The parliament, Melli-Majlis, have 50 members that are elected by universal suffrage for four years.
|RDefense:|N Conscription is for 17 months. The strength is 85 000 men and there is also a paramilitary milicia of about 20 000 men.
|RNational holiday:|N Independence Day, May 28.
|RNature and climate:|N The southern part of the Caucausus, the Apsjeron peninsula and the lowland area around the rivers Kura and Arak.
Average temperature in January + 3°C and in July 25°C. Percipitation 250 - 500 mm.
|RPeople:|N Mostly Azerbaijanians, but also groups of Russians, Armenians and Kurds.
|REducation:|N Compulsory between 6 and 15 years. There are two universities.
|REconomy:|N Most important natural resource is oil, but also several other minerals like iron, copper, lead and zink.
Big chemical industry. Manufacturing of steel and synthetic rubber.
Traditional manufacturing of oriental carpets and production of genuine caviar.
Most important crops are wheat, cotton, rice, tea and fruits. Extensive stockraising in the mountains.
|RHistory:|N Azerbaijan is the "Soviet" part of a province that extends into Iran.
Scythian tribes lived in Azerbaijan which was a part of the Roman Empire. Conquered by Turks in the 11th century.
Russia conquered the northern part in 1806 and 1813. This part was made an constituent republic within the Soviet Union in 1936.
During World War II the Soviet Union occupied the Irianian part of Azerbaijan and the communist party tried to create a union of the two parts but failed.
Azerbaijan became an independent nation when the Soviet Union disbanded in 1991.
By time of independence both Azerbaijan and Armenia claimed Nagorno-Karabakh, an enclave in Azerbaijan with a majority population of Armenians. In 1992 fighting escalated, and in 1993 Armenia occupied 20% of the land, which led to a military coup.
