Map of Azerbaijan | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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Background: Azerbaijan is a secular nation with a majority-Turkic and majority-Shia Muslim population. It was briefly independent (from 1918 to 1920) following the collapse of the Russian Empire; it was subsequently incorporated into the Soviet Union for seven decades. Azerbaijan remains involved in the protracted Nagorno-Karabakh conflict with Armenia. Nagorno-Karabakh was a primarily ethnic Armenian region that Moscow recognized in 1923 as an autonomous oblast within Soviet Azerbaijan. In the late Soviet period, a separatist movement developed which sought to end Azerbaijani control over the region. Fighting over Nagorno-Karabakh began in 1988 and escalated after Armenia and Azerbaijan attained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. By the time a ceasefire took effect in May 1994, separatists, with Armenian support, controlled Nagorno‑Karabakh and seven surrounding Azerbaijani territories.


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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 reference: Asia

Area
Total: 86,600 km²
Land: 82,629 km²
Water: 3,971 km²
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
Comparative: about three-quarters the size of Pennsylvania; slightly smaller than Maine

Land boundaries
Total: 2,468 km
Border countries: (5) Armenia 996 km; , Georgia 428 km; , Iran 689 km; , Russia 338 km; , Turkey 17 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked); note - Azerbaijan borders the Caspian Sea (713 km)

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) to the west; Baku lies on Abseron Yasaqligi (Apsheron Peninsula) that juts into Caspian Sea

Elevation
Highest point: Bazarduzu Dagi 4,466 m
Lowest point: Caspian Sea -28 m
Mean elevation: 384 m

Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, nonferrous metals, bauxite

Land use
Agricultural land: 57.6% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land arable land: 22.8% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent crops: 2.7% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent pasture: 32.1% (2018 est.)
Forest: 11.3% (2018 est.)
Other: 31.1% (2018 est.)

Irrigated land: 14,277 km² (2012)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal
Municipal: 449.6 million cubic meters (2017 est.)
Industrial: 3.062 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)
Agricultural: 9.27 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

Total renewable water resources: 34.675 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

Natural hazards: droughts

Geography
Note: both the main area of the country and the Naxcivan exclave are landlocked


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Population
Distribution: highest population density is found in the far eastern area of the country, in and around Baku; apart from smaller urbanized areas, the rest of the country has a fairly light and evenly distributed population: 10,282,283 (July 2021 est.)
Growth rate: 0.71% (2021 est.)
Below poverty line: 4.9% (2015 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Azerbaijani(s)
Adjective: Azerbaijani

Ethnic groups: Azerbaijani 91.6%, Lezghin 2%, Russian 1.3%, Armenian 1.3%, Talysh 1.3%, other 2.4% (2009 est.)
Note: the Nagorno-Karabakh region, which is part of Azerbaijan on the basis of the borders recognized when the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991, is populated almost entirely by ethnic Armenians

Languages: Azerbaijani (Azeri) (official) 92.5%, Russian 1.4%, Armenian 1.4%, other 4.7% (2009 est.)
Major language samples:
Note: Russian is widely spoken

Religions: Muslim 97.3% (predominantly Shia), Christian 2.6%, other <0.1, unaffiliated <0.1 (2020 est.)
Note: religious affiliation for the majority of Azerbaijanis is largely nominal, percentages for actual practicing adherents are probably much lower

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 22.84% (male 1,235,292/female 1,095,308)
15-24 years: 13.17% (male 714,718/female 629,494)
25-54 years: 45.29% (male 2,291,600/female 2,330,843)
55-64 years: 11.41% (male 530,046/female 634,136)
65 years and over: 7.29% (male 289,604/female 454,769) (2020 est.)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 43.4
Youth dependency ratio: 33.7
Elderly dependency ratio: 9.7
Potential support ratio: 10.3 (2020 est.)

Median age
Total: 32.6 years
Male: 31.1 years
Female: 34.2 years (2020 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.71% (2021 est.)

Birth rate: 14.03 births/1000 population (2021 est.)

Death rate: 6.93 deaths/1000 population (2021 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (2021 est.)

Population distribution: highest population density is found in the far eastern area of the country, in and around Baku; apart from smaller urbanized areas, the rest of the country has a fairly light and evenly distributed population

Urbanization
Urban population: 56.8% of total population (2021)
Rate of urbanization: 1.38% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Note: data include Nagorno-Karabakh

Major urban areas
Population: 2.371 million BAKU (capital) (2021)

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; surface and underground water are polluted by untreated municipal and industrial wastewater and agricultural run-off
International agreements party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Air pollutants
Particulate matter emissions: 18.2 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: 37.62 megatons (2016 est.)
Methane emissions: 44.87 megatons (2020 est.)

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.13 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.14 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.84 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.64 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2020 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth: 24 years (2019 est.)

