View source for Armenians

{{Short description|Ethnic group native to Armenia}}
{{Distinguish|Arameans|Aromanians}}
<!-- Not only the "Армяне" article is more expansive; you should also take a look at articles like Исторические миграции армянского населения etc. The exile of Armenians by Shah Abbas into Persia is covered in its own complete article, while it doesn't have one in English. -->
{{Pp|small=yes}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2017}}
{{Infobox ethnic group
| group            = Armenians
| native_name      = {{lang|hy|Հայեր|italic=no}} <small>([[Armenian language|Armenian]])</small><br/>{{lang|hy-latn|Hayer|italic=no}} <small>([[Romanization_of_Armenian|Romanized]])</small>
| image            = Map of the Armenian Diaspora in the World.svg
| image_caption    = Map of the [[Armenian diaspora]] around the world
| population       = {{circa}} '''8&nbsp;million'''<ref>Different sources:
* {{Cite book|author1=Dennis J.D. Sandole|title=Peace and Security in the Postmodern World: The OSCE and Conflict Resolution|date=24 January 2007|publisher=Routledge|isbn=9781134145713|page=182|quote=The nearly 3 million Armenians in Armenia (and 3–4&nbsp;million in the Armenian Diaspora worldwide) 'perceive' the nearly 8&nbsp;million Azerbaijanis in Azerbaijan as 'Turks.'}}
* {{Cite book|editor1-last=McGoldrick|editor1-first=Monica|editor2-last=Giordano|editor2-first=Joe|editor3-last=Garcia-Preto|editor3-first=Nydia|title=Ethnicity and Family Therapy, Third Edition|date=18 August 2005 |publisher=Guilford Press|isbn=9781606237946|page=439|edition=3|quote=The impact of such a horror on a group who presently number approximately 6 million, worldwide, is incalculable.}}
* {{Cite book|first1=Gevorg|last1=Sargsyan|first2=Ani|last2=Balabanyan|first3=Denzel|last3=Hankinson |title=From Crisis to Stability in the Armenian Power Sector: Lessons Learned from Armenia's Energy Reform Experience|date=2006|publisher=World Bank Publications|isbn=9780821365908|page=18|edition=illustrated |quote=The country's estimated 3–6&nbsp;million diaspora represent a major source of foreign direct investment in the country. |url=https://archive.org/details/fromcrisistostab00sarg/page/18}}
* {{Cite book|author1=Arthur G. Sharp|title=The Everything Guide to the Middle East: Understand the people, the politics, and the culture of this conflicted region|date=15 September 2011|publisher=Adams Media |isbn=9781440529122|page=137|quote=Since the newly independent Republic of Armenia was declared in 1991, nearly 4 million of the world's 6&nbsp;million Armenians have been living on the eastern edge of their Middle Eastern homeland.}}</ref> to '''11&nbsp;million'''<ref>different sources:
* {{Cite book|last=Von Voss|first=Huberta|title=Portraits of Hope: Armenians in the Contemporary World |year=2007|publisher=Berghahn Books|location=New York|isbn=9781845452575|page=xxv|quote=...there are some 8 million Armenians in the world... }}
* {{Cite book |last=Freedman|first=Jeri|title=The Armenian genocide|year=2008|publisher=Rosen Publishing Group|location=New York|isbn=9781404218253|page=52|quote=In contrast to its population of 3.2&nbsp;million, approximately 8 million Armenians live in other countries of the world, including large communities in the America and Russia.}}
* {{Cite book|title=Nations and Nationalism: A Global Historical Overview: A Global Historical Overview|year=2008|publisher=ABC-CLIO|location=Santa Barbara, Calif. |isbn=9781851099085|author=Guntram H. Herb, David H. Kaplan |page=1705|quote=A nation of some 8 million people, about 3&nbsp;million of whom live in the newly independent post-Soviet state, Armenians are constantly battling not to lose their distinct culture, identity and the newly established statehood.}}
* {{Cite book|title=Historical dictionary of the Russian Federation|year=2010|publisher=Scarecrow Press |location=Lanham, MD|isbn=9780810854758|author1=Robert A. Saunders |author2=Vlad Strukov|page=50}}
* {{Cite book|last=Philander|first=S. George|title=Encyclopedia of global warming and climate change|year=2008|publisher=SAGE|location=Los Angeles|isbn=9781412958783|page=77|quote=An estimated 60 percent of the total 8 million Armenians worldwide live outside the country...}}
* {{Cite book|title=Historical dictionary of the Russian Federation|year=2010|publisher=Scarecrow Press |location=Lanham, MD|isbn=9780810874602|author=Robert A. Saunders |author2=Vlad Strukov|page=51 |quote=Worldwide, there are more than 8 million Armenians; 3.2&nbsp;million reside in the Republic of Armenia.}}
</ref>
| popplace         = Armenia{{nbsp|5}}2,961,514<ref>[http://armstat.am/file/article/sv_03_13a_520.pdf] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181121025510/https://www.armstat.am/file/article/sv_03_13a_520.pdf |date=21 November 2018 }} հոկտեմբերի 12-21-ը Հայաստանի Հանրապետությունում
անցկացված մարդահամարի արդյունքները (The results of the census conducted in October 2011 in the Republic of Armenia). pp. 6–7. {{In lang|hy}}</ref><ref>Ministry of Culture of Armenia [http://mincult.am/datas/media/azg.poqr.%20ev%20xorhurd%20mshak.nax.%20(1).doc "The ethnic minorities in Armenia. Brief information"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171010143439/http://mincult.am/datas/media/azg.poqr.%20ev%20xorhurd%20mshak.nax.%20(1).doc |date=10 October 2017 }}. As per the most recent census in 2011. [http://mincult.am/national_minority.html "National minority"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170216082403/http://mincult.am/national_minority.html |date=16 February 2017 }}.</ref>
| region1          = Russia
| pop1             = 1,182,388<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gks.ru/free_doc/new_site/population/demo/per-itog/tab5.xls |title=Национальный состав населения Российской Федерации |trans-title=National makeup of the population of the Russian Federation |format=Excel|publisher=[[Russian Federal State Statistics Service]]|access-date=5 January 2013|language=ru|archive-date=5 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160105043245/http://www.gks.ru/free_doc/new_site/population/demo/per-itog/tab5.xls|url-status=live}}</ref>–2,900,000<ref>{{cite book|title=Historical dictionary of the Russian Federation|year=2010|publisher=Scarecrow Press|location=Lanham, Md. |isbn=978-0-8108-5475-8|author=Robert A. Saunders |author2=Vlad Strukov|page=50}}</ref>
| region2          = United States
| pop2             = 1,000,366<ref>{{cite book|title=Total ancestry categories tallied for people with one or more ancestry categories reported 2011 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates|url=https://archive.org/details/2011AmericanCommunitySurveyAncestry|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=22 December 2012}}</ref>–1,500,000<ref>
* {{cite news |last=Milliken|first=Mary|title=Armenian-American clout buys genocide breakthrough |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-armenians-idUSN1144509820071012|access-date=5 December 2012|date=12 October 2007|work=[[Reuters]]|archive-date=5 November 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131105223335/http://www.reuters.com/article/2007/10/12/us-usa-armenians-idUSN1144509820071012|url-status=live}}
* {{Cite web |url=http://www.anca.org/press_releases/press_releases.php?prid=1365 |title=Barack Obama on the Importance of US-Armenia Relations|date=19 January 2008|publisher=[[Armenian National Committee of America]]|access-date=24 July 2012|archive-date=6 January 2013|archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/6DSOLhXIG?url=http://www.anca.org/press_releases/press_releases.php?prid=1365|url-status=live}}</ref>
| region3          = Turkey
| pop3             = 60,000<ref>{{cite news|title=Foreign Ministry: 89,000 minorities live in Turkey|url=http://www.todayszaman.com/newsDetail_getNewsById.action?load=detay&link=161291|newspaper=[[Today's Zaman]]|date=15 December 2008|access-date=5 January 2013|archive-date=20 May 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110520084230/http://www.todayszaman.com/newsDetail_getNewsById.action?load=detay&link=161291|url-status=live}}</ref><br/>300,000–5,000,000 <small>([[Hidden Armenians]])</small><ref name="Basyurt Aksiyon">{{cite news|last=Basyurt |first=Erhan |title=Anneannem bir Ermeni'ymiş! [My Grandmother is Armenian] |url=http://www.aksiyon.com.tr/aksiyon/haber-12945-26-anneannem-bir-ermeniymis.html |access-date=10 November 2013 |newspaper=[[Aksiyon]] |date=26 December 2005 |language=tr |quote=300 bin rakamının abartılı olduğunu düşünmüyorum. Bence daha da fazladır. Ama, bu konu maalesef akademik bir çabaya dönüşmemiş. Keşke akademisyen olsaydım ve sırf bu konu üzerinde bir çalışma yapsaydım. |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131110052648/http://www.aksiyon.com.tr/aksiyon/haber-12945-26-anneannem-bir-ermeniymis.html |archive-date=10 November 2013 |df=dmy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Danielyan|first=Diana|title="Azg": Is the awakening of Islamized Armenians in Turkey possible?|url=http://hayernaysor.am/en/%D5%A1%D5%A6%D5%A3-%D5%B0%D5%B6%D5%A1%D6%80%D5%A1%D5%BE%D5%B8%D5%9E%D6%80-%D5%A7-%D5%A1%D6%80%D5%A9%D5%B6%D5%A1%D6%81%D5%B6%D5%A5%D5%AC-%D5%A9%D5%B8%D6%82%D6%80%D6%84%D5%AB%D5%A1%D5%B5/|access-date=24 June 2013|newspaper=Hayern Aysor|date=1 July 2011|quote=Dagch says according to different calculations, there are 3–5 million Islamized Armenians in Turkey|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131110053116/http://hayernaysor.am/en/%D5%A1%D5%A6%D5%A3-%D5%B0%D5%B6%D5%A1%D6%80%D5%A1%D5%BE%D5%B8%D5%9E%D6%80-%D5%A7-%D5%A1%D6%80%D5%A9%D5%B6%D5%A1%D6%81%D5%B6%D5%A5%D5%AC-%D5%A9%D5%B8%D6%82%D6%80%D6%84%D5%AB%D5%A1%D5%B5/|archive-date=10 November 2013|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
| region4          = France
| pop4             = 250,000<ref name="Thon">{{cite book|last=Thon|first=Caroline|title=Armenians in Hamburg: an ethnographic exploration into the relationship between diaspora and success|url=https://archive.org/details/armeniansinhambu0000thon|url-access=registration|year=2012|publisher=LIT Verlag Münster|location=Berlin|isbn=978-3-643-90226-9|page=[https://archive.org/details/armeniansinhambu0000thon/page/25 25]}}</ref>–750,000<ref name="Taylor">{{cite book|last=Taylor|first=Tony|title=Denial: history betrayed|year=2008|publisher=Melbourne University Pub.|location=Carlton, Victoria|isbn=978-0-522-85482-4|page=4}}</ref>
| region5          = Georgia
| pop5             = 168,191<ref>{{cite web |url=http://geostat.ge/cms/site_images/_files/english/population/Census_release_ENG_2016.pdf |title=National Statistics Office of Georgia |access-date=24 May 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170205175903/http://geostat.ge/cms/site_images/_files/english/population/Census_release_ENG_2016.pdf |archive-date=5 February 2017 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
| region6          = {{nbsp|2}}∟ Abkhazia
| pop6             = 41,907<ref name="2011 Census">{{cite web|website=www.ethno-kavkaz.narod.ru|title=Population of Abkhazia|access-date=2024-12-21|url=https://www.ethno-kavkaz.narod.ru/rnabkhazia.html|language=Russian}}</ref>
| region7          = Lebanon
| pop7             = 150,000<ref name="Gibney">{{cite book|last=Gibney|first=Matthew J.|title=Immigration and asylum: from 1900 to the present|year=2005|publisher=ABC-CLIO|location=Santa Barbara, California|isbn=978-1-57607-796-2|page=[https://archive.org/details/immigrationasylu00matt/page/13 13]|url=https://archive.org/details/immigrationasylu00matt/page/13}}</ref>
| region8          = Iran
| pop8             = 120,000<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.noravank.am/arm/issues/detail.php?ELEMENT_ID=2376|script-title=hy:Իրանահայ համայնք. ճամպրուկային տրամադրություններ|trans-title=The Iranian-Armenian community|last=Vardanyan|first=Tamara|date=21 June 2007|publisher=[[Noravank Foundation]]|access-date=5 January 2013|language=hy|archive-date=19 May 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200519010713/http://www.noravank.am/arm/issues/detail.php?ELEMENT_ID=2376|url-status=live}}</ref>
| region9          = Ukraine{{Efn|The number of [[Armenians in Ukraine|Ukrainian Armenians]] is estimated to be far lower due to the [[Russian invasion of Ukraine]], as these are pre-war figures.}}
| pop9             = 100,000 (2001)<ref name="Ukraine 2001 Census">{{citation |url=http://www.ukrcensus.gov.ua/eng/results/nationality_population/nationality_1/s5/?botton=cens_db&box=5.1W&k_t=00&p=20&rz=1_1&rz_b=2_1%20&n_page=2 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070315192333/http://www.ukrcensus.gov.ua/eng/results/nationality_population/nationality_1/s5/?botton=cens_db&box=5.1W&k_t=00&p=20&rz=1_1&rz_b=2_1+&n_page=2 |url-status=dead |archive-date=15 March 2007 |title=The distribution of the population by nationality and mother tongue |year=2001 |publisher=State Statistics Committee of Ukraine |location=Kiev |access-date=5 January 2013 }}</ref>
| region10         = Brazil
| pop10            = 100,000<ref>[http://oglobo.globo.com/mundo/comunidade-armenia-prospera-no-brasil-mas-nao-abandona-luta-pela-memoria-do-massacre-15908325 Comunidade armênia prospera no Brasil, mas não abandona luta pela memória do massacre] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160610033244/http://oglobo.globo.com/mundo/comunidade-armenia-prospera-no-brasil-mas-nao-abandona-luta-pela-memoria-do-massacre-15908325 |date=10 June 2016 }}. By Breno Salvador. ''[[O Globo]]'', 24 April 2015</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Federal Senate of Brazil Recognizes Armenian Genocide|url=http://armenianweekly.com/2015/06/03/federal-senate-of-brazil-recognizes-armenian-genocide/|agency=Armenian Weekly|date=3 June 2015|access-date=12 May 2016|archive-date=14 July 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150714132430/http://armenianweekly.com/2015/06/03/federal-senate-of-brazil-recognizes-armenian-genocide/|url-status=live}}</ref>
| region11         = Germany
| pop11            = 90,000–110,000<ref>{{cite news|title=Գերմանիաիի հայ համայնքը [Armenian community of Germany]|first=Babken|last=Sargsyan|url=http://www.armenialiberty.org/content/article/2279357.html|date=8 December 2012|access-date=10 January 2015|language=hy|archive-date=3 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303220846/http://www.armenialiberty.org/content/article/2279357.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
| region12         = Greece
| pop12            = 80,000<ref>{{cite news|title=Հունաստանի հայ համայնքը պատրաստվում է Հայաստանի նախագահի հետ հանդիպմանը [Armenian community of Greece preparing for the meeting with the Armenian president]|first=Astghik|last=Bedevyan|url=http://www.armenialiberty.org/content/article/2279357.html|agency=[[Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty]] Armenian Service|date=18 January 2011|access-date=10 January 2015|language=hy|archive-date=3 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303220846/http://www.armenialiberty.org/content/article/2279357.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
| region13         = Argentina
| pop13            = 70,000{{sfn|Ayvazyan|2003|p=100}}
| region14         = Canada
| pop14            = 68,855<ref>{{citation |title=Canada National Household Survey |publisher=Statistics Canada |year=2021 |url=https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=9810033701 |access-date=20 December 2022 |archive-date=21 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221221045015/https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=9810033701 |url-status=live }}. Of those, 38,010 reported single and 30,835 mixed Armenian ancestry.</ref>
| region15         = Uzbekistan
| pop15            = 50,000–70,000<ref>{{cite book|first1=Gagik|last1=Harutyunyan|title=ՀԱՅԿԱԿԱՆ ՏԵՂԵԿԱՏՎԱԿԱՆ ՀԱՄԱՅՆՔԱՅԻՆ ՌԵՍՈՒՐՍՆԵՐԸ ՀԵՏԽՈՐՀՐԴԱՅԻՆ ԵՐԿՐՆԵՐՈՒՄ|date=2009|isbn=9789939900070|page=117|publisher=Noravankʻ|url=http://www.noravank.am/upload/pdf/1.book.pdf|access-date=19 May 2022|archive-date=18 August 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190818055417/http://www.noravank.am/upload/pdf/1.book.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref>
| region16         = Poland
| pop16            = 40,000–80,000<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://diaspora.gov.am/en/pages/77/poland|title=Diaspora – Poland|website=diaspora.gov.am|access-date=24 April 2023|archive-date=21 April 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230421160615/http://diaspora.gov.am/en/pages/77/poland|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://poland.mfa.am/en/community-overview/#:~:text=It+is+estimated+that+there,-called+%27old+emigration%27.|title=About Community|website=poland.mfa.am|access-date=24 April 2023|archive-date=24 April 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230424165945/https://poland.mfa.am/en/community-overview/#:~:text=It+is+estimated+that+there,-called+%27old+emigration%27.|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thefreelibrary.com/Poland+is+going+to+establish+trilateral+business+contacts+with...-a0377154717|title=Poland is going to establish trilateral business contacts with Armenia and Iran. – Free Online Library|website=www.thefreelibrary.com|access-date=24 April 2023|archive-date=25 April 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230425160944/https://www.thefreelibrary.com/Poland+is+going+to+establish+trilateral+business+contacts+with...-a0377154717|url-status=live}}</ref>
| region17         = Belgium
| pop17            = 40,000<ref>{{cite web|title=Բելգիայում հայերի ներկայությունն անփոխարինելի է. Բրյուսելի քաղաքապետ|url=https://www.1lurer.am/hy/2020/02/22/|work=1lurer|date=22 February 2020|access-date=17 October 2020}}{{Dead link|date=September 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
| region18         = Spain
| pop18            = 40,000<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://spain.mfa.am/en/community-overview/|title=Armenian Diaspora in Spain|website=Embassy of Armenia to Spain|publisher=Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia|access-date=7 April 2016|archive-date=31 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160331221826/http://spain.mfa.am/en/community-overview/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
| region19         = Bulgaria
| pop19            = 30,000<ref>{{cite web |title=Bulgaria |url=http://diaspora.gov.am/en/pages/54/bulgaria |website=Office of the High Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs |access-date=2023-06-20 |archive-date=21 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230621022151/http://diaspora.gov.am/en/pages/54/bulgaria |url-status=live }}</ref>
| region20         = Syria{{Efn|The number of [[Armenians in Syria|Syrian Armenians]] is difficult to estimate due to the [[Syrian Civil War]]. Many fled to [[Lebanon]], [[Armenia]], and the West respectively.}}
| pop20            = 25,000–30,000<ref>{{cite news |last1=Nalbandian |first1=Naira |title=Սիրիայում մոտ 25–28 հազար հայ է մնացել, առաջնահերթ են սոցիալական խնդիրները․ դեսպան |url=https://www.azatutyun.am/a/30130087.html |newspaper=«Ազատ Եվրոպա/Ազատություն» Ռադիոկայան |access-date=2023-06-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190829121517/https://www.azatutyun.am/a/30130087.html |archive-date=August 29, 2019 |language=Armenian |date=August 26, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Syria |url=http://diaspora.gov.am/en/pages/51/syria |website=Office of the High Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs |access-date=2023-06-20 |archive-date=21 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230621022153/http://diaspora.gov.am/en/pages/51/syria |url-status=live }}</ref>
| region21         = Kazakhstan
| pop21            = 25,000<ref name="etno2020">{{Cite web|url=https://www.stat.gov.kz/api/getFile/?docId=ESTAT355258|title=Численность населения Республики Казахстан по отдельным этносам на начало 2020 года|publisher=Комитет по статистике Министерства национальной экономики Республики Казахстан|access-date=2020-04-27|archive-date=27 May 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200527204929/https://www.stat.gov.kz/api/getFile/?docId=ESTAT355258|url-status=dead}}</ref>
| region22         = Australia
| pop22            = 22,526<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ancestry {{!}} Australia {{!}} Community profile |url=https://profile.id.com.au/australia/ancestry?WebID=10&BMID=20 |access-date=2022-09-30 |website=profile.id.com.au |archive-date=26 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230326032219/https://profile.id.com.au/australia/ancestry?WebID=10&BMID=20 |url-status=live }}</ref>
| region23         = United Kingdom
| pop23            = 18,000–20,000<ref>{{cite web |title=The Community / Համայնքի |url=https://www.accc.org.uk/the-community/ |website=Armenian Community Council of the UK |access-date=2023-06-20 |archive-date=21 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230621022151/https://www.accc.org.uk/the-community/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Ahmed Iqbal Ullah Education Trust supports Armenian exhibition |url=https://www.manchester.ac.uk/discover/news/ahmed-iqbal-ullah-education-trust-supports-armenian-exhibition/ |website=The University of Manchester |access-date=2023-06-20 |date=May 20, 2019 |archive-date=21 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230621022151/https://www.manchester.ac.uk/discover/news/ahmed-iqbal-ullah-education-trust-supports-armenian-exhibition/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=United Kingdom |url=http://diaspora.gov.am/en/pages/92/greatbritain |website=Office of the High Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs |access-date=2023-06-20 |archive-date=21 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230621022150/http://diaspora.gov.am/en/pages/92/greatbritain |url-status=live }}</ref>
| region24         = Uruguay
| pop24            = 15,000–20,000<ref name="agbu.org">[http://www.agbu.org/pressoffice/article.asp?id=510 AGBU – AGBU XVIII World Games Takes Montevideo by Storm, 1,000 People Participate] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101205093003/http://www.agbu.org/pressoffice/article.asp?id=510 |date=December 5, 2010 }}</ref>
| region25         = Iraq
| pop25            = 10,000 (2011)
| region26         = United Arab Emirates
| pop26            = 8,000–10,000<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://diaspora.gov.am/en/pages/41/uae| title=Diaspora – United Arab Emirates }}</ref>
| region27         = Netherlands
| pop27            = 5,689–8,374 (2021)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://opendata.cbs.nl/statline/#/CBS/en/dataset/37325eng/table?ts=1570590894624|title=CBS Statline|access-date=16 January 2022|archive-date=28 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190528100807/https://statline.cbs.nl/StatWeb/publication/?DM=SLNL&PA=37230ned&D1=0,17&D2=39,66,88,121&D3=(l-4)-l&VW=T#/CBS/en/dataset/37325eng/table?ts=1570590894624|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Bevolking; geslacht, leeftijd, generatie en migratieachtergrond, 1 januari|url=https://opendata.cbs.nl/statline/#/CBS/nl/dataset/37325/table?ts=1584306247468|publisher=Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS)|language=nl|date=22 July 2021|access-date=16 January 2022|archive-date=28 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190528100807/https://statline.cbs.nl/StatWeb/publication/?DM=SLNL&PA=37230ned&D1=0,17&D2=39,66,88,121&D3=(l-4)-l&VW=T#/CBS/nl/dataset/37325/table?ts=1584306247468|url-status=live}}</ref>
| region28         = Israel and Palestine
| pop28            = 2,000–10,000<ref name="Jewish Virtual Library" /><ref>{{cite web |title=Israel |url=http://diaspora.gov.am/en/pages/45/israel |website=The Office of the High Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs |access-date=2023-05-05 |archive-date=5 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230505065029/http://diaspora.gov.am/en/pages/45/israel |url-status=live }}</ref>
| region29         = Romania
| pop29            = 1,361–10,000 (2011)
| region30         = Cyprus
| pop30            = c. 4,000
| region31         = Azerbaijan
| pop31            = 50-1,000
| region32         = ''see [[Armenian diaspora#Population by country|Armenian population by country]] for other regions''
| languages        = [[Armenian language|Armenian]]{{·}}[[Armenian Sign Language|Armenian Sign]]
| religions        = Mostly [[Christianity]]<br>([[Armenian Apostolic Church|Apostolic]]{{·}}[[Armenian Catholic Church|Catholic]]{{·}}[[Armenian Evangelical Church|Evangelical]]{{·}}[[Hayhurum|Orthodox]])
<br>Minorities:<br>[[Irreligion|Irreligious]]{{·}}[[Hemshin people|Sunni Islam]]{{·}}[[Armenian mythology|Armenian paganism]] ([[Hetanism|neopaganism]])
| related          = [[Assyrian people|Assyrians]]{{·}}[[Hayhurum]]{{·}}[[Hemshin people|Hemshin]]{{·}}[[Armeno-Tats]]{{·}}[[Cherkesogai]]{{·}}[[Zoks]]
| footnotes        = {{Cnote|n|by legal nationality}}{{Cnote|m|by nationality, naturalisation and descendant background}}
}}
{{Armenians}}

