Azerbaijan

Coordinates: 40°18′N 47°42′E / 40.3°N 47.7°E / 40.3; 47.7
This is a good article. Click here for more information.
Page extended-protected
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from Azyerbaijan)

Republic of Azerbaijan
Azərbaycan Respublikası (Azerbaijani)
Anthem: Azərbaycan marşı
"March of Azerbaijan"
Capital
and largest city
Baku
40°23′43″N 49°52′56″E / 40.39528°N 49.88222°E / 40.39528; 49.88222
Official languagesAzerbaijani[1]
Minority languagesSee full list
Ethnic groups
(2019[2])
Religion
Islam 97%
Christianity 3%
Demonym(s)
  • Azerbaijani
  • Azeri
GovernmentUnitary semi-presidential republic[3]
• President
Ilham Aliyev
Mehriban Aliyeva
Ali Asadov
Sahiba Gafarova
LegislatureNational Assembly
Formation
28 May 1918
28 April 1920
• Independence from Soviet Union
  • 18 October 1991 (declared)
  • 26 December 1991 (recognized)
• Constitution adopted
12 November 1995
Area
• Total
86,600 km2 (33,400 sq mi) (112th)
• Water (%)
1.6
Population
• 2022 estimate
10,353,296[4] (90th)
• Density
117/km2 (303.0/sq mi) (99th)
GDP (PPP)2023 estimate
• Total
Increase $192.146 billion[5] (79th)
• Per capita
Increase $18,694[5] (87th)
GDP (nominal)2023 estimate
• Total
Decrease $77.392 billion[5] (82nd)
• Per capita
Decrease $7,529[5] (88th)
Gini (2008)Negative increase 33.7[6]
medium
HDI (2021)Decrease 0.745[7]
high (91st)
CurrencyManat (₼) (AZN)
Time zoneUTC+4 (AZT)
Date formatdd.mm.yyyy (CE)
Driving sideright
Calling code+994
ISO 3166 codeAZ
Internet TLD.az

Azerbaijan,[a] officially the Republic of Azerbaijan,[b] is a transcontinental country located at the boundary of Eastern Europe and West Asia.[9] It is a part of the South Caucasus region and is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia (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.

The territory of what is now Azerbaijan was first ruled by Caucasian Albania and later various Persian empires. Until the 19th century, it remained part of Qajar Iran, but the Russo-Persian wars of 1804–1813 and 1826–1828 forced the Qajar empire to cede its Caucasian territories to the Russian Empire; the treaties of Gulistan in 1813 and Turkmenchay in 1828 defined the border between Russia and Qajar Iran.[10][11] The region north of the Aras was Iranian until it was occupied by Russia during the 19th century.[12][13][14][15][16][17] The area was part of the Caucasus Viceroyalty.

By the late 19th century, an Azerbaijani national identity emerged with the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic proclaimed its independence from the Transcaucasian Democratic Federative Republic in 1918, a year after the Russian Empire collapsed, and became the first secular democratic Muslim-majority state. In 1920, the country was incorporated into the Soviet Union as the Azerbaijan SSR.[12][18] The modern Republic of Azerbaijan proclaimed its independence on 30 August 1991,[19][20] shortly before the dissolution of the Soviet Union in the same year. In September 1991, the ethnic Armenian majority of the Nagorno-Karabakh region formed the self-proclaimed Republic of Artsakh,[21] which became de facto independent with the end of the First Nagorno-Karabakh War in 1994, although the region and seven surrounding districts remained internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan.[22][23][24][25] Following the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War in 2020, the seven districts and parts of Nagorno-Karabakh were returned to Azerbaijani control.[26] An Azerbaijani offensive in 2023 ended the Republic of Artsakh and resulted in the flight of Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians.[27]

Azerbaijan is a unitary semi-presidential republic.[3] It is one of six independent Turkic states and an active member of the Organization of Turkic States and the TÜRKSOY community. Azerbaijan has diplomatic relations with 182 countries and holds membership in 38 international organizations,[28] including the United Nations, the Council of Europe, the Non-Aligned Movement, the OSCE, and the NATO PfP program. It is one of the founding members of GUAM, the CIS,[29] and the OPCW. Azerbaijan is also an observer state of the WTO.

The vast majority of the country's population (97%) is nominally[30] Muslim,[31] but the constitution does not declare an official religion and all major political forces in the country are secular. Azerbaijan is a developing country and ranks 91st on the Human Development Index. The ruling New Azerbaijan Party, in power since 1993, has been accused of authoritarianism under president Heydar Aliyev and his son Ilham Aliyev, and deteriorating the country's human rights record, including increasing restrictions on civil liberties, particularly on press freedom and political repression.[32]

Etymology

According to a modern etymology, the term Azerbaijan derives from that of Atropates,[33][34] a Persian[35][36] satrap under the Achaemenid Empire, who was later reinstated as the satrap of Media under Alexander the Great.[37][38] The original etymology of this name is thought to have its roots in the once-dominant Zoroastrianism. In the Avesta's Frawardin Yasht ("Hymn to the Guardian Angels"), there is a mention of âterepâtahe ashaonô fravashîm ýazamaide, which literally translates from Avestan as "we worship the fravashi of the holy Atropatene".[39] The name "Atropates" itself is the Greek transliteration of an Old Iranian, probably Median, compounded name with the meaning "Protected by the (Holy) Fire" or "The Land of the (Holy) Fire".[40] The Greek name was mentioned by Diodorus Siculus and Strabo. Over the span of millennia, the name evolved to Āturpātākān (Middle Persian), then to Ādharbādhagān, Ādhorbāygān, Āzarbāydjān (New Persian) and present-day Azerbaijan.[41]

The name Azerbaijan was first adopted for the area of the present-day Republic of Azerbaijan by the government of Musavat in 1918,[42] after the collapse of the Russian Empire, when the independent Azerbaijan Democratic Republic was established. Until then, the designation had been used exclusively to identify the adjacent region of contemporary northwestern Iran,[43][44][45][46] while the area of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic was formerly referred to as Arran and Shirvan.[47] On that basis Iran protested the newly adopted country name.[48]

During Soviet rule, the country was also spelled in Latin from the Russian transliteration as Azerbaydzhan (Russian: Азербайджа́н).[49] The country's name was also spelled in Cyrillic script from 1940 to 1991 as Азәрбајҹан.

