Armenia Warning: You are not logged in. Your IP address will be publicly visible if you make any edits. If you log in or create an account, your edits will be attributed to your username, along with other benefits.Anti-spam check. Do not fill this in! ==Geography== {{Main|Geography of Armenia}} [[File:Satellite image of Armenia in May 2003.jpg|thumb|Satellite image of the territory of Armenia (2003).]] Armenia is a [[landlocked country]] in the [[geopolitical]] [[Transcaucasus]] (South [[Caucasus]]) region, that is located in the Southern [[Caucasus Mountains]] and their lowlands between the [[Black Sea]] and [[Caspian Sea]], and northeast of the [[Armenian Highland]]s. Located in [[Western Asia]],<ref>{{cite book|author=Central Intelligence Agency|title=The CIA World Factbook 2015|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xutfBgAAQBAJ&pg=PT5241|year=2014|publisher=Skyhorse Publishing|isbn=978-1-62914-903-5|page=5241}}</ref><ref name="classification of world regions"/> on the [[Armenian Highlands]], it is bordered by Turkey to the west, [[Georgia (country)|Georgia]] to the north, the [[Lachin corridor]] which is a part of [[Lachin District]] that is under the control of a Russian peacekeeping force and [[Azerbaijan]] proper to the east, and [[Iran]] and Azerbaijan's [[exclave]] of [[Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic|Nakhchivan]] to the south.<ref name="Oxford University Press"/> Armenia lies between latitudes [[38th parallel north|38°]] and [[42nd parallel north|42° N]], and meridians [[43rd meridian east|43°]] and [[47th meridian east|47° E]]. It contains two terrestrial ecoregions: [[Caucasus mixed forests]] and [[Eastern Anatolian montane steppe]].<ref name="DinersteinOlson2017">{{cite journal|last1=Dinerstein|first1=Eric|last2=Olson|first2=David|last3=Joshi|first3=Anup|last4=Vynne|first4=Carly|last5=Burgess|first5=Neil D.|last6=Wikramanayake|first6=Eric|last7=Hahn|first7=Nathan|last8=Palminteri|first8=Suzanne|last9=Hedao|first9=Prashant|last10=Noss|first10=Reed|last11=Hansen|first11=Matt|last12=Locke|first12=Harvey|last13=Ellis|first13=Erle C|last14=Jones|first14=Benjamin|last15=Barber|first15=Charles Victor|last16=Hayes|first16=Randy|last17=Kormos|first17=Cyril|last18=Martin|first18=Vance|last19=Crist|first19=Eileen|last20=Sechrest|first20=Wes|last21=Price|first21=Lori|last22=Baillie|first22=Jonathan E. M.|last23=Weeden|first23=Don|last24=Suckling|first24=Kierán|last25=Davis|first25=Crystal|last26=Sizer|first26=Nigel|last27=Moore|first27=Rebecca|last28=Thau|first28=David|last29=Birch|first29=Tanya|last30=Potapov|first30=Peter|last31=Turubanova|first31=Svetlana|last32=Tyukavina|first32=Alexandra|last33=de Souza|first33=Nadia|last34=Pintea|first34=Lilian|last35=Brito|first35=José C.|last36=Llewellyn|first36=Othman A.|last37=Miller|first37=Anthony G.|last38=Patzelt|first38=Annette|last39=Ghazanfar|first39=Shahina A.|last40=Timberlake|first40=Jonathan|last41=Klöser|first41=Heinz|last42=Shennan-Farpón|first42=Yara|last43=Kindt|first43=Roeland|last44=Lillesø|first44=Jens-Peter Barnekow|last45=van Breugel|first45=Paulo|last46=Graudal|first46=Lars|last47=Voge|first47=Maianna|last48=Al-Shammari|first48=Khalaf F.|last49=Saleem|first49=Muhammad|title=An Ecoregion-Based Approach to Protecting Half the Terrestrial Realm|journal=BioScience|volume=67|issue=6|year=2017|pages=534–545|issn=0006-3568|doi=10.1093/biosci/bix014|pmid=28608869|pmc=5451287|doi-access=free}}</ref> ===Topography=== [[File:Armenien topo.jpg|thumb|Armenia's mountainous and volcanic [[topography]]]] Armenia has a territorial area of {{convert|29743|km2|sqmi|0}}. The terrain is mostly mountainous, with fast flowing rivers, and few forests. The land rises to {{convert|4090|m|ft|0|abbr=off}} [[Metres above sea level|above sea level]] at [[Mount Aragats]], and no point is below {{convert|390|m|ft|0}} [[Metres above sea level|above sea level]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Geographic Characteristic of The Republic of Armenia|work=Marzes of the Republic of Armenia in Figures, 2002–2006|publisher=National Statistical Service of the Republic of Armenia|url=http://www.armstat.am/file/article/marz_07_e_2.pdf|year=2007|access-date=22 July 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090325034102/http://www.armstat.am/file/article/marz_07_e_2.pdf|archive-date=25 March 2009|url-status=live}}</ref> [[List of countries