Armenia's position relative to conventional lines on the map. Comprehensive characteristics of Armenia. Geographical position of Armenia

Republic of Armenia

Armenia - a state in the Transcaucasian region of western Asia. In the north, it borders on Georgia, in the east and south-west - with Azerbaijan, in the west - with Turkey, in the south - with Iran.

The name comes, according to legends, from the name of Armenak, the ancestor of the Armenians.

Capital

Square

Population

3336 thousand people

Administrative division

The country is divided into 11 regions (mazras).

Form of government

Parliamentary republic.

Head of state

President elected for a term of 5 years.

Supreme Legislature

National Assembly (Parliament) with a term of office of 5 years.

Supreme executive body

Government of the Republic of Armenia.

Big cities

Kumayri, Gyumri.

Official language

Armenian.

Religion

94% - Armenian Apostolic (Orthodox) Church, 4% - Russian Orthodox Church.

Ethnic composition

93% - Armenians, 1% - Azerbaijanis, 2% - Russians, 4% - Kurds, Ukrainians, Georgians, Greeks.

Currency

Dram \u003d 100 lumas.

Climate

Continental dry. The average annual temperature is + 11 ° С. Precipitation falls up to 400 mm per year on the plains and up to 500 mm in the mountains. There are also glaciers there.

Flora

Forests cover 15% of the country's territory. Beech, oak, hornbeam, pine, spruce, cedar and fir grow here. Alpine meadows are located in the mountains.

Fauna

The fauna of Armenia is quite rich. Here you can find wild boar, jungle cat, forest cat, lynx, bear, jackal, squirrel, gopher, gyurza, viper, scorpion. The birds are eagle, gull, hoopoe, bearded vulture, finch, woodcock, robin, woodpecker. Sevan trout is especially famous for fish.

Rivers and lakes

The main rivers are Araks and Hrazdan. There are over 100 lakes in Armenia, the largest and most famous of them is the high-mountainous Lake Sevan, about 700 mineral springs.

sights

The country can rightfully be considered an open-air museum. There are more than 4 thousand architectural monuments on its territory. Among them are the fortress and temple of Garni (III-X centuries), castles, palaces and churches in Dvin and Zvartnots, a complex of temples in Echmiadzin, a large number of ancient temples and churches throughout the country. Yerevan is home to the world's largest repository of ancient manuscripts - Matenadaran, 15 different museums.

Useful information for tourists

In Armenia, the traditional norms of family and kinship mutual assistance, colorful family and calendar rituals are preserved. In July, the holiday Vardavar (Vard is the pagan god of water) is cheerfully celebrated: young people dance, pour water over each other, climb the flowering mountain meadows and springs. A characteristic feature of the modern way of life of the Armenian people is a deep and lively interest in their cultural and historical traditions, the desire to preserve the continuity of generations.

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Geographical position

Armenia located in Transcaucasia, south of Russia between the Black and Caspian Seas, in the northeastern part of the ancient volcanic Armenian Highlands, surrounded by spurs of the Lesser Caucasus Range. In the north it borders on Georgia, in the east - with Azerbaijan, in the west and south - with Turkey, in the south - with Iran. Most of the borders of Armenia fall on the states with which it had constant conflicts - Turkey and Iran.

Most of the territory of Armenia is located at altitudes from 1000 to 2500 m above sea level (average altitude is 1800 m, the highest point is Mount Aragats, 4090 m), on the territory of lava plateaus and low mountain ranges of Pambak, Geghama, Vardenis and Zangezur ridges dissected by a dense network of valleys and deep gorges. The south-west of the country is occupied by the relatively flat Ararat valley (average height 850-1000 m.), In which most of the country's large settlements are concentrated.
The south-west of the country is occupied by the relatively flat Ararat valley (average height 850-1000 m.), In which most of the country's large settlements are concentrated. The country is landlocked.

total area about 29.8 thousand sq. km. The total length of borders is 1254 km
More than 90% of the territory of the republic is located above 1000 m above sea level; the lowest points (about 400 above sea level) are in the extreme north (gorge of the Debed river) and in the south (the Arak river). In the north-east of the republic, in sub-latitudinal and north-west-south-east directions, fold-block ridges of the central part of the Lesser Caucasus stretch: Sokhmetsky, Bazumsky, Pambaksky, between which deep tectonic valleys are located.

