Celebrate with the World

By Tammam Tayara

Have you ever wondered how a holiday got started? Or a festival originated? Do you really know all the counties traditions and important information about them? Did you know that there are many islands which are used for military basis or uninhabited? Did you realize that there are still some islands you may never heard of existed?
This book is going to put under your finger tips all the information you need about all the countries. They are listed alphabetically from capitols to location, ethnic groups, religion, and most importantly, by traditions of the holidays and festivals. It will inform you of how some holidays started and festivals originated. It’s true that a person can find all the information one needs on the internet but having all of this information in your hands at one time is a time saver! This book will spare you the frustration of waiting for the computer to find what you are looking for, increase your knowledge about different cultures, and be a great reference to you whenever you travel.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse UK
• Release date: Aug 1, 2019
• ISBN: 9781728391458

Tammam Tayara

Tammam K. Tayara was born in Beirut, Lebanon in 1956. He earned his high school diploma from the National Protestant College. During the Lebanese Civil War in 1977, he travelled to the United States of America. He graduated from the University of Florida with a Bachelors Degree in Business Management. While he was growing up, his favorite times were those when it was a holiday. It meant families were brought together and traditional rituals carried out and specific foods were eaten. He always dreamt of travelling to other countries and learning about different cultures. Upon completing his university studies he worked for a few years in the states. He then moved his family back to Lebanon and worked in the Social Welfare Services there. Tammam has traveled to many countries including America, several places in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and part of western Asia. His varied traveling ignited his fascination with the cultures and the traditions of different countries. He was interested in how each country celebrates their holidays and festivals such as a Cherry or Flower Festival. This sparked the idea for him to research about the holidays, including the international ones too. This is his first book which started out as a personal hobby of listing holidays which evolved into a book with fascinating and important information about some of the most interesting and strange celebrations.

Book preview

© 2019 Tammam Tayara. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 08/01/2019

ISBN: 978-1-7283-9144-1 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-7283-9145-8 (e)

