Lorri

Lorri is one of the provinces of Armenia. It is in the north of the country, bordering Georgia. Its capital is Vanadzor. It is home to the UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Haghpat and Sanahin.

External links

- [http://www.armeniapedia.org/index.php?title=Rediscovering_Armenia_Guidebook-_Lori_Marz Lori Marz Tourist Guide] Category:Provinces of Armenia

Provinces of Armenia

The Republic of Armenia, or Armenia (Armenian: , Hayastan, , Hayq), is a landlocked country in the southern Caucasus, between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, bordered by Turkey to the west, Georgia to the north, Azerbaijan to the east and Iran (Persia) and the Nakhichevan exclave of Azerbaijan to the south. Armenia is a member of the Council of Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States and for centuries has been on the crossroads between the West and East.

Origin of the name

The original Armenian name for the country was Hayq, later Hayastan, translated as the land of Haik, and consisting of the name Haik and the Persian suffix '-stan' (land). According to legend, Haik was a great-great-grandson of Noah (son of Togarmah, who was a son of Gomer, a son of Noah's son, Japheth), and according to Christian tradition, a forefather of all Armenians. He is said to have settled below Mount Ararat, travelled to assist in building the Tower of Babel, and, after his return, defeated the Assyrian king Nimrod near Lake Van in present-day Turkey. Hayastan was given the name Armenia by the surrounding states, as it was the name of the strongest tribe living in the historic Armenian lands, who called themselves Armens. It is traditionally derived from Armenak or Aram (the great-grandson of Haik's great-grandson, and another leader who is, according to Armenian tradition, the ancestor of all Armenians). Some Jewish and Christian scholars write that the name 'Armenia' was derived from Har-Minni, that is 'Mountains of Minni' (or Mannai). Pre-Christian accounts suggest that Nairi, meaning land of rivers, was an ancient name for the country's mountainous region, first used by Greek historians around 800 BC; while the first recorded inscription bearing the name Armenia, namely the Behistun Inscription in Iran, dates from 521 BC.

History

Armenia has been populated by humans since prehistoric times, and has been proposed as the site of the Biblical Garden of Eden. Armenia was a regional empire with a rich culture in the years leading up to the 1st century, spanning from the shores of the Black Sea to the Caspian Sea and the Mediterranean Sea during the rule of Tigranes the Great. Armenia's strategic location between two continents has subjected it to invasions by many peoples, including the Assyrians, Persians, Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Turks and Mongols. In AD 301, Armenia became the first state to adopt Christianity as its official state religion, twelve years before the Roman Empire granted Christianity official toleration under Galerius, and some 30-40 years before Constantine was baptised. There had been various pagan communities before Christianity, but they were converted by an influx of Christian missionaries. Having changed between various dynasties -- including Parthian (Iranian), Roman, Arab, Mongol and Persian occupations -- Armenia was substantially weakened. In 1500's, the Ottoman Empire and Safavid Persia divided Armenia among themselves. In 1813 and 1828, present-day Armenia (consisting of the Erivan and Karabakh khanates) was temporarily incorporated into the Russian Empire. After a short-lived independent republic established after the Bolshevik Revolution in Petrograd, Armenia was incorporated into the USSR. Between 1922 and 1936 it existed as the Transcaucasian Soviet Federated Socialist Republic (with Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan), and from 1936 to 1991 as the Armenian SSR. During the final years of the Ottoman Empire (1915-1922), a large proportion of Armenians living in Anatolia perished as a result of what is termed the Armenian Genocide, regarded by Armenians and many Western historians to have been state-sponsored mass killings. Turkish authorities, however, maintain that the deaths were a result of a civil war coupled with disease and famine, with casualties incurred by both sides. Most estimates for the number of Armenians killed range from 600,000 to 1,500,000, and these events are traditionally commemorated yearly on April 24. Armenians and a handful of other countries worldwide have been campaigning for official recognition of the events as genocide for over 30 years. Armenia remained preoccupied by a long conflict with Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh, a mostly Armenian-populated enclave that, Armenians allege, Stalin had placed in Soviet Azerbaijan. A military conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan began in 1988, and the fighting escalated after both countries gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. By May 1994, when a cease-fire took hold, Armenian forces controlled not only Nagorno-Karabakh but also the surrounding districts of Azerbaijan proper. The economies of both countries have been hurt in the absence of a peaceful resolution.

Politics

The Government of Armenia's stated aim is to build a Western-style parliamentary democracy as the basis of its form of government. However, international observers have questioned the fairness of Armenia's parliamentary and presidential elections and constitutional referenda since 1995, citing polling deficiencies, lack of cooperation by the electoral commission, and poor maintenance of electoral lists and polling places. For the most part however, Armenia is considered one of the more pro-democratic nations in the Commonwealth of Independent States. The unicameral parliament (also called the National Assembly) is controlled by a coalition of three political parties: the conservative Republican party [http://www.hhk.am], the Armenian Revolutionary Federation, and the Country of Law party. The main opposition is comprised of several smaller parties joined in the Justice Bloc. Armenians voted overwhelmingly for independence in a September 1991 referendum. Levon Ter-Petrossian was president until January 1998, when public demonstrations against his increasingly authoritarian regime and his domestic and foreign policies forced his resignation. In 1999, as the Prime Minister Vazgen Sargsian, parliament Speaker Karen Demirchian, and six other officials were killed in the attack on the National Assembly [http://www.aaainc.org/ArTW/article.php?articleID=468], the country experienced a period of political instability. President Robert Kocharian was successful in riding out the unrest, and currently rules with the support of the parliamentary coalition.

Administrative Provinces

Robert Kocharian Armenia is divided into 11 provinces (marzer, singular - marz): #Aragatsotn () #Ararat () #Armavir () #Geghark'unik' () #Kotayk' () #Lorri () #Shirak () #Syunik' () #Tavush () #Vayots' Dzor () #Yerevan ()

Geography

Yerevan Armenia is a landlocked country, lacking a seacoast or port. It is technically part of Asia, however as it also has much in common with Europe, it is sometimes claimed to fall within that continent. It is found between the Black and the Caspian Seas, bordered on the north and east by Georgia and Azerbaijan, and on the south and west by Iran 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 4,095 m above sea-level at Mount Aragats, and no point is below 400 m above sea level. Mount Ararat, regarded by the Armenians as a symbol of their land, is the highest mountain in the region and used to be part of Armenia until around 1915, when it fell to the Turks. Armenia is trying to address its environmental problems. It has established a Ministry of Nature Protection and introduced taxes for air and water pollution and solid waste disposal, whose revenues are used for environmental protection activities. Armenia is interested in cooperating with other members of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS, a group of 12 former Soviet republics) and with members of the international community on environmental issues. The Armenian Government is working toward closing its Nuclear Power Plant at Medzamor near Yerevan as soon as alternative energy sources are identified.

