The most interesting facts about Armenia, from the world’s oldest winery and leather shoe to compulsory chess lessons for school children.
Fast facts
Official name: Republic of Armenia
Population: 2.9 million
Area: 29,743 sq km
Capital city: Yerevan
Major languages: Armenian, Kurdish, Russian
Major religions: Armenian Apostolic (Eastern Orthodox Christian)
Time zone: UTC+4 (Armenia Time)
Interesting facts about Armenia
1. Armenia is supposedly named after Hayk, the mythical patriarch of the Armenians and the great-great-grandson of Noah from the Bible. Hayk’s descendant, Aram, is allegedly where the name Armenia derives from.
2. Although located in Southwestern Asia, Armenia is considered a transcontinental country as geopolitically it is considered part of Europe.
3. Armenia is a landlocked country bordered by Azerbaijan, Georgia, Iran and Turkey.
4. From the early 15th century, Armenia was part of the Ottoman Empire.
5. From 1915 to the early 1920s, between 600,000 and 1.5 million Armenians were killed during a period that saw the systematic killing and deportation of Armenians by the Turks of the Ottoman Empire. This later became known as the Armenian Genocide.
6. Armenia’s flag is horizontally striped red, blue and orange. Red represents the blood shed by Armenians in the past, blue for the land, and orange for courage and work.
7. In 1922, Armenia was incorporated into the Soviet Union after the Armenian regions of the Ottoman Empire fell to the Russian army in 1916.
8. In 1991, following a referendum that saw 94% vote for secession, Armenia declared independence from the Soviet Union.
9. Armenia was the first county to adopt Christianity when it made Christianity its official religion in 301 AD.
10. Armenia has the largest lake in the Caucasus and one of the largest freshwater high-altitude lakes in the world. Sevana Lich (Lake Sevan) is located 1,900m (6,234ft) above sea level and covers 1240 sq km.
11. The world’s oldest winery was found in a cave in Armenia. In 2011, archaeologists excavated a wine press for crushing grapes, fermentation and storage vessels, drinking cups, grapevines, skins and seeds dating back 6,100 years.
12. In the same area, the world’s oldest leather shoe was also discovered a year earlier. The well preserved 5,500-year-old moccasin-like shoe was found stuffed with grass – likely to be an insulator or an early shoe tree.
13. The UNESCO-listed Geghard Monastery is one of Armenia’s top attractions. Founded in the 4th century and carved out of a cliff, the monastery is named after the lance that pierced Jesus Christ’s side at his crucifixion.
14. In Armenia, chess is compulsory for school children from the age of 6. The country is one of the world’s most successful chess playing nations having won a number of championships.
15. Armenia is part of Transcaucasia, a small mountainous region to the south of the Caucasus Mountains.
16. Mount Ararat is considered to be the national symbol of Armenia, despite not being in the country. Mount Ararat, which is located in Turkey but can be seen from Yerevan, is believed to be where Noah’s Ark landed after the Great Flood in the Bible.
17. In 2021, a mass brawl broke out in Armenia’s parliament after bottles of water were thrown at the speaker.
18. The longest non-stop double track cable car is in Armenia. At 5,752m (18,871 ft), the Tatev is an aerial tramway connects the village of Halizor with the secluded medieval Tatev Monastery.
19. The capital city of Armenia, Yerevan, is known as the Pink City, due to the rosy volcanic rock used to construct many of the city’s state buildings.
20. Armenia has a number of items inscribed on the UNESCO list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, including its traditional flatbread, a group dance and letter art.
21. Armenia has repeatedly clashed with Azerbaijan over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region. The latest flare-up, in 2020, saw thousands of people killed before a peace deal was agreed.
22. Armenia has its own alphabet created over 1,600 years ago. There is an Armenian Alphabet Monument, erected in 2005 in honour of Mesrop Mashtots who invented the 39-letter alphabet.
23. The UNESCO-listed Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin is considered to be the “Vatican of the Armenian Apostolic Church”. The church, originally between 301 and 303 AD, is considered to be one of the oldest cathedrals in the world.
24. The historic Silk Road, the ancient trading route that connected China with Europe and the Middle East, runs through Armenia.
25. Every year, some Armenian villages located near wetlands are taken over by 650 pairs of breeding white storks. The villagers take part in a community-focused monitoring programme called Nest Neighbors to help protect the birds’ habitat.
26. Armenia has seen mass migration over the years with poverty and unemployment in rural areas forcing men to resettle and leaving whole villages almost entirely populated by women.
27. Armenia is the ancestral homeland of several international celebrities including Cher, Kim Kardashian and Andre Agassi.
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Caitriona Maria is an education writer and owner of The Facts Institute. A teacher for seven years, she has been committed to providing students with the best learning opportunities possible, both domestically and abroad. Dedicated to unlocking students' potential, Caitriona has taught English in several countries and continues to explore new cultures through her travels.