Azerbaijan - a nation with a
majority-Turkic and majority-Muslim population - was briefly independent
from 1918 to 1920; it regained its independence after the collapse of the
Soviet Union in 1991. Despite a 1994 cease-fire, Azerbaijan has yet to
resolve its conflict with Armenia over the Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh
enclave (largely Armenian populated). Azerbaijan has lost 16% of its
territory and must support some 600,000 internally displaced persons as a
result of the conflict. Corruption is ubiquitous, and the government has
been accused of authoritarianism. Although the poverty rate has been
reduced in recent years, the promise of widespread wealth from development
of Azerbaijan's energy sector remains largely unfulfilled.
Geography
Azerbaijan
Location:
Southwestern Asia, bordering
the Caspian Sea, between Iran and Russia, with a small European portion
north of the Caucasus range
Geographic coordinates:
40 30 N, 47 30 E
Map references:
Asia
Area:
total: 86,600 sq km
land: 86,100 sq km water: 500 sq km note:
includes the exclave of Naxcivan Autonomous Republic and the
Nagorno-Karabakh region; the region's autonomy was abolished by
Azerbaijani Supreme Soviet on 26 November 1991
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Maine
Land boundaries:
total: 2,013 km
border countries: Armenia (with Azerbaijan-proper) 566 km,
Armenia (with Azerbaijan-Naxcivan exclave) 221 km, Georgia 322 km, Iran
(with Azerbaijan-proper) 432 km, Iran (with Azerbaijan-Naxcivan exclave)
179 km, Russia 284 km, Turkey 9 km
Coastline:
0 km (landlocked); note -
Azerbaijan borders the Caspian Sea (800 km est.)
Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)
Climate:
dry, semiarid steppe
Terrain:
large, flat Kur-Araz Ovaligi
(Kura-Araks Lowland) (much of it below sea level) with Great Caucasus
Mountains to the north, Qarabag Yaylasi (Karabakh Upland) in west; Baku
lies on Abseron Yasaqligi (Apsheron Peninsula) that juts into Caspian Sea
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Caspian
Sea -28 m highest point: Bazarduzu Dagi 4,485 m
Natural resources:
petroleum, natural gas, iron
ore, nonferrous metals, bauxite
total: 17.25 cu km/yr
(5%/28%/68%) per capita: 2,051 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
droughts
Environment - current issues:
local scientists consider the
Abseron Yasaqligi (Apsheron Peninsula) (including Baku and Sumqayit) and
the Caspian Sea to be the ecologically most devastated area in the world
because of severe air, soil, and water pollution; soil pollution results
from oil spills, from the use of DDT pesticide, and from toxic defoliants
used in the production of cotton
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping,
Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not
ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
both the main area of the
country and the Naxcivan exclave are landlocked
total: 27.9 years
male: 26.3 years female: 29.7 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.723% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
17.52 births/1,000 population
(2008 est.)
Death rate:
8.32 deaths/1,000 population
(2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
-1.97 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.14
male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.12 male(s)/female 15-64
years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.59
male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2008
est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 56.43
deaths/1,000 live births male: 62.09 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 49.98 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 66.31
years male: 62.2 years female: 71 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.05 children born/woman (2008
est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
less than 0.1% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
1,400 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 100 (2001 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Azerbaijani(s)
adjective: Azerbaijani
Ethnic groups:
