Part 48

Total fertility rate: 1.71 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Nationality: noun: Armenian(s) adjective: Armenian

Ethnic groups: Armenian 93%, Azeri 3%, Russian 2%, other (mostly Yezidi Kurds) 2% (1989) note: as of the end of 1993, virtually all Azeris had emigrated from Armenia

Religions: Armenian Orthodox 94%

Languages: Armenian 96%, Russian 2%, other 2%

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female : 98% (1989 est.)

@Armenia:Government

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Armenia conventional short form: Armenia local long form : Hayastani Hanrapetut'yun local short form: Hayastan former : Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic; Armenian Republic

Data code: AM

Government type: republic

National capital: Yerevan

Administrative divisions: 10 provinces (marzer, singular - marz) and 1 city* (k'aghak'ner, singular - k'aghak'); Aragatsotn, Ararat, Armavir, Geghark'unik', Kotayk', Lorri, Shirak, Syunik', Tavush, Vayots' Dzor, Yerevan*

Independence: 28 May 1918 (First Armenian Republic); 23 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday: Referendum Day, 21 September

Constitution: adopted by nationwide referendum 5 July 1995

Legal system: based on civil law system

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state : President Levon Akopovich TER-PETROSSIAN (since NA October 1991); note - prior to becoming Armenia's first president, TER-PETROSSIAN was chairman of the Armenian Supreme Soviet since 4 August 1990 head of government: Prime Minister Robert KOCHARIAN (since 20 March 1997) cabinet : Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 22 September 1996 (next to be held NA September 2001); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Levon Akopovich TER-PETROSSIAN elected president; percent of vote - Levon Akopovich TER-PETROSSIAN 52%, Vazgen MANUKYAN 41%

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Azgayin Zhoghov (190 seats; members serve five-year terms) elections: last held 5 July 1995 (next to be held NA 2000) election results : percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Republican Bloc 159 (ANM 63, DLP-Hanrapetutyun Bloc 6, Republic Party 4, CDU 3, Intellectual Armenia 3, Social Democratic Party 2, independents 78), SWM 8, ACP 7, NDU 5, NSDU 3, DLP 1, ARF 1, other 4, vacant 2

Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Constitutional Court

Political parties and leaders: Republic Bloc (Hanrapetoutioun): Armenian National Movement or ANM [Husik LAZARIAN, chairman]; Democratic Liberal Party [Orthosis GYONJIAN, chairman]; Republican Party [Ashot NAVARSARDIAN, chairman]; Christian Democratic Union or CDU [Azat ARSHAKIAN, chairman]; Intellectual Armenia [H. TOKMAJIAN]; Social Democratic (Hnchakian) Party [Yeghia NAJARIAN] opposition parties: Shamiram Women's Movement or SWM [Shoger MATEVOSIAN]; Armenian Communist Party or ACP [Sergey BADALYAN]; National Democratic Union or NDU [Davit VARDANIAN and Vasgen MANUKIAN]; Union of National Self-Determination or NSDU [Paruir HAIRIKIAN, chairman]; Democratic Liberal Party or DLP [Rouben MIRZAKHANIAN, chairman]; Armenian Revolutionary Federation or ARF [Rouben HAKOBIAN, chairman]

International organization participation: BSEC, CCC, CE (guest), CIS, EBRD, ECE, ESCAP, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NACC, NAM (observer), OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (applicant)

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Ruben SHUGARIAN chancery: 2225 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: (202) 319-1976 FAX : (202) 319-2982 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Peter TOMSEN embassy: 18 Gen Bagramian, Yerevan mailing address : use embassy street address telephone: (2) 151-144, 524-661 FAX: (2) 151-550

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue, and gold

Economy

Economy - overview: Under the old Soviet central planning system, Armenia had developed a modern industrial sector, supplying machine building tools, textiles, and other manufactured goods to sister republics in exchange for raw materials and energy. Since the implosion of the USSR in December 1991, Armenia has switched to small-scale agriculture away from the large agroindustrial complexes of the Soviet area. The privatization of industry has been at a much slower pace. Armenia is a food importer and its mineral deposits (gold, bauxite) are small. The ongoing conflict with Azerbaijan over the ethnic Armenian-dominated region of Nagorno-Karabakh and the embargoes imposed by Azerbaijan and Turkey contributed to a severe economic decline in the early 1990s. By 1994, however, the Armenian Government had launched an ambitious IMF-sponsored economic program that has resulted in positive growth rates in 1995 and 1996. Armenia also managed to slash inflation and to privatize most small and medium-sized enterprises. The chronic energy shortages Armenia suffered in recent years has been partially offset by the energy supplied by one of its nuclear power plants at Metsamor, which in 1996 supplied about 40% of the country's energy needs, according to the Armenian Government. Moreover, Armenia is expanding its energy imports from Iran.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $9.7 billion (1996 estimate as extrapolated from World Bank estimate for 1994)