Armenia's Country Profile

Official country name: Republic of Armenia
Area: 11,506 sq miles (29,743 sq km)
Population: 3 million (2008 est.)
Median age: 31.1
Ethnic Groups: Armenian, 98%; Kurd, 1%; Russian and others, 1%
GDP and GDP per capita: $8 billion and $2,667

Armenia's Olympic History

First time represented at Summer Olympics: 1996
Gold medals won: 1
Silver: 1
Bronze: 8
Athletes at the 2008 Beijing Olympics: 24
Medals at 2008 Olympics:6 bronze

The Olympic Playbook on Armenia

The 2008 Olympics will mark the fourth time Armenia will be represented at the Summer Olympics. Armenian athletes, of course, have long been part of the Olympic tradition, but under other banners: They were part of the former Soviet Union's "Unified Team" in 1992. Before that, they competed, however grudgingly at times, as Soviet citizens representing the USSR.

Among Armenia's great Olympians during the Soviet era: Igor Ter-Ovanesyan (long jump bronze medalist in 1960 and 1964), Albert Azaryan (a three-time gymnastics gold medalist, including two medals in 1956 and one in 1960) and Igor Novikov, winner of two golds and two silvers in gymnastics and pentathlon between 1956 and 1964.

In 1996, the first time Armenia represented itself at the summer games, the tiny central Asian country sent 32 athletes to Atlanta. Armen Nazaryan won the nation's lone gold medal then and since in Greco-Roman wrestling, while Armen Mkrtchyan got a silver in freestyle wrestling.

At the Sydney games in 2004, Armenia won just a bronze thanks to Arsen Melikyan, in weightlifting.

Ashot Danielyan got a bronze in weightlifting too, heavyweight division, but then tested positive for steroids, and on the last day of competition, was stripped of his medal.

Armenia’s Athletes at the 2008 Beijing Olympics

Boxing
Hovhannes Danielyan
Andranik Hakobyan
Eduard Hambardzumyan
Hrachik Javakhyan (Won Bronze in Men's Lightweight Division)

Judo
Hovhannes Davtyan
Armen Nazaryan

Shooting
Norayr Bakhtamyan

Swimming
Mikayel Koloyan

Track & Field/Athletics
Melik Janoyan
Ani Khachikyan

Weightlifting
Meline Daluzyan
Gevorg Davtyan (Won Bronze in 77kg)
Edgar Gevorgyan
Ara Khachatryan
Hripsime Khurshudyan
Tigran Gevrog Martirosyan (Won Bronze in 69kg)
Tigran Varban Martirosyan (Won Bronze in 85kg)

Wrestling
Arman Adikyan
Roman Amoyan (Won Bronze in 55kg)
Martin Berberyan
Denis Forov
Arsen Julfalakyan
Suren Markosyan
Karen Mnatsakanyan
Yuri Patrikeyev (Won Bronze in 120 kg)
Harutyun Yenokyan