Azeri 90.6%, Dagestani 2.2%,
Russian 1.8%, Armenian 1.5%, other 3.9% (1999 census) note:
almost all Armenians live in the separatist Nagorno-Karabakh region
Religions:
Muslim 93.4%, Russian Orthodox
2.5%, Armenian Orthodox 2.3%, other 1.8% (1995 est.) note:
religious affiliation is still nominal in Azerbaijan; percentages for
actual practicing adherents are much lower
Languages:
Azerbaijani (Azeri) 90.3%,
Lezgi 2.2%, Russian 1.8%, Armenian 1.5%, other 3.3%, unspecified 1% (1999
census)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and
over can read and write total population: 98.8%
male: 99.5% female: 98.2% (1999 census)
Government
Azerbaijan
Country name:
conventional long form:
Republic of Azerbaijan conventional short form: Azerbaijan
local long form: Azarbaycan Respublikasi local short
form: Azarbaycan former: Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist
Republic
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Baku (Baki, Baky)
geographic coordinates: 40 23 N, 49 52 E time
difference: UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard
Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March;
ends last Sunday in October
Administrative divisions:
59 rayons (rayonlar; rayon -
singular), 11 cities (saharlar; sahar - singular), 1 autonomous republic
(muxtar respublika) rayons: Abseron Rayonu, Agcabadi Rayonu,
Agdam Rayonu, Agdas Rayonu, Agstafa Rayonu, Agsu Rayonu, Astara Rayonu,
Balakan Rayonu, Barda Rayonu, Beylaqan Rayonu, Bilasuvar Rayonu, Cabrayil
Rayonu, Calilabad Rayonu, Daskasan Rayonu, Davaci Rayonu, Fuzuli Rayonu,
Gadabay Rayonu, Goranboy Rayonu, Goycay Rayonu, Haciqabul Rayonu, Imisli
Rayonu, Ismayilli Rayonu, Kalbacar Rayonu, Kurdamir Rayonu, Lacin Rayonu,
Lankaran Rayonu, Lerik Rayonu, Masalli Rayonu, Neftcala Rayonu, Oguz
Rayonu, Qabala Rayonu, Qax Rayonu, Qazax Rayonu, Qobustan Rayonu, Quba
Rayonu, Qubadli Rayonu, Qusar Rayonu, Saatli Rayonu, Sabirabad Rayonu,
Saki Rayonu, Salyan Rayonu, Samaxi Rayonu, Samkir Rayonu, Samux Rayonu,
Siyazan Rayonu, Susa Rayonu, Tartar Rayonu, Tovuz Rayonu, Ucar Rayonu,
Xacmaz Rayonu, Xanlar Rayonu, Xizi Rayonu, Xocali Rayonu, Xocavand Rayonu,
Yardimli Rayonu, Yevlax Rayonu, Zangilan Rayonu, Zaqatala Rayonu, Zardab
Rayonu cities: Ali Bayramli Sahari, Baki Sahari, Ganca Sahari,
Lankaran Sahari, Mingacevir Sahari, Naftalan Sahari, Saki Sahari, Sumqayit
Sahari, Susa Sahari, Xankandi Sahari, Yevlax Sahari autonomous
republic: Naxcivan Muxtar Respublikasi
Independence:
30 August 1991 (from Soviet
Union)
National holiday:
Founding of the Democratic
Republic of Azerbaijan, 28 May (1918)
Constitution:
adopted 12 November 1995
Legal system:
based on civil law system; has
not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state:
President Ilham ALIYEV (since 31 October 2003) head of
government: Prime Minister Artur RASIZADE (since 4 November 2003);
First Deputy Prime Minister Yaqub EYYUBOV (since June 2006)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president and
confirmed by the National Assembly elections: president elected
by popular vote to a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election
last held 15 October 2003 (next to be held in October 2008); prime
minister and first deputy prime minister appointed by the president and
confirmed by the National Assembly election results: Ilham
ALIYEV elected president; percent of vote - Ilham ALIYEV 76.8%, Isa GAMBAR
14%
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or
Milli Mejlis (125 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve
five-year terms) elections: last held 6 November 2005 (next to
be held in November 2010) election results: percent of vote by
party - NA; seats by party - Yeni 58, Azadliq coalition 8, CSP 2,
Motherland 2, other parties with single seats 9, independents 42,
undetermined 4
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders:
Azadliq (Freedom) coalition
(Popular Front Party, Liberal Party, Citizens' Development Party);
Azerbaijan Democratic Party or ADP [Sardar JALALOGLU]; Azerbaijan
Democratic Reforms Party (ADRP) Youth Movement [Ramin HAJILI]; Azerbaijan
