8. Armenia
Republic of Armenia (Haikakan Hanra-petoutioun)
Capital: Yerevan Currency: Dram Area: 29,800 sq.km.
Coastline: Landlocked
Population: 3,013,900 Other Large Cities: Kirovakan, Kumairi; Languages: Armenian; Religions: Arme nian Apostolic-94.7%, other Christian-4%, Yezidi-1.3%; Literacy: 99.6%; Life Expec
tancy: 73.69; p.c.i: $7,034; HDI rank: 87; Date of Independence: 21st September, 1991.
Government Type: Republic; President: , Serzh Sargsyan; PM: Hovik Abrahamyan. t Climate: Continental (warm summer)
Regional Divisions: 11 Provinces Geography: Landlocked in the Lesser Cau casus Mountains; Sevana Lich (Lake Sevan) is the largest lake in this mountain range History: Despite periods of autonomy,
over the centuries Armenia came under the sway of various empires including the Roman Byzantine, Arab, Persian and Ottoman. During Word War I in the west ern portion of Armenia, Ottoman Turkey instituted a policy of forced resettlement coupled with other harsh pratices that resulted in an estimated 1 million Arme nian deaths. The eastern area of Armenia was ceded by the Ottomans to Russia in 1828; this portion declared its indepen dence in 1918, but was conquered by the Soviet Red Army in 1920. Armenian lead ers remain preoccupied by the long conflict with Muslim Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Kara bakh, 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.
Mission in India: Embassy of the Republic of Armenia, D-133, Anand Niketan, New Delhi-110021; Tel: 24112851,24112852 Fax: 2411 2853. E-mail: armemb@vsnl.com
Indian Mission in Armenia: Embassy of In dia, 50/2, Dzorapi Street, Yerevan-375019; Tel: 00-374-10-539173; Fax: 00-374 10-533984.