Exploring The Proper Term For Azerbaijan Natives

Azerbaijan, officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, is a transcontinental country at the boundary of Eastern Europe and West Asia. The people of Azerbaijan are called Azerbaijanis, Azeris, or Azerbaijani Turks. They are a Turkic ethnic group living mainly in the Azerbaijan region of northwestern Iran and the Republic of Azerbaijan. They are predominantly Shia Muslims and speak the Azerbaijani language, which belongs to the Oghuz branch of the Turkic languages. Azerbaijanis are the largest ethnic group in the Republic of Azerbaijan and the second-largest ethnic group in neighbouring Iran and Georgia.

Azerbaijanis are a Turkic ethnic group

Azerbaijanis, or Azeris, are a Turkic ethnic group living predominantly in the Azerbaijan region of northwestern Iran and the Republic of Azerbaijan. They are the largest ethnic group in the Republic of Azerbaijan and the second-largest ethnic group in neighbouring Iran and Georgia.

The Azerbaijani people are of mixed ethnic origin, with the oldest element deriving from the indigenous population of eastern Transcaucasia and possibly from the Medians of northern Persia. The population was Persianised during the Sasanian dynasty of Iran (3rd-7th century CE) and Turkified following the region's conquest by the Seljuq Turks in the 11th century and the continued influx of Turkic populations in subsequent centuries.

The modern ethnonym "Azerbaijani" or "Azeri" refers to the Turkic peoples of Iran's northwestern historic region of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Azerbaijan. They historically called themselves or were referred to by others as Muslims and/or Turks. When the Southern Caucasus became part of the Russian Empire in the 19th century, the Russian authorities, who traditionally referred to all Turkic people as Tatars, defined the Tatars living in the Transcaucasus region as Caucasian Tatars.

The Azerbaijani language is a Turkic language descended from the Oghuz Turkic language that became established in Azerbaijan in the 11th and 12th centuries CE. Azerbaijani is closely related to Qashqai, Gagauz, Turkish, Turkmen and Crimean Tatar, sharing varying degrees of mutual intelligibility with each of those languages.

The majority of Azerbaijanis are Twelver Shia Muslims, with religious minorities including Sunni Muslims, Baháʼís and Christians.

The majority of Azerbaijanis are Shia Muslims

People from Azerbaijan are called Azerbaijanis, Azeris, or Azerbaijani Turks. They are a Turkic ethnic group living mainly in the Azerbaijan region of northwestern Iran and the Republic of Azerbaijan. They are predominantly Shia Muslims, with a significant minority being Sunni Muslims.

Islam is the majority religion in Azerbaijan, with estimates suggesting that 97.3% (The World Factbook, 2020) or 99.2% (Pew Research Center, 2006) of the population identify as Muslim. Of these, a majority belong to the Shia branch (60-65%), while a significant minority (35-40%) are Sunni. Shia Islam is prevalent in the western, central, and southern regions of the country, with villages around Baku and the Lankaran region considered Shia strongholds. In contrast, Sunni Islam is dominant in the northern regions.

Historically, the differences between these two branches of Islam have not been sharply defined in Azerbaijan. Most Shia Muslims in the country follow the Ja'fari school of Shia Islam, while Sunni Muslims typically adhere to either the Hanafi or Shafi'i school. The population's religious affiliation is largely cultural and ethnic rather than religious due to the many decades of Soviet atheist policy.

Shia Islam was established as the state religion in the 16th century by the first shah of the Safavid Dynasty, Ismail I. However, a portion of the population remained Sunni, leading to conflicts between the two branches of Islam. In the 19th century, many Sunni Muslims emigrated from Russian-controlled Azerbaijan due to Russia's wars with the Ottoman Empire, resulting in a Shia majority in the region.

Today, Azerbaijan is considered the most secular country in the Muslim world, with its constitution declaring it a secular state and ensuring the freedom of religion. While the role of Islam in politics and everyday life remains relatively small, there has been a recent Islamic revival in the country, with an increasing number of religious mosques and Muslims.

Azerbaijan is a unitary semi-presidential republic

People from Azerbaijan are called Azerbaijanis, Azeris, or Azerbaijani Turks. They are a Turkic ethnic group and predominantly Shia Muslims.

Azerbaijan gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. The country is a unitary semi-presidential republic based on a political system of separation of power among its three branches. The president is the head of state and the head of the executive, while the prime minister heads the legislature and acts as the head of government. The judiciary exists independently of the executive and legislature.

