Part 18
total population: 72.68 years country comparison to the world: 116 male: 69.06 years
female: 76.81 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.36 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 200
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.1% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 114
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
2,400 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 135
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 200 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 104
Nationality:
noun: Armenian(s)
adjective: Armenian
Ethnic groups:
Armenian 97.9%, Yezidi (Kurd) 1.3%, Russian 0.5%, other 0.3% (2001 census)
Religions:
Armenian Apostolic 94.7%, other Christian 4%, Yezidi (monotheist with elements of nature worship) 1.3%
Languages:
Armenian 97.7%, Yezidi 1%, Russian 0.9%, other 0.4% (2001 census)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.4%
male: 99.7%
female: 99.2% (2001 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 11 years
male: 11 years
female: 12 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
3.2% of GDP (2001) country comparison to the world: 139
Government ::Armenia
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
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Yerevan
geographic coordinates: 40 10 N, 44 30 E
time difference: UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Administrative divisions:
11 provinces (marzer, singular - marz); Aragatsotn, Ararat, Armavir, Geghark'unik', Kotayk', Lorri, Shirak, Syunik', Tavush, Vayots' Dzor, Yerevan
Independence:
21 September 1991 (from the Soviet Union)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 21 September (1991)
Constitution:
adopted by nationwide referendum 5 July 1995; amendments adopted through a nationwide referendum 27 November 2005
Legal system:
based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Serzh SARGSIAN (since 9 April 2008)
head of government: Prime Minister Tigran SARGSIAN (since 9 April 2008)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 19 February 2008 (next to be held February 2013); prime minister appointed by the president based on majority or plurality support in parliament; the prime minister and Council of Ministers must resign if the National Assembly refuses to accept their program
election results: Serzh SARGSIAN elected president; percent of vote - Serzh SARGSIAN 52.9%, Levon TER-PETROSSIAN 21.5%, Artur BAGHDASARIAN 16.7%
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly (Parliament) or Azgayin Zhoghov (131 seats; members elected by popular vote, 90 members elected by party list and 41 by direct vote; to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 12 May 2007 (next to be held in the spring of 2012)
election results: percent of vote by party - HHK 33.9%, Prosperous Armenia 15.1%, ARF (Dashnak) 13.2%, Rule of Law 7.1%, Heritage Party 6%, other 24.7%; seats by party - HHK 64, Prosperous Armenia 18, ARF (Dashnak) 16, Rule of Law 9, Heritage Party 7, independent 17
Judicial branch:
Constitutional Court; Court of Cassation (Appeals Court)
Political parties and leaders:
Armenian National Congress or ANC [Levon TER-PETROSSIAN]; Armenian National Movement or ANM [Ararat ZURABIAN]; Armenian People's Party [Tigran KARAPETIAN]; Armenian Ramkavar Azadagan Party Alliance or HRAK (includes former Dashink Party, National Revival Party, and Ramkavar Liberal Party); Armenian Revolutionary Federation ("Dashnak" Party) or ARF [Hrant MARKARIAN]; Heritage Party [Raffi HOVHANNISIAN]; National Democratic Party [Shavarsh KOCHARIAN]; National Democratic Union or NDU [Vazgen MANUKIAN]; National Unity Party [Artashes GEGHAMIAN]; People's Party of Armenia [Stepan DEMIRCHIAN]; Prosperous Armenia [Gagik TSAROUKIAN]; Republic Party [Aram SARKISIAN]; Republican Party of Armenia or HHK [Serzh SARGSIAN]; Rule of Law Party (Orinats Yerkir) [Artur BAGHDASARIAN]; Union of Constitutional Rights [Hrant KHACHATURIAN]; United Labor Party [Gurgen ARSENIAN]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Aylentrank (Impeachment) [Nikol PASHINIAN]; Yerkrapah Union [Manvel GRIGORIAN]
International organization participation:
ACCT (observer), ADB, BSEC, CE, CIS, CSTO, EAEC (observer), EAPC, EBRD, FAO, GCTU, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, MIGA, NAM (observer), OAS (observer), OIF (associate member), OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Tatoul MARKARIAN
