From Wikitravel

For other places with the same name, see Azerbaijan (disambiguation).

Azerbaijan is a Turkic state in the Caucasus of Southwestern Asia. It achieved independence after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. It has borders with Armenia, Georgia, Iran, Russia and Turkey as well as a Caspian Sea coastline.

Conflict has been ongoing with neighbouring Armenia over the Nagorno-Karabakh enclave, and the country is regarded internationally as something of a kleptocracy.

Contents 1 Regions 2 Cities 3 Other destinations 4 Understand 4.1 Climate 4.2 Terrain 4.3 Electricity 5 Get in 5.1 By plane 5.2 By train 5.3 By car 5.4 By bus 5.5 By boat 6 Get around 7 Talk 8 Buy 9 Eat 10 Drink 11 Sleep 12 Learn 13 Work 14 Stay safe 15 Stay healthy 16 Respect 17 Contact

Regions

• Nagorno-Karabakh
• Nakhchivan autonomous republic (Naxcivan Muxtar Respublikasi)
• Apsheron Peninsula (Abseron Yasaqligi) (including Baku and Sumqayit) juts into Caspian Sea
• Kura-Araks Lowland (Kur-Araz Ovaligi) (much of it below sea level) with Great Caucasus Mountains to the north.
• Karabakh Upland (Qarabag Yaylasi) in west.

Administrative divisions 

(Using Official Azerbaijani names, not English names.)

59 rayons (rayonlar; rayon - singular) 

Abseron Rayonu, Agcabadi Rayonu, Agdam Rayonu, Agdas Rayonu, Agstafa Rayonu, Agsu Rayonu, Astara Rayonu, Balakan Rayonu, Barda Rayonu, Beylaqan Rayonu, Bilasuvar Rayonu, Cabrayil Rayonu, Calilabad Rayonu, Daskasan Rayonu, Davaci Rayonu, Fuzuli Rayonu, Gadabay Rayonu, Goranboy Rayonu, Goycay Rayonu, Haciqabul Rayonu, Imisli Rayonu, Ismayilli Rayonu, Kalbacar Rayonu, Kurdamir Rayonu, Lacin Rayonu, Lankaran Rayonu, Lerik Rayonu, Masalli Rayonu, Neftcala Rayonu, Oguz Rayonu, Qabala Rayonu, Qax Rayonu, Qazax Rayonu, Qobustan Rayonu, Quba Rayonu, Qubadli Rayonu, Qusar Rayonu, Saatli Rayonu, Sabirabad Rayonu, Shaki Rayonu, Salyan Rayonu, Shamaxi Rayonu, Shamkir Rayonu, Samux Rayonu, Siyazan Rayonu, Shusha Rayonu, Tartar Rayonu, Tovuz Rayonu, Ucar Rayonu, Xacmaz Rayonu, Xanlar Rayonu, Xizi Rayonu, Xocali Rayonu, Xocavand Rayonu, Yardimli Rayonu, Yevlax Rayonu, Zangilan Rayonu, Zaqatala Rayonu, Zardab Rayonu

Cities

• Baku (Baki) - capital
• Sumqayit

Administrative divisions 

(Using Official Azerbaijani names, not English names.)

11 cities (saharlar; sahar - singular) 

Ali Bayramli Sahari, Baki Sahari, Ganca Sahari, Lankaran Sahari, Mingacevir Sahari, Naftalan Sahari, Shaki Sahari, Sumqayit Sahari, Shusha Sahari, Xankandi Sahari, Yevlax Sahari

Other destinations

Understand

Azerbaijan includes the exclave of Naxcivan Autonomous Republic and the Nagorno-Karabakh region; the region's autonomy was abolished by Azerbaijani Supreme Soviet on 26 November 1991, but receives support from Armenia.

Azerbaijan 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 800,000 refugees and 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.

National holiday 

Founding of the Democratic Republic of Azerbaidzhan, 28 May (1918)

Climate

Dry and semiarid steppe.

Terrain

Large, flat Kur-Araz Ovaligi (Kura-Araks Lowland) (much of it below sea level) with Great Caucasus Mountains to the north, Qarabag Yaylasi (Karabakh Upland) in west; Baku lies on Abseron Yasaqligi (Apsheron Peninsula) that juts into Caspian Sea

Elevation extremes 

lowest point 

Caspian Sea -28 m

highest point 

Bazarduzu Dagi 4,485 m

Environment - current issues 

Local scientists consider the Abseron Yasaqligi (Apsheron Peninsula) (including Baku and Sumqayit) and the Caspian Sea to be the ecologically most devastated area in the world because of severe air, soil, and water pollution; soil pollution results from oil spills, from the use of DDT as a pesticide, and from toxic defoliants used in the production of cotton

Electricity

Electricity is supplied at 220V 50Hz. Outlets are the European standard CEE-7/7 "Schukostecker" or "Schuko" or the compatible, but non-grounded, CEE-7/16 "Europlug" types. Generally speaking, U.S. and Canadian travelers should pack an adapter for these outlets if they plan to use North American electrical equipment in Azerbaijan.

