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azerbaijan

more about azerbaijan

azerbaijan


  2  definitions  found 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  Azerbaijan 
  n  :  a  landlocked  republic  in  southwestern  Asia;  formerly  an 
  Asian  Soviet  [syn:  {Azerbaijan},  {Azerbajdzhan},  {Azerbaijani 
  Republic}] 
 
  From  The  CIA  World  Factbook  (1995)  [world95]: 
 
  Azerbaijan 
 
  Note--Azerbaijan  continues  to  be  plagued  by  an  unresolved 
  seven-year-old  conflict  with  Armenian  separatists  over  its 
  Nagorno-Karabakh  region.  The  Karabakh  Armenians  have  declared 
  independence  and  seized  almost  20%  of  the  country's  territory, 
  creating  almost  1  million  Azeri  displaced  persons  in  the  process.  Both 
  sides  have  generally  observed  a  Russian-mediated  cease-fire  in  place 
  since  May  1994,  and  support  the  OSCE-mediated  peace  process,  now 
  entering  its  fourth  year.  Nevertheless,  Baku  and  Xankandi 
  Stepanakert  remain  far  apart  on  most  substantive  issues  from  the 
  placement  and  composition  of  a  peacekeeping  force  to  the  enclave's 
  ultimate  political  status,  and  prospects  for  a  negotiated  settlement 
  remain  dim. 
 
  Azerbaijan:Geography 
 
  Location:  Southwestern  Asia,  bordering  the  Caspian  Sea,  between  Iran 
  and  Russia 
 
  Map  references:  Commonwealth  of  Independent  States  -  European  States 
 
  Area: 
  total  area:  86,600  sq  km 
  land  area:  86,100  sq  km 
  comparative  area:  slightly  larger  than  Maine 
  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  Armenia  (west)  566  km  Armenia 
  (southwest)  221  km  Georgia  322  km  Iran  (south)  432  km  Iran 
  (southwest)  179  km  Russia  284  km  Turkey  9  km 
 
  Coastline:  0  km  (landlocked) 
  note:  Azerbaijan  borders  the  Caspian  Sea  (800  km  est.) 
 
  Maritime  claims:  none;  landlocked 
 
  International  disputes:  violent  and  longstanding  dispute  with  ethnic 
  Armenians  of  Nagorno-Karabakh  over  its  status;  Caspian  Sea  boundaries 
  are  not  yet  determined 
 
  Climate:  dry,  semiarid  steppe 
 
  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 
 
  Natural  resources:  petroleum,  natural  gas,  iron  ore,  nonferrous 
  metals,  alumina 
 
  Land  use: 
  arable  land:  18% 
  permanent  crops:  4% 
  meadows  and  pastures:  25% 
  forest  and  woodland:  0% 
  other:  53% 
 
  Irrigated  land:  14,010  sq  km  (1990) 
 
  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 
  natural  hazards:  droughts;  some  lowland  areas  threatened  by  rising 
  levels  of  the  Caspian  Sea 
  international  agreements:  signed,  but  not  ratified  -  Biodiversity, 
  Climate  Change 
 
  Note:  landlocked 
 
  Azerbaijan:People 
 
  Population:  7,789,886  (July  1995  est.) 
 
  Age  structure: 
  0-14  years:  33%  (female  1,241,952;  male  1,315,313) 
  15-64  years:  61%  (female  2,437,810;  male  2,307,496) 
  65  years  and  over:  6%  (female  303,926;  male  183,389)  (July  1995  est.) 
 
  Population  growth  rate:  1.32%  (1995  est.) 
 
  Birth  rate:  22.05  births/1,000  population  (1995  est.) 
 
  Death  rate:  6.56  deaths/1,000  population  (1995  est.) 
 
  Net  migration  rate:  -2.32  migrant(s)/1,000  population  (1995  est.) 
 
  Infant  mortality  rate:  33.9  deaths/1,000  live  births  (1995  est.) 
 
  Life  expectancy  at  birth: 
  total  population:  71.09  years 
  male:  67.4  years 
  female:  74.97  years  (1995  est.) 
 
  Total  fertility  rate:  2.64  children  born/woman  (1995  est.) 
 
  Nationality: 
  noun:  Azerbaijani(s) 
  adjective:  Azerbaijani 
 
  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 
 
  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 
 
  Languages:  Azeri  89%,  Russian  3%,  Armenian  2%,  other  6%  (1995  est.) 
 