History

Antiquity

Petroglyphs in Gobustan National Park dating back to the 10th millennium BC indicating a thriving culture

The earliest evidence of human settlement in the territory of Azerbaijan dates back to the late Stone Age and is related to the Guruchay culture of Azykh Cave.[50]

Early settlements included the Scythians during the 9th century BC.[40] Following the Scythians, Iranian Medes came to dominate the area to the south of the Aras river.[38] The Medes forged a vast empire between 900 and 700 BC, which was integrated into the Achaemenid Empire around 550 BC.[51] The area was conquered by the Achaemenids leading to the spread of Zoroastrianism.[52]

From the Sasanid period to the Safavid period

The Maiden Tower and the Palace of the Shirvanshahs in the Old City of Baku are a UNESCO World Heritage Site, built in the 11th–12th centuries.
Maiden Tower
Palace of the Shirvanshahs

The Sasanian Empire turned Caucasian Albania into a vassal state in 252, while King Urnayr officially adopted Christianity as the state religion in the 4th century.[53] Despite Sassanid rule, Albania remained an entity in the region until the 9th century, while fully subordinate to Sassanid Iran, and retained its monarchy. Despite being one of the chief vassals of the Sasanian emperor, the Albanian king had only a semblance of authority, and the Sasanian marzban (military governor) held most civil, religious, and military authority.[54]

In the first half of the 7th century, Caucasian Albania, as a vassal of the Sasanians, came under nominal Muslim rule due to the Muslim conquest of Persia. The Umayyad Caliphate repulsed both the Sasanians and Byzantines from the South Caucasus and turned Caucasian Albania into a vassal state after Christian resistance led by King Javanshir was suppressed in 667. The power vacuum left by the decline of the Abbasid Caliphate was filled by numerous local dynasties such as the Sallarids, Sajids, and Shaddadids. At the beginning of the 11th century, the territory was gradually seized by the waves of Oghuz Turks from Central Asia, who adopted a Turkoman ethnonym at the time.[55] The first of these Turkic dynasties established was the Seljuk Empire, which entered the area now known as Azerbaijan by 1067.[56]

The pre-Turkic population that lived on the territory of modern Azerbaijan spoke several Indo-European and Caucasian languages, among them Armenian[57][58][59][60][61] and an Iranian language, Old Azeri, which was gradually replaced by a Turkic language, the early precursor of the Azerbaijani language of today.[62] Some linguists have also stated that the Tati dialects of Iranian Azerbaijan and the Republic of Azerbaijan, like those spoken by the Tats, are descended from Old Azeri.[63][64] Locally, the possessions of the subsequent Seljuk Empire were ruled by Eldiguzids, technically vassals of the Seljuk sultans, but sometimes de facto rulers themselves. Under the Seljuks, local poets such as Nizami Ganjavi and Khaqani gave rise to a blossoming of Persian literature on the territory of present-day Azerbaijan.[65][66]

The local dynasty of the Shirvanshahs became a vassal state of Timur's empire and assisted him in his war with the ruler of the Golden Horde Tokhtamysh. Following Timur's death, two independent and rival states emerged: Qara Qoyunlu and Aq Qoyunlu. The Shirvanshahs returned, maintaining for numerous centuries to come a high degree of autonomy as local rulers and vassals as they had done since 861. In 1501, the Safavid dynasty of Iran subdued the Shirvanshahs and gained its possessions. In the course of the next century, the Safavids converted the formerly Sunni population to Shia Islam,[67][68][69] as they did with the population in what is modern-day Iran.[70] The Safavids allowed the Shirvanshahs to remain in power, under Safavid suzerainty, until 1538, when Safavid king Tahmasp I (r. 1524–1576) completely deposed them, and made the area into the Safavid province of Shirvan. The Sunni Ottomans briefly managed to occupy present-day Azerbaijan as a result of the Ottoman–Safavid War of 1578–1590; by the early 17th century, they were ousted by Safavid Iranian ruler Abbas I (r. 1588–1629). In the wake of the demise of the Safavid Empire, Baku and its environs were briefly occupied by the Russians as a consequence of the Russo-Persian War of 1722–1723. Remainder of present Azerbaijan was occupied by the Ottomans from 1722 to 1736.[71] Despite brief intermissions such as these by Safavid Iran's neighboring rivals, the land of what is today Azerbaijan remained under Iranian rule from the earliest advent of the Safavids up to the course of the 19th century.[72][73]

Modern history

Political map of the eastern part of the South Caucasus between 1795–1801

After the Safavids, the area was ruled by the Iranian Afsharid dynasty. After the death of Nader Shah (r. 1736–1747), many of his former subjects capitalized on the eruption of instability. Numerous self-ruling khanates with various forms of autonomy[74][75][76][77][78] emerged in the area. The rulers of these khanates were directly related to the ruling dynasties of Iran and were vassals and subjects of the Iranian shah.[79] The khanates exercised control over their affairs via international trade routes between Central Asia and the West.[80]

Thereafter, the area was under the successive rule of the Iranian Zands and Qajars.[81] From the late 18th century, Imperial Russia switched to a more aggressive geo-political stance towards its two neighbors and rivals to the south, namely Iran and the Ottoman Empire.[82] Russia now actively tried to gain possession of the Caucasus region which was, for the most part, in the hands of Iran.[83] In 1804, the Russians invaded and sacked the Iranian town of Ganja, sparking the Russo-Persian War of 1804–1813.[84] The militarily superior Russians ended the Russo-Persian War of 1804–1813 with a victory.[85]

The siege of Ganja Fortress in 1804 during the Russo-Persian War of 1804–1813

Following Qajar Iran's loss in the 1804–1813 war, it was forced to concede suzerainty over most of the khanates, along with Georgia and Dagestan to the Russian Empire, per the Treaty of Gulistan.[86]

The area to the north of the river Aras, amongst which territory lies the contemporary Republic of Azerbaijan, was Iranian territory until Russia occupied it in the 19th century.[12][87][88][89][90][91] About a decade later, in violation of the Gulistan treaty, the Russians invaded Iran's Erivan Khanate.[92][93] This sparked the final bout of hostilities between the two, the Russo-Persian War of 1826–1828. The resulting Treaty of Turkmenchay, forced Qajar Iran to cede sovereignty over the Erivan Khanate, the Nakhchivan Khanate and the remainder of the Talysh Khanate,[86] comprising the last parts of the soil of the contemporary Azerbaijani Republic that were still in Iranian hands. After the incorporation of all Caucasian territories from Iran into Russia, the new border between the two was set at the Aras River, which, upon the Soviet Union's disintegration, subsequently became part of the border between Iran and the Azerbaijan Republic.[94]

Qajar Iran was forced to cede its Caucasian territories to Russia in the 19th century, which thus included the territory of the modern-day Azerbaijan Republic, while as a result of that cession, the Azerbaijani ethnic group is nowadays parted between two nations: Iran and Azerbaijan.[95]

Despite the Russian conquest, throughout the entire 19th century, preoccupation with Iranian culture, literature, and language remained widespread amongst Shia and Sunni intellectuals in the Russian-held cities of Baku, Ganja and Tiflis (Tbilisi, now Georgia).[96] Within the same century, in post-Iranian Russian-held East Caucasia, an Azerbaijani national identity emerged at the end of the 19th century.[97]