Popular Front or APF, now split in two [Ali KARIMLI, leader of 'Reform'
APF party; Mirmahmud MIRALI-OGLU, leader of 'Classic' APF party];
Azerbaijan Public Forum [Eldar NAMAZOV]; Citizens' Development Party [Ali
ALIYEV]; Civil Solidarity Party or CSP [Sabir RUSTAMKHANLY]; Dalga Youth
Movement [Vafa JAFAROVA]; Green Party [Mais GULALIYEV and Tarana
MAMMADOVA]; Hope (Umid) Party [Iqbal AGAZADE]; Ireli Youth Movement
[Jeyhun OSMANLI, Roya TALIBOVA, Farhad MAMMADOV, Elnara GARIBOVA, Elnur
MAMMADOV, Ziya ALIYEV]; Justice Party [Ilyas ISMAILOV]; Liberal Party of
Azerbaijan [Lala Shovkat HACIYEVA]; Magam Youth Movement [Emin HUSEYNOV];
Motherland Party [Fazail AGAMALI]; Musavat (Equality) [Isa GAMBAR,
chairman]; Musavat Party Youth Movement [Elnur MAMMADLI]; National
Democratic Party or Grey Wolves (Nationalist, Pan-Turkic) [Iskender
HAMIDOV]; Open Society Party [Rasul GULIYEV, in exile in the US]; Party
for National Independence of Azerbaijan or PNIA [Ayaz RUSTAMOV]; Popular
Front Party Youth Movement [Seymur KHAZIYEV]; Social Democratic Party of
Azerbaijan or SDP [Araz ALIZADE and Ayaz MUTALIBOV (in exile)]; Turkish
Nationalist Party [Vugar BAYTURAN]; United Azerbaijan Party [Karrar
ABILOV]; United Azerbaijan National Unity Party [Hajibaba AZIMOV]; United
Party [Tahir KARIMLI]; Yeni (New) Azerbaijan Party [President Ilham
ALIYEV]; Yeni Azerbaijan Party Youth Movement [Ramil HASANOV]; Yox (No)
Youth Movement [Ali ISMAYILOV] note: opposition parties
regularly factionalize and form new parties;
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Sadval, Lezgin movement;
self-proclaimed Armenian Nagorno-Karabakh Republic; Talysh independence
movement; Union of Pro-Azerbaijani Forces or UPAF; Karabakh Liberation
Organization
chief of mission:
Ambassador Yashar ALIYEV chancery: 2741 34th Street NW,
Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 337-3500
FAX: [1] (202) 337-5911 Consulate(s) general: Los
Angeles
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission:
Ambassador Anne E. DERSE embassy: 83 Azadliyg Prospecti, Baku
AZ1007 mailing address: American Embassy Baku, US Department of
State, 7050 Baku Place, Washington, DC 20521-7050 telephone:
[994] (12) 4980-335 through 337 FAX: [994] (12) 4656-671
Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of
blue (top), red, and green; a crescent and eight-pointed star in white are
centered in red band
Economy
Azerbaijan
Economy - overview:
Azerbaijan's high economic
growth in 2006 and 2007 is attributable to large and growing oil exports.
Azerbaijan's oil production declined through 1997, but has registered an
increase every year since. Negotiation of production-sharing arrangements
(PSAs) with foreign firms, which have committed $60 billion to long-term
oilfield development, should generate the funds needed to spur future
industrial development. Oil production under the first of these PSAs, with
the Azerbaijan International Operating Company, began in November 1997. A
consortium of Western oil companies began pumping 1 million barrels a day
from a large offshore field in early 2006, through a $4 billion pipeline
it built from Baku to Turkey's Mediterranean port of Ceyhan. By 2010
revenues from this project will double the country's current GDP.
Azerbaijan shares all the formidable problems of the former Soviet
republics in making the transition from a command to a market economy, but
its considerable energy resources brighten its long-term prospects. Baku
has only recently begun making progress on economic reform, and old
economic ties and structures are slowly being replaced. Several other
obstacles impede Azerbaijan's economic progress: the need for stepped up
foreign investment in the non-energy sector, the continuing conflict with
Armenia over the Nagorno-Karabakh region, pervasive corruption, and
elevated inflation. Trade with Russia and the other former Soviet
republics is declining in importance, while trade is building with Turkey
and the nations of Europe. Long-term prospects will depend on world oil
prices, the location of new oil and gas pipelines in the region, and
Azerbaijan's ability to manage its energy wealth.
