Armenia

Located in Southwestern Asia, east of Turkey, the country of Armenia prides itself on being the first to formally adopt Christianity in the early 4th century. Over the centuries, various empires have held sway over the country, including the Roman, Byzantine, Arab, Persian and Ottoman Empires. A long-standing conflict with Azerbaijan, beginning in 1988, continues to challenge both countries' economies. In 1994, Armenia launched an International Monetary Fund-sponsored economic liberalization program, which resulted in positive growth rates which has averaged over 10 percent in recent years. Despite joining the World Trade Organization in 2003 and making some improvements in tax administration, Armenia's unemployment rate remains high. Counterpart International (Counterpart) focuses its programming to support institutional development, advocacy and voter education. Other Counterpart programs work with local partners to renovate facilities such as hospitals, orphanages and schools.

Map and country information, The World Factbook 2009. Washington, DC: Central Intelligence Agency, 2009.