'''Armenians''' ({{langx|hy|հայեր|hayer}}, {{IPA|hy|hɑˈjɛɾ|}}) are an [[ethnic group]] indigenous to the [[Armenian highlands]] of West Asia.<ref name="Hewsen">[[Robert Hewsen|Hewsen, Robert H.]] "The Geography of Armenia" in ''The Armenian People From Ancient to Modern Times Volume I: The Dynastic Periods: From Antiquity to the Fourteenth Century''. [[Richard G. Hovannisian]] (ed.) New York: St. Martin's Press, 1997, pp. 1–17</ref><ref name="loc.gov">{{cite web |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=2020 |title=Armenian Rarities Collection |url=https://www.loc.gov/collections/armenian-rarities/about-this-collection/ |url-status=live |website=www.loc.gov |location=Washington, D.C. |publisher=[[Library of Congress]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230307021523/https://www.loc.gov/collections/armenian-rarities/about-this-collection/ |archive-date=7 March 2023 |access-date=27 March 2023 |quote=The lands of the Armenians were for millennia located in [[Eastern Anatolia]], on the [[Armenian Highlands]], and into the [[Caucasus Mountains|Caucasus Mountain range]]. First mentioned almost contemporaneously by a Greek and Persian source in the 6th century BC, modern DNA studies have shown that [[Origin of the Armenians|the people themselves had already been in place for many millennia]]. Those people the world know as Armenians call themselves ''Hay'' and [[Armenia|their country]] ''Hayots' ashkharh''–the land of the Armenians, today known as Hayastan. Their language, ''[[Armenian language|Hayeren]]'' (Armenian) constitutes a separate and unique branch of the [[Indo-European languages|Indo-European linguistic family tree]]. A spoken language until [[Christianization of Armenia|Christianity became the state religion]] in 314 AD, [[Armenian alphabet|a unique alphabet was created]] for it in 407, both for the propagation of the new faith and to avoid assimilation into the [[Persian literature|Persian literary world]].}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Armenia: Ancient and premodern Armenia |website=[[Encyclopædia Britannica Online]] |url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Armenia/Administration-and-social-conditions#ref481320 |publisher=[[Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.]] |access-date=17 July 2018 |quote=The Armenians, an Indo-European people, first appear in history shortly after the end of the 7th century BCE[, d]riving some of the ancient population to the east of Mount Ararat [...] |archive-date=26 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190426135102/https://www.britannica.com/place/Armenia/Administration-and-social-conditions#ref481320 |url-status=live }}</ref> Armenians constitute the main demographic group in [[Armenia]] and constituted the main population of the breakaway [[Republic of Artsakh]] until their [[Flight of Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians|subsequent flight]] due to the [[2023 Azerbaijani offensive in Nagorno-Karabakh|2023 Azerbaijani offensive]].<ref>{{Cite news |agency=Associated Press |date=2023-09-30 |title=Almost all ethnic Armenians have left Nagorno-Karabakh |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/sep/30/almost-all-ethnic-armenians-have-left-nagorno-karabakh-azerbaijan |access-date=2024-03-04 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> There is a large [[Armenian diaspora|diaspora]] of around five million people of Armenian ancestry living outside the Republic of Armenia. The largest Armenian populations exist in [[Armenians in Russia|Russia]], the [[Armenian Americans|United States]], [[Armenians in France|France]], [[Armenians in Georgia|Georgia]], [[Iranian Armenians|Iran]], [[Armenians in Germany|Germany]], [[Armenians in Ukraine|Ukraine]], [[Armenians in Lebanon|Lebanon]], [[Armenian Brazilians|Brazil]], [[Armenian Argentines|Argentina]], [[Armenians in Syria|Syria]], and Turkey. The present-day Armenian diaspora was formed mainly as a result of the [[Armenian genocide]] with the exceptions of Iran, [[Post-Soviet states|former Soviet states]], and [[Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia|parts of the Levant]].<ref name="Hovannisian">[[Richard G. Hovannisian]], ''The Armenian people from ancient to modern times: the fifteenth century to the twentieth century'', Volume 2, p. 421, Palgrave Macmillan, 1997.</ref>

