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Skyline of the capital Baku at Baku bay, Azerbaijan
A view of the skyline of the country's capital Baku at Baku bay, Azerbaijan.
Image: AlixSaz
 

Azerbaijan Flag
Flag of Azerbaijan
Location map of Azerbaijan. Where in Central Asia is Azerbaijan?
Location map of Azerbaijan
A virtual guide to Azerbaijan. The former Soviet republic is an independent state since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. The country is situated in southwestern Asia with the Great Caucasus Mountains to the north.


Historically, the name Azerbaijan refers to a larger region that formed part of Persia (Iran). Azerbaijan is bordered by the Caspian Sea in east, by Iran in south, by Armenia in west, and Georgia and Russia in the north. The Azeri autonomous republic of Nakhchivan forms an enclave within the Republic of Armenia, in a narrow part in west it borders Turkey. Its highest mountain is Bazarduzu Dagi with 4,485 m.

With an area of 86,600 km² the country is slightly larger than Austria or slightly smaller than the U.S. state of Maine.

Azerbaijan has a population of 9.7 million people (in 2016). Main religion is Islam, Azerbaijan is one of the few countries with a majority Shiite population.

Capital and largest city is Baku. Spoken languages are Azeri 90% (official), Russian 2%.

Read on and get an overview of Azerbaijan's art, culture, people, environment, geography, history, economy and government.


Republic of Azerbaijan | Azarbaycan Respublikasi


Country Profile



Background:
The Azerbaijan Democratic Republic was established in 1918, it was the first democratic and secular republic in the Muslim world, but was incorporated into the Soviet Union only two years later. The country regained independence in 1991 following the collapse of the Soviet Union.
Azerbaijan is one of the six modern independent Turkic states. 95% of its population are Muslims, 85% are Shia Muslims and 15% Sunni Muslims, making Azerbaijan the country with the second highest Shia population percentage in the world after Iran.

Despite a 1994 cease-fire, Azerbaijan has yet to resolve its conflict with Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh, a primarily Armenian-populated region that Russia recognized as part of Soviet Azerbaijan in the 1920s after Armenia and Azerbaijan disputed the status of the territory.

Corruption in Azerbaijan is ubiquitous, and the government, which eliminated presidential term limits in a 2009 referendum, has been accused of authoritarianism.
 
 

Official Name:
Azarbaycan Respublikasi
short form: Azarbaycan
int'l long form: Republic of Azerbaijan
int'l short form: Azerbaijan

ISO Country Code: az

Time:
Local Time = UTC +4h (DST in Summer +5h)
Actual Time: Sun-Mar-17  22:54

Country Calling Code: +994

Capital City: Baku

Other Cities: Ali Bayramli, Baki, Ganca, Lankaran, Mingacevir, Naftalan, Saki, Sumqayit, Susa, Xankandi, Yevlax.

Government:
Type: Republic.
Constitution: Approved in November 1995 referendum.
Independence: 30 August 1991 (from Soviet Union).

Geography:
Location: South Caucasus; bordered by Russia to the north, the Caspian Sea to the east, Iran to the south, and Georgia and Armenia to the west.
Area: 86,600 km² (33 774 sq. mi.); includes Nakhchivan and Nagorno-Karabakh.
Terrain: Caucasus Mountains to the north, lowland in the central area through which the Kura River flows.

Climate: Dry, subtropical with hot summers and mild winters; forests, meadows, and alpine tundra in the mountains.

People:
Nationality: Azerbaijani, Azeri.
Population: 9.7 million (in 2016)
Ethnic groups: Azeri 90.6%, Dagestani 2.2%, Russian 1.8%, Armenian 1.5%, other 3.9%. Note: the separatist Nagorno-Karabakh region is populated almost entirely by Armenians.
Religion: Muslim 93.4% (majority Shi'a), Russian Orthodox 2.5%, Armenian Orthodox Church 2.3%, and other 1.8%.
Languages: Azerbaijani 89%, Russian 3%, Armenian 2%, and other 6%.
Literacy: 97%.

Natural resources: Petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, nonferrous metals, alumina.

