Azerbaijan

Azerbaijani RepublicAzarbaycan Respublikasi

republicIndependence 30 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

Azerbaijan as the 1997 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 98 fields, one of 34 editions from 1992 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalBaku (Baki)

Position40 30 N, 47 30 E

Area86,600 sq km

LocationSouthwestern Asia, bordering the Caspian Sea, between Iran

Populationas each edition published it

7.8 million July 1997 est. · 7.45m in 1992

Population growth% a year

0.78% 1997 est. · 1.5% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 27.1 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

63.52 years 1997 est. · 70.6 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

2.77 children per woman 1997 est. · 2.9 in 1992

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

80.7 deaths per 1,000 live births 1997 est. · 45 in 1992

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$1,550 1996 est. · $2,040 in 1994

GDP real growth% a year

1.2% 1996 est. · -25% in 1993

Geography

Southwestern Asia, bordering the Caspian Sea, between Iran | and Russia

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Land useshare of 86,600 sq km

arable land 18%permanent crops 5%permanent pastures 25%forests and woodland 11%other 41% (1993 est.)irrigated 10,000 sq km (1993 est.)

Area

86,600sq km

land: 86,100 sq kmwater: 500 sq kmslightly smaller than Maine

Note

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

Coastline

0km

(landlocked)note: Azerbaijan borders the Caspian Sea (800 km, est.)Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Highest point

4,485m

Bazarduzu Dagilowest point : Caspian Sea -28 m

Land boundaries

2,013km

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

Location

Southwestern Asia, bordering the Caspian Sea, between Iran and Russia

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

Natural resources

petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, nonferrous metals, alumina

Natural hazards

droughts; some lowland areas threatened by rising levels of the Caspian Sea

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

Environment - international agreements

party to:: Climate Change, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified:: Biodiversity

People

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Population

7,797,476

(July 1997 est.)growth rate: 0.78% (1997 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1997 est.)

Birth

22.89Death

9.32Net migration

-5.75

Ethnic groups(1995 est.)

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(1995 est.)

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

Literacy

97%

definition: age 15 and over can read and writemale: 99%female: 96% (1989 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years:: 33% (male 1,302,759; female 1,247,868)
15-64 years:: 61% (male 2,315,272; female 2,446,087)
65 years and over:: 6% (male 186,699; female 298,791) (July 1997 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:: 0.62 male(s)/female
total population:: 0.95 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Infant mortality rate

80.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population:: 63.52 years
male :: 59.27 years
female:: 67.99 years (1997 est.)

Nationality

noun :: Azerbaijani(s)
adjective:: Azerbaijani

Languages

Azeri 89%, Russian 3%, Armenian 2%, other 6% (1995 est.)

Government

Republic; President Heydar ALIYEV (since 18 June 1993); Prime Minister Artur RASIZADE (since NA November 1996)

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Country name

conventional long form:: Azerbaijani Republic
conventional short form:: Azerbaijan
local long form:: Azarbaycan Respublikasi
local short form :: none
former:: Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic

59 rayons (rayonlar; rayon - singular), 11 cities* (saharlar; sahar - singular), 1 autonomous republic** (muxtar respublika); Abseron 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, Yardimli 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)
head of government:: Prime Minister Artur RASIZADE (since NA November 1996);
First Deputy Prime Ministers Abbas ABBASOV (since NA), Samed SADYKOV (since NA), Vahid AKHMEDOV (since NA), Elchin EFENDIYEV (since NA)
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;
election last held 3 October 1993 (next to be held NA 1998);
prime minister and first deputy prime ministers appointed by the president and confirmed by the National Assembly
election results:: Heydar ALIYEV elected president; percent of vote - Heydar ALIYEV 97%

Legislative branch

unicameral National Assembly or Milli Mejlis (125 seats; members serve five-year terms)

elections:: last held 12 and 26 November 1995 (next to be held NA 2000)
election results:: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA

Judicial branch

Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders

Azerbaijan Popular Front or APF [Ebulfez ELCIBEY, chairman];
Musavat Party [Isa GAMBAR, chairman];
National Independence Party [Etibar MAMEDOV, chairman];
Social Democratic Party or 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 or 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]

