Armenia is often described through its history, ancient monasteries, and resilient people. Yet another story lies beneath these familiar images: the story of nature itself.
Despite its relatively small territory, Armenia is one of the biodiversity hotspots of the Caucasus region. With altitudes ranging from roughly 375 to more than 4,000 meters above sea level, the country contains a remarkable range of landscapes—from semi-deserts and fertile river valleys to dense forests and alpine meadows. Scientists estimate that Armenia hosts more than 3,600 plant species and over 17,500 animal species, an impressive concentration for such a compact territory.
This diversity is not only ecological. It has deeply shaped the human story of Armenia. Geography, climate, flora, and fauna have influenced how communities eat, speak, believe, create or work.
Depending on classification, Armenia contains six or seven climatic zones: dry subtropics, semi-desert, steppe, forest, alpine, subalpine and cold high mountainous. Yet beyond scientific classifications, the connection between people and nature in Armenia is deeply personal. In the case of photographer Berta Martirosyan, that dialogue unfolds through the lens of a camera. Over the past five years, she has documented Armenia’s plant life and wildlife—animals and birds that inhabit its diverse landscapes.
Last year, she published the bilingual book Birds of Armenia, featuring more than 200 bird species recorded in the country—the first work of its kind to visually capture the rich and colorful world of birds in Armenia. Her camera has captured both common and rare species, from the European goldfinch and blue tit to the alpine chough and birds listed in Armenia’s Red Book, such as the wallcreeper. She has even photographed flocks of pink flamingos that briefly stopped in Armenia during their winter migration. Years of observation, she says, have sharpened her senses to the point where she can often identify a bird simply by hearing its call.
She notes how uniquely layered Armenia’s landscapes are. Some regions contain several climatic zones at once—such as Aragatsotn or Vayots Dzor. “In one province you can move from one climatic zone to another, from semi-desert up into subalpine landscapes…and with that change comes a whole different palette of life—from birds and plants to human practices.”
This climatic diversity is also reflected in Armenia’s cuisine. According to Sedrak Mamulyan, the chairman of the NGO Preservation and Development of Culinary Traditions, the country’s rich biodiversity finds its way onto the table through over 300 types of edible wild plants, berries, herbs, and greens that villagers still gather seasonally. “As spring arrives,” he explains, “people turn back to the land—a natural response after a winter of rich, heavy foods. Nature itself provides the vitamins, flavors, and textures that have become part of our cultural identity.”
Mamulyan speaks about Armenian cuisine in a particularly evocative way: “Our cuisine is a dialogue between humans and nature—a dialogue from which culture is born.” He adds that Armenian cuisine can taste remarkably different from one region to another. Even the same plant, grown in different regions and in different climatic zones, can taste remarkably different.
In Gegharkunik Province, home to Lake Sevan, the country’s largest lake, freshwater fish traditions, especially ishkhan (Sevan trout) and sig (whitefish), are an essential part of local life, valued for their delicate flavors.
South of Gegharkunik, the country’s winemaking regions tell a different story. In Vayots Dzor, Aragatsotn, Armavir, and the Ararat Valley, vineyards stretch across sunlit slopes and volcanic soils, nurturing indigenous grape varieties such as Areni, Kakhet, Kangun or Voskehat. Winemaking here is not just an agricultural activity but a deeply rooted tradition, woven into everyday life, celebrations, and rituals. With a history that reaches back thousands of years, Armenia’s wine culture reflects a continuity of knowledge and craftsmanship, linking the country’s ancient past with its modern revival of viticulture.
Further north, in Shirak Province, the cuisine tells a different story, one shaped by the land’s long-standing relationship with grain. Folklorist Hasmik Galstyan, a researcher at the National Academy of Sciences of Armenia Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography, notes that archaeological evidence shows the Shirak plateau has long been one of Armenia’s traditional breadbasket regions. “Our archaeologists can confirm this,” she says. “Perhaps this is why wheat and wheat-based dishes hold such a central place in Shirak’s cuisine. Foods made from ground and roasted flour are especially important, appearing in many traditional rituals and ceremonies.”
