3 GeoFroggy

Country Name

Conventional long form: Republic of Azerbaijan

Conventional short form: Azerbaijan

Local short form: none

Former: Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic

Local long form: Azarbaycan Respublikasi

Administrative Divisions

59 rayons (rayonlar; rayon - singular), 11 cities* (saharlar; sahar - singular), 1 autonomous republic** (muxtar respublika); Abseron Rayonu, Agcabadi Rayonu, Agdam Rayonu, Agdas Rayonu, Agstafa Rayonu, Agsu Rayonu, Ali Bayramli Sahari*, Astara Rayonu, Baki Sahari*, Balakan Rayonu, Barda Rayonu, Beylaqan Rayonu, Bilasuvar Rayonu, Cabrayil Rayonu, Calilabad Rayonu, Daskasan Rayonu, Davaci Rayonu, Fuzuli Rayonu, Gadabay Rayonu, Ganca Sahari*, Goranboy Rayonu, Goycay Rayonu, Haciqabul Rayonu, Imisli Rayonu, Ismayilli Rayonu, Kalbacar Rayonu, Kurdamir Rayonu, Lacin Rayonu, Lankaran Rayonu, Lankaran Sahari*, Lerik Rayonu, Masalli Rayonu, Mingacevir Sahari*, Naftalan Sahari*, Naxcivan Muxtar Respublikasi**, Neftcala Rayonu, Oguz Rayonu, Qabala Rayonu, Qax Rayonu, Qazax Rayonu, Qobustan Rayonu, Quba Rayonu, Qubadli Rayonu, Qusar Rayonu, Saatli Rayonu, Sabirabad Rayonu, Saki Rayonu, Saki Sahari*, Salyan Rayonu, Samaxi Rayonu, Samkir Rayonu, Samux Rayonu, Siyazan Rayonu, Sumqayit Sahari*, Susa Rayonu, Susa Sahari*, Tartar Rayonu, Tovuz Rayonu, Ucar Rayonu, Xacmaz Rayonu, Xankandi Sahari*, Xanlar Rayonu, Xizi Rayonu, Xocali Rayonu, Xocavand Rayonu, Yardimli Rayonu, Yevlax Rayonu, Yevlax Sahari*, Zangilan Rayonu, Zaqatala Rayonu, Zardab Rayonu

Independence

30 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National Holiday

Founding of the Democratic Republic of Azerbaidzhan, 28 May (1918)

Constitution

Adopted 12 November 1995

Legal System

based on civil law system

International Law Organization Participation

Citizenship

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive Branch

Chief of state: President Ilham ALIYEV (since 31 October 2003)

Head of government: Prime Minister Artur RASIZADE (since 4 November 2003); First Deputy Prime Minister Abbas ABBASOV (since 10 November 2003)

Cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president and confirmed by the National Assembly

Elections: president elected by popular vote to a five-year term; election last held 15 October 2003 (next to be held NA October 2008); prime minister and first deputy prime ministers appointed by the president and confirmed by the National Assembly

Election results: Ilham ALIYEV elected president; percent of vote - Ilham ALIYEV 76.8%, Isa GAMBAROV 14%

Legislative Branch

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Milli Mejlis (125 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

Elections: last held 4 November 2000 (next to be held NA November 2005)

Note: 100 members of the current parliament were elected on the basis of single mandate constituencies, while 25 were elected based on proportional balloting; as a result of a 24 August 2002 national referendum on changes to the constitution, all 125 members of the next parliament will be elected from single mandate constituencies

Judicial Branch

Supreme Court

Political Parties and Leaders

Array

Political Pressure Groups and Leaders

Sadval, Lezgin movement; self-proclaimed Armenian Nagorno-Karabakh Republic; Talysh independence movement; Union of Pro-Azerbaijani Forces (UPAF)

Flag Description

Three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), red, and green; a crescent and eight-pointed star in white are centered in red band

National Anthem

Year

Government Type

  • Republic

Capital

    Baku (Baki)

Diplomatic Representation in the US

  • Chief Of Mission
    Ambassador Hafiz PASHAYEV
  • FAX
    [1] (202) 337-5911
  • Telephone
    [1] (202) 337-3500
  • Chancery
    2741 34th Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic Representation from the US

  • Chief Of Mission
    Ambassador Ross L. WILSON
  • Embassy
    83 Azadliq Prospekt, Baku 370007
  • Mailing Address
    American Embassy Baku, Department of State, 7050 Baku Place, Washington, DC 20521-7050
  • Telephone
    [9] (9412) 98-03-35, 36, 37
  • FAX
    [9] (9412) 90-66-71

International Organization Participation

  • AsDB
  • BSEC
  • CE
  • CIS
  • EAPC
  • EBRD
  • ECE
  • ECO
  • ESCAP
  • FAO
  • GUUAM
  • IAEA
  • IBRD
  • ICAO
  • ICFTU
  • ICRM
  • IDA
  • IDB
  • IFAD
  • IFC
  • IFRCS
  • ILO
  • IMF
  • IMO
  • Interpol
  • IOC
  • IOM
  • ISO (correspondent)
  • ITU
  • OAS (observer)
  • OIC
  • OPCW
  • OSCE
  • PFP
  • UN
  • UNCTAD
  • UNESCO
  • UNIDO
  • UPU
  • WCO
  • WFTU
  • WHO
  • WIPO
  • WMO
  • WToO
  • WTrO (observer)