MY NATIONAL COUNTRY

*ARMENIA

*WELCOME TO ARMENIA

COUNTRY BEYOND COMPARE

*ARMENIA ON THE MAP

*GENERAL INFORMATIO

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* Armenia – land of beautiful, unforgettable nature and kind people where one can sense the spirit of the ancient culture coming from centuries. The rich history and cultural heritage left its step on the world history. One of the steps is Christianity and around 1600 churches all over the world. One can never stop discovering Armenia and its treasures. This historical land is full of ancient sculptures and unique culture. 

Official NameRepublic of Armenia LocationAt the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern EuropeNeighboursTurkey (west), Georgia (north), Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, Azerbaijan (east), and Iran (south). Population 3,018,854Land area 29,743 km2 ( 11,484 sq mi)Capital YerevanLanguage ArmenianReligion Christianity (Armenian Apostolic)Currency Dram (AMD)State system Presidential RepublicParliament National Assembly, 131 members

*HISTORY

The original Armenian name for the country was Hayq, later Hayastan, translated as the land of Hayk, and consisting of the name Haik and the Iranian suffix '-stan' (land). According to legend, Haik was a great-great-grandson of Noah and according to tradition, a forefather of all Armenians. Mount Ararat, a sacred mountain for the Armenian people, rising in the center of the Armenian Highland as its highest peak, is traditionally considered the landing place of Noah's Ark.The name Armenia was given to the country by the surrounding states, and it is traditionally derived from Armenak or Aram(the great-grandson of Haik's great-grandson, and another leader who is, according to Armenian tradition, the ancestor of all Armenians).

At its zenith, from 95 to 66 BC, Greater Armenia extended its rule over parts of the Caucasus and the area that is now eastern and central Turkey, northwestern Iran, Israel, Syria and Lebanon, forming the second Armenian empire. For a time, Armenia was one of the most powerful states in the Roman East.

The Kingdom of Armenia at its greatest extent under Tigran the Great.

*In 1915, the Ottoman Empire systematically carried out the Armenian Genocide. This was preceded by a wave of massacres in the years 1894 to 1896, and another one in 1909 in Adana. In 1915, with World War I in progress, the Ottoman Turks accused the (Christian) Armenians as liable to ally with Russia, and treated the entire Armenian population as an enemy within their empire. The exact numbers of deaths is hard to establish. It is estimated by many sources that close to a million and a half Armenians perished in camps, which excludes Armenians who may have died in other ways. Most estimates place the total number of deaths between 600,000 (by Turkish authorities) and 1,500,000 (by Western academics). These events are traditionally commemorated yearly on April 24, the Armenian Christian martyr day.

*The Armenian Genocide (1915)

* Armenia declared its sovereignty from the Soviet Union on August 23, 1990. September 21, 1991 is the day of the referendum for independence of Armenia. Based on the results of the referendum (99% voted for independence from the Soviet Union), the parliament adopted the Declaration of Independence and announced the independence of the Republic of Armenia. This date is now a national holiday - the Independence Day.

*GOVERNMENT

* The Republic of Armenia is a sovereign, democratic, social, rule of law state.The state power is administered pursuant to the Constitution and the laws based on the principle of separation of the legislative, executive and judicial branches.

*PRESIDENTS

Serzh Sargsyan

2008 till today

Levon Ter-Petrosyan

1991-1998Robert Qocharyan

1998-2008

*NATIONAL SYMBOLS

*THE FLAG

National Flag of the Republic of Armenia was adopted on June 15, 2006. The national flag of the Republic of Armenia is a national emblem of the Republic of Armenia. The national flag of the Republic of Armenia is of three colors in stripes of the same width - red, blue, orange respectively from top to bottom. The Red emblematizes the Armenian Highland, the Armenian people's continued struggle for survival, maintenance of the Christian faith, Armenia's independence and freedom. The Blue emblematizes the will of the people of Armenia to live beneath peaceful skies. The Orange emblematizes the creative talent and hard-working nature of the people of Armenia.

The Anthem:'Mer Hayrenik"/'Our Fatherland"The author of the lyrics is poet Mikael Nalbandian (1829-1866).

You can listen to it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQcRNk4mNzM

* Coat of Arms of the Republic of Armenia was adopted on June 15, 2006. The Coat of Arms of the Republic of Armenia is a national emblem of the Republic of Armenia. The Coat of Arms of the Republic of Armenia is as follows: On a shield, positioned in the center, Mount Ararat is represented with Noah's Arch and the coats of arms of the four royal dynasties of the historical Armenia: from top to left - that of the Bargratunides, from top to right - that of the Arshakounides, from bottom to left - that of Artashesides, from bottom to right - that of the Rubenides.

