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NAVIGATION
Azerbaijani Republic
Azarbaycan Respublikasi
former: Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic
GOVERNMENT
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Country name:
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conventional long form: Republic of Azerbaijan
conventional short form: Azerbaijan local short form: none former: Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic local long form: Azarbaycan Respublikasi |
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Government type:
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republic |
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Capital:
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Baku (Baki) |
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Administrative divisions:
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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 |
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Independence:
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30 August 1991 (from Soviet Union) |
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National holiday:
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Founding of the Democratic Republic of Azerbaidzhan, 28 May (1918) |
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Constitution:
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adopted 12 November 1995 |
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Legal system:
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based on civil law system |
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Suffrage:
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18 years of age; universal |
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Executive branch:
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chief of state: President Heydar ALIYEV (since 18 June 1993)
head of government: Prime Minister Artur RASIZADE (since 26 November 1996) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president and confirmed by the National Assembly elections: president elected by popular vote to a five-year term; election last held 11 October 1998 (next to be held NA October 2003); prime minister and first deputy prime ministers appointed by the president and confirmed by the National Assembly election results: Heydar ALIYEV reelected president; percent of vote - Heydar ALIYEV 77.6%, Etibar MAMEDOV 11.8%, Nizami SULEYMANOV 8.2% |
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Legislative branch:
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unicameral National Assembly or Milli Mejlis (125 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 4 November 2000 (next to be held NA November 2005) 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 note: PNIA, Musavat, and APF "Classic" parties refused to take their seats note: 100 members of the curent 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 |
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Judicial branch:
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Supreme Court |
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Political parties and leaders:
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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 Shvkat HACIYEVA]; Musavat [Isa GAMBAR, chairman]; New Azerbaijan Party or NAP [Heydar ALIYEV, chairman]; Party for National Independence of Azerbaijan or PNIA [Etibar MAMMADLIV, chairman]; Social Democratic Party of Azerbaijan or SDP [Zardust ALIZADE]
note: opposition parties regularly factionalize and form new parties |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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Sadval, Lezgin movement; self-proclaimed Armenian Nagorno-Karabakh Republic; Talysh independence movement |
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International organization participation:
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AsDB, BSEC, CCC, CE, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECO, ESCAP, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM (observer), OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer) |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Elmar MAMEDYAROV
FAX: [1] (202) 337-5911 telephone: [1] (202) 337-3500 chancery: 2741 34th Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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chief of mission: Ambassador Ross L. WILSON
embassy: 83 Azadliq Avenue, Baku 370007 mailing address: American Embassy Baku, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-7050 telephone: [9] (9412) 98-03-35, 36, 37 FAX: [9] (9412) 90-66-71 |
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Flag description:
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three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), red, and green; a crescent and eight-pointed star in white are centered in red band |
ECONOMY
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Economy - overview:
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Azerbaijan's number one export is oil. Azerbaijan's oil production declined through 1997 but has registered an increase every year since. Negotiation of production-sharing arrangements (PSAs) with foreign firms, which have thus far committed $60 billion to oilfield 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 in the non-energy sector, 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 with Turkey and the nations of Europe. Long-term prospects will depend on world oil prices, the location of new pipelines in the region, and Azerbaijan's ability to manage its oil wealth. |
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GDP:
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purchasing power parity - $27 billion (2002 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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6.1% (2002 est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power parity - $3,300 (2002 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 20%
industry: 33% services: 47% (2001 est.) |
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Population below poverty line:
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49% (2002) |
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest 10%: 3%
highest 10%: 28% (1995) |
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Distribution of family income - Gini index:
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36 (1995) |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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2.6% (2002 est.) |
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Labor force:
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3.7 million (1997) (2001) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture and forestry 41%, industry 7%, services 53% (1997) (2001) |
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Unemployment rate:
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16% (official rate is 1.1% for 2002) (2001 est.) |
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Budget:
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revenues: $786 million
expenditures: $807 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001) |
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Industries:
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petroleum and natural gas, petroleum products, oilfield equipment; steel, iron ore, cement; chemicals and petrochemicals; textiles |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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6% (2002 est.) |
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Electricity - production:
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17.6 billion kWh (2000) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil fuel: 91%
hydro: 9% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0% |
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Electricity - consumption:
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16.7 billion kWh (2000) |
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Electricity - exports:
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900 million kWh (2000) |
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Electricity - imports:
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1.25 billion kWh (2000) |
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Agriculture - products:
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cotton, grain, rice, grapes, fruit, vegetables, tea, tobacco; cattle, pigs, sheep, goats |
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Exports:
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$2 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.) |
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Exports - commodities:
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oil and gas 90%, machinery, cotton, foodstuffs |
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Exports - partners:
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Italy 57.2%, Israel 7.1%, Georgia 4.5%, Russia 3.4%, Turkey 2.9% (2001) |
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Imports:
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$1.8 billion f.o.b. (2002) |
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Imports - commodities:
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machinery and equipment, oil products, foodstuffs, metals, chemicals |
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Imports - partners:
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US 16.1%, Russia 10.7%, Turkey 10.4%, Kazakhstan 7.0%, Germany 5.1% (2001) |
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Debt - external:
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$1.4 billion (2002) |
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Economic aid - recipient:
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ODA, $140 million (1996) (2000 est.) |
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Currency:
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Azerbaijani manat (AZM) |
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Currency code:
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AZM |
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Exchange rates:
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Azerbaijani manats per US dollar - 4,804 (11 February 2002), 4,656.58 (2001), 4,474.15 (2000), 4,120.17 (1999), 3,869 (1998), 3,985.38 (1997) |
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Fiscal year:
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calendar year |