Shirak: population and official figures

Shirak is a first-level division of Armenia, number 5 of 11 by population. Shirak marz had a permanent population of 242,300 on 1 January 2026, 7.8% of Armenia's 3,097,000 residents, down 0.0% on a year earlier.

In depth

• Economy, jobs and prices in Shirak: The average monthly nominal wage in Shirak marz was 171,624 drams in October-December 2025, 7.2% more than a year earlier and 52.5% of the national average of 326,648 drams; it ranked 2nd lowest of 11 in Armenia.
• Health in Shirak: Shirak marz had 575 physicians in 2025, 23.7 per 10,000 people, 3rd highest of 11 among the marzes and Yerevan (national rate 42.0).
• Education in Shirak: Shirak marz had 161 general schools in the 2025/26 school year, 2 of them non-state, teaching 31,957 pupils.
• Poverty and living standards in Shirak: 6,803 square metres of new residential buildings were put into use in Shirak marz in 2025, 0.3% of the national total (63.2% of the 2024 figure).
• Government and politics in Shirak: Shirak marz is run by a marz governor (marzpet) who is appointed and dismissed by decree of the Government of Armenia; the decree must be ratified by the President, and the governor is accountable to the Government.

More figures

• 56.9% of the people of Shirak marz lived in towns on 1 January 2026; the marz covers 2,680 square kilometres, giving a density of 90 people per square kilometre (Yerevan: 5,117). Source: Statistical Committee of the Republic of Armenia (Armstat) · saved copy

How first-level divisions are governed in Armenia

Regions – marzer (10). Marz governor appointed and dismissed by government decree, ratified by the President. Carries out government regional policy and co-ordinates state services; not self-governing.

Every tier of government in Armenia

Other first-level divisions of Armenia

• Yerevan 1,147,600
• Kotayk 297,300
• Ararat 270,700
• Armavir 270,500
• Lori 229,400
• Gergharkunik 217,300
• Aragatsotn 136,100
• Syunik 118,300
• Tavush 118,000
• Vayots Dzor 49,500

Up a level: Armenia · government and power in Armenia

Sources

• Statistical Committee of the Republic of Armenia (Armstat): Socio-Economic Situation of RA, January-December 2025 (Excel tables, Russian edition): population, wages, crime, real estate, construction, retail and agriculture by marz, read 24 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 a9451ccc88e8…)
• Government of the Republic of Armenia: Regions: public administration in the marzes and the marz governors, read 24 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 53a7c1744c8d…)
• Statistical Committee of the Republic of Armenia (Armstat): Social Situation of RA in 2025 (English Word tables): schools, preschools, health care, pensions and family benefits by marz, read 24 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 e0600599b5ee…)
• Statistical Committee of the Republic of Armenia (Armstat): Statistical Yearbook of Armenia 2025 (Excel tables): territory, communities, population and industrial output by marz and Yerevan city, read 24 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 5c3e82df03d3…)

Each saved copy is the file exactly as downloaded, kept so the figures can be checked even if the source changes. Report an error.