Country guide - Azerbaijan  

 
 

Introduction: After 70 years of Soviet rule, they are striving hard to bring Azerbaijan into the 20th Century, and prepare it for the 21st - and succeeding. However, in many ways, the infrastructure is not yet up to world standards. Azerbaijan should soon be catching up though, as soon as the oil starts flowing. Baku, the capital overlooking the Caspian Sea, is fast becoming a boomtown. There are many captivating sights to see in this ancient country - Bronze Age petroglyphs, medieval minarets and mosques and Azerbaijan's famous carpets.

Official Name: Republic of Azerbaijan
Area: 86,600 sq km (33,436 sq miles)
Population: 7,830,000
Continent: Europe
Density per square mile: 234
Capital City: Baku
Religions: Shiite Muslim (93%), Russian Orthodox (2.5%), Armenian Orthodox (2.3%)

Language: The official language is Azerbaijani while Russian is also widely spoken and each ethnic minority also has its own language.
Government: Republic
Member of EU: No

Currency: Manat
GDP: $27 billion
GDP Per Head: $3440

Natural Resources: petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, nonferrous metals, alumina.
Land Use: Arable – 19%
Agriculture: cotton, grain, rice, grapes, fruit, vegetables, tea, tobacco; cattle, pigs, sheep, goats.
Industry: Petroleum and natural gas, metallurgy, cement, chemicals and petrochemicals, textiles, caviar, cotton, tea, tobacco
Tourism: The best time to visit Azerbaijan is between April and October. It's warm and dry in much of the country, though in July and August it can be scorching (up to 38°C/100°F

Natural Hazards: Poor state of hospitals and many people in Azerbaijan are un healthy so ensure you are fully inoculated before travelling there.
Health Risks: Malaria, yellow fever, diphtheria, tick-borne encephalitis, hepatitis, rabies, typhoid fever, travellers' diarrhoea, land mines around Khan-Kendi (formerly Stepanakert, in Nagorno-Karabakh

Climate: Generally very warm, but low temperatures can occur, particularly in the mountains and valleys. Most of the rainfall is in the west. Average temperature ranges on the lowlands are from 25 to 38 degrees Celsius in July to 0 to 3 degrees Celsius in January and between -3 to -6 degrees Celsius in January on the highlands

Time: GMT/UTC + 4 hours
National & Bank Holidays:
January - New Year's Day
20 January - Memorial Day (commemorates the victims of the Soviet invasion of Baku in 1990)
8 March - International Women's Day
21-22 March - Novruz Bayrami (Lunar New Year)
9 May - WWII Victory Day
28 May - Republic Day
15 June - Day of National Salvation
16 June - Army and Navy Day
9 October - Armed Forces Day
18 October - Independence Day
12 November - Constitution Day
17 November - National Revival Day
31 December - World Azeri Solidarity Day

Visas: Visas are required for Azerbaijan, which should be obtained before entering the country. All foreign nationals staying more than 7 days who are not transiting or who do not have a return airline ticket should register with the police within 3 days and ensure that a police stamp is in their passports.

British Embassy Details

 

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