from
CIA World Factbook 2006
Azerbaijan
Introduction
Background: Azerbaijan - a nation with a 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 528,000 internally
displaced persons as a result of the conflict.
Corruption is ubiquitous, and the promise of widespread
wealth from Azerbaijan's undeveloped petroleum
resources remains largely unfulfilled.
Geography
Location: Southwestern Asia, bordering the Caspian Sea, between
Iran and Russia, with a small European portion north of
the Caucasus range
Geographic 40 30 N, 47 30 E
coordinates:
Map Asia
references:
Area: total: 86,600 sq km
land: 86,100 sq km
water: 500 sq km
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
Area - slightly smaller than Maine
comparative:
Land total: 2,013 km
boundaries: 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
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked); note - Azerbaijan borders the
Caspian Sea (800 km est.)
Maritime none (landlocked)
claims:
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 lowest point: Caspian Sea -28 m
extremes: highest point: Bazarduzu Dagi 4,485 m
Natural petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, nonferrous metals,
resources: alumina
Land use: arable land: 20.62%
permanent crops: 2.61%
other: 76.77% (2005)
Irrigated 14,550 sq km (2003)
land:
Natural droughts
hazards:
Environment - local scientists consider the Abseron Yasaqligi
current (Apsheron Peninsula) (including Baku and Sumqayit) and
issues: 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 as a pesticide, and from
toxic defoliants used in the production of cotton
Environment - party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
international Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification,
agreements: Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping,
Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected
agreements
Geography - both the main area of the country and the Naxcivan
note: exclave are landlocked
People
Population: 7,961,619 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 25.8% (male 1,046,501/female 1,011,492)
15-64 years: 66.3% (male 2,573,134/female 2,706,275)
65 years and over: 7.8% (male 246,556/female 377,661)
(2006 est.)
Median age: total: 27.7 years
male: 26.3 years
female: 29.2 years (2006 est.)
Population 0.66% (2006 est.)
growth rate:
Birth rate: 20.74 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate: 9.75 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration -4.38 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
rate:
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: 0.94 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant total: 79 deaths/1,000 live births
mortality male: 81.08 deaths/1,000 live births
rate: female: 76.81 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life total population: 63.85 years
expectancy at male: 59.78 years
birth: female: 68.13 years (2006 est.)
Total 2.46 children born/woman (2006 est.)
fertility
rate:
HIV/AIDS - less than 0.1% (2003 est.)
adult
prevalence
rate:
HIV/AIDS - 1,400 (2003 est.)
people living
with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - less than 100 (2001 est.)
deaths:
Nationality: noun: Azerbaijani(s), Azeri(s)
adjective: Azerbaijani, Azeri
Ethnic groups: Azeri 90.6%, Dagestani 2.2%, Russian 1.8%, Armenian
1.5%, other 3.9% (1999 census)
note: almost all Armenians live in the separatist
Nagorno-Karabakh region
Religions: Muslim 93.4%, Russian Orthodox 2.5%, Armenian Orthodox
2.3%, other 1.8% (1995 est.)
note: religious affiliation is still nominal in
Azerbaijan; percentages for actual practicing adherents
are much lower
Languages: Azerbaijani (Azeri) 89%, Russian 3%, Armenian 2%, other
6% (1995 est.)
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98.8%
male: 99.5%
female: 98.2% (2003 est.)
