Azerbaijan , formally the
Republic of Azerbaijan , is a country in the
CaucasusThe Caucasus or Caucas is a geopolitical region between at the border of Europe and Asia. It is home to the Caucasus Mountains, including Europe's highest mountain ....
region of
EurasiaEurasia is a large landmass covering about 52,990,000 km
2 or about 10.6% of the Earth's surface...
. Located at the crossroads of
Western AsiaWestern Asia, West Asia, Southwest Asia or Southwestern Asia are terms that describe the westernmost portion of Asia. The terms are partly coterminous with the Middle East - which describes geographical position in relation to Western Europe rather than location within Asia...
and
Eastern EuropeEastern Europe is a region lying in the Eastern part of Europe. The term is highly context-dependent and there are "almost as many definitions of Eastern Europe as there are scholars of the region"...
, it is bounded by the
Caspian SeaThe Caspian Sea is the largest enclosed body of water on Earth by area, variously classed as the world's largest lake or a full-fledged sea. It has a surface area of 371,000 square kilometres and a volume of 78,200 cubic kilometres...
to the east,
RussiaRussia , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia . It is a semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
to the north,
GeorgiaGeorgia Georgia Georgia is a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Situated at the juncture of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the south by Turkey and Armenia, and to the east by Azerbaijan...
to the northwest,
ArmeniaArmenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
to the west, and
IranIran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran is a country in Western Asia. The name Iran has been in use natively since the Sassanid period and came into international use from 1935, before which the country was known internationally as Persia...
to the south. The exclave of
NakhichevanThe Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic is a landlocked exclave of Azerbaijan. The region covers 5,363 km² and borders Armenia to the east and north, Iran to the south and west, and Turkey to the northwest...
is bounded by Armenia to the north and east, Iran to the south and west, while having a short borderline with
TurkeyTurkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey
, is a Eurasian country that stretches across the Anatolian peninsula in Western Asia and Thrace in the Balkan region of southeastern Europe...
to the northwest. The
Nagorno-KarabakhNagorno-Karabakh is a landlocked region in the South Caucasus, lying between Lower Karabakh and Zangezur and covering the southeastern range of the Lesser Caucasus mountains...
region in the southwest of Azerbaijan proper declared itself independent from Azerbaijan in 1991, but it is
not recognized by any nation and considered a legal part of Azerbaijan.
Azerbaijan, a nation with a majority
TurkicThe Turkic peoples are Eurasian peoples residing in northern, central and western Eurasia. They speak languages belonging to the Turkic language family. They share, to varying degrees, certain cultural traits and historical backgrounds...
and Shi‘ite Muslim population, is a
secularSecularism is the concept that government or other entities should exist separately from religion and/or religious beliefs.In one sense, secularism may assert the right to be free from religious rule and teachings, and freedom from the government imposition of religion upon the people, within a...
and unitary
republicA republic is a form of government in which the head of state is not a monarch and the people have an impact on its government. The word 'republic' is derived from the Latin phrase res publica which can be translated as "a public affair".Both modern and ancient republics vary widely in their...
. The
Azerbaijan Democratic RepublicThe Azerbaijan Democratic Republic was the first successful attempt to establish a democratic and secular republic in the Muslim world . The ADR was founded on May 28, 1918 after the collapse of the Russian Empire that began with the Russian Revolution of 1917 by Azerbaijani National Council in...
was the first successful attempt to establish a democratic and secular
republicA republic is a form of government in which the head of state is not a monarch and the people have an impact on its government. The word 'republic' is derived from the Latin phrase res publica which can be translated as "a public affair".Both modern and ancient republics vary widely in their...
in the
Muslim worldThe term Muslim world has several meanings. In a cultural sense it refers to the worldwide community of Muslims, adherents of Islam. This community numbers about 1.3-1.5 billion people, roughly one-fifth of the world population. This community is spread across many different nations and ethnic...
. Azerbaijan is one of the founder members of
GUAMThe GUAM Organization for Democracy and Economic Development is a regional organization of four post-Soviet states: Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, and Moldova....
and the
Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical WeaponsThe Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons is an international agency, located in The Hague, The Netherlands. Its mission is to promote membership of the Chemical Weapons Convention treaty which entered into force in 1997 and mandated the elimination of "the scourge of chemical...
, and joined the
Commonwealth of Independent StatesIn the study of political science the executive branch of government has sole authority and responsibility for the daily administration of the state bureaucracy. The division of power into separate branches of government is central to the democratic idea of the separation of powers .In many...
and
judicialThe judiciary is the system of courts which interprets and applies the law in the name of the sovereign or state. The judiciary also provides a mechanism for the resolution of disputes...
branches. The legislative power is held by the
unicameralUnicameralism is the practice of having only one legislative or parliamentary chamber. Many countries with unicameral legislatures are often small and homogeneous unitary states and consider an upper house or second chamber unnecessary.-Concept:...
National AssemblyThe National Assembly is the legislative branch of government in Azerbaijan. The unicameral National Assembly has 125 deputies: previously 100 members were elected for five-year terms in single-seat constituencies and 25 were members elected by proportional representation; as of the latest...
and the Supreme National Assembly in the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic. Parliamentary elections are held every five years, on the first Sunday of November. The accuracy of the election results is checked and confirmed by the Constitutional Court. The laws enacted by the National Assembly, unless specified otherwise, go into effect on the day of their publication. The executive power is held by the
PresidentThe country of Azerbaijan is a presidential republic, with the President of Azerbaijan as the head of state, and the Prime Minister of Azerbaijan as head of government...
, who is elected for a 5-year term by
direct electionDirect election is a term describing a system of choosing political officeholders in which the voters directly cast ballots for the person, persons or political party that they desire to see elected. The method by which the winner or winners of a direct election are chosen depends upon the...
s. The president is authorized to form the
CabinetA Cabinet is a body of high-ranking members of government, typically representing the executive branch. It can also sometimes be referred to as the Council of Ministers, an Executive Council, or Executive Committee.- Overview :...
, an inferior executive body, subordinated to him. The Cabinet of Azerbaijan consists primarily of the
Prime MinisterThe Prime Minister of Azerbaijan is the head of government of Azerbaijan. The current prime minister is Artur Rasizade.-Prime Ministers:*Fath Ali Khan Khoyski *Nasib Yusifbeyli...
, his Deputies and Ministers. The president does not have the right to dissolve the National Assembly, but he has the right to
vetoA veto, Latin for "I forbid", is used to denote that a certain party has the right to stop unilaterally a piece of legislation. In practice, the veto can be absolute A veto, Latin for "I forbid", is used to denote that a certain party has the right to stop unilaterally a piece of legislation....
its decisions. To override the presidential veto, the parliament must have a majority of 95 votes. The judicial power is vested in the Constitutional Court, Supreme Court and the Economic Court. The President nominates the judges in these courts.
The Security Council is the deliberative body under the president, and he organizes it according to the Constitution. It was established on 10 April 1997. The administrative department is not a part of the president's office but manages the financial, technical and pecuniary activities of both the president and his office.
Foreign relations
The short-lived Azerbaijan Democratic Republic succeeded in establishing diplomatic relations with six countries, sending diplomatic representatives to
GermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic; to the south by Austria and Switzerland; and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium,...
and
FinlandFinland , officially the Republic of Finland
, is a Nordic country and democracy situated in the Fennoscandian region of northern Europe. It borders Sweden on the west, Russia on the east, and Norway on the north, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland...
. The process of international recognition of Azerbaijan's independence from the collapsing Soviet Union lasted roughly one year. The most recent country to recognize Azerbaijan was
BahrainThe Kingdom of Bahrain is a small island country in the Persian Gulf ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family. Saudi Arabia lies to the west and is connected to Bahrain via the King Fahd Causeway, which was officially opened on the 25th of November 1986. Qatar is to the southeast across the Gulf of...
, on 6 November 1996. Full diplomatic relations, including mutual exchanges of missions, were first established with
TurkeyTurkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey
, is a Eurasian country that stretches across the Anatolian peninsula in Western Asia and Thrace in the Balkan region of southeastern Europe...
,
PakistanPakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located at the crossroads of South Asia, the Middle East, and Central Asia...
