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Introduction |
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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. It
was incorporated into Russia in 1828 and the USSR in 1920.
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. The economies of both sides have been hurt by their
inability to make substantial progress toward a peaceful
resolution. Turkey imposed an economic blockade on Armenia and
closed the common border because of the Armenian occupation of
Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding areas.
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Geography |
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Location: |
Southwestern Asia,
east of Turkey
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Geographic
coordinates: |
40 00 N, 45 00 E
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Map references: |
Asia
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Area: |
total:
29,800 sq km
land: 28,400 sq km
water: 1,400 sq km
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Area -
comparative: |
slightly smaller
than Maryland
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Land boundaries: |
total: 1,254
km
border countries: Azerbaijan-proper 566 km, Azerbaijan-Naxcivan
exclave 221 km, Georgia 164 km, Iran 35 km, Turkey 268 km
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Coastline: |
0 km (landlocked)
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Maritime claims: |
none (landlocked)
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Climate: |
highland
continental, hot summers, cold winters
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Terrain: |
Armenian Highland
with mountains; little forest land; fast flowing rivers; good
soil in Aras River valley
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Elevation
extremes: |
lowest point:
Debed River 400 m
highest point: Aragats Lerrnagagat' 4,090 m
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Natural
resources: |
small deposits of
gold, copper, molybdenum, zinc, alumina
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Land use: |
arable land:
17.55%
permanent crops: 2.3%
other: 80.15% (2001)
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Irrigated land: |
2,870 sq km (1998
est.)
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Natural hazards: |
occasionally severe
earthquakes; droughts
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Environment -
current issues: |
soil pollution from
toxic chemicals such as DDT; the energy crisis of the 1990s led
to deforestation when citizens scavenged for firewood; pollution
of Hrazdan (Razdan) and Aras Rivers; the draining of Sevana Lich
(Lake Sevan), a result of its use as a source for hydropower,
threatens drinking water supplies; restart of Metsamor nuclear
power plant in spite of its location in a seismically active
zone
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Environment -
international agreements: |
party to:
Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of
the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent
Organic Pollutants
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Geography -
note: |
landlocked in the
Lesser Caucasus Mountains; Sevana Lich (Lake Sevan) is the
largest lake in this mountain range
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People |
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Population: |
2,982,904 (July
2005 est.)
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Age structure: |
0-14 years:
21.6% (male 339,453/female 305,214)
15-64 years: 67.5% (male 938,734/female 1,074,240)
65 years and over: 10.9% (male 131,519/female 193,744)
(2005 est.)
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Median age: |
total: 30.07
years
male: 27.45 years
female: 32.84 years (2005 est.)
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Population
growth rate: |
-0.25% (2005 est.)
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Birth rate: |
11.76 births/1,000
population (2005 est.)
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Death rate: |
8.16 deaths/1,000
population (2005 est.)
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Net migration
rate: |
-6.1 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2005 est.)
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Sex ratio: |
at birth:
1.17 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.11 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.87 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female
total population: 0.9 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
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Infant mortality
rate: |
total: 23.28
deaths/1,000 live births
male: 28.51 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 17.13 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
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Life expectancy
at birth: |
total
population: 71.55 years
male: 67.97 years
female: 75.75 years (2005 est.)
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Total fertility
rate: |
1.32 children
born/woman (2005 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - adult
prevalence rate: |
0.1% (2003 est.)
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HIV/AIDS -
people living with HIV/AIDS: |
2,600 (2003 est.)
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HIV/AIDS -
deaths: |
less than 200 (2003
est.)
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Nationality: |
noun:
Armenian(s)
adjective: Armenian
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Ethnic groups: |
Armenian 97.9%,
Yezidi (Kurd) 1.3%, Russian 0.5%, other 0.3% (2001 census)
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Religions: |
Armenian Apostolic
94.7%, other Christian 4%, Yezidi (monotheist with elements of
nature worship) 1.3%
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Languages: |
Armenian 97.7%,
Yezidi 1%, Russian 0.9%, other 0.4% (2001 census)
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Literacy: |
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98.6%
male: 99.4%
female: 98% (2003 est.)
