Armenia

(the Minni of Scripture,) a country of W. Asia, extending from the Caucasus on the N. to the mountains of Kurdistan on the S., and from the Euphrates (which separates it from Asia Minor) on theW., to near the Caspian on the E., being thus between Lat. 37° and 42° N., and Lon. 39° and 50° E. It is subdivided among the Turkish pashalics of Erzeroum, Kars, and Van, and parts of the Persian prov. of Azerbijan, and the Ru ian govt. of Transcaucasia. The native Armenians, estimated at 1-7th of the whole pop., are distinguished for their enterprise in commercial and banking transactions. The Armenian Christians mostly belong to an ecclesiastical establishment of their own, similar in many respects to the Greek Church; but many have adhered to the Roman Catholic faith. Chief towns, Kars andErzeroum. Pop. 2,000,000. [s. 47]