State in Armenia

The official name of the state is the Republic of Armenia, or Hayastani Hanrapetutyun in Armenian. Armenia is a unitary state, so it does not have sovereign states or provinces with their own constitutions. The Constitution is the basic framework for public power. It defines state institutions, fundamental rights, and the limits within which authorities must act. Armenia is a parliamentary republic. The National Assembly, called Azgayin Zhoghov in Armenian, is the single chamber of parliament and adopts laws, approves the state budget, and oversees the government. The Prime Minister leads the government and is the central figure in executive power. Ministries and other government bodies turn laws and political programs into administration, public services, and national policy. The President is the head of state but normally has a more limited role than the Prime Minister. The office represents continuity, performs constitutional duties, and does not manage everyday government policy. Courts exercise judicial power and decide cases under the Constitution and laws. Constitutional review has a special role because it examines whether legal acts or official decisions comply with the Constitution. Armenia is divided into marzer, commonly translated as provinces, while Yerevan has a special capital-city arrangement. These areas are administrative divisions rather than separate states. Local self-government operates through communities, known as hamaynkner. Community councils and local leaders deal with matters such as local planning, municipal property, neighborhood services, and community budgets within powers set by national law. In practice, the correct institution depends on the problem. A ministry handles national policy, a municipality handles many local services, parliament changes laws, and a court resolves legal disputes rather than general service requests.