Armenia: Geography#
Location | Southwestern Asia, between Turkey (to the west) and Azerbaijan |
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Geographic Coordinates | 40 00 N, 45 00 E 40.0,45.0 |
Area | total: 29,743 sq km land: 28,203 sq km water: 1,540 sq km [Verified in 8 databases] |
Land boundaries | total: 1,570 km border countries: Azerbaijan 996 km, Georgia 219 km, Iran 44 km, Turkey 311 km |
Coastline | 0 km (landlocked) |
Elevation Extremes | lowest point: Debed River 400 m highest point: Aragats Lerrnagagat' 4,090 m |
Highest Mountains | Due to difference in mountain rankings taken from two data sources we are listing here both lists : According to Wolfram: Mount Aragats 4090 m According to Geonames: Aragats Lerrnagagat 4094 m; Azhdahak Lerr 3597 m; Aghdagh Lerr 3576 m; Vardenis Lerr 3522 m; Gora Astkhonk 3470 m Attempted Explanation: Please help us to try to explain the discrepancies by sending us helpful information to office nospam@TUGraz.at @global-geography.org Important Mountains |
Terrain | Armenian Highland with mountains; little forest land; fast flowing rivers; good soil in Aras River valley |
Natural Hazards | occasionally severe earthquakes; droughts |
Natural Resource | small deposits of gold, copper, molybdenum, zinc, bauxite |
Land Use | arable land: 14.47% permanent crops: 1.8% other: 83.74% (2011) |
Climate | highland continental, hot summers, cold winters |
Irrigated Land | 2,735 sq km (2006) |
Renewable Water Resources | 7.77 cu km (2011) |
Environment_CurrentIssues | 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, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants |
Large Cities | Yerevan; Gyumri; Vanadzor; Vagharshapat; Hrazdan [Verified] Important Cities |
Geography-note | landlocked in the Lesser Caucasus Mountains; Sevana Lich (Lake Sevan) is the largest lake in this mountain range Important Rivers |