  Literacy:  age  15  and  over  can  read  and  write  (1989) 
  total  population:  97% 
  male:  99% 
  female:  96% 
 
  Labor  force:  2.789  million 
  by  occupation:  agriculture  and  forestry  32%,  industry  and  construction 
  26%,  other  42%  (1990) 
 
  Azerbaijan:Government 
 
  Names: 
  conventional  long  form:  Azerbaijani  Republic 
  conventional  short  form:  Azerbaijan 
  local  long  form:  Azarbaycan  Respublikasi 
  local  short  form:  none 
  former:  Azerbaijan  Soviet  Socialist  Republic 
 
  Digraph:  AJ 
 
  Type:  republic 
 
  Capital:  Baku  (Baki) 
 
  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 
 
  Independence:  30  August  1991  (from  Soviet  Union) 
 
  National  holiday:  Independence  Day  28  May 
 
  Constitution:  adopted  NA  April  1978;  writing  a  new  constitution 
 
  Legal  system:  based  on  civil  law  system 
 
  Suffrage:  18  years  of  age;  universal 
 
  Executive  branch: 
  chief  of  state:  President  Heydar  ALIYEV  (since  18  June  1993);  election 
  last  held  3  October  1993  (next  to  be  held  NA);  results  -  Heydar  ALIYEV 
  won  97%  of  vote 
  head  of  government:  Acting  Prime  Minister  Fuad  QULIYEV  (since  9 
  October  1994);  First  Deputy  Prime  Ministers  Abbas  ABBASOV  Samed 
  SADYKOV  Vahid  AKHMEDOV  (since  NA) 
  cabinet:  Council  of  Ministers;  appointed  by  the  president  and 
  confirmed  by  the  Mejlis 
 
  Legislative  branch:  unicameral 
  National  Assembly  (Milli  Mejlis):  elections  last  held  30  September  and 
  14  October  1990  for  the  Supreme  Soviet  (next  expected  to  be  held 
  September  1995  for  the  National  Assembly);  seats  for  Supreme  Soviet  - 
  (360  total)  Communists  280,  Democratic  Bloc  45  (grouping  of  opposition 
  parties),  other  15,  vacant  20;  note  -  on  19  May  1992  the  Supreme 
  Soviet  was  prorogued  in  favor  of  a  Popular  Front-dominated  National 
  Council;  seats  -  (50  total)  Popular  Front  25,  opposition  elements  25 
  note:  since  June  1993  ALIYEV  has  rotated  in  several  supporters  to 
  replace  Popular  Front  adherents 
 
  Judicial  branch:  Supreme  Court 
 
  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 
 
  Other  political  or  pressure  groups:  self-proclaimed  Armenian 
  Nagorno-Karabakh  Republic;  Talysh  independence  movement 
 
  Member  of:  BSEC,  CCC,  CIS,  EBRD,  ECE,  ECO,  ESCAP,  IBRD,  ICAO,  IDB, 
  IFAD,  ILO,  IMF,  INTELSAT,  INTERPOL,  IOC,  ITU,  NACC,  OIC,  OSCE,  PFP, 
  UN  UNCTAD  UNESCO,  UPU,  WHO  WMO 
 
  Diplomatic  representation  in  US: 
  chief  of  mission:  Ambassador  Hafiz  Mir  Jalal  PASHAYEV 
  chancery:  (temporary)  Suite  700,  927  15th  Street  NW  Washington,  DC 
  20005 
  telephone:  [1]  (202)  842-0001 
  FAX:  [1]  (202)  842-0004 
 
  US  diplomatic  representation: 
  chief  of  mission:  Ambassador  Richard  D.  KAUZLARICH 
  embassy:  Azadliq  Prospect  83,  Baku 
  mailing  address:  use  embassy  street  address 
  telephone:  [9]  (9412)  96-00-19,  98-03-37 
  FAX:  [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 
 
  Economy 
 
  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  accounted  for  1.5%  to 
  2%  of  the  capital  stock  and  output  of  the  former  Soviet  Union. 
  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. 
 
  National  product:  GDP  -  purchasing  power  parity  -  $13.8  billion  (1994 
  estimate  as  extrapolated  from  World  Bank  estimate  for  1992) 
 
  National  product  real  growth  rate:  -22%  (1994  est.) 
 
  National  product  per  capita:  $1,790  (1994  est.) 
 
