What is the name of the Armenian Church. Secrets of ancient civilization: how Armenia and Armenians were called in different periods of history

Armenians are one of the most ancient peoples...

Armenians live in more than 85 countries of the world, predominantly in cities. In total, there are about 7-11 million Armenians in the world. Armenians are Christians, mostly believers of the Armenian Apostolic Church, belonging to the group of pre-Chalcedonian (Miaphysite) ancient Eastern Orthodox churches. There are believers of the Uniate Armenian Catholic Church, as well as Protestants.

There are not only legends about the formation of the Armenian people, but also numerous scientific theories. But the case of the Armenians is exactly the case when the legend explains everything, and scientific theory everything just confuses.

The history of the Armenians began when Assyrian king Shalmaneser V conquered the northern kingdom of Israel, inhabited by ten of the twelve tribes of Israel. The entire population of the kingdom was taken away in a direction unknown to the Jews. However, being unknown to the Jews, this direction was well known to the Assyrians themselves.
They were taken away to the Armenian Highland, to the place where the state of Urartu, also defeated by Assyria, was located until recently. The inhabitants of Urartu were taken to the western coast of the Persian Gulf, the inhabitants of those places were resettled to the place of the former Israeli kingdom, and the Israelis themselves were settled around Lake Van and at the foot of Ararat. There, having merged with the remnants of the local population formerly under the rule of Urartu, the former Israelites adopted their language, but basically retained their anthropological type. That is why Armenians are so similar to Jews.

Genetics also confirms this legend - most Armenians have the J2 haplogroup. Although she is non-Jewish, she has a common ancestor with the Jews. This ancestor lived long before Abraham. The carrier of the original base haplotype of the Armenian and Jewish populations lived 6200 years ago, that is, two and a half thousand years before the exodus of Abraham from Ur to Canaan.

In Armenia itself, another version of the origin of the Armenians is more common: the Armenian state, from the name of which the self-name of the Armenians comes, was Hayasa, which is described in sufficient detail in the ancient Hittite cuneiforms between 1500-1290. BC e., even earlier, between 1650-1500. BC e. this country was found in the Hittite cuneiforms under the name of Armatana. The Armenians themselves call themselves hai, and their country - Hayastan. However, the second version does not contradict the first one: first, the Urartians captured Hayasa, and then they brought the proto-Jews to this territory, and they, having mixed with the Hayastanis, formed the Armenian ethnos.

Armenian language belongs to Indo-European family languages. The latest researchers suggest that in ancient times, together with the Thracian and Phrygian languages, it was part of southern group Indo-European languages. At the same time, the Armenian language has similarities with the Caucasian languages. They are traced in vocabulary, phonetics and grammar.

The ancient Armenian language survived until the 19th century. as literary language. However, due to the evolution of live speech and interaction with other languages ​​(Persian, Greek, Arabic, Georgian, Turkic), the ancient Armenian language gradually became only a written language, receiving the name “grabar” (“written language”). The common people ceased to understand it, and it became the property of only a narrow circle of educated people and the church.

In the language of the Armenian people, 31 dialects were discovered and briefly described. Some of them have such deep sound differences with the national language that they are incomprehensible to Armenians who do not speak this dialect. Such are the Msgrip, Karadag, Karchevan, Aguli, Zeytun, Malat, Sasup and many other dialects. The urban population of modern Armenia speaks the literary Armenian language, and the Armenians of the Diaspora use the Western Armenian dialect.

The basis of men's and women's traditional clothing of Armenians is a shirt with a low collar and wide trousers, gathered and fastened at the ankles for women and wrapped around with a wide winding for men. Arkhaluh (a type of long frock coat) was worn over the shirt; in Western Armenia, men wore shorter and more open vests and jackets instead of arkhalukh. The townspeople, artisans, rich peasants had belts made of massive silver plaques. Various types of outerwear such as chukha (Circassian) were put on top, girdled either with a belt or (more often for women) with a long scarf.

Women wore an embroidered apron. Fur hats in Eastern Armenia served as headdresses for men, felt and woven hats in Western Armenia, for women - capes, complemented by a rim with various decorations, shoes - rawhide pistons, low-heeled shoes with a turned toe or boots made of soft leather. From the end of the 19th century, these forms of clothing were gradually replaced by European-style clothing.

Of all the components of the traditional culture of Armenians, food is most fully preserved. Traditional food is based on grain products. From wheat (formerly barley) flour in tonirs, thin bread is baked - lavash, butter cookies and other flour dishes are made, including noodles - arshta. Porridge is cooked from cereals, pilaf is made, soups are seasoned with them.

Dairy products are common: cheeses, butter, sour milk - matsun and buttermilk - tan, used both as a soft drink and as a basis for making soups. Poor people rarely ate meat: boiled meat was used in ritual dishes, and fried meat on holidays. The set of mixed vegetable, cereal and meat dishes is diverse: arisa - porridge with meat boiled to the fiber, kyufta - meat and cereal meatballs in soup, tolma - vegetable cabbage rolls with meat and cereals, etc. The range of preservatives prepared from grapes and fruits is very wide. Wide use of spicy herbs in a fresh and dried look is characteristic.

The traditional family is large, patriarchal, with a clear gender and age regulation of the rights and obligations of its members. The traditions of kinship and neighborly mutual assistance in the 19th century began to collapse as a result of the development capitalist relations, especially in Eastern Armenia, which was part of the Russian Empire.

The first mention of the name of Armenia, which then acted as its synonym for Urartu, is found in the Behistun inscription dated to 520 BC. e. After the defeat of the Persian Empire by the troops of Alexander the Great, Armenia became dependent on the Seleucids and was ruled by special governors, of which. two, Artaxias and Zariadr, in 190 BC, declared themselves independent and formed two states: Greater and Lesser Armenia.

The ruler of the first of them, Tigran the Great, united both in 70 BC. Under Tigran II, Great Armenia turned into a large state stretching from Palestine to the Caspian Sea, but soon the Armenian Kingdom fell into semi-vassal dependence, first from Rome, and then from Byzantium, which eventually divided its territory with the Persians.

Constant relations with new peoples developed in the Armenians a love for trade, and soon they realized what a huge force capital is in the daily life of not only a person, but also entire states. In 301 AD, Armenia became the first Christian country in the world, but without taking part in the IV Ecumenical Council, the Armenians preserved, that is, the rejection of the God-man in Jesus Christ.

In 405, the Armenian scientist and educator Mesrop Mashtots created the Armenian alphabet, which is still used by Armenians. Before Mashatots, the Armenians, as in other Hellenistic states of Asia Minor in the state and cultural life used Syriac and Greek scripts.

“So he endured many hardships in [the] provision of good assistance to his people. And he was granted such happiness by the most merciful God with his holy right hand, he, like a father, gave birth to a new and wonderful child - the letters of the Armenian language. And there he hastily drew, gave names and arranged [the letters in order], arranged [them] according to syllabic syllables.

In the middle of the 7th century, the Armenian lands were occupied by the Arabs, but in the 860s, the princely family of the Bagratids united most of the Armenian lands and overthrew the power of the Arab Caliphate.

In 885, the Arabs and Byzantines recognized the independence of the Armenian kingdom of the Bagratids, which was the largest and most powerful feudal state ancient Armenia.

In 908 the Vaspurakan kingdom was formed, in 963 the Kars kingdom, in 978 the Tashir-Dzoraget kingdom, and in 987 the Syunik kingdom.

All these Armenian states were in vassal relations with the Bagratid family. In 1064, most of the Armenian lands, with the exception of Syunik and the Tashir-Dzoraget kingdom, were conquered by the Seljuk Turks.

At the end of the 12th century, during the reign of the Georgian queen Tamara, the Armenian lands became part of the strengthened Georgian kingdom. In the first half of the 13th century, the Armenians were invaded by the Mongols, and later by the troops of Tamerlane. As a result of centuries-old foreign invasions, the Armenian lands were inhabited by Turkic nomadic tribes. In the middle of the 16th century, the Ottoman Empire and Persia, after a 40-year war, agreed on the division of spheres of influence. The eastern Armenian lands went to the Persians, and the western - to the Turks.

Under the rule of the Turks, who were rather indifferent in all respects to the peoples they conquered, the Armenians calmly practiced their religious cult and, having united around the Catholicos, the head of the Armenian church, were able to preserve the language, writing and culture. But sometimes Turkish indifference disappeared by itself, and the conquerors turned to the pockets of the conquered.

Of course, this was most painful for the Armenians, who set capital as the main goal in life. The resistance awakened the fighting instincts of the Turks, and therefore Armenian pogroms often began.

In the 17th century, the Turks had a mortal enemy - Russia. The Armenians noticed this and when they saw that this enemy was gradually inflicting heavy blows on Turkey and gradually moving south, despite the fact that Russia was still far from Armenia, they took advantage of this and began to ask for protection from the Russians. Already Potemkin became their ardent defender.

In order to arouse sympathy even more, the Armenians resorted to deception with their religion and presented themselves as the same Orthodox. When Emperor Pavel assumed the title of Grandmaster Order of Malta and at the same time the title of defender of Christians around the world, the Armenians sent a deputation to him with a request to be taken under their protection. In 1799, Paul I was even presented with the liturgy rite, compiled specifically for this purpose by Bishop Joseph Argutinsky. This liturgy said that it was necessary to pray for the Orthodox Emperor of the All-Russian and the August House. Since then, Armenians have been considered “Orthodox brothers” in Russia. The deception was revealed only in 1891, when Eastern Armenia was already part of Russia.

Back in 1779 Armenians appeared on the Don. The relocation of Armenians to the Don from the Crimea was commanded by the famous commander Suvorov. They founded Nakhichevan-on-Don, which in 1928 merged with Rostov. That is why there are so many Armenians in Rostov-on-Don.

As a result of the Russian-Persian war (1826-1828), Russia took possession of the Erivan and Nakhichevan khanates and the Ordubad district. By the 19th century in these territories, as a result of centuries of emigration and expulsion of the Armenian population], Armenians made up only 20% of the population. The Russian authorities organized a mass resettlement of Armenians in Transcaucasia from Persia and Turkey, which led to significant changes in the demographics of the region, also taking into account the mass emigration of the Muslim population to Turkey from the regions annexed to Russia.

According to the cameral description of the Armenian region by General Merlini for 1830, 30,507 people lived in the Nakhichevan province (this did not include Sharur and Ordubad), of which 17,138 people were Muslims, 2,690 people were native Armenians, 10,625 people were Armenians resettled from Persia and 27 people - Armenians resettled from Turkey. In 1830, about 45,000 more Armenians from the Erzurum and Bayazet Pashaliks immigrated to the lands of the former Erivan Khanate and settled southeast of Lake Sevan. By 1832, the Armenian population of the Erivan province had reached 50%. The ethnic composition of the region also underwent great changes in the second half of the 19th century. As a result of the war of 1877-1878, the Russian Empire defeated Turkey and captured part of southern Georgia, which later formed the Batumi region. In two years (1890-1891), more than 31,000 Muslims were evicted from the region, replaced by Armenian and partially Georgian settlers from the eastern regions of the Ottoman Empire. The resettlement of Armenians from these regions to the Batumi region continued until the beginning of the 20th century.

In Turkey, relations between Armenians and Muslims escalated in the second half of the 19th century. Repeatedly, the Turks slaughtered the Armenian population of entire regions (the Sasun massacre of 1896, the Adana massacre of 1909), and during the First World War, the Turks decided to exterminate the Armenians without exception. On the personal order of Nicholas II, the Russian troops took a number of measures to save the Armenians, as a result of which 375 thousand of the 1 million 651 thousand souls of the Armenian population of Turkey were saved, that is, 23%.

In 1918, the Armenians gained independence, but were left alone with the Turks and Azerbaijanis, who did not even think of abandoning the plans for the total extermination of all Armenians. On September 24, 1920, the Armenian-Turkish war began. Turkish troops under the command of Kazym Karabekir took first Sarykamysh, then Ardagan, and on October 30 Kars fell. In response to an inquiry about the intentions of the Entente, made in Tiflis by the Armenian representative Alexander Khatisov, the representative of England, Stokes, stated that Armenia had no choice but to choose the lesser of two evils: peace with Soviet Russia.

On November 29, 1920, a group of Armenian Bolsheviks, with the help of the Soviet 11th Army and the troops of Soviet Azerbaijan, entered the city of Ijevan and proclaimed the creation of a Revolutionary Committee, an uprising against the Armenian government and the establishment of Soviet power in Armenia. The Turks did not fight the Russians, especially since the Bolsheviks supported their leader Mustafa Kemal with money and weapons.

