About Armenia

Armenia is a land of high mountains, great plains, ancient stone churches, and a people who have built up a resilience through centuries of living on the crossroads between East and West. It is also the safest Caucasus country to visit.

Armenia became the first country to take up Christianity in AD 301. Surrounded on three sides by the Islamic countries of Turkey, Iran, Azerbaijan, it's people have weathered many invading armies and eighty years of Soviet rule before reemerging as an independent nation in 1991. After a rough start, by 2003 it boasted the fastest-growing economy in Europe with a 15% annual growth.

Today, Yerevan is a modern city with Mediterranean cafes, a grand opera, and many worthwhile museums complemented with an active night-life. It has been described as a country within a country when compared with the traditional countryside. The country is currently lead by President Robert Kocharian with elections coming up this year. Now is an exciting time to see the rebirth of this phoenix-like nation.

An estimated 95% of Armenia's population is ethnically Armenian, and 90% proclaim themselves members of the Armenian Apostolic Church. Kurds, a small number of Molokans - a sect of Russian Old Believers - and some Greeks and Georgians make up the remaining 5%. The official language is Armenian, but everyone speaks Russian and English is also gaining ground.

The collapse of the Soviet Union, a devastating Earthquake in 1988, and war with Azerbaijan all left their impact on Armenia's economy. Today the old industrial plants are abandoned and Armenia's main exports are cut diamonds, brandy, and copper ore. Armenia's large diaspora has helped restart the economy through investments, and relatives working abroad also help by sending money back to their families in Armenia. Recently a high-tech sector has started to emerge and several large IT companies have brought software development to Armenia.

We invite you to visit this "country of contrasts" with us!

Links to some other great resources you may find useful:

• The Armenian Tourism Development Agency runs an Armenian Information Center.
• Information about Armenia in general can be found on Lonely Planet's website.
• The Armenian Foreign Ministry provides a list of Armenian embassies worldwide. They also offer an e-Visa that may be obtained online. You can also find more information about Armenia on their site.
• The CIA World Fact book provides statistics and a summary of Armenia.
• Wikipedia has an informative article on Armenia, though it is always good to remember that not all articles on Wikipedia are written by experts.
• Armeniapedia.Org is a great resource for all things Armenian.
• Of the several guidebooks about the region, perhaps Lonely Planet's "Georgia, Armenia & Azerbaijan" is the best known but Bradt has published an even more detailed guide exclusively about Armenia and Nagorno Karabagh.
• Another excellent resource is the Rediscovering Armenia Guide that is available online for free, you can also get a printed copy but that is sold only within Armenia.