Exploring Azerbaijan's Unique Location And Cultural Significance

Azerbaijan, officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, is a transcontinental country located 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. Baku is the capital and largest city.

Geography and Climate

Azerbaijan is a transcontinental country located at the boundary of Eastern Europe and West Asia. It is 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 capital of Azerbaijan is Baku, which has the largest and best harbour on the Caspian Sea.

Geography

Azerbaijan is about the size of Portugal or the US state of Maine, with a total land area of approximately 86,600 km2. The country is characterised by three physical features: the Caspian Sea, the Greater Caucasus mountain range, and the extensive flatlands at the country's centre. There are three mountain ranges: the Greater and Lesser Caucasus, and the Talysh Mountains, together covering approximately 40% of the country. The highest peak is Mount Bazardüzü at 4,466 m (14,652 ft), while the lowest point lies in the Caspian Sea at −28 m (−92 ft).

Nearly half of the country is considered mountainous, with elevations ranging from −28 m at the Caspian Sea shoreline up to 4,466 m at Mount Bazardüzü. The Greater Caucasus range forms a natural boundary to the north, while the gently undulating hills of the subtropical southeastern coast are covered with tea plantations, orange groves, and lemon groves. The country also boasts numerous mud volcanoes and mineral springs in the ravines of Kobustan Mountain near Baku.

Climate

The climate of Azerbaijan varies across the country. The southeast has a humid subtropical climate with the highest precipitation in the country, while central and eastern Azerbaijan experience a dry subtropical climate with mild winters and long, hot summers. The mountain forest zone has a moderately cold climate, while an upland tundra climate characterises elevations above 10,000 ft.

Azerbaijan is influenced by various air masses, including cold arctic air from the Scandinavian anticyclone, temperate air from the Siberian anticyclone, and Central Asian anticyclone air. The Greater Caucasus range protects the country from the direct influence of cold air masses from the north, leading to the formation of a subtropical climate on the foothills and plains. Plains and foothills are also characterised by high solar radiation rates.

Azerbaijan experiences a wide range of temperatures, with the absolute minimum temperature of −33 °C (−27.4 °F) and the absolute maximum temperature observed in the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic. The maximum annual precipitation falls in Lankaran (1,600 to 1,800 mm), while the minimum is recorded in Absheron (200 to 350 mm).

History

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 was first ruled by Caucasian Albania and later by various Persian empires. In the 19th century, it was part of Qajar Iran until the Russo-Persian wars of 1804–1813 and 1826–1828 forced the Qajar Empire to cede its Caucasian territories to the Russian Empire.

In the late 19th century, an Azerbaijani national identity emerged when the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic proclaimed its independence from the Transcaucasian Democratic Federative Republic in 1918, a year after the Russian Empire collapsed. It became the first secular democratic Muslim-majority state. However, this independence was short-lived as in 1920, the country was conquered and incorporated into the Soviet Union as the Azerbaijan SSR.

The modern Republic of Azerbaijan proclaimed its independence on 30 August 1991, shortly before the dissolution of the Soviet Union. However, this led to conflict with Armenia over the Nagorno-Karabakh region, which resulted in war. The First Nagorno-Karabakh War ended in 1994 with Armenians controlling 14–16% of Azerbaijani territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh. A second war took place in 2020, which resulted in the return of seven districts and parts of Nagorno-Karabakh to Azerbaijani control.

Azerbaijan is a unitary semi-presidential republic and is one of six independent Turkic states. It has diplomatic relations with 182 countries and holds membership in 38 international organizations. It is a developing country and ranks 91st on the Human Development Index. Since 1993, the country has been ruled by the New Azerbaijan Party, which has been accused of authoritarianism under president Heydar Aliyev and his son Ilham Aliyev.

Government and Politics

Azerbaijan, officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, is a unitary semi-presidential republic. It is one of six independent Turkic states and has diplomatic relations with 182 countries. It holds membership in 38 international organisations, including the United Nations, the Council of Europe, the Non-Aligned Movement, the OSCE, and the NATO PfP program.

The government of Azerbaijan functions as an authoritarian regime in practice. The country has been ruled by the Aliyev political family and the New Azerbaijan Party (YAP), established by Heydar Aliyev, since 1993. The current president, Ilham Aliyev, is Heydar Aliyev's son. The constitution states that Azerbaijan is a presidential republic with three branches of power – executive, legislative, and judicial.

The legislative power is held by the unicameral National Assembly and the Supreme National Assembly in the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic. The Parliament of Azerbaijan, called Milli Majlis, consists of 125 deputies elected based on majority vote, with a term of five years for each elected member. The executive power is held by the president, who is elected for a seven-year term by direct elections, and the prime minister. The president is authorised to form the Cabinet, a collective executive body accountable to both the president and the National Assembly. The judicial power is vested in the Constitutional Court, Supreme Court, and the Economic Court. The president nominates the judges in these courts.

Azerbaijan's system of governance can be called two-tiered, with the top or highest tier of the government being the executive power headed by the president. The local executive authority is a continuation of executive power.

Economy

Azerbaijan's economy is heavily dependent on oil and gas exports, with the industry accounting for two-thirds of the country's GDP. The transition to oil production in the late 1990s led to rapid economic growth from 1995 to 2014. Since 2014, GDP growth has slowed down significantly.

Azerbaijan has the largest agricultural basin in the region, with about 54.9% of the country being agricultural land. The country's other economic sectors include mining, hydrocarbon industries, manufacturing, defence, financial and business services, and tourism.

Azerbaijan's economy is characterised by corruption and inequality. The country's oil wealth has significantly strengthened the stability of President Ilham Aliyev's regime and enriched the ruling elites. The oil industry has also enabled the state to host lavish international events and engage in extensive lobbying efforts abroad.

The national currency is the Azerbaijani manat. The private sector is weak in Azerbaijan, as the economy is dominated by state-owned enterprises. More than half of the formal labour force works for the government.

The country has been taking steps to diversify its economy away from oil and gas, with plans to expand its renewable energy, agriculture, logistics, tourism, and information/communication technology (ICT) sectors.

Demographics

Azerbaijan has a population of over 10 million people, with a density of 113 people per square km. The population is growing, but the country has a high level of migration. The median age is 34.3 years, with 68.7% of the population aged between 15 and 64.

Azerbaijan's population is 91.6% Azerbaijani, with Lezghins, Russians, Armenians, and Talysh making up the largest minority groups. The official language is Azerbaijani, a Turkic language spoken by 92% of the population as their mother tongue. Russian and Armenian are also spoken, with each being the mother tongue of around 1.5% of the population. Azerbaijan is a secular country, with 97% of the population being Muslim (55-65% Shia, 35-45% Sunni). However, religious affiliation is largely nominal, and actual practising adherents are probably much lower.

Azerbaijan has a high literacy rate of 99.5%. Education through the ninth grade is compulsory, and the country has a relatively high percentage of people with some form of higher education.

The country has an urban population of 57.6%, with the highest density in and around Baku. The sex ratio is fairly evenly split, with 50.1% of the population being female as of January 2019.

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