Armenia entered the Transcaucasian Federation, and in its composition in 1922 joined the USSR. In 1991, with the collapse of the USSR, Armenia became independent. For several years by that time, she had been waging a war with Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh, which ended in an Armenian victory.

Republic, state in the Caucasus. The name is first mentioned on a carving in 521 G. BC e. inscriptions on a rock near the Persian city of Kermanshah. Formed from the name of the Arim-Armenians, who inhabited the Armenian Highlands (the ancient name of Nairi - "country of rivers") . National name of Armenia Hayasa ("country of the hai people") known from a document of the 2nd millennium BC. e., discovered during excavations in Asia Minor. The ethnonym hai currently serves as a self-name arm. people. Derived from him nat. country name Hayastan - "country of Armenians". Cm. also Erzurum.

Geographical names of the world: Toponymic dictionary. - M: AST. Pospelov E.M. 2001 .

Armenia

1) (Hayastan - "country of Armenians"), Republic of Armenia , state in the south Transcaucasia. Pl. 30 thousand km², divided into 11 regions (Mars). Capital - Mr. Yerevan . In the IX-VI centuries. BC e. the state of Urartu existed here; in the III-IV centuries. state-in, dependent on Iran and Byzantium. In the 7th-15th centuries subjected to destructive invasions of Arabs, Byzantines, Turks, Mongol-Tatars, Timur. In the XVI-XVIII centuries. divided between Iran and Turkey. In 1805–28 Vost. A. became part of Russia (Erivan province), but b.ch. remained in Turkey, where in 1915-16. there was a mass extermination of Armenians. In 1918, the independence of Azerbaijan was proclaimed, in November 1920 Soviet power was established, and since 1922 it has been part of the USSR (since 1936 it has been a union republic). Since 1991, an independent state, headed by the president, the legislative power of the National. assembly. In 1991–94 - armed conflict with Azerbaijan because Nagorno-Karabakh .
Occupies SW. Armenian highlands (the highest point is Mt. Aragats , 4090 m), with volcanic plateaus and intermountain basins (Ararat Plain), framed in the NE. and V. ridges (Zangezur and others). Up to 700 miners. sources; high seismicity (in December 1988, a strong earthquake occurred in northern Armenia, accompanied by great destruction and loss of life); landslides, sat down. The climate is temperate continental, medium. July temperature 24–25 °С, January 5 °С; rainfall approx. 500 mm per year. Rapid rapid rivers are not navigable, they are used for irrigation and as a source of energy resources. The main rivers Araks , bordering with Turkey and Iran, and its left tributary Hrazdan ; over 100 lakes (the largest Sevan ). OK. 13% of the territory is covered by forests (beech, oak, hornbeam, juniper), deciduous woodlands and shrubs; in the south, semi-desert areas; on the slopes - steppes and meadows. National Sevan park; reserves: Dilijan, Khosrovskiy and etc.
Population 3.3 million people (2001); 93.3% are Armenians; Kurds (56 thousand), Russians (15.5 thousand), Ukrainians (8 thousand), Assyrians (6 thousand), Greeks (5 thousand), Georgians (1.5 thousand), Belarusians (1 thousand .). All Azerbaijanis emigrated in 1990–92. In turn, Armenian refugees from Azerbaijan moved to Armenia. Official language is Armenian. Religion - Armenian Gregorian Apostolic Church; headed by the Patriarch-Catholicos of all Armenians (residence in Vagharshapat). Main cities of Yerevan, Gyumri , Vanadzor , Vagharshapat , Kafan, Hrazdan . The most populated are the Ararat and Shirak plains, the coast of the lake. Sevan. Own energy resources - hydroelectric power station, state district power station, nuclear power plant (stopped in 1988, in 1995 the 1st unit was reactivated) - are insufficient. It imports fuel and gas from Russia (through the territory of Georgia). Mining of molybdenum, copper, lead, zinc, building. stone (dolomite, marble, multi-colored tuff, pumice, basalt, granite, etc.). Non-ferrous metallurgy, engineering; chem., light, food. (wine, cognac, canned fruit) industry; production of building materials. Viticulture and fruit growing (famous peaches and apricots). Cereals (wheat, barley), fodder, tech. (sugar beet, tobacco), gourds, potatoes. Meat grinder. livestock, sheep. The railroad is well developed. (0.9 thousand km of roads) and road (7.6 thousand km of roads) transport. AN (1943). The largest universities: Yerevan University (1920), Engineering University, Sel.-khoz. Academy, Inst. foreign languages them. V. Bryusov, Academy of Medical Sciences, American University of Armenia (branch of California). Conservatories, theaters, museums. Cash unit - dram;
2) (Armenia), the city in the center Colombia, on the app. slopes of the Center. Cordillera, between the Espejo and Quindio rivers, at an altitude of 1483 m. Adm. center of Quindio department. 281 thousand inhabitants (1999). Founded in 1889 by colonists from Antioch (Small Armenia in the SE of Asia Minor). In the XX century. turned into one of the main centers of the country for the production and processing of coffee. Light industry. Huge market, handicraft fair. Tourism in the surrounding nat. Los Nevados Park, Guayaquil, Navarco, Bremen, El Jardin reserves. Univ. Pl. Bolivar with Cathedral, Church of San Francisco. In the vicinity (to the north) is the Kimbai Museum of Culture (ceramics, gold items). In January 1999, the city was hit by a devastating earthquake.

Dictionary of modern geographical names. - Yekaterinburg: U-Factoria. Under the general editorship of Acad. V. M. Kotlyakova. 2006 .

