The Alliance
COUNTRY PROFILE
Geography
- Azerbaijan is located in the South Caucasus region, bordering Russia to the North, Georgia and Armenia to the West, Iran to the South, and the Caspian Sea to the East
- The capital city is Baku, located on the Eastern tip of Azerbaijan at the edge of the Caspian Sea
- Azerbaijan encompasses approximately 33,436 sq mi (86,600 sq km) – roughly the size of Maine
Economy
- Azerbaijan's estimated GDP in 2011 was $97.172 billion USD
Resources
- The primary export is oil and natural gas, as Azerbaijan is an extremely resource-rich country
- Azerbaijan produces over 1 million barrels of oil every day
People
- There are over 9 million people living in Azerbaijan – roughly equivalent to the population of New York City
- The official language is Azerbaijani – a derivative of Turkish – though much of the nation also speaks Russian
Culture
- The name “Azerbaijan” is derived from Greek and Old Persian and can be translated to mean “Land of Fire”
- 93.4% of the population is considered Shia Muslim, however Azerbaijan prides itself on being a secular nation which is tolerant of all faiths
