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Azerbaijan Practical information Azerbaijan

 
 
Area : 33436  sq.mi - Population 8400000 hab.
Azerbaijan

Our expert Azerbaijan

map

map Azerbaijan

Weather

  • Baku  29°C 29°C 28°C 30°C
  • Sumgait  32°C 31°C 31°C 32°C

Practical information Azerbaijan

superficie

Area

33436  sq.mi
vol

Flights

Flight duration London-Baku direct: 5 hrs 25 mins.

decallage horaire

Jet Lag

population

Population

8400000 hab.
aeroports proche

Airports

The Bina international airport at Baku is located 19 miles from the capital. The journey will take you about 40 minutes in a taxi for the price of USD 10 to 20 (£7-£14)
securite

Security

Despite the signing of a ceasefire in May 1994, the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict has not been settled. More than 700,000 refugees have fled into Azerbaijan. The border areas with Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh must be avoided as incidents related to the confrontation occur regularly along the front line. A similar situation exists in the border areas between Nakhitchevan and Armenia, on the one hand, and Daghestan, on the other hand.
English people travelling there should notify the consulate section of the British Embassy of their presence in Azerbaijan. Tel.: (+994 12) 492 27 39.
Useful numbers:
Police: 02.
Emergency: 03.
Firemen: 01.
British Embassy: (+994 12) 497 51 88 / 89 / 90 Fax: (+994 12) 497 74 34.
langue

Languages

The official language is Azeri.
formalites

Requirements

A visa and passport valid six months after the return date are required to enter the territory. For Tourist visas, the arrival and departure must be completed, at the latest, in the three months following the issue of the visa for a maximum stay of one month. For Business visas, the stay depends on the how long you are permitted. It will cost you £40 to obtain a visa.

religion

Religion

Muslims (94%, Shiites 70%, Sunni 30%), Russian Orthodox (2.5%), Orthodox Armenians (2.3%)

monnaie

Currency

The local currency is the manat (AZM), although the Russian ruble is still widely used. The US dollar is widely exchanged, but this is not the case for travellers cheques. Currency is easily exchanged in Baku and in the major cities. Make sure you that you have some notes of small denomination. Be aware, though, that foreign exchange rates vary greatly from one place to another, so shop around first. Credit cards are accepted in most of the hotels and restaurants in Baku. The import of foreign currencies must be declared and their export is limited to the amount declared upon arrival in the country. The import and export of local currency is forbidden. Bank opening hours: from 9:30 am to 5:30 pm, Monday to Friday.
transports

Local transportation

Train: The railway network connects Baku to most of the major towns. Transport conditions are spartan and random. All the long distances can be reached from Baku: Georgia via Gandja and Gazakh, Russia via Guba and Iran via Lenkoran and Astara. The Baku underground network stretches for 17 miles, but fires caused by electricity have been reported so use it with caution.
Note: for Baku-Tbilisi, American Express has a comfortable sleeper train that complies with international regulations,with daily departures in the evening (allow for a fifteen hour journey) with the possibility of a connection in Turkey and Western Europe. Baku-Tbilisi one-way ticket costs USD 168 (£115) in economy class and USD 260 (£180) in business class.
Bus: this is currently the best way of travelling within the country. Faster and safer than the train, buses connect Baku to the main towns.
Car: driving yourself is not recommended, as basic driving rules are not respected and the road infrastructure is not always of very good quality. The major roads are just about suitable for motor vehicles, but minor roads can only be taken in a 4x4. If, despite this, you decide to choose this method of transport, it is possible to hire a car. Car hiring agencies are represented in Baku. An international licence is required, and the minimum age to be able to rent a car is 21 years old.
In town: if you take a taxi, do not forget to negotiate the price of the trip in advance. Bargaining is accepted and even recommended!
sante

Health

No vaccine is required but some of them are recommended: diphtheria, tetanus, poliomyelitis, typhoid and hepatitis A. Malaria prevention is also recommended, as the country is listed in zone 1 (except for Baku, there is no malaria in Baku).

Since water is not drinkable in Azerbaijan, only ever drink sterilised or bottled water (with the cap taken off in front of you). Do not eat raw or half-cooked food (meat, fish, vegetables and fruit), and canned food whose use-by date you cannot verify. Reliability can be uncertain, so take all food precautions to avoid 'traveller's dysentery'. The major hotels are equipped with water filter systems.

A non-positive HIV certificate can be legally requested of foreigners as HIV and Tuberculosis are on the increase again.

Do not forget to get insured (including Azerbaijan) before your departure. In most cases, after first aid and emergency treatment when you are there, repatriation to the United Kingdom is necessary given the asepsis conditions. Furthermore, at the moment there is no English doctor living permenantly in Baku, so before consulting a local or even foreign doctor when there, it is advisable to contact the embassy.
Useful phone numbers:
Emergency hospitals: 95 30 73.
'Western Medical' Dr Ibrahim Seidov, English speaking: 97 37 44.
'SOS INTERNATIONAL' German medical centre (paediatrics, vaccinations, repatriations): 93 73 54. Fax: 93 96 44.

electricite

Electricity

220 V. two-pin plugs. An adapter is necessary.
frequentation

Flood of tourists

taxe

Taxes and tips

telephone

Telephone

To telephone from England to Azerbaijan: dial 00 + 994 + the town code (Baku: 12; Soumgait: 164; Gyandzha: 222, Nakhitchevan: 136) + the no. of your correspondent.
To telephone from Azerbaijan to England: dial 00 + 44 + the no. of your correspondent without the initial 0.
The telephone network is often saturated.