Maternal mortality ratio: 26 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 24.1 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 25.23 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 22.91 deaths/1000 live births (2021 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 73.88 years
Male: 70.79 years
Female: 77.15 years (2021 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.87 children born/woman (2021 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate: 54.9% (2011)

Drinking water source
Improved urban: 100% of population
Improved rural: 87.4% of population
Improved total: 94.1% of population
Unimproved urban: 0% of population
Unimproved rural: 12.6% of population
Unimproved total: 4.9% of population (2017 est.)

Current health expenditure: 3.5% (2018)

Physicians density: 3.45 physicians/1000 population (2014)

Hospital bed density: 4.8 beds/1000 population (2014)

Sanitation facility access
Improved urban: 100% of population
Improved rural: 89.1% of population
Improved total: 95.1% of population
Unimproved urban: 0% of population
Unimproved rural: 10.9% of population
Unimproved total: 4.9% of population (2017 est.)

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.1% (2020 est.)
People living with hivaids: 9,900 (2020 est.)
Deaths: <200 (2020 est.)

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 19.9% (2016)

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 4.9% (2013)

Education expenditures: 2.7% of GDP (2019)

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 99.8%
Male: 99.9%
Female: 99.7% (2019)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 14 years
Male: 13 years
Female: 14 years (2020)

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15-24 total: 12.4%
Rate ages 15-24 male: 10.9%
Rate ages 15-24 female: 14.2% (2019 est.)


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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
Etymology: the name translates as 'Land of Fire' and refers to naturally occurring surface fires on ancient oil pools or from natural gas discharges

Government type: presidential 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: does not observe daylight savings time
Etymology: the name derives from the Persian designation of the city 'bad-kube' meaning 'wind-pounded city' and refers to the harsh winds and severe snow storms that can hit the city
Note: at approximately 28 m below sea level, Baku's elevation makes it the lowest capital city in the world

Administrative divisions: 66 districts (rayonlar; rayon - singular), 11 cities (saharlar; sahar - singular);

Dependent areas

Independence: 30 August 1991 (declared from the Soviet Union); 18 October 1991 (adopted by the Supreme Council of Azerbaijan)

National holiday: Republic Day (founding of the Democratic Republic of Azerbaijan), 28 May (1918)

Constitution
History: several previous; latest adopted 12 November 1995
Amendments: proposed by the president of the republic or by at least 63 members of the National Assembly; passage requires at least 95 votes of Assembly members in two separate readings of the draft amendment six months apart and requires presidential approval after each of the two Assembly votes, followed by presidential signature; constitutional articles on the authority, sovereignty, and unity of the people cannot be amended; amended 2002, 2009, 2016

Legal system: civil law system

International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

Citizenship
Citizenship by birth: yes
Citizenship by descentonly: yes
Dual citizenship recognized: no
Residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Ilham ALIYEV (since 31 October 2003); First Vice President Mehriban ALIYEVA (since 21 February 2017)
Head of government: Prime Minister Ali ASADOV (since 8 October 2019); First Deputy Prime Minister Yaqub EYYUBOV (since June 2006)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president and confirmed by the National Assembly
Elections and appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds (if needed) for a 7-year term; a single individual is eligible for unlimited terms; election last held on 11 April 2018 (next to be held in 2025); prime minister and first deputy prime minister appointed by the president and confirmed by the National Assembly; note - a constitutional amendment approved in a September 2016 referendum expanded the presidential term from 5 to 7 years; a separate constitutional amendment approved in the same referendum also introduced the post of first vice-president and additional vice-presidents, who are directly appointed by the president
Election results: Ilham ALIYEV reelected president in first round; percent of vote - Ilham ALIYEV (YAP) 86%, Zahid ORUJ (independent) 3.1%, other 10.9%
Note: OSCE observers noted shortcomings in the election, including a restrictive political environment, limits on fundamental freedoms, a lack of genuine competition, and ballot box stuffing

Legislative branch
Description: unicameral National Assembly or Milli Mejlis (125 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 5-year terms)
Elections: last held early on 9 February 2020 (next to be held in 2025)
Election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - YAP 69, CSP 3, AVP 1, CUP 1, ADMP 1, PDR 1, Great Order 1, National Front Party 1, REAL 1, VP 1, Whole Azerbaijan Popular Front 1, party unknown 1, independent 37, vacant 6; composition - men 98, women 22, percent of women 18.3%

Judicial branch
Highest courts: Supreme Court (consists of the chairman, vice chairman, and 23 judges in plenum sessions and organized into civil, economic affairs, criminal, and rights violations chambers); Constitutional Court (consists of 9 judges)
Judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges nominated by the president and appointed by the Milli Majlis; judges appointed for 10 years; Constitutional Court chairman and deputy chairman appointed by the president; other court judges nominated by the president and appointed by the Milli Majlis to serve single 15-year terms
Subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal (replaced the Economic Court in 2002); district and municipal courts

