Armenia is a landlocked nation in Asia that is the next stop on our nations of the world tour!
Armenia Basics
The Republic of Armenia is part of the Caucasus region of western Asia and is bordered by Georgia, Azerbaijan, Iran and Turkey.
It is an ancient culture first established as the state of Urartu in 860 BC, and the capital, Yerevan, dates back to the founding of the fortress of Erebuni in 782 BC, making it one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. It’s also the largest city in Armenia.
The nation covers 29,743 square kilometers, or 11,484 square miles, and has a population of about three million people.
Armenia declared its independence from Russia in 1991.
In 301 Armenia became the first nation to adopt Christianity as its official religion, and the Armenian Apostolic Church, which is still recognized as the primary church organization in the country, is considered the world’s oldest national church.
During World War I, more than a million Armenians living in their ancestral lands that were part of the Ottoman Empire were killed in death marches and concentration camps (what’s now known as the Armenian genocide) and more were forced to convert to Islam.
Armenia Symbols
The Armenian flag is made of three horizontal stripes in red, blue and orange. According to the national constitution, red symbolizes the highlands, the people’s struggle for survival and their Christian faith; blue is for the desire of the people to live beneath peaceful skies; and orange represents the creative talent and hard-working nature of the people.
The national anthem is called “Mer Hayrenik,” or Our Fatherland, which was originally adopted in 1918 when the nation was first an independent republic.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPY2JNa8TJY?si=zm8pxV-6hmBE1sxU]
The national motto is “One nation, one culture,” which makes sense in a country where 98 percent of the people are ethnically Armenian.
I’m not seeing any particular national animals but there are wild boars, wild cats, jackals and ibex in the mountains, to name a few local creatures.
Speaking of mountains, even though it is located in Turkey, Mount Ararat is considered scared to the people of Armenia and is said to be the location where Noah’s Arc landed after the flood. Mount Ararat is near the border of Armenia and is visible from Yerevan.
One thing that is unique to Armenia is that its language has its own alphabet. The alphabet has 38 characters, seven of which are vowels.
Armenia Activities for Kids
Learn about Khor-Virap, a monastery on the plain below Ararat, which is a pilgrimage site related to Grigor Lusavorich (Gregory the Illuminator), who was imprisoned there for 13 years for spreading Christianity but survived because a woman secretly brought him food and water.
Or check out the Garni Temple, the only remaining ancient Greek pagan temple remaining in the nation, which is said to have been constructed in 77 AD (other pagan temples in the nation were destroyed after the country adopted Christianity).
Explore the Areni Cave, which is the site of the world’s oldest known winery as well as the location where the oldest shoe ever found was discovered.
Get to know the Armenian mouflon, a kind of wild sheep that lives in the mountains of Armenia and Azerbaijan and is part of the ancient species from which all sheep are thought to have originated. There may be as few as 400 or 500 of the animals left. The Caucasian leopard is another protected species in the country and the wider mountain region. Only about 1,000 leopards are thought to remain in the wild, with maybe only a handful in Armenia.
Read an Armanian folk tale, make sarma (stuffed grape leaves) or lavash (flat bread) or try khorovats, Armenia’s take on barbecue.
Learn about Vardava and why it’s a great excuse to pelt someone with a bucket of water. You can even celebrate it yourself in July!
Grab Armenia facts and worksheets from Kids Konnect, or read about Armenia for kids in the book Armenia for Kids. Or check out Ancient Armenia for Kids or the picture book Bábo: A Tale of Armenian Rug-Washing Day. If you want to get a look at the Armenian language, try My First Armenian Book or Happiness Street.
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