Simple directory > Regional > Armenia

Country : Armenia Official name: Haikakan Hanrapetoutioun (Republic of Armenia) Head of State: President Robert Kocharian (since 1998; re-elected Apr 2003) Head of government: Prime Minister Andranik Margarian (HHK) (since May 2000) Ruling party: Coalition government: Hayastani Hanrapetakan Kusaktsutyun (HHK) (Republican Party of Armenia), Hai Heghapokhakan Dashnaktsutiun (Dashnaktsutiun) (Armenian Revolutionary Federation), Orinants Erkir (OE) (Rule of Law Country) (elected 25 May 2003) Area: 29,800 square km Population: 3.00 million (2004) Capital: Yerevan Official language: Armenian Currency: Dram (D) = Luma 100 Exchange rate: D503.75 per US$ (Nov 2004) GDP per capita: US$700 (2003) GDP real growth: 7.00% (2003) Labour force: 1.40 million (2003) Unemployment: 20.00% (2003) Inflation: 2.20% (2003) Balance of trade: -US$466.00 million (2003) Foreign debt: US$905.00 million (2003)

Historical profile

At its height, the Armenian empire stretched from the Caspian Sea to the Mediterranean, before being incorporated into the Roman empire in AD301.

In the eleventh century, Armenia was incorporated into the Turkish Seljuk empire.

1915 The Ottoman empire killed more than one million Armenians in response to the independence movement.

1918 Armenia became an independent republic.

1918–20 Armenia was at war with Azerbaijan and Turkey.

1920 Incorporated into the Transcaucasian Soviet Federated Republic along with Georgia and Azerbaijan.

1923 Stalin drew the current recognised borders that placed the mainly ethnic Armenian Nagorno-Karabakh in Azerbaijan.

1988 Nagorno-Karabakh demanded unification with Armenia and conflict began. An earthquake in northern Armenia killed over 25,000.

1991 Armenia voted for independence from Russia.

1992 Conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh turned into full-scale war between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

1994 The war with Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh settled into an uneasy stalemate, with local Armenians backed by Armenian forces in control of the disputed enclave. A cease-fire between Azerbaijan and Armenia has generally been honoured.

1995 First post-independence elections.

1997 After only six months as president, Levon Ter-Petrosian was forced out after stating his wish to open negotiations with Azerbaijan. Arkady Gukasian was elected president of Nagorno-Karabakh.

1998 Robert Kocharian won the presidential elections. The domestic political scene experienced growing instability and politically motivated violence. Deputy minister of defence, Colonel Vagram Khorkhoruni, was murdered.

1999 Deputy minister of the interior, Artsun Markarian, was murdered. Prime Minister Vazgen Sargissian and other politicians were assassinated in the National Assembly. Aram Sargissian, the former prime minister's younger brother, was appointed to succeed him.

2000 President Arkady Gukasian of Nagorno-Karabakh was seriously wounded in an assassination attempt.

2001 The Hayastani Zhoghovrdakan Kusaktsutyun (HZhK) (People's Party of Armenia), the junior partner in the majority Miasnutiun (Unity) bloc in the National Assembly, released a statement saying that Miasnutiun was defunct and called for new elections. Leaders of the HZhK, the National Accord Front (AHCh) and Hanrapetutiun (Republic) called for the impeachment of President Kocharian, accusing him of violating the constitution and condoning terrorism. There was no result in the US-brokered talks on Nagorno-Karabakh between the presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia.

2002 The first meeting between the foreign ministers of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Turkey was held in Iceland to try to find a settlement for the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

2003 Incumbent Robert Kocharyan won the February presidential elections. In May, the ruling Hayastani Hanrapetakan Kusaktsutyun (HHK) (Republican Party of Armenia), loyal to President Kocharyan, won the parliamentary elections.

2004 In April, thousands of opposition supporters demonstrated against President Kocharyan.

2005 A draft of a new constitution, limiting the presidential powers, was presented to the public in May.

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