General information

The official name:

Azerbaijan Republic.

The capital:

Baku city

The area:

Territory – 86600 sq.m.

The population:

The population of Azerbaijan come to 8 922 000 person (on 01/01/2009).

From them: 90% - Azeri, 3,2% - Lezgin, Avar, Udin, etc., 2,5% - Russian, 4,3% - other nationalities; 51,8 % is the urban population.

Language:

Official language Azeri (Turkish language group). The majority of the population speaks Russian.

Administrative division:

The structure of republic includes the Nakhichevan Autonomous republic. There is 78 districts in the country from which 65 – rural, 13 – city.
There are 69 greater and small cities in the city, 132 settlements of city type, and 4242 settlements.

Religion:

The religion is separated from the state. The majority of the population professes the Islam; a lot of followers of Judaism and Christianity – Orthodox and Catholics.

Money:

Official currency – Manat is put into circulation from 1st February, 1993. There are paper tenors 50000, 10000, 1000, 500, 250, 100, 50 manat. The Foreign currency can be changed in banks or exchange offices of currency without restrictions. Centers of an exchange of foreign currencies are located in Baku and in other large cities. Credit cards are accepted for payment in hotels, in large supermarkets of the capital. Using credit cards and tourist checks in a province are practically impossible. Import of currency is not limited (quantity of currency is declared). Export of currency is limited.

Entrance to the country: Visa is required for entrance to the country (except for citizens of the CIS). The visa can be received in embassy of the Azerbaijan Republic, or at entrance at the international airport named after Heydar Aliyev. Cost of the visa is 40 US dollars.

Electricity:

Voltage – 220 volt.

Time zone:

GMT + 4 hours

Holidays:

The following holidays and memorials are officially celebrated in Azerbaijan: New Year – 1 January, the International Women\'s day – March 8, Novruz Bayram – March 20-21, Victory Day – May 9, Independence Day of Republic – May 28, Day of National Rescue of Azeri people – June 15, Day of Establishment of Army Force – June 26, Day of State Independence – October 18, Constitution Day – November 12, Day of National Revival – November 17, Day of solidarity of Azeri people all over the world – December 31. Besides Muslim holidays, Kurban-Bayram (a holiday of sacrifice), Uraza-Bayram (a holiday of fasting-stop) are celebrated, etc.