  Inflation  rate  (consumer  prices):  28%  monthly  average  (1994) 
 
  Unemployment  rate:  0.9%  includes  officially  registered  unemployed; 
  also  large  numbers  of  other  unemployed  and  underemployed  workers 
  (December  1994) 
 
  Budget: 
  revenues:  $167.5  million 
  expenditures:  $234.6  million,  including  capital  expenditures  of  $NA 
  (1994) 
 
  Exports:  $366  million  to  non-FSU  countries  (f.o.b.,  1994) 
  commodities:  oil  and  gas,  chemicals,  oilfield  equipment,  textiles, 
  cotton  (1991) 
  partners:  mostly  CIS  and  European  countries 
 
  Imports:  $296  million  from  non-FSU  countries  (c.i.f.,  1994) 
  commodities:  machinery  and  parts  consumer  durables,  foodstuffs, 
  textiles  (1991) 
  partners:  European  countries 
 
  External  debt:  $NA 
 
  Industrial  production:  growth  rate  -25%  (1994) 
 
  Electricity: 
  capacity:  4,900,000  kW 
  production:  17.5  billion  kWh 
  consumption  per  capita:  2,270  kWh  (1994) 
 
  Industries:  petroleum  and  natural  gas,  petroleum  products,  oilfield 
  equipment;  steel,  iron  ore,  cement;  chemicals  and  petrochemicals; 
  textiles 
 
  Agriculture:  cotton,  grain,  rice,  grapes,  fruit,  vegetables,  tea, 
  tobacco;  cattle,  pigs,  sheep  and  goats 
 
  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 
 
  Economic  aid: 
  recipient:  wheat  from  Turkey 
 
  Currency:  1  manat  =  100  gopik 
 
  Exchange  rates:  manats  per  US$1  -  4500  (April  1995),  4168  (end  of 
  December  1994) 
 
  Fiscal  year:  calendar  year 
 
  Azerbaijan:Transportation 
 
  Railroads: 
  total:  2,090  km  in  common  carrier  service;  does  not  include  industrial 
  lines 
  broad  gauge:  2,090  km  1.520-m  gauge  (1990) 
 
  Highways: 
  total:  36,700  km 
  paved  or  graveled:  31,800  km 
  unpaved:  earth  4,900  km  (1990) 
 
  Pipelines:  crude  oil  1,130  km  petroleum  products  630  km  natural  gas 
  1,240  km 
 
  Ports:  Baku  (Baki) 
 
  Airports: 
  total:  69 
  with  paved  runways  over  3,047  m:  2 
  with  paved  runways  2,438  to  3,047  m:  6 
  with  paved  runways  1,524  to  2,437  m:  17 
  with  paved  runways  914  to  1,523  m:  3 
  with  paved  runways  under  914  m:  1 
  with  unpaved  runways  914  to  1,523  m:  7 
  with  unpaved  runways  under  914  m:  33 
 
  Azerbaijan:Communications 
 
  Telephone  system:  710,000  telephones;  90  telephones/1,000  persons 
  (1991);  202,000  persons  waiting  for  telephone  installations  (January 
  1991);  domestic  telephone  service  is  of  poor  quality  and  inadequate 
  local:  a  joint  venture  to  establish  a  cellular  telephone  system 
  Bakcel  in  the  Baku  area  is  supposed  to  become  operational  in  1994 
  intercity:  NA 
  international:  connections  to  other  former  USSR  republics  by  cable  and 
  microwave  and  to  other  countries  via  the  Moscow  international  gateway 
  switch;  INTELSAT  link  installed  in  late  1992  in  Baku  with  Turkish 
  financial  assistance  with  access  to  200  countries  through  Turkey; 
  since  August  1993  an  earth  station  near  Baku  has  provided  direct 
  communications  with  New  York  through  Russia's  Stationar-11  satellite 
 
  Radio: 
  broadcast  stations:  AM  NA  FM  NA  shortwave  NA 
  radios:  NA 
 
  Television: 
  broadcast  stations:  NA  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 
 
  Azerbaijan:Defense  Forces 
 
  Branches:  Army,  Air  Force,  Navy,  Maritime  Border  Guard,  National 
  Guard,  Security  Forces  (internal  and  border  troops) 
 
  Manpower  availability:  males  age  15-49  1,927,955;  males  fit  for 
  military  service  1,553,736;  males  reach  military  age  (18)  annually 
  68,407  (1995  est.) 
 
  Defense  expenditures:  70.5  billion  rubles,  10%  of  GDP  (1993  budget 
  allocation);  note  -  conversion  of  the  military  budget  into  US  dollars 
  using  the  current  exchange  rate  could  produce  misleading  results 
 
 
 




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