Azerbaijan occupies the southeastern part of the Caucasus, descending to the Caspian Sea, between Iran and Russia. The country is located between Europe and Asia, as the Caucasus Mountains are the conventional border between the two continents. So, the northeast half is in Europe and the southwest half is in Asia.

Time Zone: Time zone in Azerbaijan is GMT+4

Area: total: 86,600 sq. km (33436 sq. m); land: 86,100 sq. km (33,243 sq. m); water: 500 sq. km (193 sq. m). Comparative: slightly smaller than Maine.


The total area includes the exclave of Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic as well as the Nagorno-Karabakh region (Daqliq Qarabaq). In addition to the continental part, Azerbaijan’s territory also includes several islands located along the Caspian coastline.

Total Land Borders: 2,013 km (1250 m)

Coastline: Azerbaijan borders the Caspian Sea (800 km/497 m). There are three large projections: the Absheron peninsula, the Sara peninsula and the Kura sand bar.

Transnational Issues

Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict

A territorial conflict surged in 1988 between Azerbaijan and Armenia, when ethnic majority Armenians of the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan sought to secede from Azerbaijan and merge with Armenia or become an independent state. Subsequent events led to aggression and war that left Azerbaijan with almost 20% of its territory under occupation. Around 1 million people from Azerbaijan’s population became refugees and Internally Displaced People (IDPs) scattered around the country, living in tent camps. Although a cease-fire was achieved in 1994 and both sides agreed to a dialogue and peace settlement talks, little has been achieved in resolving the conflict. The mediation efforts are represented by the United States, Russia, and France joined in the “Minsk Group” of the OSCE. Neither the US, nor any other country recognizes Nagorno-Karabakh as an independent country, and supports the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. To this day, the settlement talks are underway, while the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict remains the top security concern and economic burden of the country.

Border Delimitation Issues

Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Russia have ratified Caspian seabed delimitation treaties based on equidistance, while Iran continues to insist on an even one-fifth allocation and challenges Azerbaijans hydrocarbon exploration in disputed waters; bilateral talks continue with Turkmenistan on dividing the seabed and contested oilfields in the middle of the Caspian.

Azerbaijan and Georgia are working to resolve the alignment of their boundary at certain crossing areas.

Climate

The climate varies from subtropical and dry in central and eastern Azerbaijan to subtropical and humid in the southeast (Lenkoran lowlands), moderate along the shores of the Caspian Sea, and cold at the higher mountain elevations. In Baku the climate is cool in the winter, averaging 4 degrees C (39F) in January. Summers are hot, up to 40 degrees C (104F), and humid because of the sea. There are often strong winds, especially during winter. Snow rarely settles in the city. Spring and autumn are pleasant and there is a great deal of sunshine from April to October.

Because most of Azerbaijan receives scant rainfall - on average 152 to 254 millimeters (5.9 to 10 inches) annually - agricultural areas require irrigation. Heaviest precipitation occurs in the highest elevations of the Caucasus and in the Lenkoran Lowlands in the far southeast, where the yearly average exceeds 1,000 millimeters (39 inches).

Government

Government type:Republic

National capital: Baku

Independence Day: October 18, 1991 (from the USSR)

National Republic Day: 28 May (celebrates Azerbaijan’s pre-Soviet declaration of independence in 1918)

Constitution: Prepared by the "Commission for draft preparation of new Constitution of the Azerbaijan Republic" under the chairmanship of the President of the Azerbaijan Republic, adopted on 12 of November 1995 by the Referendum of the Azerbaijan Republic. Issues relating to compliance with the constitution are in the authority of the Constitutional Court.

Executive Branch

Chief of State: President Ilham Aliyev (since October, 2003)

Head of Government: Prime Minister Artur Rasizade


Elections

President elected by popular vote to a five-year term. Prime minister and deputy prime
ministers appointed by the president and confirmed by the National Assembly.

Legislative Branch

Established under the 1995 constitution, the unicameral National Assembly or Milli Mejlis consists of 125 seats. Members of Parliament are elected by popular vote to five-year terms.

Judicial Branch

Azerbaijans court system consists of three tiers that include the Courts of First Instance, Courts of Appeals, and a Supreme Court. The appellate system is divided into three main circuits: the Court of Appeals, which handles civil and criminal appeals in Azerbaijan proper; the Supreme Court of the Autonomous Republic of Nakhchivan, which handles civil and criminal appeals in the Nakhchivan exclave; and the Economic Court, which handles appeals from local economic courts. The Supreme Court hears all final appeals on lower court decisions.

In contrast, the Constitutional Court has jurisdiction over matters related to the constitutionality of laws, government and National Assembly resolutions, presidential decrees, and international treaties. Only the president, the cabinet of ministers, Parliament, the Supreme Court, and the Procurators office can challenge the constitutionality of a law before the Court. Court decisions are made on a majority vote basis. The seven members of the Constitutional Court are appointed by Milli Mejlis based on the presidents recommendation.

Judges of the Supreme Court, Constitutional Court, Economic Court, Appellate Court, and the Supreme Court of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic are appointed for a period of 10 years. All other judges are appointed for five years.