Armenia Country & Tourist Information

Location
Caucasus, east of Turkey.

Area
29,743 sq km (11,484 sq miles).

Population
3 million (2008 estimate).

Population Density
101 per sq km.

Capital
Yerevan.
Population:  1.1 million (2007).

Government
Republic. Gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.

Language
Armenian. Russian is usually understood, but rarely used; Kurdish is sometimes used in broadcasting as 56,000 Kurds inhabit Armenia.

Religion
94% Armenian Apostolic Church, with Catholic and Protestant communities and a Russian Orthodox minority. Armenia is the oldest Christian nation in the world, its conversion dating from the year AD 301.

Time
GMT + 3 (GMT + 4 from last Sunday in March to Saturday before last Sunday in October).

Electricity
220 volts AC, 50Hz. European plugs with two round pins are used.

Head of Government
Prime Minister Tigran Sarksyan since 2008.

Head of State
President Serzh Sarksyan since 2008.  

Recent History
President Robert Kocharyan, who served since 1998, stepped down in 2008. He was replaced by his ally Serzh Sarksyan, formerly prime minister, in April 2008. Former central bank chief Tigran Sarksyan took over as prime minister in April 2008.

In early 2004, thousands of opposition supporters marched against Kocharyan and allegations of corruption still persist. Sarksyan's election also met with protests and claims of vote rigging. However, observers said that the election was broadly democratic.

Telephone
Country code: 374. IDD calls can be expensive but in Yerevan some private phone offices offer cheaper Internet calls.

Mobile Telephone
Roaming agreements exist with some international mobile phone companies. ArmenTel and VivaCell are the local carriers. Both are similar and offer phone coverage to most parts of the country.

Internet
Available in large cities and resorts. There are many Internet cafes in Yerevan. Some are open 24 hours.

Media
Armenian government oversees national TV and radio. Libel and defamation are punishable by prison terms and journalists have been sentenced under these laws in the past. All print and broadcast media must register with the Justice Ministry. Self-censorship is common.

Post
International postal services are available to most countries but may be slow and unreliable, although there have been significant improvements in recent years. The main post office is located at Republic Square, Yerevan.

Post office hours: Mon-Fri 0900-1700.

Press
• The main newspapers published in Armenian are Aravot, Azg and Yerkir (Russian editions have been discontinued since the Russian minority in the republic dropped).
• Golos Armenii (The Voice of Armenia) and Respublika Armenia are the main Russian-language papers.
• Noyan Tapan is an English-language weekly circulated primarily among the foreign missions and small foreign business community.



Radio
• Private radio stations include Hai FM.
• There are national and state-run stations, including Public Radio of Armenia.

Below are listed Public Holidays for the January 2009-December 2010 period.

2009
1-2 Jan New Year.
6 Jan Armenian Orthodox Christmas.
8 Mar Women's Day.
7 Apr Motherhood and Beauty Day.
10 Apr Good Friday.
24 Apr Genocide Memorial Day.
9 May Victory and Peace Day.
28 May First Republic Day.
5 Jul Constitution Day.
21 Sep Independence Day.
7 Dec Earthquake Memorial Day.
31 Dec New Year's Eve.

2010
1-2 Jan New Year.
6 Jan Armenian Orthodox Christmas.
8 Mar Women's Day.
21 Mar Good Friday.
7 Apr Motherhood and Beauty Day.
24 Apr Genocide Memorial Day.
9 May Victory and Peace Day.
28 May First Republic Day.
5 Jul Constitution Day.
21 Sep Independence Day.
7 Dec Earthquake Memorial Day.
31 Dec New Year's Eve.

Contact Information:

Embassy of the Republic of Armenia in the UK
25A Cheniston Gardens, London W8 6TG, UK
Tel: (020) 7938 5435.
Website: www.armenianembassy.org.uk
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 0900-1800 and 1000-1300 (consular section).

Embassy of the Republic of Armenia in the USA
2225 R Street, NW, Washington, DC 20008, USA
Tel: (202) 319 1976 or 2983 (consular section).
Website: www.armeniaemb.org

Armenia Information
3 Nalbandyan Poghots
Tel: (374) 542 303/06.
Website: www.armeniainfo.am


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