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

CONTENTS

Preface

Afghanistan

Aland Island

Albania

Algeria

American Samoa

Andorra

Angola

Anguilla

Antigua And Barbuda

Argentina

Armenia

Aruba

Ashmore And Cartier Islands

Australia

Austria

Azerbaijan

Bahamas

Bahrain

Baker Island

Bangladesh

Barbados

Bassas De India

Belarus

Belgium

Belize

Benin

Bermuda

Bhutan

Bolivia

Bonaire

Bosnia & Herzegovina

Botswana

Bouvet Island

Brazil

British Indian Territorry

British Virgin Islands

Brunei

Bulgaria

Burkina Faso

Burundi

Cambodia

Cameroon

Canada

Cape Verde

Cayman Islands

Central Africa Republic

Chad

Channel Islands

Chile

China

Christmas Island

Clipperton Island

Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Colombia

Comoros Islands

Congo - Democratic Republic Of

Congo - Republic Of

Cooks Islands

Coral Sea Islands

Costa Rica

Cote D’lvoire

Croatia

Cuba

Curacao

Cyprus

Czech Republic

Denmark

Djibouti

Dominica

Dominican Republic

East Timor

Ecuador

Egypt

El Salvador

Equatorial Guinea

Eritrea

Estonia

Ethiopia

Europe Island

Falkland Islands

Faroe Islands

Figi

Finland

France

French Guyana

French Polynesia

French Southern And Antarctic Lands

Gabon

Gambia

Georgia

Germany

Ghana

Gibraltar

Glorioso Islands

Greece

Greenland

Grenada

Guadeloupe

Guam

Guatemala

Guernsey

Guinea

Guinea-Bissau

Guyana

Haiti

Heard Island And Mcdonald Island

Honduras

Hong Kong

Hungary

Iceland

India

Indonesia

Iran

Iraq

Ireland

Isle Of Man

Israel- The Occupied Land Of Palestine

Italy

Jamaica

Jan Mayen

Japan

Jarvis Island

Jersey

Johnston Atoll

Jordan

Juan De Nova Island

Kazakhstan

Kenya

Kingman Reef

Kiribati

Korea, North

Korea South

Kuwait

Kyrgyzstan

Laos

Latvia

Lebanon

Lesotho

Liberia

Libya

Liechtenstein

Lithuania

Luxembourg

Macau

Macedonia

Madagascar

Malawi

Malaysia

Maldives

Mali

Malta

Marshall Islands

Mauritania

Mauritius

Mexico

Micronesia, Federated States Of

Moldova

Monaco

Mongolia

Montserrat

Morocco

Mozambique

Myanmar

Union Of Burma

Namibia

Nauru

Navassa Island

Nepal

Netherlands

Netherlands Antilles

New Calidonia

New Zealand

Nicaragua

Niger

Nigeria

Niue

Norfolk Island

Northern Marina Island

Norway

Oman

Pakistan

Palau

Palestinian Authority

West Bank And Gaza Strip

Palmyra Atoll

Panama

Papua New Guinea

Paracel Islands

Paraguay

Peru

Philippines

Pitcairn Islands

Poland

Portugal

Puerto Rico

Qatar

Reunion

Romania

Russia

Rwanda

Samoa

Saint Helena

Saint Kitts And Nives

Saint Lucia

St. Maarten Or St. Martin’s Island

Saint Pierre And Miquelon

Saint Vincent And The Grenadines

San Marino

Sao Tome And Principe

Saudi Arabia, Kingdom Of

Senegal

Serbia And Montenegro

Seychelles

Sierra Leone

Singapore

Slovakia

Slovenia

Solomon Islands

Somalia

South Africa

South Georgia And The South Sandwich Islands

Spain

Spratly Islands

Sri Lanka

Sudan

Suriname

Svalbard

Swaziland

Sweden

Switzerland

Syria

Taiwan

Tajikistan

Tanzania

Thailand

Togo

Tonga

Trinidad And Tobago

Tromilin Island

Tunisia

Turkey

Turkmenistan

Turks And Caicos Islands

Tuvalu

Uganda

Ukraine

United Arab Emirates

United Kingdom

United States Of America

Uruguay

Uzbekistan

Vanuatu

Vatican

Venezuela

Vietnam

Virgin Islands

Wake Island

Western Sahara

Yemen

Zambia

Zimbabwe

Holidays In A Month

Festivals Of The World

Days Observed By United Nations

Definitions

This book is

dedicated to my family and all my friends who were very supportive in every way, and to my beloved wife who believed in me very cautiously while I was determined to fulfill my dream.

PREFACE

Have you ever traveled, perhaps on business, only to find upon arrival that your business partners are all on holiday or that instead of them of a five-day week you get a two day work week? Well you may due to national or religious celebrations in various countries. It can be very frustrating and time consuming.

Did you know that every day is a holiday? Every day, somewhere, someone is celebrating something. Now you can be aware of when these days are with this book, Celebrate with the World which I have put together to lead you into the holidays and festivals of the world.

People of all nations love holidays. Holidays are an occasion that people can spend time together, commemorate notable occasions, and celebrate joyous events. In most nations, holidays often commemorate the death or the birth of national heroes. In many nations, holidays are locally derived but there are many holidays that are derived internationally. Finally, while we recognize many holiday, national holidays (days off from work) are fewer in some countries than others are.

Since there are many holidays celebrated throughout the different countries of the world it would almost be impossible to have them all. So I decided to try to put together this book to bring together as much information about national holidays as possible in all countries and most of the islands. Along with providing their national holidays, I included important information about the countries.

So to help find what you want I divided this book into five sections which will make it easy to find what day each holiday or festival falls on or by which holiday each country celebrates.

The sections are:

• Days and Holidays celebrated by calendar (starting from January)

• Festivals celebrated within each country by calendar

• Countries listed alphabetically with the information and the holidays

• Days observed by the United Nations

• Definitions of many of the named holidays and festivals

It took me eight years of gathering this data and putting them together in an easy and informative way. Information and dates were gathered by personal contacts, calendars, contacting embassies, and using the internet.

I tried to confirm most of the holidays and festivals from many sources to be as accurate as possible and many of them were changing as I went along. I kept in mind that many nations cancel or add a holiday every year. I know that by the time this book is published some holidays might change or the United Nations might add a new day. Hopefully this will be adjusted in the second edition.

So, sit back and enjoy celebrating with the rest of the world!