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Government |
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Country name: |
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
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Government type: |
republic
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Capital: |
Yerevan
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Administrative
divisions: |
11 provinces (marzer,
singular - marz); Aragatsotn, Ararat, Armavir, Geghark'unik',
Kotayk', Lorri, Shirak, Syunik', Tavush, Vayots' Dzor, Yerevan
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Independence: |
21 September 1991
(from Soviet Union)
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National
holiday: |
Independence Day,
21 September (1991)
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Constitution: |
adopted by
nationwide referendum 5 July 1995
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Legal system: |
based on civil law
system
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Suffrage: |
18 years of age;
universal
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Executive
branch: |
chief of state:
President Robert KOCHARIAN (since 30 March 1998)
head of government: Prime Minister Andranik MARGARYAN
(since 12 May 2000)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime
minister
elections: president elected by popular vote for a
five-year term; election last held 19 February and 5 March 2003
(next to be held NA 2008); prime minister appointed by the
president; the prime minister and Council of Ministers must
resign if the National Assembly refuses to accept their program
election results: Robert KOCHARIAN reelected president;
percent of vote - Robert KOCHARIAN 67.5%, Stepan DEMIRCHYAN
32.5%
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Legislative
branch: |
unicameral National
Assembly (Parliament) or Azgayin Zhoghov (131 seats; members
elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms; 75 members
elected by party list, 56 by direct vote)
elections: last held 25 May 2003 (next to be held in the
spring of 2007)
note: percent of vote by party - Republican Party 23.5%,
Justice Bloc 13.6%, Rule of Law 12.3%, ARF (Dashnak) 11.4%,
National Unity Party 8.8%, United Labor Party 5.7%; seats by
party - Republican Party 23, Justice Bloc 14, Rule of Law 12,
ARF (Dashnak) 11, National Unity 9, United Labor 6; note - seats
by party change frequently as deputies switch parties or
announce themselves independent
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Judicial branch: |
Constitutional
Court; Court of Cassation (Appeals Court)
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Political
parties and leaders: |
Agro-Industrial
Party [Vladimir BADALIAN]; Armenia Party [Myasnik MALKHASYAN];
Armenian National Movement or ANM [Alex ARZUMANYAN, chairman];
Armenian Ramkavar Liberal Party or HRAK [Harutyun MIRZAKHANYAN,
chairman]; Armenian Revolutionary Federation ("Dashnak" Party)
or ARF [Vahan HOVHANISSIAN]; Democratic Party [Aram SARKISYAN];
Justice Bloc (comprised of the Democratic Party, National
Democratic Party, National Democratic Union, and the People's
Party) [Stepan DEMIRCHYAN]; National Democratic Party [Shavarsh
KOCHARIAN]; National Democratic Union or NDU [Vazgen MANUKIAN];
National Unity Party [Artashes GEGAMIAN, chairman]; People's
Party of Armenia [Stepan DEMIRCHYAN]; Republic Party [Albert
BAZEYAN and Aram SARKISYAN, chairmen]; Republican Party or RPA [Andranik
MARKARYAN]; Rule of Law Party [Artur BAGDASARIAN, chairman];
Union of Constitutional Rights [Hrant KHACHATURYAN]; United
Labor Party [Gurgen ARSENIAN]
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Political
pressure groups and leaders: |
Yerkrapah Union
[Manvel GRIGORIAN]
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International
organization participation: |
BSEC, CE, CIS, EAPC,
EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM
(observer), OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
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Flag
description: |
three equal
horizontal bands of red (top), blue, and orange
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Economy |
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Economy -
overview: |
Under the old
Soviet central planning system, Armenia had developed a modern
industrial sector, supplying machine tools, textiles, and other
manufactured goods to sister republics in exchange for raw
materials and energy. Since the implosion of the USSR in
December 1991, Armenia has switched to small-scale agriculture
away from the large agroindustrial complexes of the Soviet era.
