Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Armenia conventional short form:Armenia local long form:Hayastani Hanrapetut'yun local short form:Hayastan former:Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic, Armenian Republic
Government type: republic
Capital: name:Yerevangeographic coordinates:40 10 N, 44 30 E time difference:UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions: 11 provinces (marzer, singular - marz); Aragatsotn, Ararat, Armavir, Geghark'unik', Kotayk', Lorri, Shirak, Syunik', Tavush, Vayots' Dzor, Yerevan
Independence: 21 September 1991 (from the Soviet Union)
National holiday: Independence Day, 21 September (1991)
Constitution: previous 1915, 1978; latest adopted 5 July 1995; amended 2005 (2013)
Legal system: civil law system
International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state:President Serzh SARGSIAN (since 9 April 2008)head of government:Prime Minister Hovik ABRAHAMYAN (since 13 April 2014) cabinet:Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister elections:president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 18 February 2013 (next to be held February 2018); prime minister appointed by the president based on majority or plurality support in parliament; the prime minister and Council of Ministers must resign if the National Assembly refuses to accept their program election results:Serzh SARGSIAN reelected president; percent of vote - Serzh SARGSIAN 58.6%, Raffi HOVHANNISIAN 36.7%, Hrant BAGRATIAN 2.2%, other 2.5%
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (Parliament) or Azgayin Zhoghov (131 seats; members elected by popular vote, 90 members elected by party list and 41 by direct vote; to serve five-year terms)elections:last held on 6 May 2012 (next to be held in the spring of 2017) election results:percent of vote by party - RPA 44%, Prosperous Armenia 30.1%, ANC 7.1%, Heritage Party 5.8%, ARF (Dashnak) 5.7%, Rule of Law 5.5%, other 1.8%; seats by party - RPA 69, Prosperous Armenia 37, ANC 7, Heritage Party 5, ARF (Dashnak) 5, Rule of Law 6, independent 2
Judicial branch: highest court(s):Court of Cassation (consists of the court chairman and organized into a criminal chamber and a civil and administrative chamber, each with a court chairman and 2 judges); Constitutional Court (consists of 9 judges)judge selection and term of office:Court of Cassation judges nominated by the Judicial Council, a 9-member body of selected judges and legal scholars; judges appointed by the president; Constitutional Court judges - 4 appointed by the president, and 5 elected by National Assembly; judges of both courts can serve until retirement at age 65 subordinate courts:2 Courts of Appeal (for civil cases and for criminal and military cases); district courts; Administrative Court
| | Political parties and leaders: Armenian National Congress or ANC (bloc of independent and opposition parties) [Levon TER-PETROSSIAN]Armenian National Movement or ANM [Ararat ZURABIAN] Armenian Revolutionary Federation ('Dashnak' Party) or ARF [Hrant MARKARIAN] Heritage Party [Raffi HOVHANNISIAN] People's Party of Armenia [Stepan DEMIRCHIAN] Prosperous Armenia [Gagik TSARUKIAN] Republican Party of Armenia or RPA [Serzh SARGSIAN] Rule of Law Party (Orinats Yerkir) [Artur BAGHDASARIAN]
Political pressure groups and leaders: Aylentrank (Impeachment Alliance) [Nikol PASHINIAN]
International organization participation: ADB, BSEC, CD, CE, CIS, CSTO, EAEC (observer), EAPC, EBRD, FAO, GCTU, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, MIGA, NAM (observer), OAS (observer), OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission:Ambassador Tatoul MARKARIAN (since 26 May 2005)chancery:2225 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone:[1] (202) 319-1976 FAX:[1] (202) 319-2982 consulate(s) general:Glendale (CA), Los Angeles
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission:Ambassador John HEFFERN (since 6 October 2011)embassy:1 American Ave., Yerevan 0082 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; the color red recalls the blood shed for liberty, blue the Armenian skies as well as hope, and orange the land and the courage of the workers who farm it
National symbol(s): Mount Ararat; eagle; lion
National anthem: name:'Mer Hayrenik''(Our Fatherland)
lyrics/music:Mikael NALBANDIAN/Barsegh KANACHYAN note:adopted 1991; based on the anthem of the Democratic Republic of Armenia (1918-1922) but with different lyrics |