Armenia History In the first century B.C., the Armenian empire was one of the most powerful in Asia. It included areas of Georgia, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Irak, and Iran. Mount Ararat is one of the symbols of Armenia, where during biblical times Noah's arc was stranded. This mountain is now part of Turkey, but can be easily seen from the Armenian capital, Yerevan. Despite periods of autonomy, over the centuries Armenia came under the sway of various empires including the Roman, Byzantine, Arab, Persian, and Ottoman. It was incorporated into Russia in 1828 and the USSR in 1920. Armenian leaders remain preoccupied by the long conflict with Muslim Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh, a primarily Armenian-populated region, assigned to Soviet Azerbaijan in the 1920s by Moscow. Armenia and Azerbaijan began fighting over the area in 1988. The struggle escalated after both countries attained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. A cease-fire took hold in May 1994, at which time Armenian forces held not only Nagorno-Karabakh but also a significant portion of Azerbaijan proper. Hardly any minorities live among the 98% largely Christian Armenians. Only the Yezidi (Kurds) account for more than 1% of the population. Large groups of Armenians, however, live outside Armenia in neighbouring places like, Russia, Gergia, Trykey, Iran, Lebanon, Syria. Further away, France, Argentina, Canada and the USA count sizeable Armenian populations. Internationally famous people with Armenian roots include the French singer Charles Aznavour, and Americans Andre Agassi (tennis), Cher, and world record juggler Bruce Sarafian. Geography and Nature Armenia encompasses 29,800 square kilometres, slightly smaller than the Netherlands or the State of Maryland (USA). It has a population of 3 million and borders Turkey, Georgia, Azerbaijan, and Iran. The highest mountain in Armenia is Mt. Aragats, reaching 4090 meters. The river Debed drops to 450 meters below sea level. Most of the country lies between 1000 and 2500 meters above sea level. Due to such a variety of elevations, different landscapes and climates can be seen like dessert, steppe, and forests with their corresponding flora and fauna. Unspoiled nature dominates most of the country. Armenia has an inland climate, warm summers and cold winders. Mountainous areas can be cool, even during the summer months. Culture and religion Armenia prides itself on being the first nation to formally adopt Christianity (301 A.D.). Many old and important churches and monasteries dot the Armenian landscape and are well worth a visit. Armenia developed its own type of Christianity, the Armenian Apostolic Church. Due to Armenia's geographic location between several Islamic countries, religion has always been an extremely important part of the Armenian identity. 98% of Armenians are Armenian Apostolic. The Armenian capital of Yerevan is among the oldest in the world, but was completely rebuilt at the beginning of the 20th century in the Soviet style. Countless precious documents and items can be seen in Yerevan's numerous museums and libraries. During warm summers, locals seek the shade of parks, where the hospitable Armenians play chess or simply relax. Economy Armenia's economy includes diamond mining, cutting and export, as well as industrial production. The economy grew 9% in 2004. Armenia is also famous for its local cognac. The conflict with Azerbaijan over the ethnic Armenian-dominated Nagorno-Karabakh and the break up of the Soviet Union contributed to a severe economic decline in the early 1990s. By 1994, however, the Armenian Government had launched an ambitious IMF-sponsored economic liberalization program that resulted in positive growth rates in 1995-2004. Armenia joined the WTO in January 2003, managed to slash inflation, stabilize the local currency, and privatize most small- and medium-sized enterprises. The chronic energy shortages Armenia suffered in the early and mid-1990s have been offset by the energy supplied by one of its nuclear power plants at Metsamor. Armenia is now a net energy exporter. Economic ties with Russia remain close, especially in the energy sector. The Armenian currency is the dram, divided into 100 luma. Most local payments are in cash. Euros or dollars can be easily exchanged in the larger cities Internet cafés are popping up in the cities and Armenia is served by GSM for mobile telephones. Lanuage 98% of the population speaks Armenian, the official language of the country. Many of these also either speak or at least understand Russian. English is gaining popularity, especially among younger people. Armenian is an Indo-European language with a unique alphabet. A few useful phrases: yes ayo no voch hello barev thank you shnorhakalutyun sorry neretsek Armenia Hayastan