Economy

Until independence, Armenia's economy was largely industry-based – chemicals, electronics, machinery, processed food, synthetic rubber, and textile – and highly dependent on outside resources. Agriculture contributed only 20% of net material product and 10% of employment before the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991. Armenian mines produce copper, zinc, gold, and lead. The vast majority of energy is produced with fuel imported from Russia, including gas and nuclear fuel (for its one nuclear power plant); the main domestic energy source is hydroelectric. Small amounts of coal, gas, and petroleum have not yet been developed. Like other newly independent states of the former Soviet Union, Armenia's economy suffers from the legacy of a centrally planned economy and the breakdown of former Soviet trading patterns. Soviet investment in and support of Armenian industry has virtually disappeared, so that few major enterprises are still able to function. In addition, the effects of the 1988 Spitak Earthquake, which killed more than 25,000 people and made 500,000 homeless, are still being felt. The conflict with Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh has not been resolved. The closure of Azerbaijani and Turkish borders has devastated the economy, because Armenia depends on outside supplies of energy and most raw materials. Land routes through Georgia and Iran are inadequate or unreliable. GDP fell nearly 60% from 1989 until 1992–1993. The national currency, the dram, suffered hyperinflation for the first years after its introduction in 1993. Nevertheless, the government was able to make wide-ranging economic reforms that paid off in dramatically lower inflation and steady growth. The 1994 cease-fire in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict has also helped the economy. Armenia has had strong economic growth since 1995, building on the turnaround that began the previous year, and inflation has been negligible for the past several years. New sectors, such as precious stone processing and jewelry making, information and communication technology, and even tourism are beginning to supplement more traditional sectors in the economy, such as agriculture. This steady economic progress has earned Armenia increasing support from international institutions. The International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), and other international financial institutions (IFIs) and foreign countries are extending considerable grants and loans. Loans to Armenia since 1993 exceed $1.1 billion. These loans are targeted at reducing the budget deficit, stabilizing the currency; developing private businesses; energy; the agriculture, food processing, transportation, and health and education sectors; and ongoing rehabilitation in the earthquake zone. The government joined the World Trade Organization on February 5, 2003. But one of the main sources of foreign direct investments remains the Armenian diaspora, which finances major parts of the reconstruction of infrastructure and other public projects. Being a growing democratic state, Armenia also hopes to get more financial aid from the Western World. A liberal foreign investment law was approved in June 1994, and a Law on Privatization was adopted in 1997, as well as a program on state property privatization. Continued progress will depend on the ability of the government to strengthen its macroeconomic management, including increasing revenue collection, improving the investment climate, and making strides against corruption.

Demographics

Armenia has a population of 2,982,904 (July 2005 est.) and is the second most densely populated of the former Soviet republics. There is a serious problem of population decline, with widespread emigration increasing since the break-up of the USSR. A drastically reduced birth rate is not nearly sufficient to keep the population from dropping in the long term. Some observers estimate that as many as one-third of Armenia's population lives in Russia illegally, and that Armenia has no more than about two million residents. Some have observed that this could pose a threat if Azerbaijan, which has had a much less severe problem with demographic decline, seeks to regain its lost territories. Ethnic Armenians make up 97.9% of the population. Most of Azerbaijan's once sizable population have left since independence, and nearly all of the Armenians in Azerbaijan now live in Nagorno-Karabakh and the occupied territories. There is a large Armenian diaspora, with communities existing all over the world. Kurds make up 1.3%, and Russians 0.5%. There are smaller communities of Assyrians, Georgians, Greeks and Ukrainians. The predominant religion in Armenia is Christianity. The roots of the Armenian Church go back to the 3rd and 4th centuries. Armenia was the first nation to adopt Christianity as a state religion, in AD 301. Over 95% of Armenian Christians belong to the Armenian Apostolic Church, a form of Oriental (Non-Chalcedonian) Orthodoxy, which is a very ritualistic, conservative church, roughly comparable to the Coptic and Syrian churches. Armenia also has a population of evangelical Protestants, Catholics and followers of the Armenian traditional religion. The Yazidi Kurds, who live in the western part of the country, practise Yazidism. The Armenian Catholic Church is headquartered in Bzoummar, Lebanon. Ethnic Azeris and Kurds who lived in the country before the Karabakh conflict practised Islam, but most Azeris were driven out of Armenia into Azerbaijan between 1988 and 1991 at the beginning of the conflict. During the same period, Armenia also received a large influx of Armenians scattered throughout Azerbaijan.

Culture

1991, here seen from Yerevan, is the national symbol of Armenia.]] 1991 Armenians have their own highly distinctive alphabet and language. 96% of the people in the country speak Armenian, while 75.8% of the population speaks Russian as well. The adult literacy rate in Armenia is 99% [http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/am.html]. Most adults in Yerevan can communicate in Russian, while English is increasing in popularity. Caucasian hospitality is legendary and stems from ancient tradition. Social gatherings focused around sumptuous presentations of course after course of elaborately prepared, well-seasoned (but not spicy-hot) food. The host or hostess will often put morsels on a guest's plate whenever it is empty or fill his or her glass when it gets low. After a helping or two it is acceptable to refuse politely or, more simply, just leave a little uneaten food. The National Art Gallery in Yerevan has more than 16,000 works that date back to the Middle Ages. It houses paintings by many European masters. The Modern Art Museum, the Children’s Picture Gallery, and the Martiros Saryan Museum are only a few of the other noteworthy collections of fine art on display in Yerevan. Moreover, many private galleries are in operation, with many more opening each year. They feature rotating exhibitions and sales. The world-class Armenian Philharmonic Orchestra performs at the beautifully refurbished city Opera House, where you can also attend a full season of opera. In addition, several chamber ensembles are highly regarded for their musicianship, including the National Chamber Orchestra of Armenia and the Serenade Orchestra. Classical music can also be heard at one of several smaller venues, including the State Music Conservatory and the Chamber Orchestra Hall. Jazz is popular, especially in the summer when live performances are a regular occurrence at one of the city’s many outdoor cafes. Yerevan’s Vernisage (arts and crafts market), close to Republic Square, bustles with hundreds of vendors selling a variety of crafts, many of superb workmanship, on weekends and Wednesdays (though the selection is much reduced mid-week). The market offers woodcarving, antiques, fine lace, and the hand-knotted wool carpets and kilims that are a Caucasus specialty. Obsidian, which is found locally, is crafted into an amazing assortment of jewelry and ornamental objects. Armenian gold smithery enjoys a long and distinguished tradition, populating one corner of the market with a selection of gold items. Soviet relics and souvenirs of recent Russian manufacture—nesting dolls, watches, enamel boxes and so on, are also available at the Vernisage. Across from the Opera House, a popular art market fills another city park on the weekends. Armenia’s long history as a crossroads of the ancient world has resulted in a landscape with innumerable fascinating archaeological sites to explore. Medieval, Iron Age, Bronze Age and even Stone Age sites are all within a few hours drive from the city. All but the most spectacular remain virtually undiscovered, allowing visitors to view churches and fortresses in their original settings. The American University of Armenia has graduate programs in Business and Law, among others. The institution owes its existence to the combined efforts of the Government of Armenia, the Armenian General Benevolent Union, USAID, and the Boalt Hall School of Law at the University of California at Berkeley. The extension programs and the library at AUA form a new focal point for English-language intellectual life in the city. Many of the country’s most successful young entrepreneurs are graduates of this institution.

