domestic: domestic satellite system
international: submarine cables to New Zealand, Papua New Guinea,
and Indonesia; satellite earth stations--10 Intelsat (4 Indian Ocean
and 6 Pacific Ocean), 2 Inmarsat (Indian and Pacific Ocean Regions)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 262, FM 345, shortwave 1
(Australia's only shortwave station, Radio Australia, broadcasts to
the world in seven languages, using 23 frequencies) (1998)
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: 104 (64 of these stations are
government-owned and 40 are commercial) (1997)
Televisions: 9.2 million (1992 est.)
Transportation
Railways:
total: 38,563 km (2,914 km electrified)
broad gauge: 6,083 km 1.600-m gauge
standard gauge: 16,752 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge: 15,728 km 1.067-m gauge
dual gauge: 172 km NA gauges
Highways:
total: 913,000 km
paved: 353,331 km (including 13,630 km of expressways)
unpaved: 559,669 km (1996 est.)
Waterways: 8,368 km; mainly by small, shallow-draft craft
Pipelines: crude oil 2,500 km; petroleum products 500 km; natural
gas 5,600 km
Ports and harbors: Adelaide, Brisbane, Cairns, Darwin, Devonport
(Tasmania), Fremantle, Geelong, Hobart (Tasmania), Launceston
(Tasmania), Mackay, Melbourne, Sydney, Townsville
Merchant marine:
total: 57 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,767,387 GRT/2,426,710
DWT
ships by type: bulk 29, cargo 3, chemical tanker 4, container 4,
liquefied gas tanker 4, oil tanker 8, passenger 1, roll-on/roll-off
cargo 4 (1998 est.)
Airports: 408 (1998 est.)
Airports--with paved runways:
total: 262
over 3,047 m: 11
2,438 to 3,047 m: 11
1,524 to 2,437 m: 112
914 to 1,523 m: 120
under 914 m: 8 (1998 est.)
Airports--with unpaved runways:
total: 146
1,524 to 2,437 m: 19
914 to 1,523 m: 114
under 914 m: 13 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: Australian Army, Royal Australian Navy, Royal
Australian Air Force
Military manpower--military age: 17 years of age
Military manpower--availability:
males age 15-49: 4,882,693 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 4,212,272 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--reaching military age annually:
males: 130,570 (1999 est.)
Military expenditures--dollar figure: $6.9 billion (FY97/98)
Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 1.9% (FY97/98)
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international: territorial claim in Antarctica
(Australian Antarctic Territory)
Illicit drugs: Tasmania is one of the world's major suppliers of
licit opiate products; government maintains strict controls over
areas of opium poppy cultivation and output of poppy straw
concentrate
======================================================================
@Austria
-------
Introduction
Background: Once the center of power for the large
Austro-Hungarian empire, Austria was reduced to a small republic
after its defeat in World War I. After the annexation to Nazi
Germany in 1938 and subsequent occupation by the victorious Allied
powers, Austria's 1955 State Treaty declared the country
"permanently neutral" as a condition of the Soviet military
withdrawal. The Soviet collapse relieved the external pressure to
remain unaligned, but neutrality had evolved into a part of Austrian
cultural identity, which has led to an ongoing public debate over
whether Vienna legitimately can remain outside of European security
structures. A wealthy country, Austria joined the European Union in
1995 and, like many EU members, is adjusting to the new European
currency and struggling with high unemployment.
Geography
Location: Central Europe, north of Italy and Slovenia
Geographic coordinates: 47 20 N, 13 20 E
Map references: Europe
Area:
total: 83,858 sq km
land: 82,738 sq km
water: 1,120 sq km
Area--comparative: slightly smaller than Maine
Land boundaries:
total: 2,562 km
border countries: Czech Republic 362 km, Germany 784 km, Hungary 366
km, Italy 430 km, Liechtenstein 35 km, Slovakia 91 km, Slovenia 330
km, Switzerland 164 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Climate: temperate; continental, cloudy; cold winters with
frequent rain in lowlands and snow in mountains; cool summers with
occasional showers
Terrain: in the west and south mostly mountains (Alps); along the
eastern and northern margins mostly flat or gently sloping
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Neusiedler See 115 m
highest point: Grossglockner 3,797 m
Natural resources: iron ore, oil, timber, magnesite, lead, coal,
lignite, copper, hydropower
Land use:
arable land: 17%
permanent crops: 1%
permanent pastures: 23%
forests and woodland: 39%
other: 20% (1996 est.)
