Armenia: Basic Indicators

ArmeniaMap Location

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Armenia: Basic Indicators

From Wikipedia Republic of Armenia is a landlocked mountainous country in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe,[10] it is bordered by Turkey to the west, Georgia to the north, the de facto independent Nagorno-Karabakh Republic and Azerbaijan to the east, and Iran and the Azerbaijani exclave of Nakhchivan to the south. A former republic of the Soviet Union, Armenia is a unitary, multiparty, democratic nation-state with an ancient and historic cultural heritage. The country is an emerging democracy, and is currently in a negotiation process with the European Union, of which it may become an Associate Member in the near future and has the right to be a EU member provided it meets necessary standards and criteria. The Government of Armenia holds European integration as a key priority in its foreign policy as it is considered a European country by the European Union. Topography Armenia's topography is mountainous and volcanic. The Republic of Armenia, covering an area of 29,743 square kilometres (11,484 sq mi), is located in the north-east of the Armenian Highland. The terrain is mostly mountainous, with fast flowing rivers and few forests. The climate is highland continental, which means that the country is subjected to hot summers and cold winters. The land rises to 4,090 metres (13,419 ft) above sea-level at Mount Aragats, and no point is below 390 metres (1,280 ft) above sea level. Mount Ararat, which was historically part of Armenia, is the highest mountain in the region. Now located in Turkey, but clearly visible in Armenia, it is regarded by the Armenians as a symbol of their land. Because of this, the mountain is present on the Armenian national emblem today. Environment Armenia has established a Ministry of Nature Protection and introduced taxes for air and water pollution and solid waste disposal, whose revenues are used for environmental protection activities. Waste management in Armenia is underdeveloped as no waste sorting or recycling takes place at Armenia's 60 landfills. Despite the availability of abundant renewable energy sources in Armenia (especially hydroelectric and wind power) the Armenian Government is working toward building a new Nuclear Power Plant at Medzamor near Yerevan. Climate The climate in Armenia is markedly continental. Summers are dry and sunny, lasting from June to midSeptember. The temperature fluctuates between 22 and 36 C (72 and 97 F). However, the low humidity level mitigates the effect of high temperatures. Evening breezes blowing down the mountains provide a welcome refreshing and cooling effect. Springs are short, while falls are long. Autumns are known for their vibrant and colorful foliage. Winters are quite cold with plenty of snow, with temperatures ranging between -10 and -5 C (14 and 23 F). Winter sports enthusiasts enjoy skiing down the hills of Tsakhkadzor, located thirty minutes outside Yerevan. Lake Sevan, nestled up in the Armenian highlands, is the second largest lake in the world relative to its altitude, at 1,900 metres (6,234 ft) above sea level. Foreign relations Armenia presently maintains good relations with almost every country in the world, with two major exceptions being its immediate neighbours, Turkey and Azerbaijan. Tensions were running high between Armenians and Azerbaijanis during the final years of the Soviet Union. The Nagorno-Karabakh War dominated the region's politics throughout the 1990s.[63] The border between the two rival countries remains closed up to this day, and a permanent solution for the conflict has not been reached despite the mediation provided by organisations such as the OSCE. Armenia is a member of more than 40 international organisations, including the United Nations, the Council of Europe, the Asian Development Bank, the Commonwealth of Independent States, the World Trade Organization, World Customs Organization, the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation, and La Francophonie. It is a member of the CSTO military alliance, and also participates in NATO's Partnership for Peace (PfP) programme. Turkey also has a long history of poor relations with Armenia over its refusal to acknowledge the Armenian Genocide. Turkey was one of the first countries to recognize the Republic of Armenia (the 3rd republic) after its independence from the USSR in 1991. Despite this, for most of the 20th century and early 21st century, relations remain tense and there are no formal diplomatic relations between the two countries due to Turkey's refusal to establish them for numerous reasons. During the Karabakh conflict and bringing it as the reason, Turkey closed its land border with Armenia in 1993. It has not lifted its blockade despite pressure from the powerful Turkish business lobby interested in Armenian markets.[63] Since 2005, however, the Armenian airline company Armavia regularly flies between the Zvartnots International Airport of Yerevan and Atatrk International Airport of Istanbul.

