Armenia is a landlocked, mountainous country in the South Caucasus

region of Eurasia.

Area: 29,743 sq. km

Time zone: UTC (UTC +4)

Map of the Republic of Armenia

The Armenian endonym for the Armenian people and country is hayer and

Hayk, respectively. The name in the Middle Ages was extended to Hayastan.

Flag and Coat of arms of the Republic of Armenia

The Republic of Armenia was founded on May 28, 1918.

During 1921-1991 it was incorporated into the Soviet Union.

On 23 August 1990, Armenia declared independence, becoming the first non-Baltic

republic to secede from the Soviet Union. Armenia's independence was officially

recognized in 1991, when the Soviet Union was dissolved.

A mass demonstration

for independence

The official language is Armenian which has two major branches: Eastern

and Western. It belongs to the Indo-European family of languages and forms

a separate group in it.

Its unique modern alphabet was invented by Mesrop Mashtots in 405 A.D.

Most common foreign languages are Russian and English.

Armenian Alphabet “Armenian

Alphabet

Monument”

in village

Artashavan,

Armenia

Mesrop Mashtots

After several years of double-digit economic growth, Armenia faced a severe economic recession with GDP declining more than 14% in 2009. Sharp declines in the construction sector and workers' remittances, particularly from Russia, led the downturn. The economy began to recover in 2010 with 2.1% growth, and picked up to 4.6% growth in 2011, before slowing to 3.8% in 2012.

Notable branches of…

…industry: diamond processing, metal-cutting machine tools, forge-pressing machines,

microelectronics, jewelry manufacturing, software development, food processing etc.

…agriculture - products: fruit (especially grapes and apricots), vegetables, livestock, wheat, wine,

brandy.

Armenian Grape and Wine

Armenian

hand-

painted

silk scarf

(“Armenia

on Silk”)

Armenian brandy

Diamonds

Microelectronics

Apricot,

Prunus

Armeniaca

(Armenian

plum)

Yerevan is the capital of Armenia:

-Founded in 782 BC;

-Has been the capital since 1918, the thirteenth in the history of

Armenia;

-Home for about one third of the total population of Armenia.

Yerevan

panorama

Flag of

Yerevan

Yerevan is the largest city of Armenia:

-2012 World Book Capital by UNESCO;

-Home to dozens of museums, art galleries and libraries;

-Administrative, cultural and industrial center of the country;

-One of the world's oldest continuously inhabited cities.

Republic Square at night Armenian National Academic Theatre of

Opera and Ballet aft. Al. Spendiaryan

Matenadaran

– the

Museum of

Ancient

Manuscripts

Statue of

Sasuntsi

Davit (David

of Sasun) by

Yervand

Kochar

Cascade complex

Tsitsernakaberd – the

Armenian Genocide

Memorial

Gyumri panorama

-Armenia was the first country to adopt Christianity as its official religion in AD 301;

-The Armenian Apostolic Church is the world's oldest national church, one of the most

ancient Christian communities;

-Over 93% of Armenian Christians belong to the Armenian Apostolic Church, a form of

Oriental (Non-Chalcedonian) Orthodoxy;

-Armenian religiosity: Armenian Orthodoxy - 94%, Armenian Catholicism - 3%; Yazidism - 1%;

other Christians - 2%.

 

Other Christians

Armenian Cross

Liturgy

St. Gregory

the Illuminator

Cathedral in

Yerevan – the

largest

Armenian

church in the

world

Armenian people from pre-Christian times were celebrating various popular feasts. After

Christianity the majority of these rites have been performed in religious ceremonies,

thanks to it many elements of ancient festivities are preserved up to date.

New Year, Christmas, Easter, Vardavar (Transfiguration of Jesus Christ), Grape Blessing,

Saint Sargis Feast, Palm Sunday and other holidays are the reliable testimonies of Armenian

people and their culture identity and longevity.

Palm Sunday

(“Tsaghkazard”)

Transfiguration

(“Vardavar”)

Grape

blessing

(“Khaghogh

orhneq”)

Easter

(“Zatik”)

Armenia is often referred to as an open air museum.

The culture of Armenia encompasses many elements that are based on the geography,

literature, architecture, dance, and music of the people.

Tourists find over 4,000 historical monuments throughout Armenia, covering various periods

of the country's history from prehistoric to Hellenistic times, and from the early to

medieval Christian era.

Komitas, the founder

of modern Armenian

classical music

Armenian

Carpet “Gohar”

with Armenian

inscription, 1700

“The Ninth

Wave”-the

most

famous

painting by

marine

artist

Hovhannes

(Ivan)

Aivazovsky

Traditional Armenian dance

Hovhannes

Tumanyan –

the national

poet of

Armenia

Scattered all over the world as refugees, the Armenians have made their mark in many

places and many fields.

Being a very small nation, Armenia gave many famous people to the World Civilization.

System of a Down–Armenian-

American rock band

Viktor Hambardzumyan-

scientist, one of the founders

of theoretical astrophysics

Garry Kasparov-chess

player, ranked #1 in world

Hovannes Adamian–

engineer, one of

inventors of colour TV

Hovhannes (Ivan) Baghramyan-

Marshal of Soviet Union

Cher – famous

American-Armenian

singer, actress

Charles Aznavour-

Armenian-French singer

Andre Agassi – tennis

player, ranked #1 in world

Arshile Gorky-Armenian-

American painter, one of

founders of Abstract

Expressionism

Armenia is situated on the same latitude as Spain, Italy and Greece. Its climate ranges from

dry subtropical to cold mountain weather.

Armenia has deposits of a variety of minerals and rocks: copper, molybdenum, gold,

polymetallic and iron ores, etc. The country is rich in more than a thousand curative

mineral springs.

There are over 215 rivers and more than 100 mountain lakes in Armenia.

Dzoraget River

Shaki Waterfall - Armenia's

highest waterfall, with a

height of 18m

Lake Sevan - the largest lake in

Armenia and the Caucasus region. It

is one of the largest fresh-water

high-altitude lakes in the world

-Education has traditionally always been highly rated in Armenia - in a

country, which has 1600 years old history of literacy.

-Armenia was considered one of the most advanced scientific centers of

the former Soviet Union, with 99% literacy rate.

-The applied sciences such as physics, mathematics, chemistry,

microbiology, engineering and medicine are the main developed

branches in the scientific and educational system of Armenia.

*Establihsed in 1919

Alumni to date 11000

Faculties 19

Deprtments/Chairs More than 100

Bachelor programs 60

Master programs 130

Doctoral programs 70

Students (data from 1

Jan. 2013)

18000

Staff 3000