According to Galstyan, geography shapes far more than just food—it influences everyday life and beliefs. She explains that the natural environment has left a deep imprint on local folklore. “Armenia is a mountainous country without seas, so its mythical water creatures are quite different. Instead of the beautiful, enchanting mermaids or fairies found in other cultures, Armenian tradition speaks of river spirits in the form of old women—unsettling, even frightening figures. People believed these spirits would pull individuals into the river, drowning them. This is no coincidence. In regions with fast-flowing mountain rivers, such stories likely served as warnings. Families would scare children, telling them not to go near the water—otherwise, ‘the old woman will drag you into the river, wrap you in her tangled hair, and drown you.’”
The natural environment has also shaped the Armenian language itself. Linguist Hrach Martirosyan notes that landscapes often become embedded in the way people name places and describe the world around them. “Sometimes, toponyms are a direct reflection of the natural environment, seen through the perspective of the people who settled there,” he explains.
In Armenia and Artsakh, many place names emerged from simple, almost poetic descriptions of the landscape. Villages such as Karintak, meaning “under the rock,” or Antaramej, “within the forest,” clearly reflect their physical surroundings. Medieval historian Stepanos Orbelian recorded similar examples in the 13th–14th centuries: Ankuzik, named after the Armenian term for “walnut tree,” for a place once rich in walnut trees; Yeghégik, derived from “yeghég” (reed); and Hatsik, linked to the hatseni tree—the Armenian name for ash (Fraxinus).
According to Martirosyan, such names preserve the memory of the landscape. Even when geography changes, these toponyms, passed down from the Middle Ages, still reveal what a place and its surroundings looked like centuries ago.
Armenia’s natural landscape has also left a profound mark on its arts—from music and painting to sculpture and mural traditions.
Many Armenian painters have drawn inspiration from the country’s nature and landscapes. Among the most remarkable is Martiros Saryan, often called the “painter of Armenia.” As one of the founders of the national school of painting, Saryan transformed the country’s mountains, valleys, orchards, and sunlit plains into vibrant works filled with warm colors. Through his paintings, the viewer can experience the beauty and character of the Armenian countryside as if standing there themselves. Saryan himself spoke of this deep connection: “I do not know when the artist was born within me. Perhaps from the day I first heard my parents’ stories about our mountainous, magical homeland—from the days I played under the sun and delighted in the colors of flowers, butterflies, and bees.” As he once put it more simply: “Whatever I paint, it becomes Armenia—our mountains, our valleys, our people, our light, our Ararat.”
Like Saryan, other Armenian painters—including Minas Avetisyan and Gevorg Bashinjaghian—also brought Armenian nature to life in their works, portraying its landscapes, colors, and spirit.
Nature’s imprint on Armenian art extends beyond painting into sculpture and monumental forms. Volcanic stones—tuff, basalt, and obsidian—have given Armenian architecture its distinctive character. Throughout the country, buildings are enriched with intricate carvings of grapes and pomegranates, sheaves of wheat, and the stylized forms of birds and animals native to Armenia.
Armenia’s nature and landscapes are an invitation to adventure and discovery, no matter what kind of traveler you are. Hike along winding mountain trails, stumble upon hidden waterfalls, or bike through valleys framed by ancient monasteries. Paddle across shimmering lakes, wander through forests alive with birdsong, or simply lie in a meadow and take in the wildflowers. When winter blankets the mountains in snow, slopes become playgrounds for skiing and snowboarding. Every season reveals a new side of Armenia, where rugged peaks, rushing rivers, and golden plains promise unforgettable adventures and moments.
Armenia’s landscapes have shaped its culture for thousands of years—from the foods people savor and the myths they pass down to the words they use and the art they create. Yet today, these landscapes, which have inspired generations, cannot be taken for granted and require our care.
Chef Sedrak Mamulyan notes that people need to understand that nothing is endless; everything can be depleted. “We must both use nature wisely and help it regenerate,” he says.
Climate change, agricultural intensification, and habitat loss are affecting ecosystems across the country. Photographer Berta Martirosyan notes that even small ecological disruptions can cascade through the natural chain. “If insects decline, birds that feed on them suffer,” she says. “And then the whole connected system is affected.” She notes that some ecosystems—especially subalpine zones—are already experiencing reduced snowfall and rising temperatures. Through photography Martirosyan hopes to inspire people to appreciate and protect Armenia’s natural heritage. “If people do not know the good things in their country,” she says, “they will not care to protect them.”
