Population and people

Popupaltion 2,982,904 (2005 estimate). Ethnic Armenians, constitute more than 90 percent of the country's population. Armenia is the most homogenous of the former Soviet Republics, at least as far as other ethnic groups are concerned. At the same time, minorities in Armenia officially enjoy equal rights and full freedom. The government has adopted policies encouraging the minorities to develop their cultures and education, barring discrimination based on their religious beliefs, languages, traditions and customs. These freedoms are enshrined in the Declaration on Independence, which guarantees the "free and equal development of its citizens, regardless of national origin, race or creed ".

Armenians consider themselves direct descendants of Noah, survivor of the Biblical flood. According to Genesis, ...the boat came to rest on a mountain in the Ararat range. Ararat, located in the heart of Armenia, was a Holy Mountain for the peoples of the ancient world.
By approximately 2100 BC, a prototype of the first Armenian state was founded. Even now, Armenians call themselves Hai (pronounced high ), and their country - Haik or Haiastan, in honor of Haik.
Haik, once thought to be just a hero of an epic legend, is presently accepted by some researches as an actual chieftain of Armens in the 3rd millennium BC.

Worldwide, the Armenian population is estimated at 8-9 million, with 2 million living in the USA, one million in Russia, and the rest divided between 60 countries, among the most populated by Armenians France, Argentina, Brazil, Australia, Georgia, Canada, Syria, Lebanon, and Iran. Estimated 60% of the total eight million Armenians lives outside Armenia in 60 countries.

Minorities are Russians, Yezidis, Jews, Greeks, Assyrians, Molokons, Udz and Gypsies.

Yezidis belong to the Kurdish race and are regarded by Kurds as those who keep their original religion. They speak a northern dialect of Kurdish (Kurmanji). The Yezidis' religion is one of the last surviving offshoots of a faith even older than Judaism or Zoroastrianism, and which it heavily influenced. In Armenia, Yezidis are predominantly a pastoral community, with villages concentrated in the central highlands and along alpine meadows in the upper elevations of the country. Yezidis adhere to a distinct religion that is influenced by Zoroastrian beliefs, Christianity and Islam. Though the language spoken by Yesdis is Kurdish, they tend to regard themselves as distinct from Kurds.

Some of the last surviving Assyrian communities in the world are in Armenia. In these communities, Assyrian is still taught in community schools, and Assyrian folk design can be found on the inside of their homes. Otherwise they are very much like their Armenian neighbors. Assyrians living in Armenia are Christians.