Azerbaijan is a Southwest Asian country. Located in eastern Transcaucasia, it occupies the southern part of the Caucasus Mountains and covers an area of 86,600 km2, including the enclaves of Nagorno-Karabakh and Nakhitchevan. It is limited by Russia to the north; by the Caspian Sea to the east; through Iran to the south; and Armenia and Georgia to the west. The most important cities are Baku, the capital, with 1 240 80 (2004) residents (2,139,000 residents in the metropolitan area [2004]), Giandja (304,500 residents) (2004), Soumgait (281,700 residents) ( 2004) and Mingechaour (100,500 residents) (2004).
In the lowlands the climate is semi-arid, with low rainfall and hot summers and mild winters. In the southeast, rainfall is more abundant and occurs mainly in the summer. In mountainous areas, the climate is harsh, with low temperatures and frequent snowfalls.
Economy
During Soviet rule, there was an increase in the extraction of oil and natural gas, in addition to the development of machinery and food production. After the break-up of the Soviet Union, oil production has declined, but in recent years oil extraction has increased substantially, thanks to investments by foreign companies. The industry predominates in the country and covers the production of chemicals, fertilizers, herbicides, fuels, steel, plastics, building materials, textiles, footwear and food products. The dominant crops are cotton, tobacco, grapes, tea, wheat, vegetables and potatoes. Azerbaijan’s main trading partners are Russia, Iran, Turkey and the United Kingdom.
Environmental indicator: the value of carbon dioxide emissions, per capita (metric tons, 1999), is 4.2.
Population
Azerbaijan has a population of 7,961,619 residents (est. 2006), which corresponds to a density of approximately 91.36 residents/km2. The birth and death rates are, respectively, 20.74% and 9.75%. Average life expectancy reaches 63.85 years. The value of the Human Development Index (HDI) is 0.744 (2001) (IDG without data). It is estimated that in 2025 the population will be 9 453 000 residents. The main ethnic groups are Azeri (90%), Dagestani (3.2%), Russian (2.5%), and Armenia (2%) and others (2.3%). The most prominent religions are Shiite Muslims (70%) and Sunni Muslims (30%). The official language is Azeri.
History
Over the centuries, Azerbaijan has been disputed by Arabs, Turks, Mongols and Iranians. At the beginning of the 19th century, and after several wars, Russia conquered the territory from the Persians. After the Russian Revolution in 1917, the country declared independence, but in 1920 it was invaded by the Soviet Red Army and, in the same month, the Soviet Socialist Republic of Azerbaijan was formalized. Between 1922 and 1936, Azerbaijan was part of the Federation of Transcaucasian Soviet Socialist Republics and, in 1936, it became a fully-fledged republic. In August 1991, he declared independence and, that same year, he joined the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). The following year he was admitted to the United Nations (UN). For Azerbaijan democracy and rights, please check homeagerly.
In the late 1980s, Armenia tried to conquer the Nagorno-Karabakh enclave. Azerbaijan immediately defended its territory and, in 1988, defeated enemy forces. After some time, disputes reignited, and in 1992 Azerbaijan imposed a trade and energy embargo on Armenia. Even so, conflicts between both countries over the possession of the enclave have continued. In 1994 Armenia seized not only Nagorno-Karabakh but also a significant part of Azerbaijan, resulting in the weakening of the economy on both sides.
Countryaah.com: Offers a full list of airports in the country of Azerbaijan, sorted by city location and acronyms.
Abbreviationfinder.org: Provides most commonly used abbreviations and initials containing the country name of Azerbaijan. Listed by popularity.
1UpTravel.com – Maps of Azerbaijan
View a collection of city, country, regional, thematic, and historical maps of Azerbaijan in southwestern Asia, bordering the Caspian Sea, between Iran and Russia.
