Facts

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

Area (only Total) total: 86,600 sq km

Climate: dry, semiarid steppe

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

Population: 8,177,717 (July 2008 est.)

Main Language (only first): Azerbaijani

Government type: Republic

Capital (Name): Baku (Baki, Baky)

Capital (Time Difference): UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Independence: 30 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday: Founding of the Democratic Republic of Azerbaijan, 28 May (1918)