Disputes - international:
minor disputes with the Czech Republic over the Temelin Nuclear
Power Plant
Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and South American
cocaine destined for Western Europe
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
======================================================================
@Azerbaijan
Introduction Azerbaijan
Background:
Azerbaijan - a nation with a Turkic and majority-Muslim population
- regained its independence after the collapse of the Soviet Union
in 1991. Despite a 1994 cease-fire, Azerbaijan has yet to resolve
its conflict with Armenia over the Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh
enclave (largely Armenian populated). Azerbaijan has lost 16% of its
territory and must support some 800,000 refugees and internally
displaced persons as a result of the conflict. Corruption is
ubiquitous and the promise of widespread wealth from Azerbaijan's
undeveloped petroleum resources remains largely unfulfilled.
Geography Azerbaijan
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