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Armenia: Basic Indicators

On 10 October 2009, Armenia and Turkey signed protocols on normalisation of relationships, which set a timetable for restoring diplomatic ties and reopening their joint border.[64] The ratification of those had to be made in the national parliaments. In Armenia it passed through the required by legislation approval of the Constitutional Court and was sent to the parliament for the final ratification. The President had made multiple public announcements, both in Armenia and abroad, that as the leader of the political majority of Armenia he assured the ratification of the protocols if Turkey also ratified them. Despite this, the process stopped, as Turkey continuously added more preconditions to its ratification and also "delayed it beyond any reasonable timeperiod". Due to its position between two unfriendly neighbours, Armenia has close security ties with Russia. At the request of the Armenian government, Russia maintains a military base in the north-western Armenian city of Gyumri[65] as a deterrent against Turkey. Despite this, Armenia has also been looking toward Euro-Atlantic structures in recent years. It maintains good relations with the United States especially through its Armenian diaspora. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there are 427,822 Armenians living in the country.[66] Because of the blockades by Azerbaijan and Turkey, Armenia continues to maintain solid relations with its southern neighbor Iran especially in the economic sector. Economic projects such a gas pipeline going from Iran to Armenia are in time being developed. Armenia is also a member of the Council of Europe, maintaining friendly relations with the European Union, especially with its member states such as France and Greece. A 2005 survey reported that 64% of Armenia's population would be in favor of joining the EU.[67] Several Armenian officials have also expressed the desire for their country to eventually become an EU member state,[68] some predicting that it will make an official bid for membership in a few years. In 2004 its forces joined KFOR, a NATO-led international force in Kosovo. It is also an observer member of the Eurasian Economic Community and the Non-Aligned Movement. Capital (and largest city) Official language(s) Ethnic groups Yerevan Armenian 97.9% Armenian, 1.3% Yazidis, 0.5% Russian, 0.3% others Presidential republic Serzh Sargsyan Tigran Sargsyan

Government President Prime Minister Formation and independence Democratic Republic of Armenia established Independence from the Soviet Union Declared Recognised Finalised

28 May 1918

23 August 1990 21 September 1991 25 December 1991 29,743 km2 4.71 3,262,200 108.4/km2 2010 estimate $16.858 billion[7] $5,110[7] 2010 estimate $9.389 billion[7] $2,846[7] 37[8] (medium) 0.695[9] (high) (76th) Dram ( .) (AMD) UTC (UTC+4) Right
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Area Total Water (%) Population 2010 estimate Density GDP (PPP) Total Per capita GDP (nominal) Total Per capita Gini (2006) HDI (2010) Currency Time zone Drives on the

Armenia: Basic Indicators

ISO 3166 code Internet TLD Calling code AM .am 374 The Country is divided into twelve semi-autonomous districts. Province Aragatsotn Ararat Armavir Gegharkunik Kotayk Lori Shirak Syunik Tavush Vayots Dzor Yerevan Economy Capital Ashtarak Artashat Armavir Gavar Hrazdan Vanadzor Gyumri Kapan Ijevan Yeghegnadzor Area 2,753 km 2,096 km 1,242 km 5,348 km 2,089 km 3,789 km 2,681 km 4,506 km 2,704 km 2,308 km 227 km Population 126,278 252,665 255,861 215,371 241,337 253,351 257,242 134,061 121,963 53,230 1,091,235

