister" among all the Christian Churches of the world. Gregory the Illuminator was proclaimed the first Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians in 302. He was canonized later. The current leader of the Armenian Apostolic Church, Garegin II Nersisian, was elected 132nd Catholicos of All Armenians in October 1999.

The city of Vagharshapat is the residence of the Catholicos, where Etchmiadzin Cathedral (built in 303) stands. Besides Araratian Patriarchate (the leader of which is the Catholicos himself) the Catholicosate of All Armenians now consists of Jerusalem Patriarchate (formed in the VII century), Constantinople Patriarchate (formed in 1461), 36 dioceses (8 in Armenia, one in Nagorny Karabagh (Artsakh), and others in the countries of Europe, America, Asia, Africa and Australia where there are Armenian communities). The Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia (the successor of Holy Cilicia), situated in Antelias (Lebanon), having had disagreements with the Throne of Holy Etchmiadzin since 1955, acts as an independent Armenian church at international church fora. The Cilician Catholicos is the spiritual leader of most Armenian communities in Lebanon, Syria, Iran and other countries of the Near East, as well as some communities in the Western hemisphere (about 500 thousand people in all).

Catholicos Aram I has been the Head of the Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia since 1995. On the territory of the Republic of Armenia, besides the Armenian Apostolic Church, there are also the Armenian Catholic and the Armenian Evangelic Churches. But they don't have as many followers as the traditional Church. In addition, there are also churches, synagogues, meeting-houses of different religious minorities (over 50). Specialists from Iran are currently reconstructing a mosque in Yerevan. This mosque is supposed to be attended by Islam professing guests of the Armenian capital.

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POLITICAL SYSTEM

The current Constitution of the Republic of Armenia was adopted through a nationwide referendum on July 5, 1995. State administration is based on the principle of divided legislative, executive and judicial branches of power. Armenia has a presidential form of government. The President (Robert Kocharian, elected in 1998), guided by the Constitution and using the powers vested in him by the Constitution, regulates the legislative, executive and judicial branches of power to ensure their normal and effective work. The President is also the commander-in-chief and the guarantor of the country's independence, territorial integrity and security.

The President is elected every fifth year, by means of general elections. The same person cannot be elected president more than twice. The 131-seat National Assembly is the supreme legislative body of the republic. The current unicameral parliament was elected on May 30, 1999 in elections held under two systems (majoritarian and proportional representation). The National Assembly is elected for a period of 4 years. The President has the right to dissolve the Parliament. The Government is the executive body in Armenia. It is headed by the Prime Minister.

The administrative-territorial units of Armenia are Marzes (provinces) and communities. Marzes consist of rural and municipal communities that execute local government. Local governments are elected for three years. State government is executed in the provinces. The Government appoints and dismisses the governors of provinces (Marzpets), who implement the regional policies of the Government. The Constitutional Court establishes the constitutionality of laws and decisions of the Government, international treaties and agreements, resolves disputes related to outcomes of presidential and parliamentary elections, presents conclusions about the impossibility of the President's continuing in offace and reasons why he should or should not resign from his post. The Constitutional Court also makes decisions regarding suspension or banning of a party's activities. The courts of the general jurisdiction in Armenia are the courts of the first instance, the Court of Appeal and the Court of Cassation. There are also domestic relations, military and other courts. Establishment of extraordinary courts is forbidden. The President is the guarantor for the independence of judicial bodies. He is the leader of the Council of Justice. Judges are not replaceable and are appointed to this post up to the age of 65.

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THE CLIMATE

Armenia is situated in the subtropical belt among the ranges of the central part of the Minor Caucasus. 90% of its territory is situated 1,000 meters above sea level. This partly conditions the generally dry and continental climate in the country. Warmth distribution in Armenia largely depends on seasonal rhythm. The average temperature in June in the Ararat valley is +25C, +27C. The absolute maximum is +42C. The average temperature in January reaches --5C,--7C, the absolute minimum is --30C. In midlands (Lake Sevan areas) average summer temperatures are +18C, +20C, and winter temperatures are --8C, --12C. Average annual precipitation is 550 mm. mostly observed in spring and early summer. The least precipitation occurs in late summer and in winter.
Flora and Fauna
Around 3,200 species of plants grow in Armenia. Forests (mainly oak, beech and hornbeam, as well as lime, maple and ash-tree) occupy 12% of the country's territory and are mainly situated in the mountains, on excessively steep slopes and in territories situated 550-2,600 meters high. Armenian valleys are known to have steppe vegetation. Feather-grass steppes, couch-grass and other steppe dicotyledonouses are most typical. On rock and stone soil almonds, Pallas buckthorn, acantolemon, sage and thyme grow. Armenia's fauna has nearly 450 vertebrates, including 76 mammals, 304 birds, 44 species of reptiles, 6 amphibians and 24 species of fish, and approximately 1,000 species of invertebrates.

Mineral resources
Iron, copper, molybdenum and semi-metal ores, barytes with gold and silver admixture, lead and zinc, manganese, gold, platinum, antimony, quicksilver and arsenic can be found on the territory of present-day Armenia. From rare metals there are bismuth, gallium, indium, selenium, thallium, tellurium and renium. From construction materials there are tuffs (orange, yellow, pink and black) whose reserves are estimated at 3 billion cubic meters, as well as marble and limestones.
Armenia abounds with semi-precious and fabricated stones: agate, jasper, amethyst, beryl, ruby, onyx, turquoise, etc..

Mineral springs
Jermuk
Arzni
Dilijan
Bjni
Hankavan
Sevan

Health resorts
There are about 7,500 springs of fresh water and 1,300 springs of mineral water in Armenia, most of them having health characteristics. Over 100 holiday homes, boarding houses and sanatoriums are built in different parts of Armenia. They are situated in mountainous and forest regions of the country: Arzni, Hankavan, Byurakan, Dilijan, Jermuk, Ijevan, Sevan, Tsaghkadzor, the region of Zangezur and Gugark, and so on, including areas of mineral springs.

Public holidays and memorable days

31st December; 1st, 2nd January (New Year);
6th January - The Nativity (Holy Christmas);
7th April- Motherhood and Beauty Day (non-working day);
24th April - The Day of Remembrance of 1915 Genocide Victims (non-working day);
9th May - Victory and Peace Day (non-working day);
28th May - The Day of the First Republic (non-working day);
5th July - Constitution Day (non-working day);
21st September - Independence Day (non-working day);
7th December - The Day of Remembrance of 1988 Earthquake Victims.

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