| World Regions |
|
Africa Middle East Europe Asia North America Central America The Caribbean South America Oceania World Map Cities Maps Flags Embassies Consulates |
| |
| Introduction | Azerbaijan |
| Background: | Azerbaijan - a nation with a Turkic and majority-Muslim population - 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 800,000 refugees and 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. |
| People | Azerbaijan |
| Population: | 7,868,385 (July 2004 est.) |
| Age structure: | 0-14 years: 27% (male 1,081,579; female 1,046,270) 15-64 years: 65.2% (male 2,499,618; female 2,630,386) 65 years and over: 7.8% (male 242,253; female 368,279) (2004 est.) |
| Median age: | total: 27.3 years male: 25.9 years female: 28.8 years (2004 est.) |
| Population growth rate: | 0.52% (2004 est.) |
| Birth rate: | 19.81 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
| Death rate: | 9.76 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
| Net migration rate: | -4.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
| Sex ratio: | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate: | total: 82.07 deaths/1,000 live births female: 80.06 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) male: 83.99 deaths/1,000 live births |
| Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 63.25 years male: 59.09 years female: 67.62 years (2004 est.) |
| Total fertility rate: | 2.39 children born/woman (2004 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | less than 0.1% (2003 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | less than 1,400 (2003 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths: | less than 100 (2001 est.) |
| 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: | Azerbaijani (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.) |
| Government | Azerbaijan |
| Country name: | conventional long form: Republic of Azerbaijan conventional short form: Azerbaijan local long form: Azarbaycan Respublikasi former: Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic local short form: none |
| Government type: | republic |
| Capital: | Baku (Baki) |
| Administrative divisions: | 59 rayons (rayonlar; rayon - singular), 11 cities* (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 holiday: | Founding of the Democratic Republic of Azerbaidzhan, 28 May (1918) |
| Constitution: | adopted 12 November 1995 |
| Legal system: | based on civil law system |
| Suffrage: | 18 years of age; universal |
| Executive branch: | chief of state: President Ilham ALIYEV (since 31 October 2003) cabinet: Council of 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% elections: president elected by popular vote to a five-year term; election last held 15 October 2003 (next to be held NA October 2008); prime minister and first deputy prime ministers appointed by the president and confirmed by the National Assembly head of government: Prime Minister Artur RASIZADE (since 4 November 2003); First Deputy Prime Minister Abbas ABBASOV (since 10 November 2003) |
| Legislative branch: | unicameral National Assembly or Milli Mejlis (125 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NAP and allies 108, APF "Reform" 6, CSP 3, PNIA 2, Musavat Party 2, CPA 2, APF "Classic" 1, Compatriot Party 1 elections: last held 4 November 2000 (next to be held NA November 2005) note: 100 members of the current parliament were elected on the basis of single mandate constituencies, while 25 were elected based on proportional balloting; as a result of a 24 August 2002 national referendum on changes to the constitution, all 125 members of the next parliament will be elected from single mandate constituencies note: PNIA, Musavat, and APF "Classic" parties refused to take their seats |
| Judicial branch: | Supreme Court |
| Political parties and leaders: | Azerbaijan Popular Front or APF [Ali KARIMLI, leader of "Reform" faction; Mirmahmud MIRALI-OGLU, leader of "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]; Musavat [Isa GAMBAR, chairman]; New Azerbaijan Party or NAP [vacant]; 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 pressure groups and leaders: | Sadval, Lezgin movement; self-proclaimed Armenian Nagorno-Karabakh Republic; Talysh independence movement; Union of Pro-Azerbaijani Forces (UPAF) |
| International organization participation: | AsDB, BSEC, CE, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, GUUAM, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer) |
| Diplomatic representation in the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Hafiz PASHAYEV chancery: 2741 34th Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 FAX: [1] (202) 337-5911 telephone: [1] (202) 337-3500 |
| Diplomatic representation from the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Reno L. HARNISH III embassy: 83 Azadlyg Prospecti, Baku AZ1007 mailing address: American Embassy Baku, Department of State, 7050 Baku Place, Washington, DC 20521-7050 telephone: [9] (9412) 98-03-35, 36, 37 FAX: [9] (9412) 656-671 |
| 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 |
| Communications | Azerbaijan |
| Telephones - main lines in use: | 923,800 (2002) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular: | 870,000 (2002) |
| Telephone system: | general assessment: inadequate; requires considerable expansion and modernization; teledensity of 10 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; a satellite connection to Turkey enables Baku to reach about 200 additional countries, some of which are directly connected to Baku by satellite providers other than Turkey (1997) |
| Radio broadcast stations: | AM 10, FM 17, shortwave 1 (1998) |
| Radios: | 175,000 (1997) |
| Television broadcast stations: | 2 (1997) |
| Televisions: | 170,000 (1997) |
| Internet country code: | .az |
| Internet hosts: | 586 (2004) |
| Internet Service Providers (ISPs): | 2 (2000) |
| Internet users: | 300,000 (2002) |
| Transportation | Azerbaijan |
| Railways: | total: 2,957 km broad gauge: 2,957 km 1.520-m gauge (1,278 km electrified) (2003) |
| Highways: | total: 24,981 km paved: 23,057 km unpaved: 1,924 km (2000) |
| Pipelines: | gas 4,451 km; oil 1,518 km (2004) |
| Ports and harbors: | Baku (Baki) |
| Merchant marine: | total: 56 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 253,004 GRT/318,922 DWT by type: cargo 14, petroleum tanker 40, roll on/roll off 2 foreign-owned: Russia 1 (2003 est.) |
| Airports: | 67 (2003 est.) |
| Airports - with paved runways: | total: 27 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 1 (2003 est.) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 15 |
| Airports - with unpaved runways: | total: 40 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 32 (2003 est.) 914 to 1,523 m: 6 |
| Heliports: | 2 (2003 est.) |
| Military | Azerbaijan |
| Military branches: | Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces |
| Military manpower - military age and obligation: | 18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; law passed December 2001 raises maximum conscription age from 28 to 35 (December 2001) |
| Military manpower - availability: | males age 15-49: 2,187,847 (2004 est.) |
| Military manpower - fit for military service: | males age 15-49: 1,748,567 (2004 est.) |
| Military manpower - reaching military age annually: | males: 83,131 (2004 est.) |
| Military expenditures - dollar figure: | $121 million (FY99) |
| Military expenditures - percent of GDP: | 2.6% (FY99) |
| Transnational Issues | Azerbaijan |
| Disputes - international: | Armenia supports ethnic Armenian secessionists in Nagorno-Karabakh and militarily occupies about one-sixth of Azerbaijan - 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; talks resume with Turkmenistan on dividing the seabed in 2004 as both sides await an ICJ decision on contested oilfields in the middle of the Caspian; Azerbaijan protests Georgian constructions at the Red Bridge crossing and several other small segments of boundary, which remain unresolved until delimitation |
| Refugees and internally displaced persons: | IDPs: 571,000 (conflict with Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh) (2004) |
| 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 |
| This page was last updated on 16 December, 2004 |
| Categories | |
|