President: Maxwell Richards Prime minister: Kamla Persad-Bissessar
Population
9,493,600
1,226,383
Life Expectancy
71.320 years
71.670 years
Capital City
Baku (Baki, Baky)
Port-of-Spain
Largest city
Baku (population: 1,116,510)
Chaguanas (population: 72,159)
Human Development Index
0.758
0.833
GDP per capita
$10,300 US
$20,300 US
Literacy Rate
98.8%
98.6%
Corruption Perception Index
1.9
3.6
Percentage of Women in Parliament
11.4%
33.3%
Wealthiest Citizens
Unemployment Rate
1.000%
6.400%
Death Penalty
Abolished
Legal
Political System
republic
parliamentary democracy
Independence date
30 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)
31 August 1962 (from UK)
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
Roman Catholic 26%, Hindu 22.5%, Anglican 7.8%, Baptist 7.2%, Pentecostal 6.8%, Muslim 5.8%, Seventh Day Adventist 4%, other Christian 5.8%, other 10.8%, unspecified 1.4%, none 1.9% (2000 census)
Languages
Azerbaijani (Azeri) 90.3%, Lezgi 2.2%, Russian 1.8%, Armenian 1.5%, other 3.3%, unspecified 1% (1999 census)
English (official), Caribbean Hindustani (a dialect of Hindi), French, Spanish, Chinese
Exports
oil and gas 90%, machinery, cotton, foodstuffs
petroleum and petroleum products, liquefied natural gas (LNG), methanol, ammonia, urea, steel products, beverages, cereal and cereal products, sugar, cocoa, coffee, citrus fruit, vegetables, flowers
External Debt
$4,074,000,000 $
$4,483,000,000 US
Exchange Rate
Azerbaijani manats (AZN) per US dollar - 0.8219 (2008 est.), 0.8581 (2007), 0.8934 (2006), 4,727.1 (2005), 4,913.48 (2004) note: on 1 January 2006 Azerbaijan revalued its currency, with 5,000 old manats equal to 1 new manat
Trinidad and Tobago dollars (TTD) per US dollar - 6.3228 (2008 est.), 6.3275 (2007), 6.3107 (2006), 6.2842 (2005), 6.299 (2004)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
2.600%
0.300%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
7
2
Location
Southwestern Asia, bordering the Caspian Sea, between Iran and Russia, with a small European portion north of the Caucasus range
Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Venezuela