After the collapse of the Russian Empire during World War I, the short-lived Transcaucasian Democratic Federative Republic was declared, constituting the present-day republics of Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Armenia. It was followed by the March Days massacres[98][99] that took place between 30 March and 2 April 1918 in the city of Baku and adjacent areas of the Baku Governorate of the Russian Empire.[100] When the republic dissolved in May 1918, the leading Musavat party declared independence as the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic (ADR), adopting the name of "Azerbaijan" for the new republic; a name that prior to the proclamation of the ADR was solely used to refer to the adjacent northwestern region of contemporary Iran.[43][44][45] The ADR was the first modern parliamentary republic in the Muslim world.[12][101][102] Among the important accomplishments of the Parliament was the extension of suffrage to women, making Azerbaijan the first Muslim nation to grant women equal political rights with men.[101] Another important accomplishment of ADR was the establishment of Baku State University, which was the first modern-type university founded in the Muslim East.[101]

Map presented by the delegation of Azerbaijan in the 1919 Paris Peace Conference

By March 1920, it was obvious that Soviet Russia would attack Baku. Vladimir Lenin said that the invasion was justified as Soviet Russia could not survive without Baku's oil.[103][104] Independent Azerbaijan lasted only 23 months until the Bolshevik 11th Soviet Red Army invaded it, establishing the Azerbaijan SSR on 28 April 1920. Although the bulk of the newly formed Azerbaijani army was engaged in putting down an Armenian revolt that had just broken out in Karabakh, Azerbaijanis did not surrender their brief independence of 1918–20 quickly or easily. As many as 20,000 Azerbaijani soldiers died resisting what was effectively a Russian reconquest.[105] Within the ensuing early Soviet period, the Azerbaijani national identity was finally forged.[97]

On 13 October 1921, the Soviet republics of Russia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia signed an agreement with Turkey known as the Treaty of Kars. The previously independent Republic of Aras would also become the Nakhchivan Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic within the Azerbaijan SSR by the treaty of Kars. On the other hand, Armenia was awarded the region of Zangezur and Turkey agreed to return Gyumri (then known as Alexandropol).[106]

During World War II, Azerbaijan played a crucial role in the strategic energy policy of the Soviet Union, with 80 percent of the Soviet Union's oil on the Eastern Front being supplied by Baku. By the Decree of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR in February 1942, the commitment of more than 500 workers and employees of the oil industry of Azerbaijan were awarded orders and medals. Operation Edelweiss carried out by the German Wehrmacht targeted Baku because of its importance as the energy (petroleum) dynamo of the USSR.[12] A fifth of all Azerbaijanis fought in the Second World War from 1941 to 1945. Approximately 681,000 people with over 100,000 of them women, went to the front, while the total population of Azerbaijan was 3.4 million at the time.[107] Some 250,000 people from Azerbaijan were killed on the front. More than 130 Azerbaijanis were named Heroes of the Soviet Union. Azerbaijani Major-General Azi Aslanov was twice awarded the Hero of the Soviet Union.[108]

Independence

Soviet Army paratroopers during the Black January tragedy in 1990

Following the politics of glasnost, initiated by Mikhail Gorbachev, civil unrest and ethnic strife grew in various regions of the Soviet Union, including Nagorno-Karabakh,[109] an autonomous region of the Azerbaijan SSR. The disturbances in Azerbaijan, in response to Moscow's indifference to an already heated conflict, resulted in calls for independence and secession, which culminated in the Black January events in Baku.[110] Later in 1990, the Supreme Council of the Azerbaijan SSR dropped the words "Soviet Socialist" from the title, adopted the "Declaration of Sovereignty of the Azerbaijan Republic" and restored the flag of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic as the state flag.[111] As a consequence of the failed 1991 Soviet coup d'état attempt in Moscow, the Supreme Council of Azerbaijan adopted a Declaration of Independence on 18 October 1991, which was affirmed by a nationwide referendum in December 1991, while the Soviet Union officially ceased to exist on 26 December 1991.[111] The country now celebrates its Independence Day on 18 October.[112]

The early years of independence were overshadowed by the First Nagorno-Karabakh war with the ethnic Armenian majority of Nagorno-Karabakh backed by Armenia.[113] By the end of the hostilities in 1994, Armenians controlled up to 14–16 percent of Azerbaijani territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh itself.[30][114] During the war many atrocities and pogroms by both sides were committed including the massacres at Malibeyli and Gushchular, the Garadaghly massacre and the Khojaly massacres, along with the Baku pogrom, the Maraga massacre and the Kirovabad pogrom.[115][116] Furthermore, an estimated 30,000 people have been killed and more than a million people have been displaced, more than 800,000 Azerbaijanis and 300,000 Armenians.[117] Four United Nations Security Council Resolutions (822, 853, 874, and 884) demand for "the immediate withdrawal of all Armenian forces from all occupied territories of Azerbaijan."[118] Many Russians and Armenians left and fled Azerbaijan as refugees during the 1990s.[119] According to the 1970 census, there were 510,000 ethnic Russians and 484,000 Armenians in Azerbaijan.[120]

Aliyev family rule, 1993–present

Military situation in the Nagorno-Karabakh region prior to the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War

In 1993, democratically elected president Abulfaz Elchibey was overthrown by a military insurrection led by Colonel Surat Huseynov, which resulted in the rise to power of the former leader of Soviet Azerbaijan, Heydar Aliyev.[121] In 1994, Surat Huseynov, by that time the prime minister, attempted another military coup against Heydar Aliyev, but he was arrested and charged with treason.[122] A year later, in 1995, another coup was attempted against Aliyev, this time by the commander of the OMON special unit, Rovshan Javadov. The coup was averted, resulting in the killing of the latter and disbanding of Azerbaijan's OMON units.[123][124] At the same time, the country was tainted by rampant corruption in the governing bureaucracy.[125] In October 1998, Aliyev was reelected for a second term.

Ilham Aliyev, Heydar Aliyev's son, became chairman of the New Azerbaijan Party as well as President of Azerbaijan when his father died in 2003. He was reelected to a third term as president in October 2013.[126] In April 2018, President Ilham Aliyev secured his fourth consecutive term in the election that was boycotted by the main opposition parties as fraudulent.[127] On 27 September 2020, new clashes in the unresolved Nagorno-Karabakh conflict resumed along the Nagorno-Karabakh Line of Contact. Both the armed forces of Azerbaijan and Armenia reported military and civilian casualties.[128] The Nagorno-Karabakh ceasefire agreement and the end of the six-week war between Azerbaijan and Armenia was widely celebrated in Azerbaijan, as they made significant territorial gains.[129] Despite the much improved economy,[130] particularly with the exploitation of the Azeri–Chirag–Guneshli oil field and Shah Deniz gas field, the Aliyev family rule has been criticized due to election fraud,[131] high levels of economic inequality[132] and domestic corruption.[133] In September 2023, Azerbaijan launched an offensive against the breakaway Republic of Artsakh in Nagorno-Karabakh that resulted in the dissolution and reintigration of Artsakh on 1 January 2024 and the flight of nearly all ethnic Armenians from the region.[134]

Geography

Köppen-Geiger climate classification map for Azerbaijan[135]