Story

There have been more than enough tragedies in the history of Armenia. It was conquered by almost all the powerful countries of the ancient world, and at the beginning of the twentieth century, it almost disappeared from the face of the earth. Soviet power came to the country unexpectedly and, finding itself an uninvited guest, undertook to erect heavy monumental buildings, leaving them - as well as the taste for grandiose military parades - as a keepsake for posterity. The conflict with neighboring Azerbaijan flared up in the early 90s. and led to an economic blockade that prevents adequate economic growth, mainly due to the fact that fuel and some goods have become scarce. But no difficulties prompted the Armenians to give up admiration for their culture and did not prevent them from living at a measured pace.

How to get there

By plane

The best way to get to the country, this, of course, is to buy air tickets to Armenia. Airlines such as Siberia, Armavia and Aeroflot operate several daily flights from Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kazan, Kiev, Kharkov, Dnepropetrovsk and from many other cities and suburbs of the Russian Federation and the CIS.

When buying tours to Armenia, you must remember that the borders of this country with Azerbaijan and Turkey are closed, you need to get there only passing through Georgia, but for this you need a visa. When traveling by car, it is worth remembering that the distance between Moscow and Yerevan is 2250 kilometers. Also, there are bus routes to Yerevan, but choosing this transport, you will need to make a change.

You can also get from Moscow to Armenia by train, but you must first change trains in Azerbaijan, and then in Georgia. The whole journey will take four days.

Several times a week the Moscow-Tbilisi train runs through Ayrum, Alaverdi, Vanadzor and Gyumri. The train follows about 12 hours.

Several years ago, a direct route from Russia to Armenia was opened, but at present it is closed due to the Georgian-Abkhaz confrontation.

Visa

Entry to Armenia for citizens of Russia and the CIS - visa-free. You must have a passport with you, valid for at least 3 months from the date of the end of the planned trip. When traveling with children, you must take a birth certificate, the child must be entered in the parent's passport or have his own passport, if the child is traveling accompanied by one of the parents or third parties, a notarized power of attorney from the second parent or from the parents is required to take out the child ...

Climate

Climate Armenia is continental, mountainous. In summer, the weather in Armenia is hot and dry, and winter, albeit short, is characterized by rather severe weather. In the foothills, average temperatures in summer are from +24 to +26 ° C, in winter - about +5 ° C. In mountainous areas, the average temperature in summer is from +10 to +22 ° C, in winter - from +2 to -14 ° C, depending on the altitude of the place. Even within the same city, the temperature difference between two neighboring areas can reach 2-3 ° C. In the autumn-spring period, severe frosts are frequent, while the temperature on the soil can drop to -28 ° C.

Video

Population

Population Republic of Armenia - 3.8 million. About the same number live in other countries of the world. The ethnic composition of Armenia is the most homogeneous among all the former Soviet republics: 95.66% of its population are Armenians: Russians also live in the republic,
ukrainians, Kurds, Greeks, Assyrians.

Outside the country, Armenians live in more than 60 countries of the world - the CIS countries, the USA, France, Greece, Germany, Italy, Sweden, Spain, Lebanon, Iran, Turkey and other countries.

The Armenians belong to the large Caucasoid racial group of peoples, the trunk of the southern Caucasians; within the boundaries of the southern Caucasian trunk - belong to the Balkan-Caucasian race. Within the Balkan-Caucasian race - to the Armenoid (Near Asian) type, characterized by wavy or straight soft dark hair of different shades, relatively dark skin, a wide variety of eye colors - from black and brown to light gray and rarely blue, highly developed hair ( in particular, beards in men), weakly protruding cheekbones, a narrow protruding nose with a high nose, usually thin or medium-thick lips.

Nature

Armenia has an extremely diverse nature and is of great interest to a wide range of admirers: a geologist will find here all layers and formations, from the periods of the origin of the earth's crust to the newest; historians and archaeologists can get acquainted with all layers of human culture, starting from the ancient Paleolithic (Shelian era); botanists will be amazed at the richness of vegetation, numbering about 3200 species; soil scientists will see a variegated soil cover that changes over short distances and includes 15 types and more than 40 subtypes; geographers will be amazed at the combination of mountain ranges and sun, which Byron considered an amazing corner of the earth, overflowing with wonders. And one of them is the high-mountainous Lake Sevan (1916 m above sea level).

The mountains

Armenia is a mountainous country. Approximately 90% of its territory is elevated 1000 m above sea level. The highest point of the country is the summit of Mount Aragats (4090 m.).
Aragats is a lonely extinct volcano. Volcanic activity and centuries-old work of water, wind and sun have formed deep gorges on the slopes (the largest are Gehovit and Ambert), wide hollows surrounded by rocks. Three waterfalls rush into the Geghovit gorge with a water drop of more than 100 m.A magnificent panorama opens from the middle mountain part and the belt of the mountain - the glitter of mountain lakes among the emerald green of the slopes, lonely hills turning into the misty Araks valley, on the edge of which rises the sister of Aragats - the biblical mountain Ararat.
The beautiful landscape of the foothills and mountain belts, numerous cultural monuments on its slopes make Aragats one of the most interesting peaks attractive for travelers and climbers.

