Armenia
Location:
Armenia is located in the southern Caucasus and is the smallest of the
former Soviet republics. It is bounded by Georgia to the north, Azerbaijan
to the east, Iran to the south, and Turkey to the west. Nagorno Karabagh
is located to the east of Armenia. Present-day Armenia comprises only
10 percent of the nation's historic territory.
History:
Armenia is an ancient country, generally acknowledged as the first country
in the world to officially embrace Christianity as its religion (c. A.D.
300). In 1915, a large segment of the Armenian population were killed
during World War I in what has become known as the first genocide of the
20th century. Armenia was incorporated into Russia in 1828 and the USSR
in 1920.
On December 7, 1988 a massive earthquake struck near Spitak, in northern
Armenia. Over 25,000 people were killed and 31,000 were injured. The majority
of the residents of Spitak died. Due to the widespread collapse of schools
and the fact that school was in session when the earthquake struck, more
children than adults perished.
Armenia declared its independence from the collapsing Soviet Union on
Sept. 23, 1991. In the years that
followed, Armenia fought Azerbaijan for control of Nagorno-Karabagh. The
majority population of the
enclave are Armenian Christians who want to secede from Azerbaijan and
either become part of Armenia or gain full independence. After years of
fighting, a cease-fire agreement was reached between the two countries
in 1994. However, the war with Azerbaijan left over 20,000 dead, 1.5 million
displaced and a severely damaged infrastructure and economy.
With this devastating legacy the future of Nagorno-Karabagh remains uncertain.
About 3.6 million Armenians live in Armenia and some 1 million more reside
in other parts of the former Soviet Union. Another 4 million are scattered
around the world, with the largest communities in the United States, Canada
and France.
Nagorno Karabagh
The Republic of Nagorno Karabagh is a fertile, mountainous area of 4,400
square kilometers in the southern Caucasus situated to the east of Armenia
inside what is internationally recognized as Azerbaijan. The name itself,
a Russian-Turkish-Persian compound, is proof of the region's complex history
and means 'Mountainous Black Garden.' The Karabagh Armenians call the
region Artsakh or 'Strong Forest.'
Nagorno Karabagh is a territory in a perilous condition. Today it faces
many problems due to a tenuous political situation, the ravages of war,
and the severe isolation caused by its geographical placement. The war
between Azerbaijan and Karabagh in which Armenia became involved (1991-1994)
left over 20,000 people dead and displaced over one million more. The
violent conflict over the disputed territory which lies as an enclave
within Azerbaijan, also caused major damage to the infrastructure in Karabagh.
Economic difficulties compounded by unemployment, lack of transport, and
poor services, have led to a deterioration of the quality of life for
all people. The region faced further problems with the collapse of the
communal farming system and closure of local industries that have left
the majority of the population without income.