Azerbaijan, Republic of

Azerbaijan, Republic of A country in western Asia, in the Caucasus. Situated on the west coast of the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan is bordered by Armenia to the west, Georgia and Russia to the north, and Iraq to the south.

Physical

The Apsheron Peninsula in the north contains the long-established Baku oilfields. The hot and arid Kura valley runs towards the south-east below the Caucasian foothills. The Caspian coastal plain with a subtropical climate is more naturally fertile; round it lie well-wooded hills with deep valleys. The mountainous south-west contains the large and scenic Lake Gyoygyol and numerous deposits of copper, iron, and lead.

Economy

Azerbaijan was the world's leader in petroleum production at the beginning of the 20th century, and has rich mineral resources, including petroleum, gas, and metal ores. Industry concentrates on power, manufacturing, and chemicals production. Cotton and tobacco are the main crops; viticulture is also important.

History

The country comprises the part of the Azerbaijan area that was conquered by Russia in the 18th and 19th centuries (the remainder of the traditional Azerbaijan area is now incorporated in Iran). By 1914 it was the largest oil-producing area in the world, centred on Baku. After the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia of 1917, it declared its independence, but in 1920 was conquered by the Red Army. The Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic was created, which in 1922 was linked with Armenia and Georgia as the Transcaucasian Soviet Federated Socialist Republic. This split in 1936 into three separate republics as members of the Soviet Union. The autonomous region of Nakhichevan formed an exclave within Armenia, while a second area, that of Nagorno Karabagh, inhabited by Christian Armenians and claimed by Armenia, lay within the Republic. Severe violence erupted over the latter, with military intervention by the Soviet Union in 1989. In 1991 Azerbaijan declared its independence, as a Shi'ite Muslim state. The autonomous region of Nakhichevan allegedly received aid from Iran during 1992 in a bid for its own independence. Fighting in Nagorno Karabagh and Nakhichevan has continued, despite several ceasefire agreements, including one made in 1994. Nagorno Karabagh declared itself to be independent in 1996, and attempts to negotiate peace have continued. In 1993 President Elchibey was ousted in a military coup; President Geidar Aliyev took over, his position being ratified in elections. The government agreed to several oil exploitation deals with foreign companies in 1994. Parliamentary elections in 1995 were won by Aliyev's party and he was re-elected in 1998 amidst violent protests and allegations of fraud.

Capital:	Baku
Area:	88,606 sq km (33,430 sq miles)
Population:	7,650,000 (1998 est)
Currency:	1 manat = 100 gopik
Religions:	Shiite Muslim; minority religions
Ethnic Groups:	Azeri 83.0%; Armenian 6.0%; Russian 6.0%
Languages:	Azeri Turkish (official); Armenian, Russian, and other minority languages
International Organizations:	UN; Common-wealth of Independent States; CSCE; North Atlantic Cooperation Council