Читать книгу The 1997 CIA World Factbook - United States. Central Intelligence Agency - Страница 25

Introduction

Current issues: Armenia's leaders remain preoccupied by Armenia's nine-year old conflict with Azerbaijan over the Nagorno-Karabakh enclave. Although a cease-fire has been in effect since May 1994, the sides have not made substantial progress toward a peaceful resolution. President TER-PETROSSIAN's latitude on the issue may be further constrained by his controversial reelection in September 1996. When supporters of the main opposition candidate stormed the parliament following the announcement of TER-PETROSSIAN's victory, MVD forces were called in to restore order. The subsequent political standoff between government and opposition supporters diminished in late 1996 as the government has gradually attempted reconciliation. Despite these political problems, the Armenian government has been pursuing its aggressive economic reform program, although implementation of its privatization program stalled in late 1996.

@Armenia:Geography

Location: Southwestern Asia, east of Turkey

Geographic coordinates: 40 00 N, 45 00 E

Map references: Commonwealth of Independent States

Area: total : 29,800 sq km land: 28,400 sq km water: 1,400 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Maryland

Land boundaries: total: 1,254 km border countries: Azerbaijan-proper 566 km, Azerbaijan-Naxcivan exclave 221 km, Georgia 164 km, Iran 35 km, Turkey 268 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: highland continental, hot summers, cold winters

Terrain: high Armenian Plateau with mountains; little forest land; fast flowing rivers; good soil in Aras River valley

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Debed River 400 m highest point: Aragats Lerr 4,095 m

Natural resources: small deposits of gold, copper, molybdenum, zinc, alumina

Land use: arable land : 17% permanent crops: 3% permanent pastures: 24% forests and woodland: 15% other: 41% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 2,870 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: occasionally severe earthquakes; droughts

Environment - current issues: soil pollution from toxic chemicals such as DDT; energy blockade, the result of conflict with Azerbaijan, has led to deforestation when citizens scavenged for firewood; pollution of Hrazdan (Razdan) and Aras Rivers; the draining of Sevana Lich, a result of its use as a source for hydropower, threatens drinking water supplies; restart of Metsamor nuclear power plant without adequate (IAEA-recommended) safety and backup systems

Environment - international agreements: party to : Biodiversity, Climate Change, Nuclear Test Ban, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Desertification

Geography - note: landlocked

@Armenia:People

Population: 3,433,629 (July 1997 est.)

Age structure: 0–14 years: 27% (male 476,375; female 456,723) 15–64 years: 65% (male 1,088,103; female 1,134,649) 65 years and over: 8% (male 115,135; female 162,644) (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate: −0.33% (1997 est.)

Birth rate: 13.59 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate: 8.6 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Net migration rate: −8.32 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15–64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 40.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 66.9 years male: 62.69 years female: 71.32 years (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.71 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Nationality: noun: Armenian(s) adjective: Armenian

Ethnic groups: Armenian 93%, Azeri 3%, Russian 2%, other (mostly

Yezidi Kurds) 2% (1989)

note: as of the end of 1993, virtually all Azeris had emigrated from

Armenia

Religions: Armenian Orthodox 94%

Languages: Armenian 96%, Russian 2%, other 2%

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female : 98% (1989 est.)

@Armenia:Government

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Armenia conventional short form: Armenia local long form : Hayastani Hanrapetut'yun local short form: Hayastan former : Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic; Armenian Republic

Data code: AM

Government type: republic

National capital: Yerevan

Administrative divisions: 10 provinces (marzer, singular - marz) and 1

city* (k'aghak'ner, singular - k'aghak'); Aragatsotn, Ararat, Armavir,

Geghark'unik', Kotayk', Lorri, Shirak, Syunik', Tavush, Vayots' Dzor,

Yerevan*

Independence: 28 May 1918 (First Armenian Republic); 23 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday: Referendum Day, 21 September

Constitution: adopted by nationwide referendum 5 July 1995

Legal system: based on civil law system

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state : President Levon Akopovich TER-PETROSSIAN (since NA October 1991); note - prior to becoming Armenia's first president, TER-PETROSSIAN was chairman of the Armenian Supreme Soviet since 4 August 1990 head of government: Prime Minister Robert KOCHARIAN (since 20 March 1997) cabinet : Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 22 September 1996 (next to be held NA September 2001); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Levon Akopovich TER-PETROSSIAN elected president; percent of vote - Levon Akopovich TER-PETROSSIAN 52%, Vazgen MANUKYAN 41%

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Azgayin Zhoghov (190 seats; members serve five-year terms) elections: last held 5 July 1995 (next to be held NA 2000) election results : percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Republican Bloc 159 (ANM 63, DLP-Hanrapetutyun Bloc 6, Republic Party 4, CDU 3, Intellectual Armenia 3, Social Democratic Party 2, independents 78), SWM 8, ACP 7, NDU 5, NSDU 3, DLP 1, ARF 1, other 4, vacant 2

Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Constitutional Court

Political parties and leaders:

Republic Bloc (Hanrapetoutioun): Armenian National Movement or ANM

[Husik LAZARIAN, chairman]; Democratic Liberal Party [Orthosis

GYONJIAN, chairman]; Republican Party [Ashot NAVARSARDIAN, chairman];

Christian Democratic Union or CDU [Azat ARSHAKIAN, chairman];

Intellectual Armenia [H. TOKMAJIAN]; Social Democratic (Hnchakian)

Party [Yeghia NAJARIAN]

opposition parties: Shamiram Women's Movement or SWM [Shoger

MATEVOSIAN]; Armenian Communist Party or ACP [Sergey BADALYAN];

