General Information
The Republic of Armenia is located in the southern part of the Caucasus (Europe). The area occupies 29.8 thousand km2, the population is 3.018 million people. The official language of Armenia is Armenian. The capital of Armenia is Yerevan.
It borders in the north with Georgia, in the east with Azerbaijan, in the west with Turkey, in the south with Iran. The relief of Armenia is mostly mountainous, over 90% of the territory is located at an altitude of more than 1000 m above sea level. The highest point is Mount Aragats (4095 m), the lowest is the gorge of the Debed River (380 m). The highest point of the region and the historical symbol of Armenia is Mount Ararat. 93% of the population is Armenian. National minorities: Russians, Georgians, Kurds, Greeks, Azeris.
Entry to Armenia
You can drive to Armenia through land borders only from the territory of Georgia or Iran. The borders of Armenia with Azerbaijan and Turkey are closed.
Customs regulations
Armenian customs rules prohibit the import and export of local currency. You can import and export foreign currency (up to 10 thousand US dollars and its equivalent in other currencies).
Antiques, ancient jewels, old manuscripts, works of art that have artistic value, objects of historical value can not be imported and exported from or to Armenia without special permission. Hunting weapons can be imported with the permission of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Armenia.
Transport
The transport network includes 830 km of railways (90% of them are electrified) and motorways with a total length of 7700 km. A dense network of bus routes connects almost all settlements of the country, many flights are carried out by private carriers.
Money
The national currency is Armenian dram (AMD), 1 dram equals 100 lumas, however, lumas in circulation are not used due to meager purchasing power. The rate for 1 US dollar is of 490 drams.
Credit cards (VISA, Eurocard / Mastercard / American Express and Cirrus / Maestro) are accepted in hotels, restaurants and shops. However, it will not be possible to pay with a credit card in the provinces, small private shops and hotels. In case of unforeseen expenses throughout the country, you can receive money through Western Union, Moneygram and other similar systems. You can exchange foreign currency for drams at bank branches and exchange offices. Banking hours are Monday through Friday from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm and on Saturdays from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm. Exchange offices often work on a more flexible schedule or 24/7.
Climate
The climate of Armenia is very diverse. This is explained by the peculiarity of the geographical location, large elevation differences. On the whole, frosty and snowy winters and hot, sunny summers are characteristic of Armenia.
On the plains, the average January temperature is -5 ° C, July + 26 ° C, in the mountains -14 ° C and + 10 ° C, respectively. The best time to visit Armenia is May, June, July, August, September, October.
Language
The state language is Armenian. The majority of the population understands Russian well, they speak English mostly with foreigners.
Religion
The Constitution of Armenia guarantees freedom of religion to all residents. Most of the population is Christian followers of the Armenian Apostolic Church.
Tips
As a rule, tips are not included. In the restaurants you can leave 5-10% of the total bill or simply do not take change.
Safety
There is a fairly high level of tourist safety in Armenia, however, it is necessary to follow the standard rules: do not carry large sum of money or valuables with you, and also always keep an eye on your bag and wallet, especially in markets and in places of large concentrations of people. Valuables are recommended to be kept in safes. You should always carry your passport and other documents with you. As soon as you settle in the hotel, you will need to give back your passport or a copy of it for temporary registration.
Most of attractions are allowed to photography with the exception of airports, railway stations. It is also forbidden to photograph military facilities.
Cuisine
In Armenia you can eat tasty everywhere. Wherever you are in the city, you can safely assume that within a radius of 100 meters you can find a snack bar, cafe or restaurant. Well, if you are in the center, then this radius narrows to 10 m. Here you can find any cuisine: Armenian, Arabic, Georgian, European, Chinese. Prices may vary significantly. But in general, having a good lunch in Yerevan, you will pay much less than in any other city in the world.
Shopping
Typically, shops are open from 10:00 to 22:00, some – around the clock.
Useful Telephones
Infocenter: +374 11 331331
Emergency telephone number (Police, Ambulance, Fire Service) 102, 103, 101, 104
Yerevan Airport: +374 10 493 000
Yerevan Railway: +374 60 46 32 84
Yerevan Bus Station: +374 10 56 53 70