The Armenian nation is one of the most ancient nations of the world. Armenian highland is a geographical region where the Armenian people were formed as a nation and lived over centuries to the present day, thus creating a vast and rich heritage of unique history and culture for over three millennia. It comes from the depth of centuries when the nations of ancient antiquity – Romans and Hellenes – were just born.

Armenia was the first country to adopt Christianity as official state religion in 301 A.D.

Nowdays Armenia is a small, mountainous country located in the southern Caucasus between the Black and the Caspian seas. About the size of Belgium, Armenia has varied topology including a large mountain lake (Sevan), ski areas, gorges, canyons, valleys, and mountain passes, which resemble the Swiss Alps. For its alpine meadows, pomegranate groves, snow-covered mountain peaks, colorful subtropical regions, and sun-filled arid valleys, it has been called a "paradise for artists". It`s also a country not often "seen" and therefore can offer new surprising sets.

The name of the Armenians is Hay and the country is Hayastan.

The country Hayas with the nation of the same name are mentioned on a clay Hittite list founde during an archeological dig of the capital of the Hittite State related to the II millennium B.C. In I millennium B.C. the Assyrian cuneiforms refers to the State Urartu encircling the whole territory of the extensive Armenian plateau. The State Urartu (9-6 centuries B.C.) reached high level of civilization and left rich cultural heritage. Just by this concerns the construction of Erebuni fortress (782 B.C.) one of the outposts of ancient kingdom which gave name to the modern capital of Armenia – Yerevan. After Urartu the race of history took the Armenian Empire headed by the dynasty of Ervandunis, which afterwards came to the vassalage of Archimenidick Persia. As a result of Alexander Macedonian's conquests in IV century B.C., Armenia became a part of the united Hellenistic world. In II century B.C. a strong local ruler Artashes announced himself as an independent king of Armenia and united the lands of the Great and Minor Armenia, marking the dawn of a new tsarist dynasty of Artashesians. By that time the forming of the Armenian language and the ethnic mounting of the Armenian nation were completed. The Greek historian Strabon (I century B.C.) mentioned that the whole nation populated the Armenian plateau spoke one language – Armenian. The other ancient author Plutarque names the capital of Armenia Artashat as the Carthago of Armenia and writes about the beauty and the glory of that city settled on the Silk way, which in ancient times served as a bridge between East and West.

The Great Armenia reached its height during the governing of Tigran the Great in I century B.C. Tigran's extensive empire reached from the Caspian Sea to the Meditteranean, from Tigris and Euphrates to the boothills of the Great Caucasus. The first centuries of new era passed in constant wars between Roman Empire and becoming strong Persian kingdom. The clash arena of two great states was Armenia which they divided between themselves in V century. But long before that, during the governing of the dynasty of Arshakunis which came to the throne in I century A.C., an important event took place in life of the Armenian nation determined all its following history. In 301 Armenia adopted Christianity as a state religion thus becoming the first Christian state in the world (Up till now Armenian people remained very religious nation fairly thinking that just the Christianity allowed to keep its ethnic originality). After hundred years another fate event took place in life of the Armenian nation. In 405 Mesrop Mashtots created the Armenian alphabet, which has faithfully served the Armenian nation ever since protecting it from foreign enslavement better than any weapon.

Armenia remained divided between Byzantium and Persia till the procession of the new religion Islam started. The creation of powerful Arabian caliphate became a historical reality, and many nations and rulers of ancient world had to reckon with it. But Armenians continued to struggle against Arabs and in XI century reestablished their independence. Armenia of the epoch of Bagratunis reached its highest prosperity in X-XI centuries, with its capital Ani famous for its 1000 churches. Ani became one of the commercial centers of medieval. The invasion of Turk-Seldjoukids and faction resumed after weakening of caliphate between Byzantium and Persia, leaded Armenia to the loss of state independence and decline. In XIII century the Tatar-Mongolian invasion completed the destruction of the country. Escaping from enemy incursions and intrigues of Byzantine rulers on south-west coast of the Mediterranean Sea, Armenian princes managed to create there an independent princedom in XI century. In 1190 the emperor of Germany Frederick Red-Bearded admitted the existence of Armenian princedom. January 6, 1198 is the date of official declaration of Kilikian Kingdom. Levon from dynasty of Rubenians came to the throne of Kilikian Kingdom which existed till XIV century.

During three centuries the Armenian nation had an opportunity to develop its culture and science in relatively calm conditions. The last independent Armenian state serving as an outpost of Christianity in times of crusades was broken by Egyptian Mamelukes.

The darkest times came to the centuries-old history of the Armenian nation with the appearance of Turk-Osmans, who smashed Byzantine Empire and captured its whole territory. Over a period of XV-XVII centuries the territory of Armenia was an arena of constant wars between Osman Turkey and Persia. In 1639 they divided Armenia between themselves. The Turkish and Persian rule was a brake for the cultural development of Armenia and it set aside the life of the nation for a few centuries back. The Armenians managed to retain semi-independent principalities only in impregnable upland regions of Sunick and Artsakh (Gharabagh). From XVII century Russia began campaigns to Caucasus. In 1828 as a result of Russian-Persian war Eastern Armenia was affiliated to Russia. The Armenian nation was on the edge of physical loss in Western Armenia, that remained under the rule of Turkey. Having the goal to concur finally the territory of Armenia, Turkish government executed its Anti-Armenian policy, which reached its culmination in the years of World War I. During 1915-1918 Turkish rulers realized the annihilation and deportation of the Armenian population of Western Armenia. The awful result of the Armenians' Genocide was the death of 1.5 million people. Most part of historical Armenia lost its aboriginal population.