[[Armenian language|Armenian]] is an [[Indo-European languages|Indo-European language]].<ref name="loc.gov"/><ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/Armenian-people | title=Armenian (people) &#124; Description, Culture, History, & Facts | access-date=5 September 2018 | archive-date=26 April 2019 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190426130529/https://www.britannica.com/topic/Armenian-people | url-status=live }}</ref> It has two [[Mutual intelligibility|mutually intelligible]] spoken and written forms: [[Eastern Armenian]], today spoken mainly in Armenia, Artsakh, [[Iran]], and the former Soviet republics; and [[Western Armenian]], used in the historical [[Western Armenia]] and, after the Armenian genocide, primarily in the Armenian diasporan communities. The unique [[Armenian alphabet]] was invented in 405 AD by [[Mesrop Mashtots]].

Most Armenians adhere to the [[Armenian Apostolic Church]], a [[non-Chalcedonian]] Christian church, which is also the world's oldest [[national church]]. Christianity began to spread in Armenia soon after Jesus' death, due to the efforts of two of his apostles, [[St. Thaddeus]] and [[St. Bartholomew]].<ref name="HistofChrist">see {{Cite book|first = Adrian | last = Hastings | title = A World History of Christianity | publisher = Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing | page = 289 | year = 2000 | isbn = 978-0-8028-4875-8 }}</ref> In the early 4th century, the [[Kingdom of Armenia (antiquity)|Kingdom of Armenia]] became the first state to [[Christianization of Armenia|adopt Christianity]] as a state religion,<ref name="ncccusa">{{cite web|url=http://www.ncccusa.org/news/01news36a.html |title=Armenia first nation to adopt Christianity as a state religion |access-date=2007-02-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110106104636/http://www.ncccusa.org/news/01news36a.html |archive-date=6 January 2011 |url-status=live }}</ref> followed by the first pilgrimages to the [[Holy Land]] where a [[Armenians in Israel and Palestine|community]] established the [[Armenian Quarter]] of [[Old City of Jerusalem|Old Jerusalem]].<ref name="Jewish Virtual Library" /><ref>{{cite magazine |last=Davis |first=Joyce M. |date=July 1992 |title=Jerusalem's Armenian Quarter |url=https://cnewa.org/magazine/jerusalems-armenian-quarter-30548/ |magazine=ONE Magazine |location= |publisher=Catholic Near East Welfare Association |access-date=2023-06-21 |archive-date=21 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230621214853/https://cnewa.org/magazine/jerusalems-armenian-quarter-30548/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

== Etymology ==
{{Main|Name of Armenia}}
[[File:Mkrtum Hovnatanian. Hayk Nahapet.jpeg|left|thumb|upright=0.75|[[Hayk]], the legendary founder of the Armenian nation. Painting by [[Mkrtum Hovnatanian]] (1779–1846)]]

The earliest attestations of the [[exonym and endonym|exonym]] ''Armenia'' date around the 6th century BC. In his trilingual [[Behistun Inscription]] dated to 517 BC, [[Darius I the Great]] of [[Achaemenid Empire|Persia]] refers to [[Urartu|''Urashtu'']] (in [[Babylonia]]n) as ''[[wikt:𐎠𐎼𐎷𐎡𐎴#Old Persian|Armina]]'' ([[Old Persian language|Old Persian]]: 𐎠𐎼𐎷𐎡𐎴) and ''Harminuya'' (in Elamite).
In [[Ancient Greek language|Greek]], ''Armenios'' ({{lang|grc|[[wikt:Ἀρμένιος|Αρμένιοι]]}}) is attested from about the same time, perhaps the earliest reference being a fragment attributed to [[Hecataeus of Miletus]] (476&nbsp;BC).<ref>"{{lang|grc|Χαλύβοισι πρὸς νότον Ἀρμένιοι ὁμουρέουσι}} (The Armenians border on the [[Chalybes]] to the south)". {{Cite book|last =Chahin|first =Mark|title =The Kingdom of Armenia|publisher =[[Routledge]]|year =2001|location =London|pages = fr. 203|isbn =978-0-7007-1452-0 }}</ref> [[Xenophon]], a Greek general serving in some of the Persian expeditions, describes many aspects of Armenian village life and hospitality in around 401 BC.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |title=Xenophon |url=https://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/xenophon |access-date=2025-02-26 |website=Encyclopaedia Iranica |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Xenophon |title=Anabasis, book4, chapter4 |url=https://www.gutenberg.org/files/1170/1170-h/1170-h.htm |access-date=2025-02-26 |website=Project Gutenberg}}</ref>

Some have linked the name ''Armenia'' with the Early Bronze Age state of ''[[Armani (kingdom)|Armani (Armanum, Armi)]]'' or the Late Bronze Age state of ''[[Shupria|Arme (Shupria)]]''.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3WqaAAAAQBAJ&pg=PA42|title= Armenia Country Study Guide Volume 1 Strategic Information and Developments|author= Ibp Inc.| page=42|isbn= 9781438773827|date= September 2013|publisher= International Business Publications, USA}}</ref>  ''Armini'', Urartian for "inhabitant of Arme" or "Armean country", referring to the region of Shupria, to the immediate west of Lake Van.<ref>Armen Petrosyan. ''The Indo-European and Ancient Near Eastern Sources of the Armenian Epic''. ''Journal of Indo-European Studies.'' Institute for the Study of Man. 2002. p. 184. [https://www.academia.edu/3656244/The_Indo_European_and_Ancient_Near_Eastern_Sources_of_the_Armenian_Epic_Washington_D_C_2002?auto=download] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210709184415/https://www.academia.edu/3656244/The_Indo_European_and_Ancient_Near_Eastern_Sources_of_the_Armenian_Epic_Washington_D_C_2002?auto=download|date=9 July 2021}}</ref> The Arme tribe of Urartian texts may have been the Urumu, who in the 12th century BC attempted to invade Assyria from the north with their allies the [[Mushki]] and the [[Kaskians]]. The Urumu apparently settled in the vicinity of [[Sason]], lending their name to the regions of Arme and the nearby lands of Urme and Inner Urumu.<ref>Armen Petrosyan. ''The Indo-European and Ancient Near Eastern Sources of the Armenian Epic''. ''Journal of Indo-European Studies''. Institute for the Study of Man. 2002. pp. 166–167. [https://www.academia.edu/3656244/The_Indo_European_and_Ancient_Near_Eastern_Sources_of_the_Armenian_Epic_Washington_D_C_2002?auto=download] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210709184415/https://www.academia.edu/3656244/The_Indo_European_and_Ancient_Near_Eastern_Sources_of_the_Armenian_Epic_Washington_D_C_2002?auto=download|date=9 July 2021}}</ref> The location of the older site of Armani is a matter of debate. Some modern researchers have placed it in the same general area as Arme, near modern [[Samsat]],<ref>{{cite journal|last=Archi|first=Alfonso|title=Egypt or Iran in the Ebla Texts?|journal=Orientalia|date=2016|volume=85|page=3|url=https://www.academia.edu/34915656|access-date=8 June 2019|archive-date=15 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210815194611/https://www.academia.edu/34915656|url-status=live}}</ref> and have suggested it was populated, at least partially, by an early [[Indo-Europeans|Indo-European-speaking people]].<ref>{{cite journal |last=Kroonen|first=Guus; Gojko Barjamovic; Michaël Peyrot|title=Linguistic supplement to Damgaard et al. 2018: Early Indo-European languages, Anatolian, Tocharian and Indo-Iranian|date=9 May 2018|page=3|doi=10.5281/zenodo.1240524|url=https://zenodo.org/record/1240524|access-date=8 June 2019|journal=|archive-date=29 June 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190629152739/https://zenodo.org/record/1240524|url-status=live}}</ref> The relationship between Armani and the later Arme-Shupria, if any, is undetermined. Additionally, their connections to Armenians is inconclusive as it is not known what languages were spoken in these regions.

It has also been speculated that the land of ''Ermenen'' (located in or near ''[[Mannaeans|Minni]]''), mentioned by the Egyptian pharaoh [[Thutmose III]] in 1446 BCE, could be a reference to Armenia.

Armenians call themselves ''[[wikt:հայ|Hay]]'' ({{langx|hy|հայ}}, pronounced [ˈhaj]; plural: հայեր, [haˈjɛɾ]). The name has traditionally been derived from ''[[Hayk]]'' ({{langx|hy|Հայկ}}), the legendary patriarch of the Armenians and a great-great-grandson of [[Noah]], who, according to [[Moses of Khoren|Movses Khorenatsi (Moses of Khorene)]], defeated the [[List of Kings of Babylon|Babylonian king]] Bel in [[3rd millennium BC|2492&nbsp;BC]] and established his nation in the [[Ararat, Armenia|Ararat]] region.<ref>Razmik Panossian, The Armenians: From Kings And Priests to Merchants And Commissars, [[Columbia University Press]] (2006), {{ISBN|978-0-231-13926-7}}, p. 106.</ref> It is also further postulated<ref>Rafael Ishkhanyan, "Illustrated History of Armenia", Yerevan, 1989</ref><ref name="Bauer">Elisabeth Bauer. ''Armenia: Past and Present'' (1981), p. 49</ref> that the name ''Hay'' comes from, or is related to, one of the two confederated, [[Hittites|Hittite]] vassal states—[[Hayasa]]-Azzi (1600–1200 BC). Ultimately, ''Hay'' may derive from the [[Proto Indo-European]] words ''póti'' (meaning "lord" or "master")<ref>{{cite journal|last=Petrosyan|first=Armen|title=Towards the Origins of the Armenian People: The Problem of Identification of the Proto-Armenians: A Critical Review (in English)|journal=Journal for the Society of Armenian Studies|date=2007 |volume=16|page=30 |url=https://www.academia.edu/3657764|access-date=6 June 2019|archive-date=4 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201004180224/https://www.academia.edu/3657764/Towards_the_Origins_of_the_Armenian_People_The_Problem_of_Identification_of_the_Proto_Armenians_A_Critical_Review_in_English_|url-status=live}}</ref> or ''*h₂éyos''/''*áyos'' (meaning "metal").<ref>{{cite book|last=Martirosyan|first=Hrach|title=Etymological Dictionary of the Armenian Inherited Lexicon|date=2010|publisher=Leiden: Brill|pages= 382–385}}</ref>

Khorenatsi wrote that the word ''Armenian'' originated from the name Armenak or [[Aram (given name)|Aram]] (the descendant of Hayk).<ref>{{Cite book |last=Khorenatsi |first=Movses |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=k-tmEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA18 |title=History of Armenia.: Written by the 1st Armenian Historian Movses Khorenatsi. |date=2022-03-30 |publisher=World Scholarly Press |isbn=979-8-9859237-1-1 |language=en}}</ref> Khorenatsi refers to both Armenia and Armenians as ''Hayk‘'' (Armenian: Հայք) (not to be confused with the aforementioned patriarch, Hayk).{{citation needed|date=March 2022}}

== History ==
{{Indo-European}}

=== Origin ===
{{Main|Origin of the Armenians|History of Armenia}}
[[File:AhuR-Persepolis.jpg|thumb|left|An Armenian tribute bearer carrying a metal vessel with griffin handles. [[Persepolis]], 5th century BC.]]
[[File:Persepolis stairs of the Apadana relief.jpg|thumb|right|A bas-relief at the [[Apadana]] in [[Persepolis]], depicting Armenians bringing their famous wine to the [[Shah]].]]