by average elevation|Average elevation of the country]] area is tenth highest in the world and it has 85.9% mountain area, more than Switzerland or [[Nepal]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://farm1.staticflickr.com/779/30949572663_37d588c515_o.jpg|title=Percentage of Mountain Area per Country (map)|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190109155517/https://farm1.staticflickr.com/779/30949572663_37d588c515_o.jpg|archive-date=9 January 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Mount Ararat]], which was historically part of Armenia, is the highest mountain in the region at 5,137 meters (16,854 feet). Now located in Turkey, but clearly visible from Armenia, it is regarded by the Armenians as a symbol of their land. Because of this, the mountain is present on the [[Coat of arms of Armenia|Armenian national emblem]] today.<ref name="Azarian2007">{{cite book|author=Natasha May Azarian|title=The Seeds of Memory: Narrative Renditions of the Armenian genocide Across Generations|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QJDLYMq7ZuAC&pg=PA96|access-date=28 April 2013|year=2007|isbn=978-0-549-53005-3|page=96|quote=Mount Ararat is considered the 'heart' of historical Armenia as it is Armenian folklore which considers the majestic mountain to be the place where Noah's Arc landed. Armenian businesses, households, and schools almost ubiquitously have at ...|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130528131920/http://books.google.com/books?id=QJDLYMq7ZuAC&pg=PA96|archive-date=28 May 2013|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Adalian2010">{{cite book|author=Rouben Paul Adalian|title=Historical Dictionary of Armenia|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QS-vSjHObOYC&pg=PA85|access-date=28 April 2013|date=13 May 2010|publisher=Scarecrow Press|isbn=978-0-8108-7450-3|page=85|quote=Although the mythology associated with the pagan worship of the mountain is now lost to popular belief, Mount Ararat has played a very ...|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130528164521/http://books.google.com/books?id=QS-vSjHObOYC&pg=PA85|archive-date=28 May 2013|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Minahan1998">{{cite book|author=James Minahan|title=Miniature empires: a historical dictionary of the newly independent states|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RSxt-JB-PDkC&pg=PA2|access-date=28 April 2013|year=1998|publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group|isbn=978-0-313-30610-5|pages=2–3|quote=Mount Ararat, the legendary landing place of Noah's Ark, is located in what is now modern Turkey. Situated near the border, the peak is visible from nearly every area of Armenia. Historically, the mountain has been the Armenian people's most ...|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130528125621/http://books.google.com/books?id=RSxt-JB-PDkC&pg=PA2|archive-date=28 May 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> ===Climate=== {{Main|Climate of Armenia}} [[File:Koppen-Geiger Map ARM present.svg|thumb|[[Köppen-Geiger climate classification]] map for Armenia<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Beck |first1=Hylke E. |last2=Zimmermann |first2=Niklaus E. |last3=McVicar |first3=Tim R. |last4=Vergopolan |first4=Noemi |last5=Berg |first5=Alexis|author6-link=Eric Franklin Wood |last6=Wood |first6=Eric F. |title=Present and future Köppen-Geiger climate classification maps at 1-km resolution |journal=Scientific Data |date=30 October 2018 |volume=5 |issue=1 |pages=180214 |doi=10.1038/sdata.2018.214 |pmid=30375988 |pmc=6207062 |bibcode=2018NatSD...580214B |url=https://www.research-collection.ethz.ch/bitstream/20.500.11850/302311/2/sdata2018214.pdf |access-date=6 September 2019 }}</ref>]] The climate in Armenia is markedly highland [[Continental climate|continental]]. Summers are hot, dry and sunny, lasting from June to mid-September. The temperature fluctuates between {{convert|22|and|36|C|F}}. However, the low humidity level mitigates the effect of high temperatures. Evening breezes blowing down the mountains provide a welcome refreshing and cooling effect. Springs are short, while autumns are long. Autumns are known for their vibrant and colourful foliage. Winters are quite cold with plenty of snow, with temperatures ranging between {{convert|-10|and|-5|°C|°F}}. [[Winter sport]]s