Facts about Republic of Armenia

• Total land area: Approximately 29,800 sq Km (11,490 sq miles)
• Bordering states: Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkey & Iran.
• Capital of Armenia: Yerevan
• Flag: Three equal horizontal stripes of red, blue and orange.
• Date of Independence: September 23, 1991.
• Population: 3,754,000 (1996) within Armenia - 5,000,000 outside Armenia (Diaspora)
• Ethnic composition: Armenian 94%, Russian 2%, other 4%
• Currency: Dram (Tram)

Topography: Dominated by Lesser Caucasus range, running across north and then turning southeast to Iran. Armenian Plateau to the southwest of mountains. Plateau, major feature of central Armenia, slopes gradually downward into Araks River valley, which forms border with Turkey to west and Iran to south. Average elevation: 1,800m.

Climate: Mountains preclude influence from nearby seas; temperature and precipitation generally determined by elevation: colder and wetter in higher elevations (north and northeast). In central plateau, wide temperature variation between winter and summer.

Languages: Official state language is Armenian, spoken by 96 percent of population. Russian, first language of 2 percent, second language for about 40 percent of population.

Religion: Approximately 94 percent of population belongs to Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Church. Other religions include Russian Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Protestant denominations, and Yezidism.


Resourses and Industry:
Natural resources: copper; lead; zinc; silver; small deposits of gold
Agriculture: cotton; grapes; sugar beets; tobacco
Industry: fertilizers; building materials; canned food; mechanical engineering; chemicals; textiles

Main political parties: Armenian Revolutionary Federation (also known as Dashnakchutiun or Dashnak); Armenian National Movement; Shamiram; Communist party; National Democratic Union; National Self-Determination Union; Ramgavar Azadagan; Social-Democratic Hinchakian party.

Head of state: The President.