1988 December - Earthquake in northern Armenia kills 25,000 and leaves hundreds of thousands homeless. The relief effort is slow and chaotic. It lasts intermittently for five years. Many Azeri citizens are forced to flee their homes. 1990 - Armenian nationalists win parliamentary elections.
Independence is declared, but ignored by Moscow.
December - Armenia joins the Commonwealth of Independent States, the successor to the Soviet Union. Internal unrest 1992 - Armenia joins the United Nations. A trade and energy embargo is imposed by Azerbaijan. The conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh continues. 1994 - Demonstrations in Yerevan over shortages of food and energy.