Armenia Facts

Armenia is a landlocked country, which means it is surrounded by other countries and land and doesn’t have access to any sea or ocean. It is officially in the continent of Asia, sharing its borders with Georgia, Turkey, Iran and Azerbaijan. It is a part of the world that is called Anatolia or also known as the Anatolian peninsular. Other names for this part of the continent include Asia Minor.

Fun Facts about Armenia for Kids:

Population: 3,033,000 people
Most used languages: Armenian and Russian
Religion: Armenia Apostolic
Capital City: Yerevan, 1,079,000 people
Area: 11,484 square miles (29,743 sq km)
Currency Used: Dram
Literacy Percentage: 99
Life Expectancy of Armenia Citizens: 72 years

History Facts:

Armenia became the first Christian nation in 301 A.D., however today it is almost completely surrounded by Islamic countries.

The Ottoman Turks, during World War I, forced many Armenians to leave so that they created ‘diasporas’ in foreign countries. These are groups of Armenians that live and support each other in a communal fashion.

Although Armenia became independent in 1918, it was invaded by communist army in 1920.

• A horrible earthquake in 1988 killed around 25,000 people. Conflict occurred with Azerbaijan over a region that held 140,000 ethnic Armenians.
• Armenia was once part of the USSR or Soviet Union and was controlled as part of their communist government. In 1991, the Soviet Union was dissolved and it was at that time that Armenia became its own independent country.

The transition to independence has been difficult and the economy is very poor. Approximately one in every four Armenians live at the poverty level.

• Armenians have historically been known for their hospitality and friendliness with lots of celebrations and cooking as well as their own traditional folk dances and music.
• Armenians don’t call themselves by the name of the country, but instead, refer to themselves as ‘hay’ and their country as Hayastan or Hayasdan.
• The name ‘hay’ can be traced back to the Hittites, which are referenced in the Bible. The Bible indicates the Armenian area is referred to Ararat and therefore Armenians also call themselves as the people of Ararat.

Interesting Facts

Due to the poor economy, many people that live in the rural or country areas live in extended families. Those that do live in the cities reside in apartment buildings and many are rundown.

• The city infrastructure is at such a low level that running water is often a problem with it being unavailable for many hours each day.
• Armenian family traditions are very specific. Men in the family have their duties and will never participate in any of the tasks such as cooking, cleaning or raising the children. Even if a woman is pursuing a career, she is still required to take care of her duties.
• Many Armenians live outside their native homeland in groups of people called ‘diaspora’. It is estimated that approximately three million people live in Armenia but around six million Armenians living in countries such as Russia, France and the United States.

Armenians value education and many of their children learn multiple languages including English, Persian and French when they are in elementary school. By the time children graduate high school, it is not uncommon for many children to know three to four languages.

The ‘Republic of Armenia’ is listed as a Republic and the population elects representatives to their parliament. It is the parliament that creates the laws that the people must follow.

Even though it is a small country, Armenia is very densely population. The Ararat plain makes up only around ten percent of the total territory but it has about half of the population living there.

Armenia is a volcanic and rugged country that has a lot of resources in minerals. It is, however, highly prone to occasional droughts and earthquakes.

Imports/Export Facts:

Due to the rich soil, Armenia does have a lot of agriculture, specializing in fruits, with a high growth of grapes. They raise a lot of vegetables and livestock.

Armenia imports electric motors, metal-cutting machine tools, tires and forging-pressing machines.

The main exports for Armenia include: mineral products, energy, diamonds and food.