International disputes: supports ethnic Armenians in
Nagorno-Karabakh in their separatist conflict against the
Azerbaijani Government; traditional demands on former Armenian lands
in Turkey have subsided
Climate: highland continental, hot summers, cold winters
Terrain: high Armenian Plateau with mountains; little forest land; fast flowing rivers; good soil in Aras River valley lowest point: Debed River 400 m highest point: Aragats Lerr 4,095 m
Natural resources: small deposits of gold, copper, molybdenum,
zinc, alumina
Land use:
arable land: 17%
permanent crops: 3%
meadows and pastures: 20%
forest and woodland: 0%
other: 60%
Irrigated land: 3,050 sq km (1990)
Environment:
current issues: soil pollution from toxic chemicals such as DDT;
energy blockade, the result of conflict with Azerbaijan, has led to
deforestation as citizens scavenge for firewood; pollution of
Hrazdan (Razdan) and Aras Rivers; the draining of Sevana Lich, a
result of its use as a source for hydropower, threatens drinking
water supplies; restart of Metsamor nuclear power plant without
adequate (IAEA-recommended) safety and backup systems
natural hazards: occasionally severe earthquakes; droughts
international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Nuclear Test Ban, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified -
Desertification
Geographic note: landlocked
People ———
Population: 3,463,574 (July 1996 est.)