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more about armenia
armenia |
3 definitions found From WordNet r 1.6 [wn]: Armenia n : a republic in southwestern Asia; formerly an Asian Soviet; throughout 2500 years the Armenian people have been invaded and oppressed by their neighbors [syn: {Armenia}, {Hayastan}] From Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary [easton]: Armenia high land, occurs only in Authorized Version, 2 Kings 19:37; in Revised Version, "Ararat," which is the Hebrew word A country in western Asia lying between the Caspian and the Black Sea. Here the ark of Noah rested after the Deluge (Gen. 8:4). It is for the most part high table-land, and is watered by the Aras, the Kur, the Euphrates, and the Tigris. Ararat was properly the name of a part of ancient Armenia. Three provinces of Armenia are mentioned in Jer. 51:27, Ararat, Minni, and Ashchenaz Some however, think Minni a contraction for Armenia. (See {ARARAT}.) From The CIA World Factbook (1995) [world95]: Armenia Armenia:Geography Location: Southwestern Asia, east of Turkey Map references: Commonwealth of Independent States - European States Area: total area: 29,800 sq km land area: 28,400 sq km comparative area: slightly larger than Maryland Land boundaries: total 1,254 km Azerbaijan (east) 566 km Azerbaijan (south) 221 km Georgia 164 km Iran 35 km Turkey 268 km Coastline: 0 km (landlocked) Maritime claims: none; landlocked International disputes: supports ethnic Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh in their separatist conflict against the Azerbaijani government; traditional demands on former Armenian lands in Turkey have subsided Climate: highland continental, hot summers, cold winters Terrain: high Armenian Plateau with mountains; little forest land; fast flowing rivers; good soil in Aras River valley Natural resources: small deposits of gold, copper, molybdenum, zinc, alumina Land use: arable land: 17% permanent crops: 3% meadows and pastures: 20% forest and woodland: 0% other: 60% Irrigated land: 3,050 sq km (1990) Environment: current issues: soil pollution from toxic chemicals such as DDT; energy blockade, the result of conflict with Azerbaijan, has led to deforestation as citizens scavenge for firewood; pollution of Hrazdan Razdan and Aras Rivers; the draining of Sevana Lich, a result of its use as a source for hydropower threatens drinking water supplies natural hazards: occasionally severe earthquakes; droughts international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Nuclear Test Ban, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Desertification Note: landlocked Armenia:People Population: 3,557,284 (July 1995 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 31% (female 542,664; male 570,998) 15-64 years: 61% (female 1,103,171; male 1,076,226) 65 years and over: 8% (female 154,784; male 109,441) (July 1995 est.) Population growth rate: 0.94% (1995 est.) Birth rate: 22.79 births/1,000 population (1995 est.) Death rate: 6.66 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.) Net migration rate: -6.68 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.) Infant mortality rate: 26 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 72.36 years male: 68.94 years female: 75.95 years (1995 est.) Total fertility rate: 3.06 children born/woman (1995 est.) Nationality: noun: Armenian(s) adjective: Armenian Ethnic divisions: Armenian 93%, Azeri 3%, Russian 2%, other (mostly Yezidi Kurds) 2% (1989) note: as of the end of 1994, most Azeris had emigrated from Armenia Religions: Armenian Orthodox 94% Languages: Armenian 96%, Russian 2%, other 2% Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1989) total population: 99% male: 99% female: 98% Labor force: 1.578 million by occupation: industry and construction 34%, agriculture and forestry 31%, other 35% (1992) Armenia:Government Names: conventional long form: Republic of Armenia conventional short form: Armenia local long form: Hayastani Hanrapetut'yun local short form: Hayastan former: Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic; Armenian Republic Digraph: AM Type: republic Capital: Yerevan Administrative divisions: 37 regions (shrjanner, singular - shrjan) and 23 cities* (kaghakner, singular - kaghak); Abovyan*, Akhuryani Shrjan Alaverdi*, Amasiayi Shrjan Anii Shrjan Aparani Shrjan Aragatsi