Armenia, officially the Republic of Armenia, is a landlocked country in the South Caucasus. It borders Georgia to the north, Azerbaijan to the east, Iran to the south and Turkey to the west. Its capital and largest city is Yerevan. Armenia covers 29,743 square kilometres and has a mountainous landscape with an average elevation of about 1,800 metres above sea level.[1] The World Bank recorded a population of 3,086,700 in 2025.[2]
Armenia has a long recorded history extending through ancient and medieval kingdoms, periods of foreign rule, a short-lived independent republic from 1918 to 1920, and several decades as part of the Soviet Union.[3] Christianity became closely connected with Armenian state and cultural identity in the early fourth century. The Cathedral of Echmiatsin, traditionally associated with Armenia's adoption of Christianity, was built in AD 301–303.[4] The Armenian alphabet was created by Mesrop Mashtots in AD 405 and became a major element of Armenian literary and cultural life.[5]
Modern Armenia became independent following a referendum held on 21 September 1991 during the dissolution of the Soviet Union.[6] The country operates under a parliamentary system. The president is head of state, while executive authority is exercised by the government headed by the prime minister.[7] As of September 2026, Vahagn Khachaturyan is president and Nikol Pashinyan is prime minister.[8]
History
Early and medieval Armenia
Armenian political and cultural traditions developed over many centuries in the Armenian Highlands and surrounding regions. Ancient Armenian kingdoms interacted with major powers including Persia, Rome and Byzantium. During later centuries, Armenian territories were governed at different times by Persian, Arab, Byzantine, Mongol and Turkic powers.[3]
One of the most significant changes in Armenian history was the adoption of Christianity in the early fourth century. The Cathedral of Echmiatsin, associated with King Trdat III and Gregory the Illuminator, dates from the opening years of the fourth century and became a central institution of the Armenian Church.[4] Christianity subsequently became an important part of Armenian religious, artistic and literary traditions.
In 405, Mesrop Mashtots developed the Armenian alphabet. It supported the growth of Armenian-language literature, religious texts and scholarship and remained a central symbol of Armenian cultural identity. Armenian letter art and its associated cultural practices were added to UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2019.[5]
Armenian political authority was restored under the Bagratid dynasty during the medieval period. The Bagratids achieved royal status in Armenia in the ninth century and became one of the most important ruling houses in the Caucasus.[9] Medieval Armenia also developed distinctive traditions of church architecture, manuscript production, stone carving and monastic scholarship.
Foreign rule and the Armenian genocide
Over subsequent centuries, Armenian-populated territories were divided among regional empires. By the modern era, large Armenian communities lived under both Ottoman and Russian rule.[3]
During the First World War, Ottoman authorities carried out mass deportations, killings and other measures against the empire's Armenian Christian population. These events are known as the Armenian genocide. The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum estimates that between 664,000 and 1.2 million Armenians died between the spring of 1915 and the autumn of 1916 through massacres, deportations, starvation, exposure and other forms of persecution.[10]
First Republic and Soviet period
Following the collapse of the Russian Empire, an independent Armenian republic existed from 1918 until 1920. Soviet forces entered Armenia in late 1920, after which the Armenian Soviet Republic was established. Armenia became part of the Transcaucasian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic in 1922 and, following a Soviet constitutional reorganization, became the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic in 1936.[3]
During the Soviet period, Armenia underwent extensive industrialization, urbanization and expansion of education and infrastructure. Yerevan developed into the country's dominant political, economic and cultural centre.
Independence
On 23 August 1990, the Supreme Council of the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic adopted a Declaration of Independence, beginning the formal process of establishing an independent Armenian state.[11]
A referendum on independence was held on 21 September 1991. According to the Armenian government, approximately 99 percent of participating voters supported independence, after which parliament proclaimed Armenia an independent state.[6] Armenia joined the United Nations on 2 March 1992.[12]
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and regional normalization
Relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan were dominated for decades by the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Renewed large-scale fighting in 2020 ended with a Russia-brokered ceasefire agreement taking effect on 10 November 2020.[13]
A further regional crisis in September 2023 resulted in a large movement of people into Armenia. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees reported that more than 100,000 refugees arrived in Armenia from Karabakh within approximately one week.[14]
On 8 August 2025, the foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan initialed an agreed text of an agreement on the establishment of peace and interstate relations during a meeting in Washington, D.C. The Armenian and Azerbaijani leaders also signed a joint declaration, witnessed by the president of the United States, stating that further steps were required for the agreement's signing and ratification.[15] In August 2026, Prime Minister Pashinyan stated that the agreement still awaited signing and ratification and that border demarcation work remained incomplete.[16]
Geography
Armenia is a landlocked country located in the South Caucasus. It is bordered by Georgia to the north, Azerbaijan to the east, Iran to the south and Turkey to the west. The national territory covers 29,743 square kilometres.[1]
The landscape is predominantly mountainous. The average elevation is approximately 1,800 metres above sea level, while the country's highest point is Mount Aragats, which reaches 4,090 metres.[1] Lake Sevan, situated in the eastern part of the country, is Armenia's principal large lake and an important freshwater resource.