Political parties and leaders: Azerbaijan Democratic Enlightenment Party or ADMP [Elshan MASAYEV]
Civil Solidarity Party or CSP [Sabir RUSTAMKHANLI]
Civic Unity Party or CUP [Sabir HAJIYEV]
Great Order Party [Fazil MUSTAFA]
Islamic Party of Azerbaijan [Mavsum SAMADOV]
Musavat [Arif HAJILI]
Popular Front Party [Ali KARIMLI]
Motherland Party or AVP [Fazail AGAMALI]
National Front Party [Razi NURULLAYEV]
National Revival Movement Party [Faraj GULIYEV]
Party for Democratic Reforms or PDR [Asim MOLLAZADE]
Republican Alternative Party or REAL [Ilgar MAMMADOV]
Social Democratic Party [Ayaz MUTALIBOV]
Social Prosperity Party [Khanhusein KAZIMLI]
Unity Party or VP [Tahir KARIMLI]
Whole Azerbaijan Popular Front Party [Gudrat HASANGULIYEV]
Yeni (New) Azerbaijan Party or YAP [President Ilham ALIYEV]

International organization participation: ADB, BSEC, CD, CE, CICA, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, GCTU, GUAM, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Kahzar IBRAHIM (since 15 September 2021)
In the us chancery: 2,741 34th Street NW, Washington, DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 337-3,500
In the us FAX: [1] (202) 337-5,911
In the us email address and website:
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Lee LITZENBERGER (since 12 March 2019)
From the us embassy: 111 Azadlig Avenue, AZ1007 Baku
From the us mailing address: 7,050 Baku Place, Washington, DC 20,521-7,050
From the us telephone: [994] (12) 488-3,300
From the us FAX: [994] (12) 488-3,330
From the us email address and website:

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of sky blue (top), red, and green; a vertical crescent moon and an eight-pointed star in white are centered in the red band; the blue band recalls Azerbaijan's Turkic heritage, red stands for modernization and progress, and green refers to Islam; the crescent moon and star are a Turkic insignia; the eight star points represent the eight Turkic peoples of the world

National symbols: flames of fire; national colors: blue, red, green

National anthem
Name: 'Azerbaijan Marsi' (March of Azerbaijan)
Lyrics and music: Ahmed JAVAD/Uzeyir HAJIBEYOV
Note: adopted 1992; although originally written in 1919 during a brief period of independence, 'Azerbaijan Marsi' did not become the official anthem until after the dissolution of the Soviet Union

National heritage


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Economy overview

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Note: data are in 2010 dollars

Real gdp growth rate: 0.1% (2017 est.)

-3.1% (2016 est.)

0.6% (2015 est.)

Real gdp per capita:
Note: data are in 2010 dollars

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 57.6% (2017 est.)
Government consumption: 11.5% (2017 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 23.6% (2017 est.)
Investment in inventories: 0.5% (2017 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 48.7% (2017 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -42% (2017 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 6.1% (2017 est.)
Industry: 53.5% (2017 est.)
Services: 40.4% (2017 est.)

Agriculture products: milk, wheat, potatoes, barley, tomatoes, watermelons, cotton, apples, maize, onions

Industries: petroleum and petroleum products, natural gas, oilfield equipment; steel, iron ore; cement; chemicals and petrochemicals; textiles

Industrial production growth rate: -3.8% (2017 est.)

Labor force: 4.939 million (2019 est.)
By occupation agriculture: 37%
By occupation industry: 14.3%
By occupation services: 48.9% (2014)

Unemployment rate: 5% (2017 est.)

5% (2016 est.)

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15-24 total: 12.4%
Rate ages 15-24 male: 10.9%
Rate ages 15-24 female: 14.2% (2019 est.)

Population below poverty line: 4.9% (2015 est.)

Gini index
Coefficient distribution of family income: 33.7 (2008)

36.5 (2001)

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 3.4%
Highest 10: 27.4% (2008)

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $9.556 billion (2017 est.)
Expenditures: $10.22 billion (2017 est.)
Surplus or deficit: $-1.6% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Taxes and other revenues: 23.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Public debt: 54.1% of GDP (2017 est.)

50.7% of GDP (2016 est.)

Revenue
From forest resources forest revenues: 0.02% of GDP (2018 est.)
From coal coal revenues: 0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 2.6% (2019 est.)

2.3% (2018 est.)

12.8% (2017 est.)

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance: $1.685 billion (2017 est.)

-$1.363 billion (2016 est.)

Exports: $15.21 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2020 est.)

$23.63 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2019 est.)

$25.48 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)
Partners: Italy 28%, Turkey 15%, Israel 7%, Germany 5%, India 5% (2017)
Commodities: crude petroleum, natural gas, refined petroleum, tomatoes, gold (2019)

Imports: $15.54 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2020 est.)