(in Armenian Hayastan), the Republic of Armenia (Hayastani Hanrapetutyun), a state in western Asia, in the Transcaucasus. Until 1991 it was part of the USSR, since 1992 - an independent republic. Area 29.8 thousand square meters. km. Has no access to the sea. It borders in the north with Georgia, in the west and southwest - with Turkey, in the south - with Iran, in the southeast - with the Nakhichevan Republic, which is part of Azerbaijan, in the east - with the main territory of Azerbaijan. The total length of the borders is 1254 km.
NATURE
Terrain relief. Armenia is a mountainous country (approximately 90% of its area is located at altitudes over 1000 m above sea level). It is located within the northeastern part of the Armenian Highlands, and from the north and east it is bordered by the ridges of the Lesser Caucasus. In the central part of the country, a strip of volcanic mountains stretches in a sublatitudinal direction, represented by weakly dissected medium-altitude and high lava plateaus and shield-like massifs. There are many cones in this strip extinct volcanoes. The highest mountain peaks - Aragats (4090 m), Azhdahak (3597 m) and Vardenis (3522 m) are confined to the shield-like massifs. The rivers originating on the shield massifs have developed deep canyons.
The north and southeast are dominated by medium-altitude folded-block mountains, dissected by a dense network of valleys, many of which are deep gorges. Southwestern Armenia is located within the flat Ararat plain, the surface of which is composed of alluvial and lacustrine-alluvial deposits.
The territory of Armenia is confined to the zone of young Alpine folding, in which modern mountain-building processes continue. This is evidenced by frequent earthquakes (Leninakan 1926, Zangezur 1931, Yerevan 1937 and especially destructive Spitak 1988).
Minerals. The bowels of Armenia are rich in ore minerals. In the north and east of the country there are rich deposits of copper ore (Alaverdi, Kafan), in the southeast of molybdenum (Dastakert deposit), in the central and southeastern regions - iron ore (Razdan, Abovyan and Svarants deposits), in the north Akhtal, on south-east of the Kafanskoe deposit of polymetallic ores. In addition, there are industrial reserves of aluminum nepheline syenites, as well as barite with an admixture of gold and silver, deposits of lead, zinc, manganese, gold, platinum, antimony, mercury, and arsenic. There are rare earth metals bismuth, gallium, indium, selenium, thallium, tellurium, rhenium. Tufas (orange, yellow, pink, black), marble, travertine, limestone, which form the mountains of Armenia, are excellent building and finishing materials. Agate, jasper, amethyst, beryl, yahont, obsidian, onyx, turquoise stand out among the semi-precious and ornamental stones. Known ca. 7500 fresh and 1300 mineral water sources, many of which are used for balneological purposes (Jermuk, Arzni, Dilijan, Bjni, Hankavan, Sevan, etc.).
Climate. Armenia is located in the subtropical zone. Climatic features country defines it mountainous relief. A clearly defined vertical climatic zonality. Rainfall is extremely uneven throughout the year. The maximum precipitation occurs in spring and early summer.
On the Ararat Plain (within which Yerevan is located) and in the basin of the Arpa River, the climate is dry continental with hot summers (average July temperature 26 ° C, maximum 42 ° C), cold winters (average January temperature -4 ° C) and a small amount of precipitation (350 mm per year).
In the low mountains adjoining the Ararat Plain from the north and east, the climate is moderately dry with warm summers (average July temperature 20 ° C), cold winters (average January temperature -7 ° C) and heavy rainfall (up to 640 mm per year).
In the middle mountains of the central part of the country (altitudes 1500–1800 m), the climate is temperate, with warm summers (average July temperature 18–20 ° C) and cold winters (average January temperature -10 ° C) with heavy snowfalls; the average annual precipitation is 760 mm.
In the middle mountains in the north and south-east of the country, the climate is moderately warm, humid (average temperature in January is -4–0 ° С, in July + 18–19 ° С, the average annual rainfall is 600–700 mm).
In the extreme southeast and northeast, at altitudes less than 1500 m, the climate is dry subtropical with long hot summers (average July temperature 24 ° C) and mild snowless winters (average January temperature 0 ° C). The average annual rainfall is 300–400 mm. At altitudes of 1800–3000 m, the climate is moderately cold (average January temperature is -12° C, July +10 C), humid (average annual precipitation 800–900 mm).
In the highlands, the climate is cold (average January temperature is -14°С, July +10°С), humid (average annual precipitation is more than 800 mm). In winter, snow often falls in Armenia, which in the middle and high mountains reaches a thickness of 30–100 cm and persists for a long time.
Water resources. Most of the rivers belong to the basin of the long river Armenia Araks, flowing along the borders with Turkey and Iran and flowing into the river Kura on the territory of Azerbaijan. The major tributaries of the Araks in Armenia are Akhuryan, Kasakh, Hrazdan, Arpa and Vorotan. The rivers Debed, Aghstev and Ahum are the right tributaries of the Kura, which flows into the Caspian Sea. Part of the Armenian rivers belongs to the drainage basin of the lake. Sevan. The rivers are fed by snow, rain and soil. In the second half of summer and winter, the level of rivers drops significantly.
There are dozens of shallow lakes on the territory of Armenia. The largest lake Sevan is confined to the intermountain basin in the east of the country. The edge of the lake was 1914 m above sea level, the area was 1417 sq. km. After the implementation of the hydropower project in 1948, the area of ​​​​Sevan was reduced to 1240 square meters. km, and the level decreased by 15 m. Subsequently, its level decreased by another 6–7 m.
Soils. The soil cover of Armenia is variegated. Soils are developed mainly on volcanic rocks. At relatively low altitudes, mountain-brown and mountain-chestnut soils are common, in some places, in the Araks valley, solonetzes and solonchaks. Mountain chernozems are widely represented in the middle belt of mountains, and mountain-meadow soils are found at high altitudes.
Vegetable world. The most widespread in Armenia are steppe and semi-desert formations. On the lower tiers of the relief, sagebrush semi-deserts are developed and there are limited areas of saltwort and Achilles-Juzgun deserts. Grass and forb-cereal steppes dominate in the middle mountain belt, which give way to meadow steppes and alpine meadows with height. In the early 1990s, less than 12% of the country's area was covered by forests. They are confined mainly to the northeastern and southeastern regions. In the northeast, broad-leaved forests are common with a predominance of oak, beech and hornbeam, with a small participation of linden, maple, ash, in the southeast - more xerophilic oak forests. Poplar and walnut, wild fruit trees and shrubs (apple, pear, cherry, plum, dogwood, wild rose) are often found in forest plantations. Significant areas on volcanic plateaus are occupied by stone placers devoid of vegetation. Flora of Armenia has approx. 3200 species, of which 106 are endemic. The Ararat plain is the center of origin of wheat and a number of other cultivated cereals.
Animal world. The fauna of Armenia includes 76 species of mammals, 304 species of birds, 44 species of reptiles, 6 species of amphibians, 24 species of fish and approx. 10 thousand invertebrates. In the semi-deserts, rodents (gopher, jerboa, mole rat, gerbils, voles) and reptiles (agama, tortoise, gyurza, viper) are numerous, there are a steppe cat, an eared hedgehog. Lynx, reed cat, wild boar, jackal and many birds are found in the coastal thickets of the Araks River. The fauna of the steppe regions is similar to the semi-desert, in addition, hare and fox are often found there, less often - wolf and badger. The steppes of the central and western regions are characterized by a predatory animal bandaging, and for the southern and southeastern regions - bezoar goat and mouflon. Roe deer, marten, lynx, squirrel, forest cat, bear are found in the mountains of the northeast; sika and red deer have been introduced. The mountain forests of the southeast are inhabited by lynx, forest cat, marten, bezoar goat, mouflon, wild boar, bear, roe deer, leopard. Numerous species of birds nest in Armenia: crane (the national symbol of the country, in Armenian - krunk), stork, partridge, quail, black grouse, eagle, vulture, snowcock, on the lake. Sevan - ducks and seagulls. In Sevan, valuable commercial fish ishkhan (Sevan trout), khramuli, barbel are found, Ladoga whitefish is introduced. Coypu has been introduced in the river valleys in the south of the country.
The state of the environment. Over the past decade, forests have been cleared in Armenia on an area of ​​more than 30 thousand hectares, which has led to the activation of erosion processes, disruption of the ecological balance, and the development of desertification processes, including in the lake basin. Sevan. The habitats of many large mammals and birds have been destroyed, resulting in a decrease in their numbers and an increase in the populations of rodents and harmful insects.
The largest Armenian Lake Sevan, which has an important economic and recreational value, is currently considered a zone of ecological disaster. The use of its waters in irrigation and energy purposes led to a significant decrease in its level. Entry into the water area contaminated with waste industrial enterprises The runoff of a number of rivers led to the eutrophication of the lake, its “blooming” and the death of many fish species, in particular, to a reduction in the population of the Sevan ishkhan. Now this species is listed in the Red Book. A long-term government program to save Lake Sevan has been adopted. The primary task is to restore the Vorotan reservoir and the construction of the Vorotan tunnel, through which in the lake. Sevan will receive annually 190 million cubic meters. m of fresh water. This will raise the level of the lake by several meters. In the longer term, it is planned to complete the construction of treatment plants in the industrial cities of Martuni, Vardenis and Gavar, located in the Lake Sevan basin. Funding is expected to be provided to support national park Sevan.
An unfavorable ecological situation has developed in the vicinity of the "Armenian Copper" metallurgical plant in Alaverdi, Vanadzor chemical plant and other industrial centers. Due to the lack of advanced technologies, the efficiency of processing ore raw materials is only 25%. When copper, molybdenum, and gold are extracted from it, such valuable components as silver, nickel, platinoids, sulfur, iron, and metal oxides remain in the waste.
POPULATION
According to the 2003 census, out of the officially registered 3326 thousand people, 3003 thousand people actually lived in Armenia (in 1989 the population was 3.3 million, in 1979 - 3.7 million). In 1989, ethnic Armenians accounted for 93.3%. The most significant minorities were Azerbaijanis (2.6%), Kurds (1.7%) and Russians (1.6%). In addition, Ukrainians (0.3%), Assyrians (0.2%), Greeks (0.1%), as well as Jews, Georgians, Belarusians, Poles, Germans, Lithuanians (0.2%) lived in Armenia. As a result ethnic conflicts In 1989-1993, almost all Azerbaijanis left the country, and 200,000 Armenians from the territory of Azerbaijan moved to Armenia. Over the past 10 years, about 955 thousand people have left the country, mostly Armenians, as well as Azerbaijanis, Muslim Kurds, Greeks, Russians, Ukrainians, Jews, Assyrians. The share of national minorities decreased to 3%. Yezidis and Kurds dominate among them. There is a small community of Molokan Russians, descendants of one of the sects of spiritual Christians who were persecuted in Russia and moved to Armenia in the 19th century.
The age group under 15 years old is 21.1% of the population, from 15 to 65 years old - 68.3%, over 65 years old - 10.6%. As of 2003, the birth rate was estimated at 12.57 per 1000 population, the death rate - 10.16 per 1000, the emigration rate - 3.87 per 1000. As a result, the country is depopulating (0.21% in 2001). The infant mortality rate is 40.86 per 1000 newborns. Life expectancy - 66.68 years (men - 62.41, women - 71.17).
Language. The Armenian language belongs to the family of Indo-European languages. Classical Armenian (ancient Armenian grabar - written language) is currently used only in worship. The modern literary Armenian language has two main branches: Eastern Armenian (also called Ararat), which is spoken by the inhabitants of Armenia and Armenians living in other CIS countries and Iran, and Western Armenian, which is spoken by Armenians living or born in in Turkey. The Armenian alphabet was created by the enlightener, scientist, monk Mesrop Mashtots in 405-406.
Religion. The overwhelming majority of the population of Armenia are Christians. The Armenians were converted to Christianity in 301 thanks to the work of Gregory I the Illuminator (Armenian Grigor Lusavorich, later canonized). Armenia became the first country in the world to adopt Christianity as a state religion. Although the Armenian Apostolic Church (sometimes called by the name of Gregory I Armenian-Gregorian) was originally independent, it maintained ties with other Christian churches up to the Chalcedon (451) and Constantinople (553) Ecumenical Councils, and then retained close ties only with the Monophysite churches - Coptic (Egypt), Ethiopian and Jacobite (Syria) ( see also monophysitism). The Armenian Apostolic Church is headed by the Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians (currently Garegin II), whose residence has been located in Etchmiadzin since 1441. The Catholicosate of All Armenians in Etchmiadzin is formally subordinate to the Cilician Catholicosate (the residence in 1293-1930 was in the city of Sis (modern Kozan, Turkey), and since 1930 - in the city of Antilias (Lebanon)) and two patriarchates (Jerusalem, founded in 1311, and Constantinople, founded in 1461), as well as 36 dioceses (8 - in Armenia, 1 - in Nagorno-Karabakh, the rest - in those countries of the world where there are Armenian communities).
From the 12th century a small part of the Armenians began to recognize the supremacy of the Roman Catholic Church and the Pope. In 1740, supported by the Dominican missionaries of the Order of Jesus (Jesuits), they united into the Armenian Catholic Church with a patriarchal residence in Beirut (Lebanon). Like the Armenian Apostolic Church, it belongs to the Eastern churches whose rites and liturgy are celebrated in Armenian. During the existence of the USSR, the Armenian Catholic Church was subjected to persecution, and only in 1991 the Catholic ordinariate was reopened in Armenia in the city of Gyumri (former Leninakan). At present, there are 180-220 thousand Catholic Armenians in the country, who mainly inhabit the northern regions of Armenia.
The spread of Protestantism among the Armenians was promoted by American Congregationalist missionaries who arrived in Armenia from Boston in 1830. Many Armenian Protestant congregations have been created and still exist today, which carry out missionary activities. Pentecostals are active in Armenia (about 25 thousand people), Jehovah witnesses(about 7.5 thousand people), Armenian Evangelical Church (about 5 thousand people), Charismatic Christians (about 3 thousand people), Evangelical Christian Baptists (about 2 thousand people). ) ( Cm. Baptism), Church of Jesus Christ of Saints doomsday(Mormons; from 1.5 to 2 thousand people), seventh day adventists(0.8 thousand people). Of the other Christians, Nestorians are represented, who are close in their dogmas to the Monophysites (about 6 thousand people) and Molokans (about 5 thousand people) - representatives of one of the trends of spiritual Christianity in Russian Old Believers. The Orthodox in Armenia are subordinate to the Moscow Patriarchate, but in terms of numbers they are inferior to the Molokans. Most of Orthodox and Molokans living in Armenia are concentrated in the north of the country, while most Protestants live in large cities.
