Country Profile [CIA, 2008] 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 enclave (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.   Location Southwestern Asia, bordering the Caspian Sea, between Iran and Russia, with a small European portion north of the Caucasus range Coordinates 40° 30' N 47° 30' E Capital Baku Main Cities Ganja, Sumgait Area 86600 km2 Boundaries (km) 2,013 - Armenia (with Azerbaijan-proper) 566, Armenia (with Azerbaijan-Naxcivan exclave) 221, Georgia 322, Iran (with Azerbaijan-proper) 432, Iran (with Azerbaijan-Naxcivan exclave) 179, Russia 284, Turkey 9 Coastline (km) 0 (800 km border on Caspian Sea) Timezone (GMT) 4 Population 8,177,717 (July 2008 est.) (Demographics) Public Holidays Founding of the Democratic Republic of Azerbaidzhan, 28 May (1918), 30 August 1991 (from Soviet Union) Currency Azerbaijani manat (AZN) GDP $65.47 billion (2007 est.) (Economic data) Main Exports oil and gas 90%, machinery, cotton, foodstuffs Climate dry, semiarid steppe Natural Hazards droughts Physical Features Caspian Sea (371,000 km2), 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 Environmental Agreements 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

Geographic Data
Azerbaijan is located in Southwestern Asia, bordering the Caspian Sea, between Iran and Russia, with a small European portion north of the Caucasus range, in the timezone GMT 4. The country has boundaries of 2,013 - Armenia (with Azerbaijan-proper) 566, Armenia (with Azerbaijan-Naxcivan exclave) 221, Georgia 322, Iran (with Azerbaijan-proper) 432, Iran (with Azerbaijan-Naxcivan exclave) 179, Russia 284, Turkey 9 (km), and a coastline of 0 (800 km border on Caspian Sea) (km). Major urban areas: Baku, Ganja, Sumgait.

Elevations
Lowest point: Caspian Sea -28 m
Highest point: Bazarduzu Dagi 4,485 m

Physical Features
Caspian Sea (371,000 km2), 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

Hazards
Droughts

Climate
Dry, semiarid steppe

Natural Resources
Petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, nonferrous metals, alumina

Land Use
Arable land: 20.62% permanent crops: 2.61% other: 76.77% (2005)

Renewable Water Resources
30.3 cu km (1997)

Fresh Water Withdrawal
total: 17.25 cu km/yr (5%/28%/68%) per capita: 2,051 cu m/yr (2000)

Environmental Issues
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.