Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $2.1 billion, 1.0% of GDP (1995)
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@Azerbaijan —————
Azerbaijan continues to be plagued by an unresolved eight-year-old conflict with Armenian separatists over its Nagorno-Karabakh region. The Karabakh Armenians have declared independence and seized almost 20% of the country's territory, creating almost 1 million Azeri refugees in the process. Both sides have generally observed a Russian-mediated cease-fire in place since May 1994, and support the OSCE-mediated peace process, now entering its fifth year. Nevertheless, Baku and Xankandi (Stepanakert, Nagorno-Karabakh region) remain far apart on most substantive issues from the placement and composition of a peacekeeping force to the enclave's ultimate political status, and prospects for a negotiated settlement remain dim.
Map —-
Location: 40 30 N, 47 30 E — Southwestern Asia, bordering the
Caspian Sea, between Iran and Russia
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
Geography ————-
Location: Southwestern Asia, bordering the Caspian Sea, between
Iran and Russia