Azerbaijan continues to be plagued by an
unresolved eight-year-old conflict with Armenian separatists over its
Nagorno-Karabakh region. The Karabakh Armenians have declared independence and
seized almost 20% of the country's territory, creating almost 1 million Azeri
refugees in the process. Both sides have generally observed a Russian-mediated
cease-fire in place since May 1994, and support the OSCE-mediated peace process,
now entering its fifth year. Nevertheless, Baku and Xankandi (Stepanakert,
Nagorno-Karabakh region) remain far apart on most substantive issues from the
placement and composition of a peacekeeping force to the enclave's ultimate
political status, and prospects for a negotiated settlement remain dim.
Map
Location: 40 30 N, 47 30 E -- Southwestern Asia, bordering
the Caspian Sea, between Iran and Russia
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Map
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
Geography
Location: Southwestern Asia, bordering the Caspian Sea,
between Iran and Russia
Geographic coordinates: 40 30 N, 47 30 E
Map references: Commonwealth of Independent States
Area:
total area: 86,600 sq km
land area: 86,100 sq km
comparative area: slightly larger than Maine
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
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)
International disputes:
violent and longstanding dispute with ethnic Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh over
its status; Caspian Sea boundaries are not yet determined
Climate:
dry, semiarid steppe
Terrain: large, flat Kur-Araz Lowland (much of
it below sea level) with Great Caucasus Mountains to the north, Qarabag
(Karabakh) Upland in west; Baku lies on Abseron (Apsheron) Peninsula that juts
into Caspian Sea
lowest point: Caspian Sea -28 m
highest
point: Bazarduzu Dagi 4,485 m
Natural resources: petroleum,
natural gas, iron ore, nonferrous metals, alumina
Land use:
arable land: 18%
permanent crops: 4%
meadows and
pastures: 25%
forest and woodland: 0%
other: 53%
Irrigated land: 14,010 sq km (1990)
Environment:
current issues: local scientists consider the Abseron (Apsheron)
Peninsula (including Baku and Sumqayit) and the Caspian Sea to be the
ecologically most devastated area in the world because of severe air, water, and
soil pollution; soil pollution results from the use of DDT as a pesticide and
also from toxic defoliants used in the production of cotton
natural
hazards: droughts; some lowland areas threatened by rising levels of the
Caspian Sea
international agreements: party to - Climate Change;
signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity
Geographic note: landlocked
People
Population: 7,676,953 (July 1996 est.)
Age
structure:
0-14 years: 32% (male 1,270,812; female 1,215,781)
15-64 years: 61% (male 2,293,688; female 2,423,222)
65 years
and over: 7% (male 179,048; female 294,402) (July 1996 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.78% (1996 est.)
Birth rate:
22.28 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Death rate: 8.69
deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Net migration rate: -5.8
migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Sex ratio:
at
birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.61
male(s)/female
all ages: 0.95 male(s)/female (1996 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 74.5 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 64.84 years
male: 60.13 years
female: 69.78 years (1996 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.64 children born/woman (1996 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Azerbaijani(s)
adjective:
Azerbaijani
Ethnic divisions: Azeri 90%, Dagestani Peoples 3.2%,
Russian 2.5%, Armenian 2.3%, other 2% (1995 est.)
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;
actual practicing adherents are much lower
Languages: Azeri 89%,
Russian 3%, Armenian 2%, other 6% (1995 est.)
Literacy: age 15 and
over can read and write (1989 est.)