Among the Kurds, a fairly significant community is formed by the Yezidis (Yazidis), whose religious beliefs include elements of Zoroastrianism, Islam and animism ( see also Kurds and the Kurdish question). The Yezidis inhabit primarily rural areas in the mountains of Aragats, northwest of Yerevan. According to the population census in 1989, their number reached 51.9 thousand people, but according to recent estimates, it is 30-40 thousand.
During the existence of the Soviet Union, Islam in Armenia was spread mainly among Azerbaijanis and Kurds, but as a result of the Karabakh conflict, most Muslims were forced to leave the country. The largest Muslim community, including Kurds, Iranians and immigrants from the Middle East, is currently preserved only in Yerevan. The Muslim Kurdish community, primarily in the Abovyan region, has only a few hundred people, most of them belong to the Shafiite Sunnis. In the east and north of the country, mainly in the border villages, small groups of Muslim Azerbaijanis live, and in the cities there are more than 200 people. Baha'is.
There are also a few Hare Krishna and pagan communities in Armenia. There are also 0.5-1 thousand followers of Judaism.
The attitude in society towards the majority of religious minorities is ambivalent. The constitution guarantees freedom of religion, incl. the right to profess any religion or none, and existing legislation establishes the separation of church and state. Currently, there are 57 religious organizations in Armenia, a synagogue has been opened, as well as churches and prayer houses of various religious minorities. At the same time, the status of the national church of the Armenian people is legally assigned to the Armenian Apostolic Church, and certain restrictions (for example, a ban on proselytism) are imposed on the religious freedom of representatives of other confessions.
Cities. The capital of Armenia, the city of Yerevan, was founded in the 8th century. BC. 1258 thousand people live in it (2002). The second place in terms of population is occupied by the city of Vanadzor (from 1935 to 1992 Kirovakan) with a population of 147 thousand people. The city of Gyumri (from 1924 to 1992 Leninakan) is home to 125,000 people. Until December 1988, it was the second largest city in the Armenian SSR, but it was badly damaged during the Spitak earthquake. One of the oldest cities in Armenia, Vagharshapat, has 66 thousand inhabitants, the regional center Hrazdan has 63.8 thousand.
GOVERNMENT
On August 23, 1990, at the 1st session of the Supreme Council of Armenia, the declaration "On the Independence of Armenia" was adopted. As a result, the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic was abolished and the independent Republic of Armenia proclaimed. On September 21, 1991, a nationwide referendum was held on secession from the USSR. 94.99% of those who took part in the voting supported the full independence of Armenia. On September 23, 1991, the Supreme Council proclaimed the Republic of Armenia an independent, independent state. The reorganization of the state power structure was completed in 1992.
Authorities. According to the constitution, approved by referendum on July 5, 1995, Armenia is a democratic republic. The head of state is the president, who is elected for a five-year term in a general election by citizens over the age of 18. The presidential post can be held by an Armenian citizen who is at least 35 years old and has been permanently residing in the country for the previous 10 years. In accordance with the constitution, the head of state is the guarantor of the constitution, independence, territorial integrity and security of the republic, ensures the normal functioning of the legislative and executive powers, appoints and removes the prime minister and, on his recommendation, approves the ministers, assures government decisions. Since March 30, 1998, the President of Armenia is Robert Kocharyan (b. in 1954, in 1992-1996 Prime Minister of the self-proclaimed Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, which separated from Azerbaijan, in 1996-1997 President of Nagorno-Karabakh, in 1997-1998 Prime Minister of Armenia).
The highest legislative body is the unicameral parliament, the National Assembly (NA), elected for 4 years. Of the 131 deputies of the National Assembly, 56 are elected by single-member districts, 75 by the system of proportional representation (according to party lists). A citizen of the Republic of Armenia, at least 25 years of age, who has permanently resided on its territory for at least three years before the election day, can become a deputy of the National Assembly.
The highest body of executive power is the government. The head of government, the prime minister, is appointed by the president of the republic. The prime minister forms a cabinet whose members are approved by the president. The head and members of the government must resign if the National Assembly rejects the government's program. The Prime Minister since 2000 is Andranik Markaryan.
Armenia is subdivided into 10 regions and the city of Yerevan. The heads of regions (marzpets) are appointed by the government, while the mayor of Yerevan is appointed by the president on the proposal of the prime minister. The regions are divided into urban and rural communities, Yerevan - into neighborhood communities. Elected communal local self-government bodies consist of a council of elders and a community leader (city mayor or village headman), who forms his own administration. Local authorities manage community property, approve the local budget and control its execution, establish local taxes, and so on.
Judicial branch. The system of courts of general jurisdiction includes courts of first instance, courts of appeal and the court of cassation. There are also economic, military and other specialized courts. The highest court is the Council of Justice, which is headed by the President. The Constitutional Court, which is the body of constitutional control, consists of 9 members (five are appointed by the National Assembly, four by the President of the Republic).
Political parties. Since 1990 Armenia has had a multi-party system. The largest parties in the country are:
Republican Party(RP) - founded in 1990, liberal. In the 2003 elections, she collected 23.5% of the vote and secured 31 seats in the National Assembly. Leader - Andranik Markaryan (Prime Minister).
« Country where the law rules”(Orinants Yerkir) is a liberal-centrist association that arose in 1999. It supports President Kocharyan and is a member of the government. In the 2003 elections, she received 12.3% of the vote and 19 seats in the National Assembly. The leader is Artur Baghdasaryan.
Block« Justice"(Ardatyun) - an opposition coalition, formed in 2003. The bloc included: Democratic Party(conservative; leader Aram Sargsyan, prime minister in 1999-2000), National Democratic Union(created in 1991, centrist; leader - Vazgen Manukyan, prime minister in 1990-1991), National Democratic Party(leader Sh. Kocharyan) and People's Party(formed in 1998, left; leader - Stepan Demirchyan). In the 2003 elections, he collected 13.6% of the vote and received 14 seats in the National Assembly.
Armenian Revolutionary Federation« Dashnaktsutyun"- one of the oldest parties in Armenia, founded in 1890 as a party of a social revolutionary direction, which also advocated the annexation of the historical regions of Armenia, now part of Turkey. She was in power in independent Armenia in 1918–1920, banned under the rule of the Communist Party, worked in exile. It resumed its activities on the territory of Armenia after 1990. In 1994-1998, it was persecuted by the government of President Levon Ter-Petrosyan. In favor of democratic socialism, under nationalist slogans. Part of the Socialist International. Supports President Kocharyan, is a member of the government. In the 2003 elections, she collected 11.4% of the vote and won 11 seats in the National Assembly. Leader - Vahan Hovhannisyan.
National Unity Party - was founded in the late 1990s by the former mayor of Yerevan Artashez Geghamyan as a conservative organization "Law and Unity". Is in opposition. In the 2003 elections, she won 8.8% of the vote and won 9 seats in the National Assembly.
The country also has: United Labor Party(Social Democratic; 5.7% of the vote in the 2003 parliamentary elections and 6 seats in the National Assembly; leader - Gurgen Arsenyan); Liberal Democratic Union(4.6% of votes); nationalist parties Mighty homeland" and " Dignity, democracy, homeland»; Liberal Democratic Party« Ramkawar Azatakan"(formed in 1917, recreated in 1991; leader Harutyun Mirzakhanyan); Communist Party of Armenia(founded in 1920, was part of the CPSU and was in power until 1990, ceased to exist in 1991, re-established in 1992; leader - Vladimir Darbinyan); social democratic party Hunchak” (“The Bell”, the oldest in the country, created in 1887, banned in 1920–1991); Armenian national movement(a moderately conservative party formed in 1989 on the basis of the "Karabakh" committee, which demanded the annexation of Nagorno-Karabakh to Armenia; was in power in 1990-1998; leader - Alex Arzumanyan); Pan-Armenian Labor Party(Social Democratic, 1 seat in the National Assembly); " Republic"(Conservative Party, 1 seat in the National Assembly) and others.
Military establishment. The armed forces of Armenia include ground forces, air Force, air defense forces, as well as internal and border units (Security Service). The draft age is 18 years. Military spending reaches 6.5% of GDP. The internal order is enforced by the police.
Foreign policy. Armenia is a member of the Commonwealth of Independent States, is a member of the UN and its specialized organizations. Diplomatic relations with Russia were established in 1992. The country's first president, Levon Ter-Petrosyan (1991–1998), sought to maintain close ties with Russia, the United States, and France (the latter have large Armenian communities). Under President Kocharyan (since 1998), allied relations with Russia have been significantly strengthened, and relations with Iran are developing.
Externally political position the country is complicated in connection with the conflict with Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh, which broke out in 1988 and turned into an undeclared war between the two countries. There are 236,000 Armenian refugees from Azerbaijan in Armenia; in addition, there is approx. 50 thousand internal refugees and displaced persons. In connection with the occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh by the Armenian forces, Turkey closed the border with Armenia and organized its economic blockade. In 1994, an agreement was reached on a ceasefire in the Karabakh conflict, but the problem remains unresolved and instability persists. OK. 16% of the territory of Azerbaijan remains occupied by Armenian rebels. The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) continues to mediate and try to reach a peaceful settlement.
ECONOMY
At the beginning of the 20th century Armenia was an agrarian country, the basis of its economy was animal husbandry and crop production. industrial production was reduced mainly to the development of minerals in small mines and the production of cognac. Industrialization began immediately after the establishment of Soviet power, and Armenia gradually turned into a modern agrarian-industrial country. Metalworking, mechanical engineering, chemical, light (textile and leather and footwear), food (fruit and vegetable, wine and cognac) industries, non-ferrous metallurgy, processing precious stones, production of building materials. Industrial products were sent to the fraternal republics, from where Armenia received raw materials and electricity.
After the collapse of the USSR, most of the industrial enterprises ceased to function, as they were associated with the maintenance of the military-industrial complex of the former Soviet Union. This led to an increase in unemployment. As of 2001, the army of unemployed was 10.3% of the able-bodied population. The country's economy again acquired a predominantly agrarian character.
The economy of Armenia has always been the most vulnerable compared to other Transcaucasian republics of the former USSR due to the peculiarities of its geographical location and natural resource base (lack of access to the sea, lack of oil and gas resources, low soil fertility). As a result of the economic blockade of Armenia in connection with the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the country was cut off from Azerbaijan and Turkey, and because of the Georgian-Abkhazian conflict - from Russia (previously 90% of cargo transportation was carried out by rail through Abkhazia).
In early 1991, the Supreme Council adopted the laws "On the Fundamentals of Privatization in the Republic of Armenia" and "On Peasant and Collective Peasant Farms." The privatization of agricultural land began at a rapid pace. However, measures to provide credit and material assistance to the peasantry were developed only in 1995-1996. In 1994, the privatization of small and medium-sized industrial enterprises began, and in 1995 - large ones. To date, most small and medium-sized industrial enterprises have been privatized.
The current state and prospects for the development of the country's economy are closely related to the solution of the Karabakh problem. Most of the aid coming from abroad goes to Nagorno-Karabakh. After the conclusion of a truce in May 1994 and the receipt of funds for the restoration National economy from the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, the country's economy gradually stabilized. Inflation rates decreased from 5000% to 8-10% per year, GDP growth was outlined (5-7% per year, official data).
In 2003, Armenia's GDP was estimated at $11.79 billion. which corresponded to 3500 US dollars per capita. In 2003, GDP grew by almost 10%. In the structure of GDP, 23% is accounted for by agriculture, 35% by industry and 42% by the service sector. In 2002 ok. half of the population lived below the official poverty level, unemployment reached 20%.
Energy. In 1962, the construction of the Sevan-Hrazdan irrigation complex and the cascade of hydroelectric power stations, begun in 1937, was completed. Sevan in order to replenish its water reserves. As a result, part of the electricity generated in the republic was exported to Georgia and Azerbaijan in exchange for natural gas. In Yerevan, Hrazdan and Vanadzor, thermal power plants operating on gas fuel were built.
In 1977-1979, a nuclear power plant with two power units was put into operation in Metsamor near Yerevan, which fully met the needs of the republic for electricity, including an aluminum plant and a large plant for the production of synthetic rubber and car tires. After the Spitak earthquake, the Metsamor nuclear power plant was mothballed in 1989, but was re-launched in 1995. At present, Armenia not only covers its own energy needs, but also exports electricity to Georgia and Iran.
Industry. By attracting foreign investment and IMF assistance in last years managed to put into operation a number of industrial facilities. Traditionally, mining and processing of building materials is carried out: basalt, perlite, limestone, pumice, marble, etc. Cement is produced. On the basis of the development of copper ore deposits in Kapan, Kajaran, Agarak and Akhtala, the work of the copper-smelting plant in Alaverdi was resumed. Based on local raw materials, aluminum, molybdenum and gold are produced. Diamonds are being cut. The Vanadzor chemical complex, consisting of 25 enterprises, has started working again. There was an increase in production in light and Food Industry(production of wine and cognac products). There are enterprises for the production of machine tools, molding equipment, precision instruments, synthetic rubber, tires, plastics, chemical fiber, mineral fertilizers, electric motors, tools, microelectronics, jewelry, silk fabrics, knitwear, hosiery, software, synthetic stones for the production of tools and watches.
