Preliminary data from a census conducted by the Armenian authorities in October of last year and published this week indicates that Armenia’s permanent population is just under 3 million people.

According to the Statistical Committee, the population of Armenia stands at 2,928,914 people, including permanent residents and individuals who have been absent from the country for up to a year.

The new number is about 90,000 less than the permanent population recorded in a similar census conducted in 2011.

The specialists have not yet conducted any comprehensive analysis of the latest population census results as they are waiting for the final data to be provided by the authorities.

However, the troubling pattern is vivid. Since Armenia’s independence, this is the first time that the country's permanent population has fallen slightly below 3 million. 

It is important to note that the Armenian government, as well as its previous administrations, have set population targets for the country. In 2020, Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan presented a national strategy to increase Armenia's permanent population to at least 5 million by 2050.