With 6000 scientific works published Armenia is among the leading states in the region

About 6000 scientific works by Armenian scientists have since 1991 been published in many of the world's influential magazines. Of all these works about 46,000 citations have been made, and with these results Armenia stands out as one of the leading countries in the region, Samvel Harutyunyan, Chairperson of the State Committee at Armenia's Ministry of Education and Science, said at a press conference today.

According to him, of all these authors 57 per cent are physicists, 10-12 per cent are biologists, 5-6 per cent are chemists, and only 1-2 per cent are mathematicians. The rest come from other sphere of science but do not make a great number.

Mr Harutyunyan also said that Armenia used to prepare specialists for the entire Soviet Union during the Soviet era, and that was the reason the number of those wishing to be engaged into science was that great at the time. He mentioned, however, that the number of scientists has now dropped.

In his words, scientists now are stronger as they are more informed than their colleagues used to be during the Soviet Union.
"At that time there were no computers, no internet. Means of communication provide enormous opportunities today," said Mr Harutyunyan.