Agriculture. Approximately 45% of the country's area is included in agricultural turnover, and only 20% is cultivated, and 25% falls on pastures. Large arrays arable land is available only in three regions: on the Ararat plain, where two or three crops are usually harvested a year, in the valley of the Araks river and on the plains adjacent to the lake. Sevan. Soil erosion is a serious obstacle to the development of agriculture. The main crops are vegetables, gourds, potatoes, wheat, grapes, fruits, essential oils, tobacco, sugar beets. Animal husbandry specializes in dairy and meat cattle breeding; sheep are bred in mountainous areas.
In 1987 there were 280 collective farms and 513 state farms in Armenia. During 1991-1992, almost 80% of agricultural land was transferred to the peasants working on it. The result was approx. 320 thousand individual and collective peasant farms. Now the private sector produces up to 98% of agricultural products. However, during the period from 1992 to 1997, the area under crops decreased by 25%. Due to the absence of foreign markets, the volume of sales of agricultural products in 1997 amounted to 40% of the 1990 level. A significant part of agricultural products is consumed in the peasant farms themselves. 60–70% of fruits and vegetables are sold, approx. 30% potatoes, 20% grains and dairy products. No more than 17% of products are processed.
Transport. The transport network includes railways with a length of 830 km (90% of them are electrified) and motor roads with a total length of 7700 km. By highways, Yerevan is connected with Georgia, Nagorno-Karabakh and Iran. In 1996, the construction of a modern bridge over the Araks River was completed, connecting Armenia with Iran near the city of Meghri. It is open to two-way traffic. From Yerevan, regular intercity bus flights are carried out to many settlements of the country, as well as to Georgia, Russia and Iran. Transport communication with Azerbaijan and Turkey has been interrupted. There is also no railway connection between Armenia and Russia.
All major cities of Armenia are connected by air routes. Currently 17 airports, incl. 11 have hard coated tracks. The largest airport Zvartnots is located in the vicinity of Yerevan. It serves flights to Moscow and other major cities of the CIS, Europe and Asia. In addition, international flights are carried out through the airports of Erebuni (Yerevan) and Shirak (Gyumri).
International trade. In 2000, imports ($913 million) were almost three times as valuable as exports ($284 million). The main export items are polished diamonds, machinery and equipment, and copper ore. The main export partners are Belgium, Iran, Russia, USA, Turkmenistan, Georgia. Armenia imports such energy sources as gas, oil, as well as tobacco products, food, rough diamonds, fertilizers, and agricultural machinery. The main import partners are Russia, USA, Belgium, Iran, Great Britain. In 2001, for the first time in the years of independent development of the country, the trade turnover between Armenia and Russia increased.
Finance. In November 1993, a new monetary unit, the dram, was introduced. In 1993 alone, Armenia received millions of dollars in loans from Western countries. The World Bank provided a loan of 12 million dollars, the United States allocated 1 million dollars for the purchase of seed wheat, Russia provided a loan of 20 billion rubles. (approx. 5 million dollars) for the purchase of Russian oil and agricultural products. In 1994, 52 local and 8 foreign banks operated in Armenia. The United Nations, the United States, Japan, Russia (which accounts for more than half of foreign investments) and other countries continue to provide financial assistance to Armenia. More than 500 joint Russian-Armenian enterprises operate.
CULTURE
From the 7th c. AD Armenia was an outpost of Christianity in the surrounding Muslim world. The Armenian (Monophysite) church preserved the traditions of Eastern Christianity, which opposed both its Western and Eastern branches, from which it was isolated. After the loss of independence by Armenia (1375), it was the church that contributed to the survival of the Armenian people. Starting from the 17th century. contacts are established with Italy, then with France and somewhat later with Russia, through which Western ideas also penetrated. For example, the famous Armenian writer and public figure Mikael Nalbandyan was an ally of such Russian "Westerners" as Herzen and Ogarev. Later, cultural ties between Armenia and the United States began.
Education. Conductors of public education until the middle of the 19th century. remained Christian monasteries. In addition, the development of culture was greatly facilitated by the creation of Armenian schools in the Ottoman Empire by Armenian Catholic monks from the Mkhitarist order (established in the early 18th century in Constantinople by Mkhitar Sebastatsi to preserve the monuments of ancient Armenian writing), as well as the activities of American Congregationalist missionaries in 1830- e years. The Armenian Church and enlightened Armenians educated in the universities of Western Europe and the USA helped to organize Armenian schools in the places where Armenians were densely populated. An important role in the cultural life of the Armenians of the Russian Empire was played by the Armenian schools founded in the 1820–1830s in Yerevan, Etchmiadzin, Tiflis and Alexandropol (modern Gyumri).
Many representatives of the Armenian people in the 19-20 centuries. received education in Russia, especially after the creation in 1815 by Ioakim Lazaryan in Moscow of an Armenian school, which was transformed in 1827 into the Lazarevsky Institute of Oriental Languages. Many Armenian poets, writers, statesmen came out of its walls, including Count M. Loris-Melikov, who proved himself in the theater of military operations in the Caucasus (1877-1878) and as the Minister of Internal Affairs of Russia (1880-1881). The famous marine painter I.K. Aivazovsky was educated at the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts.
The education system in Armenia was created during the years of Soviet power on the model of the Russian one. Since 1998, it has been reformed in accordance with the World Bank program, for the implementation of which $ 15 million has been allocated. Programs are being reviewed schooling, hundreds of new textbooks are being printed. In Armenia, there are incomplete secondary schools, complete secondary schools, gymnasiums, lyceums and higher educational institutions (colleges, universities and institutes), including 18 state universities and 7 colleges with 26 thousand students, and 40 non-state universities with 14 thousand students. Up to 70% of students in secondary specialized educational institutions receive education on a commercial basis. Most universities are located in Yerevan. The most prestigious universities are the Yerevan State University (founded in 1920), the State Engineering University of Armenia, the Yerevan State National Economic Institute, the Armenian Agricultural Academy, the Yerevan State Linguistic Institute named after. V.Ya.Bryusova, Yerevan State Medical University, Armenian State Pedagogical University, Yerevan State University of Architecture, Yerevan State University of Architecture and Construction, Yerevan state institute theatrical art and Cinematography, Yerevan State Art Academy, Yerevan State Conservatory. There are higher educational institutions, including branches of some Yerevan universities and institutes, in such cities as Gyumri, Vanadzor, Dilijan, Ijevan, Goris, Kapan, Gavar. In 1991, with the support of the University of California in Yerevan, the American University of Armenia was founded. In 1999, the Russian-Armenian (Slavonic) University was opened in Yerevan, where approx. 800 students, predominantly Armenians (90%).
Leading science Center- Founded in 1943, the Academy of Sciences of Armenia with several dozen research institutes. The Byurakan Astrophysical Observatory (founded in 1946) is world famous. In 1990, more than 100 research institutes (including academic and other departmental ones) functioned on the territory of Armenia. During the period from 1990 to 1995, the number of scientific workers decreased by almost 4 times (from 20 thousand to 5.5 thousand). Currently, the state finances only priority scientific areas.
Literature and art. The earliest literary monuments in Armenian that have come down to us date back to the 5th-6th centuries. First of all, these are the historical works of Movses Khorenatsi ( History of Armenia), Koryun ( Lives of Mashtots), as well as translations of theological books into Armenian. In the early Middle Ages (11th century), Grigor the Master (Pahlavuni), the author of the treatise Letters, which raises philosophical, political, theological and scientific questions. In addition, his translations into Armenian of Plato's dialogues are known. Timaeus and Phaedo and geometries Euclid.
The names of the authors of historical works have come down to us - Hovhannes (Ioannes) Draskhanakertsi ( History of Armenia and Chronologies of the Armenian Catholicoses, late 9th - early 10th century), Tovma Artsruni (960-1030), Stefanos Orbelyan (13th century) and others. National epic Sasunci David (David Sasunian), which depicts the struggle of the Armenian people for liberation, took shape during the 7th-10th centuries. Samples of the earliest lyrical, moralizing and philosophical Armenian poetry can be found in the works of Grigor Narekatsi (951–1003), Nerses Shnorali (Nerses IV the Gracious, 1112–1173), Hovhannes Tlkurantsi (14–15 centuries), Frick (13–14 centuries .) and others. In the 12th–13th centuries. created by such Armenian fabulists as Mkhitar Gosh and Vartan Aygektsi.
The theatrical art of Armenia has very ancient roots. It is known that the Armenian king Tigran II the Great (1st century BC) built an amphitheater in the capital Tigranakert (ruins have been preserved), where Greek artists invited by him staged Greek tragedies and comedies. According to Plutarch, the Armenian king Artavazd II composed tragedies that were staged in Artashat, the second capital of Armenia (1st century AD). They also showed bacchantes Euripides.
Architecture developed in medieval Armenia, church music existed. Books were often illustrated with miniatures of independent artistic value.
In the 19th century Armenian literature and art developed under the influence of Russian and Western European culture. The historical narratives of Ghevond Alishan, the novels of Khachatur Abovyan, Raffi, Muratsan (Grigor Ter-Hovhannisyan), Alexander Shirvanzade, the poems and poems of Petros Duryan, Siamanto (Atom Yarjanyan), Daniel Varuzhan, Vahan Teryan, Hovhannes Tumanyan, dramas (Gabriela Sundukyan, Alexander Shirvanzade, Hakob Paronyan). Armenian composers and folklorists (Komitas and Grigor Suny) collected folk songs and used them for concert performances. The most famous Armenian composers are Tigran Chukhadzhyan (1837-1898, author of the first Armenian operas, operettas, symphonic and chamber works), Alexander Spendiarov (Spendiaryan, 1871-1928) and Armen Tigranyan (1879-1950).
Poets such as Vahan Mirakyan, Avetik Isahakyan, Yeghishe Charents and Nairi Zaryan worked in Armenia. The music of Armenian composers Aram Khachaturian, Mikael Tariverdiev and Arno Babajanian is popular. Among the Armenian painters, Vardges Surenyants, Martiros Saryan and Hakob Kojoyan stand out.
In Yerevan in 1921 the Theater named after A. G. Sundukyan is the largest drama theater in Armenia. On its stage, the works of both Western classics and famous Armenian playwrights - Sundukyan, Shirvanzade and Paronyan are staged. In 1933, the Yerevan Opera and Ballet Theater was opened, on the stage of which famous Armenian singers Pavel Lisitsian, Zara Dolukhanova, Gohar Gasparyan performed.
Museums and libraries. The State Historical Museum, the Museum of the History of the City of Yerevan, the State Picture Gallery, the Museum of Modern Art, the Museum of Children's Art and a number of other museums are located in Yerevan, the Museum of Ethnography and Folklore is in Sardarabad, and the Museum of Religious Art is in Etchmiadzin.
The National Library of Armenia (until 1990 - the State Library named after Myasninyan) has 6185 thousand items printed publications, has a department of rare and archival books. The fund of the Republican Scientific and Technical Library has 20 million items of storage (of which more than 16 million are patent documents). Among the best scientific libraries the Library of the Academy of Sciences of Armenia and the Library of the Yerevan State University stand out. In Yerevan there is the Institute of Ancient Manuscripts Matenadaran named after. Mesrop Mashtots, whose collection contains approx. 20 thousand ancient and medieval books and manuscripts.
History of printing and mass media. In 1512–1513, the first printed books in Armenian were published in Venice: Parzatumar(Explanatory calendar), Akhtark(Prayer book), Pataragamatuits(Missal), Saints (Parzatumar), Psalms (Sagmozaran). Subsequently, Armenian printing houses appeared in Constantinople (1567), Rome (1584), Paris (1633), Leipzig (1680), Amsterdam, New Julfa (Iran), Lvov, Etchmiadzin (1771), St. Petersburg (1780), Astrakhan, Moscow, Tbilisi , Baku.
In 1794, the first Armenian weekly newspaper Azdarar (Herald) was published in Madras (India), and somewhat later in Calcutta, the magazine Azgaser (Patriot) was published. In the first half of the 19th century in different countries of the world, about 30 magazines and newspapers were published in Armenian, of which 6 were in Constantinople, 5 were in Venice, 3 (including the newspapers Kavkaz and Ararat) were published in Tiflis. The Yusisapail (Northern Lights) magazine was published in Moscow and played a huge role in the spiritual life of the Armenian diaspora.
Published in Armenia approx. 250 newspapers and 50 magazines. The largest newspapers are Ekir (30,000 copies in Armenian), Azg (20,000 in Armenian), Republic of Armenia (10,000 copies in Russian and Armenian). Outside the republic, the Armenian press has become a significant factor uniting the Armenian communities of different countries of the world.
customs and holidays. Many traditional folk customs have been preserved in Armenia: for example, the blessing of the first harvest in August or the sacrifice of lambs during certain religious holidays. A traditional holiday for Armenians is Vardanank (St. Vardan's Day), celebrated on February 15 in memory of the defeat of the Armenian troops led by Vardan Mamikonyan in the battle with the Persian army in the Avarayr field. In this war, the Persians intended to convert the Armenians to paganism by force, but having won and suffered huge losses, they abandoned their intention. The Armenians preserved the Christian faith, defending it with weapons in their hands.
At present, the Republic of Armenia officially celebrates next holidays and memorable dates: New Year - December 31 - January 1-2, Christmas - January 6, Motherhood and Beauty Day - April 7, Day of Remembrance of the Victims of the Armenian Genocide - April 24 (1915), Victory and Peace Day - May 9, Day of the First Republic - 28 May (1918), Constitution Day - July 5, Independence Day - September 21. All these days are non-working. December 7 is the Day of Remembrance of the Victims of the Spitak Earthquake.
STORY