$17.71 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2019 est.)

$17.71 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)
Partners: United Kingdom 17%, Russia 17%, Turkey 12%, China 6% (2019)
Commodities: gold, cars, refined petroleum, wheat, packaged medical supplies (2019)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $6.681 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$7.142 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Debt external: $17.41 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$13.83 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates:


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Electricity
Access electrification total population: 100% (2020)
Production: 23.57 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Consumption: 20.24 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Exports: 265 million kWh (2015 est.)
Imports: 114 million kWh (2016 est.)
Installed generating capacity: 7.876 million kW (2016 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels: 84% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 14% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources: 2% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Coal

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 798,000 bbl/day (2018 est.)
Crude oil exports: 718,800 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil imports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil proven reserves: 7 billion bbl (1 January 2018 est.)

Crude oil

Refined petroleum
Products production: 138,900 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products consumption: 100,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)
Products exports: 46,480 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products imports: 5,576 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Natural gas
Production: 16.96 billion m³ (2017 est.)
Consumption: 10.34 billion m³ (2017 est.)
Exports: $8.042 billion m³ (2017 est.)
Imports: 2.095 billion m³ (2017 est.)
Proven reserves: 991.1 billion m³ (1 January 2018 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 1,652,688 (2020)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 16.3 (2020 est.)
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 10,344,300 (2020)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 102 (2020 est.)

Telephone system

Broadcast media: 3 state-run and 1 public TV channels; 4 domestic commercial TV stations and about 15 regional TV stations; cable TV services are available in Baku; 1 state-run and 1 public radio network operating; a small number of private commercial radio stations broadcasting; local FM relays of Baku commercial stations are available in many localities; note - all broadcast media is pro-government, and most private broadcast media outlets are owned by entities directly linked to the government

Internet
Country code: .az
Users total: 8.26 million (2021 est.)
Users percent of population: 81.1% (2019 est.)

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 1,995,474 (2020)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 19.68 (2020 est.)


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Military expenditures: 5.4% of GDP (2020 est.)

4% of GDP (2019)

3.6% of GDP (2018)

3.8% of GDP (2017)

3.7% of GDP (2016)

Military and security forces: Land Forces (Combined Arms Army), Air Forces, Navy Forces; Ministry of Internal Affairs: State Border Service (includes Coast Guard), Internal Security Troops (2021)

Military service age and obligation: 18-35 years of age for compulsory military service; service obligation 18 months or 12 months for university graduates; 17 years of age for voluntary service; 17 year olds are considered to be on active service at cadet military schools (2021)

Space program

Terrorist groups: Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS)
Note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in Appendix T


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National air transport system
Number of registered air carriers: 42 (2020)
Inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 44
Annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 2,279,546 (2018)
Annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 44.09 million mt-km (2018)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: 4K

Airports
Total: 23 (2020)
With paved runways total: 30
With paved runways over 3047 m: 5
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 5
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 13
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 4
With paved runways under 914 m: 3 (2017)
With unpaved runways total: 7
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 7 (2013)

Heliports: 1 (2012)

Pipelines: 89 km condensate, 3,890 km gas, 2,446 km oil (2013)

Railways
Total: 2,944 km (2017)
Broadgauge: 2,944.3 km 1.520-m gauge (approx. 1,767 km electrified) (2017)

Roadways
Total: 24,981 km (2013)
Note: total roadway length has increased significantly and continues to grow due to the recovery of Armenian-held territories and related reconstruction efforts, respectively; no updated figure is currently available

Waterways

Merchant marine
Total: 305
By type: general cargo 38, oil tanker 43, other 224 (2021)

Ports and terminals
Major seaport: Baku (Baki) located on the Caspian Sea


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Disputes international: Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Russia ratified the Caspian seabed delimitation treaties based on equidistance, while Iran continues to insist on a one-fifth slice of the sea; the dispute over the break-away Nagorno-Karabakh region and the Armenian military occupation of surrounding lands in Azerbaijan remains the primary focus of regional instability; residents have evacuated the former Soviet-era small ethnic enclaves in Armenia and Azerbaijan; local border forces struggle to control the illegal transit of goods and people across the porous, undemarcated Armenian, Azerbaijani, and Georgian borders; bilateral talks continue with Turkmenistan on dividing the seabed and contested oilfields in the middle of the Caspian

Refugees and internally displaced persons
IDPs: 735,000 (conflict with Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh; IDPs are mainly ethnic Azerbaijanis but also include ethnic Kurds, Russians, and Turks predominantly from occupied territories around Nagorno-Karabakh; includes IDPs' descendants, returned IDPs, and people living in insecure areas and excludes people displaced by natural disasters; around half the IDPs live in the capital Baku) (2020)
Stateless persons: 3,585 (2020)

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