Azerbaijan
Azerbaijani RepublicAzarbaycan Respublikasi
republicIndependence 30 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)
Azerbaijan as the 1999 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 107 fields, one of 34 editions from 1992 to 2025.
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Introduction
1 fieldBackground
In 1806, Azerbaijan, a region of Turkic Muslim people, was conquered by the Russians. In 1918, Azerbaijan declared independence from Russia, but was incorporated into the Soviet Union in 1920. It again declared its independence in 1991, following the collapse of the USSR. The conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia over the Nagorno-Karabakh region is still unresolved after 10 years and Baku has yet to settle disputes with its neighbors over oil rights in the Caspian Sea.
During the war, Karabakh Armenians declared independence and seized almost 20% of the country's territory, creating some 750,000 Azerbaijani refugees in the process. Both sides have generally observed a Russian-mediated cease-fire in place since May 1994.
Geography
Southwestern Asia, bordering the Caspian Sea, between | Iran and Russia
18 fieldsLand useshare of 86,600 sq km
Note
More
- 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
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
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, 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, Desertification, Ozone Layer Protection
- signed, but not ratified:
- Biodiversity
People
15 fieldsPer 1,000 population(1999 est.)
Male · female
Ethnic groups(1998 est.)
Religions(1995 est.)
Age structure
- 0-14 years:
- 32% (male 1,292,018; female 1,240,745)
- 15-64 years:
- 61% (male 2,361,792; female 2,496,721)
- 65 years and over:
- 7% (male 202,755; female 314,193) (1999 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:
- 0.65 male(s)/female
- total population:
- 0.95 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Government
Republic; President Heydar ALIYEV (since 18 June 1993); Prime Minister Artur RASIZADE (since 26 November 1996)
19 fieldsLegislature, 125 seats, elected 12 and 26 November 1995one dot, one seat
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
Administrative divisions
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, Ali Bayramli 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
Executive branch
- chief of state:
- President Heydar ALIYEV (since 18 June 1993)
- head of government:
- Prime Minister Artur RASIZADE (since 26 November 1996)
- 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 11 October 1998 (next to be held October 2003);
- 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 76%
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--NAP and allies 115, APF 4, PNIA 3, Musavat Party 1, vacant 2
Political parties and leaders
New Azerbaijan Party or NAP ELCHIBEY, chairman]; Party for National Independence of Azerbaijan
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, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECO, ESCAP, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM (observer), OIC, OPCW, 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
Diplomatic representation from the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Stanley T. ESCUDERO
- embassy:
- Azadliq Prospekt 83, Baku 370007
- mailing address:
- American Embassy Baku, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-7050
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 Caucasian states.
31 fieldsGDP--composition by sector(1997 est.)
Electricity
Economy--overview
Azerbaijan is less developed industrially than either Armenia or Georgia, the other Caucasian states. It resembles the Central Asian states in its majority Muslim population, high structural unemployment, and low standard of living. The economy's most prominent products are oil, cotton, and natural gas.
Production from the Caspian oil field declined through 1997 but registered an increase in 1998. Negotiation of more than a dozen production-sharing arrangements (PSAs) with foreign firms, which have thus far committed $30 billion to oil field 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. 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. A major short-term obstacle to economic progress, including stepped up foreign investment, is 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 up with Turkey, Iran, the UAE, and the nations of Europe. A serious long-term challenge is the maintenance of the competitiveness of non-oil exports in world markets.
Labor force--by occupation
agriculture and forestry 32%, industry and construction 15%, services 53% (1997)
Industries
- petroleum and natural gas, petroleum products, oilfield equipment;
- steel, iron ore, cement;
- chemicals and petrochemicals;
- textiles
Agriculture--products
cotton, grain, rice, grapes, fruit, vegetables, tea, tobacco; cattle, pigs, sheep, goats
Exchange rates
manats per US$1--3,865.00 (November 1998), 3,985.38 (1997), 4,301.26 (1996), 4,413.54 (1995), 1,570.23 (1994)
Communications
6 fieldsTelephone system
- Azerbaijani telecommunications fall under the Ministry of Communications;
- Azerbaijan's telephone system is a combination of old Soviet era technology used by Azerbaijani citizens and small- to medium-size commercial establishments, and modern cellular phones used by an increasing middle class, large commercial ventures, international companies, and most government officials;
- the average citizen waits on a 200,000-person list for telephone service;
- Internet and E-mail service are available in Baku
- domestic:
- local--the majority of telephones are in Baku or other industrial centers;
- intercity--about 700 villages still do not have public phone service;
- all long distance service must use Azertel's (Ministry of Communications) lines;
- satellite service connects Baku to a modern switch in its separated enclave to Nakhichevan
- international:
- the old Soviet system of cable and microwave is still serviceable;
- satellite service between Baku and Turkey provides access to 200 countries;
- additional satellite providers supply services between Baku and specific countries;
- Azerbaijan is a signator of the Trans-Asia-Europe Fiber-Optic Line (TAE);
- their lines are not laid but the Turkish satellite and a microwave between Azerbaijan and Iran can provide Azerbaijan worldwide access through this system
Radio broadcast stations
AM 10, FM 17, shortwave 1 (Azerbaijan's single shortwave station transmits its programs to the Middle East in eight languages)
Television broadcast stations
- 2;
- note--the Ministry of Communications is the monopoly broadcaster and rebroadcaster of television in Azerbaijan;
- Azerbaijani, Russian, Armenian, Iranian, British broadcasting companies, Voice of America, and other European channels are available via satellite;
- television is broadcast to Nakhichevan by satellite
Transportation
8 fieldsMerchant marine, 57 ships by typeone square, one ship · (1998 est.)
Airports by runway lengthpaved only
Networkskm
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)
Military
Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces, Border | Guards
7 fieldsTransnational Issues
2 fieldsDisputes--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, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Turkmenistan
Illicit drugs
- limited illicit cultivation of cannabis and opium poppy, mostly for CIS consumption;
- limited government eradication program;
- transshipment point for opiates via Iran, Central Asia, and Russia to Western Europe
Cite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Azerbaijan.” The World Factbook 1999. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/azerbaijan/1999.