Agriculture products: Cotton, tobacco, grain, rice, grapes, fruit, vegetables, tea, cattle, pigs, sheep, goats.

Industries: Petroleum and natural gas, petroleum products, oilfield equipment; steel, iron ore; cement; chemicals and petrochemicals; textiles.

Exports partners: Italy 26.3%, Germany 13.3%, Indonesia 7%, France 6.9%, Czech Republic 6% (2015)

Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, metals, chemicals

Imports partners: Russia 19.9%, Turkey 16.5%, UK 8.6%, Germany 6.6%, Italy 6.3%, US 4.1% (2015)

Currency: Azerbaijan Manat; beginning January 2006, 1 new Manat (AZN) = 5000 old Manats (AZM).

Azerbaijan in Figures
Azerbaijan key statistical data.
 

Political system

According to the 1995 Constitution, Azerbaijan is a republic with a presidential government system. But the political system of Azerbaijan has been characterized since 1992 by the authoritarian leadership of Azerbaijan's presidents and undermined by corruption. Transparency International ranks Azerbaijan as one of many low-scoring countries in the region (#119 out of 167, where the least corrupt country ranks #1). Azerbaijan’s political rights rating at Freedom House declined from 6 to 7 due to an intensified crackdown on criticism and dissent; widespread violations in connection with the November 2015 parliamentary elections; and serious violations of the right to a fair trial.

Note: External links will open in a new browser window.

Official Sites of Azerbaijan


President of the Republic of Azerbaijan
The Office of President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, with a portrait of the president and information about Azerbaijan.

National Assembly of Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan's parliament.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

National Information Communication Technologies Strategy Project
Azerbaijan's e-government project.


Diplomatic Missions
Permanent Mission of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the UN
Azerbaijan's mission to the United Nations.
Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan
Washington D.C.
Diplomatic Missions of Azerbaijan
List of diplomatic missions of Azerbaijan abroad and
Diplomatic Missions accredited in Azerbaijan.

Statistics
State Statistical Committee of Azerbaijan Republic
Azerbaijan in figures.


Maps

Map of Azerbaijan
Political map of Azerbaijan.

Google Earth Google Earth Azerbaijan
Searchable map and satellite view of Azerbaijan.
Google Earth Google Earth Baku
Searchable map and satellite view of Azerbaijan's capital city.

profile Map of the Caspian Sea
Map of the Caspian Sea Region.
profile Caucasus and Central Asia Map
Map of Central Asia and the Caucasus region.
profile Map of Western Asia
Map of Western Asia and the Middle East region.
profile Map of Asia
Reference Map of Asia. 

 

News


Reporters Without Borders ranks Azerbaijan 163 out of the 180 countries included in the 2016 World Press Freedom Index official website. BBC states that Azerbaijan's impressive economic performance over the past two decades has not been matched by the development of free media. Mainstream media offer little scope for rigorous reporting of government activity or debate about policy.

Azertac
State information agency, official news from Azerbaijanian government.

Azerbaijan
State-owned Azerbaijan news (in Azeri).

News.Az
English language news from Azerbaijan.

525-ci Qəzet
Azerbaijan news (in Azeri).

 

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Arts & Culture


AZ Art Gallery
Contemporary Art and Artists in Azerbaijan.

KVN - The Rah-rah and Quick-witted Club (Klub Veselykh i Nakhodchivykh)
Comic and jocular performance.

Museums
Baku Museum of Modern Art
Azerbaijan's modern art museum in Baku with the 'collection of the best works of painting and sculpture of Azerbaijan avant-guardists from 2nd half of the 20th century up to now.'

Museum Center of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism
Cultural center of the Azerbaijan Republic in Baku.

National Museum of the Azerbaijan History
Azerbaijan's largest museum is housed in an Italian Renaissance-style mansion in Baku.

Nizami Museum of Azerbaijani Literature
The National museum of Azerbaijan literature.

 
Miniature painting of the battle between Shah Ismail I of Iran and Farrukh Yassar the Shirvanshah
Miniature painting of the battle between Shah Ismail I of Iran and Farrukh Yassar the Shirvanshah ocurred in December 1500. Ismail defeated the Shirvanshah and Farrukh Yassar died in the battle.

