Azerbaijan

FACT FILE

• Azerbaijan is s small country that became independent from the USSR in 1991.
• It is a country that spans Eastern Europe and West Asia. It is bound by the Caspian sea on the east and known as one of the caucasus countries.
• It is a 5.5 hour flight from London.
• Baku is the capital and largest city.
• 97% of the country is muslim. The state constitution does not declare an official religion.
• Population 10 million
• Slightly bigger in area than the Republic of Ireland.
• It is a republic with a president and prime minister. They have elections but the results are not unexpected and will result in a member of the Aliyev family becoming president.
• Three physical features dominate Azerbaijan: the Caspian Sea, whose shoreline forms a natural boundary to the east; the Greater Caucasus mountain range to the north; and the extensive flatlands at the country’s centre.
• Rich in biodiversity, and the flatlands are dominated by agriculture (55% of the country) 
• Two-thirds of Azerbaijan is rich in oil and natural gas. The oil industry dates back to the ancient period. There are many pipelines connecting to Europe, and it has benefitted by being able to reduce European Union’s dependency on Russian gas.