The Land
Its people and History
Armenia
occupies a territory of 29,800 square kilometers. It is 1,800 meters above the
sea level. Its highest peak is Mt Aragats- at 4, 090 meters and the lowest
point is the ravine of Debet – at 380 meters. Armenia is situated within the
Alps-Himalayas mountain system and can be called an island of mountains.
Armenia lies in the north-eastern part of the Armenian Plateau between the
Caucasus and Asia Minor. In the north and east, Armenia borders upon Georgia and
Azerbaijan, in the west and south- upon Turkey and Iran.
Armenia has
a population of about 3 million. Another 5 million Armenians are spread all
over the world. They migrated during different stages of Armenian history.
Today people migrate too, because of economic hardships. Most factories and plants
shut their doors after the collapse of the Soviet Union and people became
unemployed. The blockade and economic crisis made thousands of families abandon
their homes and look for jobs in America, Europe, Russia and elsewhere.
The
population of the Republic is mostly Armenians. Armenians are very hospitable
and friendly people, but they are a little bit hot-blooded, fiery-tempered and
loud-speaking. The vast majority of the Armenian population is Christian. The
Armenian Apostolic Church is the most popular with Armenians. Among other
nations living in Armenia are Kurds, Russians, Greeks, a small number of
Ukrainians, Georgians and Jews.
The official
language of the Republic is Armenian, a separate branch of the Indo-European
family of languages, with a 39-letter alphabet.[1]
Armenia is
one of the earliest cradles of human civilization. Few countries claim a
history that began many thousands of years ago and continues to the present.
According to Movses Khorenatsi[2],
in 2107 BC the legendary archer Haik defeated the army of the Assyrian king
Belus and established the first Armenian kingdom. Armenia was then called
Nairi- a country of rivers.
Ancient
Armenia was one of the largest states in the Middle East. It became especially
powerful under the Armenian King Tigran the Great (95-55 BC). Armenia was on
the crossroads of East and West. The famous Silk Road[3]
crossed Armenia. This favourable geographic position made the country an apple
of discord between great powers. In its constant and unequal fight Armenia lost
the greatest part of its territory and its sovereignty. But even under the
worst conditions it has never lost its language, culture and religion. It has
become stronger in spirit.
In 301 AD
Armenia adopted Christianity, thus becoming the first country in the world to proclaim
Christianity as a state religion. For comparison, Christianity was legalized in
the Roman Empire in 313 AD. In 2001 Armenians celebrated the 1700th
anniversary of the adoption of Christianity. The Pope of Rome John Paul II
visited Armenia on this occasion.
Key
vocabulary:
occupy v. – գրավել, զբաղեցնել
ravine [rǝ'vi:n] n. –խորը կիրճ, խորխորատ
Armenian plateau ['plætǝu] –Հայկական բարձրավանդակ
Asia Minor [ˌeiƺǝ 'mainǝ] / [ˌeiʃǝ 'mainǝ] – Փոքր Ասիա
migrate [mai'greit] v. – գաղթել, վերաբնակվել
stage n. – շրջան,
փուլ, էտապ
hardship n. – դժվարություն,
զրկանք
collapse n. – փլուզում
unemployed adj. – գործազուրկ
blockade n. – շրջափակում
abandon v. – լքել,
թողնել
elsewhere adv. – այլուր
hospitable adj. – հյուրասեր, հյուրընկալ
fiery-tempered [ˌfaıǝri 'tempǝd] adj. – տաքարյուն խառնվածքով
vast adj. – հսկայական
Apostolic Church [ˌæpǝ'stɔlık] – առաքելական եկեղեցի
cradle [kreıdl] n. – օրրան, օրորոց
claim v. – հաստատել,
պնդել
archer n. – աղեղնաձիգ
Silk Road – Մետաքսի
ճանապարհ
apple of discord - կռվախնձոր
unequal adj.- անհավասար
sovereignty ['sɔvrǝntı] n. – սուվերենություն, անկախություն
spirit n. – ոգի
adopt v. - ընդունել
proclaim v. – հռչակել
legalize ['lı:gǝlaız] v. - օրինականացնել
Talking points:
1 Where is Armenia situated? What countries does it border on?
2 What is the population of Armenia?
3 What traits of character are typical of
Armenians?
4 What is the ethnic composition of the
country like?
5. What period of time is considered to be the
“golden age” of Armenia?
6 Why was Armenia an apple of discord between
the great powers?
[1]
The Armenian alphabet was invented between 401-406 AD by the Enlightener Mesrop
Mashtots (361-440) under the patronage of King Vramshapuh and Catholicos Sahak
Partev. Until that time most written versions of Armenian were in Greek.
[2]
Movses Khorenatsi: a V-VI century Armenian scholar, known as the father of
Armenian historiography.
[3]
Silk Road: an ancient trade route that linked China with Europe.