Oval Useful news from Azerbaijan and Caucasus
| Azerbaijan | |
| Official name | Republic of Azerbaijan |
| Area | 86,600 km2 |
| Population | 9.59 million [ as on January 2015] Population growth rate: 1.2 % |
| Main languages | Azerbaijani |
| Literacy | Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.8% male: 99.9% female: 99.7% (2010 Census) |
| Capital | Baku (Population 2.18 Million) |
| Main Cities | Baku, Ganja, Sumgait |
| Average Life Expectancy | Total 74.2 years: Male: 71.6 years & Female: 76.8 years [ 2014 ] |
| Administrative & Territorial Divisions | 70 |
| Religion | Shia Muslim: 70%, Sunni Muslim: 23%, Russian Orthodox: 2.5%, Armenian Orthodox: 2.3%,others: 1.8% |
| National Day | 28th May [Republic Day]; 18 October [Independence Day] |
| Establishment of diplomatic relations | 28 February, 1992 |
| Major ports | Baku International Marine Trade Port, Ports and Harbors: Baku, Lenkoran, Dubandi. |
| Climate | Subtropical |
| Temperature | The average annual temperature is 14–15 °C (57–59 °F) in the Kur-Araz Lowland, the coastal regions south to the Apsheron Peninsula, and in the Lenkoran Lowland. The temperature declines with proximity to the mountains, averaging 4–5 °C (39–41 °F) at an altitude of 2,000 meters (6,600 ft), and 1–2 °C (34–36 °F) at 3,000 meters (9,800 ft). |
| Type of Government | Presidential democracy with a directly elected President, who has a five year term. The Government is headed by a Prime Minister who has a Council of Ministers. The Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers are appointed by the President. |
| Head of State | H.E. Mr Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan www.prezident.az |
| Prime Minister | H.E. Mr Artur Raisizadeh |
| Chairman of National Assembly | H.E. Mr. Ogtay Asadov |
| Speaker | H.E. Mr Ogtay Asadov |
| Foreign Minister | H.E. Mr Elmar Mammadyarov ; www.mfa.gov.az |
| Finance Minister | H.E. Mr Samir Sharifov |
| Defence Minister | H.E. Zakir Hasanov |
| Economy and IndustryMinister | H.E. Mr. Shahin Mustafayev; www.economy.gov.az |
| Energy Minister | H.E. Mr. Natig Aliyev |
| Ecology and Natural Resources Minister | H.E. Huseyngulu Baghirov, Co-Chairman of the India-Azerbaijan Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade, Economic and Technological Cooperation. Indian Co-Chairman is the Minister of State for Commerce |
| Main Political Parties | Yeni Azerbaijan [President Aliyev`s party]; Azerbaijani Popular Front; National Independence Party; Musavat Party. |
| Legislature | Unicameral 125 member Milli Mejlis [National Assembly] |
| Last elections | October, 2013 [Presidential]; November 2010 [National Assembly] |
| Next elections due | October, 2018 [Presidential], November, 2015 [National Assembly.] |
| National Holidays | New Year’s Day, Martyrs’ Day, International Women’s Day, Novruz holiday, Victory Day, Republic Day, National Salvation Day, Azerbaijan Armed Forces Day, Flag Day, International Solidarity Day, Ramadan holiday, Sacrifice Feast. |
| Member of regional/ multilateral institutions & organizations | UN, World Bank, IMF, WHO, IOC, World Tourism Organization, WCO, ICJ; OIC, PACE, OSCE, GUAM-ODED, TRACECA, etc. |
| Constitution
|
The Constitution of Azerbaijan was adopted on 12 November 1995 by popular referendum and amended on 24 August 2002. It carries the “highest legal force” in Azerbaijan as per article 147 |
| GDP | AZN 58.98 billion /US $ 75.61 billion [ 2014] |
| GDP growth rate
|
2.8 % [2014] |
| Total Foreign Investment
Main investors |
AZN 4.88 billion / US$ 6.23 billion (2014)
UK, Norway, Japan Turkey, France. |
| Foreign trade | US$ 31.016 billion (2014) |
| Trade partners | Italy Germany, Indonesia, Russian, Israel, Turkey, France, USA, GreatBritain and Thailand. |
| Unemployment rate | 5% |
| Poverty rate | 5% |
| Currency/ Monetary Unit | AZN (Manat) |
| Exchange Rate | US$ 1.00 = 1.05 MANATS [end February 2015] |
| Forex reserves | US $ 54 billion (2014) |
| Debt | Foreign debt : US$ 6.478 Billion [2014] |
| Total Imports | US$ 9.187 billion [2014] |
| Total Exports | US$ 21.828 billion [2014] |
| Imports from India
|
US$ 37 million [2014]
Mainly cars, components of hot roll machinary or mechanical appliances, meat, drugs, human vaccine, black tea, parts of airconditioners, Polyethylene terephthalate, other food stuff, Drilling pipes from ferrous metals, cards and intellectual cards, rice, Tobacco leaf, Metal constructions from ferrous metals,Tooth Brushes, Quartizite, Static converters, etc. (Source: State Statistical Committee of Azerbaijan) |
| Exports to India | US$ 778 million [2014 ] Mainly crude oil , oil coke, Iodine,Cattle skins, other unwrought lead, jet fuel, and components of earth-moving and tunneling machines