Miscellaneous topics

- Communications in Armenia
- Foreign relations of Armenia
- Military of Armenia
- Transportation in Armenia

External links and references

- [http://www.armenica.org Armenica.org: History of Armenia]
- [http://www.ArmeniaNow.com Armenia Now, edited by John Hughes]
- [http://www.theforgotten.org The Armenian Genocide in English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Turkish, Russian]
- [http://www.twentyvoices.com Life stories of twenty survivors of the Armenian Genocide]
- [http://www.genocide.ru The Armenian Genocide in Russian]
- [http://www.circle.am circle.am statistic of internet resources about Armenia]
- [http://www.hayastan.com Most visited (22million since 3 years) Armenian portal in Internet , with news and discussion board, armenian-english online translator etc](Armenian,Russian,English)
- [http://www.armeniapedia.org Armeniapedia.org - the Armenian Wiki]
- [http://hayastan.republika.pl/armenia.htm Site about Armenia. There is a general information about Armenia, mount Ararat (Masis), photogallery, etc.](Armenian, English, Polish)
- [http://www.armgate.com/ Armenian News and pictures of Churches and Ararat Mountain]
- [http://www.armeniasearch.com/ Armenian Search Engine and Directory]
- [http://www.armenianhouse.org Armenian literature and history]
- [http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/am.html CIA - The World Factbook -- Armenia]
- [http://www.gov.am/enversion/index.html Government of Armenia]
- [http://www.armeniachat.com Armenia Chat]
- [http://www.loc.gov/rr/international/amed/armenia/armenia.html Library of Congress Portals on the World - Armenia]
- [http://www.caucaz.com/home_uk Caucaz.com : Weekly online publishing articles and reports about Armenia and South Caucasus. Available in English and French]
- [http://www.atlas-of-conflicts.com/areas/armenia-and-karabakh/ Atlas of Conflicts: Historical Maps of Armenia]
- [http://www.groong.org Armenian News Network - Groong]
- [http://www.haias.net Virtual Armenia] (English, Deutsch)
- [http://www.armeniainfo.am Armenia information] Category:Caucasus Category:CIS Category:Southwest Asian countries Category:Landlocked countries zh-min-nan:Hayastan ko:아르메니아 ms:Armenia ja:アルメニア simple:Armenia th:ประเทศอาร์เมเนีย

Georgia (country)

