Exploring Azerbaijan: An Insightful Essay Challenge

The What do I know about Azerbaijan? essay competition is an initiative by the Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Ministry of Youth and Sport of the Republic of Azerbaijan to promote awareness about the country among young people abroad. The competition is open to students aged 18-29 and invites them to write about various topics related to Azerbaijan, such as its history, culture, international relations, and prominent figures. The winners of the competition receive a chance to explore Azerbaijan during a fully-expensed trip, where they can experience the country's ancient history, rich cultural heritage, and national cuisine.

Heydar Aliyev, National Leader of Azerbaijan

Heydar Aliyev was a prominent Azerbaijani politician and the National Leader of Azerbaijan. Born in 1923, Aliyev rose through the ranks of the Soviet state security organs, serving in the KGB of the Azerbaijan SSR for 28 years. He was a high-ranking official, governing Soviet Azerbaijan as the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Azerbaijan from 1969 to 1982. During this time, he established a patronage network and was known for his lavish gifts to Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev.

In 1982, Aliyev was promoted to the Moscow Politburo and became the First Deputy Premier of the Soviet Union, holding one of the highest positions ever attained by an Azerbaijani in the Soviet Union. However, he fell out of favour with Mikhail Gorbachev due to their differing stances on corruption and was dismissed in 1987.

Following his forced retirement, Aliyev reinvented himself as a moderate nationalist in his native Nakhchivan, where he governed independently despite the presidency of Ayaz Mutallibov. In 1993, Aliyev was installed as the third President of Azerbaijan after a military coup ousted President Abulfaz Elchibey. Aliyev's regime has been described as dictatorial and repressive, with a cult of personality developing around him. He held presidential elections in 1993 and 1998, winning with nearly unanimous votes, although these elections were rigged.

Aliyev's presidency was marked by the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, which resulted in significant territorial losses for Azerbaijan. He attempted to negotiate with the Armenian side, but the ceasefire agreements were unsuccessful, and Armenian forces continued to capture territories. In 1994, a ceasefire agreement was signed, ending the hostilities.

During his presidency, Aliyev prioritised improving relations with Russia and attracting foreign investment into Azerbaijan's oil industry. He also promoted Azerbaijani culture and language and implemented various economic and land reforms.

Aliyev's health declined in his later years, and he died in 2003, shortly before the 2003 Azerbaijani presidential election. His son, Ilham Aliyev, was elected as the fourth and current president of Azerbaijan, continuing the family's political legacy.

Azerbaijan's oil and gas strategy

The Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli (ACG) oil field, located about 100 km east of Baku, is the largest in the Azerbaijan sector of the Caspian Basin. It was discovered in the early 1970s when Azerbaijan was part of the Soviet Union and consists of a series of individual reservoir horizons located 2,000 to 3,500 metres beneath the Caspian seabed. In September 1994, the Government of Azerbaijan and a consortium of 11 international oil companies signed a production-sharing agreement (PSA) for the development of the ACG field, known as the "Contract of the Century". This agreement, worth $7.4 billion, represented a significant milestone in Azerbaijan's history due to its political, economic, and strategic importance.

The ACG field has been developed in three phases, with the first oil produced from the "Chirag" platform in November 1997. To facilitate the transportation of oil to international markets, new pipelines were constructed, including the Baku-Novorossiysk, Baku-Supsa, and Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipelines. These pipelines have played a crucial role in establishing Azerbaijan as an energy corridor, connecting the Caspian Sea to the world markets.

In addition to the ACG field, Azerbaijan has made significant natural gas discoveries, including the Shah Deniz, Umid, and Absheron fields. The Shah Deniz gas field, discovered in 1999, is one of the world's largest, with estimated reserves of 1.2 trillion cubic meters. The development of these gas fields has further contributed to Azerbaijan's energy strategy and established the country as a major player in the global energy market.

The country's energy mix is heavily concentrated on fossil fuels, with oil and gas accounting for more than 98% of the total energy supply. While supply security is not a significant concern, the heavy reliance on fossil fuels has led to elevated greenhouse gas emissions and exposure to fuel price fluctuations. However, Azerbaijan has taken steps towards renewable energy development, aiming for renewable energy to provide 30% of electricity-generating capacity by 2030.

In summary, Azerbaijan's oil and gas strategy has been a driving force behind the country's economic development and modernisation. The exploitation of the ACG field and the discovery of significant natural gas reserves have positioned Azerbaijan as a key player in the global energy market, with the country now exporting oil and gas to European and world markets through a network of pipelines.

Azerbaijan's role in international politics

Azerbaijan, officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, is a transcontinental country at the boundary of Eastern Europe and West Asia. It is a member of the Organization of Turkic States, the TÜRKSOY community, the United Nations, the Council of Europe, the Non-Aligned Movement, the OSCE, and the NATO PfP program. It is also an observer state of the World Trade Organization. Azerbaijan has diplomatic relations with 158 countries and holds memberships in 38 international organizations.

Azerbaijan's foreign policy priorities include the restoration of its territorial integrity, eliminating the consequences of the occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh, integration into European and Euro-Atlantic structures, contributing to international security, and strengthening its defense capabilities.

Azerbaijan is an active member of international coalitions fighting international terrorism and was one of the first countries to offer support after the September 11 attacks. The country is a member of NATO's Partnership for Peace program, contributing to peacekeeping efforts in Kosovo, Afghanistan, and Iraq. Azerbaijan is also a member of the Council of Europe and maintains good relations with the European Union, even potentially applying for EU membership in the future.