Government
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 republic
type:
Capital: name: Baku (Baki, Baky)
geographic coordinates: 40 23 N, 49 51 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 59 rayons (rayonlar; rayon - singular), 11 cities
divisions: (saharlar; sahar - singular), 1 autonomous republic
(muxtar respublika)
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 Founding of the Democratic Republic of Azerbaijan, 28
holiday: May (1918)
Constitution: adopted 12 November 1995
Legal system: based on civil law system
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive chief of state: President Ilham ALIYEV (since 31
branch: October 2003)
head of government: Prime Minister Artur RASIZADE
(since 4 November 2003); First Deputy Prime Minister
Abbas ABBASOV (since 10 November 2003)
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 2003 (next to be held October
2008); prime minister and first deputy prime ministers
appointed by the president and confirmed by the
National Assembly
election results: Ilham ALIYEV elected president;
percent of vote - Ilham ALIYEV 76.8%, Isa GAMBAR 14%
Legislative unicameral National Assembly or Milli Mejlis (125
branch: seats; members elected by popular vote to serve
five-year terms)
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, YES 2,
Motherland 2, other parties with single seats 7,
independents 42, undetermined 4
Judicial Supreme Court
branch:
Political Azerbaijan Popular Front or APF [Ali KARIMLI, leader of
parties and "Reform" faction; Mirmahmud MIRALI-OGLU, leader of
leaders: "Classic" faction]; Civic Solidarity Party or CSP
[Sabir RUSTAMKHANLY]; Civic Union Party [Ayaz
MUTALIBOV]; Communist Party of Azerbaijan or CPA [Ramiz
AHMADOV]; Compatriot Party [Mais SAFARLI]; Democratic
Party for Azerbaijan or DPA [Rasul QULIYEV, chairman];
Justice Party [Ilyas ISMAILOV]; Liberal Party of
Azerbaijan [Lala Shovkat HACIYEVA]; Motherland Party;
Musavat [Isa GAMBAR, chairman]; Yeni Azerbaijan Party;
Party for National Independence of Azerbaijan or PNIA
[Etibar MAMMADLI, chairman]; Social Democratic Party of
Azerbaijan or SDP [Araz ALIZADE and Ayaz MUTALIBOV]
note: opposition parties regularly factionalize and
form new parties
Political Sadval, Lezgin movement; self-proclaimed Armenian
pressure Nagorno-Karabakh Republic; Talysh independence
groups and movement; Union of Pro-Azerbaijani Forces (UPAF)
leaders:
International AsDB, BSEC, CE, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, GUAM, IAEA,
organization IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
participation: ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA,
NAM (observer), OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP,
SECI (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO (observer)
Diplomatic chief of mission: Ambassador Yashar ALIYEV
representation chancery: 2741 34th Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
in the US: telephone: [1] (202) 337-3500
FAX: [1] (202) 337-5911
Consulate(s) general: Los Angeles
Diplomatic chief of mission: Ambassador Anne E. DERSE
representation embassy: 83 Azadliyg Prospecti, Baku AZ1007
from the US: mailing address: American Embassy Baku, US Department
of State, 7050 Baku Place, Washington, DC 20521-7050
telephone: [994] (12) 4980-335 through 337
FAX: [994] (12) 4656-671
Flag three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), red, and
description: green; a crescent and eight-pointed star in white are
centered in red band
Economy
Economy - Azerbaijan's number one export is oil. Azerbaijan's oil
overview: production declined through 1997, but has registered an
increase every year since. Negotiation of
production-sharing arrangements (PSAs) with foreign
firms, which have thus far 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 is
scheduled to begin 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. Economists estimate that
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, and the pervasive
corruption. 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 pipelines in the region, and
Azerbaijan's ability to manage its oil wealth.
GDP $42.99 billion (2005 est.)
(purchasing
power parity):
GDP (official $10.4 billion (2005 est.)
exchange
rate):
GDP - real 26.4% (2005 est.)
growth rate:
GDP - per $5,400 (2005 est.)
capita (PPP):
GDP - agriculture: 14.1%
composition by industry: 45.7%
sector: services: 40.2% (2002 est.)
Labor force: 5.45 million (2005 est.)
Labor force - agriculture: 41%
by occupation: industry: 7%
services: 52% (2001)
Unemployment 1.1% official rate (2005 est.)
rate:
Population 49% (2002 est.)
below poverty
line:
Household lowest 10%: 2.8%
income or highest 10%: 27.8% (1995)
consumption by
percentage
share:
Distribution 36.5 (2001)
of family
income - Gini
index:
Inflation rate 9.6% (2005 est.)
(consumer
prices):
Investment 54.4% of GDP (2005 est.)
(gross fixed):
Budget: revenues: $3.18 billion
expenditures: $2.986 billion; including capital
expenditures of $NA (2005 est.)
Public debt: 11.3% of GDP (2005 est.)
Agriculture - cotton, grain, rice, grapes, fruit, vegetables, tea,
products: tobacco; cattle, pigs, sheep, goats
Industries: petroleum and natural gas, petroleum products, oilfield
equipment; steel, iron ore; cement; chemicals and
petrochemicals; textiles
Industrial 40% (2005 est.)
production
growth rate:
Electricity - 20 billion kWh (2003)
production:
Electricity - fossil fuel: 89.7%
production by hydro: 10.3%
source: nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - 20.25 billion kWh (2003)
consumption:
Electricity - 700 million kWh (2003)
exports:
Electricity - 2.35 billion kWh (2003)
imports:
Oil - 477,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)
production:
Oil - 123,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)
consumption:
Oil - exports: NA bbl/day
Oil - imports: NA bbl/day
Oil - proved 589 million bbl (1 January 2002)
reserves:
Natural gas - 5.13 billion cu m (2003 est.)