Additionally, some older buildings may be still equipped with Soviet-era outlets. The Soviet GOST-7396 standard was very similar to the current European CEE-7/7 "Schuko plug", but the pins were of a 4.0mm diameter, while the Schuko features 4.8mm pins. As such, the pins of a Schuko may be too large to fit into a Soviet-era outlet, although the smaller Europlug will still fit.. Although the Soviet-era outlets have largely been phased out, travelers who are particularly concerned with having the ability to plug in at all times may consider packing an adapter for the Soviet-era outlets too, just in case.

Get in

By plane

National air company AZAL (Azerbaijan Airlines) is the main carrier which flies to Ganja, Nakhchivan, Yevlakh, Tbilisi, Aktau, Tehran, Tel-Aviv, Ankara, Istanbul, Trabzon, Antalya, Dubai, Moscow, St. Petersbourg, Kiev, Nizhniy Novgorod, Urumqi, Mineralniye Vodi, Milan, London, Paris. British airways flies seven days a week to Baku. Lufthansa also has several flights a week to Baku. Turkish Airlines is another carrier connecting Baku with and via Istanbul. Besides there're several Russian, Ukrainian, Uzbek, Iranian, Austrian ailines connectining Baku with several cities of the world.

By train

There are trains that run daily from Georgia to Azerbaijan.

By car

By bus

There are busses that run daily from Georgia to Azerbaijan.

By boat

There is a daily ferry ship to Turkmenistan.

Get around

Railways 

total: 2,125 km in common carrier service; does not include industrial lines
broad gauge: 2,125 km 1.520-m gauge (1,278 km electrified) (1993 est.)

Highways 

total: 36,700 km
paved: 31,800 km (includes some all-weather gravel-surfaced roads)
unpaved: 4,900 km (these roads are made of unstabilized earth and are difficult to negotiate in wet weather) (1990)

Buses, minibuses (marshutka), and taxis connect most cities. There is often a hub such as a bus station near the bazaar in these cities. The price for a fare buses and minibuses are posted usually in both old and new manat(qupik). Taxies on the other hand require negotiating skills, and this usually takes a proficiency in the language that ordinary non-Azeri/Russian/Turkish speakers do not have.

Talk

Azerbaijani is the official language. This is a Turkic language, related to Turkish itself. Hovever, English is widely spoken. Many people also speak Russian, especially in the capital city, Baku.

Languages 

Azerbaijani (Azeri) 89%, Russian 3%, Armenian 2%, other 6% (1995 est.)

Buy

Currency 

New Azerbaijani manat (Yeni Manat)

Currency code 

AZN

Exchange rates 

Azerbaijani manats per US dollar - 1 New Manat (22 February 2006), 4,804 (11 February 2002), 4,656.58 (2001), 4,474.15 (2000), 4,120.17 (1999), 3,869 (1998), 3,985.38 (1997)

Economy - overview 

Azerbaijan's number one export is oil. Azerbaijan's oil production declined through 1997 but has registered an increase every year since. Negotiation of production-sharing arrangements (PSAs) with foreign firms, which have thus far committed $60 billion to oilfield development, should generate the funds needed to spur future industrial development. Oil production under the first of these PSAs, with the Azerbaijan International Operating Company, began in November 1997. Azerbaijan shares all the formidable problems of the former Soviet republics in making the transition from a command to a market economy, but its considerable energy resources brighten its long-term prospects. Baku has only recently begun making progress on economic reform, and old economic ties and structures are slowly being replaced. An obstacle to economic progress, including stepped up foreign investment in the non-energy sector, is the continuing conflict with Armenia over the Nagorno-Karabakh region. Trade with Russia and the other former Soviet republics is declining in importance while trade is building with Turkey and the nations of Europe. Long-term prospects will depend on world oil prices, the location of new pipelines in the region, and Azerbaijan's ability to manage its oil wealth.

Eat

Cabbage, grape leaves, and eggplant wraped meat (dolmasi, kelem, yarpaq, badamjan), kabob (chebab), and meatballs (kofta) are some of the specialties of Azerbaijan. Often foods, no matter what it is, are referred to as the national dishes. Bread is a staple, and is quite revered by the people of Azerbaijan.

Drink

Sleep

Rental appartment might be a good choice as they are cheaper than hotels and sometimes even more comfortable.

Learn

Work

Stay safe

Legal system 

based on civil law system

Stay healthy

Respect

Azerbaijan has a Turkic and majority-Muslim population.

Religions 

Muslim 93.4%, Russian Orthodox 2.5%, Armenian Orthodox 2.3%, other 1.8% (1995 est.)
note: religious affiliation is still nominal in Azerbaijan; percentages for actual practicing adherents are much lower

Ethnic groups 

Azeri 90%, Dagestani 3.2%, Russian 2.5%, Armenian 2%, other 2.3% (1998 est.)
note: almost all Armenians live in the separatist Nagorno-Karabakh region

Contact

Diplomatic representation in the US 

chief of mission: Ambassador Hafiz Pashayev; Charge d'Affaires Elmar MAMEDYAROV
FAX: [1] (202) 337-5911
telephone: [1] (202) 337-3500
chancery: 2741 34th Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US 

chief of mission: Ambassador Reno HARNISH
embassy: 83 Azadliq Avenue, Baku 370007
mailing address: American Embassy Baku, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-7050
telephone: [9] (9412) 98-03-35, 36, 37
FAX: [9] (9412) 90-66-71

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