Shrjan Ararat*, Ararati Shrjan Armaviri Shrjan Artashat*, Artashati Shrjan Art'ik*, Art'iki Shrjan Ashots'k'i Shrjan Ashtarak*, Ashtaraki Shrjan Baghramyani Shrjan Ch'arents'avan*, Dilijan*, Ejmiatsin*, Ejmiatsni Shrjan Goris*, Gorisi Shrjan Gugark'i Shrjan Gyumri*, Hoktemberyan*, Hrazdan*, Hrazdani Shrjan Ijevan*, Ijevani Shrjan Jermuk*, Kamo*, Kamoyi Shrjan Kapan*, Kapani Shrjan Kotayk'i Shrjan Krasnoselski Shrjan Martunu Shrjan Masisi Shrjan Meghru Shrjan Metsamor*, Nairii Shrjan Noyemberyani Shrjan Sevan*, Sevani Shrjan Sisiani Shrjan Spitak*, Spitaki Shrjan Step'anavan*, Step'anavani Shrjan T'alini Shrjan Tashiri Shrjan Taushi Shrjan T'umanyani Shrjan Vanadzor*, Vardenisi Shrjan Vayk'i Shrjan Yeghegnadzori Shrjan Yerevan* Independence: 28 May 1918 (First Armenian Republic); 23 September 1991 (from Soviet Union) National holiday: Referendum Day 21 September Constitution: adopted NA April 1978; referendum on new constitution to be held 5 July 1995 Legal system: based on civil law system Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Levon Akopovich TER-PETROSYAN (since October 1991) election last held 16 October 1991 (next to be held NA 1996); results - Levon Akopovich TER-PETROSYAN 86%; radical nationalists about 7%; note - Levon Akopovich TER-PETROSYAN was elected Chairman of the Armenian Supreme Soviet 4 August 1990 before becoming president head of government: Prime Minister Hrant BAGRATYAN (since 16 February 1993); First Deputy Prime Minister Vigen CHITECHYAN (since 16 February 1993) cabinet: Council of Ministers; appointed by the president Legislative branch: unicameral Supreme Soviet: elections last held 20 May 1990 (next to be held 5 July 1995); results - percent of vote by party NA seats - (260 total) non-aligned 136, ANM 52, DPA 17, Democratic Liberal Party 17, ARF 12, NDU 9, Christian Democratic Party 1, Constitutional Rights Union 1, ONS 1, Republican Party 1, Nagorno-Karabakh representatives 13 Judicial branch: Supreme Court Political parties and leaders: Armenian National Movement (ANM), Ter-Husik LAZARYAN chairman; National Democratic Union (NDU), David VARTANYAN chairman; Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF, Dashnaktsutyun); note - banned until reorganized; Democratic Party of Armenia (DPA; Communist Party), Aram SARKISYAN chairman; Christian Democratic Party, Azat ARSHAKYAN chairman; Greens Party, Hakob SANASARIAN chairman; Democratic Liberal Party, Rouben MIRZAKHANYAN chairman; Republican Party, Ashot NAVARSARDYAN chairman; Union for Self-Determination (ONS), Paruir AIRIKYAN chairman Member of: BSEC, CCC, CIS, EBRD, ECE, ESCAP, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, ILO, IMF, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ITU, NACC, NAM (observer), OSCE, PFP, UN UNCTAD UNESCO, UNIDO UPU, WHO WIPO, WMO Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Ruben SHUGARIAN chancery: Suite 210, 1660 L Street NW Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 628-5766 FAX: [1] (202) 628-5769 US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Harry J. GILMORE embassy: 18 Gen Bagramian Yerevan mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [7] (8852) 151-144, 524-661 FAX: [7] (8852) 151-138 Flag: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue, and gold Economy Overview: Under the old Soviet central planning system, Armenia had developed a more modern industrial sector, supplying machine building equipment, textiles, and other manufactured goods to sister republics in exchange for raw materials and energy resources. Armenia is a large food importer and its mineral deposits (gold, bauxite) are small The economic decline in recent years (1991-94) has been particularly severe due to the ongoing conflict over the ethnic Armenian-dominated region of Nagorno-Karabakh in Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan and Turkey have blockaded pipeline and railroad traffic to Armenia for its support of the Karabakh Armenians. This has left Armenia with chronic energy shortages because of a lack of capacity and frequent disruptions of natural gas deliveries through unstable Georgia, as well as difficulties in obtaining other types of fuel. In addition, bread is strictly rationed and there are shortages of other goods. In 1994, the economy seemed to bottom out The government has managed to increase its financial