chancery: 2225 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 319-1976
FAX: [1] (202) 319-2982
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Marie L. YOVANOVITCH
embassy: 1 American Ave., Yerevan 0082
mailing address: American Embassy Yerevan, US Department of State, 7020 Yerevan Place, Washington, DC 20521-7020
telephone: [374](10) 464-700
FAX: [374](10) 464-742
Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue, and orange; the color red recalls the blood shed for liberty, blue the Armenian skies as well as hope, and orange the land and the courage of the workers who farm it
Economy ::Armenia
Economy - overview:
Since the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991, Armenia has made progress in implementing many economic reforms including privatization, price reforms, and prudent fiscal policies. The conflict with Azerbaijan over the ethnic Armenian-dominated region of Nagorno-Karabakh contributed to a severe economic decline in the early 1990s. By 1994, however, the Armenian Government launched an ambitious IMF-sponsored economic liberalization program that resulted in positive growth rates. Economic growth has averaged over 10% in recent years. However, with the global economic downturn, Armenia's growth rate dropped to 6.8% in 2008. Armenia has managed to reduce poverty, slash inflation, stabilize its currency, and privatize most small- and medium-sized enterprises. Under the old Soviet central planning system, Armenia developed a modern industrial sector, supplying machine tools, textiles, and other manufactured goods to sister republics, in exchange for raw materials and energy. Armenia has since switched to small-scale agriculture and away from the large agroindustrial complexes of the Soviet era. Nuclear power plants built at Metsamor in the 1970s were closed following the 1988 Spitak Earthquake, though they sustained no damage. One of the two reactors was re-opened in 1995, but the Armenian government is under international pressure to close it due to concerns that the Soviet era design lacks important safeguards. Metsamor provides 40 percent of the country's electricity - hydropower accounts for about one-fourth. Economic ties with Russia remain close, especially in the energy sector. The electricity distribution system was privatized in 2002 and bought by Russia's RAO-UES in 2005. Construction of a pipeline to deliver natural gas from Iran to Armenia was completed in December 2008 and after testing is expected to be operational in Spring 2009, though it is unlikely significant quantities of gas will flow through it until the Yerevan Thermal Power Plant renovation is completed in 2010. Armenia has some mineral deposits (copper, gold, bauxite). Pig iron, unwrought copper, and other nonferrous metals are Armenia's highest valued exports. Armenia's severe trade imbalance has been offset somewhat by international aid, remittances from Armenians working abroad, and foreign direct investment. Armenia joined the WTO in January 2003. The government made some improvements in tax and customs administration in recent years, but anti-corruption measures will be more difficult to implement. Despite strong economic growth, Armenia's unemployment rate remains high. Armenia will need to pursue additional economic reforms in order to improve its economic competitiveness and to build on recent improvements in poverty and unemployment, especially given its economic isolation from two of its nearest neighbors, Turkey and Azerbaijan. The disruption of rail transit into Armenia during the Georgia-Russia conflict in August 2008 highlighted how vulnerable Armenia's supply chains for key goods - such as gasoline - are to instances of regional instability.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$18.81 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 126 $17.62 billion (2007 est.)
$15.48 billion (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$11.92 billion (2008 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
6.8% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 40 13.8% (2007 est.)
13.2% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$6,300 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 130 $5,900 (2007 est.)
$5,200 (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 16.7%
industry: 33.8%
services: 49.4% (2008 est.)
Labor force:
1.481 million (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 128
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 46.2%
industry: 15.6%
services: 38.2% (2006 est.)
