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| Republic of Armenia
Հայաստանի Հանրապետություն
Hayastani Hanrapetut’yun
|
|
|
Anthem: Մեր Հայրենիք (Armenian)
Mer Hayrenik (transcription)
"Our Fatherland"
|
|
|
Capital
(and largest city) |
 Yerevan
40°11′N 44°31′E / 40.183°N 44.517°E / 40.183; 44.517 |
| Official language(s) |
Armenian[1] |
| Other language |
Russian[2][3] |
| Ethnic groups |
97.9% Armenian,
1.3% Yazidis,
0.5% Russian,
0.3% others.[4] |
| Demonym |
Armenian |
| Government |
Presidential republic[5] |
| - |
President |
Serzh Sargsyan |
| - |
Prime Minister |
Tigran Sargsyan |
| - |
Speaker |
Hovik Abrahamyan |
| Formation and independence |
| - |
Democratic Republic of Armenia established |
May 28, 1918 |
| - |
Independence
from the Soviet Union
Declared
Recognised
Finalised
|
August 23, 1990
September 21, 1991
December 25, 1991 |
| Area |
| - |
Total |
29,743 km2 (141st)
11,484 sq mi |
| - |
Water (%) |
4.71 |
| Population |
| - |
2008 estimate |
3,238,000[6] (135th) |
| - |
Density |
108.4/km2 (99th)
280.7/sq mi |
| GDP (PPP) |
2009 estimate |
| - |
Total |
$16.057 billion[7] |
| - |
Per capita |
$4,916[7] |
| GDP (nominal) |
2009 estimate |
| - |
Total |
$8.683 billion[7] |
| - |
Per capita |
$2,658[7] |
| Gini (2003) |
33.8 (medium) |
| HDI (2007) |
▲ 0.798 (medium) (84rd) |
| Currency |
Dram (դր.) (AMD) |
| Time zone |
UTC (UTC+4) |
| - |
Summer (DST) |
DST (UTC+5) |
| Drives on the |
right |
| Internet TLD |
.am |
| Calling code |
374 |
| Patron saint |
St. Bartholomew the Apostle, St. Gregory the Illuminator, St. Jude the Apostle, Virgin Mary |
.^ Appeals related to disputes over the results of the National Assembly majoritarian elections can be adjudicated to the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Armenia within seven days after the results are officially announced.- CONTENTS 17 September 2009 17:21 UTC www.eurasianet.org [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
^ Appeals related to disputes over the results of the National Assembly proportional elections can be adjudicated to the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Armenia within seven days after the results are officially announced.- CONTENTS 17 September 2009 17:21 UTC www.eurasianet.org [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
^ The Diplomatic and Consular Missions of the Republic of Armenia, in accordance with the procedures set by this Code and by Central Electoral Commission, guarantee the realization of the electoral right of Armenian citizens.- CONTENTS 17 September 2009 17:21 UTC www.eurasianet.org [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
Situated at the juncture of
Western Asia and
Eastern Europe,
[8] 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.
.^ Appeals related to disputes over the results of the National Assembly majoritarian elections can be adjudicated to the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Armenia within seven days after the results are officially announced.- CONTENTS 17 September 2009 17:21 UTC www.eurasianet.org [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
^ Appeals related to disputes over the results of the National Assembly proportional elections can be adjudicated to the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Armenia within seven days after the results are officially announced.- CONTENTS 17 September 2009 17:21 UTC www.eurasianet.org [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
^ For conducting the National Assembly majoritarian elections 75 constituencies are formed on the territory of the Republic of Armenia, which shall meet the following requirements: .- CONTENTS 17 September 2009 17:21 UTC www.eurasianet.org [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
The
Kingdom of Armenia was the first state to adopt
Christianity as its religion
[9] in the early years of the
4th century (the traditional date is 301).
[10] .^ Appeals related to disputes over the results of the National Assembly majoritarian elections can be adjudicated to the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Armenia within seven days after the results are officially announced.- CONTENTS 17 September 2009 17:21 UTC www.eurasianet.org [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
^ Appeals related to disputes over the results of the National Assembly proportional elections can be adjudicated to the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Armenia within seven days after the results are officially announced.- CONTENTS 17 September 2009 17:21 UTC www.eurasianet.org [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
^ President of the Republic; in the cases envisaged by the law rejects, recognizes their registration as out of force or invalid; provides the registered candidates for Presidency or their proxies with a sufficient number of certificates; .- CONTENTS 17 September 2009 17:21 UTC www.eurasianet.org [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
[11]
.^ Deputies of the National Assembly, members of the Constitutional Court, judges, employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and National Security, Ministry of Defense, Prosecutor's Office, proxies, observers, candidates, employees of banking system and foreign organizations cannot be members of electoral commissions.- CONTENTS 17 September 2009 17:21 UTC www.eurasianet.org [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
^ A candidate nominated to run for the President of the Republic has the right to use not more than 60 minutes of free airing time on state TV, and not more than 120 minutes of free airing time on state radio.- CONTENTS 17 September 2009 17:21 UTC www.eurasianet.org [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
^ The voting is considered as valid, if more than half of the members of the commission have participated in voting.- CONTENTS 17 September 2009 17:21 UTC www.eurasianet.org [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
It is a member of the
CSTO military alliance, and also participates in
NATO's
Partnership for Peace (PfP) programme. 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. The country is an emerging
democracy.
.^ Citizens of the Republic of Armenia who have the right to vote, that live or are in the foreign countries, can participate in the elections of the President of the Republic, the National Assembly proportional elections, at the diplomatic and consular missions of the Republic of Armenia.- CONTENTS 17 September 2009 17:21 UTC www.eurasianet.org [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
[12]
Etymology of name
Main articles:
Armenia (name) and
HaykThe native
Armenian name for the country is
Hayk’. The name in the
Middle Ages was extended to
Hayastan, by addition of the
Iranian suffix
-stan (land).
.^ The Regional Electoral Commission is formed according to the procedure and within dates established for the formation of the Central Electoral Commission.- CONTENTS 17 September 2009 17:21 UTC www.eurasianet.org [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
^ Within 15 days after the day of voting, Chairmen of the Precinct and Regional Electoral Commissions, return the seals, according to the procedure established by the Central Electoral Commission.- CONTENTS 17 September 2009 17:21 UTC www.eurasianet.org [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
[13] The further origin of the name is uncertain.
Some decades later,
Xenophon, a Greek general serving in some of the Persian expeditions, describes many aspects of Armenian village life and hospitality. He relates that the people spoke a language that to his ear sounded like the language of the
Persians.
[15] According to the histories of both
Moses of Chorene and Michael Chamich,
Armenia derives from the name of
Aram, a lineal descendent of
Hayk, son of Harma and father of
Ara the Beautiful, who ruled around 900 BC and became widely acclaimed by the peoples of the region for his exploits.
[16][17]History
Antiquity
Armenia lies in the highlands surrounding the Biblical mountains of
Ararat, upon which, according to the
Bible,
Noah's Ark came to rest after the
flood. (Gen. 8:4). In the
Bronze Age, several states flourished in the area of Greater Armenia, including the
Hittite Empire (at the height of its power),
Mitanni (South-Western historical Armenia), and
Hayasa-Azzi (1500–1200 BC). Then, the
Nairi people (twelfth to ninth centuries BC) and the
Kingdom of Urartu (1000–600 BC) successively established their sovereignty over the Armenian Highland. Each of the aforementioned nations and tribes participated in the ethnogenesis of the Armenian people.
[18][19][20][21] Yerevan, the modern capital of Armenia, was founded in 782 BC by king
Argishti I.
The historical Orontid site of Karmir Blur (Red Hill),
Teishebaini, near Yerevan
Around 600 BC, the
Kingdom of Armenia was established under the
Orontid Dynasty.
