Political parties and leaders:
Agro-Industrial Party [Vladimir BADALYAN]; Armenia Party (Hayastan)
[Myasnik MALKHASYAN]; Armenian National Movement or ANM [Artashes
ZURABYAN]; Armenian Ramkavar Liberal Party or HRAK [Harutyun
MIRZAKHANYAN, chairman]; Armenian Revolutionary Federation
("Dashnak" Party) or ARF [Hrant MARKARYAN]; Democratic Party [Aram
SARKISYAN]; Justice Bloc (comprised of the Democratic Party,
National Democratic Party, National Democratic Union, the People's
Party, and the Republic Party) [Stepan DEMIRCHYAN]; National
Democratic Party [Shavarsh KOCHARIAN]; National Democratic Union or
NDU [Vazgen MANUKIAN]; National Revival Party [Albert BAZEYAN];
National Unity Party [Artashes GEGHAMYAN, chairman]; People's Party
of Armenia [Stepan DEMIRCHYAN]; Republic Party [Aram SARKISYAN,
chairman]; Republican Party or RPA [Andranik MARGARYAN]; Rule of Law
Party [Artur BAGHDASARYAN]; Union of Constitutional Rights [Hrant
KHACHATURYAN]; United Labor Party [Gurgen ARSENYAN]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Yerkrapah Union [Manvel GRIGORIAN]
International organization participation:
ACCT (observer), AsDB, BSEC, CE, CIS, EAEC (observer), EAPC, EBRD,
FAO, GCTU, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM
(observer), OAS (observer), OIF (observer), 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 (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Anthony F.
GODFREY
embassy: 1 American Ave., Yerevan 375082
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
Economy Armenia
Economy - overview:
Under the old Soviet central planning system, Armenia had developed
a modern industrial sector, supplying machine tools, textiles, and
other manufactured goods to sister republics in exchange for raw
materials and energy. Since the implosion of the USSR in December
1991, Armenia has switched to small-scale agriculture away from the
large agroindustrial complexes of the Soviet era. The agricultural
sector has long-term needs for more investment and updated
technology. The privatization of industry has been at a slower pace,
but has been given renewed emphasis by the current administration.
Armenia is a food importer, and its mineral deposits (copper, gold,
bauxite) are small. The ongoing conflict with Azerbaijan over the
ethnic Armenian-dominated region of Nagorno-Karabakh and the breakup
of the centrally directed economic system of the former Soviet Union
contributed to a severe economic decline in the early 1990s. By
1994, however, the Armenian Government had launched an ambitious
IMF-sponsored economic liberalization program that resulted in
positive growth rates in 1995-2006. Armenia joined the WTO in
January 2003. Armenia also has managed to slash inflation, stabilize
its currency, and privatize most small- and medium-sized
enterprises. Armenia's unemployment rate, however, remains high,
despite strong economic growth. The chronic energy shortages Armenia
suffered in the early and mid-1990s have been offset by the energy
supplied by one of its nuclear power plants at Metsamor. Armenia is
now a net energy exporter, although it does not have sufficient
generating capacity to replace Metsamor, which is under
international pressure to close. The electricity distribution system
was privatized in 2002 and bought by Russia's RAO-UES in 2005.
Armenia's severe trade imbalance has been offset somewhat by
international aid, remittances from Armenians working abroad, and
foreign direct investment. Economic ties with Russia remain close,
especially in the energy sector. The government made some
improvements in tax and customs administration in 2005, but
anti-corruption measures will be more difficult to implement.
Construction of a natural gas pipeline between Iran and Armenia has
been completed and it is scheduled to be commissioned by April 2007.
Investment in the construction and industrial sectors is expected to
continue in 2007 and will help to ensure annual average real GDP
growth of more than 10%.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$15.99 billion (2006 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$6.6 billion (2006 est.)