The shield is upheld by an eagle (on the left) and lion (on the right). There is a sword, as well as a branch of a tree, a bundle of spikes, a chain and a ribbon pictured below the shield. Golden is the main color of the Coat of Arms of the Republic of Armenia. The colors of the kingdoms of the historical Armenia are as follows: from top to left - red, from top to right - blue, from bottom to left - blue, from bottom to right - red, with orange-painted Mount Ararat positioned in the center on a shield. The foregoing colors emblematize the colors of the national flag of the Republic of Armenia.

The dram (code: AMD) is the monetary unit of Armenia. It is subdivided into 100 luma. The word "dram" translates into English as "money" and is cognate with the Greek drachma and the Arabic dirham. The first instance of a dram currency was in the period from 1199 to 1375, when silver coins called dram were issued.

*Currency Unit is DRAM

On 21 September 1991 a national referendum proclaimed Armenia as an independent republic from the Soviet Union. The Central Bank of Armenia, established on 27 March 1993, was given the exclusive right of issuing the national currency. The Armenian dram is also used in the unrecognized Nagorno-Karabakh Republic.

Mount Ararat in Judeo-Christian tradition is associated with the ‘Mountain of Ararat" where, according to the book of Genesis, Noah’s ark came to rest. It also plays a significant role in Armenian culture and nationalism. The mountain can be seen on the coat of arms of Armenia. In Armenian mythology Mt. Ararat is the home of the Gods, much like Mt. Olumpus is in Greek Mythology, and in the modern-era Ararat has been revered by the Armenians as symbolizing their national identity. Ararat dominates the skyline of Armenia's capital, Yerevan. Ararat is the national symbol of the Republic of Armenia, being featured in the center of its Coat of Arms. Mount Ararat was depicted on various Armenian dram banknotes issued in 1993-2001.

*Mount ararat

* APRICOT (TSIRAN) POMEGRANATE (NUR)

The origin of the apricot is disputed. It was known in Armenia during ancient times, and has been cultivated there for so long, it is often thought to have originated there. Its scientific name Prunus armeniaca (Armenian plum) derives from that assumption. For example, the Belgian arborist baron de Poerderle, writing in the 1770s, asserted "this tree takes its name from Armenia, province of Asia, where it is native, and whence it was brought to Europe.” An archaeological excavation at Garni in Armenia found apricot seeds in an Eneolithic-era site.

The pomegranate is one of the main fruits in Armenian culture (the others being apricot and grapes). Its juice is famous with Armenians in food and heritage. The pomegranate is the symbol of Armenia and represents fertility, abundance and marriage. The symbolism of the pomegranate is connected with insemination. It protected a woman from infertility and protected a man's virile strength. Currently, pomegranate juice is popular with Armenians in food and heritage.

*RELIGION

* Armenia was the first nation to adopt Christianity as a state religion, an event traditionally dated to AD 301.Over 93% of Armenian Christians belong to the Armenian Apostolic Church, a form of Oriental (Non-Chalcedonian) Orthodoxy, which is a very ritualistic, conservative church

*EDUCATION

* The system of education of Armenia includes pre-school, general secondary, special secondary, vocational (professional-technical), higher and post-graduate education.

According to the Constitution of the Republic of Armenia the secondary education is compulsory and free of charge. Secondary Education in the republic contains 3 levels. Duration of study in secondary schools is 12 years.

The first level of education is elementary school (1-4 grades).The second level of education is basic school (5-9 grades).The third of education level is high school (10-12 grades).

*PLACES OF INTEREST

* KhachKar, also known as Armenian cross-stones, is a carved, memorial stele bearing a cross, and often with additional motifs such as rosettes, interlaces, and botanical motifs. Khachkars are characteristic of Medieval Christian Armenian art.

* The Etchmiadzin Cathedral is the Mother Church of the Armenian Apostolic Church, located in the city of Vagharshapat, Armenia. According to most scholars, it was the first cathedral (but not the first church) built in ancient Armenia, and is considered the oldest cathedral in the world.

* The Temple of Garni is a first century Hellenic temple near Garni, Armenia. It is the only pagan temple in Armenia that survived the Christianization of the country in the early 4th century. It is also the only "Greco-Roman colonnaded building" in Armenia and the entire former Soviet Union. Garni Temple is situated at an elevation of 1396m.

