Exploring The Rich History And Culture Of Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan, officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, is a transcontinental country at the boundary of Eastern Europe and West Asia. It is a part of the South Caucasus region and is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia's republic of Dagestan to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia and Turkey to the west, and Iran to the south. The country's capital and largest city is Baku.

Azerbaijan is a country in Eurasia, with territory in both Eastern Europe and West Asia

Azerbaijan is a transcontinental country located in Eurasia, with territory in Eastern Europe and West Asia. It is a part of the South Caucasus region and is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia's republic of Dagestan to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia and Turkey to the west, and Iran to the south. Baku is the capital and largest city of Azerbaijan.

The territory of present-day Azerbaijan was historically ruled by Caucasian Albania and various Persian empires. It remained a part of Qajar Iran until the 19th century, when the Russo-Persian wars of 1804–1813 and 1826–1828 forced the Qajar Empire to cede its Caucasian territories to the Russian Empire. The Azerbaijan Democratic Republic proclaimed its independence from the Transcaucasian Democratic Federative Republic in 1918, becoming the first secular democratic Muslim-majority state. However, in 1920, the country was conquered and incorporated into the Soviet Union as the Azerbaijan SSR. The modern Republic of Azerbaijan regained its independence on 30 August 1991, shortly before the dissolution of the Soviet Union.

Azerbaijan is a unitary semi-presidential republic and is officially a secular state, with no official religion. While the majority of the country's population (around 97%) is nominally Muslim, with a significant Shia population, the country has a strong tradition of secularism. Azerbaijan has diplomatic relations with 182 countries and is an active member of several international organisations, including the United Nations, the Council of Europe, the Non-Aligned Movement, the OSCE, and the NATO PfP program.

Azerbaijan's economy has been largely driven by its abundant natural resources, particularly its oil and natural gas reserves. The country has the largest agricultural basin in the region, with about 54.9% of its land being used for agricultural purposes. Azerbaijan's cultural heritage reflects its location at the crossroads of Eastern Europe and Western Asia, with influences from Persian, Ottoman, and Russian cultures. Azerbaijani art, architecture, literature, and music showcase a rich tapestry of traditions and historical influences.

Azerbaijan is known for its diverse landscapes, including mountain ranges, lowland areas, and the Caspian Sea coastline. The country has a subtropical climate with hot summers and mild winters, and its terrain consists of both mountainous regions and extensive flatlands.

The country is bordered by Russia, Georgia, Armenia, Iran, and Turkey

Azerbaijan is bordered by five countries: Russia, Georgia, Armenia, Iran, and Turkey. The country's land borders stretch a total of 2,648 km, with Armenia sharing the longest border at 1,007 km, followed by Iran at 756 km, Georgia at 480 km, Russia at 390 km, and Turkey at 15 km. The country is also bordered by the Caspian Sea to the east, which is the world's largest lake and classified as a closed sea.

Russia, officially the Russian Federation, shares a 390 km border with Azerbaijan to the north. Russia's Republic of Dagestan is specifically located north of Azerbaijan.

Georgia borders Azerbaijan to the northwest, with a 470 km to 480 km-long border.

Azerbaijan's border with Armenia is more complex. Armenia borders Azerbaijan to the west and southwest, with a 1,007 km-long border. Additionally, within Armenia, there are three Azerbaijani enclaves: Barxudarlı, Yuxarı Əskipara, and Karki, located north of the Nakhchivan region. Reciprocally, there is one Armenian enclave in Azerbaijan: a village called Artsvashen in northwestern Azerbaijan. The complex border situation between Azerbaijan and Armenia is due to the ongoing Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, with the ethnic Armenian majority in the region declaring independence, resulting in multiple wars, and leading to the current situation where Azerbaijan has regained control over the region.

Azerbaijan's border with Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, is 756 km to 765 km long and lies to the south of the country.

Turkey borders Azerbaijan to the west via the Azerbaijani exclave of Nakhchivan, which is located to the northwest of Turkey. The border between the two countries is approximately 15 km long.

In addition to its land borders, Azerbaijan has water boundaries with Russia, Iran, Turkmenistan, and Kazakhstan in the Caspian Sea.

The capital of Azerbaijan is Baku, which is also its largest city

Baku is the headquarters of many sizeable Azerbaijani institutions, including SOCAR, one of the world's top 100 companies. The Baku International Sea Trade Port can handle two million tons of general and dry bulk cargoes per year. The city has also become an important venue for international events, hosting the 2012 Eurovision Song Contest, the 2015 European Games, and the 2016 European Grand Prix.

Baku has a rich history, with the territory of modern-day Azerbaijan first ruled by Caucasian Albania and later various Persian empires. The city's Inner City, along with the Shirvanshah's Palace and Maiden Tower, were inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000. Baku is also known for its oil industry, with many residents working in refineries and factories producing equipment for oil production.

Azerbaijan is a semi-presidential republic with a unicameral parliament

Azerbaijan, officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, is a semi-presidential republic with a unicameral parliament. The country is located in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia, at the boundary of Eastern Europe and West Asia. It is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia and Turkey to the west, and Iran to the south. The capital and largest city of Azerbaijan is Baku.

Azerbaijan's unicameral parliament, the National Assembly, consists of 125 deputies elected in single-member constituencies. The country holds parliamentary elections every five years, on the first Sunday of November. The executive power is held by the President, who is elected for a five-year term by direct elections, and the Prime Minister. The President is authorised to form the Cabinet, an inferior executive body, which consists primarily of the Prime Minister, their deputies, and ministers. The President does not have the right to dissolve the National Assembly, but they have the right to veto its decisions.

The Constitution of Azerbaijan was adopted on 12 November 1995 and states that the country is a presidential republic with three branches of power – executive, legislative, and judicial. The legislative power is held by the National Assembly, while the executive power is held by the President and the government. The judicial power is administered by the Constitutional Court, the Supreme Court, the courts of appeal, ordinary and specialised courts.

The country gained independence from the Soviet Union on 30 August 1991 and has since become a member of several international organisations, including the United Nations, the Council of Europe, the Non-Aligned Movement, the OSCE, and the NATO PfP program. Azerbaijan is also an observer state of the World Trade Organization.

The country's official language is Azerbaijani, with Russian and Armenian also spoken

The official language of Azerbaijan is Azerbaijani, which is also the mother tongue of around 92% of the population. Azerbaijani is a Turkic language, closely related to Turkish, Turkmen, Gagauz, and Qashqai. Azerbaijani is also spoken in South Russia and Northern Iran, although the dialects differ from that spoken in Azerbaijan.

Russian and Armenian are the most widely spoken minority languages in the country, with each serving as the mother tongue of around 1.5% of the population. Armenian is almost exclusively spoken in the break-away Nagorno-Karabakh region. Russian and English are also taught in schools as second and third languages.

Azerbaijan has a dozen other minority languages, many of which are endangered due to the extremely low number of speakers. These include Avar, Budukh, Georgian, Juhuri, Khinalug, Kryts, Lezgian, Rutul, Talysh, Tat, and Udi.

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