History
Armenia has been populated since prehistoric times and has been considered as the land of the Biblical Garden of Eden.
Armenia lies in the highlands surrounding the Biblical mountains of Ararat, upon which Noah’s Ark came to rest after the flood. The first pre-Armenian tribes, (Urartians, Hourrites, Luvians etc.) which inhabited Armenian uplands, were mentioned in the 2nd – 1st millennia BC. The name of the country was Hayk. Hayk was one of the great Armenian leaders after whom The Land of Hayk was named Hayastan (Hayastan – stan indicates the land). Armenia is the name which is famous and is used by other nations since ancient times. The native people still call themselves as “hay” and country – Hayastan. According to the excavations first recorded state was the kingdom of Urartu from the 9th century BC. Urartu kingdom built many cities and fortresses. An important fortress, that remains today, is Erebuni. Built-in 782 BC by Argishti 1st king, Erebuni is located in Yerevan, today’s capital of Armenia. Throughout its history, Armenia was ruled by several reigns, highlighting three royal dynasties: Orontid (321 BC–200 BC), Artaxiad (189 BC–12 AD) and Arsacid (52–428 AD). The Armenian empire reached its height and became one of the most powerful states in Western Asia when the king was Tigranes the Great (95–55 B.C.). He extended Armenia’s territory outside of the Armenian Highland: from Caspian to the Mediterranean, from the Caucasus Mountains to the deserts of Mesopotamia. Those territories are now Iran, Syria Lebanon and south-eastern Turkey. Armenia is a country which has historically been at the crossroads of West and East. That’s the reason why this country has always been at the centre of wars throughout most of its long history. The rich history of Armenia has remained limited for us today but it can be found in architecture, painting and sculpture.
Language
Being one of the most ancient of existing languages, Armenian belongs to the eastern group of the Indo-European linguistic family with certain similarities to paleobalcanic languages and the Greak. However, it forms an independent branch.
Besides Armenian, Russian is also widely used. English is used by new generation and in touristic service companies.
Geography
Armenia lies in the highlands surrounding the Biblical mountains of Ararat. Being one of the oldest nations in the world, nowadays Armenians possess a small territory in Southern Transcaucasia – 29,743 km2. The Republic of Armenia borders Turkey, Georgia, Iran and Azerbaijan. Armenia is a mountainous country. The highest point is Mount Aragats (4090m), while the lowest point is the valley of the Debed River (400m).
The capital is Yerevan. The biggest cities of Armenia are Yerevan, Gyumri and Vanadzor. The total population is about 3million people but you can find Armenians almost on every corner of the world. It’s about 9million Armenians spread all over the world creating the Armenian Diaspora (Spyurk).
Armenia is often described as a sunny country with a dry tropical climate. The summer is generally pleasant reaching 25°C, though in the Ararat valley temperatures can climb to 40°C. Winters can be quite cold with temperatures falling to -5°C in Yerevan, and colder in the Ararat Valley (-30°C) and the Lake Arpi area (-46°C).
Daily weather forecasts can be found at the following webpage .
Religion
According to historical records, Christianity in Armenia was preached by the disciples of Jesus Christ, apostles Thaddaeus and Bartholomew, who were martyred as the first Illuminators of Armenia. They are considered to be the founders of the Armenian Church. For this reason, it is called Armenian Apostolic Church.
In 301 Armenia officially converted into a Christian country.
Cousine
Armenian cuisine is a perfect example of how history influences the culinary traditions of any land. Enriched with more than two thousand years of history, the local cuisine of Armenia deserves a special mention. Fresh vegetables and meat are among the most favourite food products. No Armenian event can be imagined without the barbecue, kyufta or dolma. The numerous restaurants in Yerevan offer a unique selection and a wide range of local dishes and also different internationally dishes.
Holidays
December 31, January 1-5 – New Year’s Day
January 6 – Christmas Day
January 7 – Christmas Remembrance Day
January 28 – Army Day
March 8 – International Women’s Day
April 24 – Genocide Remembrance Day
May 1 – Labour Day/May Day
May 9 – Victory and Peace Day
May 28 – Republic Day
July 5 – Constitution Day
September 21 – Independence Day