Geographically, Azerbaijan is located in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia, straddling Western Asia and Eastern Europe. It lies between latitudes 38° and 42° N, and longitudes 44° and 51° E. The total length of Azerbaijan's land borders is 2,648 km (1,645 mi), of which 1,007 km (626 mi) are with Armenia, 756 km (470 mi) with Iran, 480 kilometers with Georgia, 390 km (242 mi) with Russia and 15 km (9 mi) with Turkey.[136] The coastline stretches for 800 km (497 mi), and the length of the widest area of the Azerbaijani section of the Caspian Sea is 456 km (283 mi).[136] The country has a landlocked exclave, the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic.[137]

Caucasus Mountains in northern Azerbaijan

Three physical features dominate Azerbaijan: the Caspian Sea, whose shoreline forms a natural boundary to the east; the Greater Caucasus mountain range to the north; and the extensive flatlands at the country's center. There are also three mountain ranges, the Greater and Lesser Caucasus, and the Talysh Mountains, together covering approximately 40% of the country.[138] The highest peak of Azerbaijan is Mount Bazardüzü 4,466 m (14,652 ft), while the lowest point lies in the Caspian Sea −28 m (−92 ft) . Nearly half of all the mud volcanoes on Earth are concentrated in Azerbaijan, these volcanoes were also among nominees for the New 7 Wonders of Nature.[139]

The main water sources are surface waters. Only 24 of the 8,350 rivers are greater than 100 km (62 mi) in length.[138] All the rivers drain into the Caspian Sea in the east of the country.[138] The largest lake is Sarysu 67 km2 (26 sq mi), and the longest river is Kur 1,515 km (941 mi), which is transboundary with Armenia. Azerbaijan has several islands along the Caspian sea, mostly located in the Baku Archipelago.

Since the independence of Azerbaijan in 1991, the Azerbaijani government has taken measures to preserve the environment of Azerbaijan. National protection of the environment accelerated after 2001 when the state budget increased due to new revenues provided by the Baku–Tbilisi–Ceyhan pipeline. Within four years, protected areas doubled and now make up eight percent of the country's territory. Since 2001 the government has set up seven large reserves and almost doubled the sector of the budget earmarked for environmental protection.[140]

Landscape

Mount Bazarduzu, the highest peak of Azerbaijan, as seen from Mount Shahdagh
The landscape of Khinalug valley

Azerbaijan is home to a wide variety of landscapes. Over half of Azerbaijan's landmass consists of mountain ridges, crests, highlands, and plateaus which rise up to hypsometric levels of 400–1000 meters (including the Middle and Lower lowlands), in some places (Talis, Jeyranchol-Ajinohur and Langabiz-Alat foreranges) up to 100–120 meters, and others from 0–50 meters and up (Qobustan, Absheron). The rest of Azerbaijan's terrain consists of plains and lowlands. Hypsometric marks within the Caucasus region vary from about −28 meters at the Caspian Sea shoreline up to 4,466 meters (Bazardüzü peak).[141]

The formation of climate in Azerbaijan is influenced particularly by cold arctic air masses of Scandinavian anticyclone, temperate air masses of Siberian anticyclone, and Central Asian anticyclone.[142] Azerbaijan's diverse landscape affects the ways air masses enter the country.[142] The Greater Caucasus protects the country from direct influences of cold air masses coming from the north. That leads to the formation of subtropical climate on most foothills and plains of the country. Meanwhile, plains and foothills are characterized by high solar radiation rates.[143]

Nine out of eleven existing climate zones are present in Azerbaijan.[144] Both the absolute minimum temperature (−33 °C or −27.4 °F ) and the absolute maximum temperature[quantify] were observed in Julfa and Ordubad – regions of Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic.[144] The maximum annual precipitation falls in Lankaran (1,600 to 1,800 mm or 63 to 71 in) and the minimum in Absheron (200 to 350 mm or 7.9 to 13.8 in).[144]

Murovdag is the highest mountain range in the Lesser Caucasus.

Rivers and lakes form the principal part of the water systems of Azerbaijan, they were formed over a long geological timeframe and changed significantly throughout that period. This is particularly evidenced by remnants of ancient rivers found throughout the country. The country's water systems are continually changing under the influence of natural forces and human-introduced industrial activities. Artificial rivers (canals) and ponds are a part of Azerbaijan's water systems. In terms of water supply, Azerbaijan is below the average in the world with approximately 100,000 cubic metres (3,531,467 cubic feet) per year of water per square kilometer.[144] All big water reservoirs are built on Kur. The hydrography of Azerbaijan basically belongs to the Caspian Sea basin.

The Kura and Aras are the major rivers in Azerbaijan. They run through the Kura-Aras Lowland. The rivers that directly flow into the Caspian Sea, originate mainly from the north-eastern slope of the Major Caucasus and Talysh Mountains and run along the Samur–Devechi and Lankaran lowlands.[145]

Yanar Dag, translated as "burning mountain", is a natural gas fire which blazes continuously on a hillside on the Absheron Peninsula on the Caspian Sea near Baku, which itself is known as the "land of fire." Flames jet out into the air from a thin, porous sandstone layer. It is a tourist attraction to visitors to the Baku area.[146]

Biodiversity

The Karabakh horse is the national animal of Azerbaijan.

The first reports on the richness and diversity of animal life in Azerbaijan can be found in travel notes of Eastern travelers. Animal carvings on architectural monuments, ancient rocks, and stones survived up to the present times. The first information on flora and fauna of Azerbaijan was collected during the visits of naturalists to Azerbaijan in the 17th century.[138]

There are 106 species of mammals, 97 species of fish, 363 species of birds, 10 species of amphibians, and 52 species of reptiles which have been recorded and classified in Azerbaijan.[138] The national animal of Azerbaijan is the Karabakh horse, a mountain-steppe racing and riding horse endemic to Azerbaijan. The Karabakh horse has a reputation for its good temper, speed, elegance, and intelligence. It is one of the oldest breeds, with ancestry dating to the ancient world, but today the horse is an endangered species.[147]

Azerbaijan's flora consists of more than 4,500 species of higher plants. Due to the unique climate in Azerbaijan, the flora is much richer in the number of species than the flora of the other republics of the South Caucasus. 66 percent of the species growing in the whole Caucasus can be found in Azerbaijan.[148] The country lies within four ecoregions: Caspian Hyrcanian mixed forests, Caucasus mixed forests, Eastern Anatolian montane steppe, and Azerbaijan shrub desert and steppe.[149] Azerbaijan had a 2018 Forest Landscape Integrity Index mean score of 6.55/10, ranking it 72nd globally out of 172 countries.[150]

Government and politics

Government building in Baku

Azerbaijan's government functions as an authoritarian regime in practice;[151][152][153][154] although it regularly holds elections, these are marred by electoral fraud and other unfair election practices.[155][156][157][158][159][160][161] Azerbaijan has been ruled by the Aliyev political family and the New Azerbaijan Party (Yeni Azərbaycan Partiyası, YAP) established by Heydar Aliyev continuously since 1993.[162] It is categorised as "not free" by Freedom House,[163][164] who ranked it 9/100 on Global Freedom Score in 2022, calling it a "consolidated authoritarian regime".[165]

The structural formation of Azerbaijan's political system was completed by the adoption of the new Constitution on 12 November 1995. According to Article 23 of the Constitution, the state symbols of the Azerbaijan Republic are the flag, the coat of arms, and the national anthem. The state power in Azerbaijan is limited only by law for internal issues, but international affairs are also limited by international agreements' provisions.[166][better source needed]

The Constitution of Azerbaijan states that it 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 elections are held every five years, on the first Sunday of November. The Parliament is not responsible for the formation of the government, but the Constitution requires the approval of the Cabinet of Ministers by Milli Majlis.[167] The New Azerbaijan Party, and independents loyal to the ruling government, currently hold almost all of the Parliament's 125 seats. During the 2010 Parliamentary election, the opposition parties, Musavat and Azerbaijani Popular Front Party, failed to win a single seat. European observers found numerous irregularities in the run-up to the election and on election day.[168]

Ilham Aliyev, Azerbaijan's fourth and current President, succeeded his father Heydar Aliyev in 2003.

