History

It is said that “there is always a kernel of truth behind every myth” .According to legend, the Noah`s ark rested on Mountain Ararat after the Great Flood described in the Bible. The sacred mountain Ararat was always considered as the symbol of Armenia. Armenians consider themselves direct descendants of Noah, survivor of the Biblical flood. Ararat, located in the heart of Armenia, was a Holy Mountain for the peoples of the ancient world. For Armenians everywhere Ararat is the most important symbol of national identity and of their ancient homeland.

Armenia is one of the oldest countries in the world with a recorded history of about 3500 years. By approximately 2100 BC, a prototype of the first Armenian state was founded. The legendary forefather of Armenians, Hayk, famous for his battles with Babylonian ruler Bel, most likely was one of the Hayasa tribal leaders. Haik, considered the patriarch of the Armenian people. Even now, Armenians call themselves Hai (pronounced high), and their country - Haik or Haiastan, in honor of Hayk The mixture of Armens with the indigenous Hayasa eventually produced the Armenian people as it is known today. The existence of two major segments in the Armenian people is best of all illustrated by the fact that Armenians call themselves "Hay" and their country "Hayastan" after Hayasa, while other peoples call them Armenians and their country Armenia after the Armens.

The first significant state of the Armenian Highland was the highly advanced Kingdom of Ararat (with the capital in Tushpa, today's Van), better known under its Assyrian name Urartu (Ararat). This state was formed in the XI century BC and existed until VII century BC.
The Armenians are an ancient people who speak an Indo-European language.
Under King Tigrane the Great (fl. 95-55 c.c.e.) the Armenian empire reached its height and became one of the most powerful in Asia, stretching from the Caspian to the Mediterranean Seas.

Over the centuries Armenia was conquered by Greeks, Romans, Persians, Byzantines, Mongols, Arabs, Ottoman Turks, and Russian. Throughout most of its long history, however, Armenia has been invaded by a succession of empires. Under constant threat of domination by foreign forces, Armenians became both cosmopolitan as well as fierce protectors of their culture and tradition.

The most memorable service to the country by the dynasty of Arshakuni was the adoption of Christianity as a state religion in 301, thus Armenia became the first Christian state in the world.
After contact with centers of early Christianity at Antioch and Edessa, Armenia accepted Christianity as its state religion in A.D. 301, following miracles said to have been performed by Saint Gregory the Illuminator. Thus Armenians claim that Tiridates III (A.D. 238-314) was the first ruler to officially Christianize his people, his conversion predating the conventional date (A.D. 312) of Constantine.
 

The historical Armenian homeland was subject to various Muslim warlords, and eventually was divided between the Ottoman Empire and Persia. From the 17th century through World War I major portions of Armenia were controlled by their most brutal invader, the Ottoman Turks, under whom they experienced discrimination, religious persecution, heavy taxation, and armed attacks. In response to Armenian nationalist stirrings, the Turks massacred thousands of Armenians in 1894 and 1896. The most horrific massacre took place in April 1915 during World War I, when the Turks ordered the deportation of the Armenian population to the deserts of Syria and Mesopotamia. According to historians, 1.5 million Armenians were murdered. The Armenian massacre is considered the first genocide in the 20th century
Nowadays, all over the world Armenians commemorate April 24, 1918 as the day of the Armenian Genocide.

After the Turkey defeat in World War I, the independent Republic of Armenia was established on May 28, 1918, but survived only until Nov. 29, 1920, when it was annexed by the Soviet Army. Since 1988, Armenia has been in a territorial dispute with Azerbaijan over the enclave of Nagorno-Karabagh, which has been belonged to armenians during all its history. Also in 1988, a devastating earthquake killed thousands and wreaked, economic havoc.
Armenia declared its independence form the collapsing Soviet Union on Sept 23, 1991.

An Armenian Diaspora has existed throughout the nation's history, and Armenian emigration has been particularly heavy since independence from the Soviet Union. An estimated 60% of the total eight million Armenians worldwide live outside the country, with one million each in the U.S. and Russia. Significant Armenian communities are located in Georgia, France, Iran, Lebanon, Syria, Argentina, Canada & other countries.