Tammam K. Tayara

AFGHANISTAN

Located in Southern Asia, north and west of Pakistan, east of Iran. War and civil strife, with intermittent periods of relative calm and stability characterize Afghanistan’s recent history. The Soviet Union invaded in 1979 but was forced to withdraw 10 years later by anti-Communist mujahidin forces supplied and trained by the US, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and others. Fighting subsequently continued among the various mujahidin factions, giving rise to a state of warlord’s that spawned the Taliban in the early 1990s. The Taliban was able to seize most of the country. Aside from Northern Alliance strongholds primarily in the northeast, until US and allied military action in support of the opposition forced the group’s downfall and a new government was created.

Border countries: China 76 km, Iran 936 km, Pakistan 2,430 km, Tajikistan 1,206 km, Turkmenistan 744 km, Uzbekistan 137 km

Capital: Kabul

Area: 647,500 sq km

Climate: arid to semiarid; cold winters and hot summers

Population: 27,755,775

Ethnic Groups: Pashtun 44%, Tajik 25%, Hazara 10%, minor ethnic groups (Aimaks, Turkmen, Baloch, and others) 13%, Uzbek 8%

Religion: Sunni Muslim 84%, Shi’a Muslim 15%, other 1%

Currency: Afghani (AFA)

Fixed Holidays

March 21 - Noruz

April 27 - Revolution Day,

May 1 - Workers’ Day

May 27 - Independence Day, anniversary of the day in 1921 when sovereignty was established.

August 28-31 - Jeshyn- Afghan Days. Commemorates the peace treaty of 1920. Also known as Independence Days.

Moveable Holidays

Islamic New Year

Eid al Fetr

Eid al Qorban

Prophet’s Birthday

Eid al Adha

Ashura

National Assembly Day, second Wednesday in September

Deliverance Day

Non- holiday Observances

June 14 - Mother’s Day

August 30. - Children’s Day

ALAND ISLAND

The Aland Islands form an autonomous, demilitarized and unilingually Swedish province of Finland. They consist of more than 6,500 islands and skerries, 6,400 of that are larger than 3,000 square meters.

The largest island is Fasta Island (the Main Island), where 90 per cent of the population live. It extends over more than 70 per cent of the total land area of Aland.

Population: Today Aland has the largest population it has ever had. In time, many of the islands have been joined together or with the Main Island by means of bridges and causeways, while others are depopulated, and the 25,000 inhabitants live in only 65 of the islands. Slightly over 40 per cent of the population now live in the only town, Mariehamn.

Fixed Holidays

January 1 – New year’s Day

January 6 – Epiphany

May 1 – May Day

June 9 – Autonomy Day

1st Friday after 18 June – Midsummer’s Eve. (Juhannussatto)

Saturday following – Midsummer’s Day. (Juhannuspaiva)

Saturday following 30 October – All Saints Day

December 6 – Independence Day of Finland

December 24 – Christmas Eve.

December 25 – Christmas Day

December 26 – 2nd Day of Christmas

Moveable Holidays

Good Friday

Easter

Easter Monday

Ascension

Whit Sunday (Pentecost)

Non-Holiday Observances

March 30 – Day of respecting the demilitarization and neutralization of Aland.

Last Sunday in April – Flag Day

2nd. Sunday in May – Mother’s Day

2nd. Sunday in November – Father’s Day

ALBANIA

Albania is located in the Southeastern Europe, western part of the Balkan peninsula. bordering the Adriatic Sea and Ionian Sea, between Greece and Serbia and Montenegro.

In 1990 ended 44 years of xenophobic communist rule and established a multiparty democracy. The best month to visit is September, when it’s still warm, the days are long and the fruit and vegetables are in good supply. The sun shines longest from May to September, and July is the warmest month, but even April and October can be pleasant.

Border countries: Greece 282 km, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia 151 km, Serbia and Montenegro 287 km (114 km with Serbia, 173 km with Montenegro)

Capital: Tirana

Area: 28,750 sq km

Climate: mild temperate; cool, cloudy, wet winters; hot, clear, dry summers; interior is cooler and wetter

Population: 3,364,571

Ethnic groups: Albanian 95%, Greeks 3%, other 2% (Vlachs, Gypsies, Serbs, and Bulgarians).

Note: in 1989, other estimates of the Greek population ranged from 1% (official Albanian statistics) to 12% (from a Greek organization).

