In present-day Armenia the Armenian state of Urartu exists between the ninth and sixth century BC. Urartu comprises also other parts of the region. Armenia is between the sixth and fourth century BC ruled by Media, Persia and Macedon. Since 300 BC small Armenian principalities exists and in the second century BC Greater Armenia is a fact.

In the first century BC Armenia is conquered by the Roman Empire, followed by Persia in 387 and the Caliphate in the seventeenth century. Armenia regains independence in the ninth century under the name of Ani. Ani is conquered by the East Roman Empire in the eleventh century. In the twelfth century it is a puppet state of Georgia, in 1235-1239 it is conquered by the Mongols and in 1550 it becomes part of the Sefewide state.

In 1555 Armenia is divided: Western Armenia becomes part of the Ottoman Empire and Eastern Armenia becomes part of Persia. Persia transfers Eastern Armenia to Russia in 1828. At the end of the century intellectuals form an Armenian independence movement, striving after the formation of a liberal democracy. More radical factions form revolutionary parties. Out of these the Hai Heghapokhakan Dashnaktsutiun (Armenian Revolutionary Federation "Dashnak", HHD) becomes dominant. The HHD favours Armenian autonomy in both empires rather than full independence for an Armenia in which Russian- and Ottomanheld components would be unified. In both parts of Armenia the Armenians are surpressed. Both in 1895 and in 1915-1917 Armenians suffer from massacres in the Ottoman Empire. Whereas the centre of the old Armenia was West Armenia, the center of the population lives now in Russia held East Armenia.

After the communist victory in Russia in 1917, Russian troops leave the Caucasus. In 1918 the independence of the Republic of Armenia is declared to prevent annexation by either the Ottoman Empire or neighbouring Azerbaijan. The republic includes some parts of present-day Turkey. The leader of the HHD, Hovhannes Kacharznuni, becomes prime minister. He is succeeded by his co-partisans Aleksandr I. Khatisyan, Hamazasp Ohandzhanyan and finally Simeon Vratsyan in 1920.

After the treaty of Sèvres most of West Armenia becomes part of Turkey and the independence of Armenia is recognized by Turkey. Under pressure of communist advances in the Caucasus the HHD forms a coalition government with the communists. Communists seize power in 1920 and establish the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic, that joins Transcaucasia in 1922 and with Transcaucasia the USSR the same year.

In 1990 the Republic of Armenia declares independence and in 1991 it secedes from the USSR. Armenia is a presidential republic without a real democratic culture. President Levon Ter-Petrosyan of the Hayots Hamazgain Sharzhum (Pan-Armenian National Movement, HHSh) is elected president in 1991 with an huge majority. He resigns suddenly in 1998 and that year the non-partisan candidate Robert Kocharyan wins the presidential elections. Kocharyan is re-elected in 2003. Parliament is dominated since 2003 by the Hayastani Hanrapetakan Kusaktsutyun (Republican Party of Armenia, HHK) of prime minister Andranik Markaryan.