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 authorized to form the Cabinet, a collective executive body accountable to both the President and the National Assembly.[3] The Cabinet of Azerbaijan consists primarily of the prime minister, his deputies, and ministers. The 8th Government of Azerbaijan is the administration in its current formation. The president does not have the right to dissolve the National Assembly but has the right to veto 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.[citation needed]

Azerbaijan's system of governance nominally can be called two-tiered. The top or highest tier of the government is the Executive Power headed by President. The President appoints the Cabinet of Ministers and other high-ranking officials. The Local Executive Authority is merely a continuation of Executive Power. The Provision determines the legal status of local state administration in Azerbaijan on Local Executive Authority (Yerli Icra Hakimiyati), adopted 16 June 1999. In June 2012, the President approved the new Regulation, which granted additional powers to Local Executive Authorities, strengthening their dominant position in Azerbaijan's local affairs[169] 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.[170]

Foreign relations

President İlham Aliyev receiving the Supreme Order of the Turkic World from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan during the 8th summit of the Organization of Turkic States in Istanbul, Turkey, November 12, 2021

The short-lived Azerbaijan Democratic Republic succeeded in establishing diplomatic relations with six countries, sending diplomatic representatives to Germany and Finland.[171] 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 Bahrain, on 6 November 1996.[172] Full diplomatic relations, including mutual exchanges of missions, were first established with Turkey, Pakistan, the United States, Iran[171] and Israel.[173] Azerbaijan has placed a particular emphasis on its "special relationship" with Turkey.[174][175]

Azerbaijan has diplomatic relations with 158 countries so far and holds membership in 38 international organizations.[28] It holds observer status in the Non-Aligned Movement and World Trade Organization and is a correspondent at the International Telecommunication Union.[28]

On 9 May 2006 Azerbaijan was elected to membership in the newly established Human Rights Council by the United Nations General Assembly. The term of office began on 19 June 2006.[176] Azerbaijan was first elected as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council in 2011 with the support of 155 countries.

President Ilham Aliyev and other heads of state hosted by Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev at the Caspian Summit in Aktau, Kazakhstan, August 12, 2018

Foreign policy priorities of Azerbaijan include, first of all, the restoration of its territorial integrity; elimination of the consequences of occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh and seven other regions of Azerbaijan surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh;[177][178] integration into European and Euro-Atlantic structure; contribution to international security; cooperation with international organizations; regional cooperation and bilateral relations; strengthening of defense capability; promotion of security by domestic policy means; strengthening of democracy; preservation of ethnic and religious tolerance; scientific, educational, and cultural policy and preservation of moral values; economic and social development; enhancing internal and border security; and migration, energy, and transportation security policy.[177]

Azerbaijan is an active member of international coalitions fighting international terrorism, and was one of the first countries to offer support after the September 11 attacks.[179] The country is an active member of NATO's Partnership for Peace program, contributing to peacekeeping efforts in Kosovo, Afghanistan and Iraq.[citation needed] Azerbaijan is also a member of the Council of Europe since 2001 and maintains good relations with the European Union. The country may eventually apply for EU membership.[177]

President Ilham Aliyev and President of the European Council Charles Michel in Brussels, Belgium, April 6, 2022

On 1 July 2021, the US Congress advanced legislation that will have an impact on the military aid that Washington has sent to Azerbaijan since 2012. This was due to the fact that the packages to Armenia, instead, are significantly smaller.[180]

Azerbaijan has been harshly criticized for bribing foreign officials and diplomats to promote its causes abroad and legitimize its elections at home, a practice termed caviar diplomacy.[181][182][183][184] The Azerbaijani laundromat money laundering operation involved the bribery of foreign politicians and journalists to serve the Azerbaijani government's public relations interests.[185]

Military

Azerbaijani Navy ships during the 2022 Teknofest Azerbaijan festival in Baku

The history of the modern Azerbaijan army dates back to Azerbaijan Democratic Republic in 1918 when the National Army of the newly formed Azerbaijan Democratic Republic was created on 26 June 1918.[186][187] When Azerbaijan gained independence after the dissolution 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.[188] The original date of the establishment of the short-lived National Army is celebrated as Army Day (26 June) in today's Azerbaijan.[189] As of 2021, Azerbaijan had 126,000 active personnel in its armed forces. There are also 17,000 paramilitary troops and 330,00 reserve personnel.[190] The armed forces have three branches: the Land Forces, the Air Forces and the Navy. Additionally the armed forces embrace several military sub-groups that can be involved in state defense when needed. These are the Internal Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the State Border Service, which includes the Coast Guard as well.[30] The Azerbaijan National Guard is a further paramilitary force. It operates as a semi-independent entity of the Special State Protection Service, an agency subordinate to the President.[191]

Members of the Special Forces of Azerbaijan during the Baku Victory Parade of 2020

Azerbaijan adheres to the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe and has signed all major international arms and weapons treaties. Azerbaijan closely cooperates with NATO in programs such as Partnership for Peace and Individual Partnership Action Plan/pfp and ipa. Azerbaijan has deployed 151 of its Peacekeeping Forces in Iraq and another 184 in Afghanistan.[192]

Azerbaijan spent $2.24 billion on its defence budget as of 2020,[193] which amounted to 5.4% of its total GDP,[194] and some 12.7% of general government expenditure.[195] Azerbaijani defense industry manufactures small arms, artillery systems, tanks, armors and night vision devices, aviation bombs, UAV'S/unmanned aerial vehicle, various military vehicles and military planes and helicopters.[196][197][198][199]

Administrative divisions

Azerbaijan is divided into 14 economic regions.

Azerbaijan is administratively divided into 14 economic regions; 66 rayons (rayonlar, singular rayon) and 11 cities (şəhərlər, singular şəhər) under the direct authority of the republic.[200] Moreover, Azerbaijan includes the Autonomous Republic (muxtar respublika) of Nakhchivan.[30] The President of Azerbaijan appoints the governors of these units, while the government of Nakhchivan is elected and approved by the parliament of Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic.

Economy

Change in per capita GDP of Azerbaijan since 1973. Figures are inflation-adjusted to 2011 International dollars.

