The Land and its People

Located in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia, between Eastern Europe and Western Asia, Armenia is a landlocked country that is bordered by Turkey, Georgia, Iran, and Azerbaijan. The country has a rich history, and has its foundations in the Satrapy of Armenia, which was established in 6 BC. Today, Armenia is home to over three million, and due to its small territory of 29,743 square kilometers it is the most densely populated of all the former Soviet republics. The vast majority of its population, almost 97%, identifies itself as Armenian, with Yazidis and Russians the second and third largest foreign groups at 1.3% and 0.5% respectively.

Although the official language of Armenia is Armenian, many people also speak Russian as a second language, due to its historical ties with the country. However, English is also spoken by some people, and it is now taught as a second language at school from an early age. Expatriates moving to Armenia are still advised to learn some Armenian or Russian phrases.

The Climate in Armenia

Due to the geographical diversity of Armenia, and its unique location between Asia and Europe, it has a variety of different climates, ranging from dry sub-tropical and temperate continental climates to those more commonly associated with Arctic environments. This means that expatriates moving to Armenia could experience a range of different weather conditions, depending on where they are in the country.

The most common climate in Armenia is a dry sub-tropical climate with temperate continental influences. This means that summers in Armenia are usually very hot and dry, but can be cooler outside of the cities as there is lower humidity; the average summer temperature ranges between 22 and 36°C (72 and 97°F). By contrast, the winters can be very cold and feature heavy snowfall, especially in the mountainous areas, and temperatures can drop to between −10 and −5°C (14 and 23°F).

Getting to Armenia

Expatriates moving to Armenia will be pleased to hear that getting to the country is fairly easy, and that there are two large international airports that accommodate commercial flights from around the world: Zvartnots International Airport, based in Yerevan, the capital city; and Shirak Airport, located in the Gyumri region. As it is located in the capital city, many expatriates moving to Armenia will fly to Zvartnots International Airport and then continue their journey by road or rail. Although Armenia is a landlocked country, and as a result has no ports or harbors, expatriates moving to Armenia will be able to ship their belongings and furniture to the ports in nearby Turkey and Georgia, after which they can be transported into Armenia by road or rail.