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Communications

Airports [time series]

total: 12 usable: 10 with permanent-surface runways: 6 with runways over 3,659 m: 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 3 with runways 1,060-2,439 m: 2 note: a C-130 can land on a 1,060-m airstrip

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 11,300 km paved: 10,500 km unpaved: earth 800 km (1990)

Waterways (Inland waterways) [time series]

NA km

Pipelines [time series]

natural gas 900 km (1991)

Ports [time series]

none; landlocked

Railways (Railroads) [time series]

840 km; does not include industrial lines (1990)

Telecommunication systems (Telecommunications) [time series]

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; Armenia has about 650,000 telephones; average telephone density is 17.7 per 100 persons; 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; broadcast stations - 100% of population receives Armenian and Russian TV programs; satellite earth station - INTELSAT

Defense Forces

Affiliation [time series]

(part of the Dutch realm)

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

Army, Air Force, National Guard, Security Forces (internal and border troops)

Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]

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

Manpower availability [time series]

males age 15-49 862,921; fit for military service 690,113; reach military age (18) annually 28,458 (1994 est.)

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

accounts for about 45% of GDP; only 17% of land area is arable; employs 20%-30% 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

Budget [time series]

revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 dram = 100 luma; introduced separate currency in November 1993

Economic aid [time series]

recipient: considerable humanitarian aid, mostly food and energy products, from US and EC; Russia has granted 60 billion rubles in technical credits

Electricity [time series]

capacity: 2,875,000 kW production: 9 billion kWh consumption per capita: 2,585 kWh (1992)

Exchange rates [time series]

Exports [time series]

$31 million to countries outside the FSU (f.o.b., 1993) commodities: machinery and transport equipment, light industrial products, processed food items, alcoholic products (1991) partners: NA

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$NA

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

Illicit drugs [time series]

illicit cultivator of cannabis mostly for domestic consumption; used as a transshipment point for illicit drugs to Western Europe

Imports [time series]

$87 million from countries outside the FSU (c.i.f., 1993) commodities: grain, other foods, fuel, other energy (1991) partners: Russia, US, EC

Industrial production growth rate (Industrial production) [time series]

growth rate -11% (1993 est.)

Industries [time series]

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

14% per month average (first 9 months, 1993)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (National product) [time series]

GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $7.1 billion (1993 estimate from the UN International Comparison Program, as extended to 1991 and published in the World Bank's World Development Report 1993; and as extrapolated to 1993 using official Armenian statistics, which are very uncertain because of major economic changes since 1990)

Real GDP per capita (National product per capita) [time series]

$2,040 (1993 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (National product real growth rate) [time series]

-9.9% (1993 est.)

Economic overview (Overview) [time series]

Under the old central planning system, Armenia had built up a developed 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 the past three years (1991-93) has been particularly severe due to the ongoing conflict over the Armenian enclave 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 only sporadic deliveries of natural gas through unstable Georgia, while other fuel and raw materials are in critical short supply. Inflation, roughly 14% per month in the first nine months of 1993, surged even higher in the fourth quarter. In late 1993, most industrial enterprises were either shut down or operating at drastically reduced levels. Only small quantities of food were available (mostly humanitarian aid), heat was nonexistent, and electricity strictly rationed. An economic recovery cannot be expected until the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is settled and until transportation through Georgia improves.

Unemployment rate [time series]

6.5% of officially registered unemployed but large numbers of underemployed (1993 est.)

