Armenians (Armenian: հայեր, hayer ) are a nation and ethnic group native to the Armenian Highland.
The Republic of Armenia and the unrecognized de facto independent Nagorno-Karabakh Republic are the two countries where Armenians form a majority, both with a nearly homogeneous population. Because of a wide-ranging and long-lasting diaspora, an estimated total of 5-7 million people of full or partial Armenian ancestry live outside of Armenia. As a result of the Armenian Genocide, a large number of survivors fled to many countries throughout the world. The largest Armenian populations are in Russia, the United States, France, Georgia, Iran, Lebanon, and Syria.
Most Armenians adhere to the Armenian Apostolic Church, a non-Chalcedonian church, which is also the world's oldest national church. Christianity began to spread in Armenia soon after Jesus's death, due to the efforts of two of his apostles, St. Thaddeus and St. Bartholomew. In the early 4th century, the Kingdom of Armenia became the first nation to adopt Christianity as a state religion.
Armenian is an Indo-European language isolate. It has two mutually intelligible and written forms: Eastern Armenian, today spoken mainly in Armenia, Nagorno-Karabakh, Iran and the former Soviet republics, and Western Armenian, used in the historical Western Armenia and, after the Armenian Genocide, primarily amongst the Armenian diaspora and West Armenian descendants living in the Samtskhe-Javakheti province of the Republic of Georgia.
The unique Armenian alphabet was invented in 405 AD by the scholar and evangelizer Mesrop Mashtots.
Read more about Armenians: Name, History, Religion, Genetics, Institutions
Other articles related to "armenians, armenian":
... The nation-state of Armenia is the most prominent Armenian institution today ... Other important institutions include The Armenian Apostolic Church The Armenian Catholic Church The Armenian Evangelical Church The community was formally recognized in 1846 ... 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 six continents ...
... The Armenians in Syria are Syrian citizens of either full or partial Armenian descent ... Syria and the surrounding areas have often served as a refuge for Armenians who fled from wars and persecutions such as the Armenian Genocide ... According to Armenian diaspora organizations estimated that there are 150,000 Armenians in Syria, most of whom live in Aleppo ...
... The Armenian diaspora refers to the Armenian communities outside the Republic of Armenia and self-proclaimed de facto independent Nagorno-Karabakh Republic ... Throughout history Armenians have established communities in many regions throughout the world ... Most Armenians in the diaspora are not from the Republic of Armenia but from Western Armenia (modern day Eastern Turkey), mainly those who descended from the survivors of the Armenian Genocide ...
... siege of Marash was also accompanied by the wholesale massacre of the Armenian repatriates ... Roving Turkish bands threw kerosene-doused rags on Armenian homes and laid a constant barrage upon the American relief hospital ... The Armenians themselves, as in previous times of trouble, sought refuge in their churches and schools ...
... Although the Armenians have had a long history in Syria, most arrived there during the Armenian Genocide committed by the Ottoman Empire ... The main killing fields of Armenians were located in the Syrian desert of Deir ez-Zor (Euphrates Valley) ... Half million Armenians were killed and hundreds of thousands fled historic Armenia ...