Rivers and lakes

Armenia is covered with a rather dense network of rivers and streams. True, they are not very large. The largest of them is the border river Araks.

The republic has more than three hundred rivers 10 and more kilometers long. Most of the rivers in Armenia are tributaries of the Araks. The Araks is one of the largest rivers in the Caucasus and Western Asia. Its length is 995 km. The Araks is for Armenians "mother is a river", just like the Volga is for Russians. He is glorified in legends and traditions, poems and songs are composed about him. Since ancient times, it has nourished life by irrigating barren deserts. The main tributaries flow into the Araks on the left. These are Akhuryan, Metsamor, Hrazdan, Azat, Arpa. The Hrazdan River originates in Lake Sevan, and Akhuryan - from Lake Aria and reaches a length of about 200 km, it is the third longest among the rivers of the republic. The rivers Arpa and Vorotan, which flow through the southern part of Armenia, are slightly inferior to it.

Armenia can be called a land of lakes... Although there is only one large lake - Sevan, there are more than a hundred small mountain lakes.
Lake Sevan is a miracle of nature, the most beautiful of the alpine lakes, located at an altitude of 1916 m above sea level.
There are several hypotheses about the origin of Sevan. Most likely, this lake was born several millennia ago as a result of volcanic processes that took place in the surrounding Geghama mountains. On the southern slopes to the lake, there are several dozen geometric circular craters filled with fresh water. 28 rivers flow into Sevan, all are small, the largest - Maerik - does not even reach 50 km. Only the Hrazdan River flows out of the lake. Lake area 1200 sq. km, its pool is about four times larger - 4850 sq. km. There are 2 cities, two villages, about 100 villages, where more than 250 thousand people live.

It is believed that the lake got its name from the name of the ancient temple Sev Vank, built on the northwestern peninsula in the 9th century. This name, translated from Armenian, means "black monastery", and the temple is really made of black tuff. There is a version about an even more ancient origin of the name. The Urarts, who lived here before the arrival of the Armenians, called the lake Tsuini, Svini, from where it is not far from the pronunciation of Sevan. Tsuini supposedly meant "body of water."
Armenia is rich in mineral springs, which differ in their various chemical composition and, due to this, have certain medicinal properties. In the area of \u200b\u200bthe town of Dilijan and the village of Fioletovo, carbonic-alkaline water of the "Borjomi" type comes out, and on the western coast of Sevan, in the area of \u200b\u200bthe town of Gavar, springs similar to the "Yessentuki" are beating. Among the thermal (hot) springs Jermuk stands out, which in their composition and medicinal properties are similar to the waters of Karlovy Vary in the Czech Republic. The resorts "Arzni" and "Jermuk" were built near the mineral springs. The waters "Arzni", "Jermuk", "Sevan", "Dilijan" are distinguished by excellent drinking qualities.

Vegetable world

The most widespread in Armenia are steppe and semi-desert formations. On the lower levels of the relief, wormwood semi-deserts are developed and there are limited areas of saltwort and Achilles-Juzgun deserts. In the middle mountain belt, cereal and forb-cereal steppes dominate, which with height are replaced by meadow steppes and alpine meadows. In the early 1990s, less than 12% of the country's area was covered with forests. They are confined mainly to the northeastern and southeastern regions. In the northeast, there are broad-leaved forests with a predominance of oak, beech and hornbeam and a small share of linden, maple, ash, in the southeast there are more xerophilic oak forests. Poplar and walnut, wild fruit trees and shrubs (apple, pear, sweet cherry, plum, dogwood, wild rose) are often found in forest plantations. Large areas on the volcanic plateaus are occupied by stone placers devoid of vegetation. The flora of Armenia numbers about 3200 species, of which 106 are endemics. The Ararat plain is the center of origin of wheat and a number of other crops.

Animal world

The fauna of Armenia includes 76 species of mammals, 304 species of birds, 44 species of reptiles, 6 species of amphibians, 24 species of fish and about 10 thousand invertebrates. In semi-deserts, rodents (gopher, jerboa, mole rat, gerbils, voles) and reptiles (agama, turtle, gyurza, viper) are numerous, steppe cat and eared hedgehog are found. In the coastal thickets of the river. Lynx, jungle cat, wild boar, jackal and many birds are found in the Araks.