Geography

Area [time series]

total area: 29,800 sq km land area: 28,400 sq km comparative area: slightly larger than Maryland

Climate [time series]

highland continental, hot summers, cold winters

Coastline [time series]

0 km (landlocked)

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

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 Lake Sevan, a result of its use as a source for hydropower, threatens drinking water supplies; air pollution in Yerevan natural hazards: occasionally severe earthquakes (25,000 people killed in major quake in 1988); subject to drought international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change

Disputes - international (International disputes) [time series]

violent and longstanding dispute with Azerbaijan over ethnically Armenian exclave of Nagorno-Karabakh; traditional demands on former Armenian lands in Turkey have greatly subsided

Irrigated land [time series]

3,050 sq km (1990)

Land boundaries [time series]

total 1,254 km, Azerbaijan (east) 566 km, Azerbaijan (south) 221 km, Georgia 164 km, Iran 35 km, Turkey 268 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 17% permanent crops: 3% meadows and pastures: 20% forest and woodland: 0% other: 60%

Location [time series]

Southwestern Asia, between Turkey and Azerbaijan

Map references [time series]

Africa, Asia, Commonwealth of Independent States - European States, Middle East, Standard Time Zones of the World

Maritime claims [time series]

none; landlocked

Natural resources [time series]

small deposits of gold, copper, molybdenum, zinc, alumina

Note [time series]

landlocked

Terrain [time series]

high Armenian Plateau with mountains; little forest land; fast flowing rivers; good soil in Aras River valley

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

none (all rayons are under direct republic jurisdiction)

Capital [time series]

Yerevan

Constitution [time series]

adopted NA April 1978; post-Soviet constitution not yet adopted

Digraph [time series]

Diplomatic representation in the US (Diplomatic representation in US) [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Rouben Robert SHUGARIAN chancery: Suite 210, 1660 L Street NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: (202) 628-5766

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state: President Levon Akopovich TER-PETROSYAN (since 16 October 1991), Vice President Gagik ARUTYUNYAN (since 16 October 1991); election last held 16 October 1991 (next to be held NA); 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

Diplomatic representation in the US (FAX) [time series]

7-8852-151-138

Flag [time series]

three equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue, and gold

Independence [time series]

28 May 1918 (First Armenian Republic); 23 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)

Judicial branch [time series]

Supreme Court

Legal system [time series]

based on civil law system

Legislative branch [time series]

unicameral

International organization participation (Member of) [time series]

BSEC, CCC, CIS, CSCE, EBRD, ECE, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, ILO, IMF, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, NACC, NAM (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Country name (Names) [time series]

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

National holiday [time series]

Referendum Day, 21 September

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

Armenian National Movement (ANM), Ter-Husik LAZARYAN, chairman; National Democratic Union (NDU), David VARTANYAN, chairman; Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF, Dashnaktsutyun), Arutyun ALISTAKESYAN, chairman; 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 (UNSD), Paruir AIRIKYAN, chairman

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Legislative branch (Supreme Soviet) [time series]

elections last held 20 May 1990 (next to be held NA); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (260 total) non-aligned 125, ANM 52, DPA 23, Democratic Liberal Party 17, ARF 17, NDU 9, Christian Democratic Party 1, Constitutional Rights Union 1, UNSD 1, Republican Party 1, Nagorno-Karabakh representatives 13

Government type (Type) [time series]

republic

Diplomatic representation from the US (US diplomatic representation) [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Harry J. GILMORE embassy: 18 Gen Bagramian, Yerevan mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: 7-8852-151-144 or 8852-524-661

People

Birth rate [time series]

24.21 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Death rate [time series]

6.72 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

Armenian 93%, Azeri 3%, Russian 2%, other 2%

Infant mortality rate [time series]

27.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)

Labor force [time series]

1.578 million by occupation: industry and construction 34%, agriculture and forestry 31%, other 35% (1992)

Languages [time series]

Armenian 96%, Russian 2%, other 2%

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 72.07 years male: 68.65 years female: 75.65 years (1994 est.)

Literacy [time series]

age 9-49 can read and write (1970) total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100%

Nationality [time series]

noun: Armenian(s) adjective: Armenian

Net migration rate [time series]

-6.72 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Population [time series]

3,521,517 (July 1994 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

1.08% (1994 est.)

Religions [time series]

Armenian Orthodox 94%

Total fertility rate [time series]

3.19 children born/woman (1994 est.)