1 GeoFroggy

Background

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.

Location

Southwestern Asia, bordering the Caspian Sea, between Iran and Russia, with a small European portion north of the Caucasus range

Area Comparative

Slightly smaller than Maine

Maritime Claims

none (landlocked)

Climate
Dry, semiarid steppe

Natural Hazards

Droughts

Environment Current 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

Environment International 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

Geography Note

Both the main area of the country and the Naxcivan exclave are landlocked
Year

Map Reference

  • Middle East

Irrigated Land 2003

  • 14,550 sq km

Area 2009

  • Total
    86,600 sq km
  • Land
    82,629 sq km
  • Water
    3,971 sq km

Coastline

  • 0 km

Geographical Coordinates

  • 40 30 N, 47 30 E

Land use 2009

  • Arable Land
    20.62%
  • Permanent Crops
    2.61%
  • Other
    76.77%

Terrain

  • 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

Elevation

  • Lowest Point: Caspian Sea -28 m
  • Highest Point: Bazarduzu Dagi 4,485 m

Land Boundaries

  • Total
    2,013 km
  • Armenia (with
    Azerbaijan-proper) 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

Natural Resources

  • Petroleum
  • Natural gas
  • Iron ore
  • Nonferrous metals
  • Bauxite
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