The fauna of the steppe regions is similar to the semi-desert one; in addition, hares and foxes are often found there, less often wolves and badgers. For the steppes of the central and western regions, a predatory animal is bandaging, and for the southern and southeastern regions - bezoar goat and mouflon.

Roe deer, marten, lynx, squirrel, forest cat, and bear are found in the mountains of the northeast; sika deer and red deer were introduced. The mountain forests of the southeast are inhabited by lynx, forest cat, marten, bezoar goat, mouflon, wild boar, bear, roe deer, and leopard are found.

Numerous species of birds nest in Armenia: the crane (the national symbol of the country, in Armenian - "krunk"), stork, partridge, quail, black grouse, eagle, vulture, ular, on the lake. Sevan - ducks and seagulls. The valuable commercial fish ishkhan (Sevan trout), khramuli, barbel are found in Sevan; the Ladoga whitefish has been introduced. Nutria has been introduced in the river valleys in the south of the country.

Hotels, hotels, prices

Voluntary classification of hotels in Armenia started in 2004. Today, only a part of the hotels - mostly four- and five-star - are certified in accordance with the quantity and quality of services and prices provided. At the same time, some hotels simply save on classification, do not have any stars, but at the same time correspond to a decent level. There are few hotels in Armenia by European standards, but their number is increasing every year. Most of the country's hotels are small three-star hotels; luxury hotel complexes prevail in Yerevan. There are only about a hundred hotels scattered across the country; most of the hotels are concentrated in Yerevan and around Lake Sevan. Hotels are available in all large and medium-sized cities, and in recent years motels have begun to appear near major highways. The cost of living in provincial hotels varies depending on a number of factors: the presence of competition, the level of service, the availability of hot water (in some regions of Armenia, the issue of hot water is relevant to this day). On average, a double room will cost $ 25-30 per day.

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Armenia

Country Description

Armenia is one of the most ancient states of the Transcaucasus and the first country to adopt Christianity as a state religion. The centuries-old Christian traditions are reflected in numerous monasteries, churches and khachkars (stone statues with crosses carved on them), the oldest of which date back to the 4th century AD. No less interesting are the ancient cities of the state, whose age reaches 3000 years, ancient fortresses and, of course, picturesque mountain landscapes abounding in deep gorges, turbulent rivers, waterfalls and lakes, among which is the largest lake in the Caucasus - Sevan.

Geography

Armenia covers an area of \u200b\u200b29.74 thousand square kilometers. It borders in the north with Georgia, in the east - with Azerbaijan, in the west and south - with Turkey. Armenia is a high-mountainous country located on the Armenian plateau, the average height of which is about 1800 m above sea level. In the Southwest there is the intermountain Ararat valley.

Time

An hour ahead of Moscow.

Climate

Continental dry. In the foothills, the average temperatures in July are from +24 C to +26 C, in January +5 C, precipitation is 200-400 mm. per year, in mountainous regions the average temperatures in July are from +18 C to +20 C, in January from 2 C to +14 C, severe frosts are frequent, precipitation is up to 500 mm. The country is in a zone of increased seismic hazard. More than 90% of the territory of Armenia lies at an altitude of over 1000 meters above sea level, which determines the country's climate. In summer, tropical continental air masses invade from the Iranian Highlands; in winter, the air is greatly cooled. In the Ararat valley, the average monthly temperature in July is +25 +27 degrees, in January - -5-7. The best time of the year in Armenia is autumn.

Tongue

Armenian (state), Russian.

Religion

The majority of believers are Christians (Monophisites) of the Armenian Apostolic (Orthodox) Church, as well as the Russian Orthodox Church, Muslims and other confessions.

Population

About 96% of the country's population is made up of Armenians. Also, Russians, Yezidis, Kurds, Assyrians, Ukrainians, Belarusians, Georgians, Greeks and Jews live in Armenia.

Electricity

Voltage - 220 Volts, frequency - 50 Hertz.

Emergency phones

Fire department - 101
Police - 102
Ambulance - 103

Communication

On the streets of cities, you can see payphones that work with coins or phone cards, but you can only make an international call from specialized payphones installed at public telephone booths, in large shopping centers and banks, as well as from hotels. In order to call from Russia to Armenia, you need to dial 8 - 10 - 374 (country code) - city code - subscriber's number. Yerevan code - 1. To call from Armenia to Russia, you need to dial 00 - 7 (Russia code) - city code - subscriber's number.

Currency exchange

The country's currency is AMD. Banks work from 9.00 to 16.00 on weekdays, on Saturday some banks accept clients from 10.00 to 14.00. Currency exchange offices are usually open from 9.00 to 22.00-24.00, often open on weekends and holidays.