Religions: Muslim 70%, Albanian Orthodox 20%, Roman Catholic10%

Note: all mosques and churches were closed in 1967 and religious observances prohibited; in November 1990, Albania began allowing private religious practice

Currency: lek (ALL)

Fixed Holidays

January 1 – Ney Year’s Day

January 11 – Proclamation of the Republic

May 1 – International Labor Day

July 10 – Army Day

November 28 – Independence Day & Flag Day

December 25 – Christmas Day

Moveable Holidays

Eid al Fitr

Eid Al Adha

Good Friday

Easter

Non-Holiday Observances

January 2 – 2nd Day of New Year

March 8 – Women’s Day

November 29 – Liberation Day

ALGERIA

Located in Northern Africa. Bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Morocco and Tunisia. After a century of rule by France, Algeria became independent in 1962. The surprising first round success of the fundamentalist FIS (Islamic Salvation Front) party in the December 1991 balloting caused the army to intervene, crack down on the FIS, and postpones the subsequent elections. FIS’s armed wing, the Islamic Salvation Army, disbanded itself in January 2000 and many armed militants surrendered under an amnesty program designed to promote national reconciliation. Nevertheless, residual fighting continues.

Border countries: Libya 982 km, Mali 1,376 km, Mauritania 463 km, Morocco 1,559 km, Niger 956 km, Tunisia 965 km, Western Sahara 42 km.

Capital: Algeria

Area: 2,381,740 sq km

Climate: arid to semiarid; mild, wet winters with hot, dry summers along coast; drier with cold winters and hot summers on high plateau; sirocco is a hot, dust/sand-laden wind especially common in summer

Population: 32,277,942

Ethnic Group: Arab-Berber 99%, European less than 1%.

Religion: Sunni Muslim (state religion) 99%, Christian and Jewish 1%.

Currency: Algerian dinar (DZD)

Fixed Holidays

January 1 – New Year’s Day

May 1 – Labor Day

June 19 – National Revolution Day

July 3 – Independence Day

November 1 – Anniversary of the Revolution

Moveable Holidays

Islamic New Year

Ashoora

Prophet’s Birthday

Eid Al Fitr

Eid Al Adha

Leilat Al Meiraj

AMERICAN SAMOA

Located in the South Pacific Ocean, about half way between Hawaii and New Zealand, is a group of six Polynesian islands. Fourteen degrees below the equator, it is the United States’ southern-most territory. It is known as the heart of Polynesia. If you drew a triangle from Hawaii, New Zealand and Tahiti you would find Samoa in the middle. Western Samoa is a neighboring independent country that shares the same culture. American Samoa became an unorganized U.S. territory in 1900.

Capital: Pago Pago

Area: 199 sq. km

Note: includes Rose Island and Swains Island

Climate: Tropical marine, moderated by southeast trade winds; annual rainfall averages about 3 m; rainy season from November to April, dry season from May to October; little seasonal temperature variation

Population: 68,688

Ethnic Groups: Samoan (Polynesian) 89%, Caucasian 2%, Tongan 4%, other 5%.

Religions: Christian Congregationalist 50%, Roman Catholic 20%, Protestant and other 30%

Currency: US dollar (USD)

Fixed Holidays

January 1 – New Year’s Day

April 17 – Territorial Flag Day

December 25 – Christmas Day

All Holidays of U.S.A.

Moveable Holidays

Easter

Easter Monday

ANDORRA

Located between France and Spain, in southwestern Europe. Divided into three valleys forming a Y-shape, holding the Northern and Eastern Valira rivers which join up to form the great Valira and separated by mountain. Long isolated and impoverished, mountainous Andorra has achieved considerable prosperity since World War II through its tourist industry. Many immigrants (legal and illegal) are attracted to the thriving economy with its lack of income taxes.

Border: France 56.6 km, Spain 63.7 km.

Capital: Andorra La Vella.

Area: 468 sq. km.

Climate: Snowy, cold winters and warm dry summers.

Population: 84,525

Ethnic Groups: Spanish 43%, Andorran 33%, Portuguese 11%, French 7%, other 6%.

