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Armenia

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Armenia, officially the Republic of Armenia, is a landlocked nation in West Asia.

Armenien topo
Armenien topo

It sits within the Armenian highlands of the Caucasus region. The country has no direct access to an ocean or sea. It is bordered by several neighbors. Turkey lies to the west and Georgia is to the north. Azerbaijan borders the east. To the south, Armenia shares borders with Iran and the Azerbaijani exclave of Nakhchivan.

Satellite image of Armenia in May 2003
Satellite image of Armenia in May 2003

The capital city is Yerevan. Yerevan serves as the country's largest city and its primary financial center.

Mount Ararat and the Yerevan skyline
Mount Ararat and the Yerevan skyline

The history of the Armenian highlands includes many ancient peoples. Groups like the Hayasa-Azzi, Shupria, and Nairi lived in this region. By at least 600 BC, an archaic form of Proto-Armenian was used. This is an Indo-European language. Researchers believe this language descended from an Indo-European tongue spoken in southern Caucasia during the Bronze Age. The name Hayastan is the contemporary Armenian name for the country. It became popular during the Middle Ages. It uses the Persian suffix -stan, which means "place."

Darius I the Great's inscription
Darius I the Great's inscription

Human presence in this region is incredibly old. Archaeological evidence shows human traces dating back over one million years. These traces include Acheulean tools found near obsidian outcrops.

Zorats Karer 2008, part of the stone circle
Zorats Karer 2008, part of the stone circle

In the Bronze Age, many settlements flourished. The Shengavit settlement was located where Yerevan stands today. In the Areni-1 cave complex, scientists found remarkable items. They discovered the world's oldest known leather shoe and skirt. They also found an early facility for producing wine.

Bull Petroglyph Ukhtasar Volcano
Bull Petroglyph Ukhtasar Volcano

Ancient political structures evolved through several stages. The first Armenian state, Urartu, was established in 860 BC. By the 6th century BC, the Satrapy of Armenia replaced it. The Kingdom of Armenia reached its peak under Tigranes the Great in the 1st century BC.

Coin of Tigranes II the Great, Antioch mint
Coin of Tigranes II the Great, Antioch mint

A major turning point occurred in AD 301. Armenia became the first state in the world to adopt Christianity as its official religion.

Etchmiadzin cathedral
Etchmiadzin cathedral

The Armenian Apostolic Church remains the country's primary religious establishment today.

The region has experienced many periods of foreign rule. In the early 5th century, the ancient kingdom was split between the Byzantine and Sasanian Empires. The Bagratid Kingdom was restored in the 9th century by the Bagratuni dynasty. This kingdom eventually fell in 1045. Between the 11th and 14th centuries, the kingdom of Cilician Armenia existed on the Mediterranean coast. From the 16th to the 19th centuries, the Armenian homeland was ruled by the Ottoman and Persian empires.

Map Safavid persia
Map Safavid persia

By the 19th century, the Russian Empire had conquered Eastern Armenia.

The 20th century brought significant hardship and political shifts. During World War I, up to 1.5 million Armenians were systematically exterminated in a genocide.

Morgenthau336
Morgenthau336

Following the Russian Revolution, the First Republic of Armenia declared independence in 1918.

First Republic of Armenia
First Republic of Armenia

By 1920, the state was incorporated into the Soviet Union. It became the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic. Armenia eventually regained its independence in 1991. This happened during the dissolution of the Soviet Union.

Government-House-of-Republic-of-Armenia-1918-1920
Government-House-of-Republic-of-Armenia-1918-1920

Modern Armenia is a unitary, multi-party, democratic nation-state. It is a developing country. As of 2023, it ranks 69th on the Human Development Index. The economy relies on mineral extraction and industrial output. Geopolitically, Armenia views itself as part of Europe. It is a member of many European organizations. These include the Council of Europe and the Organization for Security and Co-Operation in Europe. It also participates in regional Eurasian groups. These include the Eurasian Economic Union and the Asian Development Bank.

2014 Erywań, Budynek Zgromadzenia Narodowego Republiki Armenii
2014 Erywań, Budynek Zgromadzenia Narodowego Republiki Armenii
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🖼️ Images & Media (48)
Mer Hayrenik instrumental.ogg
File:Zorats Karer 2008, part of the stone circle.jpg
Zorats Karer 2008, part of the stone circle.jpg
File:Bull Petroglyph Ukhtasar Volcano.jpg
Bull Petroglyph Ukhtasar Volcano.jpg
File:Arshakuni Armenia 150-en.svg
Arshakuni Armenia 150-en.svg
File:Darius I the Great's inscription.jpg
Darius I the Great's inscription.jpg
File:Coin of Tigranes II the Great, Antioch mint.jpg
Coin of Tigranes II the Great, Antioch mint.jpg
File:Garni Temple 02.JPG
Garni Temple 02.JPG
File:Etchmiadzin cathedral.jpg
Etchmiadzin cathedral.jpg
File:Map Safavid persia.png
Map Safavid persia.png
File:Siege of Erivan Fortress on 1 October 1827.jpg
Siege of Erivan Fortress on 1 October 1827.jpg
File:ErevanKhanate.gif
ErevanKhanate.gif
File:Morgenthau336.jpg
Morgenthau336.jpg

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