Armenia

National Name: Hayastani Hanrapetut’yun

Government : Republic.

Geography
Armenia is located in the southern Caucasus and is the smallest of the former Soviet republics. A land of rugged mountains and extinct volcanoes, its highest point is Mount Aragats, 4,095 m.

Historical Background
Armenia prides itself on being the first nation to formally adopt Christianity (early 4th century). Despite periods of autonomy, over the centuries Armenia came under the sway of various empires including the Roman, Byzantine, Arab, Persian, and Ottoman. Armenian leaders remain preoccupied by the long conflict with Muslim Azerbaijan over Nagorno Karabakh, a primarily Armenian-populated region, assigned to Soviet Azerbaijan in the 1920s by Moscow. Armenia and Azerbaijan began fighting over the area in 1988; the struggle escalated after both countries attained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. By May 1994, when a cease-fire took hold, Armenian forces held not only Nagorno-Karabakh but also a significant portion of Azerbaijan proper. On April 9, 2008, Serzh Sarkisyan was sworn in as president and named Tigran Sarkisyan as prime minister.

Capital

Yerevan

Government

Presidential republic Serzh Sargsyan Tigran Sargsyan

Language

Armenian

Religion

Christianity

Literacy Rate

100% was reported as early as 1960.

Area

29,743 km2 (141st) 11,484 sq mi

Population

3,262,200[5][6] (134th

Currency

Dram (դր.) (AMD)

GDP

estimate Total $351.015 billion