Ancient history. The first information about the Armenian Highlands dates back to the 14th century. BC. There existed the states of Nairi in the basin of the lake. Van and the states of Hayasa and Alzi in the nearby mountains. In the 9th century BC. an alliance was formed with the self-name Biaynili, or Biaynele (the Assyrians called it Urartu, and the ancient Jews - Ararat). The first Armenian state arose as a result of the collapse of the union of states of Urartu immediately after the fall of the Assyrian Empire in 612 BC. At first, Armenia was under the domination of Media, and in 550 BC. became part of the Persian Achaemenid Empire. After the conquest of Persia by Alexander the Great, Armenia was ruled by representatives of the Orontid dynasty (Armenian Yervanduni). After the death of Alexander in 323 BC. Armenia became a vassal of the Syrian Seleucids. When the latter were defeated by the Romans in the battle of Magnesia (190 BC), three Armenian states arose - Lesser Armenia west of the Euphrates, Sophene - east of this river and Greater Armenia with a center in the Ararat plain. Under the rule of the Artashesid dynasty, Greater Armenia expanded its territory up to the Caspian Sea. Later, Tigranes II the Great (95-56 BC) conquered Sophena and, taking advantage of the protracted war between Rome and Parthia, created a vast but short-lived empire that stretched from the Lesser Caucasus to the borders of Palestine.
The rapid expansion of Armenia under Tigran the Great clearly showed how great the strategic importance of the Armenian Highlands was. For this reason, in later eras, Armenia became a bone of contention in the struggle between neighboring states and empires (Rome and Parthia, Rome and Persia, Byzantium and Persia, Byzantium and Arabs, Byzantium and the Seljuk Turks, Ayubids and Georgia, the Ottoman Empire and Persia, Persia and Russia, Russia and the Ottoman Empire). In 387 AD Rome and Persia divided Great Armenia among themselves. On the territory of Persian Armenia, internal self-government was preserved. The Arabs who appeared here in 640 defeated the Persian Empire and turned Armenia into a vassal kingdom with an Arab governor.
Middle Ages. With the weakening of Arab domination in Armenia, several local kingdoms arose (9th-11th centuries). The largest of them was the kingdom of the Bagratids (Bagratuni) with its capital in Ani (884-1045), but soon it fell apart, and two more kingdoms were formed on its lands: one west of Mount Ararat with a center in Kars (962-1064), and the other - in the north of Armenia, in Lori (982-1090). At the same time, an independent Vaspurakan kingdom arose in the lake basin. Van. The Syunids formed a kingdom in Syunik (modern Zangezur) south of the lake. Sevan (970–1166). At the same time, several principalities arose. Despite numerous wars, at this time there was a rise in the economy and the flourishing of culture. However, then the Byzantines invaded the country, followed by the Seljuk Turks. In the valleys of Cilicia in the northeastern Mediterranean, where many Armenians, mainly farmers, had previously moved, an “Armenia in exile” was formed. At first it was a principality, and later (since 1090) a kingdom (the Cilician Armenian state), headed by the Ruben and Lusinyan dynasties. It existed until it was conquered by the Egyptian Mamelukes in 1375. The actual territory of Armenia was partly under the control of Georgia, and partly under the control of the Mongols (13th century). In the 14th century Armenia was conquered and ravaged by the hordes of Tamerlane. In the next two centuries, it became the object of a fierce struggle, first between the Turkmen tribes, and later between the Ottoman Empire and Persia.
The era of national revival. Divided in 1639 between the Ottoman Empire (Western Armenia) and Persia (Eastern Armenia), Armenia remained a relatively stable country until the fall of the Safavid dynasty in 1722. As a result of the Russian-Iranian wars, under the Gulistan peace treaty of 1813, Russia annexed the Karabakh region, and under the Turkmanchay treaty of 1828, the Yerevan and Nakhichevan khanates. As a result Russian-Turkish war 1877–1878 Russia liberated the northern part of Turkish Armenia.
Shortly after the outbreak of the First World War, the Turks set about solving the "Armenian question" by forcibly expelling all Armenians from Asia Minor. The Armenian soldiers who served in the Turkish army were demobilized and shot, women, children and the elderly were forcibly relocated to the deserts of Syria. At the same time, from 600 thousand to 1 million people died. Many of those Armenians who survived thanks to the help of the Turks and Kurds fled to Russian Armenia or other countries in the Middle East. May 28, 1918 Russian Armenia was proclaimed independent republic. In September 1920, Turkey unleashed a war against Armenia and captured two-thirds of its territory. In November, units of the Red Army entered Armenia, and on November 29, 1920, the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic was proclaimed.
Soviet Armenia. On March 12, 1922, Armenia concluded an agreement with Azerbaijan and Georgia, according to which they formed the Federal Union of the Socialist Soviet Republics of Transcaucasia, which was transformed on December 13, 1922 into the Transcaucasian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic (TSFSR). At the same time, each republic retained its independence. On December 30, the federation became part of the USSR.
Under Stalin, a dictatorship was established in the country, accompanied by collectivization. Agriculture, industrialization (with an emphasis on heavy industry and military industry), urbanization, the brutal persecution of religion and the establishment of an official "party line" in all areas of life.
In 1936 ca. 25,000 Armenians who opposed the policy of collectivization were deported to Central Asia. During the Stalinist purges, the first secretary of the Communist Party of Armenia Aghasi Khanjyan, Catholicos Khoren Muradbekyan, a number of government ministers, prominent Armenian writers and poets (Yegishe Charents, Axel Bakunts and others) perished. In 1936, the TSFSR was abolished, and Armenia, Georgia, and Azerbaijan, which were part of it, were proclaimed independent union republics within the USSR.
At the end of the war, Stalin, taking into account that the Armenian diaspora abroad has large funds and highly qualified specialists, suggested that the Catholicos appeal to foreign Armenians with a call for repatriation to Soviet Armenia. During the period from 1945 to 1948, approx. 150 thousand Armenians, mainly from the countries of the Middle East. Subsequently, many of them were repressed. In July 1949, the mass deportation of the Armenian intelligentsia with their families to Central Asia was carried out, where most of them died.
Independent Republic. The situation in Armenia sharply worsened in 1988 in connection with the conflict with Azerbaijan over the ownership of Nagorno-Karabakh. Armenia met with massive support for the demands of the Armenian population of Karabakh to secede from Azerbaijan and join Armenia. Mass demonstrations, rallies and strikes broke out in the republic. The situation worsened after the pogroms of Armenians in the Azerbaijani city of Sumgayit in February 1988. Until 1990, 250,000 Armenians fled from Azerbaijan to Armenia, and 150,000 Azerbaijanis from Armenia.
In June 1990, the Supreme Council of Armenia expressed its consent to the entry of Nagorno-Karabakh into Armenia, but this decision was canceled by the leadership of the USSR. Moscow's actions met new mass protests. They were headed by the "Karabakh" committee, on the basis of which the Armenian National Movement (ANM) was formed in 1989.
In the context of the unresolved Karabakh problem, in May 1990, parliamentary elections were held in Armenia - the Supreme Council. Significant success was achieved by candidates from the ANM and other groups that were not part of the Communist Party. In August 1990, Levon Ter-Petrosyan, the former leader of the Karabakh Committee, was elected chairman of the Supreme Council (head of state). The government of the republic was headed by Vazgen Manukyan; The communists went into opposition. On August 23, the Supreme Council declared the independence of Armenia, but this decision actually came into force only after the collapse of the USSR. September 21, 1991 St. 99% of the referendum participants voted for secession from the USSR, and on September 23 the Supreme Council declared Armenia an independent state. In October 1991, Ter-Petrosyan was elected president, the government was headed by Gagik Harutyunyan. In the same year, Armenia joined the Commonwealth of Independent States.
In early 1992, market reforms began in Armenia: price liberalization, land privatization, and so on. The conflict with Azerbaijan and the blockade of the country prompted the authorities to announce state of emergency in economics. In 1992, Khosrov Harutyunyan was appointed as the new prime minister. In late 1992 - early 1993, Armenia signed agreements with Russia on economic cooperation and on friendship and cooperation, which provided for the provision of Russian assistance in raw materials, energy and food. The multiple price increases for bread, gas and electricity in February 1993 triggered a government crisis; Prime Minister Khosrov Harutyunyan, who objected to the accelerated liberalization of the economy, resigned and was replaced by Hrant Bagratyan, a supporter of radical market reforms. In November 1993, Armenia introduced its own currency, the dram. The situation in the area of ​​the Karabakh conflict in 1993 finally changed in favor of the Armenian side, which managed to occupy a significant part of the Azerbaijani territory, including the Lachin corridor linking the territories of Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh; in May 1994, a ceasefire agreement was concluded with the mediation of Russia.
Despite this, economic crisis continued to deepen. In November 1994, Parliament approved an economic reform plan that called for a reduction in the budget deficit, tax reform, and the privatization of state-owned enterprises. The price of bread was raised again. Western states and international organizations approved the provision of assistance to Armenia. The opposition increasingly accused the authorities of incompetence and corruption. Demonstrations demanding Ter-Petrosyan's resignation became more frequent. In December 1994, the president announced the temporary suspension of the activities of one of the main opposition parties, Dashnaktsutyun, and the publication of a number of opposition newspapers.
In July 1995, the Armenian authorities held a referendum on a new constitution and parliamentary elections. The opposition announced numerous violations and fraud; OSCE observers also made critical assessments. The referendum was attended by approx. 54% of the population, but approx. 70% of them voted for the new constitution. The victory in the elections was won by the government bloc "Republic" headed by the ANM (the Republican Party, the parties "Hnchak", "Ramkavar", Christian Democrats, etc. also participated in it). In September 1996, Ter-Petrosyan won the presidential election, collecting approx. 52% of votes; his main rival Vazgen Manukyan received 41%. The new Cabinet of Ministers was headed by Armen Sargsyan. Thousands of opposition supporters protested what they believed to be electoral fraud; massive clashes took place. The opposition attempted to storm the parliament building; in response, authorities sent troops into the capital, banned rallies and demonstrations, and ordered the temporary detention of opposition leaders.
In an effort to ease political tensions, in March 1997, President Ter-Petrosyan appointed the leader of Nagorno-Karabakh, Robert Kocharyan, as the new prime minister. In the fall of 1997, the President agreed in principle to the OSCE plan, which provided for a phased settlement of the Karabakh conflict. However, the alleged concessions to Azerbaijan caused widespread discontent in the ruling camp: objections were raised by Prime Minister Kocharyan and the military leadership; The minister of foreign affairs, the chairman of parliament and the head of the Central Bank resigned. The government bloc in the National Assembly split. In February 1998, under pressure from opponents, Ter-Petrosyan was forced to resign. Early presidential elections in March were won by Prime Minister Robert Kocharyan, backed by the Yerkrapah (Militia) faction of the parliamentary majority, the Republican Party, and the re-authorized Dashnaktsutyun. He managed to defeat his main rival - the former (in 1974-1988) leader of the Communist Party Karen Demirchyan, who later created a new People's Party. The government was headed by former Economy Minister Armen Darbinyan. But the political situation remained difficult: as a result of assassination attempts in 1998–1999, the prosecutor general, deputy ministers of defense and internal affairs, and the commander of the special police forces were killed. The elections in May 1999 were won by the Unity bloc, founded by the Republican Party (which was joined by the leaders of the Yerkrapah faction) and the People's Party. The new Republican leader Vazgen Sargsyan (former defense minister) was appointed prime minister, and Demirchyan became parliament speaker. However, already in October 1999, a group of armed nationalists led by Nair Hunanyan broke into the parliament building, killed the heads of government and parliament, one minister and 5 deputies, and took others hostage. The attackers surrendered the next day. The parliamentary majority elected the brother of the deceased head of government Aram Sargsyan as the new prime minister. But after a bitter struggle for power between President Kocharyan and the cabinet of ministers, in May 2000 Aram Sargsyan was removed and replaced by Andranik Markaryan, who enjoys the confidence of the head of state.
In February - March 2003, presidential elections were held in Armenia, during which Kocharyan defeated opposition candidates Stepan Demirchyan, Artashez Geghamyan and Aram Karapetyan. The opposition accused the government of fraud. The re-elected head of state proposed constitutional amendments that would limit the role of parliament, but they were rejected in a referendum in May. At the same time, parliamentary elections were held, which brought success to the ruling parties - the Republican Party, the Party where the law rules and the Dashnaktsutyun. In 2004, the opposition again held mass demonstrations, demanding a referendum on no confidence in President Kocharyan. However, the referendum was not held. January 21, 2007 Robert Kocharyan became one of the laureates of the "For outstanding activity to Strengthen the Unity of Orthodox Peoples”, established by the Moscow Patriarchate.
LITERATURE
Tokarsky N.M. Architecture of Armenia IV–XIV centuries. Yerevan, 1961
Chaloyan V.K. Armenian Renaissance. M., 1963
. M., 1966
Decorative art of medieval Armenia. M., 1971
Khalpakhchyan O.Kh. Civil architecture in Armenia(residential and public buildings). M., 1971
Armenian Genocide in the Ottoman Empire. Yerevan, 1982
Bakshi K. fate and stone. M., 1983
Abaza V. History of Armenia. Yerevan, 1990
The Armenian Question and the Armenian Genocide in Turkey. Yerevan, 1995
Marsden F. Crossroads: a journey among Armenians. M., 1995
Harutyunyan A. Institute of the President of the Republic of Armenia. Yerevan, 1996
Ayvazyan S.M. Russian history. Armenian trace. M., 1997
Aikoyants A.M. Problems legal regulation foreign investments in the Republic of Armenia. Yerevan, 1998
Armenia through the eyes of journalists. M., 1999
Avakyan R.O. Monuments of Armenian law. Yerevan, 2000
Lurie S.V. Images of Armenian political mythology. M., 2000
Manukyan A. Republic of Armenia. Authorities. Chronicle of events. political organizations. Biographies. M., 2002
Post-Soviet South Caucasus: bibliography and review of publications on social and political science . M., 2002
Atovmyan M. Some issues of the formation of the labor legislation of the Republic of Armenia. Yerevan, 2003
Hovhannisyan R. Foreign relations of the Republic of Armenia. Yerevan, 2003

