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Azerbaijan is situated in the Caucasus
region of Eurasia. Three physical features dominate Azerbaijan: the
Caspian Sea, whose shoreline forms a natural boundary to the east; the
Greater Caucasus mountain range to the north; and the extensive
flatlands at the country's center. About the size of Portugal or the
state of Maine, Azerbaijan has a total land area of approximately 86,600
square kilometers, less than 1% of the land area of the former Soviet
Union.
Of the three
Transcaucasian states, Azerbaijan has the greatest land area. Located in
the region of the southern Caucasus Mountains, Azerbaijan borders the
Caspian Sea to the east, Georgia and Russia to the north, Iran to the
south, and Armenia to the southwest and west. A small part of Nakhchivan
also borders Turkey to the northwest. The capital of Azerbaijan is the
ancient city of Baku, which has the largest and best harbor on the
Caspian Sea and has long been the center of the republic's oil industry.
Geographic location:
Southwestern (Caucasus) Asia, bordering the Caspian Sea
Longitude: 44o46 50o45
Latitude: 38o24 41o54
Area: 86,600 sq km
water: 500 sq km
land: 86,100 sq km
Land bordaries:
Armenia proper 566 km;
Armenia-Nakhichevan: exclave 221 km;
Georgia: 322 km
Iran proper: 432 km
Iran (with Azerbaijan-Nakhichevan exclave): 179 km
Turkey: 11 km
Russia: 284 km
Note! Azerbaijan borders the Caspian Sea (800 km, est.)
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
Land use:
arable land: 19,31%
permanent crops: 5%
permanent pastures: 25%
forests and woodland: 11,5%
other: 41% (1993 est.)
agricultural lands: 50% (27% of which are pastures)
Irrigated land: 14 550 sq km (1998 est.)
Elevation extremes: Highest: Bazarduzu Daghy 4,466 m Lowest:
Caspian Sea -27 m
The biggest lakes: km2
The biggest lake in the world is Caspian Sea, 400000 sq.km, depth - 1025
m!
Sarisu: 67.0
Aggel: 56.2
Agzibirchala: 37.0
Mehman: 35.0
Boyukshor: 9.2
Hajigabul: 8.4
Rivers: km
Kur: 1515
Araz: 1072
Alazan (Ganikh): 413
Iori (Gabirri): 389
Terter: 200
Samur: 216
The longest islands: sq. km.
Pirallahi: 14.4
Chilov: 11.5
Khara-Zira: 3.5
Boyuk-Zira: 1.4
Climate: dry, semiarid steppe
Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, nonferrous
metals, alumina.
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