Visa

Entry to Armenia for citizens of Russia and the CIS is visa-free. You must have a passport with you, valid for at least 3 months from the date of the end of the planned trip. When traveling with children, you must take a birth certificate, the child must be entered in the parent's passport or have his own passport, if the child is traveling accompanied by one of the parents or third parties, a notarized power of attorney from the second parent or from the parents is required to take out the child ...

Customs regulations

There are no restrictions for the import and export of foreign currency from the country, only the customs declaration is filled in (must be saved before departure). An amount over USD 10,000 (or its equivalent in another currency) must be transferred through a bank. Import and export of local currency is prohibited. It is recommended to declare imported cash, especially if its equivalent amount exceeds $ 2000. And this is to avoid possible complications when leaving the country. It is allowed to import personal items, as well as goods and other items, with a total value equivalent to 500 US dollars, without paying customs duties. Allowed duty-free import of alcoholic beverages - up to 2 liters, as well as tobacco products - up to 50 packs. For all imported goods and items, if the total value exceeds the above dimensions, customs duty is paid. The import and export of any antiques, including precious stones, coins, manuscripts and other works of art, without the permission of the relevant authorities is prohibited. The transit of narcotic, poisonous and explosive substances, as well as weapons and ammunition is prohibited (except for hunting weapons, for which a permit from the RA Ministry of Internal Affairs is issued).

Holidays and non-working days

January 1 - New Year
January 6 - Christmas
January 28 - Army Day
March 8 - International Women's Day
April 24 - Day of Remembrance of the Victims of the Armenian Genocide of 1915
May 1 - Labor Day
May 9 - Victory and Peace Day
May 28 - Day of the First Republic
July 5 - Constitution Day
September 21 - Independence Day
December 7 - Day of Remembrance for the Victims of the 1988 Earthquake

The holiday of Vardanank (Saint Vardan's day) is celebrated on a large scale throughout Armenia. The celebrations are held on February 15 in memory of the battle of the Armenian troops with the Persian army on the Avarayr field in 451. Armenians are a religious people with ancient Christian traditions, so the main religious holidays are celebrated in the country.

Transport

The transport network includes railways with a length of 830 km. (90% of them are electrified) and highways with a total length of 7700 km. A dense network of bus routes connects almost all the settlements of the country, and many flights are carried out by private carriers. Many buses do not have a clear timetable and leave as the cabin is full. Traveling by car requires certain skills and preparation. The roads are worn out. In mountainous areas and in the provinces, they are often simply absent, all transportation is carried out along gravel and rubble country roads, which are rather difficult to pass without the help of local residents. Compliance with traffic rules by local residents is a separate issue. Often, cars move with no sign of organization at all. But pedestrians, who cross any road (even relatively good highways of national importance) where and how they please, "do not lag behind" them either. Street lighting is poor, and often absent altogether. Good quality gasoline can only be found in the capital. In the provinces, they often offer fuel of dubious quality, and often simply of unknown origin, selling it in cans and bottles right from the hands.

Buses are the main type of passenger transport in the country due to the difficult mountainous terrain and uneasy relations with neighboring Azerbaijan, which impede the implementation of a full-fledged railway connection. There are two main bus stations in Yerevan. The main bus station of the city, on Admiral Isakov Avenue, from where buses and minibuses depart, both in Armenia and abroad: Tbilisi, Istanbul, Akhaltsikhe, Stepanakert, Goris, Meghri, Jermuk, Sisian, Vanadzor, Gyumri, Sevan, Dilijan. The subway operates - 1 line.

The transport network includes railways with a length of 830 km (90% of them are electrified). Passenger traffic is carried out on the line Yerevan - Echmiadzin - Gyumri - Vanadzor (twice a day). In addition, commuter trains run daily from Yerevan to Yeraskh, Sevan (only in summer). As a rule, trains and electric trains are much slower than buses and minibuses. In addition, electric trains are in disrepair, are extremely worn out and often lack even windows (for example, on the Yerevan-Yeraskh and Yerevan-Gyumri lines).

There is no domestic air service in Armenia. Air transport is much less developed (there are only 10 local airports and 3 international ones), since the size of the country is small, and the mountainous terrain seriously complicates air travel.

Tip

In restaurants, it is customary to leave "tea" up to 10% of the amount indicated in the invoice.

The shops

Shops are open Monday through Friday from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. Most often, in the markets, tourists are offered goods at inflated prices, so it is better to bargain before buying.

