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About Armenia
Armenia - acknowledged as one of the cradles of civilization - is a beautiful
country with a long and cultured history. As a result, Armenia is an intriguing
tourist destination. Numerous monuments and masterpieces of the Ancient era
and Middle Ages can be found throughout the country. Tourism in Armenia is rooted
in the country's historical landmarks and natural attractions such as the water
resorts of Lake Sevan, the hot springs of Arzni and Jermuk, the forests of Dilijan,
Aghveran, Tsaghkadzor, Bjurakan and Gugark, and the mountainous natural caves
and cliffs of the Southeast region. The 5165 meter Mount Ararat, geographically
located in Turkey, is a national symbol of Armenia and is visible from much
of the Southwest region.
Armenia occupies a territory of 2977thousand square kilometers. The average
altitude of the territory is 1,800 meters above the sea level, the highest peak
has an altitude of 4,090 meters and the lowest point is ravine of Debet with
an altitude of 380 meters.
Armenia occupies a part of in the chain of the mountains which is called the
Armenian Plateau. It is situated within the Alps-Himalayas mountain system and
can be called "an island of mountains"
Yerevan, the ancient capital of Armenia, extends you a warm and friendly welcome.
It is one of the oldest cities in the world. The earliest recorded settlement
there dates back to 782 BC. King Argishty I founded a fortress city in the north-eastern
part of present-day Yerevan, with the following cuneiform inscription, "With
the majesty of God Khald, Argishty, son of Menua, built up this inaccessible
castle and named it Erebuni..." You can still see relics from this part of our
history at the Erebuni Museum in Yerevan.
 The
climate in Armenia is markedly continental. Summers are dry and sunny, lasting
from June to mid-September. The temperature fluctuates between 22° and 36°C.
However, the low humidity level mitigates the effect of high temperatures. Evening
breezes blowing down the mountains provide a welcome refreshing and cooling
effect.
Springs are short, while falls are long. Autumns are remarkable for their spectacularly
colorful foliage.
Winters are quite cold with plenty of snow, with temperatures ranging between
-5° and -10°C. Winter sports enthusiasts can enjoy skiing down the hills of
Tsakhkadzor, conveniently located 30 minutes outside of Yerevan.
The climate in Armenia is markedly continental. Summers are dry and sunny, lasting
from June to mid-September. The temperature fluctuates between 22° and 36°C.
However, the low humidity level mitigates the effect of high temperatures. Evening
breezes blowing down the mountains provide a welcome refreshing and cooling
effect.
Springs are short, while falls are long. Autumns are remarkable for their spectacularly
colorful foliage.
Winters are quite cold with plenty of snow, with temperatures ranging between
-5° and -10°C. Winter sports enthusiasts can enjoy skiing down the hills of
Tsakhkadzor, conveniently located 30 minutes outside of Yerevan.
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Armenia is a Parliamentary Republic with a presidential form of
government. The Constitution of the Republic of Armenia was adopted through a national
referendum on July, 1995.
The President, guided by the Constitution, regulates the legislative, executive and juridical
branches of power to ensure their normal and effective work. The President is also the
commander-in-chief of the armed forces and the guarantor of the country’s independence,
territorial integrity and security. The representatives of numerous international organizations
reside in Armenia. It is a member of the United Nations (UN), Organization of Security and
Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and Council of Europe.
The Armenian national currency is the Dram. Foreign currency can be exchanged
in banks and currency exchange points throughout the city.
The official language is Armenian. The Russian and English languages are also
widely spoken in the country.
The Armenian Church is an independent Christian church, also known as the Armenian
Apostolic Orthodox Church. Its head is the Catholicos, who resides at Holy Etchmiadzin,
near Yerevan, the capital of Armenia.
Christianity was declared the state religion of Armenia in AD 301. Armenia thus became the first
nation to adopt Christianity as a state religion. This was largely due to the efforts of St.
Gregory the Illuminator. Born a nobleman, he converted Armenia's king Tiridates III, who had
formerly perse-cuted the Christians. Conversion of the rest of the population soon followed. It
was St. Gregory who built the Mother Church at Etchmiadzin in AD 303.
The Church entered its most recent era of leadership on October 27, 1999, when Armenian
Christians elected His Holiness Karekin II as the 132nd Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos
of All Armenians, pontiff of the worldwide Armenian Church.
The country telephone code is 374 + the city code (1 for Yerevan). Outgoing international
calls can be made by dialing 00, followed by the country code and the number, or by ordering an
operator-assisted call through dialing 107.
The country time is GMT + 4 hours
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Armenian Links
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