, the
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
,
IranIran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran is a country in Western Asia. The name Iran has been in use natively since the Sassanid period and came into international use from 1935, before which the country was known internationally as Persia...
and
IsraelIsrael officially the State of Israel , is a developed state in Western Asia located on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea. It borders Lebanon in the north, Syria in the northeast, Jordan in the east, and Egypt on the southwest, and contains geographically diverse features within its...
.
Azerbaijan has diplomatic relations with 158 countries so far and holds membership in 38 international organizations. It holds observer status in the
Non-Aligned MovementThe Non-Aligned Movement is an international organisation of states considering themselves not formally aligned with or against any major power bloc. The movement is largely the brainchild of India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, former president of Egypt Gamal Abdul Nasser and Yugoslav...
and
World Trade OrganizationThe World Trade Organization is an international organization designed by its founders to supervise and liberalize international capital trade. The organization officially commenced on January 1, 1995 under the Marrakesh Agreement, replacing the General Agreements on Tariffs and Trade , which...
and is a correspondent at the
International Telecommunication UnionThe International Telecommunication Union is the second-oldest international organization still in existence , established to standardize and regulate international radio and telecommunications. It was founded as the International Telegraph Union in Paris on 17 May 1865...
. The Azerbaijani
diasporaA diaspora is any movement of a population sharing common ethnic identity. While refugees may or may not ultimately settle in a new geographic location, the term diaspora refers to a permanently displaced and relocated collective.Diasporic cultural development often assumes a different course from...
is found in 36 countries, and in turn there are dozens of centers for ethnic minorities inside Azerbaijan, including the (German cultural society "Karelhaus",
SlavicThe Slavic Peoples are an ethnic and linguistic branch of Indo-European peoples, living mainly in eastern and central Europe. From the early 6th century they spread from their original homeland to inhabit most of eastern Central Europe, Eastern Europe and the Balkans...
cultural center, Azerbaijani-
IsraeliIsraelis , are citizens or nationals of the modern state of Israel. Israel is a multi-ethnic nation, home to people of different ethnic and national backgrounds including most numerously Jews, Muslims, Christians, Arabs, Druze, Circassians, and others...
community,
KurdishThe Kurds are an Ethnic-Iranian ethnolinguistic group mostly inhabiting a region known as Kurdistan, which includes adjacent parts of Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey...
cultural center, International
TalyshTalysh are an Iranian people who speak the Talysh language, one of the Northwestern Iranian languages. It is spoken in the northern regions of the Iranian provinces of Gilan and Ardabil and the southern parts of the Republic of Azerbaijan...
Association,
LezginThe Lezgins are an ethnic group, living predominantly in southern Dagestan and north-eastern Azerbaijan, who speak the Lezgian language.In the 19th century, the term was used more broadly for all ethnic groups speaking Northeast Caucasian languages,...
national center "Samur", Azerbaijani-
TatarRepublic of Tatarstan is a federal subject of the Russian Federation . Its size is 68,000 km² with a population of 3,800,000. Its capital is Kazan...
community,
Crimean TatarsCrimean Tatars or Crimeans are a Turkic ethnic group originally residing in Crimea. They speak the Crimean Tatar language...
society, etc.). On 9 May 2006 Azerbaijan was elected to membership in the newly established Human Rights Council by the
United Nations General AssemblyFor two articles dealing with membership in the General Assembly, see:*General Assembly members*General Assembly observersThe United Nations General Assembly is one of the five principal organs of the United Nations and the only one in which all member nations have equal representation...
. The term of office began on 19 June 2006.
Foreign policy priorities of Azerbaijan include: first of all, the restoration of its territorial integrity; elimination of the consequences of the loss of Nagorno-Karabakh and seven other regions of Azerbaijan; development of good-neighbourly and mutually advantageous relations with neighbouring countries; promotion of security and stability in the region; integration into European and Transatlantic security and cooperation structures; and promotion of transregional economic, energy and transportation projects. The Azeri Government, in late 2007, stated that the long-standing dispute over the Armenian-occupied territory of Nagorno-Karabakh is almost certain to spark a new war if it remains unresolved. The Government is in the process of increasing its military budget, as its oil and gas revenues bring a torrent of cash into its coffers. Furthermore, economic sanctions by Turkey to the west and by Azerbaijan itself to the east have combined to greatly erode Armenia's economy, leading to steep increases in prices for basic commodities and a great decline in the Armenian state revenues.
Azerbaijan is an active member of international coalitions fighting international terrorism. The country is contributing to peacekeeping efforts in Kosovo, Afghanistan and Iraq. Azerbaijan is an active member of NATO's “Partnership for Peace” program. It also maintains good relations with the
European UnionThe European Union is an economic and political union of 27 Member States, located primarily in Europe. Committed to regional integration, the EU was established by the Treaty of Maastricht on 1 November 1993 upon the foundations of the pre-existing European Economic Community...
and could potentially one day apply for membership.
Military
The history of the modern Azerbaijan army dates back to
Azerbaijan Democratic RepublicThe Azerbaijan Democratic Republic was the first successful attempt to establish a democratic and secular republic in the Muslim world . The ADR was founded on May 28, 1918 after the collapse of the Russian Empire that began with the Russian Revolution of 1917 by Azerbaijani National Council in...
in 1918, when the National Army of the newly formed Azerbaijan Democratic Republic was created on 26 June 1918. When Azerbaijan gained independence after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Armed Forces of the Republic of Azerbaijan were created according to the Law on the Armed Forces of 9 October 1991. The original date of the establishment of the short-lived National Army is celebrated as Army Day (26 June) in today's Azerbaijan.
Initially, the equipment and facilities of Azerbaijan's army were those of the Soviet Fourth Army. The Armed Forces have four branches:
Land ForcesThe Azerbaijani Army is the military ground force of Azerbaijan.Since the fall of the Soviet Union, Azerbaijan has been trying to further develop its armed forces into a professional, well trained, and mobile military. Since 2005 Azerbaijan has increased its military budget to $2.46 billion in 2009...
,
Air ForceThe Azerbaijan Air Force is the air force of the military of Azerbaijan.The roots of the current organization go back to the June 26, 1918, when Azerbaijan Democratic Republic bought their first military aircraft.State of war and useful landscape, as well as deployment of former Soviet air bases...
and
Air Defence ForceAzerbaijani Air Defensive has about 3,500 personnel under service. There are some installations of the Cold War era left by the Soviets in 1990.The Gabala OTH Radar in Azerbaijan is the main early warning capability of the Azerbaijan Air Defense Force...
(a united branch),
NavyThe Azerbaijan Navy refers to the Navy defense forces of Azerbaijan established in the Caspian Sea.-Strength:...
and Peacekeeping Forces. Besides the Armed Forces there are several military sub-groups that can be involved in state defence when needed. These are the
Interior TroopsThe Azerbaijan Interior Guard is operating as a semi-independent entity under command by the Azerbaijani Ministry of Emergency.-Mission:The Azerbaijani interior guard is only used for internal emergencies such as natural disasters, restoring public order, etc.In case of foreign aggression against...
of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and forces of the
State Border ServiceThe Azerbaijan Border Guard is the second component of the Azerbaijan Army.-Establishment:It was established in 1997 by the decree of the president of Azerbaijan...
, which includes the
Coast GuardAzerbaijan Coast Guard refers to the Coast Guard of Azerbaijan under the command of the Azerbaijani Ministry of Emergency.-Establishment:The Azerbaijan Coast Guard was established through by joint collaboration by Azerbaijan, U.S., Kazakhstan and the Caspian Guard Initiative...
as well. The
Azerbaijan National GuardThe Azerbaijan National Guard is a component of the Army of Azerbaijan, and operates as a semi-independent entity. The guard was established on the 25 December 1991....
is the first component of the Azerbaijan Army. It operates as a semi-independent entity of the Azerbaijan Defense Department.
Azerbaijan adheres to the
Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in EuropeThe original Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe was negotiated and concluded during the last years of the Cold War and established comprehensive limits on key categories of conventional military equipment in Europe and mandated the destruction of excess weaponry...
and has signed all major international arms and weapons treaties. Azerbaijan closely cooperates with
NATOThe North Atlantic Treaty Organization ); ), also called "the Atlantic Alliance", is an intergovernmental military alliance based on the North Atlantic Treaty which was signed on April 4, 1949...
in programs such as
Partnership for PeacePartnership for Peace is a North Atlantic Treaty Organisation program aimed at creating trust between NATO and other states in Europe and the former Soviet Union; 23 States are members...
and
Individual Partnership Action PlanIndividual Partnership Action Plans, or IPAPs, are plans developed between NATO and different countries, that state the objectives and the communication framework for dialogue and cooperation between both parties...
