LOVELY ARMENIA

                                      ARMENIA:  VISITING CARD

   Before  setting out  for a journey, one should  compile at least  minimal  information about the country  he/she is  planning  to see. For  the foreigners  visiting  Armenia,  we have  prepared a concise card with  essential  information about  Armenia  and descriptions of its  national  symbols. It will  enable  tourists to correlate  these  facts  with  their  vivid  impressions  and form a  comprehensive idea of this appealing country on  the foot  of  the  Biblical Mount Ararat. 

  On 21 September 1991, based on the  results  of a  referendum  (91%),  the  Armenian Parliament  (Supreme Council  of  the   Armenian  Soviet Socialist  Republic)  adopted a Declaration  of  Independence  and  proclaimed the  independence  of  the  Republic of Armenia. Since then,  September  Day of Armenia.

Territory            

Total: 29,800km square ,  Mainland: 28,400km square ,  Water area: 1,400km square.

Administrative and territorial division

The Republic of Armenia is  divided into ten regions called Marzes, plus Yerevan, the capital, The  Marzes include  Aragatsotn, Ararat,  Armavir, Gegharkunik,  Kotayk, Lori, Syunik, Shirak,  Tavoush, Vayots Dzor and Yerevan.  Major cities are Gyumri and Vanadzor.

Borders

 Armenia is  bordered by  Georgia in the north,  Turkey in the west,  Azerbaijan in the east and Iran in the south.

Relief

 Armenia is  a  mountainous, landlocked country   situated  in the  southern  part of the Caucasus  Mountains  and  the  northeastern  part  of t he Armenia  Highland.  Its relief is mainly   mountainous  with  rivers and  small  forests. Most of the country is more than 1,000 meters  above  sea level; average  altitude  is  1,800  meters above sea  level .

Climate

  Armenia’s  climate is mostly alpine,  with  hot  summers and cold winters.  The  highest point is Mount   Aragats,  which  stands at over 4,000  meters:  the  lowest  point is  the River Debed  at  an  altitude of  nearly 400 meters. 

National currency

 National currency  is  called  dream (AMD) in  circulation  since 1993.

Population

  The  total  registered   population  of Armenia is just above three million people. About 97% of the  population is  Armenian, 0.11% is  Assyrian, 1.26% is  Yesidi,  0.036% is Greek, 0.46% is  Russian, 0.05% is Ukrainian, 0.047% is Kurdish.  

National  flag

  The  national flag  of  the  Republic  of  Armenia  has  three  colors: red, blue and  apricot  positioned  in  equal  horizontal  gradations.  Red  stands  for  the  blood  shed  by  the  Armenians  in  their  struggles;  blue  represents  the  sky,  hope  and  allegiance;  and  the apricot  signifies  fertility  and  the  creative  potential  of  the  nation.

 LANGUAGE

 The  Armenian    language is  an ancient   language of  Indo-European  descent. The   time  preceding the   invention of the  period from the   separation of the Armenian  language from  the  Indo-European group  and  its   formation as a discrete  language  (third  millennium B.C.) the  beginning  of   the  fifth  century when Mesrop   Mashtots, a monk, theologian, and  linguist  invented  the  Armenian script in 405 and helped establish  Armenia’s  golden age of  Christian  literature. The  Armenian language   has  more   than sixty dialects.

RELIGION

 Armenian Apostolic Church

The Armenian Apostolic Church is one of the oldest  in  Christian  history,  founded by Apostles Thaddeus  and  Bartholomew.  In 301 A. D. , during the reign  of  King Tiridates 3, Armenia became the first nation to establish Christianity as its  state religion.

   Promulgation  and  adoption of  Christianity  in Armenia is largely associated with the name of Gregory  the 3uminator   or Saint Gregory the Enlightener, 302-326), the fonder and patron saint of the Armenia Apostolic Church who has been proclaimed a Saint by all the churches  of  the world.

  Historically, the Armenia Apostolic Church has been labeled monophysite  (Monophysiticism is the Cheistological position  that  Christ  has only  one nature  (divine), a opposed to the Caledonian  position  which   holds  that  Christ has two natures,  one  divine  and  one human)  because  it  rejected the  decisions  of the 451 A. D. Council of  Chalcedon. The  Armenian Church  officially severed  ties with  the West in 554.

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  In 303 the  Cathedral  of   Saint  Echmiadzin was erected  as  the  spiritual  center  of  all  Armenians  to  date and the  Holy  Se of  the Catholicos and  Supreme  Patriarch  of  All Armenians.  According  to  the 5^th-century  Armenian  annals, St. Gregory  had a vision of  Christ  descending  from heaven and  striking  the earth  with a golden  hammer to  show  where  the cathedral  should be  built. Hence, the name of  Echmiadzin,  which may  be translated   as “ the  place where the Only Begotten descended”. There is  a Holy Table allegedly  with magic  powers  in the Cathedral  signifying the  actual place of  descent.

  Administratively,  the   Armenian Apostolic church comprises  the  following  bishoprics  in Armenia:  the   Araratian  Patriarchal   Congregation,  the  congregations  of  Armavir, Aragatsotn,  Kotayk,   Gegharkunik,  Gougark,  Syunik,  Shirak  and  Artsakh;  as well  as  the  Russian  congregation,  the  South  Russian  congregation,  the  Ukrainian,  Georgian, North  American (Eastern and  Western ), Canadian,  South American,  European, British,  Asian,  Egyptian,  Ethiopian  congregations,  and the  congregation  of  Australia  and Oceania.  

COAT OF ARMS

 The  coat of arms of the Republic of  Armenia was adopted in  conformance with the law of  19 April 1992, Its design is based on  the  coat  of arms  of the first  Armenian Republic (1918-1920) created by the architect Alexander Tamanyan and  the  artist  Hakob  Kojoyan.  The coat  of arms of  the Republic  of Armenia is a demonstration  of symbols  representing  Armenian history  and the spirit  of the Armenian nation.

  The design is  centered  around a  shield  that bears  the  image  of the  sacred  symbol  of Armenia,  Mount Ararat.  On  top  of the Mountain  is  Noah's Ark  that landed  on  Ararat after the  flood. The shield  is  divided into  four equal  portions  representing  the four independent  kingdoms  of Armenia with the emblems  of the dynasties  of  the Arshakounis, Artashesyans, Bagratounis and Roubinyans. Behind the shield are the images  of a  lion  and an eagle  symbolizing  wisdom, pride,  patience  and  dignity. Beneath  the shield  are five  important  symbols:  the Broken  Chain  representing  freedom  and  independence,  the  Sword  that stands  for  the nation's power, the  Wheatear  indicating  the  diligence  of  the people, and  the Feather Pen denoting  the cultural  and intellectual  legacy  and  potential  of  the  Armenian nation. The tricolor  band  represents  the national  flag  of the Republic  of Armenia.