Project: Armenia/Country

The Repubic of Armenia
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Location

Armenia is a landlocked country located in the southern Caucasus, the region southwest of Russia between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea. Armenia is bounded to the north by Georgia, to the east by Azerbaijan, to the south by Iran, and to the southwest by the Azerbaijani province of Naxicivan and the northwest by Turkey.

See Also: Geography of Armenia

Administrative Divisions

Armenia is subdivided into eleven administrative divisions. Of these, ten are provinces, known as marzer (մարզեր) or in the singular form marz (մարզ) in Armenian. The chief executive in each of 10 marzes is the marzpet, appointed by the government of Armenia. Yerevan is treated separately and granted special administrative status as the country's capital. In Yerevan, the chief executive is the mayor, elected by the Yerevan City Council.

See Also: Administrative Divisions of Armenia

The capital and most populous city of Armenia is Yerevan. It is one of the world’s oldest continuously inhabited cities, dating back to the 8th century BC, with the founding of the fortress of Erebuni in 782 BC by King Argishti I.

History

During the Bronze Age, the Armenian highlands served as a cradle of civilization, nurturing several flourishing states including the Hayasa-Azzi and the Hittites. With the advent of the Iron Age, the Kingdom of Urartu (860 BC -590 BC) rose to prominence, reigning over these lands until it was succeeded by the Orontid Dynasty (321 BC - 200 BC). This marked the inception of a triumvirate of dynasties that would preside over the Kingdom of Greater Armenia during the Age of Antiquity, with the Artaxiad Dynasty (200 BC -12 AD) and the Arsacid Dynasty (12 AD - 428 AD) following in the Orontids’ footsteps.

In 387 AD, a significant shift occurred as the Kingdom of Greater Armenia was divided into Byzantine Armenia and Persian Armenia, bringing an end to its sovereignty. The final Arsacid king was dethroned in 428 AD, ushering in a nearly two-century-long interlude in Armenian statehood. It wasn’t until 885 AD that independence was reclaimed with the ascension of the Bagratuni Kingdom, which governed the medieval Kingdom of Armenia until 1045.

After the fall of the Bagratuni Kingdom and the ensuing conquest by the Seljuk Turks in 1064, Armenians found sanctuary in Cilicia, where they founded a new kingdom. This Kingdom of Cilicia represents a significant period in Armenian history, embodying the tenacity of Armenian political and cultural independence in the face of adversity. However, this symbol of self-rule was extinguished in 1375 when the Mameluks of Egypt took control, plunging Armenia into a lengthy period of foreign dominance.

The 15th century ushered in further turmoil with the arrival of Tamerlane, the Mongol conqueror. His ruthless invasion of Georgia, Armenia, and Central Anatolia led to the slaughter of a substantial segment of the Armenian population and the enslavement of over 60,000 individuals from Anatolia and the Caucasus. By this time, Armenia had fragmented into a collection of small principalities. The conquest of Constantinople by Sultan Muhammad II in 1453 marked a pivotal moment as Armenia gradually lost all vestiges of political sovereignty. Ultimately, Armenia was incorporated into the Ottoman Empire, signifying another major shift in its historical path.

In 1828, Eastern Armenia was absorbed into the Russian Empire as a result of the Russo-Persian War (1826–1828), while the majority of the traditional Armenian homeland in the west remained under Ottoman rule. This period marked a significant cultural, political, and social metamorphosis for the Armenian people.

The ominous shadow of World War I cast a horrific pall over the Armenians residing in their ancestral lands within the Ottoman Empire. Over a million Armenians were systematically annihilated in what is now acknowledged as the Armenian genocide. Orchestrated by the ruling Committee of Union and Progress (CUP), also known as the Young Turks, this genocide was primarily executed through mass murder during death marches to the Syrian Desert and forced Islamization, with women and children being predominantly targeted. The Ottoman authorities, aided by auxiliary troops and civilians, were responsible for most of the atrocities committed between 1915-17.

In the midst of these dark times, a glimmer of hope emerged following the collapse of the Russian Empire. On May 28, 1918, after enduring centuries of foreign rule, Armenia declared its independence, marking a historic return to self-governance for the first time since the Middle Ages. However, this newfound autonomy was short-lived. By late 1920, local communists seized power following an invasion by the Soviet Red Army. Subsequently, in 1922, Armenia was incorporated into the Trans-Caucasian Soviet Socialist Republic and later became the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic in 1936.

The dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 marked a new chapter for Armenia as it established itself as an independent republic in the contemporary world. This post-Soviet era presented a plethora of challenges for the nascent republic. Economically, it lagged behind some of its neighbors and became increasingly dependent on foreign aid and support from the Armenian diaspora. Politically, it found itself entangled in ongoing conflicts, with the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict with Azerbaijan being particularly significant. Despite these obstacles, Armenia has shown resilience and progress across various sectors. It continues to strive towards strengthening its political, economic, and social structures, reflecting its enduring spirit and commitment to growth.