. Azerbaijan has deployed 151 of its Peacekeeping Forces in
IraqIraq , officially the Republic of Iraq , also known as Mesopotamia, is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert.Iraq shares borders with Jordan to the west, Syria...
and another 100 in
AfghanistanThe Islamic Republic of Afghanistan is a landlocked country in south central Asia. It is variously described as being located within Central Asia, South Asia, or the Middle East...
.
The military expenditures of Azerbaijan for 2009 are set at $2.46 billion
USDThe United States dollar is the unit of currency of the United States. The U.S. dollar is normally abbreviated as the dollar sign, $, or as USD or US$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies and from others that use the $ symbol. It is divided into 100 cents .The U.S...
. Azerbaijan has its own
Defense IndustryThe Azerbaijan Defense Industry was established in 2005 by presidential decree, the new Defense Industries Ministry, headed by Yavar Jamalov, incorporated the State Departments for Military Industry and for Armaments and the Military Science Center, each of which was formerly a separate agency...
, which manufactures small arms, artillery systems, tanks, armors and noctovision devices, aviation bombs, pilotless vehicles, various military vehicles and military planes and helicopters.
Azerbaijan's Armed Forces have a training cooperation partnership with the
Oklahoma Army National GuardThe Oklahoma Army National Guard is the Army National Guard component of the Oklahoma National Guard. The Commander in Chief of the Oklahoma National Guard is the Governor of Oklahoma, who appoints the State Adjutant General , a Major General from either Army or Air. Currently, the TAG is Major...
.
Economy
After gaining independence in 1991, Azerbaijan became a member of the
International Monetary FundThe International Monetary Fund is an international organization that oversees the global financial system by following the macroeconomic policies of its member countries, in particular those with an impact on exchange rates and the balance of payments...
, the
World BankThe World Bank is an international financial institution that provides leveraged loans to poorer countries for capital programs, tied to neoliberal market restructurings...
, the
European Bank for Reconstruction and DevelopmentFounded in 1991, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development uses the tools of investment to help build market economies and democracies in 30 countries from central Europe to central Asia...
, the
Islamic Development BankIslamic Development Bank , is a multilateral development financing institution located in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. It was founded by the first conference of Finance Ministers of the Organization of the Islamic Conference , convened 18 December 1973.The bank officially began its activities on 15...
and the
Asian Development BankThe Asian Development Bank is a regional development bank established in 1966 to promote economic and social development in Asian and Pacific countries through loans and technical assistance. It is a multilateral development financial institution owned by 67 members , 48 from the region and 19...
. The banking system of Azerbaijan consists of the Central Bank of Azerbaijan,
commercial bankA commercial bank is a type of financial intermediary and a type of bank. Commercial banking is also known as business banking. It is a bank that provides checking accounts, savings accounts, and money market accounts and that accepts time deposits. After the Great Depression, the U.S...
s and non-banking credit organizations. The National (now Central) Bank was created in 1992 based on the Azerbaijan State Savings Bank, an affiliate of the former State Savings Bank of the USSR. The Central Bank serves as Azerbaijan's central bank, empowered to issue the national currency, the
Azerbaijani manatThe Manat is the currency of Azerbaijan. It is subdivided into 100 qəpik. The word manat is borrowed from the Russian word "монета" which is pronounced as "maneta"...
, and to supervise all commercial banks. Two major commercial banks are the state-owned
International Bank of AzerbaijanThe International Bank of Azerbaijan is the national development bank for the Republic of Azerbaijan. Headquartered in Baku, the bank consists of 36 branches and 95 service outlets in more than 40 cities....
and the United Universal Joint-Stock Bank.
Pushed up by spending and demand growth, the 2007 Q1
inflationIn economics, inflation is a rise in the general level of prices of goods and services in an economy over a period of time.When the price level rises, each unit of currency buys fewer goods and services; consequently, inflation is also an erosion in the purchasing power of money – a loss of real...
rate reached 16.6%. Nominal incomes and monthly wages climbed 29% and 25% respectively against this figure, but price increases in non-oil industry encouraged inflation in the country. Azerbaijan shows some signs of the so-called "
Dutch diseaseDutch disease is an economic concept that tries to explain the apparent relationship between the exploitation of natural resources and a decline in the manufacturing sector combined with moral fallout...
" because of the fast growing energy sector, which causes inflation and makes non-energy exports more expensive.
Two thirds of Azerbaijan is rich in
oilAn oil is any substance that is liquid at ambient temperatures and is hydrophobic but soluble in organic solvents. Oils have a high carbon and hydrogen content and are nonpolar substances. The general definition above includes compound classes with otherwise unrelated chemical structures,...
and
natural gasNatural gas is a gas consisting primarily of methane. It is found associated with fossil fuels, in coal beds, as methane clathrates, and is created by methanogenic organisms in marshes, bogs, and landfills...
. The region of the Lesser Caucasus accounts for most of the country's
goldGold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. It has been a highly sought-after precious metal for coinage, jewelry, and other arts since the beginning of recorded history. The metal occurs as nuggets or grains in rocks, in veins and in alluvial deposits. Gold is...
,
silverSilver is a chemical element with the chemical symbol Ag and atomic number 47. A soft, white, lustrous transition metal, it has the highest electrical conductivity of any element and the highest thermal conductivity of any metal...
,
ironIron is a metallic chemical element with the symbol Fe and atomic number 26. Iron is a group 8 and period 4 element and is therefore classified as a transition metal. Iron and iron alloys are by far the most common metals and the most common ferromagnetic materials in everyday use...
,
copperCopper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29.It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is rather soft and malleable and a freshly-exposed surface has a pinkish or peachy color...
,
titaniumTitanium is a chemical element with the symbol Ti and atomic number 22. Sometimes called the “space age metal”, it has a low density and is a strong, lustrous, corrosion-resistant transition metal with a silver color.Titanium can be alloyed with iron, aluminium, vanadium, molybdenum, among other...
,
chromiumChromium is a chemical element which has the symbol Cr and atomic number 24, first element in Group 6. It is a steely-gray, lustrous, hard metal that takes a high polish and has a high melting point. It is also odourless, tasteless, and malleable...
,
manganeseManganese is a chemical element, designated by the symbol Mn. It has the atomic number 25. It is found as a free element in nature , and in many minerals...
,
cobaltCobalt is a hard, lustrous, gray metal, a chemical element with symbol Co and atomic number 27. Although cobalt-based colors and pigments have been used since ancient times for making jewelry and paints, and miners have long used the name kobold ore for some minerals, the free metallic cobalt was...
,
molybdenumMolybdenum , is a Group 6 chemical element with the symbol Mo and atomic number 42. The free element, which is a silvery metal, has the sixth-highest melting point of any element. It readily forms hard, stable carbides, and for this reason it is often used in high-strength steel alloys...
, complex
oreAn ore is a type of rock that contains minerals such as gemstones or metals that can be extracted through mining and refined for use. Samples of ore in the form of exceptionally beautiful crystals, exotic layering visible when sectioned or polished or metallic presentations such as large nuggets or...
and
antimonyAntimony is a chemical element with the symbol Sb and atomic number 51. A metalloid, antimony has four allotropic forms. The stable form of antimony is a blue-white metalloid. Yellow and black antimony are unstable non-metals...
. In September 1994, a 30-year contract was signed between the
State Oil Company of Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR)The State Oil Company of Azerbaijan Republic is the state-owned oil and natural gas corporation in Azerbaijan. It produces oil and natural gas, operates two oil refineries and the running of oil and gas pipelines through out the country...
and 13 oil companies, among them
AmocoAmoco Corporation, originally Standard Oil Company , was a global chemical and oil company, founded in 1889 around a refinery located in Whiting, Indiana. It later absorbed the American Oil Company founded in Baltimore in 1910 and incorporated in 1922 by Louis Blaustein and his son Jacob. Amoco is...
,
BPBP plc is the third largest global energy company, the 5th largest company in the world, the UK's largest company, a multinational oil company with headquarters in St James's, City of Westminster, London...
