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==Overview==The '''Republic of Azerbaijan''' gained independence from the former Soviet Union in 1991. By 2005, Azerbaijan's hydrocarbons had "attracted approximately $7.3 billion in foreign investment over the past five years and $23 billion total to date. This influx of investment and petrodollars into Azerbaijan’s Azerbaijan's relatively small market has the economy working on overdrive and offering U.S. export opportunities to satisfy the country’s country's growing purchasing power. GDP growth in Azerbaijan averaged over 10% per year for 2001 – 04, and reached an unprecedented 26.4% increase in 2005."<ref name="export">[http://www.export.gov/articles/Azerbaijan_MoM.asp Azerbaijan,] Export.gov.</ref>

"==Media==The Baku''[[BBC]]'' says of the country's [[media]]: :Azerbaijan's state-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline (BTC): transports crude oil 1run and public media compete with private and opposition publications and broadcasters. Freedom of speech is guaranteed by the constitution,760 km but in 2010 [[Reporters Without Borders]] (1,093 milesRSF) said journalists and bloggers are under persistent pressure from the Azeriauthorities. Turkey's state-Chirag-Guneshli oil field run TRT TV is rebroadcast in Azerbaijan. Iranian and Russian channels can be seen in border areas. There were 3.7 million internet users by June 2010.<ref name="BBC Profile"/> ==U.S. military bases and Azerbaijan==In 2010, the Caspian Sea to parliament of Azerbaijan approved a policy of allowing foreign military bases in the Mediterranean Seacountry. It passes through Baku, The new policy would allow "the capital temporary accommodation of foreign military bases" in Azerbaijan; Tbilisiunder international accords and "in the case of radical changes in Azerbaijan's military-political situation." The law was adopted within days after U.S. Defense Secretary [[Robert Gates]] visited the country. Gates said during his short visit, "It's important to touch base and let them know they do play an important role." The U.S. has long been seeking out bases and transit corridors in the capital area to reduce its dependence on supply routes to [[Afghanistan]] via [[Pakistan]]. Tens of thousands of Georgia; and Ceyhanflights as well as around 100, a port on 000 U.S.-led forces have passed through Azerbaijan since the southeastern Mediterranean coast Afghan war began in 2001.<ref>"[http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=19687 Azerbaijan's New military doctrine: Open Door to Establishment of TurkeyUS Military Bases]", Centre for Research on Globalisation, June 1, 2010.</ref> ==Leaders==*[[Ilham Aliyev]], President, took over as president from his father, Heydar, in 2003."<ref name="exportBBC Profile"/>

[[category:Azerbaijan]][[category:countries]][[category:Europe]][[category:oil industry]]