National cuisine

Armenian cuisine is greens (lots of greens!), Cheeses, vegetables, meat and, of course, lavash! Hundreds of types of herbs that any Armenian housewife with a rare skill uses for cooking will be simply considered weeds in the rest of the world. And here, without them, no appetizer, no cheese, no meat dish are unthinkable. And at the same time, the recipe at first glance is extremely simple - the products are subjected to minimal processing, vegetable oils are practically not used, and, of course, ready meals are accompanied by a huge amount of herbs and spices. From time immemorial, they have eaten fermented milk "matsyun" and its version diluted with cold water - "tan", all kinds of salted vegetables and herbs, twisted "chechil" cheese and soft "zhazhik" cheese with herbs and green garlic, all kinds of salads using legumes, greens of all types and meat products, pilaf "float", as well as a wide variety of garlic spices.

Meat dishes are especially respected - shashlik from large pieces of meat "khorovats" ("karsi" - cooked on the grill, "khazani" - in a saucepan), shashlik from beef and fat tail fat "iki-bir", meat balls beaten in a special way and boiled meat - "kyufta", round meatballs in "kokolik" broth, famous "tolma" and its lean version - "pasuts tolma", thinnest strips of boiled beef "baskyrtat", porridge-like mass of chicken and wheat "arisa", boiled lamb with peas and greens "bozbash", "putuk", "basturma", fried chicken with eggplant and matsyun "borani", meat "sujukh", a completely unimaginable assortment of liver and vegetables "tisvzhik", "kchuch" from lamb, "shepherds "," amich ", various pilafs - with pomegranate (" nrov float "), with smoked fish (" float apkhtats dzkov ") or dried fruits (" chrov float "), etc. One of the" most Armenian "dishes is fried on a spit Sevan trout "Ishkhan Khorovats". Also good are "kutan", "fish kchuch" and "ishkhan in wine". The preliminary preparation of meat is complex and multi-stage, therefore all Armenian meat dishes have a completely unique taste.

Soups occupy an important place on the table - poch tail beef soup, spas matsyun soup, famous khash soup, yini beef soup with dried apricots, tarhana chicken soup, chulumbur apur rice soup with onions ", mushroom soup with rice" sunki apur ", soup from dried apricots" anushapur ", cereal soups" vospnapur "and" hrchik ", fruit soups" anushapur "," chirapur ", etc. Boiled meat, herbs and indispensable pita.

Local sweets and pastries are good - the traditional wide puff pastry cake stuffed with "gata" (kyata), "nazuk", "yugatert", "nshablit", "bagarj", "spot", "sharotz", candied apricots " shalah ", dried apricots and figs, homemade halva, peaches stuffed with various nuts, sweet" sujukh ", numerous types of cookies with nuts and fruit jams, pies and various jams.

The country's national drink is cognac. Since ancient times, Armenians knew how to make good wine, but nowadays its production has significantly decreased, and it is used mainly only within the country. But Armenian mulberry vodka, which is produced both industrially and artisanally (in almost every yard), is considered a healing drink that also has a great taste. Of the soft drinks, no doubt the most famous is "tarragon" (not at all what you can buy in a plastic bottle). The country's excellent mineral waters and fruit juices are also very popular. Coffee and tea are on every corner and are of excellent quality.

sights

Yerevan located in the middle reaches of the Hrazdan River, at altitudes from 850 to 1300 m. in the heart of the Ararat plain. Ancient Erebuni is mentioned in chronicles already in the 8th century. BC e., and then, for many centuries, it has been a major center of Eastern Armenia and one of the key trade centers of the Caucasus. After the collapse of the USSR, Yerevan became the capital of independent Armenia. The center of the city is the Republic Square (it contains the Museum Complex, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and a number of other structures) and Mashtots Avenue, which runs from Matenadaran to the city market. The center's radial layout makes it easy to navigate this small, touristy stretch bounded by a ring of boulevards. In the center of the city, numerous squares are interesting (first of all, the Opera Square with the Conservatory), the Yerevan Fortress (16th century), the famous Institute-repository of ancient Armenian manuscripts - Matenadaran (more than 16 thousand manuscripts of the 5th century) with a monument to Mesrop Mashtots in front of the facade, memorial complex Sardarapat (1968), monument to the victims of the Armenian genocide Tsitsernakaberd with the Museum of Genocide (1995), etc. The city has a huge number of churches - St. Katoghike (15th century), St. Sargis (1835-1842). ), St. Hovhannes-Mkrtich (1710), St. Hakob (17th century), St. Astvatsatsin (17th century), St. Gevork (16th-17th centuries), St. Zoravor (1693, one of the oldest churches in Yerevan), the huge Yerevan Cathedral (built in honor of the 1700th anniversary of the adoption of Christianity), a mosque (XVIII century), etc.

