Why does Armenia receive relatively little rainfall?

Armenia receives relatively little rainfall primarily because of its geographic position deep within the interior of the subtropical zone, where it is enclosed by high mountain ranges.1

Specifically, the ranges of the Lesser Caucasus act as a barrier that prevents humid air masses from reaching the country's inner regions. As a result of this sheltered location, the inland plains and hollows receive only 8 to 16 inches of rainfall annually. While precipitation levels increase at higher elevations—reaching up to 32 inches on mountain slopes—the overall climate of the country remains dry and continental.1