1 GeoFroggy

Background

Corruption in the country is widespread, and the government, which eliminated presidential term limits in a 2009 referendum, has been accused of authoritarianism. Although the poverty rate has been reduced and infrastructure investment has increased substantially in recent years due to revenue from oil and gas production, reforms have not adequately addressed weaknesses in most government institutions, particularly in the education and health sectors, as well as the court system.

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

  • Asia

Irrigated Land 2010

  • 14,250 sq km

Area 2015

  • 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 2015

  • Agricultural Land
    57.6%;
  • Forest
    11.3%
  • Other
    31.1%

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) to the west; Baku lies on Abseron Yasaqligi (Apsheron Peninsula) that juts into Caspian Sea

Land Boundaries

  • Total
    2,468 km
  • Armenia km
  • Georgia
    428 km
  • Iran
    689 km
  • Russia
    338 km
  • Turkey
    17 km

Natural Resources

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