In terms of economic development, Azerbaijan has sponsored the east-west and north-south energy transport corridors. The Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline, for example, connects the Caspian Sea region with Turkey and Europe. The Southern Gas Corridor, which includes the Trans-Anatolian gas pipeline and the Trans Adriatic Pipeline, aims to reduce the European Union's dependency on Russian gas by delivering natural gas from Azerbaijan's Shah Deniz gas field.

In summary, Azerbaijan plays an active role in international politics through its participation in various coalitions and organizations, contributions to peacekeeping efforts, development of energy transport corridors, and potential integration into European structures.

History, art and culture of Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan has a rich history, with evidence of human habitation dating back to the Paleolithic era. The earliest inhabitants of the land are believed to have been Caucasian Albanian tribes, with the arrival of Iranian Scythians in the 9th century BCE marking the beginning of outside influence on the region. Over the centuries, various empires—including the Persian Achaemenid Empire, the Parthians, and the Sasanians—invaded and left their mark on the culture and people of Azerbaijan.

The adoption of Christianity as the state religion in the 4th century by the Caucasian Albanian king Urnayr is a significant event in the religious history of the region. However, with the Muslim Arab conquest of Persia in the 7th century, Islam gradually spread in the region, and most inhabitants of Azerbaijan converted. The subsequent influx of Oghuz Turkic tribes under the Seljuq dynasty in the 11th century further diversified the ethnic and religious landscape.

The region witnessed a series of dynastic changes and foreign invasions, with the Timurids, the Qara Qoyunlu, the Aq Qoyunlu, and eventually the Russians exerting control at different times. The Russo-Persian Wars of the 19th century resulted in Qajar Iran ceding its Caucasian territories, including Azerbaijan, to the Russian Empire. This marked a significant shift in the region's history, as it transitioned from Iranian to Russian rule.

Under Russian governance, the region underwent modernization and industrialization, particularly with the development of the oil industry in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. However, the ethnic and religious diversity of the region often led to social and political tensions, which culminated in the massacre of local Muslims by Armenian forces during the 1905 Russian Revolution.

The fall of the Russian Empire in 1917 presented an opportunity for independence, and the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic was established in 1918. Unfortunately, this period of self-rule was short-lived, as Soviet forces invaded in 1920, leading to the formation of the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic. The country remained under Soviet rule until the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, when the independent Republic of Azerbaijan was proclaimed once again.

Art and Culture of Azerbaijan:

The art and culture of Azerbaijan reflect the diverse influences of Iranian, Turkic, and Caucasian cultures. Decorative and applied arts are a significant aspect of Azerbaijani culture, encompassing a wide range of handicrafts such as metalworking, jewellery-making, engraving, woodcarving, and carpet-weaving. The country's long history of carpet-weaving has led to the recognition of Azerbaijani carpet-weaving as part of UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Azerbaijani literature is written in the Azerbaijani language, which is closely related to Turkish and Turkmen. Persian and Arabic literature have had a significant influence on Azeri literature, particularly during its classical era. Notable literary figures include poets Nizami Ganjavi, Mahsati Ganjavi, and Khaqani, who are considered masters of medieval Persian literature.

Music is an integral part of Azerbaijani culture, with traditional classical music known as mugham taking centre stage. This unique form of music combines poetry and instrumental interludes, often including a form of throat singing similar to yodelling. Meykhana, an improvisational rap tradition performed without musical accompaniment, is another distinctive aspect of Azerbaijani folk music.

Dance is also an important element of Azerbaijani culture, with various regional dances such as Abayi, Agir Karadagi, Chichekler, and Uzundara showcasing the elegance and energy of the country's cultural heritage.

The cuisine of Azerbaijan has been influenced by the foods of other cultures, with a blend of flavours and culinary techniques. The annual Goychay Pomegranate Festival celebrates this fruit, which is a key ingredient in many Azerbaijani dishes, along with music and dance performances.

Azerbaijan's population, language, traditions and religion

Azerbaijan has a population of around 10 million people, with a median age of 33.1 years and a population density of 125 people per square kilometre. 58.3% of the population live in urban areas.

Azerbaijani, or Azeri, is a language belonging to the Turkic language family. It is primarily spoken in Azerbaijan and northwestern Iran by the Azerbaijani people. It is a member of the Oghuz branch of Turkic languages and is closely related to Turkish, Qashqai, Turkmen, and Crimean Tatar. In fact, a native speaker of one language will be able to understand the other, although it is easier for a speaker of Azerbaijani to understand Turkish than the other way around.

Islam is the majority religion in Azerbaijan, with estimates of 93-99% of the population adhering to Islam. Of these, the majority belong to the Shia branch (55-65%), while a significant minority (35-40%) are Sunni. However, due to decades of Soviet atheist policy, religious affiliation in Azerbaijan is largely cultural and ethnic rather than religious, and the importance of religion in everyday life remains low. The rest of the population adheres to other faiths, including Christianity, Judaism, and Zoroastrianism, or none at all. Azerbaijan is a secular state, and its constitution ensures freedom of religion.

Azerbaijani traditions cover all aspects of life, from birth to death, and include annual holidays such as Novruz (or Nowruz), the biggest holiday in Azerbaijan, which takes place in spring and lasts almost a whole month. Hospitality is an important aspect of Azerbaijani culture, with guests being given places of honour and treated with the utmost respect. Traditional weddings are long affairs, incorporating many rites and ceremonies, although modern weddings tend to have a more international feel. Gulesh, a type of wrestling that includes music and dances, is another important part of Azerbaijani culture. Traditional clothing can still be seen at festivals and other events, and dances are energetic and vivid, created to tell stories and impress audiences.

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