The 2005 CIA World Factbook. United States. Central Intelligence Agency

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.

      Geography Armenia

      Location:

       Southwestern Asia, east of Turkey

      Geographic coordinates:

       40 00 N, 45 00 E

      Map references:

       Asia

      Area:

       total: 29,800 sq km

       land: 28,400 sq km

       water: 1,400 sq km

      Area - comparative:

       slightly smaller than Maryland

      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

      Coastline:

       0 km (landlocked)

      Maritime claims:

       none (landlocked)

      Climate:

       highland continental, hot summers, cold winters

      Terrain:

       Armenian Highland with mountains; little forest land; fast flowing

       rivers; good soil in Aras River valley

      Elevation extremes:

       lowest point: Debed River 400 m

       highest point: Aragats Lerrnagagat' 4,090 m

      Natural resources:

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

      Land use: arable land: 17.55% permanent crops: 2.3% other: 80.15% (2001)

      Irrigated land:

       2,870 sq km (1998 est.)

      Natural hazards:

       occasionally severe earthquakes; droughts

      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

      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

      Geography - note:

       landlocked in the Lesser Caucasus Mountains; Sevana Lich (Lake

       Sevan) is the largest lake in this mountain range

      People Armenia

      Population:

       2,982,904 (July 2005 est.)

      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.)

      Median age:

       total: 30.07 years

       male: 27.45 years

       female: 32.84 years (2005 est.)

      Population growth rate:

       −0.25% (2005 est.)

      Birth rate:

       11.76 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

      Death rate:

       8.16 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

      Net migration rate:

       −6.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

      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.)

      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.)

      Life expectancy at birth:

       total population: 71.55 years

       male: 67.97 years

       female: 75.75 years (2005 est.)

      Total fertility rate:

       1.32 children born/woman (2005 est.)

      HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

       0.1% (2003 est.)

      HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

       2,600 (2003 est.)

      HIV/AIDS - deaths:

       less than 200 (2003 est.)

      Nationality:

       noun: Armenian(s)

       adjective: Armenian

      Ethnic groups:

       Armenian 97.9%, Yezidi (Kurd) 1.3%, Russian 0.5%, other 0.3% (2001

       census)

      Religions:

       Armenian Apostolic 94.7%, other Christian 4%, Yezidi (monotheist

       with elements of nature worship) 1.3%

      Languages:

       Armenian 97.7%, Yezidi 1%, Russian 0.9%, other 0.4% (2001 census)

      Literacy:

       definition: age 15 and over can read and write

       total population: 98.6%

       male: 99.4%

       female: 98% (2003 est.)

      Government Armenia

      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