Resonance Raman spectra and absolute cross sections have been measured for the azide anion (N-3(-)) in dilute aqueous solution at excitation wavelengths of 246, 228, 223, 218, and 208 nm, on resonance with the longest-wavelength UV absorption bands. The spectra are dominated by the fundamental of the 1343 cm(-1) symmetric stretch, with much lower intensities in the first overtone of the symmetric stretch and the overtone of the bending mode at 1275 cm(-1). The weak overtones and generally low resonance Raman cross sections suggest unusually small changes in the N-N bond lengths relative to those expected for valence transitions of small molecules, and/or particularly strong coupling of the electronic transitions to solvent degrees of freedom leading to rapid effective electronic dephasing. Ab initio calculations have been performed on complexes of N3- with three and four water molecules at the single CI level using the 6-311++g** basis with additional diffuse functions on the N atoms. These calculations predict that the low-lying dipole-allowed electronic excitations have large contributions from rather diffuse upper orbitals, and the forces on the atoms upon vertical excitation are mainly along azide-water and water-water intermolecular coordinates rather than internal vibrations of the azide. The experimental and computational results together are most consistent with significant charge-transfer-to-solvent precursor character of the resonant electronic state(s).