Elevation has a major influence on local landscapes and weather conditions. Valleys and lower basins contain much of the country's agricultural land and urban settlement, while highland areas include mountain pastures and alpine environments.
Armenia contains deposits of copper, molybdenum, gold, silver, iron, zinc and other minerals. It also has substantial deposits of construction materials including tuff, basalt, limestone, marble and perlite.[1]
Government and politics
The Constitution defines Armenia as a sovereign, democratic and social state governed by the rule of law. It provides for the separation and balance of legislative, executive and judicial powers.[7]
The National Assembly of Armenia is the country's unicameral legislature. The Constitution requires at least 101 deputies and provides for election through a proportional electoral system.[7] The president serves as head of state and is elected by the National Assembly for a seven-year term. The government is the supreme body of executive power and is headed by the prime minister.[7]
Vahagn Khachaturyan assumed office as president in March 2022. Nikol Pashinyan was appointed prime minister again on 2 August 2026 after the formation of the new National Assembly following the parliamentary election.[8]
The parliamentary election held on 7 June 2026 filled 105 seats. According to the Inter-Parliamentary Union, the Civil Contract Party won 64 seats, the Strong Armenia Alliance won 29 and the Armenia Alliance won 12. Voter turnout was 58.9 percent.[17]
Administrative divisions
Armenia is divided into ten administrative regions, known as marzes. Yerevan has a separate administrative position and is governed under legislation on local self-government in the capital.[18]
The ten regions are Aragatsotn, Ararat, Armavir, Gegharkunik, Kotayk, Lori, Shirak, Syunik, Tavush and Vayots Dzor.
Foreign relations
Armenia became a member of the United Nations on 2 March 1992.[12] It joined the Council of Europe on 25 January 2001.[19] Armenia became the 145th member of the World Trade Organization on 5 February 2003.[20]
Armenia is also a member of the Eurasian Economic Union, alongside Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Russia.[21]
Relations with the European Union are governed in part by the EU-Armenia Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement. The agreement entered into force on 1 March 2021 and provides a framework for cooperation in areas including governance, trade, economic development, education, environment and institutional reform.[22]
Economy
Armenia has a diversified economy in which services, construction, industry, mining, information technology and agriculture all contribute to economic activity. The country's landlocked position and limited regional transport connections have historically influenced trade and logistics.
According to the World Bank, Armenia's economy grew by 7.2 percent in 2025. Private consumption and investment were major contributors, while services and construction recorded significant growth on the supply side.[23]
The country's mineral resources include copper, molybdenum, gold and several other metallic and non-metallic resources.[1] Manufacturing, food processing, tourism and technology-related businesses also form parts of the private economy.
Armenia's national currency is the Armenian dram, with the ISO code AMD. The dram was introduced on 22 November 1993. One dram is divided into 100 luma.[24]
Membership of the World Trade Organization and Eurasian Economic Union, together with economic agreements with the European Union and other partners, connects Armenia to several regional and international trading systems.[20][21][22]
Demographics
The World Bank estimated Armenia's population at 3,086,700 in 2025.[2] Yerevan is by far the country's largest urban centre and functions as its principal political, educational, cultural and business hub.
Armenian is the state language under Article 20 of the Constitution.[7] The Armenian alphabet has been in use since its creation by Mesrop Mashtots in the early fifth century and remains a distinctive feature of Armenian cultural life.[5]
Christianity, especially the Armenian Apostolic Church, has a major historical and cultural role. According to figures from Armenia's 2022 census cited by the U.S. Department of State, approximately 97.5 percent of the population identified as Armenian Apostolic. The same source reported more than 32,000 ethnic Yezidis, alongside smaller Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, Assyrian Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Baha'i and other religious communities.[25]
The Constitution separates religious organizations from the state while recognizing what it describes as the Armenian Apostolic Church's historical mission in Armenian spiritual life, culture and national identity.[7]
Education and health
Armenia has a highly literate population. World Bank data sourced from the UNESCO Institute for Statistics reported an overall adult literacy rate of approximately 99.8 percent in 2023.[26]
The education system includes general schooling, vocational education and higher education. Yerevan contains many of the country's major universities, research institutes and cultural institutions.