The president, elected for a five-year term (unlimited), is the head of the executive. The president, prime minister, and the cabinet make up the executive. With the approval of the parliament, the president appoints the prime minister and cabinet members. The executive of Azerbaijan has the responsibility of drafting and ensuring the execution of the state budget, overseeing the implementation of state economic and social programs, and advising the president on policy issues. After drafting the state budget, the executive has to pass it to parliament for approval.

Azerbaijan’s legislative branch consists of 125 members elected by direct vote, a speaker, the First Deputy Speaker, and two other deputy speakers. The speaker heads the unicameral National Assembly (Milli Majlis). The legislature formally exists as an independent body from the executive. Under the constitution, the national assembly is responsible for making laws and approving some of the executive decisions, such as the appointment of cabinet members and approval of state budgets.

The judiciary is the arm of the government responsible for interpreting and applying the constitution. The judiciary also arbitrates disputes at various levels. The judiciary is made up of courts, the highest being the Supreme Court, a court of appeal, magistrate courts, district courts, and the constitutional court. The president nominates Supreme Court judges, who are then appointed by Parliament to serve for ten years.

Azerbaijan holds elections every five years. All persons above the age of 18 are eligible to participate in the elections. Presidential and parliamentary elections are held after five years each, but they occur at different times. The government of Azerbaijan has been criticized for human rights violations and corruption.

Azerbaijan is a developing country

Azerbaijan's economic prospects rely largely on rising gas exports, and the country needs reforms to boost private sector investment, reduce the state footprint, tackle competitiveness issues, and develop human capital. The World Bank is supporting Azerbaijan in strengthening public resource management, improving the quality of environmental assets, and increasing financial inclusion, among other areas.

Azerbaijan's population is comprised mainly of Azerbaijani, or Azeri, people, a Turkic ethnic group. They are predominantly Shia Muslims and speak the Azerbaijani language, which belongs to the Oghuz branch of the Turkic languages. The country gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991 and has since been working to forge a national identity.

Azerbaijan has benefited from the oil industry, but high levels of corruption have hindered greater prosperity for its population. Despite these challenges, there is a financial rebirth in Azerbaijan, with positive economic predictions and an active political opposition determined to improve the lives of its citizens.

Azerbaijan is a member of the Organization of Turkic States

Azerbaijan, officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, is a member of the Organization of Turkic States. It is one of six independent Turkic states and is also an active member of the TÜRKSOY community.

The people of Azerbaijan are called Azerbaijanis, Azeris, or Azerbaijani Turks. They are a Turkic ethnic group living mainly in the Azerbaijan region of northwestern Iran and the Republic of Azerbaijan. They are predominantly Shia Muslims and speak the Azerbaijani language, which belongs to the Oghuz branch of the Turkic languages.

The modern ethnonym "Azerbaijani" or "Azeri" refers to the Turkic peoples of Iran's northwestern historic region of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Azerbaijan. They are the largest ethnic group in the Republic of Azerbaijan and the second-largest ethnic group in neighboring Iran and Georgia.

The term "Azerbaijani" was first popularized in the late 19th century among the Caucasus Tatars in the periodical Kashkul. During the early Soviet period, the term "Transcaucasian Tatars" was replaced by "Azerbaijani Turks" and then "Azerbaijanis."

Azerbaijanis comprise approximately 9.1 million people in the Republic of Azerbaijan and between 12 and 23 million people in Iran. They are the largest ethnic group in the Republic of Azerbaijan, holding over 90% of the population.

The Republic of Azerbaijan has a secular system, and the constitution does not declare an official religion. However, the vast majority of the country's population (97%) is nominally Muslim.

Azerbaijan has diplomatic relations with 182 countries and holds membership in 38 international organizations. It is one of the founding members of GUAM, the Commonwealth of Independent States, and the OPCW.

Relations between Azerbaijan and Turkey, the only two predominantly Turkic countries located west of the Caspian Sea, have always been strong. They share a 17-kilometer-long international border along the Aras River, which separates Turkey from the Nakhchivan exclave of Azerbaijan.

Azerbaijan and Turkey have a close economic partnership, collaborating on infrastructure projects such as the Baku–Tbilisi–Ceyhan pipeline and the South Caucasus Pipeline. They have also cooperated on military and security matters, signing agreements on military education and weapon equipment.

Former Azerbaijani President Heydar Aliyev described the two countries as "one nation, two states."

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