General
Information
|
Total Land Area: |
86,600 km2 |
|
Land boundaries: |
2,013 km |
|
Coastline: |
0 km
(Landlocked)
|
|
Capital: |
Baku |
|
Other Large
Cities: |
Ghandzha,
Sumgait,
Mingechaur |
|
Official
Language: |
Azerbaijani
(Azeri) |
|
National
Currency Unit: |
Azerbaijani
Manat (AZM) |
|
National Day: |
May 28 |
Location and
Geography
Azerbaijan is
located in
South-west Asia. It
is bordered by
Armenia in the West
and South-west, Iran
and Turkey in the
South, Russia in the
North and Georgia in
the North-west. The
Great Caucasus
Mountains form a
natural northern
border. Almost half
of the country
consists of low
lands, some of which
are below sea level.
The two main rivers
are the Kura, which
flows from the
North-west to the
Caspian Sea, and its
tributary Araks,
which flows along
Azerbaijan’s border
with Iran. Much of
the farmland is
irrigated. The
capital Baku lies on
the Aspheson
Peninsula that juts
into the Caspian
Sea. As a result of
its drainage
patterns, climatic
differences and
sharply defined
latitudinal zoning
of vegetation,
Azerbaijan is
characterised by a
wide variety of
landscapes. Central
and Eastern
Azerbaijan has a
dry, sub tropical
climate with mild
winters and long hot
summers.
Demography
|
Population:
|
8.17 million
(2002) |
|
Crude Birth
Rate:
|
16 per thousand
people (2002) |
|
Crude Death
Rate:
|
7 per thousand
people (2002) |
|
Infant Mortality
Rate:
|
13 per thousand
(2002) |
|
Life Expectancy:
|
Male: 69 years,
Female: 75 years
(2002) |
|
Urban
Population:
|
52.0 percent
(2002) |
|
Adult Literacy:
|
97.00 percent
(2001) |
Economy
The economy is based
mainly on petroleum
resources with large
oil reserves located
in the Caspian Sea.
The emphasis on
heavy industry
caused a
considerable
expansion of the two
traditional
industries,
petroleum and
natural gas. The
Baku oilfields
constitute one of
the oldest centres
of heavy industry in
the world.
Nevertheless,
engineering, light
industry and food
productions have
also been growing in
importance. Iron
ore, non-ferrous
metals, bromine,
gypsum, marble,
bitumen, zinc,
molybdenum, alunite,
rock salt and
alumina should be
mentioned among the
natural resources of
the country.
Richness of raw
resources in
Azerbaijan
stimulated the
development of
handicraft industry,
mainly pottery,
copperware, carpet
weaving, stone
carving and silk.
Grain, cotton,
potato, and melon,
and fruit
cultivation holds an
important place for
households. In the
field of animal
husbandry cattle
breeding and sheep
breeding are
widespread.
|
GDP at Current
Market Prices:
|
6090 million US$
(2002) |
|
Per Capita GDP:
|
745 US$ (2002) |
|
Share of Sectors
in GDP:
|
14.0%
Agriculture,
35.0% Industry,
51.0% Services,
(2002) |
|
Total Exports:
|
1677 million US$
(2002) |
|
Total Imports:
|
1712 million US$
(2002) |
|
Major Exports
Items: |
Oil and gas,
chemicals,
oilfield
equipment,
textile and
cotton |
|
Major Imports
Items: |
Machinery and
parts,
foodstuffs,
textiles,
non-precious
metals used in
transportation
sector |
|
Major Trading
Partners: |
Italy, Russia,
France, Turkey,
UK and Germany
|
|
