Armenian Travel Bureau

Inbound travel to Republic of Armenia

Armenian Government Structure

The official title of the country is the Republic of Armenia (RA) (Hayastani Hanrapetutiun).

Politics of Armenia takes place in a framework of a presidential representative democratic republic, whereby the President is the head of government, and of a platform multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both the government and parliament. President is elected by popular vote for a five-year term.

The legislative branch of the Armenian democracy is the National Assembly (Azgayin Zhoghov). It is a unicameral body of 131 members, elected for four-year terms: 56 members in single-seat constituencies and 75 by proportional representation. Parliamentarians submit laws for adoption by the National Assembly, while the President maintains veto power.

The Republic of Armenia declared its sovereignty on August 23, 1990, and became an independent state a year later, on September 23, 1991. In October 1991, Levon Ter-Petrosian, who had been elected democratically as chairman of the Armenian Supreme Soviet under the Soviet system in 1990, was chosen president. Following Ter-Petrosian's resignation in 1998, PM Robert Kocharian assumed the role as president and was elected to the same role later that year. Following the assassination in Parliament of Prime Minister Vazgen Sargsyan and parliament Speaker Karen Demirchyan and six other officials, on October 27, 1999, a period of political instability ensued during which an opposition headed by elements of the former Armenian National Movement government attempted unsuccessfully to force Kocharian to resign. Kocharian was successful in riding out the unrest. In 2003 he was re-elected for a second 5-year term.

Serzh Sargsyan was elected as a president of Armenia in February 2008 presidential election.

Armenia has established diplomatic relations with 125 countries. Armenia is a member of the Commonwealth of Independent States and at the same time enjoys good relations with the United States and the European Union.

National Flag – a tricolor with horizontal lines of red, navy and orange evenly distributed from top to bottom. Red symbolizes Armenian Highlands, Armenians’ incessant struggle for survival, Christian faith, liberty and independence. Navy symbolizes the aspiration of the Armenian nation to live under the peaceful sky. Orange symbolizes the talent for creative work and diligence of the Armenian people.

National Emblem – Mount Ararat together with Noah’s Arc and the emblem of four kingdoms of historical Armenia are illustrated in the center - on the shield: the Bagratunies are on the top left, the Arshakunies are on the top right, the Artashesians are on the bottom left, the Rubinyans are on the bottom right. The shield is supported by an eagle (on the left) and by a lion (on the right), and there is a sword, a branch, a sheaf of ears, a chain and a ribbon illustrated under the shield. The emblem colors symbolize the colors of the Armenian flag.

National anthem is «Mer Hayrenik» («Our Fatherland»). Adopted on July 1, 1991, it is based on the anthem of the Democratic Republic of Armenia (1918-1922), but with different lyrics.
The lyrics were written as a poem by poet Mikael Nalbandian (1829-1866) and later set to music by composer Barsegh Kanachian (1885-1967).