total population: 97%
male: 99%
female: 96%
Government
Name of country:
conventional long form:
Azerbaijani Republic
conventional short form: Azerbaijan
local
long form: Azarbaycan Respublikasi
local short form: none
former: Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic
Data code: AJ
Type of government: republic
Capital: Baku (Baki)
Administrative divisions: 59 rayons (rayonlar; rayon - singular), 11
cities* (saharlar; sahar - singular), 1 autonomous republic** (muxtar
respublika); Abscron Rayonu, Agcabadi Rayonu, Agdam Rayonu, Agdas Rayonu,
Agstafa Rayonu, Agsu Rayonu, AliBayramli Sahari*, Astara Rayonu, Baki Sahari*,
Balakan Rayonu, Barda Rayonu, Beylaqan Rayonu, Bilasuvar Rayonu, Cabrayil
Rayonu, Calilabad Rayonu, Daskasan Rayonu, Davaci Rayonu, Fuzuli Rayonu, Gadabay
Rayonu, Ganca Sahari*, Goranboy Rayonu, Goycay Rayonu, Haciqabul Rayonu, Imisli
Rayonu, Ismayilli Rayonu, Kalbacar Rayonu, Kurdamir Rayonu, Lacin Rayonu,
Lankaran Rayonu, Lankaran Sahari*, Lerik Rayonu, Masalli Rayonu, Mingacevir
Sahari*, Naftalan Sahari*, Naxcivan Muxtar Respublikasi**, Neftcala Rayonu, Oguz
Rayonu, Qabala Rayonu, Qax Rayonu, Qazax Rayonu, Qobustan Rayonu, Quba Rayonu,
Qubadli Rayonu, Qusar Rayonu, Saatli Rayonu, Sabirabad Rayonu, Saki Rayonu, Saki
Sahari*, Salyan Rayonu, Samaxi Rayonu, Samkir Rayonu, Samux Rayonu, Siyazan
Rayonu, Sumqayit Sahari*, Susa Rayonu, Susa Sahari*, Tartar Rayonu, Tovuz
Rayonu, Ucar Rayonu, Xacmaz Rayonu, Xankandi Sahari*, Xanlar Rayonu, Xizi
Rayonu, Xocali Rayonu, Xocavand Rayonu, Yardimb Rayonu, Yevlax Rayonu, Yevlax
Sahari*, Zangilan Rayonu, Zaqatala Rayonu, Zardab Rayonu
Independence: 30 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)
National
holiday: Independence Day, 28 May
Constitution: adopted 12
November 1995
Legal system: based on civil law system
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Heydar ALIYEV (since 18 June 1993) was
elected by popular vote; election last held 3 October 1993 (next to be held 1997
or 1998); results - Heydar ALIYEV won 97% of vote
head of government:
Prime Minister Fuad QULIYEV (since 9 October 1994), First Deputy Prime Ministers
Abbas ABBASOV (since NA), Samed SADYKOV (since NA), Vahid AKHMEDOV (since NA),
Elchin EFENDIYEV (since NA) were appointed by the president and confirmed by the
Milli Mejlis
cabinet: Council of Ministers was appointed by the
president and confirmed by the Mejlis
Legislative branch: unicameral
National Assembly (Milli Mejlis): elections last held 12 and 26
November 1995 (next to be held NA); percent of vote by party NA; seats - (125
total) number of seats by party NA
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders: Azerbaijan Popular Front (APF),
Ebulfez ELCIBEY, chairman; Musavat Party, Isa GAMBAR, chairman; National
Independence Party, Etibar MAMEDOV, chairman; Social Democratic Party (SDP),
Araz ALIZADE, chairman; Communist Party, Ramiz AKHMEDOV, chairman; People's
Freedom Party, Yunus OGUZ, chairman; Independent Social Democratic Party, Arif
YUNUSOV and Leila YUNOSOVA, cochairmen; New Azerbaijan Party, Heydar ALIYEV,
chairman; Boz Gurd Party, Iskander HAMIDOV, chairman; Azerbaijan Democratic
Independence Party, Qabil HUSEYNLI, chairman; Islamic Party of Azerbaijan, Ali
Akram, chairman; Ana Veten Party, Fazail AGAMALIYEV; Azerbaijan Democratic
Party, Sardar Jalaloglu MAMEDOV; Azerbaijan Democratic Party of Proprietors
(DPOP), Makhmud MAMEDOV; Azerbaijan Patriotic Solidarity Party, Sabir
RUSTAMHANLI; Azerbaijan Republic Reform Party, Fuad ASADOV; Communist Party of
Azerbaijan (unregistered), Sayad SAYADOV; Equality of the Peoples Party,
Faukhraddin AYDAYEV; Independent Azerbaijan Party, Nizami SULEYMANOV; Labor
Party of Azerbaijan, Sabutai HAJIYEV; Liberal-Democratic Party of Azerbaijan,
Lyudmila NIKOLAYEVNA; National Enlightenment Party, Hajy Osman EFENDIYEV;
National Liberation Party, Panak SHAKHSEVEV; Peasant Party, Firuz MUSTAFAYEV;
Radical Party of Azerbaijan, Malik SHARIFOV; United Azerbaijan Party, Kerrar
ABILOV; Vetan Adzhagy Party, Zakir TAGIYEV
Other political or pressure
groups: self-proclaimed Armenian Nagorno-Karabakh Republic; Talysh
independence movement
International organization participation: BSEC,
CCC, CIS, EBRD, ECE, ECO, ESCAP, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO,
IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NACC, NAM (observer), OIC, OSCE, PFP,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission:
Ambassador Hafiz Mir Jalal PASHAYEV
chancery: (temporary) Suite 700,
927 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005
telephone: [1] (202)
842-0001
FAX: [1] (202) 842-0004
US diplomatic
representation:
chief of mission: Ambassador Richard D.