.^ The Central Electoral Commission, based on the results of summarization protocols of elections in regions, in the procedure established by Article 60 of this Code summarizes the election results, and within the time frame established in point three of Article 63 takes one of the following decisions: .- CONTENTS 17 September 2009 17:21 UTC www.eurasianet.org [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
Throughout its history, the kingdom of Armenia enjoyed periods of independence intermitted with periods of autonomy subject to contemporary empires. Armenia's strategic location between two continents has subjected it to invasions by many peoples, including the
Assyrians,
Greeks,
Romans,
Byzantines,
Arabs,
Mongols,
Persians,
Ottoman Turks and
Russians.
.^ Republic of Armenia during the last ten years for the citizen nominated to run in Presidential elections; .- CONTENTS 17 September 2009 17:21 UTC www.eurasianet.org [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
^ The Central Electoral Commission ensures the preservation of the above-mentioned documentation, and two months after the election official results are announced - and in the case of a Court dispute, after the final decision has been made - submits them to the state archives of Armenia for preservation in the established procedure.- CONTENTS 17 September 2009 17:21 UTC www.eurasianet.org [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
^ Republic of Armenia for the last ten years for the citizen nominated to run in Presidential elections; .- CONTENTS 17 September 2009 17:21 UTC www.eurasianet.org [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
Middle Ages
After the
Marzpanate period (428–636), Armenia emerged as the
Emirate of Armenia, an autonomous principality within the Arabic Empire, reuniting Armenian lands previously taken by the
Byzantine Empire as well. The principality was ruled by the Prince of Armenia, recognised by the
Caliph and the
Byzantine Emperor. It was part of the administrative division/emirate
Arminiyya created by the Arabs, which also included parts of Georgia and
Caucasian Albania, and had its center in the Armenian city
Dvin. The
Principality of Armenia lasted until 884, when it regained its independence from the weakened Arabic Empire.
The Kingdom of Cilician Armenia, 1199–1375
The re-emergent Armenian kingdom was ruled by the
Bagratuni dynasty, and lasted until 1045. In time, several areas of the Bagratid Armenia separated as independent kingdoms and principalities such as the Kingdom of
Vaspurakan ruled by the House of
Artsruni, while still recognizing the supremacy of the Bagratid kings.
In 1045, the Byzantine Empire conquered Bagratid Armenia. Soon, the other Armenian states fell under Byzantine control as well. The Byzantine rule was short lived, as in 1071
Seljuk Turks defeated the Byzantines and conquered Armenia at the
Battle of Manzikert, establishing the Seljuk Empire. To escape death or servitude at the hands of those who had assassinated his relative,
Gagik II, King of
Ani, an Armenian named
Roupen went with some of his countrymen into the gorges of the
Taurus Mountains and then into
Tarsus of
Cilicia. The Byzantine governor of the palace gave them shelter where the
Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia was eventually established.
Early Modern Era
During the 1230s, the
Mongol Empire conquered the Zakaryan Principality, as well as the rest of Armenia. Armenian soldiers formed an important part of the military of the
Ilkhanate.
. The Mongolian invasions were soon followed by those of other
Central Asian tribes (
Kara Koyunlu,
Timurid and
Ak Koyunlu), which continued from the 1200s until the 1400s.
^ The current Central and Regional Electoral Commissions continue their activity and perform the powers of the Central Electoral Commission and the Regional Electoral Commissions established by this Code until the formation of the new Central Electoral Commission and Regional Electoral Commissions.- CONTENTS 17 September 2009 17:21 UTC www.eurasianet.org [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
After incessant invasions, each bringing destruction to the country, Armenia in time became weakened. During the 1500s, the
Ottoman Empire and
Safavid Persia divided Armenia among themselves. The
Russian Empire later incorporated
Eastern Armenia (consisting of the
Erivan[citation needed] and
Karabakh khanates[citation needed] within Persia) in 1813 and 1828
[citation needed].
Under Ottoman rule, the Armenians were granted considerable autonomy within their own enclaves and lived in relative harmony with other groups in the empire (including the ruling Turks). However, as Christians under a strict Muslim
social system, Armenians faced pervasive discrimination.
.^ A candidate nominated to run for the President of the Republic has the right to use not more than 60 minutes of free airing time on state TV, and not more than 120 minutes of free airing time on state radio.- CONTENTS 17 September 2009 17:21 UTC www.eurasianet.org [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
The
Hamidian massacres, as they came to be known, gave Hamid international infamy as the "Red Sultan" or "Bloody Sultan".
World War I and the Armenian Genocide
.^ Contributions exceeding the established amount and the money left in the pre-election funds after the elections are transferred to the state budget.- CONTENTS 17 September 2009 17:21 UTC www.eurasianet.org [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
Shown here is a poster for the
American Committee for Relief in the Near East vowing that they (the Armenians among others) "shall not perish."
There was local
Armenian resistance in the region, developed against the activities of the Ottoman Empire. The events of 1915 to 1917 are regarded by Armenians and the vast majority of Western historians to have been state-sponsored mass killings, or genocide.
[25] Turkish authorities, however, maintain that the deaths were the result of a
civil war coupled with disease and
famine, with casualties incurred by both sides. According to the research conducted by
Arnold J. Toynbee an estimated 600,000 Armenians died during the Armenian Genocide in 1915–16.
[26].^ In the event if only one candidate runs at the elections, he/she is considered as elected, if he/she has received more than half of the votes of the participants in the elections.- CONTENTS 17 September 2009 17:21 UTC www.eurasianet.org [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
^ In the event of one candidate running, he/she is considered as elected, if he/she has received more than half of the votes cast.- CONTENTS 17 September 2009 17:21 UTC www.eurasianet.org [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
^ In the event of being elected to the National Assembly, as well as receiving more than five per cent of the votes cast, the electoral deposit is paid back.- CONTENTS 17 September 2009 17:21 UTC www.eurasianet.org [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
These events are traditionally commemorated yearly on April 24, the Armenian Martyr Day, or the Day of
the Armenian Genocide.
Democratic Republic of Armenia (DRA)
Although the Russian army succeeded in gaining most of Ottoman Armenia during World War I, their gains were lost with the
Bolshevik Revolution of 1917[citation needed]. At the time, Russian-controlled
Eastern Armenia,
Georgia, and
Azerbaijan attempted to bond together in the
Transcaucasian Democratic Federative Republic.
.^ If up to three parties run in the elections to the National Assembly by proportional system, then all the parties participate in the distribution of mandates.- CONTENTS 17 September 2009 17:21 UTC www.eurasianet.org [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
^ The decision of Central Electoral Commission on the denial or recognition as invalid of the registration of party list or a person in it may be appealed to Court within three days after it has been taken.- CONTENTS 17 September 2009 17:21 UTC www.eurasianet.org [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
As a result, Eastern Armenia became independent as the
Democratic Republic of Armenia (DRA) on May 28.
Political divisions of Europe in 1919 showing the independent Armenian republic.
The DRA's short-lived independence was fraught with war,
territorial disputes, a mass influx of refugees from Ottoman Armenia, spreading disease, and starvation.
.^ A precinct center shall be formed at the premises of preschool education, academic, scientific, cultural, sports or other institutions under the subordination of state or local self-governing bodies.- CONTENTS 17 September 2009 17:21 UTC www.eurasianet.org [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
The government building of the DRA (1918–1920)
There was even consideration of possibly making Armenia a mandate under the protection of the United States. The treaty, however, was rejected by the
Turkish National Movement, and never came into effect.
