Editing Geography of Armenia

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[[File:Koppen-Geiger Map ARM present.svg|thumb|300px|Armenia map of [[Köppen climate classification]] zones]]
[[File:Satellite image of Armenia in May 2003.jpg|thumb|300px|Satellite image of Armenia]]
[[Armenia]] is a [[landlocked country]] in the [[South Caucasus]] region of the [[Caucasus]]. The country is geographically located in [[West Asia]], within the [[Armenian highlands|Armenian plateau]].<ref name="classification of world regions">The [[UN]] [http://unstats.un.org/unsd/methods/m49/m49regin.htm classification of world regions] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020625192322/http://unstats.un.org/unsd/methods/m49/m49regin.htm |date=25 June 2002 }} places Armenia in West Asia; the [[Central Intelligence Agency|CIA]] [[The World Factbook|World Factbook]] {{cite web |url=https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/armenia/ |title=Armenia |work=The World Factbook |publisher=[[CIA]] |access-date=2 September 2010 }} {{cite web |url=https://www.nationalgeographic.org/society/education-resources/?xpop=1 |title=Armenia |publisher=[[National Geographic Society|National Geographic]] |access-date=16 April 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070808084113/http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/atlas/index.html?Parent=asia&Rootmap=armeni&Mode=d&SubMode=w |archive-date=8 August 2007 |url-status=live }}, {{cite encyclopedia |url=https://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/35178/Armenia |title=Armenia |encyclopedia=[[Encyclopædia Britannica]] |access-date=16 April 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090401081831/https://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/35178/Armenia |archive-date=1 April 2009 |url-status=live }}, {{cite book|title=Calendario Atlante De Agostini|date=2015|publisher=Istituto Geografico De Agostini|location=Novara|language=it|isbn=9788851124908|page=sub voce|edition=111}} and ''Oxford Reference Online'' {{Cite encyclopedia |encyclopedia=World Encyclopedia |title=Oxford Reference |publisher=Oxford Reference Online |doi=10.1093/acref/9780199546091.001.0001 |year=2004 |isbn=9780199546091 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/worldencyclopedi00oxfo }} also place Armenia in Asia.</ref><ref>{{cite web|title= General information about Republic of Armenia|url= https://www.mfa.am/en/overview/|publisher= [[Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Armenia)]]|access-date= October 2, 2023|location= Armenia|quote= The country is situated in western part of Asia, occupies the north-eastern part of Armenian plateau – between Caucasus and Nearest Asia}}</ref><ref name="Hewsen">[[Robert Hewsen|Hewsen, Robert H.]] "The Geography of Armenia" in ''The Armenian People From Ancient to Modern Times Volume I: The Dynastic Periods: From Antiquity to the Fourteenth Century''. [[Richard G. Hovannisian]] (ed.) New York: St. Martin's Press, 1997, pp. 1–17</ref> Armenia is bordered on the north and east by [[Georgia (country)|Georgia]] and [[Azerbaijan]] and on the south and west by [[Iran]], Azerbaijan's exclave [[Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic|Nakhchivan]], and [[Turkey]].

The terrain is mostly mountainous, with fast flowing rivers and few forests. The climate is highland continental: hot summers and cold winters. The land rises to {{Convert|4,090|m|ft|abbr=on}} above sea-level at [[Mount Aragats]].

==Physical environment==
[[Image:Armenia 2002 CIA map.jpg|thumb|right|350px|Detailed map of Armenia]] 
Armenia is located in the southern [[Caucasus]], the region southwest of [[Russia]] between the [[Black Sea]] and the [[Caspian Sea]].<ref name=":02">{{citation-attribution|1={{Cite book|last=Curtis|first=Glenn E.|url=https://www.loc.gov/item/94045459/|title=Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia : country studies|date=1995|publisher=[[Federal Research Division]]|isbn=0-8444-0848-4|edition=1st|location=Washington, D.C.|pages=25–29|oclc=31709972}}}}</ref> Modern [[Armenia]] occupies part of [[History of Armenia|historical Armenia]], whose ancient centers were in the valley of the [[Araks River]] and the region around [[Lake Van]] in Turkey.<ref name=":02" /> Armenia is bordered on the north by Georgia, on the east by Azerbaijan, on the south by Iran, and on the west by Turkey.<ref name=":02" />

In Armenia [[forest cover]] is around 12% of the total land area, equivalent to 328,470 hectares (ha) of forest in 2020, down from 334,730 hectares (ha) in 1990. In 2020, naturally regenerating forest covered 310,000 hectares (ha) and planted forest covered 18,470 hectares (ha). Of the naturally regenerating forest 5% was reported to be [[primary forest]] (consisting of native tree species with no clearly visible indications of human activity) and around 0% of the forest area was found within protected areas. For the year 2015, 100% of the forest area was reported to be under [[State ownership|public ownership]].<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://openknowledge.fao.org/server/api/core/bitstreams/a6e225da-4a31-4e06-818d-ca3aeadfd635/content |title=Terms and Definitions FRA 2025 Forest Resources Assessment, Working Paper 194 |publisher=Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations |year=2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Global Forest Resources Assessment 2020, Armenia |url=https://fra-data.fao.org/assessments/fra/2020/ARM/home/overview |website=Food Agriculture Organization of the United Nations}}</ref>

