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ARMENIA - Fact Sheet
BASIC FACTS ABOUT COUNTRY
1. Name and capital of the country:
Republic of Armenia (Hayastani Hanrapetutyun)
Capital –Yerevan
2. Area:
29,743 sq. kms.
Latitude /Longitude:
48°N, 45°E
3. Names of Provinces (capitals):
Total 11 Marzes or Regions: Aragatsotn (Ashtarak),
Ararat (Artashat), Armavir(Armavir), Gegharkunik (Gavar),
Kotayk (Hrazdan), Lori (Vanadzor), Syunik (Kapan),
Tavoush (Ijevan), Shirak(Gyumri), Vayots Dzor (Yeghegnadzor)
and Yerevan
4. Population:
3.2 million, density 128 per square km; urban
66.7%, rural 33.3%,
Male 48 %, Female 52 % (3 males for every 4
females)
Life expectancy: 68 years (men), 75 years (women)
5. Currency & Exchange rate:
One Armenian Dram (AMD) = 100 Lumas
1 USD = 367 AMD (as on March 2009)
6. Languages spoken:
Armenian (or Hayaren), the national language,
belongs to the Indo-European family, with its own
alphabet (39 letters). Russian is the second
language.
7. Time:
GMT (-) 4 Hrs; IST (-) ½ Hours (summer), (-) 1 ½
Hours (winter)
8.
International Dialing Code = +374
9.
GDP Per capita –
USD
3689
10. Names of Head of State and Some Ministers:
President:
Serzh Sargsyan
Prime Minister: Tigran Sargsyan
Chairman, National Assembly: Hovik Abrahamyan
Deputy Prime Minister and Territorial
Administration Minister: Armen Gevorgyan
Foreign Minister: Edward Nalbandyan
Economy Minister: Nerses Yeritsyan
11. Official website links for HOS and Ministers:
President:
www.president.am
Speaker, National Assembly:
www.parliament.am
Foreign Ministry:
www.armeniaforeignministry.com
Ministry of Economy:
www.minted.am
For other links:
www.gov.am
12. Name, address and Contact details of Central
Bank:
Central Bank of Armenia, 375010 Yerevan, Vazgen
Sargsian str. 6, Republic of Armenia; Tel. 374-10-
583 841 Fax. 523 852 E-mail
mcba@cba.am,
www.cba.am
13. Foreign trade policies
www.minted.am
Armenia received plaudits for possessing the most
liberal and open economy in the Commonwealth of
Independent States, as the country ranked a highly
respectable 32nd in a recent survey by
The Wall Street Journal and The Heritage
Foundation covering 157 countries. Armenia has a
liberal trade regime (about one third of imports,
mainly luxury goods, subject to a single tariff
rate of 10%, the rest are imported duty free). A
20% VAT is applied at point of import. Armenia has
Free trade agreements with several CIS countries.
Armenia became member of WTO in Dec 2003.
The volume of foreign trade reached USD 5480.7 mn
in 2008 increasing by 24% over the previous year,
when the figure was USD 4420 mn. During the period
2004-2007, it registered a growth of 300%. Russia
and EU remained Armenia’s largest trading
partners. (Please see the attached annexure)
Armenia actively seeks foreign investment, but
bureaucratic procedures and old-era mindset
sometimes discourage potential investors. There is
frequent talk of corruption at the operational
level. However, Government corruption is a serious
problem hampering economic activity and
competition in the country. Armenia ranked 93rd
out of 163 countries in the Berlin-based
Transparency International’s Corruption Perception
Index. According to various expert estimates,
the share of ‘shadow’ sector of the economy is
between 40% to 70%. The Word Bank and the IMF
regard tax evasion as key economic challenge
facing Armenia, pressing the authorities in
Yerevan to tackle the problem in earnest. The
Armenian Government is also responding and is
trying its best to tackle the problems.
14. Multilateral and Regional organisations:
Member of UN, CIS, Council of Europe (CE), Black
Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC), and WTO. Observer
status in NAM.