.^ From the moment of registration the candidates for the President of the Republic who are in civil service or work in local self-governing bodies, are dismissed from the performance of their professional duties during the election period, and have no right to use the advantage of their office.- CONTENTS 17 September 2009 17:21 UTC www.eurasianet.org [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
.^ For that purpose, in the period of the pre-election campaign, the arrested and detained candidates have the right of having daily meetings, for up to two hours, with not more than three proxies, at the institutions that have the right to hold the arrested or the detained.- CONTENTS 17 September 2009 17:21 UTC www.eurasianet.org [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
.^ Appeals related to disputes over the results of the National Assembly majoritarian elections can be adjudicated to the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Armenia within seven days after the results are officially announced.- CONTENTS 17 September 2009 17:21 UTC www.eurasianet.org [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
^ Appeals related to disputes over the results of the National Assembly proportional elections can be adjudicated to the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Armenia within seven days after the results are officially announced.- CONTENTS 17 September 2009 17:21 UTC www.eurasianet.org [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
^ The Diplomatic and Consular Missions of the Republic of Armenia, in accordance with the procedures set by this Code and by Central Electoral Commission, guarantee the realization of the electoral right of Armenian citizens.- CONTENTS 17 September 2009 17:21 UTC www.eurasianet.org [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
Soviet Armenia
The TSFR existed from 1922 to 1936, when it was divided up into three separate entities (
Armenian SSR,
Azerbaijan SSR, and
Georgian SSR). Armenians enjoyed a period of relative stability under Soviet rule. They received medicine, food, and other provisions from Moscow, and communist rule proved to be a soothing balm in contrast to the turbulent final years of the Ottoman Empire. The situation was difficult for the church, which struggled under Soviet rule. After the death of
Vladimir Lenin,
Joseph Stalin took the reins of power and began an era of renewed fear and terror for Armenians.
[28] .^ During the preparation and conduct of the elections, the citizens of the Republic of Armenia who live or are living outside Armenia, have the electoral right.- CONTENTS 17 September 2009 17:21 UTC www.eurasianet.org [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
[citation needed]Fears decreased when Stalin died in 1953 and
Nikita Khruschev emerged as the Soviet Union's new leader. Soon, life in Soviet Armenia began to see rapid improvement. The church which suffered greatly under Stalin was revived when
Catholicos Vazgen I assumed the duties of his office in 1955. In 1967, a memorial to the victims of the Armenian Genocide was built at the
Tsitsernakaberd hill above the
Hrazdan gorge in
Yerevan. This occurred after
mass demonstrations took place on the tragic event's fiftieth anniversary in 1965.
Armenians gather at Theater Square in central
Yerevan to protest Soviet policies and rule in 1988
During the
Gorbachev era of the 1980s with the reforms of
Glasnost and
Perestroika, Armenians began to demand better environmental care for their country, opposing the pollution that Soviet-built factories brought. Tensions also developed between Soviet Azerbaijan and its autonomous district of
Nagorno-Karabakh, a majority-Armenian region separated by Stalin from Armenia in 1923. The Armenians of Karabakh demanded unification with Soviet Armenia. Peaceful protests in Yerevan supporting the Karabakh Armenians were met with
anti-Armenian pogroms in the Azerbaijani city of
Sumgait. Compounding Armenia's problems was a
devastating earthquake in 1988 with a
moment magnitude of 7.2.
[29]Gorbachev's inability to solve Armenia's problems (especially Karabakh) created disillusionment among the Armenians and only fed a growing hunger for independence. In May 1990, the New
Armenian Army (NAA) was established, serving as a
defence force separate from the Soviet
Red Army.
.^ The Diplomatic and Consular Missions of the Republic of Armenia, in accordance with the procedures set by this Code and by Central Electoral Commission, guarantee the realization of the electoral right of Armenian citizens.- CONTENTS 17 September 2009 17:21 UTC www.eurasianet.org [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
The violence resulted in the deaths of five Armenians killed in a shootout with the MVD at the railway station. Witnesses there claimed that the MVD used excessive force and that they had instigated the fighting.
Further firefights between Armenian militiamen and Soviet troops occurred in
Sovetashen, near the capital and resulted in the deaths of over 26 people, mostly Armenians.
Pogrom of Armenians in Baku in January 1990 forced almost all of the 200,000 Armenians in the Azerbaijani capital
Baku to flee to Armenia.
[30] .^ Every citizen of the Republic of Armenia that has the right to vote is eligible for inclusion in one voter list only.- CONTENTS 17 September 2009 17:21 UTC www.eurasianet.org [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
^ In the event of the absence of a Diplomatic or Consular Mission of the Republic of Armenia in the state, which is the country of residence or where the voter is, the citizen can apply to the Diplomatic or Consular Mission of the Republic of Armenia in the state bordering, or located close to the state of residence or the state where the voter is, for the inclusion in voter lists.- CONTENTS 17 September 2009 17:21 UTC www.eurasianet.org [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
^ All citizens of the Republic of Armenia that have the right to vote are included in voter lists.- CONTENTS 17 September 2009 17:21 UTC www.eurasianet.org [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
[31]Restoration of independence
In 1991, the Soviet Union broke apart and Armenia re-established its independence. Declaring independence on August 23, it was the first non-Baltic republic to secede. However, the initial post-Soviet years were marred by economic difficulties as well as the break-out of a full-scale
armed confrontation between the Karabakh Armenians and Azerbaijan. The economic problems had their roots early in the Karabakh conflict when the
Azerbaijani Popular Front managed to pressure the Azerbaijan SSR to instigate a
railway and
air blockade against Armenia. This move effectively crippled Armenia's economy as 85% of its cargo and goods arrived through rail traffic.
[32] In 1993, Turkey joined the blockade against Armenia in support of Azerbaijan.
[33]The Karabakh war ended after a Russian-brokered
cease-fire was put in place in 1994. The war was a success for the Karabakh Armenian forces who managed to secure 14% of Azerbaijan's internationally recognised territory including Nagorno-Karabakh itself.
[34] Since then, Armenia and Azerbaijan have held peace talks, mediated by the
Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). The status over Karabakh has yet to be determined.
.^ In the event of the absence of a Diplomatic or Consular Mission of the Republic of Armenia in the state, which is the country of residence or where the voter is, the citizen can apply to the Diplomatic or Consular Mission of the Republic of Armenia in the state bordering, or located close to the state of residence or the state where the voter is, for the inclusion in voter lists.- CONTENTS 17 September 2009 17:21 UTC www.eurasianet.org [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
By the time both Azerbaijan and Armenia had finally agreed to a ceasefire in 1994, an estimated 30,000 people had been killed and over a million had been displaced.
[35]As it enters the
twenty-first century, Armenia faces many hardships. Still, it has managed to make some improvements. It has made a full switch to a
market economy and as of 2009, is the 31st most economically free nation in the world.
[36] Its relations with Europe, the Middle East, and the
Commonwealth of Independent States have allowed Armenia to increase trade. Gas, oil, and other supplies come through two vital routes: Iran and Georgia. Armenia maintains cordial relations with both countries.
Government and politics
.^ Republic of Armenia during the last ten years for the citizen nominated to run in Presidential elections; .- CONTENTS 17 September 2009 17:21 UTC www.eurasianet.org [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
^ Republic of Armenia for the last ten years for the citizen nominated to run in Presidential elections; .- CONTENTS 17 September 2009 17:21 UTC www.eurasianet.org [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
.^ The means of the election funds of the candidates for the President of the Republic and parties are accumulated in the Central Bank of the Republic of Armenia, and of the other candidates - in any bank, operating on the territory of the Republic of Armenia (on a special account).- CONTENTS 17 September 2009 17:21 UTC www.eurasianet.org [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
^ In accordance with Article 3 of the Constitution of the Republic of Armenia, elections of the President, elections to the National Assembly, elections of the local self-governing bodies of the Republic of Armenia are held through universal, equal, direct suffrage, by secret ballot.- CONTENTS 17 September 2009 17:21 UTC www.eurasianet.org [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
^ Parties registered in the Republic of Armenia have the right to nominate candidates for the National Assembly Deputies by majoritarian system.- CONTENTS 17 September 2009 17:21 UTC www.eurasianet.org [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
Executive power is exercised by the government.
