Where is Armenia?
The Republic of Armenia is located in the southern Caucasus, a region in southwest Asia between the Black and Caspian Seas. It is bordered by Turkey, Iran, Azerbaijan, and Georgia. At 11,500 square miles, Armenia is slightly smaller than Belgium. Its topography is mountainous, with highland plateaus and fertile river plains. There is little forest. Summers are hot and dry, and winters are cold. The area is prone to earthquakes. Modern Armenia is the eastern remnant of an ancient kingdom that once extended to the shores of three seas. At its center was Mount Ararat, the snowcapped 17,000′ inactive volcano on which Noah’s Ark is said to have landed. For thousands of years Armenians have considered Ararat (Massis in Armenian) a sacred national symbol. Although its spectacular peak dominates modern Armenia’s western horizon, Ararat is now in Turkish territory and inaccessible from Armenia itself. Ararat and Little Ararat (Pokr Massis) are the two snowy mountaintops visible in the banner at