,
ExxonExxon is a brand of motor fuel and related products sold by ExxonMobil. From 1972 to 1999, Exxon was the corporate name of the company previously known as Standard Oil Company of New Jersey or Jersey Standard.- History :...
,
LUKoilLukoil is Russia's largest oil company and its largest producer of oil. In 2007, the company produced 96.645 million tons of oil; 1.953 million barrels per day....
and
StatoilStatoilHydro ASA is a Norwegian energy company, formed by the 2007 merger of Statoil with the oil and gas division of Norsk Hydro. StatoilHydro is the biggest offshore oil and gas company in the world and the largest company by revenue in the Nordic Region...
. As Western oil companies are able to tap deepwater oilfields untouched by the Soviet exploitation, Azerbaijan is considered one of the most important spots in the world for oil exploration and development. Meanwhile the State Oil Fund was established as an extra-budgetary fund to ensure the macroeconomic stability, transparency in the management of oil revenue, and the safeguarding of resources for future generations.
At the beginning of 2007 there were 4,755,100 hectares of utilized agricultural area. In the same year the total wood resources counted 136 million m³. Azerbaijan's agricultural scientific research institutes are focused on meadows and pastures,
horticultureHorticulture is the industry and science of plant cultivation. Some would say that horticulture is the process of preparing soil for the planting of seeds, tubers, or cuttings. Horticulturists work and conduct research in the disciplines of plant propagation and cultivation, crop production, plant...
and subtropical crops, green vegetables,
viticultureViticulture is the science, production and study of grapes which deals with the series of events that occur in the vineyard. When the grapes are used for winemaking, it is also known as viniculture...
and wine-making, cotton growing and medicinal plants. In some lands it is profitable to grow grain, potatoes,
sugar beetSugar beet , a member of the Chenopodiaceae family, is a plant whose root contains a high concentration of sucrose. It is grown commercially for sugar production....
s, cotton and tobacco. The Caspian
fishing industryThe fishing industry includes any industry or activity concerned with taking, culturing, processing, preserving, storing, transporting, marketing or selling fish or fish products....
is concentrated on the dwindling stocks of
sturgeonSturgeon is the common name used for some 26 species of fish in the family Acipenseridae, including the genera Acipenser, Huso, Scaphirhynchus and Pseudoscaphirhynchus. The term includes over 20 species commonly referred to as sturgeon and several closely related species that have distinct common...
and beluga. In 2002 the Azerbaijani merchant marine had 54 ships.
Some portions of most products that were previously imported from abroad have begun to be produced locally (among them are Coca Cola by Coca Cola Bottlers LTD, beer by Baki-Kastel, parquet by Nehir and oil pipes by EUPEC Pipe Coating Azerbaijan).
Azerbaijan is also an important economic hub in the transportation of raw materials. The
Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipelineThe Baku–Tbilisi–Ceyhan pipeline is a long crude oil pipeline from the Azeri-Chirag-Guneshli oil field in the Caspian Sea to the Mediterranean Sea. It connects Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan; Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia; and Ceyhan, a port on the south-eastern Mediterranean coast of Turkey,...
(BTC) became operational in May 2006 and extends more than 1,774 kilometers through the territories of Azerbaijan (440 km), Georgia (260 km) and Turkey (1114 km). The BTC is designed to transport up to 50 million tons of crude oil annually and carries oil from the Caspian Sea oilfields to global markets. The
South Caucasus PipelineSouth Caucasus Pipeline is a natural gas pipeline to transport natural gas from the Shah Deniz gas field in the Azerbaijan sector of the Caspian Sea to Turkey...
, also stretching through the territory of Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey, became operational at the end of 2006 and offers additional gas supplies to the European market from the
Shah Deniz gas fieldShah Deniz gas field is the largest natural gas field in Azerbaijan. It is situated in the South Caspian Sea, off the coast of Azerbaijan, approximately southeast of Bakubat, at a depth of . The field covers approximately . The Shah Deniz gas and condensate field was discovered in 1999...
. It is expected to produce up to 296 billion cubic metres of natural gas per year. Azerbaijan also plays a major role in the EU-sponsored
Silk RoadThe Silk Road is an extensive interconnected network of trade routes across the Asian continent connecting East, South, and Western Asia with the Mediterranean world, as well as North and Northeast Africa and Europe...
Project.
In 2008, Azerbaijan was cited as one of the top 10 reformers by the
World BankThe World Bank is an international financial institution that provides leveraged loans to poorer countries for capital programs, tied to neoliberal market restructurings...
's Doing Business report:
Transportation and communications
The convenient location of Azerbaijan on the crossroad of major international traffic arteries, such as the
Silk RoadThe Silk Road is an extensive interconnected network of trade routes across the Asian continent connecting East, South, and Western Asia with the Mediterranean world, as well as North and Northeast Africa and Europe...
and the South-North corridor, highlights the strategic importance of transportation sector for the country’s economy.
In 2002 the Azerbaijani government established the Ministry of Transport with a broad range of policy and regulatory functions. The highest priority being; upgrading the transport network and transforming transportation services into one of the key comparative advantages of the country, as this would be highly conducive to the development of other sectors of the economy.
Broad gauge railways in 2005 stretched for and electrified railways numbered . By 2006, there were 36 airports and one
heliportA heliport is a small airport suitable only for use by helicopters. Heliports typically contain one or more helipads and may have limited facilities such as fuel, lighting, a windsock, or even hangars...
.
The transport sector in Azerbaijan includes roads, railways, aviation, and maritime transport.
The economy of Azerbaijan has been markedly stronger in recent years and, not surprisingly, the country has been making progress in developing its telecoms sector. Nonetheless, it still faces problems. These include poor infrastructure and an immature telecom regulatory regime. The Ministry of Communications & Information Technologies (MCIT), as well as being an operator through its role in Aztelekom, is both a policy-maker and regulator. A boom in oil and gas exports has boosted the economy, reducing the country’s dependence on international aid.
In 2002 Azerbaijan led the way in per capita
mobile phoneA mobile phone or mobile is a long-range, electronic device used for mobile telecommunications...
use within the CIS. Public pay phones are available for local calls and require a purchase token from the telephone exchange or some shops and kiosks. Tokens allow a call of indefinite duration. As of 2005, there were 1,091,400 main
telephone lineA telephone line or telephone circuit is a single-user circuit on a telephone communications system...
s and 1,036,000 internet users. There are three GSM: Azerfon (
Nar MobileNar Mobile is a mobile telecommunications company, located in Baku, Azerbaijan.-Company background:AZERFON LLC launched its commercial activities in 21st of March, 2007 under brand name Nar Mobile...
),
BakcellBakcell — is a cellular communication operator of GSM standard in Azerbaijan. It is the first cellular operator in the country.- About Company :...
and
AzercellThe Azercell is a mobile telecommunications company, located in Baku, Azerbaijan.-Company background:Azercell Telecom Joint venture was established on January 19, 1996. Founders were Turkcell İletişim Hizmetleri A. S...
mobile network operatorA mobile network operator , also known as mobile phone operator , carrier service provider , wireless service provider, wireless carrier, mobile phone operator, or cellular company, is a telephone company that provides services for mobile phone subscribers.The process of becoming a...
s and one CDMA.
Demographics
From the total population of about 8 million people as of April 2006, there were 4,380,000 (nearly 51%) city dwellers and a rural population of 4,060,000 (49%). 51% of the total population were female. The
sex ratioSex ratio is the ratio of males to females in a population. The primary sex ratio is the ratio at the time of conception, secondary sex ratio is the ratio at time of birth, and tertiary sex ratio is the ratio of mature organisms....
for total population in that year was therefore 0.94 males per female.
The 2006
population growthPopulation growth is the change in population over time, and can be quantified as the change in the number of individuals in a population using "per unit time" for measurement...
rate was 0.66%, compared to 1.14% worldwide. A significant factor restricting the population growth is rather a high level of
migrationHuman migration is movement by humans from one district to another, sometimes over long distances or in large groups....
. As many as 3 million Azeris, many of them guest workers, live in
RussiaRussia , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia . It is a semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
. In 2006 Azerbaijan saw migration of -4.38/1,000 persons.