Legislative power is vested in both the
government and parliament.
.^ Appeals related to disputes over the results of the National Assembly majoritarian elections can be adjudicated to the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Armenia within seven days after the results are officially announced.- CONTENTS 17 September 2009 17:21 UTC www.eurasianet.org [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
^ Presidential candidates, parties running in the National Assembly proportional elections, and candidates registered for elections in majoritarian constituencies; .- CONTENTS 17 September 2009 17:21 UTC www.eurasianet.org [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
^ Women shall make at least five per cent of the candidates in the electoral lists presented by a party for the elections to the National Assembly by proportional system.- CONTENTS 17 September 2009 17:21 UTC www.eurasianet.org [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
The main
opposition party is
Raffi Hovannisian's
Heritage party, which favors eventual Armenian membership in the
European Union and
NATO.
.^ A precinct center cannot be formed at the premises of state and local self-governing bodies, military-academic institutions, military units and healthcare institutions.- CONTENTS 17 September 2009 17:21 UTC www.eurasianet.org [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
It has
universal suffrage above the age of eighteen.
.^ Presidential elections, on the payment of the electoral deposit; .- CONTENTS 17 September 2009 17:21 UTC www.eurasianet.org [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
^ The disputes over the decision of the Central Electoral Commission on the results of the elections of the President of the Republic can be appealed to the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Armenia not later than within seven days after the official announcement of the results.- CONTENTS 17 September 2009 17:21 UTC www.eurasianet.org [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
^ The decision of the Regional Electoral Commission on the election results of the candidates nominated for the community council members can be appealed to court with three days after it has been adopted.- CONTENTS 17 September 2009 17:21 UTC www.eurasianet.org [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
.^ The Central Electoral Commission reports to the Audit Chamber of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia, within sixty days after the elections are conducted.- CONTENTS 17 September 2009 17:21 UTC www.eurasianet.org [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
[37]
Since 1999, Freedom House's Democracy Score for Armenia has been steadily on the decline (from 4.79 to 5.21).
[38] .^ They are provided to the candidates and parties, running in elections, on equal basis, free of charge, in accordance with the timetable and procedures established by the Central Electoral Commission.- CONTENTS 17 September 2009 17:21 UTC www.eurasianet.org [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
^ Three days before the elections of the President of the Republic and to the National Assembly the Central Electoral Commission publishes the total number of the voters in the Republic of Armenia.- CONTENTS 17 September 2009 17:21 UTC www.eurasianet.org [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
^ During the preparation and conduct of the elections, the citizens of the Republic of Armenia who live or are living outside Armenia, have the electoral right.- CONTENTS 17 September 2009 17:21 UTC www.eurasianet.org [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
[39] However, significant progress seems to have been made and the
2008 Armenian presidential election was hailed as largely democratic by
OSCE and Western monitors.
[40]Foreign relations
The ministry of foreign affairs in Yerevan
Armenia presently maintains good relations with almost every country in the world, with two major exceptions being its immediate neighbours, Turkey and Azerbaijan.
.^ Republic of Armenia during the last ten years for the citizen nominated to run in Presidential elections; .- CONTENTS 17 September 2009 17:21 UTC www.eurasianet.org [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
The
Nagorno-Karabakh War dominated the region's politics throughout the 1990s.
[41] .^ In the event of the absence of a Diplomatic or Consular Mission of the Republic of Armenia in the state, which is the country of residence or where the voter is, the citizen can apply to the Diplomatic or Consular Mission of the Republic of Armenia in the state bordering, or located close to the state of residence or the state where the voter is, for the inclusion in voter lists.- CONTENTS 17 September 2009 17:21 UTC www.eurasianet.org [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
.^ In the event of the absence of a Diplomatic or Consular Mission of the Republic of Armenia in the state, which is the country of residence or where the voter is, the citizen can apply to the Diplomatic or Consular Mission of the Republic of Armenia in the state bordering, or located close to the state of residence or the state where the voter is, for the inclusion in voter lists.- CONTENTS 17 September 2009 17:21 UTC www.eurasianet.org [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
[41] Since 2001, however, the Armenian
airline company Armavia regularly flies between the
Zvartnots International Airport of
Yerevan and
Atatürk International Airport of
Istanbul.
.^ The Diplomatic and Consular Missions of the Republic of Armenia, in accordance with the procedures set by this Code and by Central Electoral Commission, guarantee the realization of the electoral right of Armenian citizens.- CONTENTS 17 September 2009 17:21 UTC www.eurasianet.org [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
[42]
.^ If more than two candidates have been running for the position of the Chairman of the Central Electoral Commission, and none of them has received more than half of the votes cast, repeated voting is held between the candidates, that have received more votes.- CONTENTS 17 September 2009 17:21 UTC www.eurasianet.org [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
At the request of the Armenian government, Russia maintains a
military base in the northwestern Armenian city of
Gyumri[43] as a deterrent against Turkey.
[citation needed] 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.
[44]
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.
[45] Several Armenian officials have also expressed the desire for their country to eventually become an EU member state,
[46] some predicting that it will make an official bid for membership in a few years.
Military
.^ The Diplomatic and Consular Missions of the Republic of Armenia, in accordance with the procedures set by this Code and by Central Electoral Commission, guarantee the realization of the electoral right of Armenian citizens.- CONTENTS 17 September 2009 17:21 UTC www.eurasianet.org [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
^ The depiction of the flag or the coat of arms of the Republic of Armenia on campaign posters is prohibited.- CONTENTS 17 September 2009 17:21 UTC www.eurasianet.org [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
^ In the event of the absence of a Diplomatic or Consular Mission of the Republic of Armenia in the state, which is the country of residence or where the voter is, the citizen can apply to the Diplomatic or Consular Mission of the Republic of Armenia in the state bordering, or located close to the state of residence or the state where the voter is, for the inclusion in voter lists.- CONTENTS 17 September 2009 17:21 UTC www.eurasianet.org [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
.^ At least 100 citizens of the Republic of Armenia can form an initiative group for the nomination of a candidate for the President of the Republic.- CONTENTS 17 September 2009 17:21 UTC www.eurasianet.org [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
The Ministry of Defence is in charge of political leadership, currently headed by
Colonel-General Mikael Harutyunyan, while military command remains in the hands of the
General Staff, headed by the Chief of Staff, who is currently
Lieutenant-General Seyran Ohanian.
Active forces now number about 81,000 soldiers, with an additional
reserve of 32,000 troops. Armenian border guards are in charge of patrolling the country's borders with
Georgia and
Azerbaijan, while Russian troops continue to monitor its borders with
Iran and
Turkey. In the case of an attack, Armenia is able to mobilise every
able-bodied man between the age of 15 and 59, with
military preparedness.
Administrative divisions
Armenia is divided into ten
provinces (
marzer, singular
marz), with the city (
kaghak) of
Yerevan (
Երևան) having special administrative status as the country's capital. The chief executive in each of the ten provinces is the
marzpet (
marz governor), appointed by the government of Armenia. In Yerevan, the chief executive is the mayor, appointed by the president.
Within each province are
communities (
hamaynkner, singular
hamaynk). Each community is
self-governing and consists of one or more settlements (
bnakavayrer, singular
bnakavayr). Settlements are classified as either towns (
kaghakner, singular
kaghak) or villages (
gyugher, singular
gyugh). As of 2007, Armenia includes 915 communities, of which 49 are considered urban and 866 are considered rural. The capital, Yerevan, also has the status of a community.