After gaining independence in 1991, Azerbaijan became a member of the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the Islamic Development Bank, and the Asian Development Bank.[201] The banking system of Azerbaijan consists of the Central Bank of Azerbaijan, commercial banks, 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 manat, and to supervise all commercial banks. Two major commercial banks are UniBank and the state-owned International Bank of Azerbaijan, run by Abbas Ibrahimov.[202]

Pushed up by spending and demand growth, the 2007 Q1 inflation rate reached 16.6%.[203] Nominal incomes and monthly wages climbed 29% and 25% respectively against this figure, but price increases in the non-oil industry encouraged inflation.[203] Azerbaijan shows some signs of the so-called "Dutch disease" because of its fast-growing energy sector, which causes inflation and makes non-energy exports more expensive.[204] In the early 2000s, chronically high inflation was brought under control. This led to the launch of a new currency, the new Azerbaijani manat, on 1 January 2006, to cement the economic reforms and erase the vestiges of an unstable economy.[205][206] Azerbaijan is also ranked 57th in the Global Competitiveness Report for 2010–2011, above other CIS countries.[207] By 2012 the GDP of Azerbaijan had increased 20-fold from its 1995 level.[208]

Energy and natural resources

Oil Rocks (Neft Daşları) near Baku

Two-thirds of Azerbaijan is rich in oil and natural gas.[209] The history of the oil industry of Azerbaijan dates back to the ancient period. Arabian historian and traveler Ahmad Al-Baladhuri discussed the economy of the Absheron peninsula in antiquity, mentioning its oil in particular.[210] There are many pipelines in Azerbaijan. The goal of the Southern Gas Corridor, which connects the giant Shah Deniz gas field in Azerbaijan to Europe,[211] is to reduce European Union's dependency on Russian gas.[212]

The region of the Lesser Caucasus accounts for most of the country's gold, silver, iron, copper, titanium, chromium, manganese, cobalt, molybdenum, complex ore and antimony.[209] In September 1994, a 30-year contract was signed between the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR) and 13 oil companies, among them Amoco, BP, ExxonMobil, Lukoil and Equinor.[201] 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.[213] Meanwhile, the State Oil Fund of Azerbaijan was established as an extra-budgetary fund to ensure macroeconomic stability, transparency in the management of oil revenue, and safeguarding of resources for future generations.

The South Caucasus Pipeline is bringing natural gas through Turkey to Europe.

Access to biocapacity in Azerbaijan is less than world average. In 2016, Azerbaijan had 0.8 global hectares[214] of biocapacity per person within its territory, half the world average of 1.6 global hectares per person.[215] In 2016 Azerbaijan used 2.1 global hectares of biocapacity per person – their ecological footprint of consumption. This means they use more biocapacity than Azerbaijan contains. As a result, Azerbaijan is running a biocapacity deficit.[214]

Azeriqaz, a sub-company of SOCAR, intends to ensure full gasification of the country by 2021.[216] Azerbaijan is one of the sponsors of the east–west and north–south energy transport corridors. Baku–Tbilisi–Kars railway line will connect the Caspian region with Turkey, which is expected to be completed in July 2017. The Trans-Anatolian gas pipeline (TANAP) and Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) will deliver natural gas from Azerbaijan's Shah Deniz gas to Turkey and Europe.[211]

Azerbaijan extended the agreement on development of ACG until 2050 according to the amended PSA signed on 14 September 2017 by SOCAR and co-ventures (BP, Chevron, Inpex, Equinor, ExxonMobil, TP, ITOCHU and ONGC Videsh).[217]

Agriculture

Azerbaijan has the largest agricultural basin in the region. About 54.9 percent of Azerbaijan is agricultural land.[136] At the beginning of 2007 there were 4,755,100 hectares of utilized agricultural area.[218] In the same year the total wood resources counted 136 million m3.[218] Azerbaijan's agricultural scientific research institutes are focused on meadows and pastures, horticulture and subtropical crops, green vegetables, viticulture and wine-making, cotton growing and medicinal plants.[219] In some areas it is profitable to grow grain, potatoes, sugar beets, cotton[220] and tobacco. Livestock, dairy products, and wine and spirits are also important farm products. The Caspian fishing industry concentrates on the dwindling stocks of sturgeon and beluga. In 2002 the Azerbaijani merchant marine had 54 ships.[221]

Some products 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.[222]

Tourism

Shahdag Mountain Resort is the country's largest winter resort.

Tourism is an important part of the economy of Azerbaijan.[citation needed] The country was a well-known tourist spot in the 1980s. The fall of the Soviet Union, and the First Nagorno-Karabakh War during the 1990s, damaged the tourist industry and the image of Azerbaijan as a tourist destination.[223]

It was not until the 2000s that the tourism industry began to recover, and the country has since experienced a high rate of growth in the number of tourist visits and overnight stays.[224]

In recent years, Azerbaijan has also become a popular destination for religious, spa, and health care tourism.[225] During winter, the Shahdag Mountain Resort offers skiing with state of the art facilities.[226]

The government of Azerbaijan has set the development of Azerbaijan as an elite tourist destination as a top priority. It is a national strategy to make tourism a major, if not the single largest, contributor to the Azerbaijani economy.[227] These activities are regulated by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Azerbaijan.

There are 63 countries which have a visa-free score.[228] E-visa[229] – for a visit of foreigners of visa-required countries to the Republic of Azerbaijan.

According to the Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report 2015 of the World Economic Forum, Azerbaijan holds 84th place.[230]

According to a report by the World Travel and Tourism Council, Azerbaijan was among the top ten countries showing the strongest growth in visitor exports between 2010 and 2016,[231] In addition, Azerbaijan placed first (46.1%) among countries with the fastest-developing travel and tourism economies, with strong indicators for inbound international visitor spending last year.[232]

Panoramic view of Baku, the capital and largest city of Azerbaijan

Transportation

The convenient location of Azerbaijan on the crossroad of major international traffic arteries, such as the Silk Road and the south–north corridor, highlights the strategic importance of the transportation sector for the country's economy.[233] The transport sector in the country includes roads, railways, aviation, and maritime transport.

