Ranking Armenia‏

Brookings Institution: Armenia ranks 105 in weak states list
11.03.2008 16:20 GMT+04:00

PanARMENIAN.Net/ Washington-based Brookings Institution and the Center for Global Development ranked 141 developing countries according to their performance in four core areas - economic, political, security and social welfare.

Using those indicators, Somalia, Afghanistan, Democratic Republic of Congo headed the list and were designated as "failed states." They were followed by Iraq, Burundi, Sudan, Central African Republic, Zimbabwe, Liberia and Ivory Coast.

Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan were labeled as the weakest post soviet states ranking 35 and 36 respectively.

Tajikistan ranks 42, Russia at 65, Kyrgyzstan at 73, Azerbaijan at 80, Belarus at 81, Moldova at 88, Kazakhstan and 89, Georgia at 90, Armenia at 105, Ukraine at 107, Latvia at 136 and Lithuania at 138. [note that 1 is weakest and 141 the best ranking]

"Given the role that weak states can play as incubators and breeding grounds for transnational security threats, building state capacity...should be a higher priority for U.S. policy," said the report.

A weak state is defined as one lacking the capacity to establish and maintain political institutions, secure the population from violent conflict and control their territories or to meet the basic needs of the population.

The report also included a "watch list" of countries that should be monitored by policymakers because of their significant weakness. [The Index of State Weakness in the Developing World was designed to provide policy-makers and researchers with a credible tool for analyzing and understanding the world's most vulnerable countries. Co-directed by Brookings Senior Fellow Susan Rice and Center for Global Development Research Fellow Stewart Patrick, the Index ranks and assesses 141 developing nations according to their relative performance in four critical spheres: economic, political, security and socia welfare.

The index shows that Armenia development areas are:

(politics) voice & accountablity , (politics) freedom, (security) conflict intensity and (social welfare) undernourishment where it is placed in the 2nd quintile but shines in the economic measures and in political stability and incidence of coups (pre 1 March 08?) access the report website at http://www.brookings.edu/reports/2008/02_weak_states_index.aspx]

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ARMENIA 89TH AMONG 130 COUNTRIES IN WORLD COMPETITIVENESS IN TOURISM
banker.am
04.03.2008

Armenia 89th among 130 countries in world competitiveness in tourism

This is a 15-point reduction as compared to the level of 2007,
"Economy and Values" research center reported.

According to the report, Armenia is on the fifth line among CIS
countries leaving ahead only Russia (64th), Georgia (72nd), Ukraine
(77th) and Azerbaijan (79th).

Among positive factors in the tourism field of Armenia are
sanitary conditions, security of tourists, price competition and
friendly treatment of tourists. Among the shortcomings the report
is particularly mentioning visa regime with the countries where
most of tourists come from, ecology problems, internal transport
infrastructure, availability of hotel rooms and training of personnel.

According to the report, Switzerland is the most competitive country
in tourism followed by Austria and Germany. Among other competitive
countries are Chad, Lesotho and Burundi. Three aspects have been
considered in developing the world competitiveness index - regulation
of tourism field; business sphere and infrastructure; human, cultural
and natural resources.

According to Armenia's National Statistical Service, 510,287 tourists
visited Armenia in January-December 2007, which is a 33.5% increase
against 2006.

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