1996 Edition

Description

three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), red, and green; a crescent and eight-pointed star in white are centered in red band

Location

40 30 N, 47 30 E -- Southwestern Asia, bordering the Caspian Sea, between Iran and Russia Flag ----

Area

comparative area

slightly larger than Maine

land area

86,100 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

total area

86,600 sq km

Climate

dry, semiarid steppe

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

note

Azerbaijan borders the Caspian Sea (800 km, est.)

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

international agreements

party to - Climate Change; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity

natural hazards

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

Geographic coordinates

40 30 N, 47 30 E

Geographic note

landlocked

International disputes

violent and longstanding dispute with ethnic Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh over its status; Caspian Sea boundaries are not yet determined

Irrigated land

14,010 sq km (1990)

Land 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

total

2,013 km

Land use

arable land

18%

forest and woodland

0%

meadows and pastures

25%

other

53%

permanent crops

4%

Location

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

Map references

Commonwealth of Independent States

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Natural resources

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

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

highest point

Bazarduzu Dagi 4,485 m

lowest point

Caspian Sea -28 m

Age structure

0-14 years: 32% (male 1,270,812; female 1,215,781) 15-64 years: 61% (male 2,293,688; female 2,423,222) 65 years and over: 7% (male 179,048; female 294,402) (July 1996 est.)

Birth rate

22.28 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate

8.69 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Ethnic divisions

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

Infant mortality rate

74.5 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

female

69.78 years (1996 est.)

male

60.13 years

total population

64.84 years

Literacy

age 15 and over can read and write (1989 est.)

female

96%

male

99%

total population

97%

Nationality

adjective

Azerbaijani

noun

Azerbaijani(s)

Net migration rate

-5.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Population

7,676,953 (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate

0.78% (1996 est.)

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; actual practicing adherents are much lower

Sex ratio

all ages

0.95 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

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: 0.61 male(s)/female

Total fertility rate

2.64 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Administrative divisions

59 rayons (rayonlar; rayon - singular), 11 cities* (saharlar; sahar - singular), 1 autonomous republic** (muxtar respublika); Abscron 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, Yardimb Rayonu, Yevlax Rayonu, Yevlax Sahari*, Zangilan Rayonu, Zaqatala Rayonu, Zardab Rayonu

Capital

Baku (Baki)

Constitution

adopted 12 November 1995

Data code

AJ

Diplomatic representation in US

chancery

(temporary) Suite 700, 927 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005

chief of mission

Ambassador Hafiz Mir Jalal PASHAYEV

telephone

[1] (202) 842-0001

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers was appointed by the president and confirmed by the Mejlis

chief of state

President Heydar ALIYEV (since 18 June 1993) was elected by popular vote; election last held 3 October 1993 (next to be held 1997 or 1998); results - Heydar ALIYEV won 97% of vote

head of government

Prime Minister Fuad QULIYEV (since 9 October 1994), First Deputy Prime Ministers Abbas ABBASOV (since NA), Samed SADYKOV (since NA), Vahid AKHMEDOV (since NA), Elchin EFENDIYEV (since NA) were appointed by the president and confirmed by the Milli Mejlis

FAX

[1] (202) 842-0004

[9] (9412) 98-37-55

Flag

three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), red, and green; a crescent and eight-pointed star in white are centered in red band

Independence

30 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

International organization participation

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

Judicial branch

Supreme Court

Legal system

based on civil law system

Legislative branch

unicameral

Name of country

conventional long form

Azerbaijani Republic

conventional short form

Azerbaijan

former

Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic

local long form

Azarbaycan Respublikasi

local short form

none

National Assembly (Milli Mejlis)

elections last held 12 and 26 November 1995 (next to be held NA); percent of vote by party NA; seats - (125 total) number of seats by party NA

National holiday

Independence Day, 28 May

Other political or pressure groups

self-proclaimed Armenian Nagorno-Karabakh Republic; Talysh independence movement

Political parties and leaders

Azerbaijan Popular Front (APF), Ebulfez ELCIBEY, chairman; Musavat Party, Isa GAMBAR, chairman; National Independence Party, Etibar MAMEDOV, chairman; Social Democratic Party (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 (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

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Type of government

republic

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission

Ambassador Richard D. KAUZLARICH

embassy

Azadliq Prospekti 83, Baku

mailing address

use embassy street address

telephone

[9] (9412) 96-00-19, 98-03-37, 98-03-36, 93-64-80, 96-36-21

Agriculture

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

Budget

expenditures

$488 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1995 est.)

revenues

$465 million

Currency

1 manat = 100 gopik

Economic aid

note

commitments, 1992-95, $1,000 million ($185 million in disbursements); wheat from Turkey

recipient

ODA, $14 million (1993)

Economic 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 have yet to be replaced. Whereas the economies of most of the former Soviet republics had begun to bottom out in 1995, Azerbaijan's economy continued to plummet because of its late start on economic reform.

Electricity

capacity

4,900,000 kW

consumption per capita

2,200 kWh (1995 est.)

production

17 billion kWh

Exchange rates

manats per US$1 - 4,375 (April 1996), 4,500 (April 1995), 4,168 (end of December 1994)

Exports

$549.9 million (f.o.b., 1995)

commodities

oil and gas, chemicals, oilfield equipment, textiles, cotton

partners

mostly CIS and European countries

External debt

$100 million (of which $75 million to Russia)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $11.5 billion (1995 estimate as extrapolated from World Bank estimate for 1994)

GDP composition by sector

agriculture

NA%

industry

NA%

services

NA%

GDP per capita

$1,480 (1995 est.)

GDP real growth rate

-17% (1995 est.)

Illicit drugs

illicit cultivator of cannabis and opium poppy, mostly for CIS consumption; limited government eradication program; transshipment point for illicit drugs to Western Europe

Imports

$681.5 million (c.i.f., 1995)

commodities

machinery and parts, consumer durables, foodstuffs, textiles

partners

European countries

Industrial production growth rate

-21% (1995 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

85% (1995 est.)

Labor force

2.789 million

by occupation

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

Unemployment rate

2.3% includes officially registered unemployed; also large numbers of unregistered unemployed and underemployed workers (December 1995)

Branches

Army, Navy, Air Force, Maritime Border Guard

Defense expenditures

33.5 billion manats, NA% of GDP (1994); note - conversion of defense expenditures into US dollars using the current exchange rate could produce misleading results

Manpower availability

males age 15-49

1,952,390

males fit for military service

1,574,813

males reach military age (18) annually

68,006 (1996 est.)

Radio broadcast stations

AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA (1 state-owned radio broadcast station)

Radios

NA

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 was supposed to become operational in 1994

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)

Telephones

710,000 (1991 est.)

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

NA Defense

Airports

total

69

with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m

17

with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m

6

with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m

3

with paved runways over 3 047 m

2

with paved runways under 914 m

1

with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m

7

with unpaved runways under 914 m

33 (1994 est.)

Highways

paved

31,800 km (includes graveled)

total

36,700 km

unpaved

4,900 km (1990 est.)

Pipelines

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

Ports

Baku (Baki)

Railways

broad gauge

2,125 km 1.520-m gauge (1,278 km electrified) (1993)

total

2,125 km in common carrier service; does not include industrial lines