30 km. northwest of the capital lies the city Ashtarak, which houses the Karmravor Church (VII century). And nearby, on the southern slope of Mount Aragats, stands the Amberd fortress (X-XIII centuries), the former ancestral possession of the princes Pahlavuni and one of the few preserved castles in the country. Interesting churches Karmravor, Tsiranavor, St. Marina (1281) and St. Sarkis, Surb Mesrop Mashtots in Oshakan (the relics of the creator of the national alphabet Mesrop Mashtots and Prince Vagan Amatuni are buried here), as well as the monasteries of Khor Virap (one of the shrines of the Armenian Church), Hovhannavank and Saghmosavank (V-XIII centuries). The extinct volcano Aragats itself is delightfully good - the highest point in the Caucasus.

On the left bank of the Araks is the first capital of Armenia and the most ancient city of the country - Armavir, founded as a fortress in the 8th century. BC e. At the confluence of the Metsamor River with the Araks lies the second capital of the country - Artashat, "Armenian Carthage", founded in the II century. BC e. The medieval capital of the country is located nearby - Dvin, which performed the functions of the capital from the IV to the XIII centuries. Almost completely destroyed by the conquerors and merciless time, these ancient cities are gradually opening up to the world thanks to the efforts of archaeologists - here you can see the excavations of citadels, palaces, estates and individual houses that still saw the birth of civilization.

Gyumri (formerly Leninakan) - the capital of Shirak Ashkhar and one of the most ancient cities of Armenia (known from the II century BC), located 126 km. northwest of the capital of Armenia, on the Shirak mountain plateau. The city is known as a center for traditional crafts, Armenian architecture, science, health care and tourism. The terrible earthquake of 1988 almost destroyed the city, erasing its many attractions from the face of the Earth. The city is now almost completely rebuilt.

IN Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) more than 1,700 historical and architectural monuments were recorded, including about 600 monastic complexes and more than 500 churches, such as the Church of Hovhannes Mkrtich in the Gandzasar monastery complex (1216-1238), the cathedral church of the Dadi monastery (1214), the main church of Gtchavanka (1241-1248), the cathedral church of Hadavank (1204) and the unique temple frescoes of Khutavank. It is worth seeing the ruins of the Khachen palace (XIII century) north of Khokhanaberd, the Avaptuk monastery (1163), 5 km away. south of Gandzasar, the Vachara cemetery with a church made of hewn basalt stones, the Mamakan church in Tsmakaokh, the Kachakhakaberd fortress (IX century), the famous Surb Hakoba monastery (presumably the 6th century), the Anapat koshik monastery complex (XII-XIII centuries), etc.

Resorts

Resorts Hankavan, Arevik, Arzni, Vanadzor, Jermuk, Dilijan, Tsaghkadzor and others are famous throughout Transcaucasia for their beautiful landscapes, mineral springs and healing mountain air. Just 10 km. to the north of the capital lies the famous balneological resort Arzni, famous for its carbonic bicarbonate-chloride sodium mineral waters.

40 km north of Yerevan, in the picturesque valley of the Marmarik River, at an altitude of more than 1700 m above sea level, lies the once famous mountain resort Tsaghkadzor(1900-2100 m). There are about 12 km of ski slopes, several ski lifts, a large sports complex, several swimming pools (including a 50-meter indoor one), an athletics stadium, a stable, a sauna and many other sports facilities, as well as bars, restaurants and cafes with Armenian and European cuisine and original folklore programs. The Kecharis monastery complex (XII-XIII centuries) is located nearby.

Armenia is a landlocked country in the Transcaucasus. It is located in the north-west of the Armenian Highlands, also called historical Armenia, between the Black and Caspian Seas, from the north and east it is framed by the ridges of the Lesser Caucasus. It shares borders with Georgia, Azerbaijan, the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, Iran and Turkey.

This article refers to modern Armenia, but it is worth noting that Armenia often refers to the territories of the Armenian Highlands and Cilicia, which have been inhabited by Armenians since ancient times, but are currently part of Turkey. Armenians lived in these places for thousands of years until, as a result of the genocide policy launched by the Turkish authorities in 1915, the Armenian population was destroyed or expelled from this land. In addition to many historical monuments (a monastery on the Akhtamar island, the ruins of Ani - the ancient capital of Armenia, etc.), Mount Ararat, one of the symbols of the Armenian people, also remained on the territory of Turkey.

Armenia is located in the Transcaucasus south of Russia between the Black and Caspian Seas, occupying most of the interfluve of the Kura and Araks rivers. The greatest length from northwest to southeast is 360 km, and from west to east - 200 km. The distance in a straight line to the Caspian Sea is 75 km, to the Black Sea - 145 km, from the Persian Gulf - 960 km.