==Topography and drainage==
[[Image:Armenia Topography.png|thumb|left|Topography of Armenia]]{{See also|List of rivers of Armenia|List of lakes of Armenia|Mountains of Armenia}}

Twenty-five million years ago, a geological upheaval pushed up the Earth's crust to form the Armenian Plateau, creating the complex topography of modern Armenia.<ref name=":02" /> The Lesser Caucasus range extends through northern Armenia, runs southeast between [[Lake Sevan]] and Azerbaijan, then passes roughly along the Armenian-Azerbaijani border to Iran.<ref name=":02" /> Thus situated, the mountains make travel from north to south difficult.<ref name=":02" /> Geological turmoil continues in the form of devastating earthquakes, which have plagued Armenia.<ref name=":02" /> In December 1988, the second largest city in the republic, Leninakan (now [[Gyumri]]), was heavily damaged by a massive quake that killed more than 25,000 people.<ref name=":02" />

About half of Armenia's area of approximately {{convert|29,743|km2|sqmi|1|abbr=on}} has an elevation of at least {{convert|2000|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}, and only 3% of the country lies below {{convert|650|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}.<ref name=":02" /> The lowest points are in the valleys of the [[Aras (river)|Araks River]] and the [[Debed|Debed River]] in the far north, which have elevations of {{convert|380|and|430|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}, respectively.<ref name=":02" /> Elevations in the Lesser Caucasus vary between {{convert|2640|and|3280|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}.<ref name=":02" /> To the southwest of the range is the Armenian Plateau, which slopes southwestward toward the Araks River on the Turkish border.<ref name=":02" /> The plateau is masked by intermediate mountain ranges and extinct volcanoes.<ref name=":02" /> The largest of these, [[Mount Aragats]], {{convert|4090|m|ft|0|sp=us|abbr=}} high, is also the highest point in [[Armenia]].<ref name=":02" /> Most of the population lives in the western and northwestern parts of the country, where the two major cities, [[Yerevan]] and [[Gyumri]], are located.<ref name=":02" />

The valleys of the Debed and [[Aghstafa (river)|Akstafa]] rivers form the chief routes into Armenia from the north as they pass through the mountains.<ref name=":02" /> [[Lake Sevan]], {{convert|72.5|km|mi|0|abbr=on}} across at its widest point and {{convert|376|km|mi|1|abbr=on}} long, is by far the largest lake.<ref name=":02" /> It lies {{convert|1900|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} above sea level on the plateau and is {{convert|1279.18|km2|sqmi|1|abbr=on}} large.<ref name=":02" /><ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.armstat.am/file/article/eco_booklet_2018.doc.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/https://www.armstat.am/file/article/eco_booklet_2018.doc.pdf |archive-date=2022-10-09 |url-status=live|title=ENVIRONMENTAL STATISTICS OF ARMENIA FOR 2018 AND TIME-SERIES OF INDICATORS FOR 2014-2018}}</ref> Other main lakes are: [[Lake Arpi|Arpi]], {{convert|7.5|km2|sqmi|1|abbr=on}}, Sev, {{convert|2|km2|sqmi|1|abbr=on}}, [[Lake Akna (Kotayk)|Akna]] {{convert|0.8|km2|sqmi|1|abbr=on}}.<ref name=":0" />
[[Image:Europe biogeography countries en.svg|thumb|right|400px|Biogeographic regions of [[Europe]]]]
Terrain is most rugged in the extreme southeast, which is drained by the Bargushat River, and most moderate in the Araks River valley to the extreme southwest.<ref name=":02" /> Most of Armenia is drained by the [[Araks]] or its tributary, the [[Hrazdan]], which flows from Lake Sevan.<ref name=":02" /> The Araks forms most of Armenia's border with Turkey and Iran,<ref name=":02" /> while the [[Zangezur Mountains]] form the border between Armenia's southern [[Syunik Province|province of Syunik]] and Azerbaijan's adjacent Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic.
[[Image:Armenian terrain.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Armenian terrain]]

==Climate==
{{Main|Climate of Armenia}}

Temperatures in Armenia generally depend upon elevation.<ref name=":02" /> Mountain formations block the moderating climatic influences of the Mediterranean Sea and the Black Sea, creating wide seasonal variations with cold snowy winters, and warm to hot summers.<ref name=":02" /> On the Armenian Plateau, the mean midwinter temperature is {{convert|0|°C|°F}} to {{convert|−15|°C|°F}}, and the mean midsummer temperature is {{convert|15|°C|°F}} to {{convert|30|°C|°F}}.<ref name=":02" /> Average precipitation ranges from {{convert|250|mm|in|1|sp=us}} per year in the lower Araks River valley to {{convert|800|mm|in|1|sp=us}} at the highest altitudes.<ref name=":02" /> Despite the harshness of winter in most parts (with frosts reaching {{convert|-40|°C|°F}} and lower in [[Shirak Province|Shirak]] region{{Citation needed|date=October 2020}}), the fertility of the plateau's volcanic soil made Armenia one of the world's earliest sites of agricultural activity.<ref name=":02" />