Irrigated land: 40 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: NA
Environment--current issues: some forest degradation caused by air
and soil pollution; soil pollution results from the use of
agricultural chemicals; air pollution results from emissions by
coal- and oil-fired power stations and industrial plants and from
trucks transiting Austria between northern and southern Europe
Environment--international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air
Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea,
Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical
Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
Pollutants, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol
Geography--note: landlocked; strategic location at the crossroads
of central Europe with many easily traversable Alpine passes and
valleys; major river is the Danube; population is concentrated on
eastern lowlands because of steep slopes, poor soils, and low
temperatures elsewhere
People
Population: 8,139,299 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 17% (male 702,261; female 666,310)
15-64 years: 68% (male 2,792,484; female 2,713,397)
65 years and over: 15% (male 478,071; female 786,776) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.09% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 9.62 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 10.04 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: 1.32 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.61 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 5.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 77.48 years
male: 74.31 years
female: 80.82 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.37 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Austrian(s)
adjective: Austrian
Ethnic groups: German 99.4%, Croatian 0.3%, Slovene 0.2%, other
0.1%
Religions: Roman Catholic 78%, Protestant 5%, other 17%
Languages: German
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99% (1974 est.)
male: NA%
female: NA%
Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Austria
conventional short form: Austria
local long form: Republik Oesterreich
local short form: Oesterreich
Data code: AU
Government type: federal republic
Capital: Vienna
Administrative divisions: 9 states (bundeslaender,
singular--bundesland); Burgenland, Kaernten, Niederoesterreich,
Oberoesterreich, Salzburg, Steiermark, Tirol, Vorarlberg, Wien
Independence: 1156 (from Bavaria)
National holiday: National Day, 26 October (1955)
Constitution: 1920; revised 1929 (reinstated 1 May 1945)
Legal system: civil law system with Roman law origin; judicial
review of legislative acts by the Constitutional Court; separate
administrative and civil/penal supreme courts; has not accepted
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal; compulsory for presidential
elections
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Thomas KLESTIL (since 8 July 1992)
head of government: Chancellor Viktor KLIMA (since 28 January 1997);
Vice Chancellor Wolfgang SCHUESSEL (since 22 April 1995)
cabinet: Council of Ministers chosen by the president on the advice
of the chancellor
elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term;
presidential election last held 19 April 1998 (next to be held in
the spring of 2004); chancellor chosen by the president from the
majority party in the National Council; vice chancellor chosen by
the president on the advice of the chancellor
election results: Thomas KLESTIL reelected president; percent of
vote--Thomas KLESTIL 63%, Gertraud KNOLL 14%, Heide SCHMIDT 11%,
Richard LUGNER 10%, Karl NOWAK 2%
Legislative branch: bicameral Federal Assembly or
Bundesversammlung consists of Federal Council or Bundesrat (64
members; members represent each of the states on the basis of
population, but with each state having at least three
representatives; members serve a four- or six-year term) and the
National Council or Nationalrat (183 seats; members elected by
direct popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: National Council--last held 17 December 1995 (next to be
held in the fall of 1999)
election results: National Council--percent of vote by party--SPOe
38.3%, OeVP 28.3%, FPOe 22.1%, LF 5.3%, Greens 4.6%, other 1.4%;
seats by party--SPOe 71, OeVP 53, FPOe 40, LF 10, Greens 9
Judicial branch: Supreme Judicial Court or Oberster Gerichtshof;
Administrative Court or Verwaltungsgerichtshof; Constitutional Court
or Verfassungsgerichtshof
Political parties and leaders: Social Democratic Party of Austria
caucus floor leader and Alexander VAN DER BELLEN, party spokesman];
Political pressure groups and leaders: Federal Chamber of Trade
and Commerce; Austrian Trade Union Federation (primarily Socialist)
or OeGB; three composite leagues of the Austrian People's Party or
OeVP representing business, labor, and farmers; OeVP-oriented League
of Austrian Industrialists or VOeI; Roman Catholic Church, including
its chief lay organization, Catholic Action
International organization participation: AfDB, AsDB, Australia
Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CCC, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE,
EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU,
ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol,
IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MTCR, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS
(observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO,
UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMIBH, UNMOT, UNOMIG, UNTSO,
UNU, UPU, WCL, WEU (observer), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Helmut TUERK
chancery: 3524 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008-3035
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Kathryn Walt HALL
embassy: Boltzmanngasse 16, A-1091, Vienna
mailing address: use embassy street address
Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top),
white, and red
Economy
Economy--overview: Austria has a well-developed market economy
with a high standard of living. As a member of the European Monetary
Union (EMU), Austria's economy is closely integrated with other EU
member countries, especially with Germany. Austria's membership in
the EU has drawn an influx of foreign investors attracted by
Austria's access to the single European market. Through
privatization efforts, the 1996-98 budget consolidation programs,
and austerity measures, Austria brought its total public sector
deficit down to 2.5% of GDP in 1997 and public debt--at 66% of GDP in
1997--more or less in line with the 60% of GDP required by the EU's
Maastricht criteria. Cuts mainly affect the civil service and
Austria's generous social system, the two major causes of the
government deficit. To meet increased competition from both EU and
Central European countries, Austria will need to emphasize
knowledge-based sectors of the economy and deregulate the service
sector, particularly telecommunications and energy. The strong GDP
growth of 1998 is expected to dwindle back to 2.3% in 1999, and
observers caution that this projection may be revised downwards in
view of the Asian and Brazilian crises and Germany's lower growth
projection.