The highest morbidity in 2005 was from
respiratory diseaseRespiratory Disease is the term for diseases of the respiratory system. These include diseases of the lung, pleural cavity, bronchial tubes, trachea, upper respiratory tract and of the nerves and muscles of breathing. Respiratory diseases range from mild and self-limiting such as the common cold to...
s (806.9 diseases per 10,000 of total population). In 2005, the highest morbidity for
infectiousAn infectious disease is a clinically evident disease resulting from the presence of pathogenic microbial agents, including pathogenic viruses, pathogenic bacteria, fungi, protozoa, multicellular parasites, and aberrant proteins known as prions...
and parasitic diseases was noted among
influenzaInfluenza, commonly referred to as the flu, is an infectious disease caused by RNA viruses of the family Orthomyxoviridae , that affects birds and mammals. The name influenza is Italian and means "influence"...
and
acute respiratory infectionsAcute viral rhinopharyngitis, or acute coryza, known as an upper respiratory virus, or commonly called a cold, is a contagious, viral infectious disease of the upper respiratory system, primarily caused by rhinoviruses, or coronaviruses...
(4168,2 per 100,000 population). 2007 estimate for total
life expectancyLife expectancy is the expected number of years of life remaining at a given age. It is denoted by e
x, which means the average number of subsequent years of life for someone now aged x, according to a particular mortality experience...
is 66 years, 70.7 years for women and 61.9 for men. With 800,000 refugees and IDPs, Azerbaijan has the largest
internally displaced populationInternally displaced persons are people forced to flee their homes but who, unlike refugees, remain within their country's borders. At the end of 2006 estimates of t4.5 million in some 52 countries. The region with the largest IDP population is Africa with some 11.8 million in 21...
in the region, and, as of 2006, had the highest per capita IDP population in the world.
The ethnic composition of the population according to the 1999 population census: 90.6%
AzerisThe Azerbaijanis are an ethnic group mainly living in northwestern Iran and the Republic of Azerbaijan. Commonly referred to as Azeris/Āzarīs or Azeri Turks , they also live in a wider area from the Caucasus to the Iranian plateau...
, 2.2%
LezginsThe Lezgins are an ethnic group, living predominantly in southern Dagestan and north-eastern Azerbaijan, who speak the Lezgian language.In the 19th century, the term was used more broadly for all ethnic groups speaking Northeast Caucasian languages,...
, 1.8%
RussiansThe Russian people are an ethnic group of the East Slavic peoples, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries....
, 1.5%
ArmeniansThe Armenians are a nation and ethnic group which originated in the Caucasus and the Armenian Highland. It is estimated that there are 8 million Armenians around the world. There is a large concentration of Armenians in the Caucasus, especially in Armenia, and there is a significant presence in...
(Almost all live in the break-away region of Nagorno-Karabakh), 1.0%
TalyshTalysh are an Iranian people who speak the Talysh language, one of the Northwestern Iranian languages. It is spoken in the northern regions of the Iranian provinces of Gilan and Ardabil and the southern parts of the Republic of Azerbaijan...
(disputed as too low by Talysh nationalists), 0.6%
AvarsAvars or Caucasian Avars are a modern people of Caucasus, mainly of Dagestan, in which they are the predominant group. The Caucasian Avar language belongs to the Northeast Caucasian language family ....
, 0.5%
TurksThe Turkish people , also known as the "Turks" are defined mainly as citizens of the Republic of Turkey. An early historic text provided the definition of being a Turk as "any individual within the Republic of Turkey; whatever his/her faith or racial/ethnic background; who speaks Turkish, grows up...
, 0.4%
TatarsTatars , sometimes spelled Tartars, are a Turkic ethnic group mainly inhabiting Russia, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan and Afghanistan. They numbered 10 million in the late 20th Century, which includes all subgroups of Tatar people, such as...
, 0.4%
UkrainiansUkrainians are an East Slavic ethnic group primarily living in Ukraine, or more broadly—citizens of Ukraine...
, 0.2% Tsakhur, 0.2%
GeorgiansThe Georgians are a South Caucasian people and nation mainly centered in Georgia. They also live in Turkey, Russia, the United States, Iran, and other countries....
, 0.13%
KurdsThe Kurds are an Ethnic-Iranian ethnolinguistic group mostly inhabiting a region known as Kurdistan, which includes adjacent parts of Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey...
, 0.13%
TatsTats are the Iranian ethnos, presently living on the territory of Republic of Azerbaijan and the Russian Federation . Variants of self-designation are Tati, Parsi, Daghli, Lohijon...
, 0.1%
JewThe Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation...
s, 0.05%
UdinsThe Udis – are one of the most ancient native peoples of the Caucasus. The Udi live mostly in Azerbaijan - the village of Nij of the region of Kabala, Oguz and Baku...
, other 0.2%. Many Russians left Azerbaijan during the 1990s. According to the 1989 census, there were 392,000 ethnic
RussiansThe Russian people are an ethnic group of the East Slavic peoples, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries....
in Azerbaijan, or 5.6% of the population. According to the statistics, about 390,000
ArmeniansArmenians in Azerbaijan are the Armenians who lived in great numbers in Azerbaijan . According to the statistics, about 400,000 Armenians lived in Azerbaijan in 1989...
lived in Azerbaijan in 1989.
Although
AzerbaijaniAzerbaijani is a language belonging to the Turkic language family, spoken in southwestern Asia, primarily in Azerbaijan and northwestern Iran...
(also called
Azeri) is the most widely spoken language in the country and is spoken by about a quarter of the population of Iran. There are
13 other languages- Present-day :Currently, the main language of Azerbaijan is Azerbaijani. The Azerbaijani language is spoken by 96.6 % of the population , while English and Russian play significant roles as languages of education and communication. Lezgian, Talysh, Avar, Georgian, Tsakhur, Kurdish, Tat, and Udi...
spoken natively in the country. Some of these languages are very small communities, others are more vital. Azerbaijani is a
Turkic languageThe Turkic languages constitute a language family of some thirty languages, spoken by Turkic peoples across a vast area from Eastern Europe and the Mediterranean to Siberia and Western China, and are considered to be part of the proposed Altaic language family.Turkic languages are spoken by some...
which belongs to the
Altaic familyAltaic is a language family that is generally held by its proponents to include the Turkic, Mongolic, Tungusic, Korean, and Japonic language families . These languages are spoken in a wide arc stretching from northeast Asia through Central Asia to Anatolia and eastern Europe...
and is mutually intelligible with
TurkishTurkish is spoken as a first language by over 63 million people worldwide, making it the most commonly spoken of the Turkic languages. Its speakers are located predominantly in Turkey and Cyprus, with smaller groups in Iraq, Greece, Bulgaria, the Republic of Macedonia, Kosovo, Albania and other...
. The language is written with a
modified Latin alphabetIn Republic of Azerbaijan, the Azerbaijani alphabet may refer to either of two alphabets used to write the Azerbaijani language: one Cyrillic-based alphabet and one Latin-based alphabet...
today, but was earlier written in the
Arabic alphabetThe Arabic alphabet is the script used for writing several languages of Asia and Africa, such as Arabic and Urdu. After the Latin alphabet, it is the second-most widely used alphabet around the world....
(until 1929), in the
Uniform Turkic AlphabetThe Uniform Turkic Alphabet was a Latin based alphabet used by non-Slavic peoples of the USSR in the 1930s. The alphabet used ligatures from Jaŋalif as it was also a part of the uniform alphabet. The uniform alphabet utilized Latin ligatures, excluding "w." Some additional ligatures were also...
(1929-1939), and in the
Cyrillic alphabetThe Cyrillic script writing system isan alphabet developed in the First Bulgarian Empire, and used in the Slavic national languages of Russian, Bulgarian, Belarusian, Rusyn, Serbian, Macedonian, and Ukrainian, and in the non-Slavic languages of Moldovan, Kazakh, Uzbek, Kyrgyz, Tajik, Tuvan, and...
(1939-1991). The changes in alphabet have been largely molded by religious and political forces.
Iranian Azeris are the largest minority in
IranIran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran is a country in Western Asia. The name Iran has been in use natively since the Sassanid period and came into international use from 1935, before which the country was known internationally as Persia...
. The CIA World Factbook estimates Iranian Azeris as comprising nearly 16 million, or 24% of Iran's population.
Religion
The religions of Azerbaijan comprise different religious trends spread among the people and ethnic groups residing in the country. There are several confessions in Azerbaijan.