Historical Timeline

  • 321 BC Ancient Kingdom of Armenia established.
  • 428 AD Ancient Kingdom of Armenia falls and Armenia is divided between Byzantium and Persia.
  • 885 AD Independent Bagratuni Kingdom established.
  • 1045 Bagratuni Kingdom collapses and is subsequently conquered by the Seljuk Turks (1064).
  • 1080 Kingdom of Cilicia established.
  • 1375 Kingdom of Cilicia is conquered by the Mameluks of Egypt putting an end to Armenian self-rule for more than 500 years.
  • 1453 Armenia was absorbed into the Ottoman Empire.
  • 1828 The Russian Empire claims Eastern Armenia.
  • 1915-17 More than 1 million Armenians are systematically murdered during the Armenian Genocide.
  • 1918 Armenia declares its independence for the first time since 1375.
  • 1922 Armenia is absorbed into the Soviet Union as the Trans-Caucasian Soviet Socialist Republic, and later as Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic (1936)
  • 1991 The Soviet Union collapses, and Armenia once again become a fully autonomous nation.

See also: [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Armenia History of Armenia

Ethnicities:

Armenia is predominantly mono-ethnic, with Armenians constituting 98% of the population. However, the country is also home to several significant ethnic minorities:

  • Yazidis: Representing the largest minority in Armenia, the Yazidi population has seen a decline from 56,127 in 1989 to 35,272 in 2011.
  • Russians: The second largest ethnic community after the Yazidis, the Russian population decreased from 51,555 in 1989 to 11,862 in 2011.
  • Assyrians: The Assyrian community in Armenia shrunk from 5,963 in 1989 to 2,769 in 2011.
  • Ukrainians: The number of Ukrainians fell from 8,341 in 1989 to just 1,176 in 2011.
  • Greeks: The Greek population experienced a decline from 4,650 in 1989 to a mere 900 in 2011..

See also: Armenians

Languages

Armenia is a linguistically diverse country with a variety of languages spoken across its regions. Here are the primary ones:

  • Armenian: Serving as the official language of Armenia, Armenian is the first language for the majority of the population. It’s a pluricentric language with two modern standardized forms: Eastern Armenian and Western Armenian.
  • Russian: Introduced during the period of Russian rule in Armenia, Russian continues to be widely spoken, with approximately 70% of the population possessing fluency in the language.
  • English: English is increasingly popular as a foreign language in Armenia, with around 40% of Armenians having a basic understanding of it.
  • Minority Languages: A number of minority languages, including Yazidi, Assyrian and Greek, are spoken by their respective communities within Armenia.
  • Note: This list represents the main languages spoken in Armenia. There may be other languages spoken within smaller communities or specific regions.

See also: Languages_of_Armenia

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Religion:

Christianity is the predominant faith in Armenia. Established in the 1st century AD, the Armenian Apostolic Church, the national church of the Armenian people and one of the oldest Christian churches in the world, is followed by 92.5% of the population.

Other Christian denominations present in Armenia include the Evangelicals, with about 30,000 adherents; Catholics, comprising both the Armenian Catholic Church and Latin Church, number about 14,000; Jehovah’s Witnesses have a presence of about 8,700 followers; Eastern Orthodox Christians account for about 8,500 people; the Chirstian sect known as Molokan has about 3,000 followers; the Assyrian Church of the East has a small community of about 1,750 followers; Protestant number about 750 people; and Mormons about 250.

In addition to Christianity, other religions also have a presence, including Yazidism, with about 25,000 followers, concentrated around Mount Aragats; Paganism, with about 5,000 followers; and Islam numbering about 800 adherents. There are also many other lesser-known religions practiced within smaller communities and specific regions.

See Also: Religion in Armenia

See Also:' Demographics of Armenia

Armenian Naming Conventions=

Armenian names typically consist of a given name and a surname. Patronymics, which go between the first and last name, are sometimes also used in official documents. Traditionally, Armenians have given their children Biblical names of Greek, Latin and Hebrew origin.

  • Some Armenian surnames have a suffix -յան (reformed orthography) or -եան (classical orthography), transliterated as -yan, -ian, or less often ‘-jan’. Example: Petrosyan, meaning “issued from Petros”, akin to the English name Peterson.
  • Some Armenian surnames have a suffix -նց ( [nʦʰ]), which is a plural genitive suffix.
  • Some Armenian surnames have a suffix -լի ( [li]) preceding the -յան/-եան suffix.
  • Some Armenian surnames have a suffix -ճի ( [ʤi] or [ʧi]), transliterated as -ji/dji or -chi/tchi.
  • The roots of names ending with -ian/-yan are typically first names. When the name ends in -lian or - (d)jian, the root is expected to refer to a location or a profession.

See Also: Armenian Names



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