Italy 44.7%, Israel 10.7%,
Turkey 6.1%, France 5.5%, Russia 5.4%, Iran 4.6%, Georgia 4.5% (2006)
Imports:
$6.376 billion f.o.b. (2007
est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, oil
products, foodstuffs, metals, chemicals
Imports - partners:
Russia 22.4%, UK 8.6%, Germany
7.7%, Turkey 7.3%, Turkmenistan 7%, Ukraine 6%, China 4.2% (2006)
Economic aid - recipient:
ODA, $223.4 million (2005 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$4 billion (31 December 2007
est.)
Debt - external:
$2.022 billion (31 December
2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$12.58 billion (2006 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$4.391 billion (2006 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
Currency (code):
Azerbaijani manat (AZM)
Currency code:
AZM
Exchange rates:
Azerbaijani manats per US
dollar - 0.8581 (2007), 0.8934 (2006), 4,727.1 (2005), 4,913.48 (2004),
4,910.73 (2003) note: on 1 January 2006 Azerbaijan revalued its
currency, with 5,000 old manats equal to 1 new manat
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Communications
Azerbaijan
Telephones - main lines in use:
1.189 million (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
3.324 million (2006)
Telephone system:
general assessment:
inadequate; requires considerable expansion and modernization; teledensity
of 15 main lines per 100 persons is low; mobile-cellular penetration is
increasing and is currently about 40 telephones per 100 persons
domestic: fixed-line telephony and a broad range of other
telecom services are controlled by a state-owned telecommunications
monopoly and growth has been stagnant; more competition exists in the
mobile-cellular market with three providers in 2006; satellite service
connects Baku to a modern switch in its exclave of Naxcivan
international: country code - 994; the old Soviet system of
cable and microwave is still serviceable; satellite earth stations - 2
(2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 10, FM 17, shortwave 1
(1998)
Radios:
175,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
2 (1997)
Televisions:
170,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.az
Internet hosts:
3,067 (2007)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (2000)
Internet users:
829,100 (2006)
Transportation
Azerbaijan
Airports:
35 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 27 over
3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m:
13 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 2 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 8 914 to
1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 7 (2007)
Heliports:
1 (2007)
Pipelines:
gas 3,857 km; oil 2,436 km
(2007)
Railways:
total: 2,122 km
broad gauge: 2,122 km 1.520-m gauge (1,278 km electrified)
(2006)
Roadways:
total: 59,141 km
paved: 29,210 km unpaved: 29,931 km (2004)
Merchant marine:
total: 86 ships (1000
GRT or over) 421,061 GRT/460,968 DWT by type: cargo 26,
passenger 2, passenger/cargo 9, petroleum tanker 45, roll on/roll off 1,
specialized tanker 3 registered in other countries: 4 (Georgia
1, Malta 3) (2007)
Ports and terminals:
Baku (Baki)
Military
Azerbaijan
Military branches:
Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense
Forces (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
men between 18 and 35 are
liable for military service; 18 years of age for voluntary military
service; length of military service is 18 months and 12 months for
university graduates (2006)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49:
2,278,888 females age 16-49: 2,291,770 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49:
1,696,167 females age 16-49: 1,923,556 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males age 16-49: 94,402
females age 16-49: 89,686 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
2.6% (2005 est.)
Transnational Issues
Azerbaijan
Disputes - international:
Armenia supports ethnic
Armenian secessionists in Nagorno-Karabakh and since the early 1990s has
militarily occupied 16% of Azerbaijan; over 800,000 mostly ethnic
Azerbaijanis were driven from the occupied lands and Armenia; about
230,000 ethnic Armenians were driven from their homes in Azerbaijan into
Armenia; Azerbaijan seeks transit route through Armenia to connect to
Naxcivan exclave; Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe
(OSCE) continues to mediate dispute; Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Russia
have ratified Caspian seabed delimitation treaties based on equidistance,
while Iran continues to insist on an even one-fifth allocation and
challenges Azerbaijan's hydrocarbon exploration in disputed waters;
bilateral talks continue with Turkmenistan on dividing the seabed and
contested oilfields in the middle of the Caspian; Azerbaijan and Georgia
continue to discuss the alignment of their boundary at certain crossing
areas
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of
origin): 2,400 (Russia) IDPs: 580,000-690,000 (conflict
with Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh) (2007)
Illicit drugs:
limited illicit cultivation of
cannabis and opium poppy, mostly for CIS consumption; small government
eradication program; transit point for Southwest Asian opiates bound for
Russia and to a lesser extent the rest of Europe