Azerbaijan is a
secular stateA secular state is a concept of secularism, whereby a state or country purports to be officially neutral in matters of religion, supporting neither religion nor irreligion. A secular state also claims to treat all its citizens equally regardless of religion, and claims to avoid preferential...
, and article 48 of its
ConstitutionThe Constitution of Azerbaijan was adopted on 12 November 1995 by popular referendum and amended on 24 August 2002. It carries the "highest legal force" in Azerbaijan as per article 147.-Preamble:...
ensures the liberty of worship to everyone. Everyone has a right to choose any faith, to adopt any
religionA religion is a system of human thought which usually includes a set of narratives, symbols, beliefs and practices that give meaning to the practitioner's experiences of life through reference to a higher power, deity or deities, or ultimate truth...
or to not practice any religion, to express one's view on the religion and to spread it.
Freedom of religionThe Constitution provides that persons of all faiths may choose and practice their religion without restriction; however, there were some abuses and restrictions. Some religious groups reported delays in and denials of registration. As in previous years, there continued to be some limitations upon...
is guaranteed by the
ConstitutionThe Constitution of Azerbaijan was adopted on 12 November 1995 by popular referendum and amended on 24 August 2002. It carries the "highest legal force" in Azerbaijan as per article 147.-Preamble:...
.
According to official figures, between 93.4% and 96% of the population is
Muslim:A Muslim , , is an adherent of the religion of Islam. The feminine form is Muslimah . Literally, the word means "one who submits ". Muslim is the participle of the same verb of which Islam is the infinitive. Muslims believe that there is only one God, translated in Arabic as Allah...
, of which 85% are Shia and 15%
SunniSunni Islam is the largest denomination of Islam. It is also referred to as Ahl as-Sunnah wa’l-Jamā‘ah or Ahl as-Sunnah for short...
.
ChristianA Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic, religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth, who Christians believe was the Messiah prophesied in the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible, and the Son of God.The term "Christian" is also used adjectivally to...
s comprise 3% to 4% of the population, of whom most are
RussianThe Russian Orthodox Church ; or The Moscow Patriarchate , also known...
, Georgian and
ArmenianThe Armenian Apostolic Church is the world's oldest National Church and is one of the most ancient Christian communities. Armenia was the first country to adopt Christianity as its official religion in 301 AD, in establishing this church...
OrthodoxThe term Orthodox Christianity may refer to:* Correct theology or belief, such as the ancient, majority, or Trinitarian theologies of Christianity...
(Almost all Armenians live in the break-away region of Nagorno-Karabakh). In 2003 there were 250
Roman CatholicsThe Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church. With more than a billion members, over half of all Christians and more than one-sixth of the world's population, the Catholic Church is a communion of the Western, or Latin Rite Church, and...
. Other Christian denominations as of 2002 include
LutheransLutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the teachings of the 16th century German reformer Martin Luther. Luther's efforts to reform the theology and practice of the church launched the Protestant Reformation...
,
BaptistA Baptist is a Christian who subscribes to a theology and may belong to a church that, among other things, is committed to believer's baptism and, with respect to church polity, favors the congregational model...
s and
MolokanMolokans are sectarian, Bible-centered Christians who evolved from "Spiritual Christian" Russian peasants that refused to obey the Russian Orthodox Church, beginning in the 1600s. They were so named for their heresy of drinking milk on most of the approximately 200 fasting days, especially the...
s. There are also
JewishJudaism is a set of beliefs and practices originating in the Hebrew Bible , as later further explored and explained in the Talmud and other texts...
,
Bahá'íThe Bahá'í Faith is a monotheistic religion founded by Bahá'u'lláh in nineteenth-century Persia, emphasizing the spiritual unity of all humankind. There are an estimated five to six million Bahá'ís around the world in more than 200 countries and territories.The Bahá'í Faith teaches a doctrine of...
, Hare Krishna and
Jehovah's WitnessesJehovah's Witnesses is a restorationist, millenarian Christian denomination. The religion reports worldwide membership of over 7 million adherents involved in evangelism; they report convention attendance of over 12 million, and annual Memorial attendance of over 17 million...
communities, as well as adherents of the Nehemiah Church, Star in the East Church and the Cathedral of Praise Church.
ZoroastrianismZoroastrianism is the religion and philosophy based on the teachings ascribed to the prophet Zoroaster , after whom the religion is named. The term Zoroastrianism is, in general usage, essentially synonymous with Mazdaism, i.e...
had a long history in Azerbaijan, evident in sites such as the
Fire Temple of BakuThe Baku Ateshgah or "Fire Temple" is a castle-like Hindu religious structure in Surakhani, a suburb of greater Baku, Azerbaijan....
, and along with
ManicheanManichaeism was one of the major Iranian Gnostic religions, originating in Sassanid Persia. Although most of the original writings of the founding prophet Mani have been lost, numerous translations and fragmentary texts have survived...
. It is estimated that the
Zoroastrian community of AzerbaijanZoroastrianism in Azerbaijan goes back to the first millennium BC or earlier. The religion was the predominant religion of Greater Iran before the conversion...
numbers around 2,000.
According to the recent Gallup Poll Azerbaijan is one of the most irreligious countries in the world with about 50% of respondents indicating the importance of religion in their life as little or none.
Religious freedom has recently been threatened in Azerbaijan, though it continues a signatory to the
Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental FreedomsThe Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms , was adopted under the auspices of the Council of Europe in 1950 to protect human rights and fundamental freedoms in Europe...
. A number of nationals who are Jehovah's Witnesses have been harassed, detained, jailed and in some cases physically assaulted by police because of their religious activity. Jehovah's Witnesses are entitled to protection of freedom of religion under Articles 9, 10, and 11 of the aforementioned Convention. In some cases the defendants have been cleared of all charges.
Culture
Azerbaijani culture has developed as a result of many influences. Today,
WesternThe Western world, also known as the West and the Occident , is a term that can have multiple meanings depending on its context...
influences, including
globalizedGlobalization describes an ongoing process by which regional economies, societies, and cultures have become integrated through a globe-spanning network of communication and exchange....
consumerConsumer is a broad label for any individuals or households that use goods and services generated within the economy. The concept of a consumer is used in different contexts, so that the usage and significance of the term may vary....
culture, are strong.
Azerbaijan folk consists of Azerbaijanis, the representative part of society, as well as of nations and ethnic groups, compactly living in various areas of the country. Azerbaijani national and traditional dresses are the
ChokhaA chokha is part of the traditional male dress of the peoples of the Caucasus. It has been in wide use among Georgians from 9th century until 1920s and among Azeris between the 17th and the 20th century....
and
PapakhiPapakha is a male wool hat worn throughout the Caucasus and Middle Asia regions.For example, Georgian papakhi are made of wool and have a circular shape....
. There are radio broadcasts in
RussianRussian is the most geographically widespread language of Eurasia, the most widely spoken of the Slavic languages, and the largest native language in Europe...
,
ArmenianThe Armenian language is an Indo-European language spoken by the Armenian people. It is the official language of the Republic of Armenia as well as in the region of Nagorno-Karabakh. The language is also widely spoken by Armenian communities in the Armenian diaspora...
,
GeorgianGeorgian is the native language of the Georgians and the official language of Georgia, a country in the Caucasus.Georgian is the primary language of about 3.9 million people in Georgia itself, and of another 500,000 abroad...
,
KurdishKurdish is the language spoken by Kurds in western Asia. Unlike many other languages it does not have a single standardized linguistic entity with the status of an official or state language...
, Lezgin and
TalyshThe Talyshi language is a Northwestern Iranian language spoken in the northern regions of the Iranian provinces of Gilan and Ardabil and the southern regions of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Historically, the language and its people can be traced through the middle Iranian period back to the ancient...
languages, which are financed from the state budget. Some local radio stations in Balakən and
XaçmazKhachmaz is a city in the Khachmaz Rayon of Azerbaijan.- References :* – World-Gazetteer.com...
organize broadcasts in
AvarThe modern Avar language belongs to the Avar-Andi-Tsez subgroup of the Alarodian Northeast-Caucasian language family....
and
TatThe Tat language or Tati is a South-Western Iranian language spoken by the Tat ethnic group in The Republic of Azerbaijan and Russia. Its written form is related to Middle Persian Pahlavi...