[50] Additionally, Yerevan is divided into twelve semi-autonomous districts.
| Province |
Capital |
Area |
Population |
| Aragatsotn (Արագածոտն) |
Ashtarak (Աշտարակ) |
2,753 km² |
126,278 |
| Ararat (Արարատ) |
Artashat (Արտաշատ) |
2,096 km² |
252,665 |
| Armavir (Արմավիր) |
Armavir (Արմավիր) |
1,242 km² |
255,861 |
| Gegharkunik (Գեղարքունիք) |
Gavar (Գավառ) |
5,348 km² |
215,371 |
| Kotayk (Կոտայք) |
Hrazdan (Հրազդան) |
2,089 km² |
241,337 |
| Lori (Լոռի) |
Vanadzor (Վանաձոր) |
3,789 km² |
253,351 |
| Shirak (Շիրակ) |
Gyumri (Գյումրի) |
2,681 km² |
257,242 |
| Syunik (Սյունիք) |
Kapan (Կապան) |
4,506 km² |
134,061 |
| Tavush (Տավուշ) |
Ijevan (Իջևան) |
2,704 km² |
121,963 |
| Vayots Dzor (Վայոց Ձոր) |
Yeghegnadzor (Եղեգնաձոր) |
2,308 km² |
53,230 |
| Yerevan (Երևան) |
– |
227 km² |
1,091,235 |
Geography
Topography
Armenia's topography is mountainous and volcanic
The Armenian Highland in the village of
Fioletovo (Lori Province)
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 (400,000
square kilometres (154,441
sq mi)), otherwise known as historical Armenia and considered as the original homeland of
Armenians. 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.
[51]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
Climate
The climate in Armenia is markedly continental. Summers are dry and sunny, lasting from June to mid-September. The temperature fluctuates between 22 and 36 degree
Celsius (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, 1,900 metres (6,234 ft)
above sea level.
Economy
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.
[54] This increase in agriculture's share 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%.
[55]
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% from 1989 until 1993, and then resumed its robust growth.
[54] 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 in 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, stabilizing the currency; developing private businesses; energy; the agriculture, food processing, transportation, and health and education sectors; and ongoing rehabilitation in the earthquake zone. The government joined the
World Trade Organization on February 5, 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 on 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 still remains a major problem due to the influx of thousands of refugees from the Karabakh conflict, which currently stands at around 15%.
Demographics
Armenian children at the UN Cup Chess Tournament in 2005.
Armenia has a population of 3,238,000 (2008 est.)
[6] and is the second most densely populated of the former Soviet republics. There has been a problem of
population decline due to elevated levels of
emigration after the break-up of the
USSR. The rates of emigration and population decline, however, have decreased drastically in the recent years, and a moderate influx of Armenians returning to Armenia have been the main reasons for the trend, which is expected to continue. In fact Armenia is expected to resume its positive population growth by 2010.
Ethnic
Armenians make up 97.9% of the population.
Yazidis make up 1.3%, and
Russians 0.5%. Other minorities include
Assyrians,
Ukrainians,
Greeks,
Kurds,
Georgians, and
Belarusians. There are also smaller communities of
Vlachs,
Mordvins,
Ossetians,
Udis, and
Tats. Minorities of
Poles and
Caucasus Germans also exist though they are heavily
Russified.
[58]During the
Soviet era,
Azerbaijanis were historically the second largest population in the country (forming about 2.5% in 1989).
[59] However, due to the conflict over
Nagorno-Karabakh virtually all of them emigrated from Armenia to Azerbaijan. Conversely, Armenia received a large influx of Armenian refugees from Azerbaijan, thus giving Armenia a more homogeneous character.
Armenian is the only official language even though
Russian is widely used, especially in education
[3], and could be considered as
de facto "second language". Besides, 94 % of adult Armenians considers that it's important their children learn
Russian[60].
Diaspora
Armenia has a relatively large
diaspora (8 million by some estimates, greatly exceeding the 3 million population of Armenia itself), with communities existing across the globe. The largest Armenian communities outside of Armenia can be found in
Russia,
France,
Iran, the
United States,
Georgia,
Syria,
Lebanon,
Argentina,
Australia,
Canada,
Greece,
Cyprus,
Israel,
Poland and
Ukraine. 40,000 to 70,000 Armenians still live in
Turkey (mostly in and around
Istanbul).
[61]Health
Life expectancy at birth was at 70 for males and at 76 for females in 2006.
[65] Health expenditure was at about 5.6 % of the GDP in 2004.
[65] Most of this was outside the private sector.
[65] Government expenditure on health was at US$ 112 per person in 2006.
[66]Religion
Armenia was the first nation to adopt Christianity as a state religion, an event traditionally dated to AD 301.
[67][68][69][70]Over 93% of Armenian Christians belong to the Armenian Apostolic Church, a form of Oriental (Non-
Chalcedonian) Orthodoxy, which is a very ritualistic, conservative church, roughly comparable to the
Coptic and
Syriac churches.
[71] Armenian Apostolic Church is in communion only with a group of churches within
Oriental Orthodoxy.
The Yazidi Kurds, who live in the western part of the country, practice
Yazidism. There is a
Jewish community in Armenia diminished to 750 persons since independence with most emigrants leaving for
Israel. There are currently two synagogues in Armenia – in the capital, Yerevan, and in the city of
Sevan located near
Lake Sevan.
There are also non-Yazidi Kurds who practice
Sunni Islam.
[citation needed]Culture
Armenians have their own distinctive
alphabet and
language. The alphabet was invented in AD 405 by
Saint Mesrob Mashtots and consists of thirty-eight letters, two of which were added during the Cilician period. 96% of the people in the country speak Armenian, while 75.8% of the population additionally speaks Russian although English is becoming increasingly popular.
Traditional Armenian Dance
Main article:
Armenian danceThe Armenian dance heritage has been one of the oldest, richest and most varied in the Near East. From the
fifth to the
third millennia B.C., in the higher regions of Armenia there are rock paintings of scenes of country dancing. These dances were probably accompanied by certain kinds of songs or musical instruments. In the fifth century Moses of Khorene (Movsés Khorenats'i) himself had heard of how the old descendants of
Aram (that is Armenians) make mention of these things (epic tales) in the ballads for the lyre and their songs and dances.
Main article:
Art of ArmeniaThe National Art Gallery in Yerevan has more than 16,000 works that date back to the
Middle Ages, which indicate Armenia's rich tales and stories of the times. It houses paintings by many
European masters as well. The Modern Art Museum, the Children’s Picture Gallery, and the
Martiros Saryan Museum are only a few of the other noteworthy collections of fine art on display in Yerevan. Moreover, many private galleries are in operation, with many more opening every year, featuring rotating exhibitions and sales.
Music
The work
Song of the Italian Girl by 19th century Armenian poet
Mikael Nalbandian served as the inspiration for the Armenian national anthem
Mer Hayrenik.
One of the most important parts of Armenian culture is the music, which has in recent years brought new forms of music, while maintaining traditional styles too. This is evidenced by the world-class
Armenian Philharmonic Orchestra that performs at the beautifully refurbished Yerevan Opera House, where one can also attend a full season of opera and ballet performances performed by the staff of
Armenian Opera Theater.
In addition, several chamber ensembles are highly regarded for their musicianship, including the
National Chamber Orchestra of Armenia and the Serenade Orchestra.
Classical music can also be heard at one of several smaller venues, including the
Yerevan Komitas State Conservatory and the Chamber Orchestra Hall.
Jazz is popular, especially in the summer when live performances are a regular occurrence at one of the city’s many outdoor
cafés and parks. The traditional instrument is the
duduk (pronounced doo-dook).
Art
Yerevan's Vernisage (arts and crafts market), close to Republic Square, bustles with hundreds of vendors selling a variety of crafts on weekends and Wednesdays (though the selection is much reduced mid-week). The market offers woodcarving, antiques, fine lace, and the hand-knotted wool carpets and kilims that are a Caucasus specialty.
Obsidian, which is found locally, is crafted into assortment of jewellery and ornamental objects. Armenian
gold smithery enjoys a long tradition, populating one corner of the market with a selection of gold items. Soviet relics and souvenirs of recent Russian manufacture—nesting dolls, watches, enamel boxes and so on, are also available at the Vernisage.
