Part 47

Location: Southwestern Asia, east of Turkey

Geographic coordinates: 40 00 N, 45 00 E

Map references: Commonwealth of Independent States

Area: total : 29,800 sq km land: 28,400 sq km water: 1,400 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Maryland

Land boundaries: total: 1,254 km border countries: Azerbaijan-proper 566 km, Azerbaijan-Naxcivan exclave 221 km, Georgia 164 km, Iran 35 km, Turkey 268 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: highland continental, hot summers, cold winters

Terrain: high Armenian Plateau with mountains; little forest land; fast flowing rivers; good soil in Aras River valley

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Debed River 400 m highest point: Aragats Lerr 4,095 m

Natural resources: small deposits of gold, copper, molybdenum, zinc, alumina

Land use: arable land : 17% permanent crops: 3% permanent pastures: 24% forests and woodland: 15% other: 41% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 2,870 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: occasionally severe earthquakes; droughts

Environment - current issues: soil pollution from toxic chemicals such as DDT; energy blockade, the result of conflict with Azerbaijan, has led to deforestation when citizens scavenged for firewood; pollution of Hrazdan (Razdan) and Aras Rivers; the draining of Sevana Lich, a result of its use as a source for hydropower, threatens drinking water supplies; restart of Metsamor nuclear power plant without adequate (IAEA-recommended) safety and backup systems

Environment - international agreements: party to : Biodiversity, Climate Change, Nuclear Test Ban, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Desertification

Geography - note: landlocked

@Armenia:People

Population: 3,433,629 (July 1997 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 27% (male 476,375; female 456,723) 15-64 years: 65% (male 1,088,103; female 1,134,649) 65 years and over: 8% (male 115,135; female 162,644) (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate: -0.33% (1997 est.)

Birth rate: 13.59 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate: 8.6 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Net migration rate: -8.32 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 40.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 66.9 years male: 62.69 years female: 71.32 years (1997 est.)