| Introduction :: Azerbaijan |
Background:
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| Azerbaijan - a nation with a majority-Turkic and majority-Muslim population - was briefly independent from 1918 to 1920; it 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 region (largely Armenian populated). Azerbaijan has lost 16% of its territory and must support some 600,000 internally displaced persons as a result of the conflict. Corruption is ubiquitous, and the government has been accused of authoritarianism. Although the poverty rate has been reduced in recent years, the promise of widespread wealth from development of Azerbaijan's energy sector remains largely unfulfilled. |
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Location:
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| Southwestern Asia, bordering the Caspian Sea, between Iran and Russia, with a small European portion north of the Caucasus range
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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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Area:
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total: 86,600 sq km
country comparison to the world: 119
land:
82,629 sq km
water:
3,971 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
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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 (713 km)
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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, bauxite
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Land use:
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arable land: 20.62%
permanent crops:
2.61%
other:
76.77% (2005)
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Irrigated land:
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14,550 sq km (2003)
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Total renewable water resources:
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30.3 cu km (1997)
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Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
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total: 17.25 cu km/yr (5%/28%/68%)
per capita:
2,051 cu m/yr (2000)
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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 pesticide, and from toxic defoliants used in the production of cotton
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Environment - international agreements:
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party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, 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 |
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Population:
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| 8,238,672 (July 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 92
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 23.9% (male 1,042,132/female 926,495)
15-64 years:
69.4% (male 2,807,717/female 2,908,221)
65 years and over:
6.7% (male 204,410/female 349,697) (2009 est.)
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Median age:
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total: 28.2 years
male:
26.6 years
female:
30 years (2009 est.)
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Population growth rate:
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0.762% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 141
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Birth rate:
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17.62 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 115
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Death rate:
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8.3 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 104
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Net migration rate:
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-1.69 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 135
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Urbanization:
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urban population: 52% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization:
1% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
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Sex ratio:
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at birth: 1.13 male(s)/female
under 15 years:
1.12 male(s)/female
15-64 years:
0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over:
0.58 male(s)/female
total population:
0.97 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
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Infant mortality rate:
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total: 54.6 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 46
male:
60.2 deaths/1,000 live births
female:
48.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: 66.66 years
country comparison to the world: 158
male:
62.53 years
female:
71.34 years (2009 est.)
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Total fertility rate:
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2.04 children born/woman (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 126
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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less than 0.2% (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 92
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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7,800 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 113
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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fewer than 100 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 127
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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 90.6%, Dagestani 2.2%, Russian 1.8%, Armenian 1.5%, other 3.9% (1999 census)
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) 90.3%, Lezgi 2.2%, Russian 1.8%, Armenian 1.5%, other 3.3%, unspecified 1% (1999 census)
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population:
98.8%
male:
99.5%
female:
98.2% (1999 census)
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School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
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total: 11 years
male:
11 years
female:
11 years (2006)
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Education expenditures:
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2.1% of GDP (2006)
country comparison to the world: 165
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