The agricultural sector has long-term needs for more investment
and updated technology. The privatization of industry has been
at a slower pace, but has been given renewed emphasis by the
current administration. Armenia is a food importer, and its
mineral deposits (copper, gold, bauxite) are small. The ongoing
conflict with Azerbaijan over the ethnic Armenian-dominated
region of Nagorno-Karabakh and the breakup of the centrally
directed economic system of the former Soviet Union contributed
to a severe economic decline in the early 1990s. By 1994,
however, the Armenian Government had launched an ambitious IMF-sponsored
economic liberalization program that resulted in positive growth
rates in 1995-2003. Armenia joined the WTO in January 2003.
Armenia also has managed to slash inflation, stabilize the local
currency (the dram), and privatize most small- and medium-sized
enterprises. The chronic energy shortages Armenia suffered in
the early and mid-1990s have been offset by the energy supplied
by one of its nuclear power plants at Metsamor. Armenia is now a
net energy exporter, although it does not have sufficient
generating capacity to replace Metsamor, which is under
international pressure to close. The electricity distribution
system was privatized in 2002. Armenia's severe trade imbalance
has been offset somewhat by international aid and foreign direct
investment. Economic ties with Russia remain close, especially
in the energy sector.
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GDP: |
purchasing power
parity - $13.65 billion (2004 est.)
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GDP - real
growth rate: |
9% (2004 est.)
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GDP - per
capita: |
purchasing power
parity - $4,600 (2004 est.)
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GDP -
composition by sector: |
agriculture:
22.9%
industry: 36.1%
services: 41.1% (2004 est.)
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Labor force: |
1.4 million (2001)
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Labor force - by
occupation: |
agriculture 45%,
industry 25%, services 30% (2002 est.)
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Unemployment
rate: |
30% (2003 est.)
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Population below
poverty line: |
50% (2002 est.)
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Household income
or consumption by percentage share: |
lowest 10%:
2.3%
highest 10%: 46.2% (1999)
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Distribution of
family income - Gini index: |
44.4 (1996)
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Inflation rate
(consumer prices): |
3.5% (2004 est.)
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Investment
(gross fixed): |
19.8% of GDP (2004
est.)
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Budget: |
revenues:
$428.1 million
expenditures: $491.2 million, including capital
expenditures of NA (2004 est.)
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Agriculture -
products: |
fruit (especially
grapes), vegetables; livestock
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Industries: |
diamond-processing,
metal-cutting machine tools, forging-pressing machines, electric
motors, tires, knitted wear, hosiery, shoes, silk fabric,
chemicals, trucks, instruments, microelectronics, jewelry
manufacturing, software development, food processing, brandy
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Industrial
production growth rate: |
15% (2002 est.)
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Electricity -
production: |
6.492 billion kWh
(2002)
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Electricity -
production by source: |
fossil fuel:
42.3%
hydro: 27%
nuclear: 30.7%
other: 0% (2001)
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Electricity -
consumption: |
5.797 billion kWh
(2002)
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Electricity -
exports: |
704 million kWh;
note - exports an unknown quantity to Georgia; includes exports
to Nagorno-Karabakh region in Azerbaijan (2002)
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Electricity -
imports: |
463 million kWh;
note - imports an unknown quantity from Iran (2002)
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Oil -
production: |
0 bbl/day (2001
est.)
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Oil -
consumption: |
5,700 bbl/day (2001
est.)
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Oil - exports: |
NA
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Oil - imports: |
NA
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Natural gas -
production: |
0 cu m (2001 est.)
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Natural gas -
consumption: |
1.4 billion cu m
(2001 est.)
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Natural gas -
exports: |
0 cu m (2001 est.)
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Natural gas -
imports: |
1.4 billion cu m
(2001 est.)
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Current account
balance: |
$-240.4 million
(2004 est.)
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Exports: |
$850 million f.o.b.
(2004 est.)
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Exports -
commodities: |
diamonds, mineral
products, foodstuffs, energy
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Exports -
partners: |
Belgium 16.8%,
Israel 14.3%, Russia 14.2%, Germany 11.4%, Iran 9.9%, US 7.8%,
Netherlands 5.8% (2004)
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Imports: |
$1.3 billion f.o.b.
(2004 est.)