National Democratic Union or NDU [Davit VARDANIAN and Vasgen

MANUKIAN]; Union of National Self-Determination or NSDU [Paruir

HAIRIKIAN, chairman]; Democratic Liberal Party or DLP [Rouben

MIRZAKHANIAN, chairman]; Armenian Revolutionary Federation or ARF

[Rouben HAKOBIAN, chairman]

International organization participation: BSEC, CCC, CE (guest), CIS,

EBRD, ECE, ESCAP, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO,

IMF, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NACC, NAM

(observer), OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO,

WIPO, WMO, WTrO (applicant)

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Ruben SHUGARIAN chancery: 2225 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 319–1976 FAX : [1] (202) 319–2982 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Peter TOMSEN embassy: 18 Gen Bagramian, Yerevan mailing address : use embassy street address telephone: [374] (2) 151–144, 524–661 FAX: [374] (2) 151–550

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue, and gold

Economy

Economy - overview: Under the old Soviet central planning system, Armenia had developed a modern industrial sector, supplying machine building tools, textiles, and other manufactured goods to sister republics in exchange for raw materials and energy. Since the implosion of the USSR in December 1991, Armenia has switched to small-scale agriculture away from the large agroindustrial complexes of the Soviet area. The privatization of industry has been at a much slower pace. Armenia is a food importer and its mineral deposits (gold, bauxite) are small. The ongoing conflict with Azerbaijan over the ethnic Armenian-dominated region of Nagorno-Karabakh and the embargoes imposed by Azerbaijan and Turkey contributed to a severe economic decline in the early 1990s. By 1994, however, the Armenian Government had launched an ambitious IMF-sponsored economic program that has resulted in positive growth rates in 1995 and 1996. Armenia also managed to slash inflation and to privatize most small and medium-sized enterprises. The chronic energy shortages Armenia suffered in recent years has been partially offset by the energy supplied by one of its nuclear power plants at Metsamor, which in 1996 supplied about 40% of the country's energy needs, according to the Armenian Government. Moreover, Armenia is expanding its energy imports from Iran.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $9.7 billion (1996 estimate as extrapolated from World Bank estimate for 1994)

GDP - real growth rate: 4% (1996 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $2,800 (1996 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 35% industry: 35% services : 30% (1995 est.)

Inflation rate - consumer price index: 5.7% (1996 est.)

Labor force: total : 1.6 million (1996) by occupation: industry and construction 23%, agriculture 38%, services 37%, other 2%

Unemployment rate: 7.4% officially registered unemployed, but large numbers of underemployed (December 1996)

Budget: revenues : $NA expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

Industries: much of industry is shut down; metal-cutting machine tools, forging-pressing machines, electric motors, tires, knitted wear, hosiery, shoes, silk fabric, washing machines, chemicals, trucks, watches, instruments, microelectronics

Industrial production growth rate: 1% (1996 est.)

Electricity - capacity: 2.77 million kW (1994)

Electricity - production: 6.3 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity - consumption per capita: 1,462 kWh (1995 est.)

Agriculture - products: fruit (especially grapes), vegetables; vineyards near Yerevan are famous for brandy and other liqueurs; minor livestock sector

Exports: total value : $273 million (f.o.b., 1996) commodities: gold and jewelry, aluminum, transport equipment, electrical equipment, scrap metal partners: Iran, Russia, Turkmenistan, Georgia

Imports: total value : $830 million (c.i.f., 1996) commodities: grain, other foods, fuel, other energy partners: Iran, Russia, Turkmenistan, Georgia, US, EU

Debt - external: $850 million (of which $75 million to Russia) (1995 est.)

Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $NA note: commitments (excluding Russia), $1,385 million ($675 million in disbursements) (1992–95)

Currency: 1 dram = 100 luma (introduced new currency in November 1993)

Exchange rates: dram per US$1 - 443 (December 1996), 401.8 (end

December 1995), 406 (end December 1994)

Fiscal year: calendar year

@Armenia:Communications

Telephones: 650,000

Telephone system: joint venture agreement to install fiber-optic cable and construct facilities for cellular telephone service is in the implementation phase domestic: NA international : international connections to other former Soviet republics are by landline or microwave radio relay and to other countries by satellite and by leased connection through the Moscow international gateway switch; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat

Radio broadcast stations: AM 10, FM 3, shortwave NA (1991)

Radios: NA

Television broadcast stations: 1 note: 100% of population receives Armenian and Russian TV programs

Televisions: NA

@Armenia:Transportation

Railways: total: 825 km in common carrier service; does not include industrial lines broad gauge: 825 km 1.520-m gauge (1992)

Highways: total : 7,720 km paved: 7,496 km unpaved: 224 km (1995 est.)

Waterways: NA km

Pipelines: natural gas 900 km (1991)

Ports and harbors: none

Airports: 11 (1996 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 5 over 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (1996 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m : 2 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 1 (1996 est.)

Military

Military branches: Army, Air Force, Air Defense Force, Security Forces (internal and border troops)

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age

Military manpower - availability: males age 15–49: 907,579 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males: 722,715 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 30,942 (1997 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $75 million (1992)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: Armenia supports ethnic Armenians in the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan in the longstanding, separatist conflict against the Azerbaijani Government; traditional demands on former Armenian lands in Turkey have subsided

Illicit drugs: illicit cultivator of cannabis mostly for domestic consumption; used as a transshipment point for illicit drugs to Western Europe and the US ______________________________________________________________________