Page last updated on February 14, 2013

Location:
Southwestern Asia, bordering the Caspian Sea, between Iran and Russia, with a small European portion north of the Caucasus range

Geographic coordinates:
40 30 N, 47 30 E

Map references:
Middle East

Area:
total: 86,600 sq km
[see also: Area - total country ranks ]
country comparison to the world: 113
land: 82,629 sq km
water: 3,971 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
[see also: Land boundaries country ranks ]

Coastline:
0 km (landlocked); note - Azerbaijan borders the Caspian Sea (713 km)
[see also: Coastline country ranks ]

Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)

Climate:
dry, semiarid steppe
More Climate Details

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
[see also: Elevation extremes - lowest point country ranks ]
highest point: Bazarduzu Dagi 4,485 m

Natural resources:
petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, nonferrous metals, bauxite

Land use:
arable land: 20.62%
[see also: Land use - arable land country ranks ]
permanent crops: 2.61%
other: 76.77% (2005)

Irrigated land:
14,300 sq km (2003)
[see also: Irrigated land country ranks ]

Total renewable water resources:
30.3 cu km (1997)
[see also: Total renewable water resources country ranks ]

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 17.25 cu km/yr (5%/28%/68%)
[see also: Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural) - total country ranks ]
per capita: 2,051 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:
droughts

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, soil, and water pollution; soil pollution results from oil spills, from the use of DDT pesticide, and from toxic defoliants used in the production of cotton

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
both the main area of the country and the Naxcivan exclave are landlocked