While the [[Armenian language]] is classified as an [[Indo-European languages|Indo-European language]], its placement within the broader Indo-European language family is a matter of debate. Until fairly recently, scholars believed Armenian to be most closely related to [[Greek language|Greek]] and [[Ancient Macedonian language|Ancient Macedonian]]. [[Eric P. Hamp]] placed Armenian in the "Pontic Indo-European" (also called [[Graeco-Armenian]] or Helleno-Armenian) subgroup of Indo-European languages in his 2012 Indo-European family tree.<ref name="hamp">{{cite journal|last=Hamp|first=Eric P.|title=The Expansion of the Indo-European Languages: An Indo-Europeanist's Evolving View |journal=Sino-Platonic Papers|date=August 2013|volume=239|pages=8, 10, 13|url=http://sino-platonic.org/complete/spp239_indo_european_languages.pdf |access-date=8 February 2014|url-status=live |archive-date=2 August 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190802070158/http://sino-platonic.org/complete/spp239_indo_european_languages.pdf}}</ref> There are two possible explanations, not mutually exclusive, for a common origin of the Armenian and Greek languages.
* In Hamp's view, the homeland of the proposed Graeco-Armenian subgroup is the northeast coast of the Black Sea and its hinterlands.<ref name="hamp" /> He assumes that they migrated from there southeast through the Caucasus with the Armenians remaining after [[Batumi]] while the pre-Greeks proceeded westward along the southern coast of the Black Sea.<ref name="hamp" />
* Ancient Greek historian [[Herodotus]] (writing {{circa|440 BCE}}), suggested that Armenians migrated from [[Phrygia]], a region that encompassed much of western and central [[Anatolia]] during the [[Iron Age]]: "the Armenians were equipped like Phrygians, being Phrygian colonists" (7.73) (''{{lang|grc|Ἀρμένιοι δὲ κατά περ Φρύγες ἐσεσάχατο, ἐόντες Φρυγῶν ἄποικοι.}}''). This statement was interpreted by later scholars as meaning that Armenians spoke a language derived from [[Phrygian language|Phrygian]], a poorly attested Indo-European language. However, this theory has been discredited.<ref>James P.T. Clackson (2008). "Classical Armenian."''The Ancient Languages of Asia Minor.'' Cambridge University Press. p. 124</ref><ref>Bartomeu Obrador-Cursach. "On the place of Phrygian among the Indo-European languages." Journal of Language Relationship. 2019. p. 240. https://www.jolr.ru/files/(271)jlr2019-17-3-4(233-245).pdf {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210324071401/https://www.jolr.ru/files/%28271%29jlr2019-17-3-4%28233-245%29.pdf |date=24 March 2021}}</ref> Ancient Greek writers believed that the Phrygians had originated in the [[Balkans]], in an area adjoining Macedonia, from where they had emigrated to Anatolia during the [[Bronze Age collapse]]. This led later scholars to theorize that Armenians also originated in the Balkans. However, an Armenian origin in the Balkans, although once widely accepted, has been facing increased scrutiny in recent years due to discrepancies in the timeline and lack of genetic<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Hovhannisyan |first1=Anahit |last2=Delser |first2=Pierpaolo Maisano |last3=Hakobyan |first3=Anna |last4=Jones |first4=Eppie R. |last5=Schraiber |first5=Joshua G. |last6=Antonosyan |first6=Mariya |last7=Margaryan |first7=Ashot |last8=Xue |first8=Zhe |last9=Jeon |first9=Sungwon |last10=Bhak |first10=Jong |last11=Hrechdakian |first11=Peter |last12=Sahakyan |first12=Hovhannes |last13=Saag |first13=Lehti |last14=Khachatryan |first14=Zaruhi |last15=Yepiskoposyan |first15=Levon |date=2025-01-02 |title=Demographic history and genetic variation of the Armenian population |journal=The American Journal of Human Genetics |language=English |volume=112 |issue=1 |pages=11–27 |doi=10.1016/j.ajhg.2024.10.022 |issn=0002-9297 |pmid=39591962|doi-access=free |pmc=11739871 }}</ref> and archeological evidence.<ref name="hamp" /><ref>{{cite book |author1=Armen Petrosyan|title=The Problem Of Identification Of The Proto-Armenians: A Critical Review|url=https://www.academia.edu/3657764|access-date=23 November 2018|date=2007|publisher=Society For Armenian Studies |pages=49–54|archive-date=4 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201004180224/https://www.academia.edu/3657764/Towards_the_Origins_of_the_Armenian_People_The_Problem_of_Identification_of_the_Proto_Armenians_A_Critical_Review_in_English_|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Martirosyan">{{cite web |last=Martirosyan|first=Hrach|title=Origins and Historical Development of the Armenian Language|date=2014|pages=1–23|publisher=Leiden University |url=https://ling.hse.ru/data/2014/09/01/1313574129/Hrach%20Martirosyan%20-%20Handout.pdf|access-date=5 August 2019|archive-date=4 August 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190804193154/https://ling.hse.ru/data/2014/09/01/1313574129/Hrach%20Martirosyan%20-%20Handout.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> The view that Armenians are native to the [[South Caucasus]] is supported by ancient Armenian historical accounts and legends, which place the [[Ararat Plain]] as the cradle of Armenian culture, as well as modern genetic research. In fact, some scholars have suggested that the Phrygians or the apparently related [[Mushki]] people were originally from Armenia and moved westward.<ref>{{Cite journal | journal=  Studi Micenei ed Egeo-Anatolici | date= 1997 | volume= 39 | issue= 2 | pages= 252–266 |url=http://smea.isma.cnr.it/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Kossian_The-Mushki-problem-Reconsidered.pdf | last= Kossian |first=Aram |title=The Mushki Problem Reconsidered|url-status=live |archive-date=28 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200828192604/http://smea.isma.cnr.it/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Kossian_The-Mushki-problem-Reconsidered.pdf}}</ref>


Some linguists tentatively conclude that Armenian, [[Greek language|Greek]] (and [[Phrygian language|Phrygian]]) and [[Indo-Iranian languages|Indo-Iranian]] were dialectally close to each other;<ref name="p. 6">''Handbook of Formal Languages'' (1997) [https://books.google.com/books?id=yQ59ojndUt4C&dq=armeno-aryan&pg=PA6 p. 6] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200518224126/https://books.google.com/books?id=yQ59ojndUt4C&pg=PA6&dq=armeno-aryan&client=firefox-a#v=onepage&q=armeno-aryan&f=true |date=18 May 2020 }}.</ref><ref name="public.iastate.edu">{{Cite web |url=http://www.public.iastate.edu/~cfford/Indoeuropean%20language%20family%20tree.jpg |title=Indo-European tree with Armeno-Aryan, exclusion of Greek |access-date=13 February 2021 |archive-date=14 May 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180514140029/http://www.public.iastate.edu/~cfford/Indoeuropean%20language%20family%20tree.jpg |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>''Indo-European Language and Culture: An Introduction'', Benjamin W. Fortson, John Wiley and Sons, 2009, p383.</ref><ref>Hans J. Holm (2011): “Swadesh lists” of Albanian Revisited and Consequences for its position in the Indo-European Languages. The Journal of Indo-European Studies, Volume 39, Number 1&2.</ref><ref>Hrach Martirosyan (2013). "The place of Armenian in the Indo-European language family: the relationship with Greek and Indo-Iranian*" Leiden University. p. 85-86. https://www.jolr.ru/files/(128)jlr2013-10(85-138).pdf {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210324071400/https://www.jolr.ru/files/%28128%29jlr2013-10%2885-138%29.pdf |date=24 March 2021 }}</ref><ref>James P.T. Clackson (2008). "Classical Armenian." ''The Ancient Languages of Asia Minor.'' Cambridge University Press. p. 124</ref> within this hypothetical dialect group, Proto-Armenian was situated between [[Proto-Greek language|Proto-Greek]] ([[centum]] subgroup) and [[Proto-Indo-Iranian language|Proto-Indo-Iranian]] ([[satem]] subgroup).<ref>Hrach Martirosyan. The place of Armenian in the Indo-European language family: the relationship with Greek and Indo-Iranian. Journal of Language Relationship • Вопросы языкового родства • 10 (2013) • Pp. 85—137</ref> This has led some scholars to propose a hypothetical [[Graeco-Aryan|Graeco-Armenian-Aryan]] clade within the Indo-European language family from which the Armenian, Greek, Indo-Iranian, and possibly Phrygian languages all descend.<ref>''Handbook of Formal Languages'' (1997), [https://books.google.com/books?id=yQ59ojndUt4C&dq=armeno-aryan&pg=PA6 p. 6] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200518224126/https://books.google.com/books?id=yQ59ojndUt4C&pg=PA6&dq=armeno-aryan&client=firefox-a#v=onepage&q=armeno-aryan&f=true |date=18 May 2020 }}.</ref> According to Kim (2018), however, there is insufficient evidence for a cladistic connection between Armenian and Greek, and common features between these two languages can be explained as a result of contact. Contact is also the most likely explanation for morphological features shared by Armenian with Indo-Iranian and [[Balto-Slavic languages]].<ref>{{cite journal|last=Kim|first=Ronald|title=Greco-Armenian: The persistence of a myth |journal=Indogermanische Forschungen|publisher=The University of British Columbia Library|date=2018|volume=123 |issue=1 |doi=10.1515/if-2018-0009|s2cid=231923312|url=https://www.academia.edu/37844906|access-date=9 June 2019|archive-date=24 March 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210324071419/https://www.academia.edu/37844906/Greco_Armenian_the_persistence_of_a_myth|url-status=live}}</ref>

It has been suggested that the [[Bronze Age]] [[Trialeti culture|Trialeti-Vanadzor culture]] and sites such as the burial complexes at [[Ashtarak|Verin and Nerkin Naver]] are indicative of an Indo-European presence in Armenia by the end of the 3rd millennium BCE.<ref>{{cite journal | jstor=603403 | last1=Greppin | first1=John A. C. | last2=Diakonoff | first2=I. M. | title=Some Effects of the Hurro-Urartian People and Their Languages upon the Earliest Armenians | journal=Journal of the American Oriental Society | year=1991 | volume=111 | issue=4 | pages=720–730 | doi=10.2307/603403 }}</ref><ref>Joan Aruz, Kim Benzel, Jean M. Evans, ''Beyond Babylon: Art, Trade, and Diplomacy in the Second Millennium B.C.'' Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York, N.Y.)[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_gr5BgOwEJicC/page/n179 <!-- quote=trialeti vanadzor indo european. -->] (2008) pp. 92</ref><ref>{{citation|url=https://docplayer.net/108120425-The-mushki-problem-reconsidered.html|title=The Mushki Problem Reconsidered|date=1997|first=Aram V.|last=Kossian|access-date=31 August 2019|archive-date=29 August 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190829005531/https://docplayer.net/108120425-The-mushki-problem-reconsidered.html|url-status=live}} pp. 254</ref><ref>Peter I. Bogucki and Pam J. Crabtree [http://lukashevichus.info/knigi/ancient_europe_encycl_bogucki_crabtree_1.pdf ''Ancient Europe, 8000 B.C. to A.D. 1000: An Encyclopedia of the Barbarian World''.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160109082658/http://lukashevichus.info/knigi/ancient_europe_encycl_bogucki_crabtree_1.pdf |date=9 January 2016 }} Charles Scribner's Sons, 2004 {{ISBN|978-0684806686}}</ref><ref>Daniel T. Potts [https://books.google.com/books?id=7lK6l7oF_ccC&pg=PA681 ''A Companion to the Archaeology of the Ancient Near East''.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200519050325/https://books.google.ca/books?id=7lK6l7oF_ccC&pg=PA681 |date=19 May 2020 }} Volume 94 of Blackwell Companions to the Ancient World. John Wiley & Sons, 2012 {{ISBN|1405189886}} p.681</ref><ref>{{cite journal|last=Simonyan|first=Hakob Y.|title=New Discoveries at Verin Naver, Armenia|journal=Backdirt|date=2012|issue=The Puzzle of the Mayan Calendar|pages=110–113|publisher=The Cotsen Institute of Archaeology at UCLA|url=https://www.academia.edu/25380162|access-date=5 August 2019|archive-date=8 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211108073841/https://www.academia.edu/25380162|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Martirosyan" /> The controversial [[Armenian hypothesis]], put forward by some scholars, such as [[Thomas Gamkrelidze]] and [[Vyacheslav Ivanov (philologist)|Vyacheslav V. Ivanov]], proposes that the [[Indo-European origins|Indo-European homeland]] was around the Armenian Highland.<ref>Thomas Gamkrelidze and Vyacheslav Ivanov (philologist)|Vyacheslav V. Ivanov, ''The Early History of Indo-European Languages'', March 1990, p. 110.</ref> This theory was partially confirmed by the research of geneticist [[David Reich (geneticist)|David Reich]] (et al. 2018), among others.<ref>{{cite book |last=Reich |first=David |year=2018 |title=Who We Are and How We Got Here: Ancient DNA and the New Science of the Human Past |publisher=Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Damgaard |first1=Peter de Barros |year=2018 |title=The First Horse herders and the Impact of Early Bronze Age Steppe expansions into Asia}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Haak |first1=Wolfgang |year=2015 |title=Massive migration from the steppe is a source for Indo-European languages in Europe |biorxiv=10.1101/013433 |doi=10.1101/013433 |s2cid=196643946}}</ref> Similarly Grolle (et al. 2018) supports not only a homeland for Armenians on the Armenian highlands, but also that the Armenian highlands are the homeland for the "pre-proto-Indo-Europeans".<ref>Grolle, Johann (12 May 2018), "Invasion aus der Steppe", ''Der Spiegel''</ref> A large genetic study in 2022 showed that many Armenians are "direct patrilineal descendants of the [[Yamnaya]]".<ref>{{cite web |last1=Shaw |first1=Jonathan |title=Seeking the First Speakers of Indo-European Language |date=25 August 2022 |url=https://www.harvardmagazine.com/2022/08/indo-european-languages |publisher=Harvard Magazine |access-date=11 September 2022 |archive-date=11 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220911053033/https://www.harvardmagazine.com/2022/08/indo-european-languages |url-status=live }}</ref>
 
