Country's Backgrounds and Profiles... |
|
|
||||
|
||||
Choose a page below...
|
The Transatlantic Education Mega-Site...We invite you to add ed-u.com to your list of favorites/bookmarks. Internet Explorer users please click here, and others, right click here -> ed-u.com. Also, you can learn how to make any ed-u.com page your start page by clicking here.
US Shopping Guides, travel resources, accommodations, airlines, cruise lines, rentals, reviews, education, churches...
Click for your free quote wherever you are in the World.
You've taken the time to learn French, German, Italian or Spanish! You've spent money on various self study tape courses! You've attended a language course abroad! Why risk loosing the language by not keeping it up to date? Why not join the thousands of intermediate and advanced language students on six continents who use Champs-Elysées, Schau ins Land, Puerta Sol, and Acquerello italiano to stay in touch with the languages and cultures they love.
Azerbaijan
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.
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:
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Maine Land boundaries:
Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked) 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:
Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, nonferrous metals, alumina Land use:
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:
Geography - note: landlocked
Population: 7,748,163 (July 2000 est.) Age structure:
Population growth rate: 0.27% (2000 est.) Birth rate: 18.08 births/1,000 population (2000 est.) Death rate: 9.47 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.) Net migration rate: -5.92 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.) Sex ratio:
Infant mortality rate: 83.41 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.) Life expectancy at birth:
Total fertility rate: 2.19 children born/woman (2000 est.) Nationality:
Ethnic groups:
Azeri 90%, Dagestani 3.2%, Russian 2.5%, Armenian 2%, other 2.3% (1998 est.)
Religions:
Muslim 93.4%, Russian Orthodox 2.5%, Armenian Orthodox 2.3%, other 1.8% (1995 est.)
Languages: Azeri 89%, Russian 3%, Armenian 2%, other 6% (1995 est.) Literacy:
Country name:
Data code: AJ Government type: republic Capital: Baku (Baki) Administrative divisions: 59 rayons (rayonlar; rayon - singular), 11 cities* (saharlar; sahar - singular), 1 autonomous republic** (muxtar respublika); Abseron Rayonu, Agcabadi Rayonu, Agdam Rayonu, Agdas Rayonu, Agstafa Rayonu, Agsu Rayonu, Ali Bayramli 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, Yardimli Rayonu, Yevlax Rayonu, Yevlax Sahari*, Zangilan Rayonu, Zaqatala Rayonu, Zardab Rayonu Independence: 30 August 1991 (from Soviet Union) National holiday: Independence Day, 28 May (1918) Constitution: adopted 12 November 1995 Legal system: based on civil law system Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch:
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Milli Mejlis (125 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
Judicial branch: Supreme Court Political parties and leaders: Azerbaijan Democratic Party or ADP [Ilyas ISMAYLOV]; Azerbaijan Popular Front or APF [Abulfaz ELCHIBEY, chairman]; Civic Solidarity [Sabir RUSTAMXANLI]; Communist Party of Azerbaijan or CPA-2 [Firudin HASANOV]; Democratic Party of Independence of Azerbaijan [Vagit KERIMOV]; Liberal Party of Azerbaijan [Lala HAJIYEVA]; Motherland Party [Fazail AGAMALI]; Musavat Party [Isa GAMBAR, chairman]; New Azerbaijan Party or NAP [Heydar ALIYEV, chairman]; Party for National Independence of Azerbaijan or PNIA [Etibar MAMMADOV, chairman]; People's Democratic Party of Azerbaijan [Rafig TURABXANLY]; Social Democratic Party of Azerbaijan or SDP [Zardusht ALIZADE, chairman]; Vahdat Party [Leyla YUNUSOV, Jabrayil ALIZADE] Political pressure groups and leaders: Sadval, Lezgin movement; self-proclaimed Armenian Nagorno-Karabakh Republic; Talysh independence movement International organization participation: BSEC, CCC, CE (guest), CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECO, ESCAP, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM (observer), OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer) Diplomatic representation in the US:
Diplomatic representation from the US:
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
