three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), red, and green; a
crescent and eight-pointed star in white are centered in red band
Economy Azerbaijan
Economy - overview:
Azerbaijan's number one export is oil. Azerbaijan's oil production
declined through 1997 but has registered an increase every year
since. Negotiation of production-sharing arrangements (PSAs) with
foreign firms, which have thus far committed $60 billion to
long-term oilfield development, should generate the funds needed to
spur future industrial development. Oil production under the first
of these PSAs, with the Azerbaijan International Operating Company,
began in November 1997. Azerbaijan shares all the formidable
problems of the former Soviet republics in making the transition
from a command to a market economy, but its considerable energy
resources brighten its long-term prospects. Baku has only recently
begun making progress on economic reform, and old economic ties and
structures are slowly being replaced. One obstacle to economic
progress is the need for stepped up foreign investment in the
non-energy sector. A second obstacle is the continuing conflict with
Armenia over the Nagorno-Karabakh region. Trade with Russia and the
other former Soviet republics is declining in importance while trade
is building with Turkey and the nations of Europe. Long-term
prospects will depend on world oil prices, the location of new
pipelines in the region, and Azerbaijan's ability to manage its oil
wealth.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$30.01 billion (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
9.8% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $3,800 (2004 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 14.1% industry: 45.7% services: 40.2% (2002 est.)
Labor force:
5.09 million (2004 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture and forestry 41%, industry 7%, services 52% (2001)
Unemployment rate:
1.2% (official rate) (2004 est.)
Population below poverty line:
49% (2002 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.8% highest 10%: 27.8% (1995)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
36 (1995)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
4.6% (2004 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):
65.1% of GDP (2004 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $2.715 billion
expenditures: $2.801 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2004 est.)
Public debt:
18.9% of GDP (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products:
cotton, grain, rice, grapes, fruit, vegetables, tea, tobacco;
cattle, pigs, sheep, goats
Industries:
petroleum and natural gas, petroleum products, oilfield equipment;
steel, iron ore, cement; chemicals and petrochemicals; textiles
Industrial production growth rate:
4% (2004 est.)
Electricity - production:
17.55 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 89.7% hydro: 10.3% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:
17.37 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports:
505 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports:
1.558 billion kWh (2002)
Oil - production:
312,800 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - consumption:
140,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:
NA
Oil - imports:
NA
Oil - proved reserves:
589 million bbl (1 January 2002)
Natural gas - production:
5.72 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
6.72 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
1 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
62.3 billion cu m (1 January 2002)
Current account balance:
$-2.899 billion (2004 est.)
Exports:
$3.168 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Exports - commodities:
oil and gas 90%, machinery, cotton, foodstuffs
Exports - partners:
Italy 26.6%, Czech Republic 11.9%, Germany 8.1%, Indonesia 6.4%,
Romania 6.2%, Georgia 6%, Russia 5.3%, Turkey 5.2%, France 4.1%
(2004)
Imports:
$3.622 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, oil products, foodstuffs, metals, chemicals
Imports - partners:
Russia 16.1%, UK 12.5%, Turkey 10.5%, Germany 7.8%, Ukraine 5.6%,
Netherlands 4.9%, US 4.1%, Italy 4% (2004)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$875 million (2004 est.)
Debt - external:
$1.832 billion (2004 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:
ODA, $140 million (2000 est.)
Currency (code):
Azerbaijani manat (AZM)
Currency code:
AZM
Exchange rates:
Azerbaijani manats per US dollar - 4,913.48 (2004), 4,910.73
(2003), 4,860.82 (2002), 4,656.58 (2001), 4,474.15 (2000)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Communications Azerbaijan
Telephones - main lines in use:
923,800 (2002)