Background: Azerbaijan - a nation with a majority-Turkic and majority-Shia Muslim population - 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 has yet to resolve its conflict with Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh a primarily Armenian-populated region that Moscow recognized in 1923 as an autonomous republic within Soviet Azerbaijan after Armenia and Azerbaijan disputed the territory's status. Armenia and Azerbaijan began fighting over the area in 1988; the struggle escalated after both countries attained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. By May 1994 when a cease-fire took hold ethnic Armenian forces held not only Nagorno-Karabakh but also seven surrounding provinces in the territory of Azerbaijan. The OSCE Minsk Group co-chaired by the United States France and Russia is the framework established to mediate a peaceful resolution of the conflict. Corruption in the country is widespread and the government which eliminated presidential term limits in a 2009 referendum has been accused of authoritarianism. Although the poverty rate has been reduced and infrastructure investment has increased substantially in recent years due to revenue from oil and gas production reforms have not adequately addressed weaknesses in most government institutions particularly in the education and health sectors.

Geographic coordinates: 40 30 N 47 30 E

Area
Rank: 113
Land: 82,629 km²
Water: 3,971 km²
Comparative: slightly smaller than Maine

Land boundaries
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) in west; Baku lies on Abseron Yasaqligi (Apsheron Peninsula) that juts into Caspian Sea

Elevation
Extremes highest point: Bazarduzu Dagi 4,485 m

Natural resources: petroleum natural gas iron ore nonferrous metals bauxite

Land use
Permanent crops: 2.62%
Other: 75.6% (2011)

Irrigated land: 14,250 km² (2010)

Total renewable water resources: 34.68 km³ (2011)

Natural hazards: droughts

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

Population: 9,686,210 (July 2014 est.)
Rank: 92
Growth rate: 0.99% (2014 est.)
Growth rate rank: 121
Below poverty line: 6% (2012 est.)

Nationality
Adjective: Azerbaijani

Ethnic groups: Azerbaijani 91.6% Lezgian 2% Russian 1.3% Armenian 1.3% Talysh 1.3% other 2.4%

Languages: Azerbaijani (Azeri) (official) 92.5% Russian 1.4% Armenian 1.4% other 4.7% (2009 est.)

Religions: Muslim 93.4% Russian Orthodox 2.5% Armenian Orthodox 2.3% other 1.8% (1995 est.)

Age structure
15-24 years: 17.5% (male 877,773/female 818,380)
25-54 years: 45.1% (male 2,127,239/female 2,236,520)
55-64 years: 8.5% (male 379,081/female 442,970)
65 years and over: 6.3% (male 232,297/female 377,586) (2014 est.)

Dependency ratios
Youth dependency ratio: 30.7 %
Elderly dependency ratio: 7.7 %
Potential support ratio: 13 (2014 est.)

Median age
Male: 28.5 years
Female: 31.9 years (2014 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.99% (2014 est.)
Rank: 121

Birth rate: 16.96 births/1000 population (2014 est.)
Rank: 111

Death rate: 7.09 deaths/1000 population (2014 est.)
Rank: 128

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (2014 est.)
Rank: 96

Urbanization
Rate of urbanization: 1.64% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: BAKU (capital) 2.123 million (2011)

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 signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Sex ratio
0-14 years: 1.16 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2014 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth: 23.4 (2011 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Rank: 69
Male: 27.47 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 25.76 deaths/1000 live births (2014 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Rank: 141
Male: 68.92 years
Female: 75.26 years (2014 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.91 children born/woman (2014 est.)
Rank: 138

Contraceptive prevalence rate: 51.1% (2006)

Drinking water source:

Physicians density: 3.38 physicians/1000 population (2011)

Hospital bed density: 4.6 beds/1000 population (2011)

Sanitation facility access:

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.2% (2012 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 106
People living with hivaids: 10,400 (2012 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 102
Deaths: 600 (2012 est.)
Deaths rank: 85

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 23.8% (2008)
Rank: 71

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 8.4% (2006)
Rank: 74

Education expenditures: 2.4% of GDP (2011)
Rank: 158

Literacy
Total population: 99.8%
Male: 99.9%
Female: 99.7% (2010 census)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Male: 12 years
Female: 12 years (2012)

Country name
Conventional short form: Azerbaijan
Local long form: Azarbaycan Respublikasi
Local short form: Azarbaycan
Former: Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic

