About Armenia
| Official Name: | Republic of Armenia - Hayastany Hanrapetoutyun (Hayastan) |
| Capital City: | Yerevan |
| Major Cities: | Gyumri, Vanadzor |
| Official Language: | Armenian |
| Religion: | Christian, Armenian Apostolic Church |
| Currency Unit: | Armenian Dram, introduced in 1993 |
| Population: |
3,219,400 (as of 1 July 2006) |
| Ethnic Breakdown: | Armenians - 96% |
| Minorities: |
Russians, Yezidis, Kurds, Assyrians, Greeks, Ukrainians, Jews and others |
|
Territory: |
29.74 thousand square kilometers |
| Avg. Altitude Above Sea Level: | 1,800 meters |
|
Highest Mountain Peak: |
Aragats (4,095 meters) |
Natural Resources: Armenia is rich in copper, iron, bauxite,
molybdenum, gold, silver, lead and zinc. Substantial deposits of
pumice, marble, tufa, perlite, limestone, basalt and salt also exist.
Precious and semi-precious stones are abundant.
Geographic Coordinates:
in the South: 38o 50’ Northern Latitude;
in the North: 41o 20’ Northern Latitude:
in the West: 43o 30’ Eastern Longitude;
in the East: 46o 00’ Eastern Longitude
Neighboring Countries:
in the North: Georgia;
in the East: Azerbaijan;
in the South: Iran;
in the South-West: Nakhijevan (Azerbaijan);
in the West: Turkey.
Abstract
15,000 monuments of history and culture are spread all over the territory of the Republic of Armenia making this country a unique open-air museum. The fact that Armenia is the oldest Christian state, the existence of early Christian monuments and strong traditions make Armenia a fascinating country for tourists interested in religious and cultural tours. Armenians built magnificent churches in the most inaccessible places and carved unique cross stones which have become one of the symbols of the nation.
The presence of nearly all climatic zones, variety in relief, diversity in flora and fauna attract the people who prefer ecological tourism, bird watching, geological and adventure tours. The sights of Armenian nature - the Armenian Plateau containing an endless chain of mountains, lakes hidden in the heights, mountain torrents and waterfalls, valleys and forests leave deep impressions in people who visit Armenia. Being a country of contrasts in this small piece of land Armenia has sultry summer and eternal winter existing almost side by side. The valleys can be as hot as tropics while mountains are covered with snow all year around.
One of the most ancient cities of the world - Yerevan, is of special interest for visitors. Downtown Yerevan is full of open-air cafes, restaurants, parks and entertainment. Original architecture bearing the signs of various epochs, and safe streets make the city pleasant for walks. The view on the Biblical Mt. Ararat, which is 50 km from Yerevan, is very beautiful.