(Source: State Statistical Committee of Azerbaijan) |
| Bilateral trade | Total trade turnover US $ 815 million [ 2014] |
| Principal Exports
[all countries] |
Mineral products [oil, gas etc.]; lubricants; chemicals; fermented tobacco; cotton yarn & fibre; machinery; electro-technical domestic appliances; and machines. |
| Principal Imports
[all countries] |
Electro-technical domestic appliances and machines; vegetable products; food products; misc. articles made of base metal; motor-vehicles; ferrous & non-ferrous metals; pharmaceuticals & consumer goods; chemicals; and cigarettes |
| Inflation | 1.4 % [2014] |
| VAT | 18% |
| Railways/ Highways | 2,932 kms and 59,141 kms, respectively. |
| Central Bank | National Bank of Azerbaijan
Chairman: Mr. Elman RUSTAMOV R.Behbudov Str, 32, AZ-1014 Baku, Tel: 493 11 22, 493 55 41, Website: www.nba.az |
| Industries | Petroleum and Natural gas, petroleum products, oilfield equipment; steel, iron ore; cement; chemicals and petrochemicals; textiles |
| Agriculture | Cash Crops, grapes, cotton, tobacco, citrus fruits, and vegetables. |
| Natural Resources | Petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, nonferrous metals, bauxite |
| Major Universities | Baku State University. Azerbaijan State Economic University, Azerbaijan State University of Language, Baku Music Academy, Azerbaijan State Technical University, Azerbaijan Oil Academy. |
| Location | Azerbaijan is in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia, straddling Western Asia and Eastern Europe. It lies between latitudes 38° and 42° N, and longitudes 44° and 51° E. |
| Scientific Institutions | Azerbaijan State University of Languages, Baku
State Medical University, Baku, State Economic University, Baku Azerbaijan State Academy of Sciences, Baku Khazar University, Baku [Private] Baku State University, Baku |
| Major Tourist attractions | Baku is on the Caspian Sea coast. It has a relatively modern international airport & provides direct air flights to many cities of the world. Significantly Baku also has splendid sandy beaches and gentle sloping sea bottom which attracts tourists.
Places of tourist attractions are: – Palace of Shirvanshahs and the Maiden’s Tower in Baku; – Ateshgah Fire Temple monument close to Baku City – a unique monument of Azerbaijani art of the Mesolithic Period [circa VIII-VII BC] in the form of rock drawings at Gobustan; – Talish mountains, Palace of Sheki Khans at Sheki, mountainous regions of Zagatala, Oguz, Guba; – Gizilagach National Park and the mineral springs in Nakhchivan |
| Major Media Organizations | Newspapers
KHALG GAZETI [State owned]-Editor-in-Chief: Mr.Hasan HASANOVMUSAVAT-Editor-in-Chief: Mr.Rauf ARIFOGLU ZERKALO, Editor-in-Chief : Mr. Elchin SHYKHLINSKI
Magazines: EL-Editor-in-Chief: Mr. Nadir Badalov AZERBAIJAN QADINI-Editor-in-Chief: Ms. Shafiqa MEHDIYEVA
TV Channels AZ TV-1 & 2 [State owned]-Head: Mr. Arif ALISHANOV ANS TV [Private]-Head: Mr. Vahid MUSTAFAYEV Space TV [Private]-Head: Mr. Vaqif MUSTAFAYEV ATV [Private]-Head: Mr. Tagi IBRAHIMOV LIDER TV [Private]-Head: Mr. Vugar QARADAGLI Public TV-Head: Mr. Ismayil OMAROV |
| FOREIGN EXCHANGE REGULATIONS | All visitors are required to declare on arrival foreign currency being carried in person. A visitor is permitted to take foreign currency out of the country without payment of tax, of a sum NOT more than the amount declared on arrival. Conversion from hard currency to local currency and vice versa is permissible at the numerous licensed exchange counters all around the country and also at all banks. The rates of exchange for buying and selling of all hard currency are fixed by the National Bank of Azerbaijan. |
| Brief History | Azerbaijan was an independent state in ancient times but same under foreign domination in its more recent history. In 16th and 17th century, the Safavi dynasty of southern Azerbaijan came to the throne in |Persia and took over the Shirvan kingdom as well as Nakhichivan and Karabakh. Later in 16th and 17th centuries, the Ottomans and Russians fought for control of the area. In the 18th century, Russian influence over the area increased and with the collapse of the Safavid empire in the 18th century, Russia and Iran competed for influence in the region. Two wars later, in 1828, the treaty of Turkmanchay divided Azerbaijan between Persia and Russia. The Soviet phase of Azeri history, which began on 28 April, 1920, lasted till October 18, 1991, when Azerbaijan declared its independence from erstwhile USSR on October 18, 1991. The new constitution of the Republic of Azerbaijan was adopted on November, 1995. |
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