and budgetary discipline, bringing inflation down from around 40% per month in first half 1994 to single digits in second half 1994 and the first quarter of 1995. A full economic recovery cannot be expected until the conflict is settled and the blockade lifted. National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $8.1 billion (1994 estimate as extrapolated from World Bank estimate for 1992) National product real growth rate: -2% (1994 est.) National product per capita: $2,290 (1994 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 27% per month average (1994 est.) Unemployment rate: 6.5% of officially registered unemployed but large numbers of underemployed (1994 est.) Budget: revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA Exports: $43 million to countries outside the FSU (f.o.b., 1994) commodities: gold and jewelry, aluminum, transport equipment, electrical equipment partners: Iran, Russia, Turkmenistan, Georgia Imports: $120 million from countries outside the FSU (c.i.f., 1994) commodities: grain, other foods, fuel, other energy partners: Iran, Russia, Turkmenistan, Georgia, US EU External debt: $NA Industrial production: growth rate 7% (1994 est.); accounts for 41% of GDP Electricity: capacity: 4,620,000 kW production: 5.7 billion kWh consumption per capita: 1,620 kWh (1994) Industries: traditionally diverse, including (as a percent of output of former USSR) metalcutting machine tools (5.5%), forging-pressing machines (1.9%), electric motors (9%), tires (1.5%), knitted wear (4.4%), hosiery (3.0%), shoes (2.2%), silk fabric (0.8%), washing machines (2.0%), chemicals, trucks, watches, instruments, and microelectronics (1990); currently, much of industry is shut down Agriculture: only 17% of land area is arable; employs 31% of labor force as residents increasingly turn to subsistence agriculture; fruits (especially grapes) and vegetable farming, minor livestock sector; vineyards near Yerevan are famous for brandy and other liqueurs Illicit drugs: illicit cultivator of cannabis mostly for domestic consumption; used as a transshipment point for illicit drugs to Western Europe Economic aid: recipient: considerable humanitarian aid, mostly food and energy products, from US and EU Russia granted 60 billion rubles in technical credits in late 1994 and approved a 110 billion ruble credit almost half of which was to go toward the restart of the Metsamor nuclear power plant Currency: 1 dram = 100 luma (introduced new currency in November 1993) Exchange rates: dram per US$1 - 406 (end December 1994) Fiscal year: calendar year Armenia:Transportation Railroads: total: 840 km in common carrier service; does not include industrial lines broad gauge: 840 km 1.520-m gauge (1990) Highways: total: 11,300 km paved: 10,500 km unpaved: earth 800 km (1990) Inland waterways: NA km Pipelines: natural gas 900 km (1991) Ports: none Airports: total: 11 with paved runways over 3,047 m: 2 with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 2 with unpaved runways 1,524 to 2,438 m: 2 with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 3 with unpaved runways under 914 m: 1 Armenia:Communications Telephone system: about 650,000 telephones; 177 telephones/1,000 persons; progress on installation of fiber optic cable and construction of facilities for mobile cellular phone service remains in the negotiation phase for joint venture agreement local: NA intercity: NA international: international connections to other former republics of the USSR are by landline or microwave and to other countries by satellite and by leased connection through the Moscow international gateway switch; 1 INTELSAT satellite link Radio: broadcast stations: AM NA FM NA shortwave NA radios: NA Television: broadcast stations: NA note - 100% of population receives Armenian and Russian TV programs televisions: NA Armenia:Defense Forces Branches: Army, Air and Air Defense Forces, National Guard, Security Forces (internal and border troops) Manpower availability: males age 15-49 877,414; males fit for military service 699,167; males reach military age (18) annually 28,634 (1995 est.) Defense expenditures: 250 million rubles, NA% of GDP (1992 est.); note - conversion of the military budget into US dollars using the current exchange rate could produce misleading results
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