Until independence, Armenia's economy was based largely on industry — chemicals, electronic products, machinery, processed food, synthetic rubber and textiles ; it was highly dependent on outside resources.

Like other former States, Armenia's economy suffers from the legacy of a centrally planned economy and the breakdown of former Soviet trading patterns.

The consequent blockade along both the Azerbaijani and Turkish borders has devastated the economy, because of Armenia's dependence on outside supplies of energy and most raw materials.

According to one analyst, Armenia's economic system is anticompetitive due to the structure of the economy being a type of " monopoly or oligopoly ".

After a decade of double-digit growth, Armenia's economy declined by 14. 4 percent in 2009.

According to a World Bank official, 30 percent of Armenia's economy in 2009 came from the construction sector.

Armenia's desire to break away from the Soviet Union largely stemmed from Moscow's intransigence on Karabakh, mishandling of the earthquake, and the shortcomings of the Soviet economy.

This effectively crippled Armenia's economy, as 85 % of the cargo and goods arrived through rail traffic.

The Government of Armenia's stated aim is to build a Western-style parliamentary democracy as the basis of its form of government.

The government's policy toward conscientious objection is in transition, as part of Armenia's accession to the Council of Europe.

Armenia's record on discrimination toward the few remaining national minorities is generally good.

The Armenian economy's competitiveness is low and stagnating according to the Global Competitiveness Index, in which Armenia's ranking slipped from 80th out of 132 countries in 2006-2007 index to 93rd out of 131 countries in the 2007-2008 index ( just below Libya, Namibia, Georgia, Serbia and Pakistan ).

According to the estimate of a former prime minister, Hrant Bagratian, 55 percent of Armenia's GDP is controlled by 44 families.

As of early 2011, trade with China is dominated by imports of Chinese goods and accounts for about 10 percent of Armenia's foreign trade.

Since early 2008, Armenia's entire rail network is managed by the Russian state railway.

Armenia's main rail and road border-crossing with Georgia ( at ) is along the Debed river near the Armenian town of Bagratashen and the Georgian town of Sadakhlo.

This suggests that tax collection in Armenia is improving at the expense of ordinary citizens, rather than wealthy citizens ( who have been the main beneficiaries of Armenia's double-digit economic growth in recent years ).

Armenia's financial system is not integrated into the global network.

* Armenia's largest thermal power plant which is in the town of Hrazdan and is gas-burning

* May 28 is Armenia's first independence, from the Ottoman Empire ;- May 28, 1918.

The Catholicos of All Armenians ( plural Catholicoi, due to its Greek origin ) () is the chief bishop of Armenia's national church, the Armenian Apostolic Church.

It is sometimes called the Second Republic of Armenia, following the Democratic Republic of Armenia's demise ( which was also known as the First Republic of Armenia ).

Azerbaijan's successor order is that of National Hero of Azerbaijan and Armenia's own hero medal is that of National Hero of Armenia, both modeled on the Soviet one.

* Aleksandr Sargsyan, brother of President Serge Sargsyan and parliament deputy who has a fifty percent stake in Multi Lion, Armenia's leading supplier of liquefied gas to households, cars and buses ( the other fifty percent is owned by Gagik Tsarukian's Multi Group ).

The duduk is Armenia's national instrument, and among its well-known perfomers are Margar Margarian, Levon Madoyan, Saro Danielian, Vatche Hovsepian, Gevorg Dabaghyan and Yeghish Manoukian, as well as Armenia's most famous duduk player, Djivan Gasparyan.

Syunik is home to many of Armenia's largest mining operations ( at Kajaran, Kapan, Agarak ) as well as the largest tailing dams ( at Artzvanik, Voghtchi, Darazami, Geghanoush ).

The spa town of Jermuk, one of Armenia's premiere tourist attractions during Soviet times, is also located in the province.

It is planned to hold Armenia's home matches after a complete renovation this year.

According to Prof. Thomas Ambrosio, " Armenia's successful irredentist project in the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan " and " From 1992 to the cease-fire in 1994, Armenia encountered a highly permissive or tolerant international environment that allowed its annexation of some 15 percent of Azerbaijani territory ".

The Araks forms most of Armenia's border with Turkey and Iran while the Zangezur Mountains form the border between Armenia's southern province of Syunik and Azerbaijan's adjacent Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic.

Environmental conditions in Armenia have been worsened as a result of war with Azerbaijan over Armenia's claim of historic rights to Azerbaijan's province.

In the 2000s, along with the construction sector, the services sector was the driving force behind Armenia's recent high economic growth rate.

According to the National Statistical Service, during the January – August 2007 period, Armenia's industrial sector was the single largest contributor to the country's GDP, but remained largely stagnant with industrial output increasing only by 1. 7 percent per year.

During the first half of 2008, Armenia's widening current-account trade deficit grew by 66 percent to $ 1. 39 billion USD, with a 40 percent rise in imports.

According to the National Statistical Service, Armenia's trade deficit in 2006 was $ 1. 2 billion with growth in exports being largely flat.

An economic blockade with Turkey and Azerbaijan has cut Armenia's rail link between Gyumri and Kars to Turkey ; the rail link with Iran through the Azeri exclave of Nakhichevan ; and a natural gas and oil pipeline line with Azerbaijan.

Political observers say that Armenia's economic cooperation with Russia has been one of the least transparent areas of the Armenian government ’ s work.

* Armenia: The vast majority of Armenia's population consists of ethnic Armenians at about 98 % of the population, with the remainder consisting of a few small ethnic minorities.

Iran also reacted to Armenia's attacks by conducting military maneuvers along its border with Nakhchivan in a move widely interpreted as a warning to Armenia.

Most of Armenia's so-called " oligarchs " ( government-connected entrepreneurs who enjoy de facto monopoly on lucrative forms of economic activity ) are now affiliated with the RPA.

Aragatsotn's western edge forms part of Armenia's border with Turkey.

President Serzh Sargsyan announced Armenia's suspension of diplomatic relations and all official communications with Hungary on the day of Safarov's release.

In 1172 Bohemond invaded Armenia, in response to Mleh of Armenia's alliance with Nur ad-Din.

In 394 AD, with the help of blessing of Armenia's Catholicos, Sahak Partev, Mesrop set out on a mission of spreading the word of God to a pagan or semi-pagan people.

It was founded in 1887 by Avetis Nazarbekian, Mariam Vardanian, Gevorg Gharadjian, Ruben Khan-Azat, Christopher Ohanian, Gabriel Kafian and Manuel Manuelian, a group of college students in Geneva, Switzerland, with the goal to gain Armenia's independence from the Ottoman Empire, which is part of Armenian national liberation movement.

One of Armenia's famous national heroes Andranik Ozanian, at first, joined the Hunchak party, but disagreement with party policies led Andranik to leave the Hunchak ranks and join the Dashnak party and on to the Armenian Democratic Liberal Ramgavar Party.

Dmitri Shostakovich praised Terterian as " very talented " and " with great future " in one of his letters, published by his friend Isaak Glikman, having heard a recording of Terterian's works at Armenia's " House of Composers " summer resort, in Dilijan, Armenia.

From this city the Turks presented the Armenian republic with an ultimatum that Armenia was forced to accept — otherwise Turkey would have invaded Yerevan, Armenia's capital, from their headquarters in Gyumri.