Genetic studies explain Armenian diversity by several mixtures of Eurasian populations that occurred between 3000 and 2000 BCE. But genetic signals of population mixture cease after 1200 BCE when Bronze Age civilizations in the Eastern Mediterranean world suddenly and violently collapsed. Armenians have since remained isolated and genetic structure within the population developed ~500 years ago when Armenia was divided between the Ottomans and the Safavid Empire in Iran.<ref name=genetics>{{cite journal |doi=10.1038/ejhg.2015.206 |pmid=26486470|biorxiv=10.1101/015396|title=Genetic evidence for an origin of the Armenians from Bronze Age mixing of multiple populations|journal=European Journal of Human Genetics |volume=24|issue=6|pages=931–936|year=2015|last1=Haber|first1=Marc|last2=Mezzavilla|first2=Massimo |last3=Xue|first3=Yali|last4=Comas|first4=David|last5=Gasparini|first5=Paolo|last6=Zalloua|first6=Pierre |last7=Tyler-Smith|first7=Chris|pmc=4820045}}</ref><ref name=nyt>{{Cite news| last=Wade| first=Nicholas| url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/11/science/study-backs-5th-century-historians-date-for-founding-of-armenia.html?_r=0| title=Date of Armenia's Birth, Given in 5th Century, Gains Credence| newspaper=The New York Times| date=2015-03-10| access-date=13 February 2017| archive-date=19 May 2020| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200519014046/https://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/11/science/study-backs-5th-century-historians-date-for-founding-of-armenia.html?_r=0| url-status=live}}</ref> A genetic study (Wang et al. 2018) supports the [[Indigenous peoples|indigenous origin for Armenians]] in a region south of the Caucasus which he calls "Greater Caucasus".<ref>Wang, Chuan-Chao (2018), ''The genetic prehistory of the Greater Caucasus''</ref>

In the [[Bronze Age]], several states flourished in the area of Greater Armenia, including the [[Hittite Empire]] (at the height of its power in the 14th century BCE), ([[Mitanni]] (South-Western historical Armenia, 1500–1300 BCE), and [[Hayasa-Azzi]] (1500–1200&nbsp;BCE). Soon after Hayasa-Azzi came [[Shupria|Arme-Shupria]] (1300s–1190 BCE), the [[Nairi people|Nairi Confederation]] (1200–900&nbsp;BCE), and the [[Kingdom of Urartu]] (860–590&nbsp;BCE), who successively established their sovereignty over the [[Armenian Highland]]. Each of the aforementioned nations and tribes participated in the ethnogenesis of the Armenian people.<ref>Vahan Kurkjian, "History of Armenia", Michigan, 1968, [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Gazetteer/Places/Asia/Armenia/_Texts/KURARM/home.html History of Armenia by Vahan Kurkjian] {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20120527052930/http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Gazetteer/Places/Asia/Armenia/_Texts/KURARM/home.html |date=27 May 2012 }}; Armenian Soviet Encyclopedia, v. 12, Yerevan 1987; Artak Movsisyan, "Sacred Highland: Armenia in the spiritual conception of the Near East", Yerevan, 2000; Martiros Kavoukjian, "The Genesis of Armenian People", Montreal, 1982</ref> Under [[Ashurbanipal]] (669–627 BCE), the [[Assyrian empire]] reached the [[Caucasus Mountains]] (modern [[Armenia]], Georgia and [[Azerbaijan]]).<ref>Curtis, John (November 2003). "The Achaemenid Period in Northern Iraq". L'archéologie de l'empire achéménide (Paris, France): 12.</ref>

Luwianologist John D. Hawkins proposed that "Hai" people were possibly mentioned in the 10th century BCE [[Hieroglyphic Luwian]] inscriptions from [[Carchemish]].<ref>{{cite journal | jstor=3642555 | title=Building Inscriptions of Carchemish: The Long Wall of Sculpture and Great Staircase | last1=Hawkins | first1=J. D. | journal=Anatolian Studies | year=1972 | volume=22 | pages=87–114 | doi=10.2307/3642555 | s2cid=191397893 }}</ref> [[Elizabeth Redgate|A.E. Redgate]] later clarified that these "Hai" people may have been Armenians.<ref>{{cite journal | jstor=40378911 | last1=Redgate | first1=A. E. | title=Reviewed work: The Pre-History of the Armenians, Gabriel Soultanian | journal=Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London | year=2007 | volume=70 | issue=1 | pages=173–175 | doi=10.1017/S0041977X07000195 | s2cid=163000249 }}</ref>

=== Antiquity ===
[[File:Armenian Empire.png|thumb|The [[Kingdom of Armenia (Antiquity)|Kingdom of Armenia]] at its greatest extent under [[Tigranes the Great]] (95–55 BCE)]]
The first geographical entity that was called Armenia by neighboring peoples (such as by Hecataeus of Miletus and on the Achaemenid Behistun Inscription) was the [[Satrapy of Armenia]], established in the late 6th century BCE under the [[Orontid dynasty|Orontid (Yervanduni) dynasty]] within the [[Achaemenid Empire|Achaemenid Persian Empire]]. The Orontids later ruled the independent [[Kingdom of Armenia (antiquity)|Kingdom of Armenia]]. At its zenith (95–65&nbsp;BCE), under the imperial reign of [[Tigran the Great]], a member of the [[Artaxiad dynasty|Artaxiad (Artashesian) dynasty]], the Kingdom of Armenia extended from the Caucasus all the way to what is now central [[Turkey]], [[Lebanon]], and northern [[Iran]].

The [[Arsacid Armenia|Arsacid Kingdom of Armenia]], itself a branch of the [[Arsacid dynasty of Parthia]], was the first state to adopt Christianity as its religion (it had formerly been adherent to [[Armenian paganism]], which was influenced by [[Zoroastrianism]],<ref name="Mary Boyce p 84">Mary Boyce. [https://books.google.com/books?id=a6gbxVfjtUEC&dq=armenians+zoroastrianism+christianity&pg=PA84 ''Zoroastrians: Their Religious Beliefs and Practices''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161221110954/https://books.google.com/books?id=a6gbxVfjtUEC&pg=PA84&dq=armenians+zoroastrianism+christianity&hl=nl&sa=X&ved=0CCgQ6AEwAWoVChMIi5zf656SxgIVgbMsCh1xBQB1#v=onepage&q=armenians%20zoroastrianism%20christianity&f=false |date=21 December 2016 }} Psychology Press, 2001 {{ISBN|978-0415239028}} p 84</ref> while later on adopting a few elements regarding identification of its pantheon with [[Greek Mythology|Greco-Roman]] deities).<ref>''"The conversion of Armenia to Christianity was probably the most crucial step in its history. It turned Armenia sharply away from its Iranian past and stamped it for centuries with an intrinsic character as clear to the native population as to those outside its borders, who identified Armenia almost at once as the first state to adopt Christianity"''. (Nina Garsoïan in ''Armenian People from Ancient to Modern Times'', ed. R.G. Hovannisian, Palgrave Macmillan, 1997, Volume 1, p.81).</ref> In the early years of the 4th century, likely 301 CE,<ref>traditionally dated to 301 following [[Mikayel Chamchian]] (1784). 314 is the date favored by mainstream scholarship, so Nicholas Adontz (1970), p.82, following the research of Ananian, and Seibt ''The Christianization of Caucasus (Armenia, Georgia, Albania) '' (2002).</ref> partly in defiance of the [[Sassanids]] it seems.<ref name="books.google.nl">Mary Boyce. [https://books.google.com/books?id=a6gbxVfjtUEC&pg=PA84 ''Zoroastrians: Their Religious Beliefs and Practices''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150919131431/https://books.google.com/books?id=a6gbxVfjtUEC&pg=PA84 |date=19 September 2015 }} Psychology Press, 2001 {{ISBN|0415239028}} p 84</ref> In the late Parthian period, Armenia was a predominantly Zoroastrian-adhering land,<ref name="Mary Boyce p 84"/> but by the Christianisation, previously predominant Zoroastrianism and [[Armenian paganism|paganism]] in Armenia gradually declined.<ref name="books.google.nl"/><ref name="books.google.com">Charl Wolhuter, Corene de Wet. [https://books.google.com/books?id=y4_4AwAAQBAJ&pg=PA30 ''International Comparative Perspectives on Religion and Education''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151018194514/https://books.google.com/books?id=y4_4AwAAQBAJ&pg=PA30 |date=18 October 2015 }} AFRICAN SUN MeDIA, {{ISBN|1920382372}}. 1 March 2014 p 31</ref> This is the period that an [[Armenians in Israel and Palestine|Armenian community]] was established in [[Judea]] (modern-day [[Palestine (region)|Palestine]]-Israel), leading to the [[Armenian Quarter|Armenian Quarter of Jerusalem]].<ref name="Jewish Virtual Library">{{cite web |title=The Armenian Quarter in Jerusalem |url=https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jerusalem-s-the-armenian-quarter |access-date=2023-05-05 |website=Jewish Virtual Library |archive-date=6 July 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170706031430/https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jerusalem-s-the-armenian-quarter |url-status=live }}</ref> Later on, to further strengthen Armenian national identity, [[Mesrop Mashtots]] invented the [[Armenian alphabet]], in 405 CE. This event ushered the [[Golden Age of Armenia]], during which many foreign books and manuscripts were translated to Armenian by Mesrop's pupils. Armenia lost its sovereignty again in 428 CE to the rivaling [[Byzantine Empire|Byzantine]] and [[Sassanid Empire|Sassanid Persian]] empires, until the [[Muslim conquest of Persia]] overran also the regions in which Armenians lived.

=== Middle Ages ===
[[File:Cosmographia Claudii Ptolomaei ante 1467 (7456204) (cropped).jpg|thumb|[[Ptolemy]], ''Cosmographia'' (1467)]]
In 885 CE the Armenians reestablished themselves as a sovereign kingdom under the leadership of [[Ashot I of Armenia|Ashot I]] of the [[Bagratuni Dynasty|Bagratid Dynasty]]. A considerable portion of the Armenian nobility and peasantry fled the Byzantine occupation of Bagratid Armenia in 1045, and the subsequent invasion of the region by [[Seljuk Turks]] in 1064. They settled in large numbers in [[Cilicia]], an Anatolian region where Armenians were already established as a minority since Roman times. In 1080, they founded an independent [[Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia|Armenian Principality then Kingdom of Cilicia]], which became the focus of Armenian nationalism. The Armenians developed close social, cultural, military, and religious ties with nearby [[Crusader States]],<ref>{{cite book|last1=Hodgson|first1=Natasha|editor1-last=Kostick|editor1-first=Conor|title=The Crusades and the Near East: Cultural Histories|date=2010 |publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-1136902475|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HAPGBQAAQBAJ|access-date=14 September 2015|url-status=live|archive-date=18 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151018194514/https://books.google.com/books?id=HAPGBQAAQBAJ}}</ref> but eventually succumbed to [[Mamluk]] invasions. In the next few centuries, [[Djenghis Khan]], [[Timurids]], and the tribal Turkic federations of the [[Ak Koyunlu]] and the [[Kara Koyunlu]] ruled over the Armenians.

=== Early modern history ===
{{multiple image |direction=vertical
|image1=Fenner, Rest. Persis, Parthia, Armenia. 1835 (A).jpg |caption1=Persis, Parthia, Armenia. Rest Fenner, published in 1835.
|image2=AMBS by Karl von Spruner.jpg |caption2=Armenia, Mesopotamia, Babylonia and Assyria with Adjacent Regions, Karl von Spruner, published in 1865.
}}

From the early 16th century, both [[Western Armenia]] and [[Eastern Armenia]] fell under Iranian [[Safavid dynasty|Safavid rule]].<ref>Donald Rayfield. [https://books.google.com/books?id=PxQpmg_JIpwC&dq=shah+ismail+conquered+wester+and+eastern+armenia&pg=PA165 ''Edge of Empires: A History of Georgia''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200518230604/https://books.google.com/books?id=PxQpmg_JIpwC&pg=PA165&dq=shah+ismail+conquered+wester+and+eastern+armenia&hl=nl&sa=X&ei=wGNWVfTKD8WksgGwtYGAAQ&ved=0CC4Q6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=shah%20ismail%20conquered%20wester%20and%20eastern%20armenia&f=false |date=18 May 2020 }} Reaktion Books, 2013 {{ISBN|1780230702}} p 165</ref><ref>Steven R. Ward. [https://books.google.com/books?id=MOuVAgAAQBAJ&dq=shah+ismail+conquer+armenia&pg=PA43 ''Immortal, Updated Edition: A Military History of Iran and Its Armed Forces''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200518230520/https://books.google.com/books?id=MOuVAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA43&dq=shah+ismail+conquer+armenia&hl=nl&sa=X&ei=ymRWVdvgHYGUsgH_jICYCQ&ved=0CEgQ6AEwBQ#v=onepage&q=shah%20ismail%20conquer%20armenia&f=false |date=18 May 2020 }} Georgetown University Press, 8 January 2014 {{ISBN|1626160325}} p 43</ref> Owing to the century long Turco-Iranian geo-political rivalry that would last in Western Asia, significant parts of the region were frequently fought over between the two rivalling empires. From the mid 16th century with the [[Peace of Amasya]], and decisively from the first half of the 17th century with the [[Treaty of Zuhab]] until the first half of the 19th century,<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=B8WRAgAAQBAJ&q=treaty+of+zuhab+confirms+amasya&pg=PA47|title=Armenians: Past and Present in the Making of National Identity|access-date=30 December 2014|isbn=9781135798376|last1=Herzig|first1=Edmund|last2=Kurkchiyan|first2=Marina|date=2004-11-10|publisher=Routledge |archive-date=24 March 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210324071402/https://books.google.com/books?id=B8WRAgAAQBAJ&q=treaty+of+zuhab+confirms+amasya&pg=PA47|url-status=live}}</ref> Eastern Armenia was ruled by the successive Iranian Safavid, [[Afsharid dynasty|Afsharid]] and [[Qajar dynasty|Qajar]] empires, while Western Armenia remained under [[Ottoman Turkey|Ottoman]] rule. In the late 1820s, the parts of historic Armenia under Iranian control centering on [[Yerevan]] and [[Lake Sevan]] (all of Eastern Armenia) were incorporated into the [[Russian Empire]] following [[Qajar dynasty|Iran]]'s forced ceding of the territories after its loss in the [[Russo-Persian War (1826-1828)]] and the outcoming [[Treaty of Turkmenchay]].<ref>Timothy C. Dowling [https://books.google.com/books?id=KTq2BQAAQBAJ&dq=russo+persian+war+1804-1813&pg=PA728 ''Russia at War: From the Mongol Conquest to Afghanistan, Chechnya, and Beyond''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160903022939/https://books.google.com/books?id=KTq2BQAAQBAJ&pg=PA728&dq=russo+persian+war+1804-1813&hl=nl&sa=X&ei=QnOXVJXpCcz7UPevhPAK&ved=0CCcQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=russo%20persian%20war%201804-1813&f=false |date=3 September 2016 }} pp 728 ABC-CLIO, 2 December 2014 {{ISBN|1598849484}}</ref> Western Armenia however, remained in Ottoman hands.