Azerbaijan is also an important economic hub in the transportation of raw materials. The Baku–Tbilisi–Ceyhan pipeline (BTC) became operational in May 2006 and extends more than 1,774 km (1,102 mi) through the territories of Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Turkey. 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.[234] The South Caucasus Pipeline, 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 field. Shah Deniz is expected to produce up to 296 billion cubic meters of natural gas per year.[235] Azerbaijan also plays a major role in the EU-sponsored Silk Road Project.[236]

In 2002, the Azerbaijani government established the Ministry of Transport with a broad range of policy and regulatory functions. In the same year, the country became a member of the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic.[237] Priorities are upgrading the transport network and improving transportation services to better facilitate the development of other sectors of the economy.[citation needed]

The 2012 construction of Kars–Tbilisi–Baku railway was meant to improve transportation between Asia and Europe by connecting the railways of China and Kazakhstan in the east to the European railway system in the west via Turkey. In 2010 Broad-gauge railways and electrified railways stretched for 2,918 km (1,813 mi) and 1,278 km (794 mi) respectively. By 2010, there were 35 airports and one heliport.[30]

Science and technology

Shamakhi Astrophysical Observatory

In the 21st century, a new oil and gas boom helped improve the situation in Azerbaijan's science and technology sectors. The government launched a campaign aimed at modernization and innovation. The government estimates that profits from the information technology and communication industry will grow and become comparable to those from oil production.[238]

Azerbaijan has a large and steadily growing Internet sector, mostly uninfluenced by the financial crisis of 2007–2008; rapid growth is forecast for at least five more years.[239] Azerbaijan was ranked 89th in the Global Innovation Index in 2023.[240][241]

The country has also been making progress in developing its telecoms sector. The Ministry of Communications & Information Technologies (MCIT) and an operator through its role in Aztelekom are both policy-makers and regulators. Public payphones are available for local calls and require the purchase of a token from the telephone exchange or some shops and kiosks. Tokens allow a call of indefinite duration. As of 2009, there were 1,397,000 main telephone lines[242] and 1,485,000 internet users.[243] There are four GSM providers: Azercell, Bakcell [az], Azerfon (Nar Mobile), Nakhtel mobile network operators and one CDMA.

In the 21st century a number of prominent Azerbaijani geodynamics and geotectonics scientists, inspired by the fundamental works of Elchin Khalilov and others, designed hundreds of earthquake prediction stations and earthquake-resistant buildings that now constitute the bulk of The Republican Center of Seismic Service.[244][245][246]

The Azerbaijan National Aerospace Agency launched its first satellite AzerSat 1 into orbit on 7 February 2013 from Guiana Space Centre in French Guiana at orbital positions 46° East.[247][248][249] The satellite covers Europe and a significant part of Asia and Africa and serves the transmission of TV and radio broadcasting as well as the Internet.[250] The launching of a satellite into orbit is Azerbaijan's first step in realizing its goal of becoming a nation with its own space industry, capable of successfully implementing more projects in the future.[251][252]

Demographics

Population pyramid

As of March 2022, 52.9% of Azerbaijan's total population of 10,164,464 is urban, with the remaining 47.1% being rural.[253] In January 2019, the 50.1% of the total population was female. The sex ratio in the same year was 0.99 males per female.[254]

The 2011 population growth-rate was 0.85%, compared to 1.09% worldwide.[30] A significant factor restricting population growth is a high level of migration. In 2011 Azerbaijan saw a migration of −1.14/1,000 people.[30]

The Azerbaijani diaspora is found in 42 countries[255] and in turn there are many centers for ethnic minorities inside Azerbaijan, including the German cultural society "Karelhaus", Slavic cultural center, Azerbaijani-Israeli community, Kurdish cultural center, International Talysh Association, Lezgin national center "Samur", Azerbaijani-Tatar community, Crimean Tatars society, etc.[256]

In total, Azerbaijan has 78 cities, 63 city districts, and one special legal status city. 261 urban-type settlements and 4248 villages follow these.[257]

 
Rank Name Economic regions Pop. Rank Name Economic regions Pop.
Baku
Baku
Sumgait
Sumgait
1 Baku Absheron 2,150,800 11 Khachmaz Guba-Khachmaz 64,800 Ganja
Ganja
Mingachevir
Mingachevir
2 Sumgait Absheron 325,200 12 Aghdam Upper Karabakh 59,800
3 Ganja Ganja-Qazakh 323,000 13 Jalilabad Lankaran 56,400
4 Mingachevir Aran 99,700 14 Khankandi Upper Karabakh 55,100
5 Lankaran Lankaran 85,300 15 Agjabadi Aran 46,900
6 Shirvan Aran 80,900 16 Shamakhi Daglig-Shirvan 43,700
7 Nakhchivan Nakhchivan 78,300 17 Fuzuli Upper Karabakh 42,000
8 Shamkir Ganja-Qazakh 69,600 18 Salyan Aran 37,000
9 Shaki Shaki-Zaqatala 66,400 19 Barda Aran 38,600
10 Yevlakh Aran 66,300 20 Neftchala Aran 38,200

Ethnicity

Demographics of Azerbaijan

  Azerbaijanis (91.6%)
  Lezgins (2.02%)
  Russians (1.35%)
  Armenians (1.35%)
  Talyshs (1.26%)
  Avars (0.56%)
  Turks (0.43%)
  Tatars (0.29%)
  Tats (0.28%)
  Ukrainians (0.24%)
  Tsakhurs (0.14%)
  Udis (0.04%)
  Georgians (0.11%)
  Jews (0.1%)
  Kurds (0.07%)
  Others (0.16%)

The ethnic composition of the population according to the 2009 population census: 91.6% Azerbaijanis, 2.0% Lezgins, 1.4% Armenians (almost all Armenians live in the break-away region of Nagorno-Karabakh), 1.3% Russians, 1.3% Talysh, 0.6% Avars, 0.4% Turks, 0.3% Tatars, 0.3% Tats, 0.2% Ukrainians, 0.1% Tsakhurs, 0.1% Georgians, 0.1% Jews, 0.1% Kurds, other 0.2%.[258]

Languages

The official language of Azerbaijan is Azerbaijani, a Turkic language. Approximately 92% of the national population speak it as their mother tongue.[259]

Russian and Armenian (only in Nagorno-Karabakh) are still spoken in Azerbaijan. Each is the mother tongue of around 1.5% of the national population.[259] In 1989, Armenian was the majority language in the region of Nagorno-Karabakh, spoken by about 76% of the regional population.[260] After the first Nagorno-Karabakh war, native speakers of Armenian composed around 95% of the regional population.[261]

A dozen other minority languages are spoken natively in Azerbaijan,[262] including Avar, Budukh,[263] Georgian, Juhuri,[263] Khinalug,[263] Kryts,[263] Lezgin, Rutul,[263] Talysh, Tat,[263] Tsakhur,[263] and Udi.[263] All these are spoken only by small minority populations, some of which are tiny and decreasing.[264]

Religion

The Bibi-Heybat Mosque in Baku. The mosque is built over the tomb of a descendant of Muhammad.[265]

Azerbaijan is considered the most secular Muslim-majority country.[266] Around 97% of the population are Muslims.[267] Around 55–65% of Muslims are estimated to be Shia, while 35–45% of Muslims are Sunnis.[268][269][270][271] Other faiths are practised by the country's various ethnic groups. Under article 48 of its Constitution, Azerbaijan is a secular state and ensures religious freedom. In a 2006–2008 Gallup poll, only 21% of respondents from Azerbaijan stated that religion is an important part of their daily lives.[272]

