Geography |
The Azerbaijani Republic is bordered on the north by Russia, on the east by the Caspian Sea, on the south by Iran, on the west by Armenia, and on the north-west by Georgia and covers an area of about 86 420 km2.
Azerbaijan lies in the Transcaucasia region, between the Black and Caspian seas. It includes the region of Nagorno-Karabakh, a predominantly Armenian-inhabited enclave in western Azerbaijan, and the autonomous exclave of Nakhichevan, which is separated from the rest of Azerbaijan by a mountainous strip of Armenian territory.
Part of the Caucasus Mountains lie in northern Azerbaijan while the Little Caucasus Mountains stretch across the western part of the country. The Talish Mountains are on the extreme south-east border. Azerbaijan´s highest point is Mount Bazardyuzyu, 4 466 m above sea level in the Caucasus Mountains.
The Kur, the country´s main river, flows through the central valley between the mountain ranges and empties into the Caspian Sea. The Kur´s main tributary, the Aras, flows along part of Azerbaijan´s southern border. Other important rivers include the Terter and the Akera.
The lowlands of central and eastern Azerbaijan have a dry subtropical climate, with relatively mild winters and long hot summers. The lowlands have an average temperature of 27° C in July and 4° C in January, although summer temperatures can reach the upper 30° C.
Summers are typically dry, with most precipitation falling during the winter months, averaging 130 to 380 mm. Temperatures are colder in the mountains, with parts of the Caucasus averaging 13° C in August and 6° C in January. Snowfall can be heavy at elevations of more than 3 000 m. The highlands receive about 1 000 to 1 400 mm of precipitation per year.
The designations employed and the presentation of material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.