ARMENIA
(Republic of Armenia)

Capital: Yerevan

Flag: three horizontal strips red (top), blue and gold.

Motto: Mer Ayrenik.

MONETARY GROUP: Dramas (entered on November 22, 1993) is paper currency in face values of 10, 25, 50, 100, 200 and 500 dram. Dramas (g) I replaced the Armenian ruble and Russian ruble (r). Now d1 = $0,00225 (or $1 = d445) as of 2005.

WEIGHT AND MEASURES: The metric system works.

HOLIDAYS: New year, on January 1-2; Christmas, on January 6; Day of remembrance of the victims of genocide, on April 24; Day of the world, on May 9; Anniversary of the Declaration of the First Armenian Republic (1918), on May 28; Public holiday, on September 21; Day of remembrance of the victims of an earthquake, on December 7; New year, on December 31.

TIME: 16:00 - midday.

ARRANGEMENT, SIZE AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Armenia is the country which doesn't have an outlet to the sea, located in southeast Europe / southwest Asia. Rather, the territory occupied by Armenia is a little less than State of Maryland with a total area of 29 800 sq.km (11 506 quarter. Miles). Armenia divides borders with Georgia on Russian, Azerbaijani and western, in Iran in the South and Turkey on w and has the general border 1254 km long (778 miles). The capital of Armenia, Yerevan, is located in the western part of the country on the Hrazdan River.

TOPOGRAPHY

In topography of Armenia the high Armenian plateau and three primary ridges are presented: Mount Lesser Caucasus in the north, Ridge Vardenis in the central Armenia and the Zangezur Mountains in the southeast. Here few forest grounds and several swift-flowing rivers. The valley of the Araks River contains the good soil. Mount Aragats, an extinct volcano near the plateau, is the highest point in Armenia at the height of 13 425 feet (4095 m). The nation sometimes suffers from strong earthquakes. In December, 1988 near the city of Gyumri there was a mass earthquake therefore more than 25 000 people died.

CLIMATE

The climate of Armenia varies from subtropical to Alpine, as in mountains. Average temperature in the middle of the summer is 25 °C (77 °F). In the middle of the winter average temperature is 0 °C (32 °F). Rainfall is infrequent. The capital annually receives 33 cm of a rain (13 inches) though in mountains there are more rainfall.

FLORA AND FAUNA

Armenia is located in what geographers call the Aral Caspian Depression. The country has wide sandy deserts and low grassy plateaus. The European bisons, snow leopards, cheetahs and porcupines live in the region.

ENVIRONMENT

In 2000 the main environmental problems of Armenia were called by natural disasters, pollution and war. The strong earthquake in 1988 brought to 55 000 victims. Radiation from disintegration of the nuclear reactor in Chernobyl in the former Soviet Union also polluted the environment. The soil of the country is also polluted by chemicals, including DDT and also the Hrazdan River and Ares is also polluted. War between Armenia and Azerbaijan strained national economy, having limited resources which can be directed to environmental protection.