A vibrant Yerevan at dusk According to Forbes magazine Armenia had the second worst economy in the world in 2011. Armenia, whose economy shrank by 15% in 2009 as an expatriate-financed construction boom fizzled along with the world economy. With a mediocre growth forecast for the next few years, this landlocked former Soviet republic, dependent upon Russia and Iran for virtually all of its energy supplies, is struggling to keep up with the rest of the world. Per-capita GDP of $3,000 is less than a third of neighboring Turkey, and inflation is running at 7%. On top of that, Russia cut back on supplies of diamonds, hurting Armenias once-thriving diamondprocessing industry. The economy relies heavily on investment and support from Armenians abroad.[76] Before independence, Armenia's economy was largely industry-based chemicals, electronics, machinery, processed food, synthetic rubber, and textile and highly dependent on outside resources. The republic had developed a modern industrial sector, supplying machine tools, textiles, and other manufactured goods to sister republics in exchange for raw materials and energy.[36] Agriculture accounted for less than 20% of both net material product and total employment before the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. After independence, the importance of agriculture in the economy increased markedly, its share at the end of the 1990s rising to more than 30% of GDP and more than 40% of total employment.[77] This increase in the importance of agriculture was attributable to food security needs of the population in the face of uncertainty during the first phases of transition and the collapse of the non-agricultural sectors of the economy in the early 1990s. As the economic situation stabilized and growth resumed, the share of agriculture in GDP dropped to slightly over 20% (2006 data), although the share of agriculture in employment remained more than 40%.[78]

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Armenian mines produce copper, zinc, gold, and lead. The vast majority of energy is produced with fuel imported from Russia, including gas and nuclear fuel (for its one nuclear power plant); the main domestic energy source is hydroelectric. Small deposits of coal, gas, and petroleum exist but have not yet been developed. Like other newly independent states of the former Soviet Union, Armenia's economy suffers from the legacy of a centrally planned economy and the breakdown of former Soviet trading patterns. Soviet investment in and support of Armenian industry has virtually disappeared, so that few major enterprises are still able to function. In addition, the effects of the 1988 Spitak Earthquake, which killed more than 25,000 people and made 500,000 homeless, are still being felt. The conflict with Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh has not been resolved. The closure of Azerbaijani and Turkish borders has devastated the economy, because Armenia depends on outside supplies of energy and most raw materials. Land routes through Georgia and Iran are inadequate or unreliable. GDP fell nearly 60% between 1989 and 1993, but then resumed robust growth.[77] The national currency, the dram, suffered hyperinflation for the first years after its introduction in 1993. Nevertheless, the government was able to make wide-ranging economic reforms that paid off in dramatically lower inflation and steady growth. The 1994 cease-fire in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict has also helped the economy. Armenia has had strong economic growth since 1995, building on the turnaround that began the previous year, and inflation has been negligible for the past several years. New sectors, such as precious stone processing and jewellery making, information and communication technology, and even tourism are beginning to supplement more traditional sectors of the economy, such as agriculture. This steady economic progress has earned Armenia increasing support from international institutions. The International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), and other international financial institutions (IFIs) and foreign countries are extending considerable grants and loans. Loans to Armenia since 1993 exceed $1.1 billion. These loans are targeted at reducing the budget deficit and stabilizing the currency; developing private businesses; energy; agriculture; food processing; transportation; the health and education sectors; and ongoing rehabilitation in the earthquake zone. The government joined the World Trade Organization on 5 February 2003. But one of the main sources of foreign direct investments remains the Armenian diaspora, which finances major parts of the reconstruction of infrastructure and other public projects. Being a growing democratic state, Armenia also hopes to get more financial aid from the Western World. A liberal foreign investment law was approved in June 1994, and a law on privatisation was adopted in 1997, as well as a program of state property privatisation. Continued progress will depend on the ability of the government to strengthen its macroeconomic management, including increasing revenue collection, improving the investment climate, and making strides against corruption. However, unemployment, which currently stands at around 15%, still remains a major problem due to the influx of thousands of refugees from the Karabakh conflict. Armenia ranked 78th on the 2010 UNDP Human Development Index, the lowest among the Transcaucasian republics.[79] In the 2007 Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), Armenia ranked 99 of 179 countries.[80] In the 2008 Index of Economic Freedom, Armenia ranked 28th, ahead of countries like Austria, France, Portugal and Italy.[56]