*Geghard Cave Monastery

Six kilometres from Garni there is remarkable sample of medieval Armenian architecture,The Geghard Cave Monastery. The monastery was founded in the 4th century. It was built by architect Galdzag on the order of the Zakarid family.

* Amberd is a 7th-century fortress located 2,300 meters (7,500 ft) above sea level. The name translates to "fortress in the clouds" in Armenian. Some sources say that Amberd used to be a summer residence for kings.

* Zvartnots Cathedral or the Cathedral of the Angels is a 7th-century centrally planned aisled tetraconch type Armenian  cathedral

* Tatev Monastery in Armenia is a 9th century wonder located on a large basalt plateau in southeast Armenia. The Monastery stands on the edge of a deep gorge of the Vorotan River and served as an economic, political, spiritual and cultural center throughout the Armenian history. Tatev is also known as the home of the world’s longest non-stop double track cable car (ropeway). In October 2010 it was included in the Guinness World Record Book.

*FAMOUSE PEOPLE OF ARMENIA

* Ivan Aivazovsky was a Russian-Armenian Romantic painter. He is considered one of the greatest marine artists in history. Baptized as Hovhannes Aivazian, Aivazovsky was born to an Armenian family in the Black Sea port of Feodosia and was mostly based in his native Crimea.

* Arshile Gorky was an Armenian-American painter, who had a seminal influence on Abstract Expressionism. As such, his works were often speculated to have been informed by the suffering and loss he experienced of the Armenian Genocide.

* William Saroyan was an Armenian-American dramatist and author. He was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1940, and in 1943 won the Academy Award for Best Story for the film adaptation of his novel The Human Comedy.He is recognized as "one of the most prominent literary figures of the mid-20th century.“ Stephen Fry describes Saroyan as "one of the most underrated writers of the [20th] century." Fry suggests that "he takes his place naturally alongside Hemingway, Steinbeck and Faulkner".

* Charles Aznavour

*Charles Aznavour (French pronunciation: born Shahnour Varinag Aznavourian on 22 May 1924) is a French and Armenian singer, songwriter, actor, public activist and diplomat. Aznavour is known for his unique tenor voice: clear and Armenian of his time. He was recognized as the century's outstanding performer, with nearly 18% of the total vote, edging out Elvis Presley and Bob Dylan. He has written more than 1,200 songs, sung in eight languages, sold more than 180 million records.

*He is one of France's most popular and enduring singers. He has been dubbed France's Frank Sinatra, while music critic Stephen Holden has described Aznavour as "French pop deity. He is also arguably the most famous. 

* System of a Down, also known by the acronym SOAD and often shortened to System, is an American four-piece rock band from Southern California, formed in 1994. The band currently consists of four Armenian-Americans.

* Serj Tankian is an American-Armenian singer-songwriter, composer, multi-instrumentalist, record producer, poet, and political activist. He is best known as the lead vocalist, songwriter, keyboardist and occasional live rhythm guitarist of the metal band System of a Down, formed in 1994 by four Armenian-American friends.

*Sports

* Arthur Abraham is an Armenian-German professional boxer residing in Berlin. Abraham is the former IBF Middleweight Champion from 2005 to 2009, making ten successful defences of his title, the fourth most in middleweight history. He is the current WBO Super Middleweight Champion.

*Vic Darchinyan

*Darchinyan was born on 7 January 1976, in Vanadzor, Armenia. His father, Ruben Darchinyan, was an Olympic wrestling coach for Armenia. Vic wanted to become a boxer at the age of 5 and dreamed of becoming a world champion in the professionals. His father told him there was no professional boxing in Armenia and instead wanted Vic to follow in his footsteps and take up wrestling. On 1 November 2008, Darchinyan fought WBC and WBA Super Flyweight Champion Cristian Mijares at the Home Depot Center in Carson, California. On 6 March 2010, Darchinyan successfully defended his unified WBC and WBA titles against Rodrigo Guerrero, winning a unanimous decision. *Vic Darchinyan is a graduate of our school.

* Levon Grigori Aronian is an Armenian chess Grandmaster. On the March 2014 FIDE rating list, he was ranked number two in the world and had an Elo rating of 2830, making him the fourth highest rated player in history.

* Henrikh Mkhitaryan is an Armenian footballer who plays as a midfielder for the German Bundesliga club Borussia Dortmund and the Armenia national football team.

THANKS FOR WATCHING