Across from the Opera House, a popular art market fills another city park on the weekends. Armenia’s long history as a crossroads of the
ancient world has resulted in a landscape with innumerable fascinating
archaeological sites to explore.
Medieval,
Iron Age,
Bronze Age and even
Stone Age sites are all within a few hours drive from the city. All but the most spectacular remain virtually undiscovered, allowing visitors to view churches and fortresses in their original settings.
Armenian artists
Education
In its first years of
independence, Armenia made uneven progress in establishing systems to meet its national requirements in social services.
[78] Education, held in particular esteem in
Armenian culture, changed fastest of the social services, while health and welfare services attempted to maintain the basic state-planned structure of the
Soviet era.
[78]In the early 1990s, Armenia made substantial changes to the centralized and regimented Soviet system.
[78] Because at least 98 % of students in
higher education were Armenian, curricula began to emphasize
Armenian history and
culture.
[78] Armenian became the dominant language of instruction, and many schools that had taught in
Russian closed by the end of 1991.
[78] Russian was still widely taught, however, as a second language.
[78]In the 1990–91 school year, the estimated 1,307 primary and secondary schools were attended by 608,800 students.
[78] Another seventy specialized secondary institutions had 45,900 students, and 68,400 students were enrolled in a total of ten postsecondary institutions that included
universities.
[78] In addition, 35 % of eligible children attended
preschools.
[78] In the 1988–89 school year, 301 students per 10,000 population were in specialized secondary or higher education, a figure slightly lower than the Soviet average.
[78] In 1989 some 58 % of Armenians over age fifteen had completed their secondary education, and 14 % had a higher education.
[78] In 1992 Armenia's largest institution of higher learning,
Yerevan State University, had eighteen departments, including ones for social sciences, sciences, and law.
[78] Its faculty numbered about 1,300 teachers and its student population about 10,000 students.
[78] The Yerevan Architecture and Civil Engineering Institute was founded in 1989.
[78]On the basis of the expansion and development of Yerevan State University a number of higher educational independent Institutions were formed including Medical Institute separated in 1930 which was set up on the basis of medical faculty. In 1980 Yerevan State Medical University was awarded one of the main rewards of the former USSR – the Order of Labor red Banner for training qualified specialists in health care and valuable service in the development of Medical Science. In 1995 YSMI was renamed to YSMU and since 1989 it has been named after Mkhitar Heratsi, the famous medieval doctor. Mkhitar Heratsi was the founder of Armenian Medical school in Cilician Armenia. The great doctor played the same role in Armenian Medical Science as Hypokratus in Old Greek, Galen in Roman, Ib Sina in Arabic medicine.
Foreign students' department for Armenian Diaspora established in 1957 later was enlarged and the enrollment of foreign students began. Nowadays the YSMU is a Medical Institution corresponding to international requirements, trains medical staff not only for Armenia and neighbor countries, i.e. Iran, Syria, Lebanon, Georgia but for many other leading countries all over the world. A great number of foreign students from India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, the USA and Russian Federation study together with Armenian students. Nowadays the university is ranked among famous higher Medical Institutions and takes its honorable place in the World Directory of Medical schools published by the WHO.
Wedding ceremony
The elaborate Armenian
wedding process begins when the man and woman get engaged. The man's
immediate family (parents, grandparents, and often uncles and aunts) go over to the woman's house to ask for permission from the woman's father for the relationship to continue and hopefully prosper. Once permission is granted by the father, the man gives the woman an
engagement ring to make it official. To celebrate the mutual family agreement, the woman's family opens a bottle of Armenian
brandy. After getting engaged, most families elect to have a semi-large engagement party as well. The girl's family is the one who plans, organizes and pays for the party. There is very little involvement by the man's family.
At the party, a priest is summoned to pray for the soon-to-be husband and wife and give his blessings. Once the words of prayer have concluded, the couple slide wedding bands on each other's right hands (the ring is moved to the left hand once a formal marriage ceremony is conducted by the Armenian church). The customary time to wait for the marriage is about one year. Unlike other cultures, where bride's family pays for the wedding, in Armenia the man and his family pay for the wedding. The planning and organization process is usually done by the bride and groom to be.
Sport
Hrazdan Stadium in Yerevan, the largest sports venue in Armenia
A wide array of sports are played in Armenia, the most popular among them being wrestling, weightlifting, judo, football, chess, and boxing.[1]. Armenia's mountainous terrain provides great opportunities for the practice of sports like skiing and climbing. Being a landlocked country, water sports can only be practiced on lakes, notably Lake Sevan. Competitively, Armenia has been successful in chess, weightlifting and wrestling at the international level. Armenia is also an active member of the international sports community, with full membership in the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) and International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF). It also hosts the Pan-Armenian Games.
Prior to 1992, Armenians would participate in the Olympics representing the USSR. As part of the Soviet Union, Armenia was very successful, winning plenty of medals and helping the USSR win the medal standings at the Olympics on numerous occasions. The first medal won by an Armenian in modern Olympic history was by Hrant Shahinian (sometimes spelled as Grant Shaginian), who won two golds and two silvers in gymnastics at the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki. To highlight the level of success of Armenians in the Olympics, Shahinian was quoted as saying:
“ Armenian sportsmen had to outdo their opponents by several notches for the shot at being accepted into any Soviet team. But those difficulties notwithstanding, 90 percent of Armenians athletes on Soviet Olympic teams came back with medals."
[79]
Athletes taking part in the annual May 1 parade in Yerevan's Lenin Square, now known as the Republic Square.
Armenia first participated at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona under a unified CIS team, where it was very successful, winning three golds and one silver in weightlifting, wrestling and sharp shooting, despite only having 5 athletes. Since the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, Armenia has participated as an independent nation.
Armenia participates in the Summer Olympic Games in boxing, wrestling, weightlifting, judo, gymnastics, track and field, diving, swimming and sharp shooting. It also participates in the Winter Olympic Games in alpine skiing, cross-country skiing and figure skating.
Armenia used to play as part of the USSR national football team at the international level. Their most successful team was Yerevan's FC Ararat, which had claimed most of the Soviet championships in the 70s and had also gone to post victories against professional clubs like FC Bayern Munich in the Euro Cup. Armenia played as part of the USSR until 1992, when the Armenian national football team played their first official match representing solely Armenia, against Moldova. The national team is controlled by the Football Federation of Armenia. The Armenian Premier League is the top football competition in Armenia. The league currently consists of eight teams, and relegates to the Armenian First League. Over the years, the league has evolved from a small competition consisting of only eight teams to two separate divisions. Armenia also has many football venues such as the Hrazdan Stadium and Hanrapetakan Stadium.
Armenia and the Armenian diaspora have produced many world class players, notably Youri Djorkaeff, Alain Boghossian, Andranik Eskandarian, Andranik Teymourian, Edgar Manucharyan, Nikita Simonyan, among others. Youri Djokaeff played for France (retired), Andranik Teymourian plays for Iran and Edgar Manucharyan plays for Ajax Amsterdam.
Traditional Armenian wrestling is called Kokh and practiced in traditional garb; it was one of the influences included in the Soviet combat sport of
Sambo, which is also very popular.
The
government of Armenia budgets about $2.8 million annually for sports and gives it to the National Committee of Physical Education and Sports, the body that determines which programs should benefit from the funds.
Due to the lack of success lately on the international level, in recent years, Armenia has rebuilt 16 Soviet-era sports schools and furnished them with new equipment for a total cost of $1.9 million. The rebuilding of the regional schools was financed by the Armenian government. $9.3 million has been invested in the resort town of
Tsaghkadzor to improve the
winter sports infrastructure because of dismal performances at recent
winter sports events. In 2005, a cycling center was opened in
Yerevan with the aim of helping produce world class Armenian cyclists. The government has also promised a cash reward of $700,000 to Armenians who win a gold medal at the
Olympics.