Georgia (Georgian: საქართველო Sakartvelo), known from 1990 to 1995 as the Republic of Georgia, is a country to the east of the Black Sea, most of which is located in the South Caucasus, while a portion of the territory lies in the North Caucasus. A former republic of the Soviet Union, it shares borders with Russia in the north and Turkey, Armenia, and Azerbaijan in the south.
History
Two Georgian Kingdoms of late antiquity, Iberia in the east of the country and Egrisi in the west, were among the first nations in the region to adopt Christianity (In 317 AD and 523 AD, respectively). Egrisi often saw battles between rivals Persia and the Byzantine Empire, both of which managed to conquer Western Georgia from time to time. As a result, those Kingdoms were disintegrated into various feudal regions in the early Middle Ages. This made it easy for Arabs to conquer Georgia in the 7th century. The rebellious regions were liberated and united into the Georgian Kingdom at the beginning of the 11th century. Starting in the 12th century the rule of Georgia extended over the significant part of Southern Caucasus, including northeastern parts and almost entire northern coast of what is now Turkey. This Georgian Kingdom, which was tolerant towards its Muslim and Jewish subjects despite the Kingdom's deeply Christian character, was subordinated by the Mongols in the 13th century. Thereafter, different local rulers fought for their independence from the central Georgian rule, until the total disintegration of the Kingdom in the 15th century. Neighbouring kingdoms exploited the situation and from the 16th century the Persian Empire and the Ottoman Empire subordinated the eastern and western regions of Georgia, respectively. The rulers of regions, which remained partly autonomous, organised rebellions on various occasions. Subsequent Persian and Turkish invasions further weakened local kingdoms and regions. As a result of wars against the Islamic countries the population of Georgia was reduced to 250 000 inhabitants. In 1783 Russia and the eastern Georgian kingdom of Kartl-Kakheti signed the Treaty of Georgievsk, according to which Kartl-Kakheti received protection by Russia. This, however, did not prevent Tbilisi to be sacked by the Persians in 1795. 1795] On December 22, 1800, the Russian emperor Paul I, after the death of the Georgian king George XII of Kartl-Kakheti, signed the Proclamation of the unification of Georgia (Kartl-Kakheti) with Russia. The Proclamation was announced on January 18, 1801, and was generally loyally met by most of the nobles. However, the colonial rule caused several rebellions in the years that followed the annexatiion. In 1810, after a brief war, the western Georgian kingdom of Imereti was annexed by the Russian tsar Alexander I. The last Imeretian king and the last Georgian Bagratid ruler Solomon II died in exile in 1815. From 1803 to 1878, as a result of numerous Russian wars against Turkey and Iran, several territories were annexed to Georgia. These areas (Batumi, Artvin, Akhaltsikhe, Poti, and Abkhazia) now represent the majority of the territory of Georgia. Abkhazia The principality of Guria was abolished in 1828, and that of Samegrelo (Mingrelia) in 1857. The region of Svaneti was gradually annexed in 1857-1859. After the Russian Revolution of 1917 Georgia declared independence on May 26, 1918 in the midst of the Russian Civil War. The parliamentary election was won by the Georgian Social-Democratic Party and its leader, Noe Zhordania, became the prime minister. The country's independence did not last long, however. In February 1921 Georgia was attacked by the Red Army. Georgian troops lost the battle and the Social-Democrat government fled the country. On February 25 1921 the Red Army entered the capital Tbilisi and installed a puppet communist government led by Georgian Bolshevik Filipp Makharadze. Georgia was incorporated into a Transcaucasian Federative Soviet Socialist Republic uniting Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan. The TFSSR was disaggregated into its component elements in 1936 and Georgia became the Georgian SSR. Georgian SSR The Georgian-born radical Ioseb Jughashvili was prominent among the Russian Bolsheviks, who came to power in the Russian Empire after the October Revolution in 1917. Jughashvili was better known by his nom de guerre Stalin (from the Russian word for steel: сталь). Stalin was to rise to the highest position of the Soviet state and to rule ruthlessly. From 1941 to 1945, during the Second World War, almost 700,000 Georgians fought as Red Army soldiers against Nazi Germany. About 350,000 of them died in the battlefields of the eastern front. Also during this period the Chechen, Ingush, Karachay and the Balkarian peoples from the Northern Caucasus, were deported to Siberia for alleged collaboration with the Nazis. With their respective autonomous republics abolished, the Georgian SSR was briefly granted some of their territory, until 1957. 1957]] During the Perestroika reforms of the late 1980s, of which one of the main architects was the USSR's Georgian minister for foreign affairs, Eduard Shevardnadze, Georgia developed a vigorous multiparty system that strongly favoured independence. The country staged the first democratic, multiparty parliamentary elections in the Soviet Union on October 28, 1990. From November 1990 to March 1991, one of the leaders of the National Liberation movement, Dr. Zviad Gamsakhurdia (1939-1993), was the Chairman of the Supreme Council of the Republic of Georgia (the Georgian parliament). On April 9, 1991, shortly before the collapse of the USSR, Georgia declared independence. On May 26, 1991 Zviad Gamsakhurdia was elected as a first President of independent Georgia. However, Gamsakhurdia was deposed in a bloody coup d'etat, from December 22, 1991 to January 6, 1992. The coup was instigated by part of the National Guards and a paramilitary organization called "Mkhedrioni" which allegedly was supported by Russian military units stationed in Tbilisi. The country became embroiled in a bitter civil war which lasted almost until 1995. Shevardnadze returned to Georgia in 1992 and joined the leaders of the coup — Kitovani and Ioseliani — to head a triumvirate called the “State Council”. In 1995 Shevardnadze was officially elected as a president of Georgia. At the same time, two regions of Georgia, Abkhazia and South Ossetia, quickly became embroiled in disputes with local separatists that led to widespread inter-ethnic violence and wars. Supported by Russia, Abkhazia and South Ossetia have achieved and maitained de facto independence from Georgia. More than 250,000 Georgians have been ethnically cleansed from Abkhazia by Abkhaz separatists and Russian volunteers. More than 25,000 Georgians were expelled from Tskhinvali as well, and many Ossetian families were forced to abandon their homes in the Borjomi region and move to Russia. Abkhazian authorities have accused Georgian troops of conducting ethnic cleansing in the territory and in the Republic at large. In 2003 Shevardnadze himself was deposed in a bloodless coup, known as “Rose Revolution”, led by Mikheil Saakashvili, Zurab Zhvania and Nino Burjanadze, the former members and leaders of his ruling party. Saakashvili was elected as a president of Georgia in 2004. Restoring Georgia's territorial integrity, reversing the effects of ethnic cleansing and returning refugees to their home places were the main pre-election promises of Saakashvili's government. Following the Rose Revolution, the series of reforms were launched to strengthen the country's military and economic capabilities. The new governmwent's efforts to reassert the Georgian authority in the southwestern autonomous republic of Ajaria led to a major crisis early in 2004. Success in Ajaria encouraged Saakashvili to intensify his efforts, but without complete success, in the breakaway South Ossetia. Recently the current government has become the object of criticism of several national and international human rights organizations, such as Amnesty International, British Helsinki Human Right Group (BHHRG) and etc. Those organizations have become increasingly concerned about the pressure on the judiciary by the procuracy and other government authorities. There also have been some concerns about the freedom of the media. Despite the obvious impropriety involved in all this, Western commentators lauded the new government for taking bold measures in the fight against corruption, and Saakashvili still enjoys significant support within the country.
Politics
:See also Foreign relations of Georgia Following a crisis involving allegations of ballot fraud in the 2003 parliamentary elections, Eduard Shevardnadze resigned as president on November 23, 2003 in the bloodless Rose Revolution. The interim president was the speaker of the outgoing parliament (whose replacement was annulled), Nino Burjanadze. On January 4, 2004 Mikhail Saakashvili, leader of the National Movement - Democrats (NMD) (former United National Movement) won the country's presidential election and was inaugurated on January 25. Fresh parliamentary elections were held on March 28 where NMD secured the vast majority of the seats (with ca. 75% of the votes) with only one other party reaching the 7% threshold (the Rightist Opposition with ca. 7.5%). The vote is believed to have been one of the freest ever held in independent Georgia although an upsurge of tension between the central government and the Ajarian leader Aslan Abashidze affected the elections in this region. The tension between the Georgian government and that of Ajaria grew increasingly after the elections until late April. Climaxing on May 1 when Abashidze responded to military maneuvers held by Georgia near the region with having the three bridges connecting Ajaria and the rest of Georgia over the Choloki River blown up. On May 5, Abashidze was forced to flee Georgia as mass demonstrations in Batumi called for his resignation and Russia increased their pressure by deploying Security Council secretary Igor Ivanov. On February 3 2005, Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania died of carbon monoxide poisoning in an apparent gas leak at the home of Raul Usupov, deputy governor of Kvemo Kartli region. Later, Zhvania's close friend and a long-time ally, Finance Minister Zurab Nogaideli has been appointed for the post by President Saakashvili.
Subdivisions
Georgia is divided into 53 provinces, 11 cities, 2 autonomous republics and 1 former autonomous district. Autonomous republics: Abkhazia, Ajaria. The status of the former autonomous administrative district, South Ossetia aka Samachablo, has being negotiated with the Russian supported separatist government there.
Cities: Batumi, Chiatura, Gagra, Gori, Kutaisi, Poti, Rustavi, Sokhumi, Tbilisi, Tkibuli, Tskaltubo, Tskhinvali
Districts: Abasha, Adigeni, Akhalgora, Akhaltsikhe, Akhmeta, Ambrolauri, Aspindza, Baghdati, Bolnisi, Borjomi, Chkhorotsku, Chokhatauri, Dedoplistskaro, Dmanisi, Dusheti, Gardabani, Gurjaani, Java, Kareli, Kaspi, Kharagauli, Khashuri, Khobi, Khoni, Lagodekhi, Lanchkhuti, Lentekhi, Marneuli, Martvili, Mestia, Mtskheta, Ninotsminda, Oni, Ozurgeti, Kazbegi, Kvareli, Sachkhere, Sagarejo, Samtredia, Senaki, Sighnaghi,Telavi, Terjola, Tetritskaro, Tianeti, Tsageri, Tsalenjikha, Tsalka, Vani, Zestaponi, Zugdidi
- ISO 3166-2 codes for regions and autonomous republics of Georgia
Origin of the name