Political pressure groups and leaders

self-proclaimed Armenian Nagorno-Karabakh Republic;
Talysh independence movement;
Sadval, Lezgin movement

International organization participation

BSEC, CCC, CE (guest), CIS, EBRD, ECE, ECO, ESCAP, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NACC, NAM (observer), OIC, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Hafiz Mir Jalal PASHAYEV
chancery:: (temporary) Suite 700, 927 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005 or P. O. Box 28790, Washington, DC 20038-8790
telephone :: [1] (202) 842-0001

FAX

[1] (202) 842-0004

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Richard D. KAUZLARICH
embassy:: Azadliq Prospekti 83, Baku
mailing address :: use embassy street address
telephone:: [9] (9412) 96-03-35

FAX

[9] (9412) 96-04-69

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 is less developed industrially than | either Armenia or Georgia, the other Transcaucasian states.

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Real growth rate

1.2%

(1996 est.)industrial production growth: -8% (1996 est.)

Inflation, consumer prices

20%

(1996 est.)

Unemployment rate

1.1%

includes officially registered unemployed; also large numbers of unregistered unemployed and underemployed workers (December 1996)

Labor force

2.789million

by occupation: agriculture and forestry 32%, industry and construction 26%, other 42% (1990)

GDP - composition by sector(1995 est.)

agriculture 26%industry 30%services 44% (1995 est.)

Budget

Revenues

$565 millionExpenditures

$682 million (1996 est.)

expenditures including capital expenditures of $NA

Economy - 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 are slowly being replaced. A major short-term obstacle to economic progress, including stepped up foreign investment, is the continuing conflict with Armenia over the ethnic Armenian-dominated region of Nagorno-Karabakh.

Trade with Russia and the other former Soviet republics is declining in importance while trade is building up with the nations of Europe, Turkey, Iran and the UAE.

GDP

purchasing power parity - $11.9 billion (1996 estimate as extrapolated from World Bank estimate for 1994)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $1,550 (1996 est.)

Industries

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

Electricity - capacity

5.24 million kW (1994)

Electricity - production

16.63 billion kWh (1994)

Electricity - consumption per capita

2,200 kWh (1996 est.)

Agriculture - products

cotton, grain, rice, grapes, fruit, vegetables, tea, tobacco; cattle, pigs, sheep, goats

Exports

total value :: $700 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.)
commodities:: oil and gas, chemicals, oilfield equipment, textiles, cotton
partners:: CIS, European countries, Turkey

Imports

total value:: $900 million (c.i.f., 1996 est.)
commodities :: machinery and parts, consumer durables, foodstuffs, textiles
partners:: CIS, European countries, Turkey

Debt - external

$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 - 4,230 (November 1996), 4,375 (April 1996), 4,500 (April 1995), 4,168 (end of December 1994)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

6 fields

Fixed lines

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 is operational
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

1 state-owned radio broadcast station

Radios

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

Transportation

7 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved only

under 914 m

over 3,047 m : 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 17 914 to 1,523 m: 3

Airports by runway lengthunpaved only

under 914 m

total : 40 914 to 1,523 m: 7

Networkskm

Highways

57,770Railways

2,125

Highways: paved: 54,188 km · unpaved: 3,582 km (1995 est.) · Railways: ; does not include industrial lines · broad gauge: 2,125 km 1.520-m gauge (1,278 km electrified) (1993)

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:: 57,770 km
paved:: 54,188 km
unpaved:: 3,582 km (1995 est.)

Pipelines

crude oil 1,130 km;
petroleum products 630 km;
natural gas 1,240 km

Ports and harbors

Baku (Baki)

Airports

69 (1996 est.)

Military

Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces, Border | Guards

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Transnational Issues

2 fields

Disputes - international

Armenia supports ethnic Armenians in the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan in the longstanding, separatist conflict against the Azerbaijani Government;
Caspian Sea boundaries are not yet determined among Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakstan, Russia, and Turkmenistan

Illicit drugs

limited cultivation of cannabis and opium poppy, mostly for CIS consumption;
limited government eradication program;
transshipment point for opiates to Western Europe THE BAHAMAS

Central Intelligence Agency. “Azerbaijan.” The World Factbook 1997. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/azerbaijan/1997.

How to cite ← 1996 edition 1998 edition →