Geographically, the Caucasus mountain range is generally considered a natural border between Asia and Europe, placing Georgia and Armenia firmly on the Asian side. Planning a trip to Armenia? Subscribe to learn when international visitors are once more allowed to enter! It may seem strange, but there is no straightforward answer to this question. We could approach it geographically, politically and culturally with different or unclear results each time.
The rich and diverse history of the country dates back to at least 1, BC. Its location at the gateway between Asia and Europe made it a strategically important territory and one of the main trade routes between the continents. Over the centuries, it has been ruled by many civilizations both from the East and the West, including Assyrians, Persians, Romans and Ottomans.
After the fall of the Soviet Union in , Armenia was finally able to declare independence. Armenia and Azerbaijan have been in conflict over the Nagorno-Karabakh territory since the s. Strangely enough, the 2 countries are very similar in size; nonetheless, they are very different from almost every other point of view. Armenia is a landlocked country dominated by mountains.
As it stands, Armenia is a member state in several international organizations such as the Council of Europe, the World Trade Organization, the European Broadcasting Union, and others. Most people in Armenia favor the idea of being in Europe. Several top public officials also support the idea and experts predict that it is only a matter of time before the application. The aspect of culture adds further confusion to the already murky subject.
Historically, during the period of the Silk Road, Armenia was considered an Asian state. However, history shows that many empires coveted the strategic location offered by Armenia in linking Europe and Asia. Consequently, several kingdoms, from Europe and Asia, fought and conquered Armenia, which led to the disappearance of some traditions and the introduction of new ones.
As is stands, the current culture of the nation is a blend of several European and Asian cultures that make it even harder to define the nation. Clearly, from the above arguments, it is difficult to say where Armenia belongs. In December he called a snap election to remove the Republican Party majority in parliament, and his My Step Alliance won an overwhelming majority.
The Republicans won no seats. Mr Pashinyan promised to maintain Armenia's strategic alliance with Russia. But he faced calls for his resignation in late after agreeing to a Moscow-brokered ceasefire with Azerbaijan, which had made major gains in an offensive against Nagorno-Karabakh.
President: Armen Sargsyan. Armen Sargsyan was elected president in March , when the country moved from a presidential system of government to a parliamentary one. He briefly served as prime minister from November to March between stints as ambassador to the UK and other diplomatic posts in Europe.
Voters in a referendum backed constitutional changes reducing the powers of the president in favour of the premiership, which critics saw as a ruse to allow outgoing president Serzh Sargsyan to continue to rule as prime minister. Serzh Sargsyan duly became prime minister on the expiry of his second term as president in April , but sparked the largest street protests Armenia has seen for years. He resigned after several days of unrest.
The political changes in had a profound effect on the media, with the main TV stations becoming largely free of state control. But the media remain prone to political polarisation and a lack of financial independence. TV is the leading medium, although less so among younger audiences.
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