Unemployment rate:
7.1% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 89
Population below poverty line:
26.5% (2006 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 1.6%
highest 10%: 41.3% (2004)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
37 (2006) country comparison to the world: 77 44.4 (1996)
Investment (gross fixed):
39% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 5
Budget:
revenues: $2.481 billion
expenditures: $2.626 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2008 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
9% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 139 4.4% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
7.25% (2 December 2008)
NA% (31 December 2007)
note: this is the Refinancing Rate, the key monetary policy instrument of the Armenian National Bank
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
17.05% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 27 17.52% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$1.359 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 80 $1.507 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$950.1 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 96 $765.2 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$1.98 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 93 $1.256 billion (31 December 2007)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$NA (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 110 $105 million (31 December 2007)
$60.17 million (31 December 2006)
Agriculture - products:
fruit (especially grapes), vegetables; livestock
Industries:
diamond-processing, metal-cutting machine tools, forging-pressing machines, electric motors, tires, knitted wear, hosiery, shoes, silk fabric, chemicals, trucks, instruments, microelectronics, jewelry manufacturing, software development, food processing, brandy
Industrial production growth rate:
2.4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 93
Electricity - production:
5.584 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 109
Electricity - consumption:
4.776 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 108
Electricity - exports:
451.3 million kWh; note - exports an unknown quantity to Georgia; includes exports to Nagorno-Karabakh region in Azerbaijan (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
418.7 million kWh; note - imports an unknown quantity from Iran (2007 est.)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 207
Oil - consumption:
48,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 97
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 208
Oil - imports:
45,200 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 94
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 207
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 207
Natural gas - consumption:
1.93 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 81
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 202
Natural gas - imports:
1.93 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 46
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 205
Current account balance:
-$1.355 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 129 -$589.6 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
$1.124 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 151 $1.197 billion (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
pig iron, unwrought copper, nonferrous metals, diamonds, mineral products, foodstuffs, energy
Exports - partners:
Russia 20.2%, Germany 17.2%, Netherlands 12.2%, Belgium 8.5%, Georgia 7.7%, Bulgaria 5.7%, US 4.9% (2008)
Imports:
$3.763 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 128 $2.797 billion (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
natural gas, petroleum, tobacco products, foodstuffs, diamonds
Imports - partners:
Russia 19.3%, China 8.7%, Ukraine 7%, Turkey 6.1%, Germany 5.8%, US 4.9%, Iran 4.6% (2008)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$1.407 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 118 $1.659 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$3.449 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 116 $2.909 billion (31 December 2007)
Exchange rates:
drams (AMD) per US dollar - 303.93 (2008 est.), 344.06 (2007), 414.69 (2006), 457.69 (2005), 533.45 (2004)
Communications ::Armenia
Telephones - main lines in use:
650,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 91
Telephones - mobile cellular:
2.336 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 118
Telephone system:
general assessment: telecommunications investments have made major inroads in modernizing and upgrading the outdated telecommunications network inherited from the Soviet era; now 100% privately owned and undergoing modernization and expansion; mobile-cellular services monopoly terminated in late 2004 and a second provider began operations in mid-2005
domestic: reliable modern landline and mobile-cellular services are available across Yerevan in major cities and towns; significant but ever-shrinking gaps remain in mobile-cellular coverage in rural areas
international: country code - 374; Yerevan is connected to the Trans-Asia-Europe fiber-optic cable through Iran; additional international service is available by microwave radio relay and landline connections to the other countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States, through the Moscow international switch, and by satellite to the rest of the world; satellite earth stations - 3 (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 9, FM 16, shortwave 1 (2006)
Television broadcast stations:
48 (private television stations alongside 2 public networks; major Russian channels widely available) (2006)
Internet country code:
.am
Internet hosts:
36,354 (2009) country comparison to the world: 88
Internet users:
191,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 138
Transportation ::Armenia
Airports:
11 (2009) country comparison to the world: 153
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 10
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2009)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2009)
Pipelines:
gas 2,233 km (2008)
Railways:
total: 845 km country comparison to the world: 99 broad gauge: 845 km 1.520-m gauge (818 km electrified)
note: some lines are out of service (2008)
Roadways:
total: 7,700 km country comparison to the world: 144 paved: 7,700 km (includes 1,561 km of expressways) (2006)
Military ::Armenia
Military branches:
Armed Forces: Ground Forces, Air Force and Air Defense, Nagorno-Karabakh Self Defense Force (NKSDF) (2009)
Military service age and obligation:
18-27 years of age for voluntary or compulsory military service; 2-year conscript service obligation (2007)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 809,576
females age 16-49: 870,864 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 642,734
females age 16-49: 729,047 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 27,293
female: 25,574 (2009 est.)
