REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA

GENERAL DATA
Area: 29.74 thousand square kilometers
Population: 3,222,900 [96 % of Armenia’s population are Armenians. Minorities living in Armenia include Yezidis, Russians, Kurds, Assyrians, Greeks, Ukrainians, Jews, Georgians, Germans, Byelorussians, Poles and others.]
Capital: Yerevan
President: Mr. Serzh Sargisyan
Religion: Christian (Armenian Apostolic Church)
Life Expectancy: (at birth, for 2007) 73.5 years
Gross domestic product based on purchasing-power-parity (PPP) per capita GDP: 5422.04.

GOVERNMENT
Armenia is a unitary, democratic, social state governed by rule of law.  Armenia is a secular state, nonetheless the Republic of Armenia (RA) recognizes the exclusive historical mission of the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church as a national church, in the spiritual life, development of the national culture and preservation of the national identity of the people of Armenia.

The state power in RA is administered pursuant to the Constitution and the laws based on the principle of separation of the legislative, executive and judicial branches.  The President of the Republic of Armenia is the head of State.  The people directly elect the President for a five-year term. The same person cannot hold the office of president for more than two consecutive terms. The Executive power  is exercised by RA Government, which is composed of the Prime Minister and Ministers.  Based on consultations held with National Assembly (NA) factions, the President of Republic appoints the person nominated by the parliamentary majority to be Prime Minister or – where-impossible – the person nominated by the largest number of NA membership.  The President of the Republic appoints and discharges members of Government on Prime Minister's proposal.  The Prime Minister is directly responsible to the President.  He / she also reports to the National Assembly.  The Prime Minister presides over the Cabinet.  The single-chambered National Assembly (NA) is the supreme legislative authority of the Republic of Armenia.   The National Assembly consists of 131 deputies (75 of which are elected on the basis of proportional representation and 56 – majority representation).  The National Assembly is elected through general elections for a term of four years. Parliamentary elections were last held in 2007.  Justice is administered by the Courts of the RA.  There exist courts of common jurisdiction (1st instance), specialized courts (administrative, civil and criminal), courts of appeal (civil and criminal) and Cassation Court (highest judicial body except from constitutional-justice issues which are under the jurisdiction of the Constitutional Court).  The highest body of the constitutional justice, which provides supremacy and direct enforcement of the Constitution in the legal system of the Republic of Armenia, is the Constitutional Court. Since 1991, the Armenian Government has established diplomatic and economic relations with 153 countries. Armenia is a member of the Council of Europe, maintaining friendly relations with the European Union.  Armenia is a member state of 55 Intergovernmental and International organizations.

ECONOMY
Armenia was included in a list of countries with a high degree of economic freedom in 2007 occupying 28th place, according to the annual survey "Index of Economic Freedom" conducted by the Heritage Foundation / the Wall Street Journal.  The appraisal of economic freedom is based on 50 economic indicators within the following categories: capital flows and foreign investments; banking and financial systems; monetary, budget and trade polices; salaries and prices; state interference in the economy; property rights and regulations; and black markets.  Armenia was included in a list of countries with a high degree of economic freedom in 2004 occupying 44th place together with France according to the annual survey “Index of Economic Freedom” conducted by the Heritage Foundation /the Wall Street Journal/.  Armenia has a successful record of transition creating a favorable macroeconomic climate based on a market economy.
There has been consistent growth since 1994. The country has successfully implemented a comprehensive stabilization and structural reform program. In 1993, the first stock exchange was established and the new currency, the Dram, was introduced.  Armenia’s steady economic progress has earned it increasing support from international institutions. The International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), as well as other international financial institutions and foreign countries have extended considerable grants and loans, which have given the Republic a strong hand in improving its infrastructure and economic atmosphere. In fact, Armenia’s GDP, which has experienced double-digit growth for the past years. The government has also controlled inflation and substantially reduced its rates of poverty and severe poverty. Armenia’s major exports are diamonds, mineral products and energy. Its main export partners are the EU, Russia, Israel, Iran, and the US. Armenia’s major imported commodities are natural gases, petroleum products, tobacco products and foodstuff. The main imports partners of the country are Iran, Russia, Israel, Italy, Germany, France, US and UAE.  Due to stable economic growth and an open trade system, exports have increased considerably since 1999, accompanied by import substitution as a result of an increase in domestic production. Exports increased by 5.1% in 1999 while import growth was negative, at - 10.1%. In 2004 exports and imports increased by 4.3% and 5.6 % respectively. In 2005 the growth trend of exports was continued at 34.2%. For the same period, the main export countries were: CIS countries (18.9%); EU (46.6%); Israel (13.6%); and USA (6.5%).

GEOGRAPHY
Armenia is a landlocked country situated in the northeast of the Armenian Plateau, between the Caucasus and Asia Minor.  Armenia is bordering with four countries – Georgia in the North, Azerbaijan on the East, Iran in the South and Turkey on the West.  Modern Armenia occupies one tenth part of the historical Armenia, whose ancient centers were in the valley of the Arax River and the region around Lake Van in Turkey.

The most part of Armenia is mountainous and flat with few forests. The average altitude is 1,800 meters above the sea level; the highest peak is Mount Aragats with an altitude of 4,090 meters.  The Lesser Caucasus Range extends through northern Armenia, runs southeast between Lake Sevan and Azerbaijan, then passes roughly along the Armenian-Azerbaijani border to Iran. The lowest points are in the valleys of the Araks (Aras) River and the Debed River in the far north, which have elevations of 380 and 430 meters, respectively. There are more than 200 streams and rivers in Armenia. The Armenian countryside also boasts some 100 small, but picturesque lakes. One of the largest mountain lakes in the world, the Lake Sevan, covers an area of 1,400 square kilometers. 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.

The climate is highland continental: hot summers and cold winters. Average winter temperature ranges between -5° and -10°C and average summer temperature is +30°C. Administratively, Armenia is divided into 10 Regions, in addition to these the Capital City also has a special administrative status.