History of Armenia:
Armenia has historically been a part of several major empires due to its advantageous location halfway between Europe and Asia. These include the Ottoman Empire, the Turkish Emipire, the Greeks, Romans, Assyrians, Arabs, and Persians.
The Kingdom of Urartu, which lasted until 600 BC, annexed the region that is now Armenia in 800 BC. At this point, the Orontid Dynasty founded the Kingdom of Armenia. Tigranes the Great governed the Armenian Kingdom from 95 to 66 BC. Armenia had its greatest level of dominance during this century, becoming into a vast and powerful country.
Armenia was the first nation to recognize Christianity as its official state religion, doing so in 301 AD. The church it founded is still in existence and is not a part of either the Eastern Orthodox or Roman Catholic faiths.
In the years between 1918 and 1920, Armenia attained independence after being governed by a number of different empires and countries. But the Soviet Union invaded in late 1920. Armenia joined the Soviet Socialist Republic in 1922. Armenia was once more allowed to proclaim its independence after the dissolution of the Soviet Union. The country regained its independence on September 21, 1991.
Information about Armenia:
| Capital | Yerevan |
| Population | 2,777,972 (Source: 2023 worldometer) |
| Major Cities | Yerevan, Gyumri, Vanadzor, Artashat, Gavar, Yerevan, Hrazdan, Kapan, Vagharshapat, Abovyan |
| Borders | Turkey to the west, Georgia to the north and Azerbaijan to the east, and Iran and the Azerbaijani exclave of Nakhchivan to the south |
| Gross Domestic Product (GDP) | $19,502,783,988 (2022 worldometer) |
| Currency | dram (AMD) |
Flag of Armenia:
Armenia Economy Key Industries:
Armenia Major Industries: diamond-processing, metal-cutting machine tools, forging-pressing machines, electric motors, tires, knitted wear, hosiery, shoes, silk fabric, chemicals, trucks, instruments, microelectronics, jewelry manufacturing, software development, food processing, brandy
Armenia Agricultural Products: fruit (especially grapes), vegetables; livestock
Armenia Natural Resources: small deposits of gold, copper, molybdenum, zinc, alumina
Armenia Major Exports: diamonds, mineral products, foodstuffs, energy
Armenia Major Imports: natural gas, petroleum, tobacco products, foodstuffs, diamonds
The Geography of Armenia:
Total Size of Armenia: 29,743 km2 (source: wikipedia)
Geographical Low Point of Armenia: Debed River 400 m
Geographical High Point of Armenia: Aragats Lerrnagagat’ 4,090 m
Climate of Armenia: highland continental, hot summers, cold winters
General Terrain of Armenia: Armenian Highland with mountains; little forest land; fast flowing rivers; good soil in Aras River valley
World Region or Continent of Armenia: Asia
Geographical Coordinates: 40 00 N, 45 00 E
The People of Armenia & Culture
Armenia Government Type: republic
Armenia Nationality: Armenian(s)
Armenia National Holiday: Independence Day, 21 September (1991)
Armenia Independence: 21 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)
Armenia National Symbol: Mount Ararat; eagle; lion
Armenia National Anthem or Song: Mer Hayrenik(Our Fatherland)
Armenia Languages Spoken: Armenian 97.7%, Yezidi 1%, Russian 0.9%, other 0.4% (2001 census)
Armenia Religions: Armenian Apostolic 94.7%, other Christian 4%, Yezidi (monotheist with elements of nature worship) 1.3%
Interesting Facts about Armenia:
Almost the whole population is Armenian, making it one of the most monoethnic countries in the world today. The remaining 3% of the population, which is made up entirely of Armenians at about 97%, is made up of Russians, Kurds, Ukrainians, and other nationalities.
Armenia is home to the world’s oldest winery, according to records. 2011 saw the discovery of this winery by archaeologists not far from the Areni village. All other wineries that have ever been discovered elsewhere in the world are older than this one, which is situated in a little cave.
Armenia is home to one of the world’s oldest capitals. Yerevan, which was founded 29 years before Rome, is home to a number of notable museums as well as a number of historic buildings.
Armenia is home to a large number of birds, including 345 of the 530 species considered to be present throughout all of Europe. Many eagles, swans, and falcons may be found in Armenia, and these animals are also shown on the country’s coat of arms.
Sport is incredibly important to Armenia, and they took home gold and silver medals at the Rio Olympics. They seem to be a very tough species, with weightlifting and wrestling dominating their sporting sphere.
Lake Sevan is the largest lake in the Caucasus and one of the largest lakes in the world. Above it stands one of the country’s most popular tourist attractions, a monastery complex.
Aremenia contains three UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including several of Armenia’s monasteries and churches. These world heritage monuments also include a number of churches.
In Armenia, there is a ski area with 27 kilometers of slopes and a total of six lifts that will carry you to the peak where you can engage in skiing.
According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the Tatev aerial Tramway is the longest non-stop cable car in the world, stretching 18,871 feet between the Tatev monastery and the Vorotan River Gorge.
Armenia is credited with being one of the first countries in the world to manufacture wine because of its location beneath Mount Ararat, which offers fertile valleys ideal for growing grapes.
The legendary bread lavash is produced in underground vaults that are kept a secret. These ovens are referred to as “tonir”.
The formal method to express “thank you” in Armenian, a language that is extremely challenging to read and understand, is “merci.” Linguistic obstacles frequently exist for international tourists to Armenia.
Three of the six countries Armenia has borders with are Iran, Turkey, and Soviet Georgia.
Armenian law forbids the use of musical instruments after dark. According to Armenian legislation, it is against the law to play musical instruments like guitars and banjos after dark.
The flag of Armenia is horizontally striped in red, blue, and orange. Orange denotes power and laborious work, blue the color of the earth, and red the blood shed by Armenians in the past.
The largest lake in the Caucasus and one of the largest freshwater high-altitude lakes in the world are both found in Armenia. Sevana Lich (Lake Sevan), a 1240 sq km body of water, is located 1,900m (6,234ft) above sea level.
Armenia is located along the Silk Road, a historic trading route that linked China with Europe and the Middle East.
The first church ever built in the world was in Armenia. Holy Etchimiadzin, which was built at the beginning of the fourth century, was the first state church ever built.
Apricots are a special variety of fruit that Armenians adore. Armenians enjoy the fruit so much that they mix it with wine, cognac, and juice.