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Armenia: Basic Indicators

From UNICEF Economic Indicators GNI per capita (US$), US$, 2010: 3090 GNI per capita (US$), PPP US$, 2010: 5450 GDP per capita average annual growth rate (%), 1970-1990: GDP per capita average annual growth rate (%), 1990-2010: 6.1 Average annual rate of inflation (%), 1990-2010: 51 % of population below international poverty line of US$1.25 per day, 2000-2009*: 1 % of central government expenditure (2000-2009*) allocated to health: % of central government expenditure (2000-2009*) allocated to education: % of central government expenditure (2000-2009*) allocated to defence: ODA inflow in millions US$, 2009: 528 ODA inflow as a % of recipient GNI, 2009: 6 Debt service as a % of exports of goods and services, 1990: Debt service as a % of exports of goods and services, 2009: 18 Demographic Indicators Population (thousands), 2010, under 18: 774 Population (thousands), 2010, under 5: 226 Population annual growth rate (%), 1970-1990: 1.7 Population annual growth rate (%), 1990-2010: -0.7 Population annual growth rate (%), 2010-2030: 0 Crude death rate, 1970: 5 Crude death rate, 1990: 8 Crude death rate, 2010: 9 Crude birth rate, 1970: 23 Crude birth rate, 1990: 21 Crude birth rate, 2010: 15 Life expectancy at birth, 1970: 70 Life expectancy at birth, 1990: 68 Life expectancy at birth, 2010: 74 Total fertility rate, 2010: 1.7 % of population urbanized, 2010: 64 Average annual growth rate of urban population (%), 1970-1990: 2.3 Average annual growth rate of urban population (%), 1990-2010: -0.9 Average annual growth rate of urban population (%), 2010-2030: 0.4

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Armenia: Basic Indicators

From UNDP Summary statistics Region 2000 Currency 2009 Surface area (square kilometres) 2008 Population in 2009 (estimated, 000) 2009 Population density in 2009 (per square kilometre) 2009 Capital city and population in 2009 (000) 2009 United Nations membership date 2000 Economic indicators GDP: Gross domestic product (million current US$) 2009 GDP: Gross domestic product (million current US$) 2005 GDP: Gross domestic product (million current US$) 2000 GDP: Growth rate at constant 1990 prices (annual %) 2009 GDP: Growth rate at constant 1990 prices (annual %) 2005 GDP: Growth rate at constant 1990 prices (annual %) 2000 GDP per capita (current US$) 2009 GDP per capita (current US$) 2005 GDP per capita (current US$) 2000 GNI: Gross national income per capita (current US$) 2009 GNI: Gross national income per capita (current US$) 2005 GNI: Gross national income per capita (current US$) 2000 Gross fixed capital formation (% of GDP) 2009 Gross fixed capital formation (% of GDP) 2005 Gross fixed capital formation (% of GDP) 2000 Exchange rates (national currency per US$) 2009 Exchange rates (national currency per US$) 2005 Exchange rates (national currency per US$) 2000 Balance of payments, current account (million US$) 2009 Balance of payments, current account (million US$) 2005 Balance of payments, current account (million US$) 2000 CPI: Consumer price index (2000=100) 2009 CPI: Consumer price index (2000=100) 2005 CPI: Consumer price index (2000=100) 2000 Agricultural production index (1999-2001=100) 2009 Agricultural production index (1999-2001=100) 2005 Agricultural production index (1999-2001=100) 2000 Food production index (1999-2001=100) 2009 Food production index (1999-2001=100) 2005 Food production index (1999-2001=100) 2000 Unemployment (% of labour force) Unemployment (% of labour force) Unemployment (% of labour force) Employment in industrial sector (% of employed) Employment in industrial sector (% of employed) Employment in industrial sector (% of employed) Employment in agricultural sector (% of employed) 2009 2005 2000 2009 2005 2000 2009

