Armenians

The Armenians (Armenian: հայեր, hayer) are a nation and ethnic group which originated in the Caucasus and the Armenian Highland. It is estimated that there are from 8 to 11 million Armenians around the world.[16][17] There is a large concentration of Armenians in the Caucasus, especially in Armenia, and there is a significant presence in Georgia, Iran, Russia, and Ukraine. As a result of the Armenian genocide, a large number of survivors fled to many countries throughout the world, such as France, the United States, Argentina and the Levant. (see Armenian diaspora).

Christianity began to spread in Armenia soon after Jesus's death, due to the efforts of two of his apostles, St. Thaddeus and St. Bartholomew[18] In the early 3rd century, Arsacid Armenia became the first nation to adopt Christianity as a state religion.[19] Most Armenians adhere to the Armenian Apostolic Church, a Non-Chalcedonian church. They speak two different, but mutually intelligible, dialects of their language: Eastern Armenian (spoken mainly in Armenia, Iran and the former Soviet republics) and Western Armenian (spoken primarily in the Armenian diaspora).