Georgians call themselves Kartvelebi (ქართველები), their land Sakartvelo (საქართველო), and their language Kartuli (ქართული). These names are derived from a pagan chief called Kartlos, said to be the father of all Georgians. The foreign name Georgia, used throughout the world, is derived from Persian گرجی Gurji via the Arabic Jurj. Because the spelling was influenced by the Greek root geōrg- (γεωργ-, indicating farming; see also List of traditional Greek place names), the word has been mistakenly supposed to have come from a cognate such as St. George (the country's patron saint), or γεωργία (geōrgía, farming). St. George The ancient world knew the inhabitants of eastern Georgia as Iberians, from the Caucasian kingdom of Iberia — thus confusing the geographers of antiquity, who thought this name applied only to the inhabitants of the Iberian Peninsula (Spain, Portugal, Andorra and Gibraltar). Gurj, the Persian designation for the Georgians, is also the source of Turkish Gürcü (pronounced "Gürdjü") and Russian Грузин Gruzin. The name of the country is Gurjestan in Persian, Gürcistan in Turkish, and Грузия Gruziya in Russian. The Persian name is probably related to the Armenian words for Georgian and Georgia, respectively Vir and Virq. (There are other instances in which a Persian word-initial gu- is derived from an earlier wi- or wa-). Thus, both the Persian and the Armenian words appear to be related to the name Iberia, with loss of the initial i- and substitution of w or v for the b of Iberia. There is also, in all likelihood, an etymological connection between the name Iberia and the historic province of Georgia called Imereti.
Former symbols
Imereti Imereti This flag was in use from 1991 to January 25, 2004. It was previously used from 1918 to 1921. For more information, see Flag of Georgia (country). This coat of arms was used from 1918 to 1921 and from 1991 to 2004.
Geography
In the north, Georgia has a 723km common border with Russia, specifically with the Northern Caucasus federal district. The following Russian republics/subdivisions - from west to east - border Georgia: Krasnodar Krai, Karachay-Cherkessia, Kabardino-Balkaria, North Ossetia-Alania, Ingushetia, Chechnya, Dagestan. Georgia also shares borders with Azerbaijan (322 km.) to the south-east, Armenia (164 km.) to the south, and Turkey (252 km.) to the south-west. Turkey] Mountains are the dominant geographic feature of Georgia. The Likhi Range divides the country into eastern and western halves. Historically, the western portion of Georgia was known as Colchis while the eastern plateau was called Iberia. Due to a complex geographic setting, mountains also isolate the northern region of Svaneti from the rest of Georgia. The Greater Caucasus Mountain Range separates Georgia from the North Caucasian Republics of the Russian Federation. The southern portion of the country is bounded by the Lesser Caucasus Mountains. The main Caucasus Range is much higher in elevation than the Lesser Caucasus Mountains, with the highest peaks rising more than 5,000 meters (16,400ft.) above sea level. The highest mountain in Georgia is Mount Shkhara at 5,201 meters (17,059 feet), and the second highest is Mount Kazbegi (Kazbek) at 5,047 meters (16,554 feet). Other prominent peaks include Tetnuldi (4,974m./16,319ft.), Shota Rustaveli (4,960m./16,273ft.), Mt. Ushba (4,710m./15,453ft.), and Ailama (4,525m./14,842ft.). Out of the abovementioned peaks, only Kazbegi is of volcanic origin. The region between Kazbegi and Shkhara (a distance of about 200 km. along the Main Caucasus Range) is dominated by numerous glaciers. The Lesser Caucasus Mountains are made up of various, interconnected mountain ranges (largely of volcanic origin) that do not exceed 3,400 meters (approximately 11,000 feet). Prominent features of the area include the Javakheti Volcanic Plateau, numerous lakes, including Tabatskuri and Paravani, as well as mineral water and hot springs. Major rivers in Georgia include the Rioni and the Mtkvari. Main cities:
- Tbilisi 1,066,100 (metro area 1,270,800)
- Kutaisi 183,300
- Batumi 116,900 Map of Georgia (the country in the Caucasus)
Landscape
Map of Georgia (the country in the Caucasus) The landscape within the nation's boundaries is quite varied. Western Georgia's landscape ranges from low-land marsh-forests, swamps, and temperate rainforests to eternal snows and glaciers, while the eastern part of the country even contains a small segment of semi-arid plains characteristic of Central Asia. Forests cover around 40% of Georgia's territory while the alpine/sub-alpine zone accounts for roughly around 10% of the land. Much of the natural habitat in the low-lying areas of Western Georgia has disappeared over the last 100 years due to the agricultural development of the land and urbanization. The large majority of the forests that covered the Colchis plain are now virtually non-existent with the exception of the regions that are included in the national parks and reserves (i.e. Paleostomi Lake area). At present, the forest cover generally remains outside of the low-lying areas and is mainly located along the foothills and the mountains. Western Georgia's forests consist mainly of decidious trees below 600 meters (1,968 ft.) above sea level and comprise of species such as oak, hornbeam, beech, elm, ash, and chestnut. Evergreen species such as box may also be found in many areas. There are significant concentrations of endemic species of plants as well. The west-central slopes of the Meskheti Range in Ajaria as well as several regions in Samegrelo and Abkhazia are covered by temperate rainforests. Between 600-1,500 meters (1,968-4,920 ft.) above sea level, the decidious forest becomes mixed with both broad-leaf and coniferous species making up the plant life. The zone is made up mainly of beech, spruce, and fir forests. From 1,500-1,800 meters (4,920-5,904 ft.), the forest becomes largely coniferous. The tree line generally ends at around 1,800 meters (5,904 ft.) and the alpine zone takes over, which in most areas, extends up to an elevation of 3,000 meters (9,840 ft.) above sea level. The eternal snow and glacier zone lies above the 3,000 meter line. glacier] Eastern Georgia's landscape (referring to the territory east of the Likhi Range) is considerably different from that of the west. Although, much like the Colchis plain in the west, nearly all of the low-lying areas of eastern Georgia including the Mtkvari and Alazani River plains have been deforested for agricultural purposes. In addition, due to the region's relatively drier climate, some of the low-lying plains (especially in Kartli and south-eastern Kakheti) were never covered by forests in the first place. The general landscape of eastern Georgia comprises numerous valleys and gorges that are separated by mountains. In contrast with western Georgia, nearly 85% of the forests of the region are deciduous. Coniferous forests only dominate in the Borjomi Gorge and in the extreme western areas. Out of the deciduous species of trees, beech, oak, and hornbeam dominate. Other decidious species include several varieties of maple, aspen, ash, and hazelnut. In the upper Alazani River Valley, there are yew forests as well. At higher elevations above 1,000 meters (3,280 ft.) above sea level (particularly in the Tusheti, Khevsureti, and Khevi regions), pine and birch forests dominate. In general, the forests in eastern Georgia occur between 500-2,000 (1,640-6,560 ft.) meters above sea level, with the alpine zone extending from 2,000/2,200-3,000/3,500 meters (roughly about 6,560-11,480 ft.). The only remaining large, low-land forests remain in the Alazani Valley of Kakheti. The eternal snow and glacier zone lies above the 3,500 metre (11,480 ft.) line in most areas of eastern Georgia.
Climate
The climate of Georgia is extremely diverse, considering the nation's small size. There are two main climatic zones, roughly separating Eastern and Western parts of the country. The Greater Caucasus Mountain Range plays an important role in moderating Georgia's climate and protects the nation from the penetration of colder air masses from the north. The Lesser Caucasus Mountains partially protect the region from the influence of dry and hot air masses from the south as well. Much of western Georgia lies within the humid subtropical zone with annual precipitation ranging from 1000-4000mm. (39-157inches). The precipitation tends to be uniformly distributed throughout the year, although the rainfall can be particularly heavy during the Autumn months. The climate of the region varies significantly with elevation and while much of the lowland areas of western Georgia are relatively warm throughout the year, the foothills and mountainous areas (including both the Greater and Lesser Caucasus Mountains) experience cool, wet summers and snowy winters (snow cover often exceeds 2 meters in many regions). Ajaria is the wettest region of the Caucasus, where the Mt. Mtirala rainforest, east of Kobuleti receives around 4100mm (161 inches) of precipitation per year. Eastern Georgia has a transitional climate from humid subtropical to continental. The region's weather patterns are influenced both by dry, Central Asian/Caspian air masses from the east and humid, Black Sea air masses from the west. The penetration of humid air masses from the Black Sea is often blocked by several mountain ranges (Likhi and Meskheti) that separate the eastern and western parts of the nation. Annual precipitation is considerably less than that of western Georgia and ranges from 400-1600mm. (16-63inches). The wettest periods generally occur during Spring and Autumn while Winter and the Summer months tend to be the driest. Much of eastern Georgia experiences hot summers (especially in the low-lying areas) and relatively cold winters. As in the western parts of the nation, elevation plays an important role in eastern Georgia as well, and climatic conditions above 1500 meters (4920ft.) above sea level are considerably cooler (even colder) than those of the low-lyinig areas. The regions that lie above 2000 meters (6560ft.) above sea level frequently experience frost even during the summer months.
Economy
Georgia's economy has traditionally revolved around Black Sea tourism, cultivation of citrus fruits, tea and grapes; mining of manganese and copper; and output of a small industrial sector producing wine, metals, machinery, chemicals, and textiles. The country imports the bulk of its energy needs, including natural gas and oil products. Its only sizable internal energy resource is hydropower. Despite the severe damage the economy has suffered due to civil strife, Georgia, with the help of the IMF and World Bank, made substantial economic gains since 1995, increasing GDP growth and slashing inflation. The Georgian economy continues to experience large budget deficits due to a failure to collect tax revenues. Georgia also still suffers from energy shortages; it privatized the distribution network in 1998, and deliveries are steadily improving. Georgia is pinning its hopes for long-term recovery on the development of an international transportation corridor through the key Black Sea ports of P'ot'i and Batumi. The growing trade deficit, continuing problems with tax evasion and corruption, and political uncertainties cloud the short-term economic picture. However, revived investment could spur higher economic growth in 2000, perhaps up to 6%.
Demographics
Georgia's current population is 4,677,401 (July 2005 est.), with ethnic Georgians forming a majority of about 83.8%. Azerbaijanis form 6.5% of the population, Armenians 5.7% and Russians 1.5% (most Russians have emigrated since Georgia declared its independence). The Abkhazians in Abkhazia and the Ossetes in South Ossetia (and across the border in North Ossetia) have tried to secede from Georgia since independence. Two other Kartvelian peoples live in Georgia: the Svan and the Mingrelians, with smaller numbers of the Laz people, most of whom live in Turkey. There are numerous smaller groups in the country, including Assyrians, Greeks, Kurds, Tatars, Turks and Ukrainians. Since the fall of the Soviet Union, Georgia has suffered a serious population collapse as the rebellion in Abkhazia, the strife in Ajaria and South Ossetia, a fragile economy, and bad job opportunities led hundreds of thousands of Georgians to emigrate in search of work, especially to Russia. That problem is exacerbated by a very low birthrate among the remaining population. A similar problem exists in neighboring Armenia. The population is currently estimated to be a full million less than it was back in 1990, and some observers suggest the actual number is even lower.
Culture
See also Georgian language, Georgian alphabet, Music of Georgia, Public holidays in Georgia
Miscellaneous topics

