Armenia is a small, landlocked country in the Caucasus with a long history and a unique language and culture. It is a country of spectacular scenery and landscapes, with snow-capped peaks, forests, lakes and deep gorges. Armenia was the first country to adopt Christianity in the 4th century and there are hundreds of ancient churches and monasteries spread throughout the country, most dating to the country's golden age in the 9th and 10th centuries. The locations of most of these buildings are stunning, set atop dramatic gorges, in the shadow of snow-capped mountains or overlooking lakes, providing a perfect integration between culture and the natural landscape. Explore in depth highlights of Armenia.
| Tours | Unesco WHS | Guidebooks |
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| groups tours with set departures |
World Heritage Sites | country, regions and cities |
| Time zone: | GMT +4 (Armenia standard time) |
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| Daylight savings: | GMT +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October |
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| Main languages: | Armenian | Other languages: Russian, Yezidi |
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| Currency: |
drams (AMD) €1 = AMD529, $1 = AMD474, £1 = AMD631 (rates as of Sep 2016) |
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| Internet Domain: | .am | International Dialling Code: 374 |
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For help planning your trip to Armenia including visas, vaccinations, currency exchange, flights, accomodation and insurance, see our Armenia trip planning page.
Further information on Armenia
Discover more about Armenia - the country's geogrpahy and natural features, an assessment of its status on freedom and rights and data on the country's population and economy.
Geography & Natural Features
Total area: 29,743 sq km (1,289 sq km under water)
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Neighbours (border lengths): Azerbaijan (787km), Georgia (164km), Iran (35km), Turkey (268km)
Climate: Highland, continental climate with hot, dry summers and very cold winters with heavy snowfall. April to October is the best time to visit.
Highest mountain: Aragats Lerrnagagat' (4,090m)
Freedom & Rights
Summary status and rankings for Armenia from classifications of different organisations measuring political and economic freedom, democracy and civil rights. See more details of these rankings.
| Index | Status | Rank | |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Freedom in the World | Partly Free | - |
 | Democracy Index | Hybrid regime | 113/167 |
 | Economic Freedom | Moderately Free | 52/179 |
 | Press Freedom | Noticeable problems | 76/179 |
 | ILGA LGBT rights | Limited rights | - |
 | Corruption Perceptions | Medium corruption | 94/174 |
| Overall Ranking: | 109/195 | ||
Other Data & Links
Full name: Republic of Armenia Status: Independent Country
Population: 3,060,631 (rank: 134/196) Density: 102.9 people/sq km (rank: 79/196)
Ethnic groups: Armenian 97.9%, Yezidi (Kurd) 1.3%, Russian 0.5%, other 0.3% (2001 census)
Religions: Armenian Apostolic 94.7%, other Christian 4%, Yezidi (monotheist with elements of nature worship) 1.3%
GDP (PPP): $20.61 billion GDP per capita: $6,300 (rank: 119/195)
Information derived from the CIA World Factbook. Other country profiles: BBC News.