Armenia Geography
LocationSouthwestern Asia, east of Turkey
Geographic coordinates
40 00 N, 45 00 E
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: 17.55%
permanent crops: 2.3%
other: 80.15% (2001)
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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, 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