- Communications in Georgia
- Georgian Academy of Sciences
- Georgian Catholic Church
- Georgian National Section of EUROSCIENCE
- Georgian Orthodox and Apostolic Church
- Georgian people
- Georgia national football team
- Georgia national rugby union team (nicknamed Lelos)
- Georgia national rugby league team
- List of Georgians
- List of Georgian writers
- Military of Georgia
- Religion and religious freedom in Georgia
- Sak'art'velos Skauturi Modzraobis Organizatsia
- Tbilisi State University
- Transportation in Georgia
Further Reading

- The Abkhazians: A Handbook (Peoples of the Caucasus Handbooks) George Hewitt
- Bradt Guide: Georgia Tim Burford
- Claws of the Crab: Georgia and Armenia in Crisis Stephen Brook
- Enough!: The Rose Revolution In The Republic Of Georgia 2003 Zurab Karumidze and James V. Wertshtor
- Georgia: A Soverign Country in the Caucasus Roger Rosen
- Georgia in Antiquity: A History of Colchis and Transcaucasian Iberia 550 BC-AD 562 Braund, David, 1994. Clarendon Press, Oxford. ISBN 0-19-814473-3
- Georgia: In the Mountains of Poetry Peter Nasmyth
- Please Don't Call It Soviet Georgia: A Journey Through a Troubled Paradise Mary Russell
- The Georgian Feast: The Vibrant Culture and Savory Food of the Republic of Georgia Darra Goldstein
- Lonely Planet World Guide: Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan
- Stories I Stole Wendell Steavenson
- The Making of the Georgian Nation Ronald Grigor Suny
- Toward a Patriarchal Republic: The Secession of Georgia Michael P. Johnson
External links

