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15.08.2025
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A Breakdown Of The Repat Armenia Lexicon
-webp(85)-o(png).webp?token=ee7fff76908f96f16870f547194f342d "A Breakdown Of The Repat Armenia Lexicon")
You may have noticed that we use a lot of different terms at Repat Armenia to describe the different people who make up the community here in Armenia. From “Partial Repat” to “ABC”, we recognize that this terminology can sometimes get a little confusing. When learning about all these different words, you’ll quickly realize that there are many different types of people who contribute to daily life in Armenia. So, to help you understand about all the different people living and working in Armenia, here’s a complete breakdown of all the terms we use here at Repat Armenia.
Local
Someone who was born and raised in Armenia, and who has never lived outside of Armenia. Locals make up the majority of the population of Armenia and most of your interactions in Armenia are likely to be with local Armenians. When living in Armenia, it’s encouraged to mix with both locals and other groups of people to get the most out of your Armenian experience.
Diasporan
Someone with Armenian heritage, who currently lives outside of Armenia. Diasporans are spread all across the world and often have a strong connection to Armenia, advocating for Armenian causes and visiting often. It is often said that Armenia needs the diaspora, and the diaspora needs Armenia. The relationship between both diasporans and local Armenians is a hugely important one.
Repat
Our definition of a repat is someone with Armenian heritage who has lived outside of Armenia for five or more years, and who is now living in Armenia. This is the Repat Armenia definition of Armenia, however a repat is generally considered to be somebody who is born in a country, leaves for a period of time, and then comes back.
Repats often move to Armenia with the desire to contribute to the future of the homeland. They come from all kinds of backgrounds, whether they moved individually, with families, or after volunteering with organizations like Birthright Armenia and Armenian Volunteer Corps.
Partial Repat
Someone who spends at least six months of the year living in Armenia. Partial repats spend a significant amount of the year in Armenia, but also have a strong base in another country. This is often a great in-between option for someone considering repatriating to Armenia, but with work or family commitments elsewhere.
Expat
Someone who has no Armenian heritage but who is living and working in Armenia. You may be surprised to know that there are actually a large number of expats in Armenia working across a variety of sectors from NGOs to the tech sphere. They make a large contribution to the Armenian professional community.
ABC
ABC stands for “Armenian By Choice.” This is someone who is not Armenian but who has lived in Armenia for more than five years. They have usually started learning the language or started a business and are well integrated into Armenian society. While Armenia is not known for being a diverse country, there are actually a large number of people without Armenian roots who have chosen to make Armenia their home.
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