. In Baku several newspapers are published in Russian, Kurdish (
Dengi Kurd), Lezgin (
Samur) and Talysh languages. Jewish society "Sokhnut" publishes the newspaper
Aziz.
Architecture
Azerbaijani architecture typically combines elements of
EastThe term Eastern world refers very broadly to the various cultures, social structures and philosophical systems of "the East", namely Asia and Eastern Europe ....
and
WestWestern culture refers to cultures of European origin.The term "Western culture" is used very broadly to refer to a heritage of social norms, ethical values, traditional customs, religious beliefs, political systems, and specific artifacts and technologies...
. Many ancient architectural treasures such as the Maiden Tower and
Palace of the ShirvanshahsPalace of the Shirvanshahs is the biggest monument of the Shirvan-Absheron branch of the Azerbaijan architecture, situated in the Inner City of Baku...
in the
Walled City of BakuBaku , sometimes known as Baqy, Baky, Baki or Bakou, is the capital, the largest city, and the largest port of Azerbaijan and all the Caucasus. Located on the southern shore of the Absheron Peninsula, the city consists of two principal parts: the downtown and the old Inner City...
survive in modern Azerbaijan. Entries submitted on the UNESCO World Heritage tentative list include the
Gobustan State ReserveGobustan Rock Art Cultural Landscape or simply Gobustan is a hill and mountain site occupying the southeast ending of the Big Caucasian Ridge, mainly in the basin of Jeyrankechmaz River, between the rivers Pirsagat and Sumgait...
, the
Fire Temple of BakuThe Baku Ateshgah or "Fire Temple" is a castle-like Hindu religious structure in Surakhani, a suburb of greater Baku, Azerbaijan....
, the
Momine Khatun MausoleumThe Mausoleum of Momine Khatun is located in Nakhchivan City, the capital of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic in Azerbaijan. It was commissioned by Ildegizid Atabeg Jahan Pahlawan in honor of his first wife, Mu'mine Khatun, and completed in 1186-1187, as indicated on the Kufic style...
and the
Palace of Shaki KhansThe Palace of Shaki Khans in Shaki, Azerbaijan was a summer residence of Shaki Khans. It features decorative tiles, fountains and several stained-glass windows. The exterior is decorated with dark blue, turquoise and ochre tiles in geometric patterns and the murals were coloured with tempera and...
in
ShekiWord sheki can refer to:* Shiki District in Afghanistan* Shaki, city in Azerbaijan* Shaki Region in Azerbaijan* Sheki, Ethiopia, a town in the Oromia Region of Ethiopia* Sheki, Person, Toronto, Canada...
.
Among other medieval architectural treasures reflecting the influence of several schools are the Shirvan Shahs' palace in Baku, the palace of the Shaki Khan's in the town of
ShakiShaki is a city in North-west Azerbaijan, in the rayon of the same name....
in north-central Azerbaijan, the Surakhany Temple on the
Absheron PeninsulaThis article is about the peninsula. For the rayon of Azerbaijan see Absheron .The Absheron peninsula, , ) is a region in Azerbaijan...
, a number of bridges spanning the Aras River, and several mausoleums. In the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, little monumental architecture was created, but distinctive residences were built in Baku and elsewhere. Among the most recent architectural monuments, the Baku subways are noted for their lavish decor.
Cinema
The film industry in Azerbaijan dates back to 1898. In fact, Azerbaijan was among the first countries involved in
cinematographyCinematography , is the making of lighting and camera choices when recording photographic images for the cinema. It is closely related to the art of still photography...
. When the Lumière brothers of
FranceFrance , officially the French Republic , is a country located in Western Europe, with several overseas islands and territories located on other continents. Metropolitan France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea, and from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean...
premiered their first motion picture footage in
ParisParis is the capital of France and the country's most populous city. It is situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
on December 28, 1895, little did they know how rapidly it would ignite a new age of photographic documentation. These ingenuous brothers invented an apparatus, patented in February 1895, which they called the "
CinématographeThe cinematograph is a film camera, which also serves as a film projector and developer. It was invented in the 1890s.There is much dispute as to the identity of its inventor. Some argue that the device was first invented and patented as "Cinématographe Léon Bouly" by French inventor Léon Bouly in...
" (from which the word "cinematography" is derived). It's not surprising that this apparatus soon showed up in
BakuBaku , sometimes known as Baqy, Baky, Baki or Bakou, is the capital, the largest city, and the largest port of Azerbaijan and all the Caucasus. Located on the southern shore of the Absheron Peninsula, the city consists of two principal parts: the downtown and the old Inner City...
– at the turn of the 19th century, this bay town on the
CaspianThe Caspian Sea is the largest enclosed body of water on Earth by area, variously classed as the world's largest lake or a full-fledged sea. It has a surface area of 371,000 square kilometres and a volume of 78,200 cubic kilometres...
was producing more than 50 percent of the world's supply of oil. Just like today, the oil industry attracted foreigners eager to invest and to work.
In 1919, during the
Azerbaijan Democratic RepublicThe Azerbaijan Democratic Republic was the first successful attempt to establish a democratic and secular republic in the Muslim world . The ADR was founded on May 28, 1918 after the collapse of the Russian Empire that began with the Russian Revolution of 1917 by Azerbaijani National Council in...
, a documentary called The Celebration of the Anniversary of Azerbaijani Independence was filmed on Azerbaijan's independence day, May 28, and premiered in June 1919 at several theatres in Baku.
After the Soviet power was established in 1920, Nariman Narimanov, Chairman of the Revolutionary Committee of Azerbaijan, signed a decree nationalizing Azerbaijan's cinema.
In 1991, after Azerbaijan gained its independence from the Soviet Union, first Baku International Film Festival East-West was held in Baku.
Cuisine
Azerbaijani cuisine, throughout the centuries, has been influenced by the foods of different cultures due to political and economic processes in Azerbaijan. Still, today's Azerbaijani cuisine has distinctive and unique features. Many foods that are indigenous to the country can now be seen in the cuisines of other cultures. For the Azerbaijanis, food is an important part of the country's culture and is deeply rooted in the history, traditions and values of the nation.
Azerbaijani cuisine is an important part of the country's culture. Climatic diversity and fertility of the land are reflected in the national dishes, which are based on fish from the
Caspian SeaThe Caspian Sea is the largest enclosed body of water on Earth by area, variously classed as the world's largest lake or a full-fledged sea. It has a surface area of 371,000 square kilometres and a volume of 78,200 cubic kilometres...
, local meat (mainly mutton and beef), and an abundance of seasonal vegetables and greens. Saffron-rice plov is the flagship food in Azerbaijan and
black teaBlack tea is a variety of tea that is more oxidized than the oolong, green, and white varieties.All four varieties are made from leaves of Camellia sinensis. Black tea is generally stronger in flavor and contains more caffeine than the less oxidized teas. Two principal varieties of the species are...
is the national beverage.
Folk dance
There are a number of Azerbaijani dances, these
folk danceThe term folk dance describes a large number of dances that tend to share some or all of the following attributes:*They are dances performed at social functions by people with little or no professional training, often to traditional music or music based on traditional music.*They are not designed...
s of the
Azerbaijani peopleThe Azerbaijanis are an ethnic group mainly living in northwestern Iran and the Republic of Azerbaijan. Commonly referred to as Azeris/Āzarīs or Azeri Turks , they also live in a wider area from the Caucasus to the Iranian plateau...
are old and extremely melodious. It is performed at formal
celebrationsCelebrations are a chocolate collection made by Mars, Incorporated, comprising miniature versions of Mars-produced chocolate bars. After the success of Celebrations, Cadbury UK released their own version, Miniature Heroes....
and the dancers wear
festivalA festival is an event, usually and ordinarily staged by a local community, which centers on some unique aspect of that community.Among many religions, a feast or festival is a set of celebrations in honour of God or gods. A feast and a festival are historically interchangeable...
clothes or
ChokhaA chokha is part of the traditional male dress of the peoples of the Caucasus. It has been in wide use among Georgians from 9th century until 1920s and among Azeris between the 17th and the 20th century....
cloaks. It has a very fast
rhythmRhythm is the variation of the length and accentuation of a series of sounds or other events.-Rhythm in linguistics:...
, so the dancer must have inherent skill.