=== Modern history ===
The [[ethnic cleansing]] of Armenians during the final years of the Ottoman Empire is widely considered a [[Armenian genocide|genocide]], resulting in an estimated 1.2&nbsp;million victims.<ref name="Holocaust Encyclopedia">{{Cite web |title=The Armenian Genocide (1915–16): Overview |url=https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/the-armenian-genocide-1915-16-overview |access-date=2023-05-05 |website=Holocaust Encyclopedia |archive-date=4 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230504203406/https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/the-armenian-genocide-1915-16-overview |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day |url=https://www.auschwitzinstitute.org/news/armenian-genocide-remembrance-day/ |access-date=2023-05-05 |website=Auschwitz Institute |archive-date=5 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230505065029/https://www.auschwitzinstitute.org/news/armenian-genocide-remembrance-day/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The first wave of persecution was in the years 1894 to 1896, the second one culminating in the events of the [[Armenian genocide]] in 1915 and 1916. With [[World War I]] in progress, the Ottoman Empire accused the (Christian) Armenians as liable to ally with [[Imperial Russia]], and used it as a pretext to deal with the entire Armenian population as an enemy within their empire.

Governments of the Republic of Turkey since that time have consistently rejected charges of genocide, typically arguing either that those Armenians who died were simply in the way of a war, or that killings of Armenians were justified by their individual or collective support for the enemies of the Ottoman Empire. Passage of legislation in various foreign countries, condemning the persecution of the Armenians as genocide, has often provoked diplomatic conflict. (See [[Armenian genocide recognition|recognition of the Armenian genocide]])

Following the breakup of the Russian Empire in the [[aftermath of World War I]] for a brief period, from 1918 to 1920, Armenia was an [[First Republic of Armenia|independent republic]] plagued by socio-economic crises such as [[Muslim uprisings in Kars and Sharur–Nakhichevan|large-scale Muslim uprisings]]. In late 1920, the [[Communist Party of Armenia (Soviet Union)|communist]]s came to power following an invasion of Armenia by the [[Red Army]]; in 1922, Armenia became part of the [[Transcaucasian SFSR]] of the [[Soviet Union]], later on forming the [[Armenian SSR|Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic]] (1936 to 21 September 1991). In 1991, Armenia regained its [[Independence Day (Armenia)|independence]] from the [[USSR]]. Also in 1991, the ethnic Armenian-majority Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (later the [[Republic of Artsakh]]), declared independence from Azerbaijan which lasted until 2023.

== Geographic distribution ==
=== Armenia ===
[[File:Armenian distribution map.png|thumb|upright=1.35|Armenian presence in the early 20th century:<br /><small>{{legend inline|#967117|>50%}}{{nbsp|5}}{{legend inline|#FFA700|25–50%}}{{nbsp|5}}{{legend inline|#FBEC5D|<25%}}</small>{{legend|#FF0000|Armenian settlement area today.}}]]
[[File:Armenians in the Russian Empire in 1897.png|thumb|Armenians in uyezds of the Russian Empire according to the 1897 census]]
[[File:Ormianie mapa3.png|thumb|Armenians in uyezds of the Russian Empire according to the 1916 census]]
Armenians are indigenous to the [[Armenian Highland]]s and their presence in this region dates back 4,000 years. According to legend, [[Hayk]], the patriarch and founder of the Armenian nation, led Armenians to victory over [[Belus (Assyrian)|Bel]] of [[Babylon]] and settled in the Armenian Highland.<ref>Vahan Kurkjian, "History of Armenia", Michigan, 1968, [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Gazetteer/Places/Asia/Armenia/_Texts/KURARM/home.html History of Armenia by Vahan Kurkjian] {{Webarchive |url=https://archive.today/20120527052930/http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Gazetteer/Places/Asia/Armenia/_Texts/KURARM/home.html |date=27 May 2012 }}</ref> Today, with a population of 3.5&nbsp;million (although more recent estimates place the population closer to 2.9&nbsp;million), they constitute an overwhelming majority in Armenia,  Armenians in the diaspora informally refer to them as ''Hayastantsi''s ({{langx|hy|հայաստանցի}}), meaning those that are from Armenia (that is, those born and raised in Armenia). They, as well as the Armenians of Iran and Russia, speak the Eastern dialect of the Armenian language. The country itself is secular as a result of Soviet domination, but most of its citizens identify themselves as Apostolic Armenian Christian.

=== Diaspora ===
{{Main|Armenian diaspora}}{{See also|Armenian population by country}}While the largest [[Armenian diaspora]] populations reside in [[Armenians in Russia|Russia]], the [[Armenians in the United States|United States]], [[Armenians in France|France]], and other countries, small Armenian trading and religious communities have existed outside Armenia for centuries. A [[Armenians in Israel and Palestine|prominent community]] has continued since the 4th century in the [[Holy Land]], and one of the quarters of the walled [[Old City (Jerusalem)|Old City]] of [[Jerusalem]] is called the [[Armenian Quarter]].<ref name="Jewish Virtual Library" /> An [[San Lazzaro degli Armeni|Armenian Catholic monastic community]] of 35 founded in 1717 exists on an island near [[Venice]], Italy.

The [[Byzantine Armenia|region of Western Armenia]] was an influential part of the [[Byzantine Empire|Eastern Roman Empire]], which was [[Ottoman–Safavid War (1532–1555)|absorbed]] by the [[Ottoman Empire]] in the 16th century. The [[Ottoman Armenian population|Armenian population of the Ottoman Empire]] is estimated to have been between 1.5 and 2.5&nbsp;million in the early 20th century.<ref name="Holocaust Encyclopedia" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-05-03 |title=Armenian Genocide {{!}} History, Causes, & Facts {{!}} Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/event/Armenian-Genocide |access-date=2023-06-20 |website=www.britannica.com |language=en |archive-date=11 March 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150311030548/http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/35323/Armenian-massacres |url-status=live }}</ref> Most of the modern Armenian diaspora consists of Armenians scattered throughout the world as a direct consequence of [[Hamidian massacres|massacres]] and [[Armenian genocide|genocide in the Ottoman Empire]]. However, Armenian communities [[Iranian Armenians|in Iran]], [[Armenians in Georgia|Georgia]] ([[Armenians in Tbilisi|Tbilisi]]), and [[Armenians in Syria|Syria]] existed since [[ancient history|antiquity]].<ref name="Hovannisian" /> During the [[Middle Ages]] and the centuries prior to the genocide, additional communities were formed in [[Armenians in Greece|Greece]], [[Armenians in Bulgaria|Bulgaria]], [[Armenians in Hungary|Hungary]], [[Armenians in Ukraine|Kievan Rus']] and the territories of Russia, [[Armenians in Poland|Poland]], [[Armenians in Austria|Austria]], and [[Armenians in Lebanon|Lebanon]]. There are also remnants of historic communities in [[Armenians in Turkey|Turkey]] ([[Armenians in Istanbul|Istanbul]]),<ref>{{cite news |last=Khojoyan |first=Sara |date=16 October 2009 |title=Armenian in Istanbul: Diaspora in Turkey welcomes the setting of relations and waits more steps from both countries |agency=ArmeniaNow.com |url=http://armenianow.com/news/10672/armenian_in_istanbul_diaspora_in_t |access-date=5 January 2013 |archive-date=1 January 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170101063955/https://www.armenianow.com/news/10672/armenian_in_istanbul_diaspora_in_t |url-status=dead }}</ref> [[Armenians in India|India]], [[Armenians in Myanmar|Myanmar]], [[Thailand]], [[Armenians in Belgium|Belgium]], the [[Armenians in the Netherlands|Netherlands]], [[Portugal]], [[Armenians in Italy|Italy]], [[Armenians in Israel and Palestine|Israel-Palestine]], [[Iraqi Armenians|Iraq]], [[Armenians of Romania|Romania]], [[Armenians in Serbia|Serbia]], [[Armenians in Ethiopia|Ethiopia]], [[Armenians in the Middle East|Sudan]] and [[Armenians in Egypt|Egypt]].

The [[Nagorno-Karabakh]] region in [[Azerbaijan]] had an overwhelming Armenian majority until 2023. From 1991 to 2023, the region was governed by the Armenia-backed [[Republic of Artsakh]], a largely unrecognized breakway state. [[2023 Azerbaijani offensive in Nagorno-Karabakh|After Azerbaijan defeated Artsakh in 2023]] after [[Nagorno-Karabakh conflict|decades of conflict]], nearly the entire population [[Flight of Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians|fled into Armenia]].

Within the diasporan Armenian community, there is an unofficial classification of the different ''kinds'' of Armenians. For example, Armenians who originate from Iran are referred to as [[Iranian Armenians|''Parskahay'']] ({{langx|hy|պարսկահայ}}), while Armenians from Lebanon are usually referred to as [[Armenians in Lebanon|''Lipananahay'']] ({{langx|hy|լիբանանահայ}}). Armenians of the Diaspora are the primary speakers of the [[Western Armenian|Western dialect]] of the Armenian language. This dialect has considerable differences with Eastern Armenian, but speakers of either of the two variations can usually understand each other. Eastern Armenian in the diaspora is primarily spoken in Iran and European countries such as Ukraine, Russia, and [[Georgia (country)|Georgia]] (where they form a majority in the [[Samtskhe-Javakheti]] province). In diverse communities (such as in the United States and [[Armenian Canadians|Canada]]) where many different kinds of Armenians live together, there is a tendency for the different groups to cluster together.

== Culture ==
{{Main|Culture of Armenia}}

=== Religion ===
{{Main|Armenian Apostolic Church|Religion in Armenia|Armenian mythology}}
Before Christianity, Armenians adhered to [[Armenian paganism|Armenian Indo-European native religion]]: a type of indigenous polytheism that pre-dated the [[Urartu]] period but which subsequently adopted several Greco-Roman and Iranian religious characteristics.<ref>The Cambridge Ancient History. vol. 12, p. 486. London: Cambridge University Press, 2005.</ref><ref>{{cite book|last1=Terzian|first1=Shelley|editor1-last=Wolhuter|editor1-first=Charl|editor2-last=de Wet|editor2-first=Corene|title=International Comparative Perspectives on Religion and Education|date=2014|publisher=African Sun Media|isbn=978-1920382377|page=29|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=y4_4AwAAQBAJ|access-date=20 July 2015|archive-date=15 June 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160615132252/https://books.google.com/books?id=y4_4AwAAQBAJ|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 301&nbsp;AD, Armenia adopted Christianity as a state religion, becoming the first state to do so.<ref name="HistofChrist"/> The claim is primarily based on the fifth-century work of [[Agathangelos]] titled "The History of the Armenians." [[Agathangelos]] witnessed at first hand the baptism of the Armenian King [[Trdat III]] (c. 301/314 A.D.) by St. [[Gregory the Illuminator]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.vehi.net/istoriya/armenia/agathangelos/en/AGATHANGELOS.html |title='''Agathangelos''', History of St. Gregory and the Conversion of Armenia |access-date=13 June 2014 |archive-date=30 September 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180930174742/http://www.vehi.net/istoriya/armenia/agathangelos/en/AGATHANGELOS.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Trdat III decreed Christianity was the state religion.<ref>Agathangelos, History of the Armenians, Robert W. Thomson, State University of New York Press, 1974</ref>

[[File:Էջմիածնի Մայր Տաճար.jpg|thumb|right|The [[Etchmiadzin Cathedral]], the mother church of the [[Armenian Apostolic Church]], was established in 301 AD.]]