KAUZLARICH
embassy: Azadliq Prospekti 83, Baku
mailing
address: use embassy street address
telephone: [9] (9412)
96-00-19, 98-03-37, 98-03-36, 93-64-80, 96-36-21
FAX: [9] (9412)
98-37-55
Flag: three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), red, and
green; a crescent and eight-pointed star in white are centered in red band
Economy
Economic overview: Azerbaijan is less developed
industrially than either Armenia or Georgia, the other Transcaucasian states. It
resembles the Central Asian states in its majority nominally Muslim population,
high structural unemployment, and low standard of living. The economy's most
prominent products are oil, cotton, and gas. Production from the Caspian oil and
gas field has been in decline for several years, but the November 1994
ratification of the $7.5 billion oil deal with a consortium of Western companies
should generate the funds needed to spur future industrial development.
Azerbaijan shares all the formidable problems of the ex-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 have
yet to be replaced. Whereas the economies of most of the former Soviet republics
had begun to bottom out in 1995, Azerbaijan's economy continued to plummet
because of its late start on economic reform.
GDP: purchasing power
parity - $11.5 billion (1995 estimate as extrapolated from World Bank estimate
for 1994)
GDP real growth rate: -17% (1995 est.)
GDP per
capita: $1,480 (1995 est.)
GDP composition by sector:
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 85% (1995 est.)
Labor
force: 2.789 million
by occupation: agriculture and forestry 32%,
industry and construction 26%, other 42% (1990)
Unemployment rate:
2.3% includes officially registered unemployed; also large numbers of
unregistered unemployed and underemployed workers (December 1995)
Budget:
revenues: $465 million
expenditures:
$488 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1995 est.)
Industries: petroleum and natural gas, petroleum products, oilfield
equipment; steel, iron ore, cement; chemicals and petrochemicals; textiles
Industrial production growth rate: -21% (1995 est.)
Electricity:
capacity: 4,900,000 kW
production:
17 billion kWh
consumption per capita: 2,200 kWh (1995 est.)
Agriculture: cotton, grain, rice, grapes, fruit, vegetables, tea,
tobacco; cattle, pigs, sheep, goats
Illicit drugs: illicit cultivator
of cannabis and opium poppy, mostly for CIS consumption; limited government
eradication program; transshipment point for illicit drugs to Western Europe
Exports: $549.9 million (f.o.b., 1995)
commodities: oil
and gas, chemicals, oilfield equipment, textiles, cotton
partners:
mostly CIS and European countries
Imports: $681.5 million (c.i.f.,
1995)
commodities: machinery and parts, consumer durables,
foodstuffs, textiles
partners: European countries
External
debt: $100 million (of which $75 million to Russia)
Economic aid:
recipient: ODA, $14 million (1993)
note: commitments,
1992-95, $1,000 million ($185 million in disbursements); wheat from Turkey
Currency: 1 manat = 100 gopik
Exchange rates: manats per
US$1 - 4,375 (April 1996), 4,500 (April 1995), 4,168 (end of December 1994)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Transportation
Railways:
total: 2,125 km in common
carrier service; does not include industrial lines
broad gauge: 2,125
km 1.520-m gauge (1,278 km electrified) (1993)
Highways:
total: 36,700 km
paved: 31,800 km (includes graveled)
unpaved: 4,900 km (1990 est.)
Pipelines: crude oil 1,130
km; petroleum products 630 km; natural gas 1,240 km
Ports: Baku
(Baki)
Airports:
total: 69
with paved runways over
3 047 m: 2
with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 6
with
paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 17
with paved runways 914 to 1 523
m: 3
with paved runways under 914 m: 1
with unpaved
runways 914 to 1 523 m: 7
with unpaved runways under 914 m: 33
(1994 est.)
Communications
Telephones: 710,000 (1991 est.)
Telephone
system: 202,000 persons waiting for telephone installations (January 1991
est.)
domestic: telephone service is of poor quality and inadequate;
a joint venture to establish a cellular telephone system in the Baku area was
supposed to become operational in 1994
international: cable and
microwave radio relay connections to former Soviet republics; connection through
Moscow international gateway switch to other countries; satellite earth stations
- 1 Intelsat and 1 Intersputnik (Intelsat provides service to Turkey and through
Turkey to 200 more countries; Intersputnik provides direct service to New York)
Radio broadcast stations: AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA (1 state-owned
radio broadcast station)
Radios: NA
Television broadcast
stations: 2
note: domestic and Russian TV programs are received
locally and Turkish and Iranian TV is received from an Intelsat satellite
through a receive-only earth station
Televisions: NA
<
Defense
Branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Maritime Border Guard
Manpower availability:
males age 15-49: 1,952,390
males fit for military service: 1,574,813
males reach military
age (18) annually: 68,006 (1996 est.)
Defense expenditures: 33.5
billion manats, NA% of GDP (1994); note - conversion of defense expenditures
into US dollars using the current exchange rate could produce misleading results
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