Background: 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.

Geographic coordinates: 40 30 N 47 30 E

Map reference: Asia

Area
Total: 86,600 km²
Land: 86,100 km²
Water: 500 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: slightly smaller than Maine

Land boundaries
Total: 2,013 km
Border countries: (6) 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 (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) in west; Baku lies on Abseron Yasaqligi (Apsheron Peninsula) that juts into Caspian Sea

Elevation
Extremes lowest point: Caspian Sea -28 m
Extremes highest point: Bazarduzu Dagi 4,485 m

Natural resources: petroleum natural gas iron ore nonferrous metals bauxite

Land use
Arable land: 20.62%
Permanent crops: 2.61%
Other: 76.77% (2005)

Irrigated land: 14,550 km² (2003)

Total renewable water resources: 30.3 km³ (1997)

Natural hazards: droughts

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

Population: 8,177,717 (July 2008 est.)
Growth rate: 0.723% (2008 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Azerbaijani
Adjective: Azerbaijani

Ethnic groups
Note: almost all Armenians live in the separatist Nagorno-Karabakh region

Languages: Azerbaijani (Azeri) 90.3% Lezgi 2.2% Russian 1.8% Armenian 1.5% other 3.3% unspecified 1% (1999 census)

Religions
Note: religious affiliation is still nominal in Azerbaijan; percentages for actual practicing adherents are much lower

Age structure
0-14 years: 24.6% (male 1,061,318/female 947,607)
15-64 years: 68.6% (male 2,753,277/female 2,855,406)
65 years and over: 6.8% (male 208,293/female 351,816) (2008 est.)

Median age
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/1000 population (2008 est.)

Death rate: 8.32 deaths/1000 population (2008 est.)

Net migration rate: -1.97 migrant(s)/1000 population (2008 est.)

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
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
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.14 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.12 male/female
15-64 years: 0.96 male/female
65 years and over: 0.59 male/female
Total population: 0.97 male/female (2008 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 56.43 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 62.09 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 49.98 deaths/1000 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.)

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: less than 0.1% (2003 est.)
People living with hivaids: 1400 (2003 est.)
Deaths: fewer than 100 (2001 est.)

Education expenditures: 2.1% of GDP (2006)

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 98.8%
Male: 99.5%
Female: 98.2% (1999 census)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 11 years
Male: 11 years
Female: 11 years (2006)

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
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 2008 (next to be held in October 2013); prime minister and first deputy prime minister appointed by the president and confirmed by the National Assembly
Election results: Ilham ALIYEV reelected president; percent of vote - Ilham ALIYEV 88.7%, Igbal AGHAZADE 2.9%, five other candidates with smaller percentages
Note: several political parties boycotted the election due to unfair conditions; OSCE observers concluded that the election did not meet international standards

Legislative branch
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
Note: opposition parties regularly factionalize and form new parties;

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

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Yashar ALIYEV
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 consulates general: Los Angeles
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Anne E. DERSE
From the us embassy: 83 Azadlig Prospecti, Baku AZ1007
From the us mailing address: American Embassy Baku, US Department of State, 7,050 Baku Place, Washington, DC 20,521-7,050
From the us telephone: [994] (12) 4,980-335 through 337
From the us fax: [994] (12) 4,656-671

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 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.

Real gdp purchasing power parity: $64.66 billion (2007 est.)

Real gdp growth rate: 23.4% (2007 est.)

Real gdp per capita: $8,000 (2007 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 6.2%
Industry: 63.3%
Services: 30.5% (2007 est.)

Agriculture products: cotton grain rice grapes fruit vegetables tea tobacco; cattle pigs sheep goats

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

Industrial production growth rate: 25% (2007 est.)

Labor force: 5.243 million (2007 est.)
By occupation agriculture: 41%
By occupation industry: 7%
By occupation services: 52% (2001)

Unemployment rate: 1% official rate (2007 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 3.1%
Highest 10: 29.5% (2001)

Distribution of family income gini index: 36.5 (2001)

Budget
Revenues: $6.755 billion
Expenditures: $8.572 billion (2007 est.)

Public debt: 6.7% of GDP (2007 est.)

Inflation rate consumer prices: 16.7% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate: 13% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate: 19.13% (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit: $5.726 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares: $NA

Current account balance: $9.019 billion (2007 est.)

Exports: $21.27 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Commodities: oil and gas 90% machinery cotton foodstuffs
Partners: Turkey 17.4% Italy 15.5% Russia 8.7% Iran 7.2% Indonesia 6.4% Israel 6.1% Georgia 5.7% US 4.8% France 4.3% (2007)

Imports: $6.045 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Commodities: machinery and equipment oil products foodstuffs metals chemicals
Partners: Russia 17.6% Turkey 10.9% Germany 8.2% Ukraine 8.2% UK 7.2% Japan 5.2% China 4.9% US 4.7% (2007)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $4.273 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt external: $2.439 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home: $7.829 billion (2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad: $4.912 billion (2007 est.)

Exchange rates
Note: on 1 January 2006 Azerbaijan revalued its currency, with 5,000 old manats equal to 1 new manat

Electricity
Production: 23.8 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Consumption: 27.5 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Exports: 800 million kWh (2007 est.)
Imports: 500 million kWh (2007 est.)

Natural gas
Production: 9.77 billion m³ (2007 est.)
Consumption: 9.77 billion m³ (2007 est.)
Exports: 0 m³ (2007 est.)
Imports: 0 m³ (2005)
Proven reserves: 849.5 billion m³ (1 January 2008 est.)

Telephones
Main lines in use: 1.254 million (2007)
Mobile cellular: 4.3 million (2007)

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 50 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)

Internet
Country code: .az
Hosts: 6,995 (2008)
Users: 1.036 million (2007)

Military expenditures: 2.6% of GDP (2005 est.)

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)

Airports: 35 (2007)
With paved runways total: 27
With paved runways over 3047 m: 2
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 6
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 13
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 4
With paved runways under 914 m: 2 (2007)
With unpaved runways total: 8
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 1
With unpaved runways 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: 89
By type: cargo 26, passenger 2, passenger/cargo 9, petroleum tanker 46, roll on/roll off 3, specialized tanker 3
Registered in other countries: 3 (Malta 2, Panama 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals: Baku (Baki)

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 and Nagorno-Karabakh; 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