Armenia established a Church that still exists independently of both the [[Roman Catholicism|Catholic]] and the [[Eastern Orthodox]] churches, having become so in 451&nbsp;AD as a result of its stance regarding the [[Council of Chalcedon]].<ref name="HistofChrist"/> Today this church is known as the [[Armenian Apostolic Church]], which is a part of the [[Oriental Orthodox]] communion, not to be confused with the [[Eastern Orthodox]] communion. During its later political eclipses, Armenia depended on the church to preserve and protect its unique identity. The original location of the Armenian Catholicosate is Echmiadzin. However, the continuous upheavals, which characterized the political scenes of Armenia, made the political power move to safer places. The Church center moved as well to different locations together with the political authority. Therefore, it eventually moved to [[Cilicia]] as the [[Holy See of Cilicia]].<ref name="Prelacy">{{cite web | url= http://www.armenianprelacy.ca/history2.htm | title= A Migrating Catholicosate | access-date= 2007-02-27 | url-status= dead | archive-date= 3 April 2008 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080403151557/http://www.armenianprelacy.ca/history2.htm }}</ref>

Armenia has, at times, constituted a Christian "island" in a mostly [[Muslim]] region. There are, however, a minority of ethnic Armenian Muslims, known as [[Hamshenis]] and [[Crypto-Armenians]], although the former are often regarded as a distinct group or subgroup. In the late tsarist Caucasus, individual conversions of Muslims, Yazidis, Jews, and Assyrians into Armenian Christianity have been documented.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Hamed-Troyansky |first=Vladimir|date=2021|title=Becoming Armenian: Religious Conversions in the Late Imperial South Caucasus|journal=Comparative Studies in Society and History|volume=63|issue=1|pages=242–272 |doi=10.1017/S0010417520000432|doi-access=free}}</ref> The [[history of the Jews in Armenia]] dates back over 2,000 years. The [[Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia]] had close ties to European [[Crusader States]]. Later on, the deteriorating situation in the region led the bishops of Armenia to elect a Catholicos in Etchmiadzin, the original seat of the Catholicosate. In 1441, a new Catholicos was elected in Etchmiadzin in the person of Kirakos Virapetsi, while Krikor Moussapegiants preserved his title as Catholicos of Cilicia. Therefore, since 1441, there have been two Catholicosates in the Armenian Church with equal rights and privileges, and with their respective jurisdictions. The primacy of honor of the Catholicosate of Etchmiadzin has always been recognized by the Catholicosate of Cilicia.<ref name="Prelacy2">{{cite web | url= http://www.armenianprelacy.ca/history3.htm | title= Two Catholicosates within the Armenian Church | access-date= 2007-02-27 | url-status= dead | archive-date= 24 May 2008 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080524035850/http://www.armenianprelacy.ca/history3.htm }}</ref>

[[File:Tatev Monastery from a distance.jpg|right|thumb|Ancient [[Tatev Monastery]]]]
While the Armenian Apostolic Church remains the most prominent church in the Armenian community throughout the world, Armenians (especially in the diaspora) subscribe to any number of other Christian denominations. These include the [[Armenian Catholic Church]] (which follows its own liturgy but recognizes the [[Roman Catholicism|Roman Catholic]] Pope), the [[Armenian Evangelical Church]], which started as a reformation in the Mother church but later broke away, and the [[Armenian Brotherhood Church]], which was born in the Armenian Evangelical Church, but later broke apart from it. There are other numerous Armenian churches belonging to Protestant denominations of all kinds.

Through the ages many Armenians have collectively belonged to other faiths or Christian movements, including the [[Paulicians]] which is a form of Gnostic and Manichaean Christianity. Paulicians sought to restore the pure Christianity of Paul and in c.660 founded the first congregation in Kibossa, Armenia.

Another example is the [[Tondrakians]], who flourished in medieval Armenia between the early 9th century and 11th century. Tondrakians advocated the abolishment of the church, denied the immortality of the soul, did not believe in an afterlife, supported property rights for peasants, and equality between men and women.

The [[Eastern Orthodox Church|Orthodox]] Armenians or the Chalcedonian Armenians in the Byzantine Empire were called Iberians ("Georgians") or "Greeks". A notable Orthodox "Iberian" Armenian was the Byzantine General [[Gregory Pakourianos]]. The descendants of these Orthodox and Chalcedonic Armenians are the [[Hayhurum]] of Greece and Catholic Armenians of Georgia.

=== Language and literature ===
{{Main|Armenian language|Armenian literature}}
Armenian is a sub-branch of the [[Indo-European languages|Indo-European]] family, and with some 8 million speakers one of the smallest surviving branches, comparable to [[Albanian language|Albanian]] or the somewhat more widely spoken [[Greek language|Greek]], with which it may be connected (see [[Graeco-Armenian]]). Today, that branch has just one language – Armenian.

Five million Eastern Armenian speakers live in the Caucasus, Russia, and Iran, and approximately two to three million people in the rest of the [[Armenian diaspora]] speak Western Armenian. According to US Census figures, there are 300,000 Americans who speak Armenian at home. It is in fact the twentieth most commonly spoken language in the United States, having slightly fewer speakers than [[Haitian Creole]], and slightly more than [[Navajo language|Navajo]].

[[File:Sargis Pitsak.jpg|thumb|upright=0.75|A 14th-century Armenian illuminated manuscript]]
Armenian literature dates back to 400&nbsp;AD, when Mesrop Mashtots first invented the [[Armenian alphabet]]. This period of time is often viewed as the [[Golden Age]] of Armenian literature. Early Armenian literature was written by the "father of Armenian history", [[Moses of Chorene]], who authored ''[[The History of Armenia]]''. The book covers the time-frame from the formation of the Armenian people to the fifth century AD. The nineteenth century beheld a great literary movement that was to give rise to modern Armenian literature. This period of time, during which Armenian culture flourished, is known as the Revival period (Zartonki sherchan). The Revivalist authors of [[Constantinople]] and [[Tiflis]], almost identical to the Romanticists of Europe, were interested in encouraging Armenian nationalism. Most of them adopted the newly created Eastern or Western variants of the Armenian language depending on the targeted audience, and preferred them over classical Armenian (grabar). This period ended after the [[Hamidian massacres]], when Armenians experienced turbulent times. As Armenian history of the 1920s and of the Genocide came to be more openly discussed, writers like [[Paruyr Sevak]], [[Gevork Emin]], [[Silva Kaputikyan]] and [[Hovhannes Shiraz]] began a new era of literature.

=== Architecture ===
{{Main|Armenian architecture}}
[[File:Ani-Cathedral, Ruine.jpeg|thumb|left|The [[Cathedral of Ani]], completed in 1001]]
The first Armenian churches were built on the orders of [[St. Gregory the Illuminator]], and were often built on top of pagan temples, and imitated some aspects of Armenian pre-Christian architecture.<ref name="tacentral">{{Cite web |url=http://www.tacentral.com/architecture.asp?story_no=2 |title=Sacred Geometry and Armenian Architecture {{!}} Armenia Travel, History, Archeology & Ecology {{!}} TourArmenia {{!}} Travel Guide to Armenia |access-date=24 May 2009 |archive-date=24 July 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190724015710/http://www.tacentral.com/architecture.asp?story_no=2 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Classical and Medieval Armenian Architecture is divided into four separate periods.
The first Armenian churches were built between the 4th and 7th century, beginning when Armenia converted to Christianity, and ending with the Arab invasion of Armenia. The early churches were mostly simple [[basilica]]s, but some with side apses. By the fifth century the typical cupola cone in the center had become widely used. By the seventh century, centrally planned churches had been built and a more complicated ''niched buttress'' and radiating ''Hrip'simé'' style had formed. By the time of the Arab invasion, most of what we now know as classical Armenian architecture had formed.

From the 9th to 11th century, Armenian architecture underwent a revival under the patronage of the [[Bagratuni dynasty|Bagratid]] Dynasty with a great deal of building done in the area of [[Lake Van]], this included both traditional styles and new innovations. Ornately carved Armenian [[Khachkars]] were developed during this time.<ref name="past">Armenia, Past and Present; Elisabeth Bauer, Jacob Schmidheiny, Frederick Leist, 1981</ref> Many new cities and churches were built during this time, including a new capital at [[Lake Van]] and a new Cathedral on [[Akdamar Island]] to match. The [[Cathedral of Ani]] was also completed during this dynasty. It was during this time that the first major monasteries, such as [[Haghpat Monastery|Haghpat]] and [[Haritchavank Monastery|Haritchavank]] were built. This period was ended by the [[Great Seljuq Empire|Seljuk]] invasion.

=== Art ===
{{Excerpt|Art of Armenia|only=paragraphs}}

=== Dress ===
{{Excerpt|Armenian dress|only=paragraphs}}

=== Theater ===
{{Excerpt|Theater of Armenia|files=no}}

=== Sports ===
{{Main|Sport in Armenia}}
Many types of sports are played in Armenia, among the most popular being [[association football|football]], [[chess]], [[boxing]], basketball, [[ice hockey]], [[Sambo (martial art)|sambo]], [[wrestling]], [[Olympic weightlifting|weightlifting]], and volleyball.<ref name="Sport">{{cite web | url= http://www.worldinfozone.com/country.php?country=Armenia&page=2 | title= Sport in Armenia | access-date= 2007-02-27 | archive-date= 19 November 2015 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20151119081004/http://www.worldinfozone.com/country.php?country=Armenia&page=2 | url-status= live }}</ref> Since independence, the Armenian government has been actively rebuilding its sports program in the country.

During Soviet rule, Armenian athletes rose to prominence winning plenty of medals and helping the [[USSR]] win the medal standings at the Olympics on numerous occasions. The first medal won by an Armenian in modern Olympic history was by [[Hrant Shahinyan]], who won two golds and two silvers in gymnastics at the [[1952 Summer Olympics]] in Helsinki. To highlight the level of success of Armenians in the Olympics, Shahinyan was quoted as saying:

"Armenian sportsmen had to outdo their opponents by several notches for the shot at being accepted into any Soviet team. But those difficulties notwithstanding, 90 percent of Armenian athletes on Soviet Olympic teams came back with medals."<ref name="ArmeniaNow.com">{{cite web |url=https://www.armenianow.com/features/6903/ambassadors_in_sport_independent |title=Ambassadors in Sport?: Independent Armenia far below the glory of Soviet times on the pitch, mat |publisher=[[ArmeniaNow]] |date=15 December 2006 |access-date=27 January 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180128074613/https://www.armenianow.com/features/6903/ambassadors_in_sport_independent |archive-date=28 January 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref>

In football, their most successful team was [[FC Ararat Yerevan|Yerevan's FC Ararat]], which had claimed most of the Soviet championships in the 70s and had also gone to post victories against professional clubs like [[FC Bayern Munich]] in the Euro cup. Notable players include [[Henrikh Mkhitaryan]], [[Youri Djorkaeff]], [[Alain Boghossian]], [[Andranik Eskandarian]], [[Andranik Teymourian]], [[Edgar Manucharyan]], [[Khoren Oganesian]] and [[Nikita Simonyan]].

Armenians have also been successful in chess, which is the most popular mind sport in Armenia. Some of the most prominent chess players in the world are Armenian such as [[Tigran Petrosian]] and [[Levon Aronian]]. [[Garry Kasparov]] is half-Armenian through his mother. As a nation, Armenia won the [[World Team Chess Championship|World Champion]] in 2011 and the [[Chess Olympiad|World Chess Olympiad]] on three occasions.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p004j7zg |title=Armenia: the cleverest nation on earth |publisher=[[BBC World Service]] |date=18 October 2009 |access-date=28 January 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171024030523/http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p004j7zg |archive-date=24 October 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Armenians have also been successful in weightlifting and [[wrestling]], the latter having been a successful sport in the Olympics for Armenia. At the [[Armenia at the 1996 Summer Olympics|1996 Summer Olympics]] in Atlanta, [[Armen Nazaryan]] won the gold in the Men's [[Greco-Roman wrestling|Greco-Roman]] Flyweight (52&nbsp;kg) category and [[Armen Mkrtchyan]] won the silver in Men's [[Freestyle wrestling|Freestyle]] Paperweight (48&nbsp;kg) category, securing Armenia's first two medals in its Olympic history. There are also successful Armenians in [[boxing]]: [[Arthur Abraham]] and [[Vic Darchinyan]].

=== Music and dance ===
{{Main|Music of Armenia|Armenian dance}}
Armenian music is a mix of indigenous folk music, perhaps best-represented by [[Djivan Gasparyan]]'s well-known [[duduk]] music, as well as light pop, and extensive [[Christian music]].

Instruments like the duduk, the [[dhol]], the [[zurna]] and the [[Qanun (instrument)|kanun]] are commonly found in Armenian folk music. Artists such as [[Sayat Nova]] are famous due to their influence in the development of Armenian folk music. One of the oldest types of Armenian music is the [[Armenian chant]] which is the most common kind of religious music in Armenia. Many of these chants are ancient in origin, extending to pre-Christian times, while others are relatively modern, including several composed by Saint Mesrop Mashtots, the inventor of the Armenian alphabet. While under [[Soviet Union|Soviet rule]], Armenian classical music composer [[Aram Khatchaturian]] became internationally well known for his music, for various ballets and the [[Sabre Dance]] from his composition for the ballet [[Gayane (ballet)|Gayane]].

