Armenia Permanent Virtual Exhibition and Business Directory

Boasting a longer history than most other European nations, Armenia was home to one of the earliest Christian communities – the country's first churches were founded during the 4th century A.D. Strategically located along the Great Silk Road, Armenia has found itself under Byzantine, Mongol, Persian, Soviet and Turkish control throughout the centuries, and its rich architectural and cultural heritage includes elements from these empires. Armenia became an independent republic in 1991 and joined the WTO in 2003.

Armenia's natural resources are largely mineral and include copper, gold, granite, lead, molybdenum, silver and zinc. The country's agricultural output is limited to some dairy, fruits (particularly grapes), livestock, vegetables and wines. Armenia is far more industrial than agrarian, and Armenian companies are active in a wide array of industries, including apparel and footwear, brandy, chemicals, diamond-processing, electric motors, food processing, forging-pressing machines, jewellery, instruments, metal-cutting machine tools, microelectronics, software development, tires and trucks. The country's key export markets are Germany, Russia, the USA, Bulgaria, Georgia, the Netherlands, Belgium and Canada.

The Armenian economy grew 5% in 2010, and the government of Armenia has taken steps to combat poverty, reduce inflation, stabilize its currency and privatize most SMEs. A pipeline delivering natural gas from Iran to Armenia was completed in December 2008, and gas deliveries should expand thanks to the April 2010 completion of the Yerevan Thermal Power Plant. The IMF, the World Bank and other international lenders have extended significant grants and loans to Armenia, all toward reducing Armenia's budget deficit and developing all sectors of the Armenian economy.

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Doing Business in Armenia

Investment policy of Armenia is part of the general economic policy of the Government of Republic and is considered as one of the important means of economic development. The investment policy is directed to the formation of the favourable investment and business environment, growth of transparency of the regulating environment, detection of competitive advantages of the country, growth of volumes of investments, on development of market infrastructures and the solution of problems of economic development on the basis of all the above mentioned. Read Full Article

Investing in Armenia

The investment and trade policies of Armenia are considered to be the most open in the CIS by international organizations. Foreign companies are encouraged to invest and are entitled by law to the same treatment as local companies, moreover they have certain advantages. Armenia's investment climate is continuously improving with a strong government commitment to attracting FDI, including refining the legislative framework. Read Full Article