GDP: purchasing power parity--$184.5 billion (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate: 2.9% (1998 est.)
GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$22,700 (1998 est.)
GDP--composition by sector:
agriculture: 1.4%
industry: 30.8%
services: 67.8% (1997 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 0.9% (1998)
Labor force: 3.7 million (1998)
Labor force--by occupation: services 67.7%, industry and crafts
29%, agriculture and forestry 0.7% (salaried employees, 1997 est.)
Unemployment rate: 7% (1999 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $50.4 billion
expenditures: $55.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1998 est.)
Industries: construction, machinery, vehicles and parts, food,
chemicals, lumber and wood processing, paper and paperboard,
communications equipment, tourism (1997)
Industrial production growth rate: 4% (1998 est.)
Electricity--production: 52.15 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source:
fossil fuel: 34.4%
hydro: 65.6%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1997)
Electricity--consumption: 56.1 billion kWh (1997)
Electricity--exports: 9.8 billion kWh (1997)
Electricity--imports: 9 billion kWh (1997)
Agriculture--products: grains, potatoes, sugar beets, wine, fruit;
dairy products, cattle, pigs, poultry; lumber
Exports: $62.5 billion (1998)
Exports--commodities: vehicles, machinery and equipment, paper and
paperboard, metal goods, iron and steel, telecommunication
equipment, textiles, medical and pharmaceutical products (1997)
Exports--partners: EU 62% (Germany 35.1%, Italy 8.3%), Central and
Eastern Europe 17.6% (Hungary 4.9%), Japan 1.3%, US 3.7% (1997)
Imports: $65.8 billion (1998)
Imports--commodities: vehicles, machinery and equipment, apparel,
metal goods, oil and oil products, office and data-processing
machinery, medical and pharmaceutical products, telecommunication
equipment, textiles (1997)
Imports--partners: EU 68.9% (Germany 41.7%, Italy 8%), Central and
Eastern Europe 11% (Hungary 3.1%), Asia 7.1% (Japan 2.2%), US 5.4%
(1997)
Debt--external: $24.33 billion (1997)
Economic aid--donor: ODA, $513 million (1997); of which, bilateral
$298 million, multilateral $215 million
Currency: 1 Austrian schilling (AS) = 100 groschen
Exchange rates: Austrian schillings (AS) per US$1--11.86 (January
1999), 12.379 (1998), 12.204 (1997), 10.587 (1996), 10.081 (1995),
11.422 (1994)
note: on 9 January 1999, the European Union introduced a common
currency that is now being used by financial institutions in some
member countries at the rate of 0.8597 euros per US$ and a fixed
rate of 13.7603 Austrian shillings per euro; the euro will replace
the local currency in consenting countries for all transactions in
2002
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 3.47 million (1986 est.)
Telephone system:
domestic: highly developed and efficient
international: satellite earth stations--2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean
and 1 Indian Ocean) and 2 Eutelsat
Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 61 (several hundred
repeaters), shortwave 1 (Austria's single shortwave station, Radio
Austria International, transmits its programs to the world in six
languages using 12 frequencies and six communication satellite
relays) (1998)
Radios: 70% of all households had radiosaccoding to the 1993
census
Television broadcast stations: 51 (in addition, there are 920
repeaters) (1998)
Televisions: 2,418,584 (1984 est.)
Transportation
Railways:
total: 5,849 km (there is also 594 km of private tracks)
standard gauge: 5,470 km 1.435-m gauge (3,418 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 379 km 1.000-m and 0.760-m gauge (84 km electrified)
(1997)
Highways: 129,061 km
paved: 129,061 km (including 1,613 km of expressways)
unpaved: 0 km (1997 est.)
Waterways: 358 km (1997)
Pipelines: crude oil 777 km; natural gas 840 km (1997)
Ports and harbors: Linz, Vienna, Enns, Krems
Merchant marine:
total: 22 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 67,066 GRT/95,693 DWT
ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 18, combination bulk 2, container 1
(1998 est.)
