Background: Azerbaijan - a nation of Turkic Muslims - has been an independent
republic since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. Despite a cease-fire, in place
since 1994, Azerbaijan has yet to resolve its conflict with Armenia over the Azerbaijani
Nagorno-Karabakh enclave (largely Armenian populated). Azerbaijan has lost almost 20% of
its territory and must support some 750,000 refugees as a result of the conflict.
Corruption is ubiquitous and the promise of wealth from Azerbaijan's undeveloped petroleum
resources remains largely unfulfilled.
Government type: republic
Capital: Baku (Baki)
Currency: 1 manat = 100 gopiks
Geography of Azerbaijan
Location: Southwestern Asia, bordering the Caspian Sea, between Iran and Russia
Geographic coordinates: 40 30 N, 47 30 E
Map references: Commonwealth of Independent States
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
Land boundaries:
total: 2,013 km
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.)
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
highest point: Bazarduzu Dagi 4,485 m
Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, nonferrous metals, alumina
Land use:
arable land: 18%
permanent crops: 5%
permanent pastures: 25%
forests and woodland: 11%
other: 41% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 10,000 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: droughts; some lowland areas threatened by rising levels of the
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: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer
Protection
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note: landlocked
More Geography
People of Azerbaijan
Population: 7,911,974 (July 2005 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 28.95% (male 1,146,315; female 1,103,393)
15-64 years: 63.93% (male 2,415,678; female 2,552,759)
65 years and over: 7.12% (male 219,549; female 333,398)
Population growth rate: 0.32%
Birth rate: 18.44 births/1,000 population
Death rate: 9.55 deaths/1,000 population
Net migration rate: -5.67 migrant(s)/1,000 population
Infant mortality rate: 83.08 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 62.96 years
male: 58.65 years
female: 67.49 years
Total fertility rate: 2.24 children born/woman
Nationality:
noun: Azerbaijani(s)
adjective: Azerbaijani
Ethnic groups: Azeri 90%, Dagestani 3.2%, Russian 2.5%, Armenian 2%, other 2.3%
(1998 est.)
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: Azeri 89%, Russian 3%, Armenian 2%, other 6% (1995 est.)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97%
male: 99%
female: 96% (1989 est.)
SOURCE: The World Factbook |