Military manpower - availability: males age 15–49: 8,932,491 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males : 7,244,682 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 321,345 (1997 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $4.6 billion (1996)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.6% (1996)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: short section of the boundary with Chile is
indefinite; claims British-administered Falkland Islands (Islas
Malvinas); claims British-administered South Georgia and the South
Sandwich Islands; territorial claim in Antarctica
Illicit drugs: increasing use as a transshipment country for cocaine headed for Europe and the US ______________________________________________________________________
ARMENIA
Introduction
Current issues: Armenia's leaders remain preoccupied by Armenia's nine-year old conflict with Azerbaijan over the Nagorno-Karabakh enclave. Although a cease-fire has been in effect since May 1994, the sides have not made substantial progress toward a peaceful resolution. President TER-PETROSSIAN's latitude on the issue may be further constrained by his controversial reelection in September 1996. When supporters of the main opposition candidate stormed the parliament following the announcement of TER-PETROSSIAN's victory, MVD forces were called in to restore order. The subsequent political standoff between government and opposition supporters diminished in late 1996 as the government has gradually attempted reconciliation. Despite these political problems, the Armenian government has been pursuing its aggressive economic reform program, although implementation of its privatization program stalled in late 1996.
@Armenia:Geography
Location: Southwestern Asia, east of Turkey
Geographic coordinates: 40 00 N, 45 00 E
Map references: Commonwealth of Independent States
Area: total : 29,800 sq km land: 28,400 sq km water: 1,400 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Maryland
Land boundaries: total: 1,254 km border countries: Azerbaijan-proper 566 km, Azerbaijan-Naxcivan exclave 221 km, Georgia 164 km, Iran 35 km, Turkey 268 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Climate: highland continental, hot summers, cold winters
Terrain: high Armenian Plateau with mountains; little forest land; fast flowing rivers; good soil in Aras River valley
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Debed River 400 m highest point: Aragats Lerr 4,095 m
Natural resources: small deposits of gold, copper, molybdenum, zinc, alumina
Land use: arable land : 17% permanent crops: 3% permanent pastures: 24% forests and woodland: 15% other: 41% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 2,870 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: occasionally severe earthquakes; droughts
Environment - current issues: soil pollution from toxic chemicals such as DDT; energy blockade, the result of conflict with Azerbaijan, has led to deforestation when citizens scavenged for firewood; pollution of Hrazdan (Razdan) and Aras Rivers; the draining of Sevana Lich, a result of its use as a source for hydropower, threatens drinking water supplies; restart of Metsamor nuclear power plant without adequate (IAEA-recommended) safety and backup systems
Environment - international agreements: party to : Biodiversity, Climate Change, Nuclear Test Ban, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Desertification
Geography - note: landlocked
@Armenia:People
Population: 3,433,629 (July 1997 est.)
Age structure: 0–14 years: 27% (male 476,375; female 456,723) 15–64 years: 65% (male 1,088,103; female 1,134,649) 65 years and over: 8% (male 115,135; female 162,644) (July 1997 est.)
Population growth rate: −0.33% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 13.59 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 8.6 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: −8.32 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15–64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 40.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 66.9 years male: 62.69 years female: 71.32 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.71 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality: noun: Armenian(s) adjective: Armenian
Ethnic groups: Armenian 93%, Azeri 3%, Russian 2%, other (mostly
Yezidi Kurds) 2% (1989)
note: as of the end of 1993, virtually all Azeris had emigrated from
Armenia
Religions: Armenian Orthodox 94%
Languages: Armenian 96%, Russian 2%, other 2%
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female : 98% (1989 est.)
@Armenia:Government
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Armenia conventional short form: Armenia local long form : Hayastani Hanrapetut'yun local short form: Hayastan former : Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic; Armenian Republic
Data code: AM
Government type: republic
National capital: Yerevan
Administrative divisions: 10 provinces (marzer, singular - marz) and 1
city* (k'aghak'ner, singular - k'aghak'); Aragatsotn, Ararat, Armavir,
Geghark'unik', Kotayk', Lorri, Shirak, Syunik', Tavush, Vayots' Dzor,
Yerevan*
Independence: 28 May 1918 (First Armenian Republic); 23 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)
National holiday: Referendum Day, 21 September
Constitution: adopted by nationwide referendum 5 July 1995
Legal system: based on civil law system
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state : President Levon Akopovich TER-PETROSSIAN (since NA October 1991); note - prior to becoming Armenia's first president, TER-PETROSSIAN was chairman of the Armenian Supreme Soviet since 4 August 1990 head of government: Prime Minister Robert KOCHARIAN (since 20 March 1997) cabinet : Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 22 September 1996 (next to be held NA September 2001); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Levon Akopovich TER-PETROSSIAN elected president; percent of vote - Levon Akopovich TER-PETROSSIAN 52%, Vazgen MANUKYAN 41%
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Azgayin Zhoghov (190 seats; members serve five-year terms) elections: last held 5 July 1995 (next to be held NA 2000) election results : percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Republican Bloc 159 (ANM 63, DLP-Hanrapetutyun Bloc 6, Republic Party 4, CDU 3, Intellectual Armenia 3, Social Democratic Party 2, independents 78), SWM 8, ACP 7, NDU 5, NSDU 3, DLP 1, ARF 1,