Economy - overview: Azerbaijan is less developed industrially than either Armenia or Georgia, the other Caucasian states. It resembles the Central Asian states in its majority Muslim population, high structural unemployment, and low standard of living. The economy's most prominent products are oil, cotton, and natural gas. Production from the Caspian oil field declined through 1997 but registered an increase in 1998-99. Negotiation of 19 production-sharing arrangements (PSAs) with foreign firms, which have thus far committed $60 billion to oil field development, should generate the funds needed to spur future industrial development. Oil production under the first of these PSAs, with the Azerbaijan International Operating Company, began in November 1997. Azerbaijan shares all the formidable problems of the former 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 are slowly being replaced. An obstacle to economic progress, including stepped up foreign investment, is the continuing conflict with Armenia over the Nagorno-Karabakh region. Trade with Russia and the other former Soviet republics is declining in importance while trade is building up with Turkey, Iran, UAE, and the nations of Europe. Growth in 2000 should match growth in 1999. Long-term prospects will depend on world oil prices and the location of new pipelines in the region. GDP: purchasing power parity - $14 billion (1999 est.) GDP - real growth rate: 7% (1999 est.) GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,770 (1999 est.) GDP - composition by sector:
Population below poverty line: 60% (1999 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share:
Inflation rate (consumer prices): -6.8% (1999 est.) Labor force: 2.9 million (1997) Labor force - by occupation: agriculture and forestry 32%, industry and construction 15%, services 53% (1997) Unemployment rate: 20% (1999 est.) Budget:
Industries: petroleum and natural gas, petroleum products, oilfield equipment; steel, iron ore, cement; chemicals and petrochemicals; textiles Industrial production growth rate: 3% (1999 est.) Electricity - production: 18.062 billion kWh (1999) Electricity - production by source:
Electricity - consumption: 15.508 billion kWh (1998) Electricity - exports: 1 billion kWh (1998) Electricity - imports: 1.2 billion kWh (1998) Agriculture - products: cotton, grain, rice, grapes, fruit, vegetables, tea, tobacco; cattle, pigs, sheep, goats Exports: $885 million (f.o.b., 1999 est.) Exports - commodities: oil and gas 70%, machinery, cotton, foodstuffs Exports - partners: Turkey, Russia, Georgia, Italy, Iran Imports: $1.62 billion (c.i.f., 1999 est.) Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, metals, chemicals Imports - partners: Turkey, Russia, Ukraine, UAE, Iran Debt - external: $684 million (1998) Economic aid - recipient: ODA, $113 million (1996) Currency: 1 manat = 100 gopiks Exchange rates: manats per US$1 - 4,342 (October 1999), 4,373 (1999), 3,869 (1998), 3,985.38 (1997), 4,301.26 (1996), 4,413.54 (1995) Fiscal year: calendar year
Telephones - main lines in use: 640,000 (1995) Telephones - mobile cellular: 6,000 (1995) Telephone system:
Azerbaijan's telephone system is a combination of old Soviet era technology used by Azerbaijani citizens and small- to medium-size commercial establishments, and modern cellular telephones used by an increasing middle class, large commercial ventures, international companies, and most government officials; the average citizen waits on a 200,000-person list for telephone service; Internet and e-mail service are available in Baku
Radio broadcast stations: AM 10, FM 17, shortwave 1 (1998) Radios: 175,000 (1997) Television broadcast stations: 2 (1997) Televisions: 170,000 (1997) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (1999)
Railways:
Highways:
Pipelines: crude oil 1,130 km; petroleum products 630 km; natural gas 1,240 km Ports and harbors: Baku (Baki) Merchant marine:
Airports: 69 (1996 est.) Airports - with paved runways:
Airports - with unpaved runways:
Military branches: Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces, Border Guards Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age Military manpower - availability:
Military manpower - fit for military service:
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $121 million (FY99) Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 2.6% (FY99)
Disputes - international: Armenia supports ethnic Armenians in the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan in the longstanding, separatist conflict against the Azerbaijani Government; Caspian Sea boundaries are not yet determined among Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Turkmenistan Illicit drugs: limited illicit cultivation of cannabis and opium poppy, mostly for CIS consumption; limited government eradication program; transshipment point for opiates via Iran, Central Asia, and Russia to Western Europe Please click here for a guide to the country profiles Click here for all other countries
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
