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Where is the country of Armenia located? Armenia used to be a powerful country, which was considerably larger than today. The eastern border was in the last century before the beginning of our era on the Caspian Sea, in the west Armenia ran to the Mediterranean Sea. Armenia is currently a country with an area of ​​just under thirty thousand square kilometers and for a large part is located at altitudes between one thousand and twenty five hundred meters. In fact, half of the country is at an altitude of at least two kilometers, while only 3% of Armenia is below 650 meters above sea level. The mountainous landscape and the associated height differences provide quite a bit of variation in the climate. As a result, you will also see different landscapes and a great diversity in flora and fauna. Armenia has a moderate continental climate (type Dfa), with a high mountain climate (type EH) in the highest places. Here the temperature differences are considerably greater than in the rest of the country and there is much more snowfall.

Dry summers

Summers in Armenia are dry and sunny. The summer period starts in June and lasts until about mid-September. During this period, the daytime temperatures (depending on the altitude) are between 22 and 37 degrees Celsius. Because the relative humidity is low, during periods of heat it generally seems less hot in terms of wind chill than the reading on the thermometer would lead you to believe. If hot air from Russia can reach Armenia, it could easily reach 40 degrees, with the exception of areas above 1,500 feet. With a sun strength of maximum 10 to 11 (the highest achievable) in the summer, the sun is very strong. The sun strength here is almost equal to that in the Caribbean.

short autumn

From the second half of September, temperatures drop rapidly. The autumn period only means falling temperatures, Armenia has virtually no periods with unpredictable autumn-like weather. The number of hours of sunshine therefore also decreases proportionally with the number of hours of daylight registered on average. The amounts of precipitation increase slightly in October and November compared to September, but serious precipitation is a problem that you will not soon experience in Armenia in the autumn period.

Cool winters

After the relatively short autumn, Armenia has a fairly cool winter. The capital Yerevan experiences average maximum temperatures in winter that are around or just below freezing. At night it mainly freezes moderately to sometimes severe; on average, the minimum temperature is between minus six and minus ten degrees. Yerevan is located at an altitude that varies between 900 and 1200 meters. In places where you are more than 2000 meters above sea level, it is on average considerably colder, because the air is cooler as you ascend and some parts of the mountains barely see any sun during the winter months. Large parts of the northern sides of the mountains are in shade for much of the day. Daytime temperatures of minus ten to minus twenty degrees Celsius are more the rule than the exception here and at night under a clear sky the thermometer can easily drop to minus thirty degrees. Thanks to the cold and snowy winters, Armenia is an excellent destination for a winter sports holiday. The best month for skiing in Armenia is February, although there is generally enough snow for winter sports from December to early April.

Low rainfall

Armenia is a relatively dry country. The winter months are characterized by snowfall, after that precipitation falls in the form of rain. In the south, along the Aras River, only about 250 to 350 millimeters of precipitation falls on an annual basis. In the higher areas, the total amount of precipitation per year can rise to about eight hundred millimeters. That is slightly more than in the Netherlands, but considerably less than the wettest areas in neighboring Georgia.

Climate figures

The figures below are based on long-term average climate statistics. The temperatures are displayed in degrees Celsius (°C).

Best time to visit Armenia

Do you want to know when is the best time to travel to Armenia? You can determine the best time to travel to a destination based on the weather and climate. In addition, there are other factors that are not directly related to the weather and that can influence the best travel periods for a travel destination. Think, for example, of holidays or festive periods, which makes traveling more interesting or not, because daily life comes to a standstill as a result. The landlocked Armenia is largely at least a thousand meters above sea level. Only in the southwest is there a fairly large area that is somewhat lower. The Lesser Caucasus mountain range dominates most of the landscape. About half of the country is at an altitude of at least two kilometers. The highest mountain in the country is Aragats, which has a peak of 4095 meters high. The mountainous landscape means that about two-thirds of Armenia has moderate to cool terrestrial climates, with a tundra climate in the highest places. In the northern edge, the extreme southeast and the southwest of Armenia you have to deal with a cold steppe climate or cold desert climate. The weather conditions associated with these climate types ensure that you better avoid Armenia in the winter season.

Summer as the best travel period

The best time to travel to Armenia is in the summer season. In the lower areas it is best to avoid the real summer months. In that case, travel in May or between mid-September and mid-October. For the mountain areas, the best time to travel is in the warmest months: from mid-June to mid-September. If you want to make a tour through Armenia, where you will visit both the lower areas and the mountains, then preferably choose the months of May or September. If you can handle the heat well, July and August are also doable for a tour in Armenia. You have to realize that it can get very hot in the steppe and desert areas: 30 to 35 degrees is normal, but temperatures exceeding forty degrees are also a possibility.

Winter sports

Not many people know that Armenia is a great winter sports destination. The combination of mountains and large packs of snow provides good conditions for skiing or snowboarding. The country has three ski areas: Tsakhadzor, Jermuk and Akhtamar-Sevan. With 27 kilometers of slopes, two-thirds of which are black runs, Tsakhadzor is a good ski area for the more experienced skier. The winter sports season usually lasts from December to mid-April. The months of January and February are the best time to travel for a ski holiday in Armenia.