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NAVIGATION
Azerbaijani Republic
Azarbaycan Respublikasi
former: Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic
INTRODUCTION
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Background:
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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. |
GEOGRAPHY
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Location:
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Southwestern Asia, bordering the Caspian Sea, between Iran and Russia |
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Geographic coordinates:
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40 30 N, 47 30 E |
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Map references:
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Asia |
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Area:
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total: 86,600 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 water: 500 sq km land: 86,100 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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slightly smaller than Maine |
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Land boundaries:
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total: 2,013 km
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 |
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Coastline:
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0 km (landlocked); note - Azerbaijan borders the Caspian Sea (800 km, est.) |
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Maritime claims:
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none (landlocked) |
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Climate:
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dry, semiarid steppe |
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Terrain:
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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 |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Caspian Sea -28 m
highest point: Bazarduzu Dagi 4,485 m |
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Natural resources:
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petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, nonferrous metals, alumina |
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Land use:
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arable land: 19.31%
permanent crops: 3.04% other: 77.65% (1998 est.) |
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Irrigated land:
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14,550 sq km (1998 est.) |
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Natural hazards:
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droughts |
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Environment - current issues:
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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, soil, and water pollution; soil pollution results from oil spills, from the use of DDT as a pesticide, and from toxic defoliants used in the production of cotton |
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Environment - international agreements:
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party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
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Geography - note:
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both the main area of the country and the Naxcivan exclave are landlocked |
PEOPLE
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Population:
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7,798,497 (July 2002 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 28.3% (male 1,122,340; female 1,082,355)
15-64 years: 64.3% (male 2,441,830; female 2,577,109) 65 years and over: 7.4% (male 228,735; female 346,128) (2002 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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0.38% (2002 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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18.84 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
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Death rate:
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9.61 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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-5.41 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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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: 0.66 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
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Infant mortality rate:
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82.74 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: 63.06 years
female: 67.53 years (2002 est.) male: 58.8 years |
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Total fertility rate:
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2.29 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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less than 0.01% (1999 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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less than 500 (1999 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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less than 100 (1999 est.) |
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Nationality:
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noun: Azerbaijani(s)
adjective: Azerbaijani |
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Ethnic groups:
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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 |
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Religions:
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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 |
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Languages:
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Azerbaijani (Azeri) 89%, Russian 3%, Armenian 2%, other 6% (1995 est.) |
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97% male: 99% female: 96% (1989 est.) |