Azerbaijan's Independence: A Country's Sovereign Journey

Azerbaijan, officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, is a transcontinental country located at the boundary of Eastern Europe and West Asia. It gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991 and is one of six independent Turkic states. Azerbaijan has a population of approximately 9.7 million people, with 90-95% of the population identifying as ethnically Azerbaijani. The country is predominantly Muslim, with 85% of the population practising Shia Islam and 15% Sunni Islam. The capital and largest city of Azerbaijan is Baku.

Azerbaijan's history and its independence from Russia and Iran

Azerbaijan is a transcontinental country in Eastern Europe and West Asia, with a history that dates back to ancient times. The territory of what is now Azerbaijan was first ruled by Caucasian Albania and later various Persian empires, including the Achaemenid Empire and the Sasanian Empire. In the 19th century, the territories of the republic of Azerbaijan and Iran were usually shared, until the Russo-Persian wars of 1804-1813 and 1826-1828 forced the Qajar Empire to cede its Caucasian territories to the Russian Empire. This marked the beginning of Azerbaijan's independence from Iran, and the emergence of a distinct Azerbaijani national identity.

In 1918, the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic was established, becoming the first secular democratic Muslim-majority state. However, this independence was short-lived, as the country was invaded by Soviet forces in 1920 and incorporated into the Soviet Union as the Azerbaijan SSR. It wasn't until 1991, following the collapse of the Soviet Union, that the modern Republic of Azerbaijan was proclaimed.

Today, Azerbaijan is a unitary semi-presidential republic with diplomatic relations with 182 countries and a population that is predominantly Muslim. The country has experienced significant economic development, particularly in the oil industry, and continues to face political challenges, including hostile relations with neighbouring Armenia and the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict

In late 2020, the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War resulted in thousands of casualties and a significant Azerbaijani victory. Azerbaijan reclaimed most of the territory it had lost, and an armistice was established by a tripartite ceasefire agreement on November 10, 2020. However, ceasefire violations continued, and in December 2022, Azerbaijan began blockading Nagorno-Karabakh, leading to a severe humanitarian crisis. In September 2023, Azerbaijan launched a military offensive, and the Republic of Artsakh was officially dissolved on January 1, 2024, with most of its population fleeing to Armenia.

The conflict has its roots in the Soviet era. In 1923, the Soviet Union established the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast, home to a predominantly Armenian population, within the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic. Tensions rose in the late 1980s when the region's legislature voted to join Soviet Armenia, citing self-determination laws. This act was met with pogroms against Armenians across Azerbaijan, and violence was committed by both sides. The dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 further escalated the conflict, as Armenia and Azerbaijan achieved statehood, and Nagorno-Karabakh officially declared independence.

The First Nagorno-Karabakh War lasted from 1988 to 1994 and resulted in roughly 30,000 casualties. By 1993, Armenia had gained control of Nagorno-Karabakh and occupied 20% of Azerbaijan's geographic area. A Russian-brokered ceasefire in 1994 left Nagorno-Karabakh de facto independent, with a self-proclaimed government in Stepanakert, but still heavily reliant on Armenia.

Since the 1994 ceasefire, there have been periodic violations and intermittent clashes, including the use of attack drones, shelling, and special operations activities by both sides. In April 2016, heavy fighting along the Nagorno-Karabakh frontline left hundreds of casualties, and a breakdown in talks led to continued tensions.

The Second Nagorno-Karabakh War began in September 2020 with an Azerbaijani offensive along the line of contact. The war was marked by the deployment of drones, heavy artillery, and missile strikes, as well as state propaganda and online information warfare. Despite mediation attempts by Russia, France, and the United States, the fighting continued for six weeks, resulting in thousands of military and civilian casualties. A ceasefire agreement was eventually signed, with Russia deploying peacekeepers to the region.

The conflict has resulted in a significant loss of life, displacement, and humanitarian crises. Efforts to reach a permanent solution through negotiation and mediation, led primarily by the OSCE Minsk Group, have so far been unsuccessful. The status of Nagorno-Karabakh remains unresolved, and tensions persist along the Armenia-Azerbaijan border.

Azerbaijan's political system and government

Azerbaijan is a unitary semi-presidential republic with a president as the head of state and a prime minister as the head of government. The country's politics take place in an authoritarian system where elections are not free and fair, civil rights are limited, and power is concentrated in the hands of the president and their extended family.

The president is directly elected by absolute majority vote through a two-round system for a seven-year term. The prime minister is appointed by the president and confirmed by the National Assembly, a unicameral legislature with 125 members elected based on a majority vote. The president exercises executive power alongside the government, while the legislature and judiciary act as checks and balances. However, in practice, both institutions are controlled by the executive.

The ruling New Azerbaijan Party, headed by the current president, Ilham Aliyev, controls all the electoral commissions in Azerbaijan. The party has been in power since 1993 and has been accused of authoritarianism, worsening the country's human rights record, and increasing restrictions on civil liberties. International observers have never deemed an election in the country to be free and fair.

Azerbaijan's political system is nominally two-tiered, with the executive power headed by the president at the top tier and the local executive authority as a continuation of that power. The Security Council is a deliberative body under the president, and the administrative department manages the financial, technical, and pecuniary activities of the president and their office.

The country's economy and natural resources

Azerbaijan's economy is highly dependent on its fossil fuel exports, particularly oil and natural gas, which make up two-thirds of its GDP. In fact, the country is one of the top ten most fossil fuel-dependent economies in the world.