- [http://www.nplg.gov.ge/ic/library_e/gabeskiria/ GEORGIAN HISTORY from the National Parliamentary Library of Georgia]
- [http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/gg.html CIA World Factbook]
- [http://www.president.gov.ge/ Official Presidential site of Georgia]
- [http://www.parliament.ge Parliament of Georgia]
- [http://www.mfa.gov.ge/english Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia]
- [http://www.kartuli.com/site Read about Georgian History, Arts, Find Georgian Music and meet new and old Georgian friends on the largest Georgian website / portal on the web]
- [http://www.tourism.gov.ge/ Tourism.Gov.Ge] - Department of tourism and resorts
- [http://www.visitgeorgia.ge/English/Information/General_information.htm Visit Georgia tourist agency country information]
- [http://www.polosbastards.com/artman/publish/Georgia.shtml Georgia in Pictures]
- [http://www.tedsnet.de Tedsnet.de - Fotos, Geografie, Maps, Culture]
- [http://www.world-gazetteer.com/s/p_ge.htm Map of cities]
- [http://www.powertripthemovie.com/index2.html Documentary film about efforts to modernize electrical grid]
- http://www.marxist.com/Asia/georgia_letter.html - A student's report on the 2003 revolution
- [http://www.eurasianet.org/resource/georgia/index.shtml Georgia resource page on Eurasianet]
- [http://rustaveli.tripod.com/cgi-bin/geoiran.htm History of Georgian-Iranian relationship]
- [http://www.caucaz.com/home_uk Caucaz.com : Weekly online publishing articles and reports about Georgia and South Caucasus. Available in English and French]
- [http://www.geocities.com/levan_urushadze_98/Georgia.html "Kartuli Idea - The Georgian Idea"]
- [http://www.iaphs.org/articles/urushadze.html "The Bagrationi Royal Dynasty of Georgia" by Dr. Levan Z. Urushadze.- Issued by the International Academy for the Promotion of Historical Studies (IAPHS), 2005]
- [http://www.geotc.net/ Welcome to Georgia. Georgian Culture, icons. Regions,resorts. Tbilisi]
- [http://photo.hit.ge/forum/index.php?act=module&module=gallery&cmd=sc&cat=11 Georgian Historical Monuments Gallery]
- [http://internet.ge Georgian Search Engine]
- [http://www.eurasianet.org/georgia/index.html Page concerning the regional impacts of the 2003 Rose revolution] (flash player 7 required) Category:Caucasus Category:Southwest Asian countries Category:European countries Category:Black Sea countries Category:Bicontinental countries zh-min-nan:Sakartvelo ko:그루지야 ms:Georgia ja:グルジア simple:Georgia (country) th:ประเทศจอร์เจีย

Vanadzor

Vanadzor (Armenian: Վանաձոր) — previously known under the Turkish name Karakilisa, meaning "black church," and later named Kirovakan — is a city in northern Armenia. It has a population of 93,600. The city is considered to be one of the most picturesque in the entire country, having beautiful summer homes or dachas. It is twinned with the city of Pasadena, California. Category:Cities and towns in Armenia

UNESCO

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, commonly known as UNESCO, is a specialized agency of the United Nations system established in 1945. Its main objective is to contribute to peace and security by promoting collaboration among the nations through education, science and culture in order to further universal respect for justice, for the rule of law and for the human rights and fundamental freedoms (Article 1 of the UNESCO Constitution). 191 nations belong to UNESCO. The Organization is headquartered in Paris, France, with over 50 field offices and several institutes and centres throughout the world. UNESCO pursues its action through five major programmes: education, natural sciences, social and human sciences, culture and communication and information. Projects sponsored by UNESCO include literacy, technical, and teacher-training programmes; international science programmes; regional and cultural history projects, the promotion of cultural diversity; international cooperation agreements to secure the world cultural and natural heritage and to preserve human rights; and attempts to ameliorate the worldwide digital divide. UNESCO has at times been highly controversial. During the 1970s and 1980s, Western countries, especially the United States and the United Kingdom, believed it was being used as a forum for Communist and Third World countries to attack the West. UNESCO developed a plan called the "New World Information Order", to stop alleged lies and misinformation being spread about developing countries. The West rejected it as an attempt by Third World and Communist states to destroy freedom of the press; the United States withdrew from the organization in protest in 1984, and the United Kingdom withdrew in 1985. (The UK rejoined in 1997, and the US rejoined in 2003.) UNESCO has also been criticized by some for its large and ponderous bureaucracy. The organization's reforms included the following measures: the number of divisions in UNESCO was cut in half, allowing a corresponding halving of the number of Directors -- from 200 to under 100, out of a total staff of approximately 2,000 worldwide. At the same time, the number of field units was cut from a 1999 high of 79 to 52 today. Parallel management structures, including 35 Cabinet-level special advisor positions, were abolished. 209 negotiated staff departures and buy-outs took place from 1999-2003, causing the inherited $10 million staff cost deficit to disappear. The staff pyramid, which was the most top-heavy in the UN system, was cut back as the number of high-level posts was halved and the “inflation” of posts was reversed through down-grading many positions. Open competitive recruitment, results-based appraisal of staff, training of all managers and field rotation were instituted, as well as SAP systems for transparency in results-based programming and budgeting. One of UNESCO's missions is to maintain a list of World Heritage Sites. These sites are important natural or historical sites whose preservation and safe keeping are deemed important for the world community. However UNESCO does not get involved with the preservation of the site. UNESCO also maintains the list of Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity, and since 1997, the Memory of the World International Register. In 2005 it awarded its first Sergei Eisenstein Medal for merit in cinematographic art. UNESCO was also responsible for the founding of OANA, the Organization of Asia-Pacific News Agencies. It provides funding to the International Council of Science. UNESCO is represented by UNESCO Goodwill Ambassadors. UNESCO is entrusted to coordinate the activities of the International Decade for the Promotion of a Culture of Peace and Non-Violence for the Children of the World (2001-2010) proclaimed by UN in 1998. Every year, UNESCO promotes freedom of expression and freedom of the press as a basic human right by marking World Press Freedom Day on May 3. The event is held to remember, celebrate and emphasize the importance of press freedom as a crucial ingredient of any healthy, democratic and free society. In 1998, UNESCO began supporting free software (software that gives users freedom to modify and redistribute it). Most notably, UNESCO part-financed the building of the Free Software Directory. The remainder was financed by Free Software Foundation.

