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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

Etymology: the etymology of the country's name remains obscure; according to tradition, the country is named after Hayk, the legendary patriarch of the Armenians and the great-great-grandson of Noah; Hayk's descendant, Aram, purportedly is the source of the name Armenia

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); notable earlier dates: 321 B.C. (Kingdom of Armenia established under the Orontid Dynasty), A.D. 884 (Armenian Kingdom reestablished under the Bagratid Dynasty); 1198 (Cilician Kingdom established); 28 May 1918 (Democratic Republic of Armenia declared)

National Holiday

Independence Day, 21 September (1991)

Constitution

History: previous 1915, 1978; latest adopted 5 July 1995

Amendments:

Legal System

civil law system

International Law Organization Participation

Has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

Citizenship

Citizenship by birth: no

Citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Armenia

Dual citizenship recognized: yes

Residency requirement for naturalization: 3 years

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive Branch

Chief of state: President Vahagn KHACHATURYAN (since 13 March 2022)

Head of government: Prime Minister Nikol PASHINYAN (since 10 September 2021); Deputy Prime Ministers Mher GRIGORYAN (since 3 August 2021) and Tigran KHACHATRYAN (since 19 December 2022); note - Prime Minister Nikol PASHINYAN resigned on 25 April 2021 in advance of the 20 June 2021 parliamentary election; he was reappointed by the president on 2 August 2021 and sworn in on 10 September 2021

Cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister

Elections appointments: president indirectly elected by the National Assembly in 3 rounds if needed for a single 7-year term; election last held on 2-3 March 2022; prime minister indirectly elected by majority vote in 2 rounds if needed by the National Assembly

Election results: 2022

Note: Nikol PASHINYAN was first elected prime minister on 8 May 2018 and reelected on January 2019; in response to a political crisis that followed Armenia's defeat in the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War in late 2020, PASHINYAN called an early legislative election for June 2021; his party won the election and PASHINYAN was elected to the prime ministership for a third time; his election was confirmed by the president on 2 August 2021, and he was sworn in on 10 September 2021

Legislative Branch

Description: unicameral National Assembly (Parliament) or Azgayin Zhoghov (minimum 101 seats, with additional seats allocated as necessary and generally changing with each parliamentary convocation; current - 107; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by closed party-list proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms; four mandates are reserved for national minorities; no more than 70% of the top membership of a party list can belong to the same sex; political parties must meet a 5% threshold and alliances a 7% threshold to win seats; at least three parties must be seated in the Parliament)

Elections: last held early on 20 June 2021 (next to be held in June 2026)

Election results: percent of vote by party - Civil Contract 53.9%, Armenia Alliance 21%, I Have Honour Alliance 5.2%, other 19.9%; seats by party - Civil Contract 71, Armenia Alliance 29, I Have Honour Alliance 7; composition (as of August 2023) - men 69, women 38, percent of women 35.5%

Judicial Branch

Highest courts: Court of Cassation or Appeals Court (consists of the Criminal Chamber with a chairman and 5 judges and the Civil and Administrative Chamber with a chairman and 10 judges â€“ with both civil and administrative specializations); Constitutional Court (consists of 9 judges)

Judge selection and term of office: Court of Cassation judges nominated by the Supreme Judicial Council, a 10-member body of selected judges and legal scholars; judges appointed by the president; judges can serve until age 65; Constitutional Court judges - 4 appointed by the president, and 5 elected by the National Assembly; judges can serve until age 70

Subordinate courts: criminal and civil appellate courts; administrative appellate court; first instance courts; specialized administrative and bankruptcy courts

Political Parties and Leaders

5165 National Conservative Movement Party [Karin TONOYAN]Alliance of Democrats [Arman BABAJANYAN]Armenia Alliance or HD [Robert KOCHARYAN](formerly known as the Armenian Revolutionary Federation)Armenian National Congress or ANC [Levon TER-PETROSSIAN] (bloc of independent and opposition parties)Bright Armenia [Edmon MARUKYAN]Civil Contract or KP [Nikol PASHINYAN]Country To Live In [Mane TANDILYAN]Homeland of Armenians [Artak GALSTYAN]Homeland Party [Artur VANETSYAN]I Have Honor Alliance (formerly known as the Republican Party of Armenia, [Serzh SARGSIAN]Liberal Party [Samvel BABAYAN]National Democratic Party [Vahe GASPARYAN]Prosperous Armenia or BHK [Gagik TSARUKYAN]Republic Party (Hanrapetutyun Party) [Aram SARGSYAN]

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 Symbols

National Anthem

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

National Heritage