Azerbaijan's economy has been bolstered by its large oil reserves, which have been exploited since ancient times. The country's oil wealth has strengthened the stability of the current regime, enriched ruling elites, and enabled the state to host lavish international events and engage in extensive lobbying efforts abroad.

However, the country's private sector is weak, with more than half of the formal labour force working for the government. The economy is dominated by state-owned enterprises, and the banking sector remains small in relation to the size of the economy.

Azerbaijan has the largest agricultural basin in the region, with about 54.9% of the country being agricultural land. The country's agricultural scientific research institutes are focused on meadows and pastures, horticulture, viticulture, cotton growing, and medicinal plants. Livestock, dairy products, and wine and spirits are also important farm products.

Azerbaijan is also an important economic hub for the transportation of raw materials. The country's convenient location on the crossroads of major international traffic arteries, such as the Silk Road and the South-North corridor, highlights the strategic importance of the transportation sector for the country's economy.

The country has also been taking steps to diversify its economy away from hydrocarbons, with a focus on developing the green energy, agriculture, logistics, tourism, and information/communication technology (ICT) sectors.

Natural Resources

Azerbaijan is a country with very favourable natural conditions and rich natural resources. The country has a complex landscape structure, including snowy peaks, high mountains, foothill fertile soils, and wide plains, which has resulted in a variety of natural conditions, climates, soil-vegetation, and water resources.

The richness of mining resources in Azerbaijan is related to the complexity of its geological structure. The country has a wide variety of minerals and hydrocarbons, including oil, gas, shale, peat, iron ores, gold deposits, copper ores, and many more.

The territory of the Republic, especially the Absheron Peninsula, is one of the world's oldest oil-producing regions, with the extraction and distribution of oil from the peninsula to other countries dating back to the 7th and 6th centuries BC. Azerbaijan is also known for its mud volcanoes, with the majority of the world's 2000 mud volcanoes located in the east of the country and in the Caspian Sea boundary.

In addition, the country has a wide array of semi-precious and precious minerals, as well as non-metallic mining resources such as rock salt, gypsum, anhydride, and bentonite clays.

Azerbaijan's culture and religion

Azerbaijan is a transcontinental country at the boundary of Eastern Europe and West Asia. It is a secular, unitary semi-presidential republic, and one of six independent Turkic states. The vast majority of the country's population (97%) is nominally Muslim, but the Constitution of Azerbaijan does not declare an official religion.

Azerbaijan's culture combines the historical, religious, and traditional, evolving and moulding over centuries to create the modern-day Azerbaijani. The country has good relationships with Israel, something unheard of in the Islamic world. After centuries of influence from Russia, many Azerbaijanis tend to be pro-Russian and pro-Western.

Azerbaijan's culture is palpable in the country's lively, symbolic dances, delicate miniature paintings, exquisite handwoven carpets, and advanced theatrical and cinematic productions. History and legend blend together in colorful epic stories, while visible reminders of the past are seen in Azerbaijan’s hodgepodge of medieval palaces, durable Soviet structures, and record-setting skyscrapers. Traditional Azerbaijani lifestyles vary between each region, each of which lays claim to distinct music, handicrafts, and folklore.

Azerbaijani music and dance are some of the most expressive forms of local art, having been perfected over the course of 4,000 years. The most defining feature of Azerbaijani music is mugham, an improvisational musical form expressed through alternating vocal and instrumental parts. Mugham is inscribed on the UNESCO Intangible Heritage List and celebrated annually at the World of Mugham Festival.

Azerbaijani literature has been preserved through oral and written traditions. Oral folklore developed under the influence of the Turkic mentality, while written literature was formed in the Middle Ages under distinct Persian and Arabic influence. During the Soviet era, many Azerbaijani authors were forced to become mouthpieces for Soviet propaganda. Today, one of the most widely-recognized pieces of Azerbaijani literature is Ali and Nino: A Love Story, which has now been translated into over 30 languages.

Azerbaijani fine arts can be seen in the ancient petroglyphs known as Gobustan Rock Art, ceramic items on display in the National Art Museum, and decorative columns unearthed in Nakhchivan and Gabala. The country has more than 50 museums, most of which are found in the capital city of Baku.

Azerbaijani tea culture is also striking. Tea is almost sacred. The brightly colored drink is poured into a pear-shaped glass called an armuda, served without milk. A cube of sugar accompanies the tea, and locals take a bite of the sugar before sipping the tea. This quirky style dates back to medieval times when paranoid rulers were afraid of assassination by poison.

Azerbaijan is famous for its unparalleled hospitality. Locals go to great lengths to help, and guests are a valued commodity. Ask for directions, and they might show you rather than tell. The younger ones who speak some English are often happy to chat about their country.

Azerbaijan is also famous for its relationship with oil. Oil stimulated Baku’s boom in the late 19th century, funding most of the elegant architecture, mansions, and palaces in modern Baku. The second oil boom saw the nation’s wealth hit the roof.

Azerbaijan is also known as the 'Land of Fire'. From Baku’s Flame Towers to Zoroastrian fire temples and burning water, infernos have deep ties to Azerbaijani culture. Scientifically, the vast quantities of subterranean gas are responsible. Culturally, fire gave light and was mystical to the early inhabitants.

Azerbaijan is also famous for its carpet weaving. Modern specialists have now identified over 140 different carpet ornamentations in Azerbaijan, many examples of which can be seen in the Azerbaijan National Carpet Museum in Baku.

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