Armenia borders in the north with Georgia, in the east with Azerbaijan and the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, in the south with Iran, in the south-west with the Nakhichevan Autonomous Republic (within Azerbaijan), in the west with Turkey. The total length of the borders is 1254 km.

Relief

Armenia is the highest mountainous country in the Caucasus. More than 90% of its territory, which is about 29,800 km2, is located at an altitude of more than 1000 m, about half - at an altitude of more than 2000 meters, and only 3% of the territories lie below the 650 m mark.The lowest relief points are in the valleys of the Araks rivers ( in the south of the country) and Debed (in the northeast), their height above sea level is 380 and 430 m, respectively. The highest point, Mount Aragats, rises 4095 m above sea level.

Armenia is located in the northeast of the Armenian Highlands. The mountain ranges of the Lesser Caucasus bordering the country cover the north of Armenia, stretch to the southeast, between Lake Sevan and the border with Azerbaijan, then to the south, approximately along the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, up to Iran. Here the relief is made up of medium-altitude mountain ranges, separated by deep valleys, many of which are deep gorges. Thus, the mountains greatly impede communication between the north and south of the country. To the southwest of the Caucasus mountain ranges begins the Eastern Armenian Volcanic Highlands, which occupies about a third of the country's territory. It stretches from the Javakheti Highlands in the northwest to the Karabakh Highlands in the southeast. Here, the dissection and slopes of the relief are relatively small, the main relief forms are lava plateaus, erosional valleys, volcanic ridges (Geghama, Vardenis) and massifs. The largest of the latter, Aragats, is the highest point in Armenia.

To the south of the volcanic massif there is the northern part of the Srednearaksin intermountain depression - the Ararat basin, stretching east from the mouth of the Akhuryan river along the Araks river. The left-bank part of the basin is located on the territory of Armenia. It starts from the southern extremities of the volcanic plateaus at an altitude of 1000-1400 m, with a slight slope descends to the Araks, forming a wide Ararat plain at an altitude of 800-900 m.

The south of the country is an area of \u200b\u200bfolded-block mountains and deep river valleys. The characteristic features of the relief of this area are the high height of the ridges (the Zangezur Range is the highest in the Lesser Caucasus), deep and dense dissection of the relief, pronounced altitudinal zonation and sparse vegetation.

Minerals

On the territory of Armenia, 565 deposits of 60 types of minerals are known: there are deposits of all types of metals used - black (Fe, Mn, Cr), rare (Ti, Ni, W, Mo, Re), scattered (Bi, Hg), non-ferrous (Cu , Pb, Al, Zn, Mg), precious (Au, Ag, Pt), as well as non-metallic minerals.

On the territory of Armenia, there are three metallogenic belts characterized by various minerals: Alaverdi-Kafan, Pambak-Zangezur and Sevan-Amasi. There are large copper-molybdenum deposits in the south of the country - near Kajaran, Dastakert and Agarak. In terms of molybdenum reserves, Armenia occupies one of the first places in the world. Also in Armenia there are significant deposits of gold and coal containing precious metals.

Among non-metallic minerals, natural stones are the most significant: tuffs, basalts, pumice, marble, onyx, etc.

Climate

The temperature in Armenia depends mainly on the altitude above sea level. The mountains block the climatic influences of the Mediterranean and Black Sea, creating wide seasonal fluctuations in temperature. In the Armenian Highlands, the average winter temperature is about 0 C and the average summer temperature exceeds 25 C. The average precipitation is from 250 millimeters per year in the lowest places above sea level in Armenia, that is, in the valley of the Araks River, to 800 millimeters per year on the highest points of Armenia. Despite harsh winters, the abundance of volcanic soil made Armenia one of the earliest places for agricultural activity.

Water resources

The territory of Armenia belongs to the Kura and Araks basins. The Araks is the largest river in the country, to the basin of which 76% of its area belongs - it forms the state border with Iran and most of the border with Turkey. Its largest tributaries are the borderline Akhuryan flowing from Sevan Hrazdan, as well as the Sevdzhur with Kasakh, Azat, Arpa, Vorotan, Voghchi rivers. The northeastern part of the country mainly belongs to the basins of the Kura tributaries, the largest of which are the Debed and Aghstev rivers. Crossing mountain ranges, the valleys of these two rivers form the main routes linking the center of the country to the north.

Of the total share of precipitation (15,000-18,000 million m3), 2/3 evaporates, and only 1/3 forms surface or underground runoff. The runoff in different regions of the country is uneven: due to the porosity of volcanic rocks, underground runoff prevails in regions with volcanic relief, while surface runoff prevails in folded regions.