15. Economic activity:
Agriculture,
mining (copper, gold, molybdenum, aluminum),
diamond cutting and polishing, jewellery
manufacture, light industry especially food
processing, Information Technology and tourism are
major economic activities. Wheat is the major
crop along with potatoes. A variety of fruits
particularly in summer such as apples, grapes,
apricots, peaches, cherries, melons and
strawberries are available. Steady economic
progress has earned Armenia increasing support
from international organizations like World Bank,
IMF, EBRD and other IFIs and foreign countries
which are extending considerable grants and loans
aimed at reducing budget deficit; developing
private businesses; agriculture; transportation;
energy; health and education sectors.
According to the National Statistical Service of
the Republic of Armenia, the country registered
6.8% economic growth in 2008 and GDP totalled USD
12166.8 mn. 13.8% economic growth was recorded in
2007. Under the state budget GDP growth was
planned at 10% for the year 2008, however due to
the ongoing global crisis, Russian-Georgian
conflict and the elections in Armenia are
considered to be the reasons for slowdown in
growth. Inflation in 2008 is registered at 9.2 %.
The share of industrial production was 13% against
15% in 2007. The share of agriculture was 15.7%
and the share of construction constituted 27.1%.
Trade, public catering, transport and
communication provided 17.5%, the services sector
on the whole – 34.3%. Taxes, the subsidies
exclusive, constituted 11.1% of the GDP. GDP per
capita was USD 3,689 (2,507 EUR) in 2008. During
the first half of 2008, Armenia's widening
current-account trade deficit grew by 66 percent
to $1.39 billion USD, with a 40 percent rise in
imports. Unemployment in Armenia in 2008 is
reported at 6.3% against 7% in 2007.
16. Global trade and investment
Foreign trade (constrained by landlocked situation
and closed borders with Turkey and Azerbaijan) was
USD
4439.2 mn in 2007. The balance of trade was
negative (USD -2124.4 mn).
Export
of processed diamonds is about 25% of the total.
According to the latest figures, accumulated
direct foreign investments in Armenia totalled USD
2103 mn.
Armenia’s investment climate is improving with a
strong government commitment to attracting FDI.
The investment and trade policies of Armenia are
considered to be the most open in the CIS by
international organizations. Foreign companies
are encouraged to invest in Armenia and are
entitled by law to the same treatment as local
companies.
Main Exports:
diamonds, mineral products, foodstuffs, energy
Main Imports:
natural gas, petroleum, tobacco products,
foodstuffs, diamonds
Main Trading Partners: Russia, Germany, Ukraine,
Kazakhstan, Belgium China, USA, Netherlands, Iran,
Italy
17. Universities
(1) Yerevan State University
www.ysu.am
(2) Armenian State Polytechnic University
www.seua.am
(3) Yerevan State University of Architecture
and Construction
www.iatp.am/sites/yeriac,
(4) Yerevan State Medical University
www.medib.am/ysmu,
ysmu@edu.am,
(5) Yerevan State Linguistic University
www.brusov.am
(6) State Engineering University of Armenia
www.seua.am,
rector@seua.am
(7) Yerevan State Conservatory
www.edu.am/cons
(8) National Academy of Sciences of Armenia
fsark@sci.am,
academy@sci.am
18. Major think tanks on foreign policy related
issues:
I) Armenian Centre for National &
International Studies (ACNIS),
Address: 75, Yerznkian Street, Yerevan,
Phone: 00 374 10 528780 Fax: 00 374 10 524846
E-mail:
root@acnis.am
Website:
www.acnis.am
II) Institute of Oriental Studies, Armenia
National Academy of Sciences,
Address: 24G Baghramyan Avenue, Yerevan, Phone: 00
374 10 583382
Fax: 00 374 10 505075 E-mail:
rsafrastyan@sci.am
III) Caucasus Media Institute (CMI),
Address, 39 Yeznik Koghbatsi Street, Yerevan,
Phone:
00
374 10 40631/32 Fax: 00 374 10 568860
E-mail: iskand@caucasusmedia.org
Website:
www.caucasusmedia.org
IV) Noravank Scientific and Educational
Foundation
Address: Garegin Nzhdehi St. 23/1,
0026, Yerevan,
Phone:00 374 10 440473/443846/443853,
Fax: 00 374 10 440473,
Website:
www.noravank.am
V) International Centre for Human
Development
Address: 19, Sayat Nova Avenue, Yerevan
Tel: 00 374 10-582638
Website:
www.ichd.org
Email: mail@ichd.og
19. Major Tourist attractions
Armenia is a picturesque country with some 15,000
monuments making it a unique open-air museum. It
is the first Christian country (AD301) in the
world. The capital Yerevan, is a major attraction
along with Etchmiadzin (seat of the Armenian
Apostolic Church with its first church built in
the fourth century), Garni (ancient 1st century
Greco-Roman temple), and the 12th
century Geghard (monastery named after the spear
that pierced Jesus Christ at Calvary). Tsakhkadzor
is famous for its recreational and sports
facilities, used for training Soviet Olympic
teams. The alpine Lake Sevan, some 60 km from the
capital, the second largest alpine fresh-water
lake in the world is the gem of Armenia. Vyats
Dzor and Syunik provinces in the South have
breathtaking mountain views. There are numerous
mineral water springs, the most famous being
Jermuk while Tatev monastery and the Churches of
St. Peter and St. Paul church built in 885 are
spectacular. The most significant medieval school,
Tatev University, was located here.