Directors General of UNESCO

# Julian Huxley, United Kingdom (1946–1948) # Jaime Torres Bodet, Mexico (1948–1952) # John Wilkinson Taylor, United States (acting 1952–1953) # Luther Evans, United States (1953–1958) # Vittotino Veronese, Italy (1958–1961) # René Maheu, France (1961–1974; acting 1962) # Amadou-Mahtar M'Bow, Senegal (1974–1987) # Federico Mayor, Spain (1987–1999) # Koïchiro Matsuura, Japan (1999–present)

External links

- [http://www.unesco.org/ Official UNESCO website]
- [http://www.unesco.org/dg UNESCO's Reforms at a Glance]
- [http://portal.unesco.org/en/ev.php-URL_ID=3657&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html Directors-General of UNESCO]
- [http://www.unesco.org/whc/ World Heritage website]
- [http://portal.unesco.org/ci/en/ev.php-URL_ID=2493&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html UNESCO - Division of Freedom of Expression] Category:Educational organizations Category:Scientific organizations
- Category:United Nations specialized agencies Category:United Nations zh-min-nan:Unesco ko:유네스코 ja:国際連合教育科学文化機関 simple:United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization th:องค์การศึกษา วิทยาศาสตร์ และวัฒนธรรมแห่งสหประชาชาติ [[Image:Link title]]

Haghpat

Haghpat ("Հաղպատ" in Armenian) is a village in the Northern Lorri province of Armenia, close to the city of Alaverdi and the state border with Georgia. It is notable for its Haghpatavank (Հաղպատավանք) monastery complex, founded in the 10^th century and included in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites list. The monastery complex belongs to the Armenian Apostolic Church, with numerous khachkars (stones with elaborate engravings representing a cross) and bishop gravesites scattered throughout the complex. The compex itself represents an outstanding and magnificent example of medieval Armenian architecture. It has been attracting increasing numbers of tourists, as numerous Armenian tour agencies have started including Haghpat in their itineraries. The village itself receives little benefit from tourists and remains impoverished, with the majority of its residents keeping livestock and growing vegetables for food. Some residents are able to find work in the city of Alaverdi, about 10 km from Haghpat, while others gather berries (mainly blackberries and Cornelian cherry dogwood) from the nearby forests and sell them. Water is gathered from the numerous mountain springs, which are scattered in abundance throughout the area. The village lies on a dissected plateau formation, a large flat area dissected by deep "cracks" formed by rivers, including the river Debed. The villages of Sanahin and Akner, as well as a part of Alaverdi, lie in plain view on neighbouring sections of the plateau, however a steep and long descent to and ascent from the river is required to travel to them.

External links:

- [http://www.cilicia.com/armo5_haghpat.html Cilicia.com entry on Haghpat]
- [http://whc.unesco.org/pg.cfm?cid=31&id_site=777 UNESCO entry on Haghpat and Sanahin] - See "Advisory Body Evaluation" for detailed history. Category:Cities and towns in Armenia Category:Tourist attractions in Armenia Category:World Heritage Sites in Armenia

Sanahin

Sanahin ("Սանահին" in Armenian)is a village in the Northern Lorri province of Armenia, now considered part of the city of Alaverdi (the cable car that connects it with the Alaverdi centre is supposed to have the steepest climb in the whole former USSR). The village is notable for its monastery complex, founded in the 10^th century and listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The name Sanahin literally translates from Armenian as "this one is older than that one", presumably representing a claim to having an older monastery than the neighbouring Haghpat. The two villages and their monasteries are similar in many ways, and lie in plain view of each other on a dissected plateau formation, separated by a deep "crack" formed by a small river flowing into the Debed river. As with Haghpat, Sanahin is frequented by an increasing number of tourists, due to its recent inclusion on the itineraries of numerous Armenian tour agencies, the beauty of its monastery complex matching that of Haghpat's. The complex belongs to the Armenian Apostolic Church with numerous khachkars (stones with elaborate engravings representing a cross) and bishop gravesites scattered throughout it. Sanahin was also the birthplace of the two well-known Mikoyan brothers. Artem Mikoyan was a well known airplane constructor, and one of the "fathers" of MiG. Anastas Mikoyan was the politician with the longest "career" at the Soviet politburo. He was involved in negotiating the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, was a member of the Soviet delegation trying to improve relations with Tito's Yugoslavia, and played a major role in the Cuban Missile Crisis negotiations. A fraction of visitors to the monastery also stop at the small nearby museum in the former school, run by Mikoyans' relatives.

External links:

- [http://www.cilicia.com/armo5_sanahin.html Cilicia.com article on Sanahin]
- [http://whc.unesco.org/pg.cfm?cid=31&id_site=777 UNESCO entry on Haghpat and Sanahin] - See "Advisory Body Evaluation" for detailed history. Category:Cities and towns in Armenia Category:Tourist attractions in Armenia Category:World Heritage Sites in Armenia

Renaud (Nom propre)

Renaud est un prénom masculin français d'origine allemande. Catégorie:Prénom

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