Armenia 2019
Yearbook 2019
Armenia. Acting Prime Minister Nikol Pasjinian was appointed Chief Minister in January since his party alliance My step had gained his own majority in the December 2018 parliamentary elections.
In February, further corruption charges were brought against the detained former President Robert Kotjarjan. These were allegations that his former environment minister took bribes equivalent to about SEK 100 million. The minister himself was detained in his absence.
The trial against Kotjarjan began in May. He was accused of violating the constitution after the 2008 election and illegally ordered the security forces to use force against protesters who claimed electoral fraud. Eight protesters were killed.
Kotjarjan became free of bail, prompting Prime Minister Pasjinian to call for protests. Protesters gathered outside the courts and blocked the entrances. According to Pasjinian, the judiciary was under the influence of the old “corrupt regime” and he demanded the departure of several judges.
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It caused a reaction in the Council of Europe, where reporters for Armenia urged the country’s leaders not to exert pressure on the judiciary. The trial against Kotjarjan resumed later in the year.
In May, Armenia received a promise from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on a three-year standing loan of close to $ 250 million for structural reforms and improvements to the business climate. The country’s GDP had increased just over 5% last year – a slowdown in growth.
In August, the government agreed to gold mining in eastern Armenia, where locals have long blocked a mining project with protests in concern for environmental damage.
In September, the world’s largest Yazidic temple was opened in the city of Aknalich in western Armenia. About 35,000 Yazidis live in Armenia and are the largest ethnic minority in the country.
The Eurasian Economic Union held a summit in October in the capital Yerevan. Prime Minister Pasjinian had talks with Russian Federation President Vladimir Putin, who was met by protesters.
Armenia is in conflict with Azerbaijan over the Armenian-backed Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh, which Prime Minister Pasjinian visited during the year. He said the region was “Armenian” and led the crowd in shouting for the unification of Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia. Azerbaijan called the speech “aggressive” and accused the Armenian leader of provoking tensions in the area and sabotaging international mediation attempts.
Former President Serzh Sargsyan was indicted in December for embezzlement, which he denied.
Country data
Area: 29,743 km2 (world ranking: 139)
Population: 2,930,000
Population density: 99 per km2 (as of 2017, world ranking: 135)
Capital: Yerevan (Yerevan)
Official languages: Armenian
Gross domestic product: 11.5 billion US $; Real growth: 7.5%
Gross national product (GNP, per resident and year): US $ 4,000
Currency: 1 Dram = 100 Luma
Embassy
Nussbaumallee 4, 14050 Berlin
Telephone 030 4050910,
Fax 030 40509125
www.germany.mfa.am
Government
Head of State: Armen Sargsjan, head of government: Nikol Pashinyan, outside: Zohrab Mnatsakanjan
National holiday: 21.9.
Administrative divisions
11 regions
Form of Government
1995 Constitution
Parliamentary republic
Parliament. National Assembly (Asgajin schoghow) with 105 Members Rank, elections every 5 years
election of the head of state every 7 years (re-election) by Parliament
Voting age 18 years
Population: Armenians
last 2011 census: 3,018,854 residents
over 95% Armenians; Kurds, Russians, Yazidis and others
Cities (with population): (as of 2018) Yerevan (Yerevan) 1,077,600 residents, Gyumri 114,500, Vanadzor 79,300, Etschmiadzin 46,400, Abovjan 44,600, Kapan 42,500, Hrasdan 40,400
Religions: 92% Orthodox (Armenian Apostolic Church); Minorities of Yazidis, Protestants and others (status: 2006)
Languages: Armenian; Recognized minority languages: Yezidi, Russian, Assyrian, Kurdish, German, Greek, Ukrainian
Employed by economic sector:
Agriculture. 34%, industry 16%, business 50% (2017)
Unemployment (in% of all labor force): 2017: 18.2%
Inflation rate (in%): 2017: 0.9%
Foreign trade: import: 4.2 billion US $ (2017); Export: 2.2 billion US $ (2017)
Population 2019
According to CountryAAH, the population of Armenia in 2019 was 2,957,620, ranking number 137 in the world. The population growth rate was 0.200% yearly, and the population density was 103.8894 people per km2.
