These are the words that the surveyor of the demographic indices of the past 5 years would utter. The demographic indices of Armenia have almost been the same for the past 5 years. The population of our country remains as 3 million 200 thousand. The number had been stuck like this since 1995. The number of the rural population was increased by 0.1%. 64% of the population lives in the cities and 36% in villages. Sometimes using the term “city” is a little exaggeration for certain towns of our country. The reason is not because certain villages have more population than certain cities. The lifestyle of the population of small towns almost doesn’t differ from the one of rural areas. In certain cases one is having a hard time in figuring out what criteria were used to define the area is a town or a village. The fact of considering all these areas as villages is on behalf of our government. According to the economic methodology the rural population is attached to the land. It means the villager is automatically considered employed. Therefore, village communities do not spoil the official statistics of unemployment. The government would love to consider the 49 towns/cities of Armenia as villages. But it’s not possible. The smallest town of Armenia is Dastakert. Many of the Armenians haven’t ever been to this small town of Sisian district. The main reason is that the 20 kilometer road, which takes from Sisian to Dastakert exists on the map instead of in reality. In order to pass that road over an hour is needed. The town, which has only a population of 300, was considered a town because it doesn’t have nay farming land. The population of this town hasn’t changed for over 5 years and is mostly populated by refugees. It is similar to the population of Aparan, Agarak, Vardenis, Vayk, Yeghegnadzor, Tchambarak, Tsakhkadzor, Noyemberyan and Shamlukh. The time has stopped in terms of population change. In 10 of the 49 towns of Armenia there is no population transformation. This is unbelievable but a statistically enacted fact. During those 5 years the population of Gyumri was cut by 2.5%, Vanadzor’s – by 1.1%. 18 of the 49 city population is gradually decreasing and in 21 of those the population increases. The population of Artashat and Ashtarak also decreased. During these 5 years the population of Gyumri was cut by 2.5% and Vanadzor’s population was decreased by 1.1%. 18 out of the 49 cities are gradually decreasing. And in 21 cities the population increases. The population of Artashat and Ashtarak also decreased. Perhaps there is nothing extraordinary here. Maybe there are social-economic grounds here as well. During those five years the population of Gyumri was cut by 2.5% and Vanadzor’s by 1.1.%. 18 out of the 49 cities is gradually decreasing and in 21 the population is increasing. The population of Artashat and Ashtarak is also decreasing. Perhaps there is nothing extraordinary here. Maybe there are some social-economic grounds. But finding grounds for towns Jermuk and Dilijan is pretty hard. Jermuk is officially turned into a resort paradise. And Dilijan is a regional banking center. The ones, who deal with marzes will probably confess that the regional population mildly said is jealous of the capital city population. In their opinion the capital city prospers. This opinion was mostly formed by the government and pro-government sources. However during the past years the population of Yerevan grew only by 6 thousand people. Therefore the data of the other cities and rural communities prompts us of the major volume of migration. All we have to do is believe the official statistical data of low level of migration. According to experts the international crisis will drastically cut the migration rates. But we may assume that the crisis will not conduce to the population growth. The data of the beginning of the 90s are the best evidence of that.