Military expenditures:
6.5% of GDP (FY01) country comparison to the world: 8
Transnational Issues ::Armenia
Disputes - international:
Armenia supports ethnic Armenian secessionists in Nagorno-Karabakh and since the early 1990s, has militarily occupied 16% of Azerbaijan - Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) continues to mediate dispute; over 800,000 mostly ethnic Azerbaijanis were driven from the occupied lands and Armenia; about 230,000 ethnic Armenians were driven from their homes in Azerbaijan into Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh; Azerbaijan seeks transit route through Armenia to connect to Naxcivan exclave; border with Turkey remains closed over Nagorno-Karabakh dispute; ethnic Armenian groups in Javakheti region of Georgia seek greater autonomy; Armenians continue to emigrate, primarily to Russia, seeking employment
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 113,295 (Azerbaijan)
IDPs: 8,400 (conflict with Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh, majority have returned home since 1994 ceasefire) (2007)
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Armenia is primarily a source country for women and girls trafficked to the UAE and Turkey for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation; Armenian men and women are trafficked to Turkey and Russia for the purpose of forced labor
tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Armenia is placed on the Tier 2 Watch List for a fourth consecutive year; its efforts to increase compliance with the minimum standards were assessed based on its commitments to undertake future actions, particularly in the areas of improving victim protection and assistance; while the government elevated anti-trafficking responsibilities to the ministerial level, adopted a new National Action Plan, and drafted a National Referral Mechanism, it has yet to show tangible progress in identifying and protecting victims or in tackling trafficking complicity of government officials; the Armenian Government made some notable improvements in its anti-trafficking law enforcement efforts, but it failed to demonstrate evidence of investigations, prosecutions, convictions, and sentences of officials complicit in trafficking (2008)
Illicit drugs:
illicit cultivation of small amount of cannabis for domestic consumption; minor transit point for illicit drugs - mostly opium and hashish - moving from Southwest Asia to Russia and to a lesser extent the rest of Europe
page last updated on November 11, 2009
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@Aruba (Central America and Caribbean)
Introduction ::Aruba
Background:
Discovered and claimed for Spain in 1499, Aruba was acquired by the Dutch in 1636. The island's economy has been dominated by three main industries. A 19th century gold rush was followed by prosperity brought on by the opening in 1924 of an oil refinery. The last decades of the 20th century saw a boom in the tourism industry. Aruba seceded from the Netherlands Antilles in 1986 and became a separate, autonomous member of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Movement toward full independence was halted at Aruba's request in 1990.
Geography ::Aruba
Location:
Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, north of Venezuela
Geographic coordinates:
12 30 N, 69 58 W
Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total: 180 sq km country comparison to the world: 217 land: 180 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
68.5 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate:
tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation
Terrain:
flat with a few hills; scant vegetation
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mount Jamanota 188 m
Natural resources:
NEGL; white sandy beaches
Land use:
arable land: 10.53%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 89.47% (2005)
Irrigated land:
0.01 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:
hurricanes; lies outside the Caribbean hurricane belt and is rarely threatened
Environment - current issues:
NA
Geography - note:
a flat, riverless island renowned for its white sand beaches; its tropical climate is moderated by constant trade winds from the Atlantic Ocean; the temperature is almost constant at about 27 degrees Celsius (81 degrees Fahrenheit)
People ::Aruba
Population:
103,065 country comparison to the world: 193 note: estimate based on a revision of the base population, fertility, and mortality numbers, as well as a revision of 1985-99 migration estimates from outmigration to inmigration, which is assumed to continue into the future; the new results are consistent with the 2000 census (July 2009 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 19.1% (male 9,921/female 9,758)
15-64 years: 70.3% (male 34,676/female 37,752)
65 years and over: 10.6% (male 4,351/female 6,607) (2009 est.)
Median age:
total: 37.8 years
male: 36 years
female: 39.5 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.478% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 94
Birth rate:
12.79 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 158
Death rate:
7.71 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 117
Net migration rate:
9.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 8
Urbanization:
urban population: 47% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 0.1% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female
total population: 0.9 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 13.79 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 132 male: 18.28 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 9.22 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 75.28 years country comparison to the world: 82 male: 72.25 years
female: 78.38 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.85 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 149
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA
Nationality:
noun: Aruban(s)
adjective: Aruban; Dutch
Ethnic groups:
mixed white/Caribbean Amerindian 80%, other 20%
Religions:
Roman Catholic 80.8%, Evangelist 4.1%, Protestant 2.5%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.5%, Methodist 1.2%, Jewish 0.2%, other 5.1%, none or unspecified 4.6%
Languages:
Papiamento (a Spanish-Portuguese-Dutch-English dialect) 66.3%, Spanish 12.6%, English (widely spoken) 7.7%, Dutch (official) 5.8%, other 2.2%, unspecified or unknown 5.3% (2000 census)
Literacy:
definition: NA
total population: 97.3%
male: 97.5%
female: 97.1% (2000 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 14 years
male: 13 years
female: 14 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
4.8% of GDP (2005) country comparison to the world: 79
Government ::Aruba
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Aruba
Dependency status: