Introduction: Azerbaijan Download PDF
Azerbaijan - a nation with a 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 promise of widespread wealth from Azerbaijan's undeveloped petroleum resources remains largely unfulfilled.
Capital City:
Baku (+4 GMT)
Chief of State:
President Ilham Aliyev
Head of Govt.:
Prime Minister Artur Rasizade
Currency:
Azerbaijani manat
Major Languages:
Azerbaijani (Azeri) 90.3%, Lezgi 2.2%, Russian 1.8%, Armenian 1.5%, other 3.3%, unspecified 1%
Calling Code:
994
Voltage:
220
Stock Exchanges:
Baku Stock Exchange
Primary Religions:
Muslim 93.4%, Russian Orthodox 2.5%, Armenian Orthodox 2.3%, other 1.8%
Main Airports
Baku Bina (BAK)
U.S. Embassy
83 Azadliq Prospect
tel: 994-12-98-03-35
Key Facts
- GDP (ppp) per CAPITA
- $9,500 (2008 est.)
- Inflation Rate
- 20.8% (2008 est.)
- Population
- 8,238,672 (July 2009 est.)
- Country Risk Ratings
- C
- Ease of Doing Business
- 33/181
- Global Competitiveness
- 69/134
Statistics
- Labor force:
- 5.782 million (2008 est.)
- Exports:
- $30.59 billion (2008 est.)
- Exports - partners:
- Italy 24.9%, US 17.6%, Germany 10.8%, France 10.1%, Czech Republic 6.2%, Canada 4.9% (2008)
- Imports:
- $7.575 billion (2008 est.)
- Imports - partners:
- Russia 18.9%, Turkey 18.2%, Germany 8.5%, China 6.3%, UK 6.2%, Ukraine 5.3%, Italy 4.5% (2008)
- Major Industries:
- petroleum and natural gas, petroleum products, oilfield equipment; steel, iron ore; cement; chemicals and petrochemicals; textiles
Rankings
Corruption Perceptions Index
2.4
out of 180
E-readiness Rankings
69
out of 70
Freedom of the Press
73
out of 191
Global Enabling Trade Report
76
out of 118
Global Services Location Index
-
Index of Economic Freedom
107
out of 155
Inward FDI Potential Index
64
out of 140
Tax Misery & Reform Index
35
out of 61
The Globalization Index
-