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Imports -
commodities: |
natural gas,
petroleum, tobacco products, foodstuffs, diamonds
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Imports -
partners: |
Belgium 10.3%, Iran
10.2%, Russia 9.8%, Israel 8.6%, US 7.7%, UAE 6.2%, Italy 5.4%,
Germany 5%, France 4.6%, Ukraine 4.5% (2004)
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Reserves of
foreign exchange and gold: |
$555 million (2004
est.)
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Debt - external: |
$905 million (June
2001)
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Currency (code): |
dram (AMD)
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Currency code: |
AMD
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Exchange rates: |
drams per US dollar
- 533.45 (2004), 578.76 (2003), 573.35 (2002), 555.08 (2001),
539.53 (2000)
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Fiscal year: |
calendar year
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Communications |
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Telephones -
main lines in use: |
562,600 (2003)
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Telephones -
mobile cellular: |
114,400 (2003)
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Telephone
system: |
general
assessment: system inadequate; now 90% privately owned and
undergoing modernization and expansion
domestic: the majority of subscribers and the most modern
equipment are in Yerevan (this includes paging and mobile
cellular service)
international: country code - 374; Yerevan is connected
to the Trans-Asia-Europe fiber-optic cable through Iran;
additional international service is available by microwave radio
relay and landline connections to the other countries of the
Commonwealth of Independent States and through the Moscow
international switch and by satellite to the rest of the world;
satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (2000)
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Radio broadcast
stations: |
AM 9, FM 6,
shortwave 1 (1998)
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Radios: |
850,000 (1997)
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Television
broadcast stations: |
3 (plus an unknown
number of repeaters); (1998)
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Televisions: |
825,000 (1997)
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Internet country
code: |
.am
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Internet hosts: |
2,206 (2004)
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Internet Service
Providers (ISPs): |
9 (2001)
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Internet users: |
150,000 (2003)
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Transportation |
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Railways: |
total: 845
km
broad gauge: 845 km 1.520-m gauge (828 km electrified)
note: some lines are out of service (2004)
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Highways: |
total: 8,431
km
paved: 8,161 km (includes 7,567 km of expressways)
unpaved: 270 km (2002)
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Pipelines: |
gas 1,871 km (2004)
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Airports: |
16 (2004 est.)
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Airports - with
paved runways: |
total: 11
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2004 est.)
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Airports - with
unpaved runways: |
total: 5
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)
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Military |
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Military
branches: |
Army, Air Force,
Air Defense Force
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Military
manpower - military age and obligation: |
18-27 years of age
for compulsory military service, conscript service obligation -
12 months; 18 years of age for voluntary military service (May
2004)
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Military
manpower - availability: |
males age 18-49:
722,836 (2005 est.)
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Military
manpower - fit for military service: |
males age 18-49:
551,938 (2005 est.)
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Military
manpower - reaching military age annually: |
males:
31,774 (2005 est.)
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Military
expenditures - dollar figure: |
$135 million (FY01)
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Military
expenditures - percent of GDP: |
6.5% (FY01)
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Transnational Issues |
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Disputes -
international: |
Armenia supports
ethnic Armenian secessionists in Nagorno-Karabakh and since the
early 1990s, has militarily occupied 16% of Azerbaijan -
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE)
continues to mediate dispute; over 800,000 mostly ethnic
Azerbaijanis were driven from the occupied lands and Armenia;
about 230,000 ethnic Armenians were driven from their homes in
Azerbaijan into Armenia; Azerbaijan seeks transit route through
Armenia to connect to Naxcivan exclave; border with Turkey
remains closed over Nagorno-Karabakh dispute; ethnic Armenian
groups in Javakheti region of Georgia seek greater autonomy;
tens of thousands of Armenians emigrate, primarily to Russia, to
seek employment
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Refugees and
internally displaced persons:: |
refugees
(country of origin): 236,306 (Azerbaijan)
IDPs: 50,000 (conflict with Azerbaijan over
Nagorno-Karabakh) (2004)
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Illicit drugs: |
illicit cultivation
of small amount of cannabis for domestic consumption; used as a
transit point for illicit drugs - mostly opium and hashish -
moving from Southwest Asia to Russia and to a lesser extent the
rest of Europe
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