In Armenia, biodiversity is not simply about species counts or ecosystems. It is about the living relationship between people and the land—a relationship that continues to shape the country’s identity today.
Aragatsotn
Birds: Northern wheatear, Eurasian jay, Crested lark; Animals: Transcaucasian fox, Bezoar goat, Armenian mouflon; Plants: Poppies, Wormwood, Oak tree; Cuisine: Khash, Khorovats, Aveluk; Industry: Agriculture, Livestock, Stone quarrying; Cultural Features: Amberd Fortress, Saghmosavank, Hovhannavank.
Ararat
Birds: Eurasian hoopoe, White stork, Western marsh harrier, Bearded vulture; Animals: Golden jackal, Armenian viper; Plants: Wild thyme, Mulberry tree; Cuisine: Shorva, Lenten tolma; Industry: Wine & Brandy Production, Agriculture, Cement; Cultural Features: Khor Virap Monastery, Tapi Fortress.
Vayots Dzor
Birds: Chukar partridge, Griffon vulture; Animals: Armenian viper, Caucasian leopard, Armenian mouflon, Stone Marten; Plants: Wild grape, Hawthorn, Wild pistachio; Cuisine: Tonir barbecue, Horats panir, Kyalagosh; Industry: Agriculture, Winemaking, Tourism; Cultural Feature: Noravank Monastery.
Syunik
Birds: Black stork, Nuthatch, Chukar partridge; Animals: Bezoar goat, Wild boar, Persian leopard; Plants: Walnut tree, Juniper, Oak tree ; Cuisine: Zhengyalov hats, Harissa, Ghavurma; Industry: Mining, Energy, Agriculture; Cultural Feature: Tatev Monastery, Halidzor Fortress, Carahunge.
Tavush
Birds: Blue tit, Great spotted woodpecker, Tawny owl; Animals: Golden jackal, Eurasian lynx, Persian squirrel; Plants: Beech tree, Hazelnut tree; Cuisine: Tavush borani, Honaspas, Korkot; Industry: Forestry, Agriculture, Beekeeping; Cultural Feature: Haghartsin Monastery, Goshavank Monastery, Makaravank Monastery.
Lori
Birds: Long-eared owl, Eurasian sparrowhawk, Great spotted woodpecker; Animals: Eurasian lynx, Brown bear, Caucasian agama; Plants: Oak tree, Maple tree, Violets; Cuisine: Lori cheese, Konchol; Industry: Forestry, Mining, Dairy production, Agriculture; Cultural Features: Haghpat Monastery, Akhtala Monastery.
Gegharkunik
Birds: Armenian gull, Dalmatian pelican, Steppe eagle, Yellow wagtail; Animals: Sevan trout, European hare, Wild boar; Plants: Iris pumila, Willow tree, Fescue; Cuisine: Ishkhan, Crayfish, Fish Khorovats; Industry: Fishing, Agriculture, Tourism; Cultural Features: Sevanavank Monastery, Berdkunk Fortress.
Kotayk
Birds: Lesser grey shrike, Golden eagle, Western rock nuthatch ; Animals: Caucasian red deer, Bezoar goat, Red fox, Brown bear; Plants: Ash tree, Gentian; Cuisine: Krchik, Harissa, Tanapur; Industry: Tourism, Energy, Manufacturing; Cultural Features: Garni Temple, Geghard Monastery, Kecharis Monastery.
Armavir
Birds: European bee-eater, Little egret, Common crane; Animals: Southern white-breasted Hedgehog, European green toad; Plants: Apricot tree, Grape vine; Cuisine: Etchmiadzin kufta, Harissa; Industry: Winemaking, Agriculture, Food Processing; Cultural Features: Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, Zvartnots Cathedral.
Shirak
Birds: Eurasian skylark, Goldfinch, Eurasian kestrel; Animals: Least weasel, European hare, Grey wolf; Plants: Feather grass, Wild sage, Cornflower; Cuisine: Tatar boraki, Kyalla, Panrkhash; Industry: Agriculture, Food production, Textiles; Cultural Features: Yereruyk Temple, Harichavank Monastery.