Business & Economy

Azerbaijan's high economic growth has been attributable to large and growing oil and gas exports, but some non-export sectors also featured double-digit growth, including construction, banking, and real estate. Oil exports through the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan Pipeline, the Baku-Novorossiysk, and the Baku-Supsa pipelines remain the main economic driver, efforts to boost Azerbaijan's gas production are underway.

National Bank of Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan's central bank.

United States - Azerbaijan Chamber of Commerce
The site provides also information about Azerbaijan.


Transportation
Azerbaijan Airlines
AZAL, the Baku based National Air Company.

Azerbaijan Railways 
Azerbaijan Railways is one of the successors of the Soviet Railways, it is headquartered in Baku. (in Azeri and Russian)

 
Azerbaijan, City of Baku, in background the 'Flame Towers'
Contrasting architecture in the city of Baku, in background the 'Flame Towers', the tallest skyscrapers in Azerbaijan. The Flame Towers (symbolizing the city's Coat of Arms) are completely covered with the LED screens that display the movement of a fire visible from the farthest points of the city.
Image: Suleyman Nabiev


Travel and Tour Consumer Information


Destination Azerbaijan - Travel and Tour Guides


Discover Azerbaijan: accommodation, hotels, attractions, festivals, events, tourist boards, biking, skiing, hiking, climbing, cruising, diving, tours and much more.

Visit Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan's official tourism portal.

Azerbaijan International Magazine
An independent magazine with issues related to Azerbaijanis around the world.

A to Z of Azerbaijan
Encyclopaedic index of Azerbaijan related information.

Cities:
Baku
Official website of the city.
Ganja
Site about the city of Ganja.

Candy Cane Mountains, Khizi Rayon, Azerbaijan
Candy Cane Mountains, shale mountains in Khizi Rayon and Siyazan Rayon districts.
Image: David Davidson
 
 

Education


Azerbaijan Academy of Sciences
Official website of with information about the academy.
Baku State University
Azerbaijan's "number one" university.
Khazar University
Khazar University is a leading academic institution of Azerbaijan, established in 1991.
Western University
Western University is one of the leading universities in the country, a private, non-profit officially recognized educational institution, founded in 1991 at Baku.
 
 

Environment & Nature


Geology Institute of Azerbaijan (GIA)
GIA is a leading organizations in the fields of Azerbaijan geology study and development of new fundamental trends in geoscience.

Caspian Sea Environment Programme
The CEP's mission is to assist the Caspian littoral states to achieve the goal of environmentally sustainable development and management of the Caspian environment for the sake of long-term benefit for the Caspian inhabitants.

Environmental movement in Azerbaijan
Site with comprehensive information about the main environmental problems of Azerbaijan.

RUZGAR
The NGO aims to carry out public monitoring of ecological situation, organize civic activities for protection and improvement of environment and ecological education of the country population.
 
 

History


Azerbaijan History
History of Azerbaijan by the Azerbaijan Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

History of Baku and Azerbaijan
History of Baku from ancient times to present days.

Karabakh Conflict
Background information on the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict.
 
 

Search


Azerbaijan Online
An Azerbaijan portal site.
Azerbaijan Search
Azerbaijan search engine (Russian/English)

Sources and additional Information about Azerbaijan

Amnesty International: Azerbaijan

BBC Country Profile: Azerbaijan

FAO: Azerbaijan

Freedom House: Azerbaijan

globalEDGE: Azerbaijan

The Heritage Foundation: Azerbaijan

Human Rights Watch: Azerbaijan

OEC: Azerbaijan

Reporters Without Borders: Azerbaijan

Wikipedia: Azerbaijan

The World Factbook -- Azerbaijan

 

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Turkic States:
Azerbaijan | Kazakhstan | Kyrgyzstan | Tajikistan | Turkey | Turkmenistan | Uzbekistan

Other countries in the Caucasus and Central Asia:
Armenia | Georgia
 
Major Cities in Central Asia:
Almaty, Ashgabat, Astana, Baku, Bishkek, Dushanbe, Tashkent, T'bilisi, Tehran, Yerevan

 
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