[80]See also
References
Notes
- ^ The Constitution of the Republic of Armenia, Article 12.
- ^ "Ethnologue report for language code: hye". Ethnologue.com. http://www.ethnologue.com/show_language.asp?code=hye. Retrieved 2010-01-25.
- ^ a b "Problems of Bilingualism in Armenia" (PDF). http://www.lingref.com/isb/4/092ISB4.PDF. Retrieved 2010-01-25. : "In 1999 the decision of the Government of Armenia that the Russian language would be used in the system of education and cultural and social life of the Republic of Armenia was approved and adopted. This decision contained the concept about a place and role of the Russian language in the system of education."
- ^ Asatryan, Garnik; Arakelova, Victoria (Yerevan 2002). The Ethnic Minorities in Armenia. Part of the OSCE
- ^ The Constitution of the Republic of Armenia, Article 55.
- ^ a b "Statistical Yearbook of Armenia, 2009: Population". ArmStat. http://www.armstat.am/file/doc/99458058.pdf. Retrieved 2010-02-09.
- ^ a b c d "Armenia". International Monetary Fund. http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/weo/2009/02/weodata/weorept.aspx?sy=2006&ey=2009&scsm=1&ssd=1&sort=country&ds=.&br=1&c=911&s=NGDPD%2CNGDPDPC%2CPPPGDP%2CPPPPC%2CLP&grp=0&a=&pr.x=64&pr.y=11. Retrieved 2009-10-01.
- ^ Armenia may be considered to be in Asia and/or Europe. The UN classification of world regions places Armenia in Western Asia; the CIA World Factbook [1], National Geographic, and Encyclopædia Britannica also place Armenia in Asia. Conversely, some sources place Armenia in Europe such as Oxford Reference Online [2], and www.worldatlas.com.
- ^ "The conversion of Armenia to Christianity was probably the most crucial step in its history. It turned Armenia sharply away from its Iranian past and stamped it for centuries with an intrinsic character as clear to the native population as to those outside its borders, who identified Armenia almost at once as the first state to adopt Christianity". (Garsoïan, Nina (1997). ed. R.G. Hovannisian. ed. Armenian People from Ancient to Modern Times. Palgrave Macmillan. pp. Volume 1, p.81. ).
- ^ Grousset, René (1947). Histoire de l'Arménie (1984 ed.). Payot. p. 122. . Estimated dates vary from 284 to 314. Garsoïan (op.cit. p.82), following the research of Ananian, favours the latter.
- ^ The Constitution of the Republic of Armenia, Article 8.1
- ^ Human Development Indices, Table 3: Human and income poverty, p. 34. Retrieved on 1 June 2009
- ^ Razmik Panossian, The Armenians: From Kings And Priests to Merchants And Commissars, Columbia University Press (2006), ISBN 978-0231139267, p. 106.
- ^ "Χαλύβοισι πρὸς νότον Ἀρμένιοι ὁμουρέουσι (The Armenians border on the Chalybes to the south)". Chahin, Mark (2001). The Kingdom of Armenia. London: Routledge. pp. fr. 203. ISBN 0-7007-1452-9.
- ^ Xenophon. Anabasis. pp. IV.v.2–9.
- ^ Moses of Chorene,The History of Armenia, Book 1, Ch. 12 (Russian)
- ^ History of Armenia by Father Michael Chamich from B.C. 2247 to the Year of Christ 1780, or 1229 of the Armenian era, Bishop's College Press, Calcutta, 1827, page 19: "[Aram] was the first to raise the Armenian name to any degree of renown; so that contemporary nations ... called them the Aramians, or followers of Aram, a name which has been corrupted into Armenians; and the country they inhabited, by universal consent, took the name of Armenia."
- ^ Kurkjian, Vahan (1958). History of Armenia (1964 ed.). Michigan: Armenian General Benevolent Union. http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Gazetteer/Places/Asia/Armenia/_Texts/KURARM/home.html. Retrieved 2009-07-22.
- ^ Armenian Soviet Encyclopedia. Yerevan: Armenian Encyclopedia. 1987. pp. v. 12.
- ^ Movsisyan, Artak (2000). Sacred Highland: Armenia in the spiritual conception of the Near East. Yerevan.
- ^ Kavoukjian, Martiros (1982). The Genesis of Armenian People. Montreal.
- ^ a b "The World Factbook: Armenia". CIA. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/am.html. Retrieved 2007-11-15.
- ^ Brunner, Borgna (2006). Time Almanac with Information Please 2007. New York: Time Home Entertainment. p. 685. ISBN 193340549X.
- ^ Kirakosian, J. S. (1972) (in Armenian). Hayastane michazkayin divanakitut'yan ew sovetakan artakin kaghakakanut'yan pastateghterum, 1828–1923 (Armenia in the documents of international diplomacy and Soviet foreign policy, 1828–1923). Yerevan. pp. 149–358.
- ^ Extensive bibliography by University of Michigan on the Armenian Genocide
- ^ Encyclopædia Britannica: Armenian massacres (Turkish-Armenian history)
- ^ Q&A: Armenian genocide dispute. BBC News. July 10, 2008.
- ^ Ronald G. Suny, James Nichol, Darrell L. Slider. Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia. Federal Research Division, Library of Congress. 1995. p.17 and following
- ^ Eastern Europe, Russia and Central Asia 2004 – Page 74 by Imogen Gladman, Taylor & Francis Group
- ^ Notes from Baku: Black January. Rufat Ahmedov. EurasiaNet Human Rights.
- ^ "The March Referendum". http://soviethistory.org/index.php?action=L2&SubjectID=1991march&Year=1991. Retrieved 2008-11-10.
- ^ Croissant, Michael P. (1998). The Armenia-Azerbaijan Conflict: Causes and Implications. London: Praeger. ISBN 0-275-96241-5.
- ^ "The Ties That Divide". Global Heritage Fund. 2006-06-17. http://www.globalheritagefund.org/news/GHF_in_the_news/economist_ties_that_divide_june_17_06.asp. Retrieved 2009-07-22.
- ^ De Waal, Thomas (2004). Black Garden: Armenia And Azerbaijan Through Peace and War. New York: New York University Press. p. 240. ISBN 0-8147-1945-7.
- ^ A Conflict That Can Be Resolved in Time: Nagorno-Karabakh. International Herald Tribune. November 29, 2003.
- ^ a b "Index of Economic Freedom 2009". The Heritage Foundation. http://www.heritage.org/Index/Ranking.aspx.
- ^ "Nations in Transit 2008" (PDF). Freedom House. http://www.freedomhouse.hu/images/fdh_galleries/NIT2008/02_tables.pdf. Retrieved 2008-06-26.
- ^ "Nations in Transit 2008: Armenia" (PDF). Freedom House. http://www.freedomhouse.hu/images/fdh_galleries/NIT2008/NT-Armenia-final.pdf. Retrieved 2008-06-26.
- ^ "Freedom in the World 2007" (PDF). Freedom House. http://www.freedomhouse.org/uploads/press_release/fiw07_charts.pdf. Retrieved 2007-02-20.
- ^ Danielyan, Emil (2008-02-20). "Armenian Vote 'Largely Democratic'". ArmeniaLiberty, Radio Free Europe. http://www.armenialiberty.org/armeniareport/report/en/2008/02/14B31960-C791-4274-B7F0-50B571D0EADD.asp. Retrieved 2008-02-20.
- ^ a b "Nagorno-Karabakh: The Crisis in the Caucasus". http://www.cfr.org/publication/9148/. Retrieved 2007-04-06.
- ^ [3]
- ^ "Baku and Moscow – 'One Hundred Percent Strategic Partners'". Hetq Online. 2006-02-27. http://archive.hetq.am/eng/politics/0602-az.html. Retrieved 2008-04-20.
