General İnformation

Territory

Government

1. Location:The Republic of Azerbaijan lies in the borderlands of Asia and Europe. It is situated in the south-eastern part of the Southern Caucasus and shares borders in the north with the Russian Federation, in the south with the Islamic Republic of Iran, in the west with Turkey, Georgia and Armenia, and in the east its neighbors across the Caspian Sea are Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan.  

2. Country Name:Azərbaycan Respublikası (Republic of Azerbaijan)    

3. Capital: Bakı (in USSR Baku) with a population of  2 039 700 (January, 2009)      

4. State Language: Azerbaijani      

5. Religion: Religion is separated from the State and all religions are equal before the law      

6. Monetary Unit: Manat, (1 US $ = 0,80 manat (AZN)     

7. Population:The population is 8 896 900 people (January, 2009).   

Territory     

1. Area: 86,600 sq km      

2. Length of Land Boundaries: 2,646 km      

3. Borders with Neighbouring Countries: Armenia - 1007 km, Georgia - 480 km, Iran - 756 km, Russia - 390 km, Turkey - 13 km     
                   

4. Administrative Division      

4.1. Autonomous Republic -  Naxçıvan Muxtar Respublikası (Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic)       

4.2. Regions:The Republic of Azerbaijan consists 65 regions, 69 cities, 13 urban regions, 130 settlements of urban type and  4354 rural settlements.
       Absheron, Agjabedi, Agdam, Agdash, Agstafa, Agsu, Astara, Balakan, Beylaqan, Barda, Bilesuvar, Cabrayil, Calilabad, Dashkasan, Devechi, Fizuli, Gadabəy, Goranboy, Goychay, Hajiqabul, Khachmaz, Khanlar, Khizi, Khocali, Khojavand, İmishli, İsmayilli, Kalbecer, Kurdemir, Gakh, Gazakh, Gabele, Gobustan, Guba, Gubadli, Gusar, Lachin, Lerik, Lankaran, Masalli, Neftchala, Oguz, Saatli, Sabirabad, Salyan, Samukh, Siyazan, Shamakhi, Sheki, Shemkir, Shusha, Tartar, Tovuz, Ujar, Yardimli, Yevlax, Zagatala, Zangilan, Zardab 

4.3. Major Cities
Baku, Ali Bayramli, Ganja, Xankendi, Lankaran, Mingachevir, Naftalan, Sumgayit, Shəki, Shusha, Yevlax   

Government 

1. Form of Government: Azerbaijanian state is democratic, legal, secular, unitary republic. State power is based on the principle of division of powers: Milli Majlis (Parliament) exercises legislative power; executive power belongs to the President; and law courts exercise judicial power.

2. Legislative Power: Milli Majlis - one chamber body comprising 125 deputies, elected by direct elections for a 5 year term. 

3. Executive Power

3.1. Head of State: The President of the Azerbaijan Republic is the Head of the Azerbaijanian state. The President is elected for a 5-year term by way of general, direct and equal elections, with free, personal and secret ballot. Executive power in the Azerbaijan Republic belongs to the President.

3.2. Head of Government: The President by consent of Milli Majlis appoints Prime-minister. For implementation of executive powers the President establishes Cabinet of Ministers. Cabinet of Ministers is subordinate to the President and reports to him.

4. Judicial Power: Judicial power in Azerbaijan is implemented by law courts. Judicial power is implemented through the Constitutional Court, Supreme Court, Courts of Appeal, ordinary and other specialized law courts.

Constitution 

Following a referendum on November 12, 1995, the new Constitution of the Republic of Azerbaijan was adopted and entered into force on December 5, 1995. The country's basic law was developed in line with the fundamental principles and norms of international law.

Continuing the centuries' long traditions of statehood, and taking as a basis the principles expressed in the Constitutional Act "On the State Independence of the Republic of Azerbaijan", desiring to provide prosperity and welfare for the whole society and each individual, wishing to establish freedom and security, understanding the responsibility before the past, present and future generations, using the right of its sovereignty the Constitution declares solemnly its following intentions:

     - Protect the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Azerbaijan;

     - Provide a democratic system within the framework of the Constitution;

     - Achieve the establishment of a civil society;

     - Build a secular state based on the rule of law as an expression of the will of the nation;

     - Provide worthy living standards for everybody in conformity with just economic and social order;

     - Remain faithful to universal human values, to live in friendship, peace and freedom with all the nations of the world and cooperate with them for this purpose.

As stipulated by article 1 of the Constitution, "In the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Azerbaijani people shall be the sole source of State power".

Under article 2 of the Constitution, the people of Azerbaijan shall exercise their sovereign right directly through nationwide voting (referendums) and through representatives elected on the basis of universal, equal and direct suffrage by free, secret and personal ballot.

Article 7 of the Constitution stipulates that the Azerbaijani State shall be a democratic, constitutional, secular and unitary republic. In Azerbaijan, the power of the State shall be restricted in domestic matters only by the country's law and, in foreign affairs, only by the provisions arising from international treaties to which the Republic of Azerbaijan is a party. State power in the Republic of Azerbaijan shall be based on the principle of the division of powers among legislative, executive and judicial branches of power. Pursuant to the Constitution, the legislature, executive and judiciary shall interact with one another and be independent within their various jurisdictions.