June 2-5, 2004   Yerevan, Armenia
 







About Armenia

Khor Virap

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.
Map of ArmeniaThe 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.
Lake Sevan

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.  Church Geghard 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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