- ^ "Ancestry Data". U.S. Census Bureau. 2006. http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/DTTable?_bm=y&-geo_id=D&-ds_name=D&-_lang=en&-redoLog=false&-mt_name=ACS_2006_EST_G2000_B04003. Retrieved 2009-07-22. The 2001 Canadian Census determined that there are 40,505 persons of Armenian ancestry currently living in Canada. However, these are liable to be low numbers, since people of mixed ancestry, very common in North America tend to be under-counted: the 1990 census U.S. indicates 149,694 people who speak Armenian at home. The Armenian Embassy in Canada estimates 1 million ethnic Armenians in the U.S. and 100,000 in Canada. The Armenian Church of America makes a similar estimate. By all accounts, over half of the Armenians in the United States live in California.
- ^ "RFE/RL Caucasus Report". Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 2005-01-07. http://www.armeniaforeignministry.am/news/inthenews/050107_eu.html. Retrieved 2009-07-22.
- ^ "Interview with RA National Assembly Speaker Artur Baghdasaryan". ArmInfo News Agency. 2005-10-26. http://www.arminfo.am/political-issue22.html. Retrieved 2009-07-22.
- ^ "Sarkisian Appoints Key Ministers in Emerging Cabinet", Armenialiberty.org, April 15, 2008.
- ^ "KFOR Contingent: Armenia". Official Web Site of the Kosovo Force. 23 March 2007. http://www.nato.int/kfor/structur/nations/armenia.htm. Retrieved 2008-10-27.
- ^ "Last shift of Armenian peacekeepers in Iraq returns home". Ministry of Defence. 7 October 2008. http://www.mil.am/eng/index.php?page=2&p=0&id=633&y=2008&m=10&d=29. Retrieved 29 October 2008.
- ^ "Regional Administration Bodies". The Government of the Republic of Armenia. http://www.gov.am/en/regions/. Retrieved 2008-09-11.
- ^ "Geographic Characteristic of The Republic of Armenia". Marzes of the Republic of Armenia in Figures, 2002–2006. National Statistical Service of the Republic of Armenia. 2007. http://www.armstat.am/file/article/marz_07_e_2.pdf. Retrieved 2009-07-22.
- ^ Address by President Serzh Sargsyan to the People of Armenia and the National Assembly on 2 October 2008
- ^ "Armenian Eyes, Ears on US Genocide Vote". washingtonpost.com. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/19/AR2007101901471.html. Retrieved 2009-07-07.
- ^ a b Z. Lerman and A. Mirzakhanian, Private Agriculture in Armenia, Lexington Books, Lanham, MD, 2001.
- ^ Statistical Yearbook 2007, Armenia National Statistical Service, Yerevan
- ^ "http://hdr.undp.org/en/statistics/". UNDP. http://hdr.undp.org/en/statistics/. Retrieved 2008-04-25.
- ^ "Corruption Perceptions Index 2007". http://www.transparency.org/policy_research/surveys_indices/cpi/2007. Retrieved 2008-04-25.
- ^ Asatryan, Garnik; Arakelova, Victoria (2002), The Ethnic Minorities of Armenia, Routledge , part of the OSCE
- ^ (Russian) The All-Union Population Census of 1989. Demoscope.ru
- ^ http://www.gallup.com/poll/109228/russian-language-enjoying-boost-postsoviet-states.aspx
- ^ Turay, Anna. "Tarihte Ermeniler". Bolsohays:Istanbul Armenians Like many other ethnicities Armenians in India too have played a role historically and had an impact historically. Today however the community has been reduced to about a hundred living in Calcutta.. Archived from the original on 2008-02-09. http://web.archive.org/web/20080209171028/http://www.bolsohays.com/webac.asp?referans=1. Retrieved 2007-01-04.
- ^ "Jerusalem – The Old City: The Armenian Quarter". Jewish Virtual Library. http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Society_&_Culture/geo/armenianq.html. Retrieved 2009-07-22.
- ^ San Lazzaro degli Armeni – Venice for Visitors
- ^ "Population in Nagorno-Karabakh 2007". National Statistical Service of Nagorno-Karabakh Republic. http://www.stat-nkr.am/2002_2007/0_2%20himcuc_6-10.pdf. Retrieved 2009-07-22.
- ^ a b c "Microsoft Word - cjl - ARM_MPSEURO_countryprofile.doc" (PDF). http://www.euro.who.int/document/MPS/ARM_MPSEURO_countryprofile.pdf. Retrieved 2010-01-25.
- ^ "Human Development Report 2009 – Armenia". Hdrstats.undp.org. http://hdrstats.undp.org/en/countries/data_sheets/cty_ds_ARM.html. Retrieved 2010-01-25.
- ^ "Armenia – Which Nation First Adopted Christianity?". Ancienthistory.about.com. 2009-10-29. http://ancienthistory.about.com/od/neareast/f/1stchristian.htm. Retrieved 2010-01-25.
- ^ "Visit Armenia, It is Beautiful". Visitarmenia.org. http://www.visitarmenia.org/. Retrieved 2010-01-25.
- ^ "Armenia Information – Welcome to Armenia". Welcomearmenia.com. http://www.welcomearmenia.com/main.php?page=armeniainformation&sid=104&lang=eng. Retrieved 2010-01-25.
- ^ "Blog Archive » Which is the first country to adopt Christianity?". Did You Know it. http://www.didyouknow.it/religion/first-country-to-adopt-christianity/. Retrieved 2010-01-25.
- ^ "The Armenian Apostolic Church (World Council of Churches)". http://www.oikoumene.org/?id=5211.
- ^ http://armbaplife.am/ http://bwanet.org/default.aspx?pid=437
- ^ http://goodnewsadvertising.com/biblical_recorder.pdf
- ^ "By Location". Adherents.com. http://adherents.com/adhloc/Wh_18.html. Retrieved 2010-01-25.
- ^ "Article: Armenian Presbyterian Church to Commemorate 1700th Anniversary of Christianity in Armenia with Concert and Khachkar Dedication – Armenian Reporter, The | HighBeam Research – FREE trial". Highbeam.com. 2001-10-20. http://highbeam.com/doc/1P1-79125406.html. Retrieved 2010-01-25.
- ^ "PC(USA) – Presbyterian Peacemaking Program – International Peacemaking – Dr. Nazeli Vardanyan, Armenia". Pcusa.org. 2009-12-11. http://pcusa.org/peacemaking/intl/09peacemakers/armenia-nazeli.htm. Retrieved 2010-01-25.
- ^ Slave missions and the Black church ... – Google Books. Books.google.com. http://books.google.com/books?id=aGGdyAlobAEC&pg=PA120. Retrieved 2010-01-25.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Curtis, Glenn E. and Ronald G. Suny. "Education". Armenia: A Country Study. Library of Congress Federal Research Division (March 1994). This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^ "Ambassadors in Sport?: Independent Armenia far below the glory of Soviet times on the pitch, mat – Features". ArmeniaNow.com. http://armenianow.com/?action=viewArticle&AID=1910&CID=1973&IID=&lng=eng. Retrieved 2010-01-25.
- ^ Armenia Now
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/ɑrˈmiːniə/ (help·info) (Armenian: Հայաստան, transliterated: Hayastan, IPA: [hɑjɑsˈtɑn]), officially the Republic of Armenia (Հայաստանի Հանրապետություն, Hayastani Hanrapetut’yun, [hɑjɑstɑˈni hɑnɾɑpɛtuˈtʰjun]), is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia.^ 
). Ancient Greek Αρμένιοι "Armenians" is attested from about the same time, perhaps the earliest reference being a fragment attributed to Hecataeus of Miletus (476 BC).[14] Herodotus (440 BC) has Ἀρμένιοι δὲ κατά περ Φρύγες ἐσεσάχατο, ἐόντες Φρυγῶν ἄποικοι. "the Armenians were equipped like Phrygians, being Phrygian colonists" (7.73).
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