enthusiasts enjoy skiing down the hills of [[Tsaghkadzor]], located thirty minutes outside Yerevan. [[Lake Sevan]], nestled up in the Armenian highlands, is the second largest lake in the world relative to its altitude, at {{convert|1900|m|ft|0}} [[Metres above sea level|above sea level]]. ===Environment=== [[File:CO2 emissions per capita in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Russia, Germany, Italy, USA in 2000-2012.jpg|thumb|Carbon dioxide emissions in metric tons per capita in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Russia, Germany, Italy, USA in 2000–2012. World Bank data.]] Armenia ranked 63rd out of 180 countries on [[Environmental Performance Index]] (EPI) in 2018. Its rank on subindex Environmental Health (which is weighted at 40% in EPI) is 109, while Armenia's rank on subindex of Ecosystem Vitality (weighted at 60% in EPI) is 27th best in the world.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://epi.envirocenter.yale.edu/epi-country-report/ARM|title=Environmental Performance Index|website=epi.envirocenter.yale.edu|language=en|access-date=2 February 2018|archive-date=16 October 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191016193854/https://epi.envirocenter.yale.edu/epi-country-report/ARM|url-status=dead}}</ref> This suggests that main environmental issues in Armenia are with [[#Health care|population health]], while environment vitality is of lesser concern. Out of sub-subindices contributing to Environmental Health subindex ranking on Air Quality to which population is exposed is particularly unsatisfying. [[Waste management in Armenia]] is underdeveloped, as no waste sorting or recycling takes place at Armenia's 60 landfills. A waste processing plant is scheduled for construction near [[Hrazdan]] city, which will allow for closure of 10 waste dumps.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.gov.am/en/news/item/9338/|title="We have good reasons to boast economic growth in the coming years" – Karen Karapetyan Pleased with 2017 Indices in Kotayk Marz|website=www.gov.am|language=en|access-date=16 February 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180216204522/http://www.gov.am/en/news/item/9338/|archive-date=16 February 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref> Despite the availability of abundant renewable energy sources in Armenia (especially [[Hydroelectricity|hydroelectric]] and [[wind power]]) and calls from EU officials to shut down the [[Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant|nuclear power plant at Metsamor]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.am/eng/news/433776.html|title=EU: Armenia nuclear plant should be shut down as soon as possible|website=news.am|language=en|access-date=16 February 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180216204447/https://news.am/eng/news/433776.html|archive-date=16 February 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref> the Armenian Government is exploring the possibilities of installing new small modular nuclear reactors. In 2018 existing nuclear plant is scheduled for modernization to enhance its safety and increase power production by about 10%.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://arka.am/en/news/technology/modernization_to_increase_the_capacity_of_armenian_nuclear_power_plant_by_10/|title=Modernization to increase the capacity of Armenian nuclear power plant by 10%|website=arka.am|date=13 February 2018 |access-date=16 February 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180216143937/http://arka.am/en/news/technology/modernization_to_increase_the_capacity_of_armenian_nuclear_power_plant_by_10/|archive-date=16 February 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://armenpress.am/eng/news/922486/armenian-nuclear-power-plant-upgrading-program-to-continue-in-2018.html|title=Armenian Nuclear Power Plant upgrading program to continue in 2018|work=armenpress.am|access-date=16 February 2018|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180216204336/https://armenpress.am/eng/news/922486/armenian-nuclear-power-plant-upgrading-program-to-continue-in-2018.html|archive-date=16 February 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref> Summary: Please note that all contributions to Christianpedia may be edited, altered, or removed by other contributors. 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