Encyclopedia Around the World. 2008 .

ARMENIA

REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA
Republic in the Transcaucasian region of Western Asia. It borders on Georgia in the north, Azerbaijan in the east, and Turkey in the west and south. The area of ​​the country is 29800 km2.
The population (as of 1998) is 3,421,800; 93% of the population are Armenians. Minorities include Azerbaijanis, Russians, Kurds, Ukrainians, Georgians and Greeks. Language: Armenian (state), Russian. Religion: Armenian Apostolic (Orthodox) Church, Russian Orthodox Church. The capital is Yerevan. Largest cities: Yerevan (1305000 people), Kumayri (123000 people).
The state structure is a republic. Head of State - President Levon Ter-Petrosyan (in office since October 16, 1991, re-elected in September 1996). Head of Government - A. Sargsyan (since November 1996). Monetary unit - dram. Average life expectancy: 70 years for men, 76 years for women.
Armenia is an ancient country, the first Christian state in the world, formed in 301. Independence was declared on September 23, 1991. Armenia is a member of the UN, CIS.
Armenia is a mountainous country located on the Armenian plateau, the average height of which is about 1800 m above sea level (the highest point: Mount Ararat - 4090 m). Numerous mountain ranges of the Lesser Caucasus Range pass through the country. Among the natural attractions of Armenia are the alpine Lake Sevan, up to 86 m deep and over 1200 km2 in area, and the Khosrov Reserve, where you can see wild boars, jackals, lynxes and Syrian bears. The Dilijan Reserve is also interesting, where roe deer, brown bear, and stone marten live.
The main attractions of the country are located in Yerevan and Kumayri, where you can see a large number of ancient Armenian churches. In addition, there is a botanical garden and a zoo in Yerevan; ruins of a Roman fortress; the Turkish fort of the 16th century and the mosque of the 18th century, the churches of Katoghike (XIII century) and Zoravar (XVII - XVIII century). There are also 15 different museums in Yerevan. (former Leninakan), Echmiadzin, Kafan, Hrazdan.
Armenia is predominantly a mountainous country. It occupies the north-eastern part of the Armenian Highlands (the highest point is the city of Aragats, 4090 m), framed by the ridges of the Lesser Caucasus. In the southwest is the Ararat plain - the main agricultural region of the country. The climate of Armenia is mainly continental and dry. On the plains, the average January temperature is -5 °C, July 25 °C. Precipitation falls up to 400 mm per year. The main river is the Araks (with the Hrazdan tributary). There are over 100 lakes in Armenia, the largest is Lake. Sevan.
The territory of Armenia is a "museum of landscapes" - at a distance of only 30 km from the Ararat plain to the top of Aragats, one can cross the landscapes of semi-deserts, dry and mountain steppes, arid woodlands, subalpine and alpine meadows. More than half of the entire territory of the republic is occupied by steppes. Forests and shrubs cover no more than 11% of the country's area. A number of reserves have been created in Armenia, the Dilijan and Khosrov reserves and the Sevan National Park.
Armenia is a country of ancient agricultural culture dating back to the time of the state of Urartu. Armenia is called an open-air museum - there are more than 4 thousand works of architecture on its territory. Among them are such unique ones as the fortress of Garni (a Hellenistic monument of the 3rd–2nd centuries BC), the pagan temple of the Sun (1st century AD), the temples of Etchmiadzin (4th century), Hripsime, Mastara (7th century BC). ), the three-tiered temple of Zvartnots (7th century), the patriarchal palaces in Dvin (5th–6th centuries) and Arucha (7th century), the medieval pearl of Geghard (4th–13th centuries), the monastic ensembles of Sevan (9th century), Tatev, Sanahin, Haghpat.
National cuisine
Armenian cuisine is less known than Georgian, but no less interesting. Its formation was influenced by foreign invasions and the emigration of Armenians to various regions of the world. Armenia has a very specific meat cuisine. It includes a large number of original dishes: basturma, dolma (meat cooked in grape leaves), bozbash (boiled lamb), khash (thick soup made from lamb or beef legs), etc. As elsewhere in the Caucasus, one of the most characteristic Armenian dishes - shish kebab (khorovats). There is a "Khorovats Street" in the very center of Yerevan. For one and a half kilometers in each house, of which the street consists, a barbecue is arranged. From fish dishes we recommend river trout, baked or boiled with herbs. Unfortunately, the precious trout from Sevan (ishkhan) (“royal fish”) is almost gone, but you can try the cooked Sevan whitefish.
Armenian cuisine includes many vegetable dishes, dozens of different herbs and seasonings. In Russia, varieties of Armenian bread are known: the thinnest lavash and matnakash. Less familiar is the national drink - fermented milk yoghurt. In summer, Armenians dilute matsoni ice water, preferably mineral, this drink is called "tan" - perfectly quenches thirst. Among alcoholic drinks, Armenian cognac and mulberry, that is, mulberry, vodka are famous. This is the strongest, most delicious and fragrant drink, which is also considered healing. - This term has other meanings, see Armenia (meanings). Republic of Armenia Հայաստանի Հանրապետություն ... Wikipedia

Most of the iconic sights of Armenia can be divided into the following groups:

• cultural objects;
• monuments of ancient architecture;
• natural objects (resorts, wildlife sanctuaries, picturesque places).

It is better to get acquainted with the past of the country and look for the roots of the national mentality in the capital's museums. For example, in the Museum of History on Argishti Street, where the most ancient archaeological finds of Armenia are collected. Only here you will find an ax that is 100,000 years old and, thanks to miniature models, you will get an idea of ​​the appearance of ancient Yerevan.

On Mesrop Mashtots Avenue there is another interesting place- Matenadaran. The funds of the repository of ancient manuscripts and early printed books include about 17,000 valuable manuscripts and more than 100,000 important historical documents.

If there is time left, you can drop by the Sergei Parajanov Museum on Dzogaryukh Street. By the way, the museum was opened by a close friend of the famous director. It is not a sin to look into the National Art Gallery, where, in addition to ancient frescoes, miniatures and samples of modern Armenian fine art, you can see the canvases of the legendary seascape painter Aivazovsky.

A tour of the Armenian Genocide Museum leaves a depressing impression. The interior of the object goes underground, symbolizing the entrance to afterworld. It is never empty here, but the silence in the museum is piercing: it is not customary to speak loudly here so as not to offend the memory of brutally tortured compatriots.

A diametrically opposite atmosphere reigns in the Megeryan Museum, located on Madoyan Street. Once in this realm of carpets and tapestries, it is impossible to resist exclamations of admiration. Invest in a full tour that will walk you through the basic steps involved in making these beautiful pieces.

Armenia is a state that was one of the first to adopt Christianity, so if you are drawn to wandering around holy places, consider that you are in the right place. In the vicinity of Alaverdi, there are two very interesting sites included in the UNESCO World Heritage List: Haghpat and Sanahin monasteries. Built in the 10th century, these massive stone buildings have withstood more than one earthquake.

Be sure to visit the singing fountains in Republic Square. Transparent water jets rise and fall to mesmerizing classical, pop and rock compositions, forming whimsical cascades. Each performance is accompanied by a light installation (at night) and ends with the legendary hit of Charles Aznavour "Eternal Love".

There are only two outstanding monuments that can be considered symbols of the Armenian capital in Yerevan: the “Mother Armenia” monument, depicting a stern woman with a sword at the ready, and the sculpture of David Sasuntsi, the hero of the folk epic, the invincible hero. The latter enjoys universal love and for a long time was the official emblem of the "Armenfilm" film studio. If the traditional monuments seem too regular and boring, you can return to the Cascade and stare at the avant-garde creation of Jaume Plensa - "The Man of Letters". It is not difficult to visually determine the location of the monument: groups of tourists with photographic equipment always hang out near it. Right there, at the foot of the main staircase of Yerevan, there are other monuments full of expression. Some of them look a bit outrageous, and this attracts attention.

All sights of Armenia

Traditions and national flavor

The people in Armenia are impulsive, sociable and responsive. Despite the fact that the state language in the country is Armenian, Russian is perfectly understood here, so if you need to clarify the route, you can safely contact local residents. It is possible that not only will they show you a more convenient way, but they will also volunteer to guide you.

smoking in in public places not welcome in Armenia. And although in most local catering points a lit cigarette is overlooked (as a rule, there are no non-smoking areas in city cafes), a tourist who smokes while driving runs the risk of being fined.

The feeling of national pride is not alien to Armenians. They know how to criticize other Caucasian peoples and stick out their own significance here. But the history of their nation in Armenia is revered sacredly.

And of course, what kind of Armenian would refuse the opportunity to slightly cheat an unlucky tourist. So, when going to local markets, do not hesitate to bargain: moreover, the more emotionally you do it, the more chances you have to win the favor of the seller.

But you should not abuse the sympathies of the locals: if in the capital some liberties are forgiven to a foreign guest, then in the provinces inappropriate actions can ignite an unpleasant conflict. You should be especially careful in church and monastery premises. They do not like idle talk about the Armenian genocide and the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, so try not to delve into politics. And of course, in no case do not sunbathe topless on local beaches if you do not want to cause open condemnation of others: Armenia, although it looks towards Europe, continues to be a purely Caucasian state in its soul.

Armenian Cuisine

Nothing offends Armenians more than the identification of their national dishes with Georgian and Azerbaijani counterparts. Here, for example, they quite sincerely believe that dolma is a primordially Armenian invention, which other peoples of Transcaucasia shamelessly borrowed. What is interesting: in addition to the traditional dolma stuffed with meat, onions and spices, in Armenia there is its lean analogue, which is stuffed with peas, beans or lentils. They eat this dish on New Year's Eve.

Khorovats (barbecue) is served here at every step. The main feature of the local recipe is the daily pickling of meat before frying. For vegetarians, an excellent substitute for an animal product will be "summer khorovats" - grilled vegetables (peppers, potatoes, tomatoes). And do not try to arm yourself with a fork, be simpler: a real khorovats is eaten exclusively with the help of hands.

You can dilute the abundance of meat food in the stomach with a rescue - a soup based on the fermented milk product of yogurt with the addition of wheat grains, eggs and greens. Fans of strong and hearty broths should opt for khash, a soup made from beef or pork legs. The dish is symbolic, so if your Armenian acquaintances invited you to khash, you can consider the test for unconditional trust passed. Khash is eaten with crushed garlic, which is spread on crispy pita bread. By the way, about lavash: flat cakes are baked in the tandoor and completely replace bread for Armenians. You can wrap whatever your heart desires in pita bread: barbecue, seasonal vegetables, chopped herbs.

In autumn, the whole of Armenia gorges itself on ghapama, which is a pumpkin stuffed with rice, almonds and dried fruits. For sweets, you can take gata - a hybrid of a bun and a layer cake stuffed with sugar and butter. Each region of the country adheres to its own recipes, so do not be surprised that the Yerevan and Karaklis gata can differ significantly in taste.

For the incorrigible sweet tooth, there is sujukh (sharots), which the ignorant often confuse with churchkhela. Sausages made from grape juice stuffed with nut kernels differ from the Georgian version of sweetness in a rich taste of spices and soft texture. Popular types of Armenian delicacies are traditionally nutty and fruity: peaches poured with honey and stuffed with nuts, dried apricots, candied almonds.

As for drinks, there are plenty to choose from. Even ordinary tap water in Armenia is cleaner and tastier than anywhere else. Connoisseurs of strong alcohol should not leave without trying Yerevan cognac, which has been produced here for more than 125 years. Excellent quality and local wine production. It is better to take it in stores, because it is incredibly difficult to run into a fake in them. On occasion, you can knock over a glass of apricot or mulberry vodka.

Tourists who do not like alcoholic drinks should turn their attention towards fermented milk products: tana and matsoni. Tea is not very popular in Armenia, it is everywhere replaced by fragrant strong coffee, which they know a lot about here.

Transport

You can move between regions of the country either by bus or by train. True, it is not worth claiming a high level of comfort: vehicles in Armenia, as a rule, are battered and not tied to such benefits of civilization as air conditioners. Most buses to major cities (Vanadzor, Gyumri, Sevan) depart from Yerevan Central Station. From here you can also go on an exciting shopping tour in Georgia or Turkey. To get to Ararat, Yeraskhavan and Atashat, you must first get to the Sasuntsi David railway station, from where the above-mentioned routes depart.

The option of traveling by train usually turns out to be more comfortable just because the drivers strictly adhere to the schedule (unlike the drivers of Yerevan buses).

Traditional public transport capitals are metro, buses, minibuses and taxis. The first does not cover all areas of the city, so locals prefer to use land transport. By the way, instead of conductors and turnstiles, hand-to-hand payment is still in use here.

If you have arrived in Yerevan for the first time and do not know where to go first, take a taxi, not forgetting to hint to the driver about your own ignorance. In 99 cases out of 100, you will have a fascinating tour of the streets of the capital, interspersed with emotional stories from a taxi driver.

Renting a car in Armenia is not the cheapest pleasure, but if you desperately want to steer, a Russian license is quite suitable here. And do not forget that the notorious Caucasian hospitality does not work in situations on the road. They love to cut, overtake and break all existing rules here. By the way, parking in Yerevan is mostly paid.

Money

Shops in Yerevan accept the only currency, the Armenian dram (AMD). 1 dram is equal to 0.14 rubles.