Government type: republic

Capital
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: 66 rayons (rayonlar; rayon - singular) 11 cities (saharlar; sahar - singular);
Rayons: Abseron Agcabadi Agdam Agdas Agstafa Agsu Astara Babak Balakan Barda Beylaqan Bilasuvar Cabrayil Calilabad Culfa Daskasan Fuzuli Gadabay Goranboy Goycay Goygol Haciqabul Imisli Ismayilli Kalbacar Kangarli Kurdamir Lacin Lankaran Lerik Masalli Neftcala Oguz Ordubad Qabala Qax Qazax Qobustan Quba Qubadli Qusar Saatli Sabirabad Sabran Sadarak Sahbuz Saki Salyan Samaxi Samkir Samux Sarur Siyazan Susa Tartar Tovuz Ucar Xacmaz Xizi Xocali Xocavand Yardimli Yevlax Zangilan Zaqatala Zardab
Cities: Baku Ganca Lankaran Mingacevir Naftalan Naxcivan (Nakhichevan) Saki Sirvan Sumqayit Xankandi Yevlax

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

National holiday: Founding of the Democratic Republic of Azerbaijan 28 May (1918)

Constitution: several previous; latest adopted 12 November 1995; amended 1996 2002 2009 (2009)

Legal system: civil law system

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

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
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 for a five-year term (eligible for unlimited terms); election last held on 9 October 2013 (next to be held in October 2018); 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 84.5% Jamil HASANLI 5.5% other 10%

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Milli Mejlis (125 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
Elections: last held on 7 November 2010 (next to be held in November 2015)
Election results: percent of vote by party - YAP 45.8% CSP 1.6% Motherland 1.4% independents 48.2% other 3.1%; seats by party - YAP 71 CSP 3 Motherland 2 Civil Unity 1 Democratic Reforms 1 Great Creation 1 Hope Party 1 Justice 1 Social Welfare 1 Whole Azerbaijan Popular Front 1 independents 42

Judicial branch
Judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges nominated by the president and appointed by the Milli Majlis; judge tenure NA; 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: Yeni (New) Azerbaijan Party or YAP [President Ilham ALIYEV]

International organization participation: ADB BSEC CD CE CICA CIS EAPC EBRD ECO EITI (compliant country) 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 SELEC (observer) UN UNCTAD UNESCO UNHCR UNIDO UNWTO UPU WCO WFTU (NGOs) WHO WIPO WMO WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation
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 Consulate general: Los Angeles
From the us embassy: 111 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) 488-3,300
From the us FAX: [994] (12) 488-3,310

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of blue (top) red and green; a crescent and 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 is an Islamic symbol while the eight-pointed star represents the eight Turkic peoples of the world

National symbols: flames of fire

National anthem
Lyrics and music: Ahmed JAVAD/Uzeyir HAJIBEYOV

Economy overview: Azerbaijan's high economic growth has been attributable to large and growing oil and gas exports but some non-export sectors also featured double-digit growth including construction banking and real estate. Oil exports through the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan Pipeline the Baku-Novorossiysk and the Baku-Supsa pipelines remain the main economic driver but efforts to boost Azerbaijan's gas production are underway. The eventual completion of the geopolitically important Southern Gas Corridor between Azerbaijan and Europe will open up another albeit smaller source of revenue from gas exports. Azerbaijan has made only limited progress on instituting market-based economic reforms. Pervasive public and private sector corruption and structural economic inefficiencies remain a drag on long-term growth particularly in non-energy sectors. Several other obstacles impede Azerbaijan's economic progress including the need for stepped up foreign investment in the non-energy sector and the continuing conflict with Armenia over the Nagorno-Karabakh region. 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 depend on world oil prices Azerbaijan's ability to negotiate export routes for its growing gas production and its ability to use its energy wealth to promote growth and spur employment in non-energy sectors of the economy.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 75

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 40

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 114

Gross national saving:
Rank: 10

Gdp composition by end use
Government consumption: 10.5%
Investment in fixed capital: 23.3%
Investment in inventories: 0.1%
Exports of goods and services: 49.9%
Imports of goods and services: -25.2%: (2013 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Industry: 63%
Services: 30.8% (2013 est.)

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

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

Industrial production growth rate: 3% (2013 est.)
Rank: 100

Labor force: 4.68 million (2012 est.)
Rank: 83
By occupation industry: 12.1%
By occupation services: 49.6% (2008)

Unemployment rate: 5.7% (2012 est.)
Rank: 60

Population below poverty line: 6% (2012 est.)

