Country name
conventional long form: Azerbaijani Republic
conventional short form: Azerbaijan
local long form: Azarbaycan Respublikasi
local short form: none
former: Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic

Data code AJ

Government type republic

National capital Baku (Baki)

Administrative divisions 59 rayons (rayonlar; rayon - singular), 11 cities* (saharlar; sahar - singular), 1 autonomous republic** (muxtar respublika); Abseron Rayonu, Agcabadi Rayonu, Agdam Rayonu, Agdas Rayonu, Agstafa Rayonu, Agsu Rayonu, Ali Bayramli Sahari*, Astara Rayonu, Baki Sahari*, Balakan Rayonu, Barda Rayonu, Beylaqan Rayonu, Bilasuvar Rayonu, Cabrayil Rayonu, Calilabad Rayonu, Daskasan Rayonu, Davaci Rayonu, Fuzuli Rayonu, Gadabay Rayonu, Ganca Sahari*, Goranboy Rayonu, Goycay Rayonu, Haciqabul Rayonu, Imisli Rayonu, Ismayilli Rayonu, Kalbacar Rayonu, Kurdamir Rayonu, Lacin Rayonu, Lankaran Rayonu, Lankaran Sahari*, Lerik Rayonu, Masalli Rayonu, Mingacevir Sahari*, Naftalan Sahari*, Naxcivan Muxtar Respublikasi**, Neftcala Rayonu, Oguz Rayonu, Qabala Rayonu, Qax Rayonu, Qazax Rayonu, Qobustan Rayonu, Quba Rayonu, Qubadli Rayonu, Qusar Rayonu, Saatli Rayonu, Sabirabad Rayonu, Saki Rayonu, Saki Sahari*, Salyan Rayonu, Samaxi Rayonu, Samkir Rayonu, Samux Rayonu, Siyazan Rayonu, Sumqayit Sahari*, Susa Rayonu, Susa Sahari*, Tartar Rayonu, Tovuz Rayonu, Ucar Rayonu, Xacmaz Rayonu, Xankandi Sahari*, Xanlar Rayonu, Xizi Rayonu, Xocali Rayonu, Xocavand Rayonu, Yardimli Rayonu, Yevlax Rayonu, Yevlax Sahari*, Zangilan Rayonu, Zaqatala Rayonu, Zardab Rayonu

Independence 30 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday Independence Day, 28 May

Constitution adopted 12 November 1995

Legal system based on civil law system

Suffrage 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
chief of state: President Heydar ALIYEV (since 18 June 1993)
head of government: Prime Minister Artur RASIZADE (since 26 November 1996)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president and confirmed by the National Assembly
elections: president elected by popular vote to a five-year term; election last held 3 October 1993 (next to be held October 1998); prime minister and first deputy prime ministers appointed by the president and confirmed by the National Assembly
election results: Heydar ALIYEV elected president; percent of vote - Heydar ALIYEV 97%

Legislative branch unicameral National Assembly or Milli Mejlis (125 seats; members serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 12 and 26 November 1995 (next to be held NA 2000)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - YAP and allies 115, AXC 4, AMIP 3, YMP 1, vacant 2

Judicial branch Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders New Azerbaijan Party or YAP [Heydar ALIYEV, chairman]; Azerbaijan Popular Front or AXC [Abulfaz ELCHIBEY, chairman]; Party for National Independence of Azerbaijan or AMIP [Etibar MAMMADOV, chairman]; Musavat Party or YMP [Isa GAMBAR, chairman]; People's Democratic Party of Azerbaijan [Rafig TURABXANLY]; People's Freedom Party [Yunus OGUZ, chairman]; Democratic Party of Independence of Azerbaijan [Vagit KERIMOV]; Communist Party of Azerbaijan (CPA-2) [Firudin HASANOV]; Social Democratic Party of Azerbaijan or SDP [Zardusht ALIZADE, chairman]; Liberal Party of Azerbaijan [Lala HAJIYEVA]; Vahdat Party [Leyla YUNUSOV, Gadzhi ALIZADE]; Azerbaijan Muslim Democratic Party (former Islamic Party) [Haji Mekhti SHAMILLI]; Azerbaijan Democratic Party or ADP [Ilyas ISMAYLOV]; Civic Solidarity [Sabir RUSTAMXANLI]; Ana Vatan Party [Fazail AGAMALI]

Political pressure groups and leaders self-proclaimed Armenian Nagorno-Karabakh Republic; Talysh independence movement; Sadval, Lezgin movement

International organization participation BSEC, CCC, CE (guest), CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECO, ESCAP, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM (observer), OIC, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Hafiz Mir Jalal PASHAYEV
chancery: (temporary) Suite 700, 927 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005 or P. O. Box 28790, Washington, DC 20038-8790
telephone: [1] (202) 842-0001
FAX: [1] (202) 842-0004

Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Stanley ESCUDERO
embassy: Azadliq Prospekti 83, Baku
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [9] (9412) 98-03-35
FAX: [9] (9412) 96-04-69

Flag description three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), red, and green; a crescent and eight-pointed star in white are centered in red band

NOTE: The information regarding Azerbaijan on this page is re-published from the 1998 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Azerbaijan Government 1998 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Azerbaijan Government 1998 should be addressed to the CIA.