Airports: 55 (1998 est.)
Airports--with paved runways:
total: 22
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 5
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 12 (1998 est.)
Airports--with unpaved runways:
total: 33
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 29 (1998 est.)
Heliports: 1 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: Army (includes Flying Division)
Military manpower--military age: 19 years of age
Military manpower--availability:
males age 15-49: 2,091,902 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 1,735,469 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--reaching military age annually:
males: 48,872 (1999 est.)
Military expenditures--dollar figure: $1.8 billion (1999 est.)
Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 0.82% (1999 est.)
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international: none
Illicit drugs: transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and
South American cocaine destined for Western Europe
======================================================================
@Azerbaijan
----------
Introduction
Background: In 1806, Azerbaijan, a region of Turkic Muslim
people, was conquered by the Russians. In 1918, Azerbaijan declared
independence from Russia, but was incorporated into the Soviet Union
in 1920. It again declared its independence in 1991, following the
collapse of the USSR. The conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia
over the Nagorno-Karabakh region is still unresolved after 10 years
and Baku has yet to settle disputes with its neighbors over oil
rights in the Caspian Sea. During the war, Karabakh Armenians
declared independence and seized almost 20% of the country's
territory, creating some 750,000 Azerbaijani refugees in the
process. Both sides have generally observed a Russian-mediated
cease-fire in place since May 1994.
Geography
Location: Southwestern Asia, bordering the Caspian Sea, between
Iran and Russia
Geographic coordinates: 40 30 N, 47 30 E
Map references: Commonwealth of Independent States
Area:
total: 86,600 sq km
land: 86,100 sq km
water: 500 sq km
note: includes the exclave of Naxcivan Autonomous Republic and the
Nagorno-Karabakh region; the region's autonomy was abolished by
Azerbaijani Supreme Soviet on 26 November 1991
Area--comparative: slightly smaller than Maine
Land boundaries:
total: 2,013 km
border countries: Armenia (with Azerbaijan-proper) 566 km, Armenia
(with Azerbaijan-Naxcivan exclave) 221 km, Georgia 322 km, Iran
(with Azerbaijan-proper) 432 km, Iran (with Azerbaijan-Naxcivan
exclave) 179 km, Russia 284 km, Turkey 9 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
note: Azerbaijan borders the Caspian Sea (800 km, est.)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Climate: dry, semiarid steppe
Terrain: large, flat Kur-Araz Ovaligi (Kura-Araks Lowland) (much
of it below sea level) with Great Caucasus Mountains to the north,
Qarabag Yaylasi (Karabakh Upland) in west; Baku lies on Abseron
Yasaqligi (Apsheron Peninsula) that juts into Caspian Sea
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Caspian Sea -28 m
highest point: Bazarduzu Dagi 4,485 m
Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, nonferrous
metals, alumina
Land use:
arable land: 18%
permanent crops: 5%
permanent pastures: 25%
forests and woodland: 11%
other: 41% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 10,000 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: droughts; some lowland areas threatened by
rising levels of the Caspian Sea
Environment--current issues: local scientists consider the Abseron
Yasaqligi (Apsheron Peninsula) (including Baku and Sumqayit) and the
Caspian Sea to be the ecologically most devastated area in the world
because of severe air, water, and soil pollution; soil pollution
results from the use of DDT as a pesticide and also from toxic
defoliants used in the production of cotton
Environment--international agreements:
party to: Climate Change, Desertification, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: Biodiversity
Geography--note: landlocked
People
Population: 7,908,224 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 32% (male 1,292,018; female 1,240,745)
15-64 years: 61% (male 2,361,792; female 2,496,721)
65 years and over: 7% (male 202,755; female 314,193) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.63% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 21.58 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 9.5 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: -5.76 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.65 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 82.52 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 63.08 years
male: 58.76 years
female: 67.63 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.67 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Azerbaijani(s)
adjective: Azerbaijani
Ethnic groups: Azeri 90%, Dagestani Peoples 3.2%, Russian 2.5%,
Armenian 2%, other 2.3% (1998 est.)
note: almost all Armenians live in the separatist Nagorno-Karabakh
region
Religions: Muslim 93.4%, Russian Orthodox 2.5%, Armenian Orthodox
2.3%, other 1.8% (1995 est.)
note: religious affiliation is still nominal in Azerbaijan;
percentages for actual practicing adherents are much lower
Languages: Azeri 89%, Russian 3%, Armenian 2%, other 6% (1995
est.)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97%
male: 99%
female: 96% (1989 est.)
Government
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
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