Updated: March 2009
Armenia
Overview | World Vision's history in Armenia | World Vision in Armenia today
OverviewThe Republic of Armenia is a small landlocked country that sits between the Black and Caspian Seas on the crossroads of Europe and Asia. Situated on the southern slopes of the Caucasus Mountains, it is bordered by Georgia to the north, Iran to the south, Azerbaijan to the east, and Turkey to the west. Slightly bigger than the state of Hawaii, the country sits on a small plateau and has little forest growth. Armenia’s longest river is the Araks River, which forms part of the border with Iran and Turkey. Lake Sevan, located in eastern Armenia, is one of the largest high-altitude lakes in the world. A popular tourist spot, it is a source for electricity, irrigation, and fish. Armenia’s continental climate features cold, snowy winters, and hot, dry summers. Natural resources include small deposits of gold, copper, zinc, and bauxite.The Armenian people have occupied the Southern Caucasus region since approximately 2,500 B.C. Today, 98 percent of the population is ethnic Armenian. The Yezidi, a Kurdish-speaking people, make up 1.3 percent of inhabitants, while 0.5 percent are of Russian descent. Other much smaller groups include Ukrainians, Belarusians, Georgians, Greeks, and Assyrians. Armenian is the official language of the country and is spoken by nearly everyone. The Yezidis and Russians speak their own languages. |
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| The Kingdom of Armenia was founded in 190 B.C. by Artaxias I, whose dynasty ruled for two centuries. The nation’s territory expanded over the entire Caucasus area as well as into Syria, Lebanon, and eastern Turkey before the Roman Empire took over in 64 B.C. Armenia became the world’s first nation to adopt Christianity as its official religion in A.D. 301. From the fourth to the ninth centuries, the country was governed by a succession of groups: the Persians, Arabs, Byzantines, Mongols, and Turks. In 1920, Russia incorporated Armenia as one of its socialist republics. Under Soviet rule, the territory transitioned from a largely agrarian nation into an industrial society. In 1991, Armenia declared independence and seceded from the Soviet Union, joining the United Nations a year later. The next decade saw massive food and energy shortages, which sparked several protests by Armenians. In 2008, Prime Minister Serzh Sarkisian was elected president, but many opposition supporters disputed the results and marched on the capital, Yerevan. After three weeks of unrest and a declared state of emergency, police dispersed the protestors. Prior to independence, a campaign was launched to have Nagorno-Karabakh, a region located inside Azerbaijan and populated by ethnic Armenians, united with Armenia. Azeris refused, and a five-year war broke out, leaving 35,000 people dead and 900,000 displaced. Russia brokered a ceasefire agreement in 1994, though periodic clashes have occurred many times since then. There have been many negotiations for peace, but none have borne fruit. The conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh has affected Armenia’s economy: The borders with Azerbaijan and Turkey are closed because of political difficulties surrounding the situation. Trade and economic development have been stunted, as now the country’s only trade links are via a low-capacity rail system and one passable road through Georgia to ports on the Black Sea. Land routes through Iran are unreliable and often dangerous. As a result of the declining economy, more than 80 percent of the population lives on less than $4 a day. Nearly 1 million Armenians since 1991 have emigrated to Russia, the United States, or other countries seeking employment. Government reforms in the past two years have, however, decreased the inflation rate, and remittances from those abroad have helped family members in Armenia. Poverty caused by the weakened economy, coupled with a large number of school closings, has prevented 80 percent of children from attending kindergarten. Attendance rates for primary and secondary school are higher than many former Soviet republics, but studies have shown nearly a quarter of all children drop out by grade 10. Many children who are members of a farming family stay home to work in the fields for months at a time. Some parents keep their children from attending school out of fear that corporal punishment is being used, despite a Europe-wide ban on the practice adopted in 2005. Back to top World Vision's history in ArmeniaIn December 1988, World Vision began ministering to the people of Armenia after a devastating earthquake that claimed the lives of 25,000 people and left another 500,000 homeless. World Vision quickly responded by delivering more than $1 million in medical supplies to survivors in the most severely impacted areas. Altogether, World Vision mounted a $2.8 million relief effort and assisted other humanitarian agencies in the transportation of relief goods.Following independence in 1991, the Armenian economy began to decline, affecting the living conditions of thousands of families. After many households were found without food or heat during a grueling winter, World Vision launched a relief effort, providing food staples and blankets to 24,000 families in Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh. World Vision coordinated a food relief program in early 1992, delivering donations of food items to 300,000 needy people, including the homeless, displaced, unemployed, sick, and elderly. Two years later, a community development and shelter winterization project in Gyumri benefited earthquake survivors, who were living in container homes that offered little protection against the harsh Armenian winters. A total of 500 homes received new foundations, roofs, and walls to help keep families warm. In 1996, World Vision implemented the Small Enterprise Fund (SEF), a project that provided start-up grants, loans, business training, and consulting services to small and medium-size businesses owned by people who were not served by local banks. The SEF has assisted more than 2,200 clients and has helped to create 2,803 jobs. Projects in the late 1990s included child abandonment relief, special needs education, and summer camps for boys and girls. In the 21st century, World Vision programs have focused on mother and child nutrition, HIV prevention, child protection, microenterprise development, and disaster relief. Back to top World Vision in Armenia todayWorld Vision is committed to partnering with the people of Armenia to enhance their lives today and to help enact sustainable solutions for the future of their communities, families, and children. Currently, 20,700 children are registered in the World Vision sponsorship program. Several times this number of children and other family members benefit from World Vision activities. Of these registered children, many have World Vision sponsors in other countries. U.S. donors sponsor 7,200 girls and boys. In addition, World Vision operates eight development programs, two of which are supported by U.S. donors. Highlights of these efforts include the following:
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