Religions: Roman Catholic (predominant)

Currency: Euro (EUR)

Fixed Holidays

January 1 – New Year’s Day

January 6 – Epiphany

March 14 – Constitution Day

May 1 – Labor Day

June 24 – St. John’s Day

August 15 – Assumption of Blessed Virgin

September 8 – National Day

November 1 – All Saints Day

November 4 – St. Charles’ Day

December 8 – Immaculate Conception

December 24 – Christmas Eve

December 25 – Christmas Day

December 26 – 2nd. Day of Christmas

December 31 – New Year’s Eve

Moveable Holidays

Holy Thursday

Good Friday

Easter Monday

Ascension

Whit Sunday (Pentecost)

Whit Monday

ANGOLA

Located on the Atlantic Coast of southern Africa, Civil war has been the norm in Angola since independence from Portugal in 1975. A 1994 peace accord between the government and the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) provided for the integration of former UNITA insurgents into the government and armed forces. A national unity government was installed in April of 1997, but serious fighting resumed in late 1998, rendering hundreds of thousands of people homeless. Up to 1.5 million lives may have been lost in fighting over the past quarter century.

Border: Democratic Republic of the Congo 2,511 km (of which 225 km is the boundary of discontiguous Cabinda Province), Republic of the Congo 201 km, Namibia 1,376 km, Zambia 1,110 km.

Capital City: Luanda

Area: 1,246,700 sq. Km.

Climate: Tropical in the north, semiarid in south and along coast to Luanda; north has cool, dry season (May to October) and hot, rainy season (November to April)

Population: 10,593,171

Ethnic groups: Ovimbundu 37%, Kimbundu 25%, Bakongo 13%, mestico (mixed European and Native African) 2%, European 1%, other 22%.

Currency: Kwanza (AOA)

Fixed Holidays

January 1 – New Years Day

February 4 – Commencement of Armed Struggle Day

March 8 – Women’s Day

May 1 – Workers’ Day

September 17 – National Hero’s Day

November 11 – Independence Day

December 10 – Foundation of the MPLA Workers’ Party Day

December 25 – Christmas Day (Family Day)

Moveable Holidays

Good Friday

Easter Monday

Non-Holiday Observances

March 27 – Victory Day

April 14 – Youth Day

June 1 – Children’s Day

August 1 – Armed Forces Day

December 1 – Pioneers’ Day

ANGUILLA

Located in the Caribbean Sea, east of Puerto Rico, is a small island home to many incredible beaches, such as Meads Bay.

Colonized by English settlers from Saint Kitts in 1650, Anguilla was administered by Great Britain until the early 19th century, when the island - against the wishes of the inhabitants - was incorporated into a single British dependency along with Saint Kitts and Nevis. Several attempts at separation failed. In 1971, two years after a revolt, Anguilla was finally allowed to secede; this arrangement was formally recognized in 1980 with Anguilla becoming a separate British dependency.

Capital: The Valley

Area: 102 sq. km

Climate: Tropical; moderated by northeast trade winds.

Population: 12,446

Ethnic groups: Black (predominant), mulatto, and white.

Religions: Anglican 40%, Methodist 33%, Seventh-Day Adventist 7%, Baptist 5%, Roman Catholic 3%, other 12%.

Currency: East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Fixed Holidays

January 1 – New Year’s Day

May 1 – Labor Day

Last Friday in May – Anguilla Day

June - Birthday of HM the Queen

1st. Monday in August – Start of Carnival Week

Thursday following – August Thursday

Friday following – Constitution Day

December 19 – Seperation Day

December 25 – Christmas Day

December 26 – Boxing Day

Moveable Holidays

Good Friday

Easter

Easter Monday

Whit Monday

ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA

Antigua (pronounced An-tee’ga) and Barbuda are located in the middle of the Leeward Islands in the Eastern Caribbean. To the south are the islands of Montserrat and Guadaloupe, and to the north and west are Nevis, St. Kitts, St. Barts, and St. Martin. The islands of Antigua and Barbuda became an independent state within the British Commonwealth of Nations in 1981. Some 3,000 refugees fleeing a volcanic eruption on nearby Montserrat have settled in Antigua and Barbuda since 1995.

Antigua is the largest of the British Leeward Islands. Barbuda, a flat coral island lies approximately 30 miles due north. The nation also includes the tiny uninhabited island of Redonda, now a nature preserve.

Capital: St. John’s

Area: 443 sq. km (Antigua 280 sq. km; Barbuda 161 sq. km) includes Redonda, 1.6 sq. km

Climate: Tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation.

