<item><hi format=bold>Administrative divisions:</hi> 1 autonomous republic (avtomnaya respublika); Nakhichevan (administrative center at Nakhichevan)
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<item>• <hi format=ital>note:</hi> all rayons except for the exclave of Nakhichevan are under direct republic jurisdiction
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<item><hi format=bold>Independence:</hi> 30 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)
<item><hi format=bold>National holiday:</hi> Novruz Bayram, 21-22 March
<item><hi format=bold>Constitution:</hi> adopted NA April 1978; writing a new constitution mid-1993
<item><hi format=bold>Legal system:</hi> based on civil law system
<item><hi format=bold>Suffrage:</hi> 18 years of age; universal
<item><hi format=bold>Executive branch:</hi>
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<item>• <hi format=ital>chief of state:</hi> President Heydar ALIYEV (since 18 June 1993 after President ELCIBEY left Baku for Nakhichevan); election last held 3 October 1993 (next to be held NA); results—Heydar ALIYEV won 97% of vote
<item>• <hi format=ital>head of government:</hi> Prime Minister Surat HUSEYNOV (since 30 June 1993)
<item>• <hi format=ital>cabinet:</hi> Council of Ministers; appointed by the president and confirmed by the Mejlas
<item><hi format=bold>National Assembly (Milli Mejlis):</hi> elections last held 30 September and 14 October 1990 for the Supreme Soviet (next expected to be held NA 1994 for the National Assembly); seats for Supreme Soviet—(360 total) Communists 280, Democratic Bloc 45 (grouping of opposition parties), other 15, vacant 20; note—on 19 May 1992 the Supreme Soviet was prorogued in favor of a Popular Front-dominated National Council; seats—(50 total) Popular Front 25, opposition elements 25
<item><hi format=bold>Political parties and leaders:</hi> Azerbaijan Popular Front (APF), Ebulfez ELCIBEY, chairman; Musavat Party, Isa GAMBAR, chairman; National Independence Party, Etibar MAMEDOV, chairman; Social Democratic Party (SDP), Araz ALIZADE, chairman; Communist Party, Ramiz AKHMEDOV, chairman; People's Freedom Party, Yunus OGUZ, chairman; Independent Social Democratic Party, Arif YUNUSOV and Leila YUNOSOVA, cochairmen; New Azerbaijan Party, Heydar ALIYEV, chairman; Boz Gurd Party, Iskander HAMIDOV, chairman; Azerbaijan Democratic Party, Sardar MAMEDOV, chairman; Azerbaijan Democratic Independence Party, Qabil HUSELNLI, chairman; Islamic Party of Azerbaijan, Ali Akram, chairman
<item><hi format=bold>Other political or pressure groups:</hi> self-proclaimed Armenian Nagorno-Karabakh Republic; Talysh independence movement
<item><hi format=bold>Member of:</hi> BSEC, CCC, CIS, CSCE, EBRD, ECE, ECO, ESCAP, IBRD, ICAO, IDB, ILO, IMF, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, NACC, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO
<item><hi format=bold>Diplomatic representation in US:</hi>
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<item>• <hi format=ital>chief of mission:</hi> Ambassador Hafiz Mir Jalal Ogly PASHAYEV
<item>• <hi format=ital>chancery:</hi> Suite 700, 927 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005
<item>• <hi format=ital>FAX:</hi> Telex 142110 AMEMB SU
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<item><hi format=bold>Flag:</hi> three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), red, and green; a crescent and eight-pointed star in white are centered in red band