production:
Natural gas - 9.2 billion cu m (2003 est.)
consumption:
Natural gas - 0 cu m (2001 est.)
exports:
Natural gas - 1 billion cu m (2001 est.)
imports:
Natural gas - 849.5 billion cu m (1 January 2002)
proved
reserves:
Current $167.3 million (2005 est.)
account
balance:
Exports: $6.117 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Exports - oil and gas 90%, machinery, cotton, foodstuffs
commodities:
Exports - Italy 30.3%, France 9.4%, Russia 6.6%, Turkey 6.3%,
partners: Turkmenistan 6.3%, Georgia 4.8%, Israel 4.5%, Croatia
4.1% (2005)
Imports: $4.656 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Imports - machinery and equipment, oil products, foodstuffs,
commodities: metals, chemicals
Imports - Russia 17%, UK 9.1%, Singapore 9.1%, Turkey 7.4%,
partners: Germany 6.1%, Turkmenistan 5.8%, Ukraine 5.4%, China
4.1% (2005)
Reserves of $1.192 billion (2005 est.)
foreign
exchange and
gold:
Debt - $1.873 billion (2005 est.)
external:
Economic aid - ODA, $140 million (2000 est.)
recipient:
Currency Azerbaijani manat (AZM)
(code):
Currency code: AZM
Exchange Azerbaijani manats per US dollar - 4,727.1 (2005),
rates: 4,913.48 (2004), 4,910.73 (2003), 4,860.82 (2002),
4,656.58 (2001)
note: on 1 January 2006 Azerbaijan revalued its
currency, with 5,000 old manats equal to 1 new manat
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones - 1,091,400 (2005)
main lines in
use:
Telephones - 2.242 million (2005)
mobile
cellular:
Telephone general assessment: inadequate; requires considerable
system: expansion and modernization; teledensity of 14 main
lines per 100 persons is low (2002)
domestic: the majority of telephones are in Baku and
other industrial centers - about 700 villages still
without public telephone service; 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 (2005)
Radio AM 10, FM 17, shortwave 1 (1998)
broadcast
stations:
Radios: 175,000 (1997)
Television 2 (1997)
broadcast
stations:
Televisions: 170,000 (1997)
Internet .az
country code:
Internet 880 (2006)
hosts:
Internet 2 (2000)
Service
Providers
(ISPs):
Internet 678,800 (2005)
users:
Transportation
Airports: 36 (2006)
Airports - total: 27
with paved over 3,047 m: 1
runways: 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7
1,524 to 2,437 m: 13
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 2 (2006)
Airports - total: 9
with unpaved 914 to 1,523 m: 2
runways: under 914 m: 7 (2006)
Heliports: 1 (2006)
Pipelines: gas 3,190 km; oil 2,436 km (2006)
Railways: total: 2,957 km
broad gauge: 2,957 km 1.520-m gauge (1,278 km
electrified) (2005)
Roadways: total: 27,016 km
paved: 12,698 km (including 128 km of expressways)
unpaved: 14,318 km (2003)
Merchant total: 84 ships (1000 GRT or over) 405,395 GRT/436,666
marine: DWT
by type: cargo 26, passenger 2, passenger/cargo 8,
petroleum tanker 43, roll on/roll off 2, specialized
tanker 3
registered in other countries: 4 (Georgia 2, Malta 2)
(2006)
Ports and Baku (Baki)
terminals:
Military
Military Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces
branches:
Military men between 18 and 35 are liable for military service;
service age 18 years of age for voluntary military service; length
and of military service is 18 months and 12 months for
obligation: university graduates (2006)
Manpower males age 18-49: 1,961,973
available for females age 18-49: 2,033,186 (2005 est.)
military
service:
Manpower fit males age 18-49: 1,314,955
for military females age 18-49: 1,676,408 (2005 est.)
service:
Manpower males age 18-49: 82,358
reaching females age 18-49: 78,067 (2005 est.)
military
service age
annually:
Military $121 million (FY99)
expenditures -
dollar figure:
Military 2.6% (FY99)
expenditures -
percent of
GDP:
Transnational
Issues
Disputes - Armenia supports ethnic Armenian secessionists in
international: 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; 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
ratify 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 refugees (country of origin): 8,367 (Russia)
internally IDPs: 528,000 (conflict with Armenia over
displaced Nagorno-Karabakh) (2005)
persons:
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