Reports on Environment and Urban Development for Alaverdy

GEO ALAVERDI: ENVIRONMENT AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

LLC “Arthur-Taron” (production of construction tiles), LLC “Titanyan Brothers” (asphalt, construction material), LLC “Levon Kirakosyan” (bread and pastry), as well as 3-5 stone processing manufactures. The light industries of the city also had good traditions. Because of the socio- economic dif fi culties, the textile manufacture, the textile factory, the factories of condensers, lamps, and beer and non-alcohol beverages closed. The remaining production sites are maintained for any plans and perspective. The rural communities of Sanahin andAkner that are within the administrative territory of the city have developed agriculture (700 economies). The land area of the community is 5299,4 ha, 120 ha of which is fertile. The community has 1962 hectares of state reserved land. About 10% of the population does crop farming. The community has: The rural families mainly cultivate vegetables and fruits, which only partially satis fi es the current needs of the city. During the last years, the farmers also deal with production of wheat and plants used for cattle feeding, which also does not satisfy the needs of the city. The horticultures use their areas or cultivating apricots, apples, fi gs, etc. The dif fi culties with the trading of agricultural products disturb the agricultural development process. The main dif fi culties are the low prices, irrigation related issues, underdeveloped capacities of agencies responsible for the agricultural development or the absence of such agencies in general (agro-services, crediting, insurance), etc. 3. Demography The current population of the city is 16641 people. It must be mentioned that before the 1988 earthquake the population of the city was 26900 people. The population growth rates were so high that, if maintained, the expected population of the city by 2011 was anticipated at 37000 people (calculated by demographic capacity method, with the requirement of ecological balance), for that purpose, the residential fund of the city was to be increased. In reality, though, the post- soviet years of economic crisis, as well as the closure of the most signi fi cant industrial entities of the area had their negative impact on the demography. The results of population census, held in 2001, showed that during the 15 post-soviet years the number of people in Alaverdi had decreased by 10000 people or by 40%. This was mainly because of the migration of unemployed population from the city to Yerevan or abroad. Presently, the demographic condition is hard to evaluate, as the migration 1. Fertile lands 120,0 ha 2. Horticultures 136,7 ha 3. Pastures 671,0 ha Horticultural companies act in the vicinity of the city.

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CHAPTER 2. SOCIO – ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL CONTEXT

Environmental Knowledge for Change