Population: 67,448

Ethnic groups: Black, British, Portuguese, Lebanese, Syrian

Religions: Anglican (predominant), other Protestant, some Roman Catholic

Currency: East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Fixed Holidays

January 1 – New Year’s Day

1st. Monday in May – Labor Day

2nd. Saturday in June – Queen’s Birthday

1st. Monday in July – Caricom Day

1st. Monday & Tuesday in August – Carnival Holiday

October 7 – Merchant Holiday

November 1 – Independence Day

December 25 – Christmas Day

December 6 – Boxing Day

Moveable Holidays

Good Friday

Easter

Easter Monday

Whit Monday

Non-holiday Observances

2nd. Monday in March – Commonwealth Day

ARGENTINA

Located in Southern South America, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean between Chile and Uruguay. Following independence from Spain in 1816, Argentina experienced periods of internal political conflict between conservatives and liberals and between civilian and military factions. After World War II, a military junta that took power in 1976 followed a long period of Peronist authoritarian rule and interference in subsequent governments. Democracy returned in 1983, and numerous elections since then have underscored Argentina’s progress in democratic consolidation.

Border countries: Bolivia 832 km, Brazil 1,224 km, Chile 5,150 km, Paraguay 1,880 km, Uruguay 579 km.

Capital: Buenos Aires

Area: 2,766,890 sq. km

Climate: Mostly temperate; arid in southeast; subantarctic in southwest.

Population: 37,812,817

Ethnic Groups: White (mostly Spanish and Italian) 97%, mestizo, Amerindian, or other nonwhite groups 3%.

Religions: Nominally Roman Catholic 92% (less than 20% practicing), Protestant 2%, Jewish 2%, other 4%.

Currency: Argentine peso (ARS)

Fixed Holidays

January 1 – New Year’s Day

January 6 - Epiphany

Monday nearest 2nd. April – Veterans Day & tribute to the fallen in the Malvinas War

May 1 – Labor Day

May 25 – Anniversary of the May Revolution

3rd. Monday in June – Flag Day

July 9 – Independence Day

August 15 – Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

3rd. Monday in August – Anniversary of the Death of General Jose de San Martin

November 1 – All Saints Day

November 6 – Columbus Day

December 8 – Immaculate Concebtion

December 25 – Christmas Day

December 31 – Bank Holiday

Moveable Holidays

Holy Thursday

Shrove Tuesday

Good Friday

Easter

Corpus Christi

Non-Holiday Observances

April 2 Malvinas Liberation Day

September 21 Student’s Day

ARMENIA

Located in Southwestern Asia, east of Turkey An Armenian Apostolic Christian country. Armenia was incorporated into Russia in 1828 and the USSR in 1920. Armenian leaders remain preoccupied by the long conflict with Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh, a primarily Armenian-populated region, assigned to Soviet Azerbaijan in the 1920s by Moscow. Armenia and Azerbaijan began fighting over the area in 1988; the struggle escalated after both countries attained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. By May 1994, when a cease-fire took hold, Armenian forces held not only Nagorno-Karabakh but also a significant portion of Azerbaijan proper. The economies of both sides have been hurt by their inability to make substantial progress toward a peaceful resolution.

Border countries: Azerbaijan-proper 566 km, Azerbaijan-Naxcivan exclave 221 km, Georgia 164 km, Iran 35 km, Turkey 268 km.

Capital: Yerevan

Area: 29,800 sq. km

Climate: Highland continental, hot summers, cold winters.

Population: 3,330,099

Ethnic groups: Armenian 93%, Azeri 3%, Russian 2%, other (mostly Yezidi Kurds) 2%.

note: as of the end of 1993, virtually all Azeris had emigrated from Armenia.

Religions: Armenian Apostolic 94%, other Christian 4%, Yezidi (Zoroastrian/animist) 2%.

Currency: dram (AMD)

Fixed Holidays

January 1 – New Year’s Day

January 6 – Christmas Day

March 8 – Women’s Day

April 7 – Motherhood & Beauty Day

April 24 – Genocide Memorial Day (Martyrs’ Day)

May 9 – Victory Day (World WII)

May 28 – Independence Day or 1st. Republic Day

July 5 – Constitution Day

September 21 – Referendum Day

December 31 – New Year’s Eve.

Moveable Holidays

Good Friday

Easter

Non-holiday Observances

December 8 – Day of Earthquake in Gumru, Spitak and Kirovagan

ARUBA

Located in the Caribbean Sea, north of Venezuela. In 1636 near the culmination of the Eighty Years’ War between Spain and Holland, the Dutch took possession of Aruba and remained in control for nearly two centuries. In 1805, during the Napoleonic Wars, the English briefly took control over