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

Distribution of family income gini index: 36.5 (2001)
Rank: 98

Budget
Expenditures: $27.24 billion (2013 est.)
Surplus or deficit: 0.5% of GDP (2013 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 34

Taxes and other revenues: 36.3% of GDP (2013 est.)
Rank: 60

Public debt: 7.8% of GDP (2012 est.)
Rank: 153

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 1.1% (2012 est.)
Rank: 91

Central bank discount rate: 5.25% (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 65

Commercial bank prime lending rate: 18.5% (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 20

Stock of narrow money: $14.15 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 66

Stock of broad money: $17.59 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 83

Stock of domestic credit: $17.01 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 80

Market value of publicly traded shares: $N/A

Current account balance: $14.98 billion (2012 est.)
Rank: 20

Exports: $32.63 billion (2012 est.)
Rank: 63
Commodities: oil and gas 90% machinery cotton foodstuffs
Partners: Italy 25% Indonesia 11.6% Thailand 7% Germany 5.7% Israel 5.3% France 4.7% India 4.6% Russia 4.5% USA 4.1% (2013 est.)

Imports: $9.65 billion (2012 est.)
Rank: 97
Commodities: machinery and equipment oil products foodstuffs metals chemicals
Partners: Russia 14.1% Turkey 13.7% UK 12.5% Germany 7.7% Ukraine 5.5% China 5.3% France 4% (2013 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $11.28 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 70

Debt external: $9.11 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 101

Stock of direct foreign investment at home: $12.35 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 83

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad: $7.516 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 56

Exchange rates:

Electricity
Production: 22.99 billion kWh (2012 est.)
Production rank: 70
Consumption: 20.29 billion kWh (2012 est.)
Consumption rank: 70
Exports: 462 million kWh (2010 est.)
Exports rank: 67
Imports: 100 million kWh (2010 est.)
Imports rank: 94
Installed generating capacity: 6.392 million kW (2010 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 71
Generation sources fossil fuels: 84.5% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 91
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 36
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 15.4% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 99
Generation sources other renewable sources: 0.1% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 105

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 931,900 bbl/day (2012 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 24
Crude oil exports: 821,000 bbl/day (2011 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 17
Crude oil imports: 0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 150
Crude oil proven reserves: 7 billion bbl (1 January 2013 est.)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 20

Refined petroleum
Products production: 133,500 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products production rank: 64
Products consumption: 168,000 bbl/day (2011 est.)
Products consumption rank: 63
Products exports: 53,440 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products exports rank: 59
Products imports: 499 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products imports rank: 204

Natural gas
Production: 17.86 billion m³ (2011 est.)
Production rank: 34
Consumption: 9.921 billion m³ (2010 est.)
Consumption rank: 47
Exports: 5.55 billion m³ (2011 est.)
Exports rank: 33
Imports: 250 million m³ (2011 est.)
Imports rank: 70
Proven reserves: 991.1 billion m³ (1 January 2013 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 28

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 36.52 million Mt (2011 est.)

Telephones
Main lines in use: 1.734 million (2012)
Main lines in use rank: 64
Mobile cellular: 10.125 million (2012)
Mobile cellular rank: 78

Telephone system
Domestic: teledensity of 17 fixed lines per 100 persons; mobile-cellular teledensity has increased and now exceeds 100 telephones per 100 persons; satellite service connects Baku to a modern switch in its exclave of Naxcivan (Nakhichevan)
International: country code - 994; the Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic link transits Azerbaijan providing international connectivity to neighboring countries; the old Soviet system of cable and microwave is still serviceable; satellite earth stations - 2 (2011)

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; local relays of several international broadcasters had been available until late 2008 when their broadcasts were banned from FM frequencies (2010)

Internet
Country code: .az
Hosts: 46,856 (2012)
Hosts rank: 98
Users: 2.42 million (2009)
Users rank: 70

Military expenditures:
Rank: 5

Military service age and obligation: men between 18 and 35 are liable for military service; length of service is 18 months and 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 (2012)

Airports: 37 (2013)
Rank: 108
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 (2013)
With unpaved runways: 7 (2013)

Heliports: 1 (2012)

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

Railways
Rank: 59
Broad gauge: 2,918 km 1.520-m gauge (1278 km electrified) (2009)

Roadways
Rank: 75
Paved: 26,789 km
Unpaved: 26,153 km (2006)

Merchant marine
Rank: 53
By type: cargo 27 chemical tanker 1 passenger 2 passenger/cargo 8 petroleum tanker 47 roll on/roll off 3 specialized tanker 2
Foreign owned: 1 (Turkey 1)
Registered in other countries: 2 (Malta 1 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1) (2010)

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
Stateless persons: 3,585 (2012)

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