Armenians in the Middle East
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| About 1,470,000 | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| Cyprus, Jordan, Palestine, Iran, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, Egypt. Smaller communities exist in other countries | |
| Languages | |
| Armenian and the official language(s) of the host country | |
| Religion | |
| Mostly Armenian Apostolic with Catholic and Protestant minorities |
The Armenians in the Middle East are mostly concentrated in Iran, Lebanon, Cyprus, Syria, Jordan, and Palestine, although well-established communities exist in Iraq, Egypt, Turkey, and other countries of the area. The Armenians of the Middle East speak the western dialect of the Armenian language (except those of Iran) and the majority are adherents of the Armenian Apostolic Church, with smaller Catholic and Protestant minorities. There is a sizable Armenian population in the thousands in Palestine and the Palestinian territories, especially the Armenian Quarter in Jerusalem with a history that goes back 2,000 years. Armenians in Lebanon have the most freedoms, compared to other regions in the area that have large number of Armenians.
Armenians have always kept a certain political, social, and economic contact with the Middle East.
The Armenian royalty had always kept close contact with neighbouring Persia. In the 1st century B.C., Tigranes the Great, the King of Kings of the Armenian Empire, ruled over a significant part of the region. Armenians have a millennia long native history in the region, and are part of the indigenous inhabitants of northwestern Iran, as well as many of the oldest Armenian churches, chapels, and monasteries are located there.
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Wikipedia