==Area and boundaries==
{{More citations needed|section|date=October 2020}}
'''Area''':<br>''total:'' 29,743&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup><ref name=":0" />

:''country comparison to the world:'' 143
''land:'' 28,203&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup><br>''water:'' 1,540&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>

'''Area comparative'''
*[[Australia]] comparative: about one third (33%) the size of [[Tasmania]]
*[[Canada]] comparative: greater than half (56%) the size of [[Nova Scotia]]
*[[Turkey]] comparative: about a quarter (24%) smaller than the size of  [[Konya Province]].
*[[United Kingdom]] comparative: about one third larger (30%) than [[Wales]]
*[[United States]] comparative: slightly smaller (7%) than [[Maryland]]
*[[European Union|EU]] comparative: slightly smaller (8%) than [[Belgium]]

'''Land boundaries''':<br>''total:'' 1,570&nbsp;km<br>''border countries:''

[[Azerbaijan]] 566&nbsp;km, [[Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic|Azerbaijan-Nakhchivan]] exclave 221&nbsp;km, [[Georgia (country)|Georgia]] 219&nbsp;km, [[Iran]] 44&nbsp;km, [[Turkey]] 311&nbsp;km

'''Coastline:'''

0&nbsp;km (landlocked)

'''Elevation extremes:'''<br>''lowest point:'' 375m<ref name=":0" /><br>''highest point:'' [[Mount Aragats]] 4,090 m<ref name=":0" />

'''Extreme points of Armenia:'''<br>''North:''
[[Tavush]] ({{Coord|41|17|N|45|0|E|type:landmark_region:AM}})<br>''South:''
[[Syunik Province|Syunik]] ({{Coord|38|49|N|46|10|E|type:landmark_region:AM}})<br>''West:''
[[Shirak Province|Shirak]] ({{Coord|41|5|N|43|27|E|type:landmark_region:AM}})<br>''East:''
Syunik ({{Coord|39|13|N|46|37|E|type:landmark_region:AM}})

==Resources and land use==
{{More citations needed|section|date=October 2020}}
{{See also|Mineral industry of Armenia|Agriculture in Armenia}}
'''Natural resources:'''
deposits of [[gold]], [[copper]], [[molybdenum]], [[zinc]], [[bauxite]]

Armenia has significant deposits of copper, molybdenum and gold, as well as smaller deposits of zinc, lead and silver. Some copper-molybdenum and polymetallic ore deposits are rich in elements such as bismuth, tellurium, selenium, gallium, indium, thallium, rhenium and germanium.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Armenia - Mining and Minerals {{!}} Privacy Shield |url=https://www.privacyshield.gov/article?id=Armenia-mining-sector#:~:text=Armenia%20has%20significant%20deposits%20of,,%20thallium,%20rhenium%20and%20germanium. |access-date=2022-12-08 |website=www.privacyshield.gov |language=en}}</ref>

'''Land use:'''
<br>''arable land:4.456 km²,<ref name=":0" />'' 15.8%<br>''permanent crops:'' 1.9%<br>''permanent pastures: 4.2%''<br>''forest (2018): 11.2%''<ref name=":0" /><br>''other:'' 31.2% (2011)

'''Irrigated land:''' 2.084&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup> (2018)

'''Total renewable water resources:'''

7.77 m<sup>3</sup> (2011) Armenia is considered to be a big water “supplier” in the Caspian basin; as a result, the country lacks water, especially in summer when the rate of evaporation exceeds the amount of precipitation. That is the main reason why since ancient times inhabitants have built water reservoirs and irrigation canals in the area. [[Lake Sevan]] contains the largest amount of water in the country.

'''Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):'''<br>''total:'' 2.86&nbsp;km<sup>3</sup>/yr (40%/6%/54%)<br>''per capita:'' 929.7 m<sup>3</sup>/yr (2010)

==See also==
{{Portal|Environment|Geography}}
*[[:commons:Atlas of Armenia|Atlas of Armenia]]
*[[Biogeographic regions of Europe]]
*[[Geography of Asia]]
*[[Geography of Europe]]
*[[Geology of Armenia]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== Further reading ==
* {{Cite Historic Maps of Armenia}}

{{Armenia topics}}
{{Geography of Asia}} 
{{Asia topic|Climate of}}
{{Geography of Europe}} 
{{Europe topic|Climate of}}

[[Category:Geography of Armenia| ]]