There are a sufficient number of exchange points in the capital, but if desired, money can also be exchanged with private individuals (shop owners, street vendors). Usually they offer an exchange at a more pleasant rate than a bank. The most unprofitable option for exchanging money is the capital's airport. Large chain stores accept card payments, in addition, in any city in Armenia, you will definitely find an ATM for cashing out funds.

shopping

Tourists who love to bring purchases with an indispensable national flavor from their travels have places to roam in Armenia. Souvenirs and handicrafts are best looked for at Vernissage, an open market. Silver jewelry, folk musical instruments, earthenware, stone and wood crafts, handmade carpets - the choice of national attributes here, as in the oriental bazaar from the fairy tales "1000 and one night". It is better to come to Vernissage on weekends, as all tents and stalls are open on these days.

Flea market "Vernissage" in Yerevan

Ladies should raid cosmetics stores in search of products from the local organic brand Nairian. Cosmetics are not cheap, but how can you resist the promising “natural product” labeling?

Be sure to stock up on local delicacies: cheese, honey, coffee (it is much better here than what is sold in our coffee boutiques), sujukh, chocolates produced by the Grand Candy confectionery factory in Yerevan. And of course, take a bag of spices and at least a bottle of Armenian cognac with you.

If your passion is national jewelry, feel free to look into the jewelry departments. Prices for jewelry in Armenia are quite reasonable. Leather is also well made here, so you can often find decent leather goods in the markets.

Information for tourists

To the question What religion do Armenians profess? given by the author Katia the best answer is Armenians are Christians. Armenian Apostolic Church (AAC) - early Christian. It is very close to Orthodoxy, but not quite identical.
The separation of the Armenian Church from the Ecumenical (Greek) Church took place in 554 at the II Dvin Church Council, which condemned the decisions of the Council of Chalcedon (451) regarding the dual nature of Christ.
Starting from the XIII century. , the Vatican unsuccessfully tried to spread the influence of Catholicism in Armenia. After the annexation of Armenia to Russia, the main privileges of the AAC, which belongs to the family of ancient Eastern Orthodox (pre-Chalcedonian) churches, were confirmed.
The Armenian Apostolic Church is headed by the Supreme Patriarch-Catholicos of All Armenians. Traditionally, it has three patriarchal sees: the Catholicosate of Cilicia (Antelias, Lebanon), the Patriarchate of Jerusalem, the Patriarchate of Constantinople, as well as dioceses.

Answer from Poveste de groaza[guru]
orthodoxy




Answer from On[guru]
Christianity. Information relating to the most ancient period in the history of the Armenian Church is scarce. The main reason for this is that the Armenian alphabet was created only at the beginning of the 5th century. The history of the first centuries of the existence of the Armenian Church as a Holy Tradition was transmitted orally from generation to generation, and only in the 5th century was it recorded in writing in historiographic and hagiographic literature. Sacred Tradition should not be identified with either myths or legends, since it has historical background. According to the Holy Tradition of the Armenian Church, the first seeds of Christianity were sown on the land of Armenia during the time of the apostles. way, the founders of the Church in Armenia and martyred by order of the Armenian king Sanatruk.




Answer from DrygaiA[guru]
Roman Catholic Church. Church




Answer from User deleted[guru]
Like other peoples - any that is considered the truth.




Answer from The scourge of mankind[guru]
I have many Armenian friends, they profess Orthodoxy ..




Answer from Olga[guru]
Christianity, but they are not Orthodox. Armenian Apostolic Church.




Answer from ~Pensive~[guru]
Orthodox Christians




Answer from Lu Mai[guru]
Armenian Apostolic Church - among the Russian-speaking commentators, it is common that the Armenian Church itself does not use what was introduced in tsarist Russia, incorrect name Armenian-Gregorian Church) - one of the oldest Christian churches, which has a number of significant features in dogma and ritual that distinguish it from both Byzantine Orthodoxy and Roman Catholicism. Is the oldest, after the Ethiopian, state church in the world. . In worship he uses the Armenian rite.

The history of Ancient Armenia has more than one thousand years, and the Armenians themselves lived long before the emergence of the nations of modern Europe. They existed even before the advent of the ancient peoples - the Romans and Hellenes.

First mentions

In the cuneiform writings of the Persian rulers, the name "Arminia" is found. Herodotus also mentions "armen" in his writings. According to one version, it was an Indo-European people who migrated from Europe in the 12th century. BC e.

Another hypothesis claims that the pra-Armenian tribal unions arose for the first time in the 4th-3rd millennium BC. It is they who, according to some scholars, are found in the poem "Iliad" by Homer under the name "Arims".

One of the names of Ancient Armenia - Hai - according to the proposals of scientists, comes from the name of the people "Hayas". This name is mentioned on Hittite clay tablets in the 2nd millennium BC. e., discovered at archaeological excavations Hattushashi - the ancient capital of the Hittites.

There is evidence that the Assyrians called this territory the country of rivers - Nairi. According to one hypothesis, it included 60 different peoples.

At the beginning of the ninth century BC e. a powerful kingdom of Urartu arose with the capital Van. It is believed that this is the oldest state on the territory of the Soviet Union. The civilization of Urartu, the successors of which were the Armenians, was quite developed. There was a written language based on the Babylonian-Assyrian cuneiform, agriculture, cattle breeding, and metallurgy.

Urartu was famous for the technology of erecting impregnable fortresses. On the territory of modern Yerevan there were two of them. The first - Erebuni, was built by one of the first kings Argishti. It was she who gave the name of the modern capital of Armenia. The second is Teishebaini, founded by King Rusa II (685-645 BC). This was the last ruler of Urartu. The state could not resist the powerful Assyria and perished forever from its weapons.

It was replaced by a new state. The first kings of Ancient Armenia - Yerwand and Tigran. The latter should not be confused with the famous ruler Tigranes the Great, who would later terrify the Roman Empire and create a great empire in the East. A new people appeared, formed as a result of the assimilation of the Indo-Europeans with the local ancient tribes of the Khayami and Urartu. From here came a new state - Ancient Armenia with its own culture and language.

Vassals of the Persians



At one time, Persia was a powerful state. All the peoples who lived in Asia Minor submitted to them. This fate befell the Armenian kingdom. The dominance of the Persians over them lasted more than two centuries (550-330 BC).

Greek historians about Armenia in the times of the Persians

Armenia is an ancient civilization. This is confirmed by many historians of antiquity, for example, Xenophon in the 5th century BC. e. As a participant in the events, the author of Anabasis described the retreat of 10,000 Greeks to the Black Sea through a country called Ancient Armenia. The Greeks saw the developed economic activity, as well as the life of the Armenians. Everywhere they found wheat, barley, fragrant wines, lard, various oils - pistachio, sesame, almond. The ancient Hellenes also saw here raisins, leguminous fruits. In addition to crop products, the Armenians bred domestic animals: goats, cows, pigs, chickens, horses. The data of Xenophon tell the descendants that the people living in this place were economically developed. The abundance of different products is striking. The Armenians not only produced food themselves, but also actively engaged in trade with neighboring lands. Of course, Xenophon did not say anything about this, but he listed some products that do not grow in this territory.



Strabo in the 1st century n. e. reports that ancient Armenia had very good pastures for horses. The country was not inferior to Media in this regard and supplied horses annually for the Persians. Strabo mentions the obligation of Armenian satraps, administrative governors during the reign of the Persians, of the obligation to deliver about two thousand young foals in honor of the famous festival of Mithra.

Armenian wars in antiquity

The historian Herodotus (V century BC) described the Armenian soldiers of that era, their weapons. The soldiers wore small shields, had short spears, swords, and darts. On their heads were wicker helmets, they were shod in high boots.

Conquest of Armenia by Alexander the Great

The era of Alexander the Great redrawn the entire map and the Mediterranean. All lands vast Persian Empire became part of a new political association under the rule of Macedonia.

After the death of Alexander the Great, the state disintegrates. In the east, the Seleucid state is formed. The once unified territory of a single people was divided into three separate regions as part of a new country: Great Armenia, located on the Ararat plain, Sophena - between the Euphrates and the upper reaches of the Tigris, and Lesser Armenia - between the Euphrates and the upper reaches of Lykos.



The history of ancient Armenia, although it speaks of constant dependence on other states, however, shows that it concerned only foreign policy issues, which had a beneficial effect on the development of the future state. It was a kind of prototype of an autonomous republic in the composition of successive empires.

They were often called basileus, i.e. kings. They maintained only a formal dependence, sending tribute and troops to the center in wartime. Neither the Persians nor the Hellenistic state of the Seleucids made any attempts to penetrate into the internal structure of the Armenians. If the former ruled almost all of their remote territories in this way, then the successors of the Greeks always changed the internal way of the conquered peoples, imposing on them “democratic values” and a special order.

The collapse of the Seleucid state, the unification of Armenia

After the defeat of the Seleucids by Rome, the Armenians gained temporary independence. Rome was not yet ready to start new conquests of peoples after the war with the Hellenes. This was used by the once united people. Efforts to restore united state, which was called "Ancient Armenia".

The ruler Artashes declared himself an independent king Artashes I. He united all the lands that spoke the same language, including Lesser Armenia. The last region of Sophene became part of the new state later, after 70 years, under the famous ruler Tigran the Great.

The final formation of the Armenian nationality

It is believed that under the new Artashesid dynasty, a great historical event- the formation of the nationality of Armenians with their own language and culture. They were greatly influenced by their proximity to developed Hellenistic peoples. The minting of their own coins with Greek inscriptions spoke of the strong influence of neighbors on culture and trade.

Artashat - the capital of the ancient state of Greater Armenia

During the reign of the Artashesid dynasty, the first large cities appeared. Among them is the city of Artashat, which became the first capital of the new state. Translated from Greek, it meant "the joy of Artaxias."



The new capital had an advantageous geographical position in that era. It was located on the main route to the ports of the Black Sea. The time of the appearance of the city coincided with the establishment of overland trade relations between Asia and India and China. Artashat began to acquire the status of a major trade and political center. Plutarch highly appreciated the role of this city. He gave it the status of "Armenian Carthage", which, translated into modern language, meant a city that unites all nearby lands. All the Mediterranean powers knew about the beauty and luxury of Artashat.

Rise of the Armenian Kingdom

The history of Armenia from ancient times contains bright moments of the power of this state. The golden age falls on the reign of Tigran the Great (95-55) - the grandson of the founder famous dynasty Artashes I. Tigranakert became the capital of the state. This city became one of the leading centers of science, literature and art throughout the ancient world. The best Greek actors performed in the local theater, famous scientists and historians were frequent guests of Tigran the Great. One of them is the philosopher Metrodorus, who was an ardent opponent of the growing Roman Empire.

Armenia became part of the Hellenistic world. The Greek language penetrated the aristocratic elite.

Armenia is a unique part of the Hellenistic culture



Armenia in the 1st century BC e. - developed advanced state of the world. She took all the best that was in the world - culture, science, art. Tigran the Great developed theaters and schools. Armenia was not only the cultural center of Hellenism, but also an economically strong state. Trade, industry, crafts grew. A distinctive feature of the state was that it did not take the system of slavery, which was used by the Greeks and Romans. All lands were cultivated peasant communities whose members were free.

The Armenia of Tigran the Great spread over vast territories. This was an empire that covered a huge part from the Caspian to the Mediterranean Seas. Many peoples and states became its vassals: in the north - Tsibania, Iberia, in the southeast - Parthia and Arab tribes.

Conquest by Rome, end of the Armenian Empire

The rise of Armenia coincided with the rise of another eastern state on the territory of the former USSR - Pontus, headed by Mithridates. After long wars with Rome, Pontus also lost its independence. Armenia was in good neighborly relations with Mithridates. After his defeat, she was left alone with mighty Rome.

After long wars, the unified Armenian Empire in 69-66. BC e. broke up. Under the rule of Tigran, only Great Armenia remained, which was declared a "friend and ally" of Rome. So called all the conquered states. In fact, the country has become another province.

After joining the Roman Empire, the ancient stage of statehood begins. The country fell apart, its lands were appropriated by other states, and the local population was constantly in conflict with each other.

Armenian alphabet



In ancient times, the Armenians used writing based on the Babylonian-Assyrian cuneiform. During the heyday of Armenia, during the time of Tigran the Great, the country completely switched to the Greek language in business. On the coins, archaeologists find Greek writing.

The Armenian alphabet was created by Mesrop Mashtots relatively late - in 405. It originally consisted of 36 letters: 7 vowels and 29 consonants.

The main 4 graphic forms of Armenian writing - yerkatagir, bolorgir, shkhagir and notrgir - developed only in the Middle Ages.