Western Asia Dram (AMD) 29743 3083 103.7 Yerevan (1110) 2 March 1992 8541 4900 1912 14.2 13.9 5.9 2770.4 1598.9 621.5 2679.7 1546.7 613.9 32.7 29.8 18.4 377.89 450.19 552.18 1369 52 278 142 117 100 170 146 96 172 148 96 6.3 8.2 11.7 15.6 15.9 17.0 46.2

Official rate. Official rate. Official rate.

Age group 16 years and over. 2008. Age group 16 years and over. Age group 16 years and over. Official estimates. 2006. Official estimates. Official estimates. 2002. Official
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Armenia: Basic Indicators

estimates. 2006. Employment in agricultural sector (% of employed) Employment in agricultural sector (% of employed) Labour force participation, adult female pop. (%) Labour force participation, adult female pop. (%) Labour force participation, adult female pop. (%) Labour force participation, adult male pop. (%) Labour force participation, adult male pop. (%) Labour force participation, adult male pop. (%) Tourist arrivals at national borders (000) Tourist arrivals at national borders (000) Tourist arrivals at national borders (000) Energy production, primary (000 mt oil equivalent) Energy production, primary (000 mt oil equivalent) Energy production, primary (000 mt oil equivalent) Telephone subscribers, total (per 100 inhabitants) Telephone subscribers, total (per 100 inhabitants) Telephone subscribers, total (per 100 inhabitants) Internet users (per 100 inhabitants) Internet users (per 100 inhabitants) Internet users (per 100 inhabitants) Exports (million US$) Imports (million US$) Major trading partners (% of exports) Major trading partners (% of imports) Social indicators Population growth rate (average annual %) Urban population growth rate (average annual %) Rural population growth rate (average annual %) Urban population (%) Population aged 0-14 years (%) Population aged 60+ years (females and males, % of total) Sex ratio (males per 100 females) Life expectancy at birth (females and males, years) Infant mortality rate (per 1 000 live births) Fertility rate, total (live births per woman) Contraceptive prevalence (ages 15-49, %) International migrant stock (000 and % of total population) Refugees and others of concern to UNHCR Education: Government expenditure (% of GDP) Education: Primary-secondary gross enrolment ratio (f/m per 100) Education: Female third-level students (% of total) Seats held by women in national parliaments (%) Environment Threatened species Forested area (% of land area) CO2 emission estimates (000 metric tons and metric 2005 2000 2009 2005 2000 2009 2005 2000 2009 2005 2000 2009 2005 2000 2009 2005 2000 2009 2005 2000 2009 2009 2009 2009 2010-2015 2010-2015 2010-2015 2010 2010 2010 2010 2010-2015 2010-2015 2010-2015 2006-2009 mid-2010 46.2 45.3 59.6 58.6 57.2 74.6 73.3 72.4 575 319 45 366 386 281 105.4 29.8 17.9 6.8 5.3 1.3 684.0 3174.6 Germany (16.8), Russian Federation (15.6), United States (9.7) Russian Federation (24.8), China (9.0), Ukraine (6.4) 0.3 0.5 < 64.2 20.2 16.5/12.2 87.3 77.7/71.3 22.2 1.8 53.1 324.2/10.5 Official estimates. Official estimates. 2002.

2008.

2005. Includes refugees.

end-2009 85877 2005-2010 3.0 2005-2010 95.7/93.4 2005-2010 56.1 2010 9.2 2010 2008 2007 36 9.5 5053/1.6
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Armenia: Basic Indicators

tons per capita) Energy consumption per capita (kilograms oil equivalent) Rainfall in the capital city, total mean (millimetres) Temperature in the capital city, mean C (minimum and maximum) 2008 883.0 277 5.5/18.2

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