World Bank data recorded life expectancy at birth at approximately 78 years in 2024.[2]
Culture
Armenian culture reflects a long tradition of literature, Christianity, architecture, music, craftsmanship and food. The creation of the Armenian alphabet in 405 played an important role in the preservation and development of Armenian-language literature and scholarship.[5] The Mashtots Matenadaran in Yerevan preserves a major collection of Armenian and other manuscripts; UNESCO's Memory of the World programme describes its holdings as comprising approximately 17,000 manuscripts covering many areas of ancient and medieval culture and science.[27]
Armenian religious architecture is particularly associated with stone churches and monasteries. Armenia has three properties inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List: the Monasteries of Haghpat and Sanahin; the Cathedral and Churches of Echmiatsin and the Archaeological Site of Zvartnots; and the Monastery of Geghard and the Upper Azat Valley.[28]
Traditional Armenian cultural practices recognized by UNESCO include duduk music, khachkar stone-carving, performance of the Daredevils of Sassoun epic, lavash bread-making, the Kochari group dance, Armenian letter art and the blacksmithing tradition of Gyumri.[29]
The duduk, a double-reed wind instrument traditionally made from apricot wood, is closely associated with Armenian folk music and was inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2008.[30]
Lavash, a thin traditional bread, is an important part of Armenian cuisine and social customs. Its preparation and cultural meaning in Armenia were added to UNESCO's Representative List in 2014.[31]
See also
- History of Armenia
- Yerevan
- Armenian language
- Armenian diaspora
- Armenian Apostolic Church
- South Caucasus
- Geography of Armenia
- Culture of Armenia
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 "Geography". Government of the Republic of Armenia. Accessed 23 September 2026.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "Armenia: Data". World Bank. Accessed 23 September 2026.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 "A Guide to the United States’ History of Recognition, Diplomatic, and Consular Relations: Armenia". Office of the Historian, U.S. Department of State. Accessed 23 September 2026.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Cathedral and Churches of Echmiatsin and the Archaeological Site of Zvartnots". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Accessed 23 September 2026.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 "Armenian letter art and its cultural expressions". UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. Accessed 23 September 2026.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 "General information". Government of the Republic of Armenia. Accessed 23 September 2026.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 "Constitution of the Republic of Armenia". President of the Republic of Armenia. Accessed 23 September 2026.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 "President Vahagn Khachaturyan hosted Acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan at the Presidential Residence". President of the Republic of Armenia, 2 August 2026. Accessed 23 September 2026.
- ↑ "Bagratids". Encyclopaedia Iranica. Updated 19 October 2016. Accessed 23 September 2026.
- ↑ "The Armenian Genocide (1915–16): Overview". United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. Accessed 23 September 2026.
- ↑ "Declaration of Independence". Government of the Republic of Armenia. Accessed 23 September 2026.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 "Member States". United Nations. Accessed 23 September 2026.
- ↑ "Nagorno-Karabakh: Declaration by the High Representative on behalf of the European Union". Council of the European Union, 19 November 2020. Accessed 23 September 2026.
- ↑ "Refugee Response and Coordination". UNHCR Armenia. Accessed 23 September 2026.
- ↑ "Joint Declaration by the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia and the President of the United States of America". Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia, 9 August 2025. Accessed 23 September 2026.
- ↑ "Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s message on the occasion of August 8". Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia, 8 August 2026. Accessed 23 September 2026.
- ↑ "Armenia National Assembly June 2026 Election". IPU Parline, Inter-Parliamentary Union. Accessed 23 September 2026.
- ↑ "Regions". Government of the Republic of Armenia. Accessed 23 September 2026.
- ↑ "Armenia – Member State". Council of Europe. Accessed 23 September 2026.
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 "Republic of Armenia – WTO Accession". World Trade Organization. Accessed 23 September 2026.
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 "Eurasian Economic Union". Eurasian Economic Union. Accessed 23 September 2026.
- ↑ 22.0 22.1 "The EU and Armenia Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement enters into force". European Commission, 28 February 2021. Accessed 23 September 2026.
- ↑ "Armenia". World Bank. Accessed 23 September 2026.
- ↑ "Banknotes in circulation". Central Bank of Armenia. Accessed 23 September 2026.
- ↑ "2023 Report on International Religious Freedom: Armenia". U.S. Department of State. Accessed 23 September 2026.
- ↑ "Literacy rate". World Bank Gender Data Portal. Accessed 23 September 2026.
- ↑ "Mashtots Matenadaran ancient manuscripts collection". UNESCO Memory of the World. Accessed 23 September 2026.
- ↑ "Armenia". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Accessed 23 September 2026.
- ↑ "Armenia – Elements on the Lists". UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. Accessed 23 September 2026.
- ↑ "Duduk and its music". UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. Accessed 23 September 2026.
- ↑ "Lavash, the preparation, meaning and appearance of traditional bread as an expression of culture in Armenia". UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. Accessed 23 September 2026.