General Information

Location: The Azerbaijan Republic is located in the South Caucasus region, at the crossroads of South-West Asia and South-Eastern Europe with an area of 86.6 thousand square kilometers. It is bordered by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to the south. As the Autonomous Republic of Nakhchivan, it shares borders with Armenia to the north and east, Iran to the south and west, and has a short border with Turkey in the north-west.

Religions: Overwhelming majority is Muslim (96%), others are adherents of different religions (4%)

Most prominent cities: Baku - Ganja - Sumgayit - Nakhchivan- Shaki- Lankaran- Qabala- Shamakhi- Gakh

Currency: The exchange rate for manat against US dollar is 1.77 manats per dollar (not-fixed)

Declared its independence as the Democratic Republic of Azerbaijan in 1918 and became the first parliamentary republic in the East.

Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic seceded from the Soviet Union and proclaimed its independence on 30 August 1991, prior to the official dissolution of the USSR.

The dispute over the Nagorno-Karabakh region between Azerbaijani and Armenian parties began in September 1991. At the result, the region and seven adjacent districts were captured by Armenian forces and became de facto controlled by Armenian separatists in the Nagorno-Karabakh .

Azerbaijan is a presidential republic, a member of the Council of Europe, the Organization for Security and Cooperation, Partnership for Peace program (NATO’s program).

Azerbaijan is one of the post-Soviet Turkic republics became independent after the collapse of USSR, an active member of the Cooperation Council of Turkic-Speaking States and the Turkish community.

Azerbaijan has diplomatic relations with 158 countries, and holds membership in 38 international organizations. It is one of the founding members of GUAM, Organization of the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, and CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States).

Azerbaijan is the UN member from 02/03/1992. On May 9, 2006 she was elected to membership in the new established Human Rights Council by the United Nations General Assembly. The term of office began on June 19, 2006.

Azerbaijan holds observer status in the Non-Aligned Movement and World Trade Organization, and is a correspondent at the International Telecommunication Union.

Azerbaijan officially is a secular republic with old history and rich cultural heritage.

Azerbaijan was the first attempt democratic, parliamentary republic in the Muslim world.

Most of the population of Azerbaijan is nominally Muslim. It is one of the important and pivotal states in the western – European and American, political landscape.

Azerbaijan is aware of the advantages presented by its geopolitical spot and tries to maximize the opportunities arising from it. It is located at the crossroads of trade and energy, the main routes between the East and the West. Despite the secular tendency it does not intend to disconnect from the Islamic world and heritage, as it represents a natural bridge between Europe and Asia, between the Christian and Muslim worlds.

Azerbaijan is the energy gateway and crucial corridor for total area surrounded by. Due to this reason, neighboring countries put Azerbaijan at the top of their relations. Not fortuitous, that it has a priority in political way and the main directions of foreign policy.

Baku - Republic of Azerbaijan