20. Art, Culture and Museums
Culture is the bone marrow of Armenia, with this
tiny nation clinging to its traditions, music and
language as a guarantee of survival. Khachkars or
carved memorial cross stones are an important,
obvious and beautiful part of Armenian decorative
art. The painting of illustrated manuscripts is
another great tradition. Armenian folk music that
some people (wrongly) describe as melancholic can
be beautiful and haunting, especially if a master
plays the duduk, a low pitched woodwind
instrument. Western classical music that came to
Armenia via Russia in the 19th century fused with
existing Armenian traditional music to create a
distinctively Armenian style full of bright
colours and rhythms, more vigorous than cerebral,
music of the heart rather than of the head. The
best known Armenian composer outside the country
is Aram Khachaturian (1903-78). The Armenian
script was created in the 5th century by Mesrop
Mashtots. Early Armenian literature is entirely
religious, but by the late 13th century poems on
love and other secular themes emerged. Hovhanees
Hovhannesian, Axel Bakunts, Hovhanees Toumanian,
Khachatour Abovian, and Avetik Issahakian are some
of the famous literary personalities in Armenia.
Ancient Armenian manuscripts from around the world
(including from India) are preserved in the
Mashtots Institute of Ancient Manuscripts
www.matendaran.am
21. Major Newspapers/Magazines
1. Hayastani Hanrapetutsyun (Daily),
Address: 2 Arshakunyats Avenue, Yerevan,
Phone: 00 374 10 525756 Fax: 00 374 10 548611
Email:
hh@press.aic.net
2. Noyan Tapan Highlights (Weekly) – (in
English)
Address: 28 Isahakian Street, 3rd Floor, Yerevan,
Phone: 00 374 10 524279/524318 Fax: 00 37410
524279
E-mail:
harut@noyan-tapan.am
Website:
www.noyan-tapan.am
TV channels
Public Television of Armenia
Address: 26 G. Hovsepyan Street, Yerevan,
Tel./Fax: (374 10) 55 85 05; 65 29 92; 56 24 60
E-mail:
director@armtv.com
Website:
http://www.armtv.com
Second Armenian TV Channel
Address: Achapniak G-3 3/1, Yerevan
Tel.:
(00 374 10) 39 61 44,
Fax:
(00 374 10) 39 56 40
E-mail:
h2@tv.am,
lraber@tv.am
Website:
www.tv/am
Armenia TV
Address: Yeghvard Highway N1, Yerevan
Tel.: (374 10) 36 69 25
Fax:
(00 374 10) 36 68 52
E-mail:
info@armeniatv.am
Website:
http://www.armeniatv.am
Shant
TV
Address: 10 floor, 16 Kievyan str. Yerevan
Tel./Fax: (00 374 10) 27 76 68/89/90, 26 16 86
E-mail:
info@shanttv.am
Website: http://www.shant-tv.com
Yerkir-Media
Address: 94 Charents Street, Yerevan
Tel./Fax: (374 10) 57 65 12;
Fax:
(00 374 10) 57 65 40
Website:
http://www.yerkirmedia.am
Armenkob
Address: 5 Alex Manoogyan Street, Yerevan
Tel./Fax: (374 10) 55 13 61, 55 46 00
Website:
http://www.mediaconcern.am
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