Internal and external economic relations

Natural conditions, resources and assortments of products produced and its amount of the country or its regions determine its economic relations. The structure of economic relations depends on the quality of products produced in the country, its amount, its supply with raw and meeting the various demands of the population.

Intra-republican economic relations are characterized by the distribution of industrial and agricultural products among cities and villages, its delivery to the industrial enterprises and population and other users. Thus, for provision of the population of cities with food, clothing, and industrial enterprises with raw materials products of agriculture and extractive industry are sent to the cities. The administrative regions dominated by the rural population get the industrial goods and foods.

Cities carry out the distributive trade and the distribution the functions. Therefore, the imported products firstly are brought to large cities, in particular to Baku. Subsequently they are delivered to the appropriate places. Transportation of imported products occupies an important place in intra-republican relations.

The volume and range of foreign economic relations are defined for Azerbaijan’s position ranked in International Organization among the countries of the world. At present, the country\'s institutions and organizations, private institutions have trade relations with 82 countries in the world. Thanks to the expansion of trade relations with foreign countries Azerbaijan’s negative foreign trade balance has declined in recent years. The volume of imports decreased and exports increased.

More than half of foreign economic relations, as well as imports and exports belong to far foreign countries. Among them Iran, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Germany, Great Britain, the United States, Sweden, Switzerland, Italy, France, etc. can be noted particularly.

74% of goods sent to abroad from our republic constitute oil and oil products. From Azerbaijan carpets, air conditioners, electric motors, chemical industry products are exported, too. Flour, wheat, sugar and sugar powder, butter, meat, rice, potatoes, tea, cloth, clothing, furniture, appliances, machinery and equipment are imported in our country.

30-40% of Azerbaijan\'s foreign trade turnover, as well as imports and exports come to share of the CIS countries. Among these countries Russia, Georgia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Belarus are in leading positions.

Other types of foreign economic relations are cooperation in the field of financial-credit, scientific - research relations, tourism relations, material production.

Recently, a number of enterprises, joint ventures of republic are being established, re-established.  For the development of tea-growing joint ventures have been established on the basis of Baku, Masally and Lankaran tea factories together with Turkey\'s Beta, Sara and the UAE\'s Intersun companies. For reconstruction of  Khachmas, Masalli and Guba canning plants the equipment was purchased from Swedish Tetra-Pak company. According to contract concluded between U.S. Reynolds and Turkish Star companies and Baku Tobacco Plant a joint venture was established. In Absheron peninsula, the U.S, Coca-Cola and Pepsi-Cola soft drinks companies have been working.  

After Azerbaijan gained its independence in 1991, he became a member of many international organizations. In the same year he joined to the Islamic Development Bank under the auspices of the Organization of Islamic Conference.

Since January 30, 1992 our republic is member of OSCE, since March 2, 1992 - the United Nations, since September 19, 1995 - the CIS. Our republic joined the International Monetary Fund and International Bank for Reconstruction and Development in the structure of the United Nations largest financial institutions in September 1992.

Azerbaijan is also a member of the Economic Cooperation Organization and the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization, and many other international organizations. In January 17, 2001 the country became a member of the Council of Europe.