Map Of Azerbaijan Created By The CIA

The map of Azerbaijan above comes from the CIA World Factbook

Azerbaijan Location Map

Azerbaijan Facts

Full Official Name: Republic of Azerbaijan
Demonym: Azerbaijani,Azeri

Flag:

Area

Total Area: 86,600 km²
Total Land Area: 82,629 km²
Total Water Area: 3,971 km²

Demographics

Population: 10,650,239

Population Growth Rate: 0.43% (2024 est.)

Largest City: Baku (Population: 2,616,948)

Ethnic Groups: Azerbaijani 91.6%, Lezghin 2%, Russian 1.3%, Armenian 1.3%, Talysh 1.3%, other 2.4% (2009 est.)

Languages: Azerbaijani (Azeri) (official) 92.5%, Russian 1.4%, Armenian 1.4%, other 4.7% (2009 est.)

Religions: Muslim 97.3% (predominantly Shia), Christian 2.6%, other <0.1, unaffiliated <0.1 (2020 est.)

Economy

Currency: Manat

Real GDP at Purchasing Power Parity ($ PPP): $215.896 billion (2023 est.)

GDP per capita (PPP): $21,300 (2023 est.)

Exports Value Per Year: $35.487 billion (2023 est.)

Biggest Export Partners: Italy 47%, Turkey 9%, Israel 4%, India 4%, Greece 4% (2022)

Imports Value Per Year: $25.016 billion (2023 est.)

Biggest Import Partners: Russia 17%, Turkey 17%, China 10%, UAE 5%, Georgia 5% (2022)

Government

Type: presidential republic

Capital City: Baku (Baki, Baky) (Population: 2,616,948)

Other Facts

Time Zone: UTC+4 (AZT)

Country Code: AZ

Internet TLD: .az
Climate: dry, semiarid steppe

Climate Map of Azerbaijan

Map created by Beck, H.E., Zimmermann, N. E., McVicar, T. R., Vergopolan, N., Berg, A., & Wood, E. F.

Flag Map of Azerbaijan

Odd Shape?

Azerbaijan was included in my list of The 17 Oddest Shaped Countries In The World & How They Came To Be.

Azerbaijan’s shape is considered odd primarily because it appears fragmented and irregular, featuring separated portions and enclaves, with a distinctive “landlocked island” of territory (Nakhchivan) completely disconnected from the main part of the country.

Its borders curve irregularly, and it narrows dramatically at certain points, creating an unusual geographic outline.

Here’s clearly why and how Azerbaijan got its odd shape:

What’s Odd About Azerbaijan’s Shape?

It consists of two separate regions:
- The main portion of Azerbaijan, east of Armenia.
- Nakhchivan, an autonomous exclave separated completely from the main territory by Armenia.
The main country has irregularly curved borders, creating narrow corridors and protrusions.
It includes complicated border enclaves and exclaves that result in fragmented areas and complex geography.

How Azerbaijan Got Its Odd Shape:

Historical & Political Factors (Main Reason):

Azerbaijan’s modern shape largely emerged from decisions made during the Soviet Union period (1920-1991).
Soviet planners drew borders between Armenia and Azerbaijan arbitrarily, creating Nakhchivan as a separate autonomous region of Azerbaijan, completely disconnected by Armenian territory.
Further complexities arose with contested areas, notably Nagorno-Karabakh, leading to more fragmentation, enclave formation, and border irregularities.

Geographic Factors:

Natural features like the Greater and Lesser Caucasus Mountains influenced some borders, contributing to Azerbaijan’s irregular northern and western boundaries.
The Caspian Sea forms a natural boundary to the east, creating Azerbaijan’s curved coastline.

Ethnic and Territorial Conflicts:

Ethnic and territorial disputes between Armenians and Azerbaijanis, especially around Nagorno-Karabakh, led to further fragmentation of the territory, affecting the shape significantly through conflict-driven changes.

Consequences of Azerbaijan’s Odd Shape:

Logistical Challenges: Nakhchivan being disconnected creates difficulties in transportation, communication, and administration.
Political and Military Complexity: Borders created conflict-prone regions, resulting in ongoing territorial tensions with neighbouring Armenia.
Economic Impact: The fragmented shape complicates trade and infrastructure development.

Topographic Map of Azerbaijan

The topographic map of Azerbaijan was created by NordNordWest