Armenia Geography Profile 2003

Location

Southwestern Asia, east of Turkey

Geographic coordinates

40 00 N, 45 00 E

Map references

Asia

Area

total: 29,800 sq km
land: 28,400 sq km
water: 1,400 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Maryland

Land boundaries

total: 1,254 km
border countries: Azerbaijan-proper 566 km, Azerbaijan-Naxcivan exclave 221 km, Georgia 164 km, Iran 35 km, Turkey 268 km

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Climate

highland continental, hot summers, cold winters

Terrain

Armenian Highland with mountains; little forest land; fast flowing rivers; good soil in Aras River valley

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Debed River 400 m
highest point: Aragats Lerrnagagat' 4,090 m

Natural resources

small deposits of gold, copper, molybdenum, zinc, alumina

Land use

arable land: 17.52%
permanent crops: 2.3%
other: 80.18% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land

2,870 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards

occasionally severe earthquakes; droughts

Environment - current issues

soil pollution from toxic chemicals such as DDT; the energy crisis of the 1990s led to deforestation when citizens scavenged for firewood; pollution of Hrazdan (Razdan) and Aras Rivers; the draining of Sevana Lich (Lake Sevan), a result of its use as a source for hydropower, threatens drinking water supplies; restart of Metsamor nuclear power plant in spite of its location in a seismically active zone

Environment - international agreements

party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Geography - note

landlocked in the Lesser Caucasus Mountains; Sevana Lich (Lake Sevan) is the largest lake in this mountain range