Armenians drink copious amounts of alcohol, as much as in other CIS countries, but-aside from the trendy bar scene in Yerevan (which are as alcohol and drug laden as any venue in the world), you rarely see the kind of drunken behavior associated with Russia or other ex-Soviet states.
Up to 97% of Armenians follow Christianity, which has existed in Armenia for over 1,700 years. Armenia has its own church, the Armenian Apostolic Church, which most Armenians follow. Christianity has a strong influence in the country, but there is a small presence of other religions too.
The Republic of Armenia declared its sovereignty on August 23, 1990, and became an independent state a year later, on September 23, 1991. In October 1991, Levon Ter-Petrosian, who had been elected democratically as chairman of the Armenian Supreme Soviet under the Soviet system in 1990, was chosen president of the republic in a six-candidate election.