The Armenian genocide caused widespread emigration that led to the settlement of Armenians in various countries in the world. Armenians kept to their traditions and certain diasporans rose to fame with their music. In the post-Genocide Armenian community of the United States, the so-called "kef" style Armenian dance music, using Armenian and Middle Eastern folk instruments (often electrified/amplified) and some western instruments, was popular. This style preserved the folk songs and dances of [[Western Armenia]], and many artists also played the contemporary popular songs of Turkey and other Middle Eastern countries from which the Armenians emigrated. [[Richard Hagopian]] is perhaps the most famous artist of the traditional "kef" style and the Vosbikian Band was notable in the 40s and 50s for developing their own style of "kef music" heavily influenced by the popular American [[Big Band]] Jazz of the time. Later, stemming from the Middle Eastern Armenian diaspora and influenced by Continental European (especially French) pop music, the Armenian pop music genre grew to fame in the 60s and 70s with artists such as [[Adiss Harmandian]] and [[Harout Pamboukjian]] performing to the Armenian diaspora and Armenia. Also with artists such as [[Sirusho]], performing pop music combined with Armenian folk music in today's entertainment industry. Other Armenian diasporans that rose to fame in classical or international music circles are world-renowned [[List of French-Armenians|French-Armenian]] singer and composer [[Charles Aznavour]], pianist [[Sahan Arzruni]], prominent opera sopranos such as [[Hasmik Papian]] and more recently [[Isabel Bayrakdarian]] and [[Anna Kasyan]]. Certain Armenians settled to sing non-Armenian tunes such as the heavy metal band [[System of a Down]] (which nonetheless often incorporates traditional Armenian instrumentals and styling into their songs) or pop star [[Cher]] (whose father was Armenian). Ruben Hakobyan (Ruben Sasuntsi) is a well recognized Armenian ethnographic and patriotic folk singer who has achieved widespread national recognition due to his devotion to Armenian folk music and exceptional talent. In the Armenian diaspora, [[Armenian Revolutionary Songs]] are popular with the youth.{{citation needed|date=August 2013}} These songs encourage Armenian patriotism and are generally about Armenian history and national heroes.

=== Carpet weaving ===
{{See also|Armenian carpet}}
Carpet-weaving is historically a major traditional profession for the majority of [[Armenian women]], including many Armenian families. Prominent Karabakh carpet weavers there were men too. The oldest extant [[Armenian carpet]] from the region, referred to as [[Artsakh (historic province)|Artsakh]] (see also [[Karabakh carpet]]) during the medieval era, is from the village of Banants (near [[Gandzak, Armenia|Gandzak]]) and dates to the early 13th century.<ref>{{Cite book|last= Hakobyan|first=Hravard H.|title=The Medieval Art of Artsakh|publisher=Parberakan|location=Yerevan, Armenian SSR|year=1990|page= 84|isbn= 978-5-8079-0195-8}}</ref> The first time that the Armenian word for carpet, ''kork'', was used in historical sources was in a 1242–1243 Armenian inscription on the wall of the Kaptavan Church in Artsakh.<ref name="Hakobyan. p. 84">Hakobyan. ''Medieval Art of Artsakh'', p. 84.</ref>

Common themes and patterns found on Armenian carpets were the depiction of dragons and eagles. They were diverse in style, rich in color and ornamental motifs, and were even separated in categories depending on what sort of animals were depicted on them, such as ''artsvagorgs'' (eagle-carpets), ''vishapagorgs'' (dragon-carpets) and ''otsagorgs'' (serpent-carpets).<ref name="Hakobyan. p. 84"/> The rug mentioned in the Kaptavan inscriptions is composed of three arches, "covered with vegatative ornaments", and bears an artistic resemblance to the [[illuminated manuscripts]] produced in Artsakh.<ref name="Hakobyan. p. 84"/>

The art of carpet weaving was in addition intimately connected to the making of curtains as evidenced in a passage by [[Kirakos Gandzaketsi]], a 13th-century Armenian historian from Artsakh, who praised Arzu-Khatun, the wife of regional prince Vakhtang Khachenatsi, and her daughters for their expertise and skill in weaving.<ref>{{in lang|hy}} [[Kirakos Gandzaketsi]]. ''Պատմություն Հայոց '' (''History of Armenia''). Yerevan, Armenian SSR: [[Armenian Academy of Sciences]], 1961, p. 216, as cited in Hakobyan. ''Medieval Art of Artsakh'', p. 84, note 18.</ref>

Armenian carpets were also renowned by foreigners who traveled to Artsakh; the Arab geographer and historian [[Al-Masudi]] noted that, among other works of art, he had never seen such carpets elsewhere in his life.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Ulubabyan|first=Bagrat A.|author-link =Bagrat Ulubabyan|title=Խաչենի իշխանությունը, X-XVI դարերում (The Principality of Khachen, From the 10th to 16th Centuries)|publisher=Armenian Academy of Sciences|location=Yerevan, Armenian SSR|year=1975|page=267|language=hy}}</ref>

=== Cuisine ===
{{Main|Armenian cuisine}}
[[File:Khorovats.jpg|thumb|upright=0.75|[[Khorovats]] is a favorite Armenian dish.]]
[[Khorovats]], an Armenian-styled barbecue, is arguably the favorite Armenian dish. [[Lavash]] is a very popular Armenian flat bread, and Armenian paklava is a popular dessert made from filo dough. Other famous Armenian foods include the [[kabob]] (a skewer of marinated roasted meat and vegetables), various dolmas (minced lamb, or beef meat and rice wrapped in grape leaves, cabbage leaves, or stuffed into hollowed vegetables), and [[pilaf]], a rice dish. Also, [[ghapama]], a rice-stuffed pumpkin dish, and many different salads are popular in Armenian culture. Fruits play a large part in the Armenian diet. [[Apricots]] (''Prunus armeniaca'', also known as [[Armenian Plum]]) have been grown in Armenia for centuries and have a reputation for having an especially good flavor. [[Peach]]es are popular as well, as are grapes, [[figs]], [[pomegranate]]s, and melons. Preserves are made from many fruits, including cornelian cherries, young walnuts, sea buckthorn, mulberries, sour cherries, and many others.

== Institutions ==
* The [[Armenian Apostolic Church]], the world's oldest [[national church]]
* The [[Armenian General Benevolent Union]] (AGBU) founded in 1906 and the largest Armenian non-profit organization in the world, with educational, cultural and humanitarian projects on all continents
* The [[Armenian Revolutionary Federation]], founded in 1890.  It is generally referred to as the {{lang|hy-Latn|Dashnaktsutyun}}, which means 'federation' in Armenian. The ARF is the strongest worldwide Armenian political organization and the only diasporan Armenian organization with a significant political presence in [[Armenia]].
* [[Hamazkayin]], an Armenian cultural and educational society founded in [[Cairo]] in 1928, and responsible for the founding of Armenian secondary schools and institutions of higher education in several countries
* The [[Armenian Catholic Church]], representing small communities of Armeno-Catholics in different countries around the world, as well as important monastic and cultural institutions in [[Venice]] and [[Vienna]]
* Homenetmen, an [[Armenian Scouting]] and athletic organization founded in 1910 with a worldwide membership of about 25,000
* The [[Armenian Relief Society]], founded in 1910

==Genetics==
===Y-DNA===
A 2012 study found that haplogroups R1b, J2, and T were the most notable haplogroups among Armenians.<ref name=Kristian2012>{{cite journal | vauthors = Herrera KJ, Lowery RK, Hadden L, Calderon S, Chiou C, Yepiskoposyan L, Regueiro M, Underhill PA, Herrera RJ | title = Neolithic patrilineal signals indicate that the Armenian plateau was repopulated by agriculturalists | journal = European Journal of Human Genetics | volume = 20 | issue = 3 | pages = 313–20 | date = March 2012 | pmid = 22085901 | pmc = 3286660 | doi = 10.1038/ejhg.2011.192 }}</ref>

===MtDNA===
Most notable mtDNA haplogroups among the Armenian samples are H, U, T, J, K and X while the rest of remaining Mtdna of the Armenians are HV, I, X, W, R0 and N.<ref>{{cite journal |vauthors=Margaryan A, Derenko M, Hovhannisyan H, Malyarchuk B, Heller R, Khachatryan Z, Avetisyan P, Badalyan R, Bobokhyan A, Melikyan V, Sargsyan G, Piliposyan A, Simonyan H, Mkrtchyan R, Denisova G, Yepiskoposyan L, Willerslev E, Allentoft M |date=July 10, 2017 |title=Eight Millennia of Matrilineal Genetic Continuity in the South Caucasus |journal=Current Biology |volume=27 |issue=13 |pages=2023–2028 |doi=10.1016/j.cub.2017.05.087|pmid=28669760 |s2cid=23400138 |doi-access=free |bibcode=2017CBio...27E2023M }} {{Cite web |title=Figure 2 |url=https://www.researchgate.net/figure/mtDNA-Haplogroups_fig6_318033931 |access-date=20 December 2019 |archive-date=24 March 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210324071402/https://www.researchgate.net/figure/mtDNA-Haplogroups_fig6_318033931 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Notable people==
{{main list|Lists of Armenians}}

==Note==
{{notelist}}

== See also ==
* [[Armenian diaspora]]
* [[Ethnic groups in Europe]]
* [[Ethnic groups in West Asia]]
* [[Hayk]]
* [[Hemshin peoples]]
* [[Hidden Armenians]]
* [[List of Armenian ethnic enclaves]]
* [[Peoples of the Caucasus]]
* [[Prehistory of the Armenians]]

== References ==
'''Notes'''
{{notelist}}
'''Citations'''
{{Reflist}}
'''General'''
{{refbegin}}
*{{CIA World Factbook}}
*{{StateDept}}
*The categorization of Armenian churches in Los Angeles used information from [http://www.usc.edu/schools/sppd/news/exhibits/armenian/ Sacred Transformation: Armenian Churches in Los Angeles] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629124025/http://www.usc.edu/schools/sppd/news/exhibits/armenian/ |date=29 June 2011 }} a project of the [[University of Southern California|USC]] School of Policy, Planning, and Development.
*Some of the information about the history of the Armenians comes from the multi-volume ''History of the Armenian People,'' Yerevan, Armenia, 1971.
{{refend}}

== Further reading ==
{{commons category|Armenians}}
*{{cite journal|url=https://www.academia.edu/3657764|last=Petrosyan|first=Armen|year=2006|title=Towards the Origins of the Armenian People. The Problem of Identification of the Proto-Armenians: A Critical Review |journal=Journal of the Society for Armenian Studies|volume=16|pages=25–66|issn=0747-9301}}
* I. M. Diakonoff, ''The Pre-History of the Armenian People'' (revised, trans. Lori Jennings), Caravan Books, New York (1984), {{ISBN|978-0-88206-039-2}}.
* George A. Bournoutian, ''A History of the Armenian People'', 2 vol. (1994)
* {{citation |editor-last=Hovannisian |editor-first=Richard G. |editor-link=Richard G. Hovannisian |title=The Armenian People From Ancient to Modern Times |volume=I – The Dynastic Periods: From Antiquity to the Fourteenth Century |date=September 1997 |publisher=St. Martin's Press |location=New York |isbn=978-0-312-10169-5 |url=https://archive.org/details/armenianpeoplefr00rich_0 }}
* {{The Armenian People-Vol II}}
* {{Redgate 1998}}
* [[Aleksandra Ziolkowska-Boehm]], ''The Polish Experience through World War II: A Better Day Has Not Come'', Lanham, MD: Lexington Books, 2013, {{ISBN|978-0-7391-7819-5}}
* Russell D. Gray and Quentin D. Atkinson, "Language-tree divergence times support the Anatolian theory of Indo-European origin", Nature, 426, 435–439 (2003)
* George A. Bournoutian, ''A Concise History of the Armenian People'' (Mazda, 2003, 2004).
* {{cite book|last=Ayvazyan|first=Hovhannes|script-title=hy:Հայ Սփյուռք հանրագիտարան|trans-title=Encyclopedia of Armenian Diaspora|volume=1|year=2003|isbn=978-5-89700-020-3|publisher=Armenian Encyclopedia publishing|location=Yerevan|language=hy}}
* {{Cite book|last=Stopka|first=Krzysztof|title=Armenia Christiana: Armenian Religious Identity and the Churches of Constantinople and Rome (4th-15th century)|year=2016|location=Kraków|publisher=Jagiellonian University Press|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eeq-DQAAQBAJ|isbn=9788323395553}}
*{{cite journal|first=Mônica Nalbandian|last=Marcarian|year=2016|doi=10.11606/issn.2763-650X.i6p109-115|title=Diáspora armênia no Brasil|journal=Revista de Estudos Orientais|issue=6|pages=109–115|doi-access=free}} - on Brazil's Armenian diaspora.

;UCLA conference series proceedings
The [[UCLA]] conference series titled "Historic Armenian Cities and Provinces" is organized by the Holder of the Armenian Educational Foundation Chair in Modern Armenian History.  The conference proceedings are edited by [[Richard G. Hovannisian]].  Published in Costa Mesa, CA, by Mazda Publishers, they are:
# ''Armenian Van/Vaspurakan'' (2000) {{OCLC|44774992}}
# ''Armenian Baghesh/Bitlis and Taron/Mush'' (2001) {{OCLC|48223061}}
# ''Armenian Tsopk/Kharpert'' (2002) {{OCLC|50478560}}
# ''Armenian Karin/Erzerum'' (2003) {{OCLC|52540130}}
# ''Armenian Sebastia/Sivas and Lesser Armenia'' (2004) {{OCLC|56414051}}
# ''Armenian Tigranakert/Diarbekir and Edessa/Urfa'' (2006) {{OCLC|67361643}}
# ''Armenian Cilicia'' (2008) {{OCLC|185095701}}
# ''Armenian Pontus: the Trebizond-Black Sea communities'' (2009) {{OCLC|272307784}}

{{Armenia topics}}
{{Ethnic groups in Armenia}}
{{Peoples of the Caucasus}}
{{Authority control}}

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