Azerbaijan’s national dance shows the characteristics of the Azerbaijani nation. These dances differ from other dances with its quick temp and optimism. And this talks about nation’s braveness.
The national clothes of Azerbaijan are well preserved within the national dances.
Azerbaijan is a country where national traditions are well preserved. In Azerbaijan where are a lot of traditions. Novruz holiday (novruz is translated as "a new day") is the most ancient and cherished holiday of a
New YearThe New Year is an event that happens when a culture celebrates the end of one year and the beginning of the next year. Cultures that measure yearly calendars all have New Year celebrations...
and
springSpring is one of the four temperate seasons, the transition period between winter and summer. Its days are close to twelve hours long with increasing day length, as it occurs near the time of an equinox. In the Northern Hemisphere, spring runs from March into May, and in the Southern Hemisphere it...
. It is celebrated on the day of vernal equinox - March 21-22. Novruz is the symbol of nature renewal and fertility. Agrarian peoples of Middle East have been celebrating Novruz since ancient times.
Folk art
The Azeris have a rich and distinctive culture, a major part of which is decorative and applied art. This form of art is represented by a wide range of handicrafts, such as chasing, jeweler, engraving in metal, carving in wood, stone and bone, carpet-making, lasing, pattern weaving and printing, knitting and embroidery. Each of these types of decorative art, evidence of the and endowments of the Azerbaijan nation, is very much in favor here. Many interesting facts pertaining to the development of arts and crafts in Azerbaijan were reported by numerous merchants, travelers and diplomats who had visited these places at different times.
Music
Music of Azerbaijan builds on
folk traditionsThe term folk music originated in the 19th century as a term for musical folklore. It has been defined in several ways; as music transmitted by word of mouth, music of the lower classes, music with no known composer...
that reach back nearly 1,000 years. For centuries Azerbaijani music has evolved under the badge of
monodyIn poetry, the term monody has become specialized to refer to a poem in which one person laments another's death....
, producing rhythmically diverse melodies. Azerbaijani music has a branchy
modeMode is a term from Western music theory having three definitions :# the rhythmic relationship between long and short values in the late medieval period;...
system, where
chromatisationIn music, chromaticism is a compositional technique interspersing the primary diatonic pitches and chords with other pitches of the chromatic scale. Chromaticism is in contrast or addition to tonality or diatonicism...
of
major and minorIn music, the adjectives major and minor can describe a scale, key, chord, or interval.For intervals, the terms refer to a difference in their relative width, major referring to notes somewhat further apart; the other terms are classifications based on the use of certain intervals, especially the...
scalesIn music, a scale is a group of musical notes collected in ascending and descending order, that provides material for or is used to conveniently represent part or all of a musical work including melody and/or harmony...
is of great importance.
According to The Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians "In terms of ethnicity, culture and religion the Azeri are musically much closer to Iran than Turkey."
MughamMugam also known as Azerbaijani Mugham is one of the many folk musical compositions from Azerbaijan, contrast with Tasnif, Ashugs...
and
MeykhanaMeykhana is a distinctive Azerbaijani literary and folk rap tradition, comprising of an unaccompanied song performed by one or more people improvising on a particular subject. The name of this genre comes from the traditional Turkish meyhane , which itself originated from the Persian words mey ...
are one of the many musical traditions of Azerbaijan.
MughamMugam also known as Azerbaijani Mugham is one of the many folk musical compositions from Azerbaijan, contrast with Tasnif, Ashugs...
is usually a suite with
poetryPoetry is a form of literary art in which language is used for its aesthetic and evocative qualities in addition to, or in lieu of, its apparent meaning...
and instrumental interludes. During Mugam, the singers have to transform their emotions into singing and music. Mugham singer
Alim QasimovAlim Qasimov, , is an Azerbaijani musician and is one of the foremost mugham singers in Azerbaijan. He was awarded the prestigious International IMC-UNESCO Music Prize in 1999, one of the highest international accolades for music. His music is characterised by his vocal improvisation and represents...
is revered as one of the five best singers of all time.
In contrast to the
mugam traditions of Central Asian countries, Azeri
mugam is more free-form and less rigid; it is often compared to the improvised field of
jazzJazz is a musical art form which originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States from a confluence of African and European music traditions....
.
UNESCOThe United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations established on 16 November 1945...
proclaimed the Azerbaijani
mugam tradition a
Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of HumanityThe Proclamation of Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity was made by the Director-General of UNESCO starting in 2001 to raise awareness on intangible cultural heritage and spur the local communities to protect them and the local actors who sustain these forms of cultural...
on 7 November 2003.
MeykhanaMeykhana is a distinctive Azerbaijani literary and folk rap tradition, comprising of an unaccompanied song performed by one or more people improvising on a particular subject. The name of this genre comes from the traditional Turkish meyhane , which itself originated from the Persian words mey ...
is a kind of traditional Azeri distinctive folk unaccompanied song, usually performed by several people improvising on a particular subject.
Among national musical instruments there are fourteen string instruments, eight percussion instruments and six wind instruments.
Azerbaijan made its debut appearance at the
Eurovision Song Contest 2008The Eurovision Song Contest 2008 was the 53rd edition of the Eurovision Song Contest, which was hosted by Serbia. The semi-finals were held on 20 May and 22 May, and the final was held on 24 May 2008 in the capital, Belgrade. Russia was declared the winner, with Jim Beanz and Dima Bilan's song...
, and placed 8th among 43 contestants.
The country's entry in the
Eurovision Song Contest 2009The Eurovision Song Contest 2009 was the 54th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest. It took place between 12 and 16 May 2009 at the Olympic Indoor Arena in Moscow, Russia....
by AySel and Arash won the 3rd place.
Sport
Sport in Azerbaijan has ancient roots, and even now, both traditional and modern sports are still practiced.
Freestyle wrestlingFreestyle wrestling is a style of amateur wrestling that is practiced throughout the world. Along with Greco-Roman, it is one of the two styles of wrestling contested in the Olympic games. It is, along with track and field, one of the oldest organized sports in history...
has been traditionally regarded as Azerbaijan's
national sportA national sport is a sport or game that is considered to be an intrinsic part of the culture of a nation. In American English the term national pastime is often used. Some sports are de facto National sport while others are defined by law....
, however today, the most popular sports in Azerbaijan are
football (soccer)Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of eleven players using a spherical ball...
and
chessChess is a board game played between two players. The current form of the game emerged in Southern Europe during the second half of the 15th century after evolving from a similar, much older game of Indian origin...
.
BackgammonBackgammon is a board game for two players in which the playing pieces are moved according to the roll of dice. A player wins by removing all of his pieces from the board. There are many variants of backgammon, most of which share common traits...
is a game that has ancient roots in Persian Empire and plays major role in Azerbaijani culture. This game is very popular in Azerbaijan and widely played among local public. There are also different variations of backgammon developed and analysed by Azerbaijani experts.
Azerbaijan is known as one of the chess superpowers and despite the collapse of
Soviet UnionThe Union of Soviet Socialist Republics was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. The name is a translation of the , tr. Soyuz Sovetskikh Sotsialisticheskikh Respublik, abbreviated СССР, SSSR. The common short name is Soviet Union, from , Sovetskiy Soyuz...
, chess is still extremely popular. Notable chess players of Azerbaijan includes
Teimour RadjabovTeimour Radjabov, also spelled Teymur Rajabov Teimour Radjabov, also spelled Teymur Rajabov Teimour Radjabov, also spelled Teymur Rajabov ' onMouseout='HidePop("64157")' href="http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/Vladimir_Makogonov">Vladimir Makogonov
Vladimir Andreevich Makogonov was a chess player from Azerbaijan. He was born in Nakhchivan but lived in Baku for most of his life. He became an International Master in 1950 and was awarded an honorary Grandmaster title in 1987. Makogonov never became well known outside the Soviet Union, but was...
, Gary Kasparov,
Vugar GashimovVugar Gashimov is a chess player from Azerbaijan. He is a noted player of Bullet chess and three times Azerbaijani national chess champion .He won at Athens 2005 ....
and
Zeinab MamedyarovaZeinab Mamedyarova is an Azerbaijani Woman Grandmaster chess player.-Career:In 2000, she gained the Woman Grandmaster title...
. Azerbaijan has also hosted many international chess tournaments and competitions.
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