Of the nation's religious minorities, the estimated 280,000 Christians (3.1%)[273] are mostly Russian and Georgian Orthodox and Armenian Apostolic (almost all Armenians live in the break-away region of Nagorno-Karabakh).[30] In 2003, there were 250 Roman Catholics.[274] Other Christian denominations as of 2002 include Lutherans, Baptists and Molokans.[275] There is also a small Protestant community.[276][277] Azerbaijan also has an ancient Jewish population with a 2,000-year history; Jewish organizations[who?] estimate that 12,000 Jews remain in Azerbaijan, which is home to the only Jewish-majority town outside of Israel and the United States.[278][279][280][281] Azerbaijan also is home to members of the Baháʼí, Hare Krishna and Jehovah's Witnesses communities, as well as adherents of the other religious communities.[275] Some religious communities have been unofficially restricted from religious freedom. A U.S. State Department report on the matter mentions detention of members of certain Muslim and Christian groups, and many groups have difficulty registering with the agency who regulates religion, The State Committee on Religious Associations of the Republic of Azerbaijan (SCWRA).[282]

Education

Classroom in Dunya School

A relatively high percentage of Azerbaijanis have obtained some form of higher education, most notably in scientific and technical subjects.[283] In the Soviet era, literacy and average education levels rose dramatically from their very low starting point, despite two changes in the standard alphabet, from Perso-Arabic script to Latin in the 1920s and from Roman to Cyrillic in the 1930s. According to Soviet data, 100 percent of males and females (ages nine to forty-nine) were literate in 1970.[283] According to the United Nations Development Program Report 2009, the literacy rate in Azerbaijan is 99.5 percent.[284]

Since independence, one of the first laws that Azerbaijan's Parliament passed to disassociate itself from the Soviet Union was to adopt a modified-Latin alphabet to replace Cyrillic.[285] Other than that the Azerbaijani system has undergone little structural change. Initial alterations have included the reestablishment of religious education (banned during the Soviet period) and curriculum changes that have reemphasized the use of the Azerbaijani language and have eliminated ideological content. In addition to elementary schools, the education institutions include thousands of preschools, general secondary schools, and vocational schools, including specialized secondary schools and technical schools. Education through the ninth grade is compulsory.[286]

Culture

The culture of Azerbaijan has developed as a result of many influences; that is why Azerbaijanis are, in many ways, bi-cultural. Today, national traditions are well preserved in the country despite Western influences, including globalized consumer culture. Some of the main elements of the Azerbaijani culture are: music, literature, folk dances and art, cuisine, architecture, cinematography and Novruz Bayram. The latter is derived from the traditional celebration of the New Year in the ancient Iranian religion of Zoroastrianism. Novruz is a family holiday.[287]

The profile of Azerbaijan's population consists, as stated above, of Azerbaijanis, as well as other nationalities or ethnic groups, compactly living in various areas of the country. Azerbaijani national and traditional dresses are the Chokha and Papakhi. There are radio broadcasts in Russian, Georgian, Kurdish, Lezgian and Talysh languages, which are financed from the state budget.[256] Some local radio stations in Balakan and Khachmaz organize broadcasts in Avar and Tat.[256] In Baku several newspapers are published in Russian, Kurdish (Dengi Kurd), Lezgian (Samur) and Talysh languages.[256] Jewish society "Sokhnut" publishes the newspaper Aziz.[256]

Music and folk dances

Uzeyir Hajibeyov merged traditional Azerbaijani music with Western styles in the early 20th century.

Music of Azerbaijan builds on folk traditions that reach back nearly a thousand years.[288] For centuries Azerbaijani music has evolved under the badge of monody, producing rhythmically diverse melodies.[289] Azerbaijani music has a branchy mode system, where chromatization of major and minor scales is of great importance.[289] Among national musical instruments there are 14 string instruments, eight percussion instruments and six wind instruments.[290] According to The Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, "in terms of ethnicity, culture and religion the Azerbaijani are musically much closer to Iran than Turkey."[291]

Alim Qasimov performs mugham at Eurovision Song Contest 2012. The Azerbaijani Mugham was inscribed in 2008 as a UNESCO Masterpiece of Intangible Heritage of Humanity.

Mugham, meykhana and ashiq art are among the many musical traditions of Azerbaijan. Mugham is usually a suite with poetry and instrumental interludes. When performing mugham, the singers have to transform their emotions into singing and music. In contrast to the mugham traditions of Central Asian countries, Azerbaijani mugham is more free-form and less rigid; it is often compared to the improvised field of jazz.[292] UNESCO proclaimed the Azerbaijani mugham tradition a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity on 7 November 2003. Meykhana is a kind of traditional Azerbaijani distinctive folk unaccompanied song, usually performed by several people improvising on a particular subject.[293]

Ashiq combines poetry, storytelling, dance, and vocal and instrumental music into a traditional performance art that stands as a symbol of Azerbaijani culture. It is a mystic troubadour or traveling bard who sings and plays the saz. This tradition has its origin in the Shamanistic beliefs of ancient Turkic peoples.[294] Ashiqs' songs are semi-improvised around common bases. Azerbaijan's ashiq art was included in the list of Intangible Cultural Heritage by the UNESCO on 30 September 2009.[295]

Since the mid-1960s, Western-influenced Azerbaijani pop music, in its various forms, that has been growing in popularity in Azerbaijan, while genres such as rock and hip hop are widely produced and enjoyed. Azerbaijani pop and Azerbaijani folk music arose with the international popularity of performers like Alim Qasimov, Rashid Behbudov, Vagif Mustafazadeh, Muslim Magomayev, Shovkat Alakbarova and Rubaba Muradova.[296] Azerbaijan is an enthusiastic participant in the Eurovision Song Contest. Azerbaijan made its debut appearance at the 2008 Eurovision Song Contest. The country's entry gained third place in 2009 and fifth the following year.[297] Ell and Nikki won the first place at the Eurovision Song Contest 2011 with the song "Running Scared", entitling Azerbaijan to host the contest in 2012, in Baku.[298][299] They have qualified for every Grand Final up until the 2018 edition of the contest, entering with X My Heart by singer Aisel.[300]

There are dozens of Azerbaijani folk dances. They are performed at formal celebrations and the dancers wear national clothes like the Chokha, which is well-preserved within the national dances. Most dances have a very fast rhythm.[301]

Literature

Painting of Khurshidbanu Natavan, one of the most distinguished Azerbaijani poets. She was also the daughter of the last ruler of the Karabakh Khanate.

Among the medieval authors born within the territorial limits of modern Azerbaijani Republic was Persian poet and philosopher Nizami, called Ganjavi after his place of birth, Ganja, who was the author of the Khamsa ("The Quintuplet"), composed of five romantic poems, including "The Treasure of Mysteries", "Khosrow and Shīrīn", and "Leyli and Mejnūn".[302]

The earliest known figure in written Azerbaijani literature was Izzeddin Hasanoghlu, who composed a divan consisting of Persian and Azerbaijani ghazals.[303][304] In Persian ghazals he used his pen-name, while his Azerbaijani ghazals were composed under his own name of Hasanoghlu.[303]

Classical literature in Azerbaijani was formed in the 14th century based on the various Early Middle Ages dialects of Tabriz and Shirvan. Among the poets of this period were Gazi Burhanaddin, Haqiqi (pen-name of Jahan Shah Qara Qoyunlu), and Habibi.[305] The end of the 14th century was also the period of starting literary activity of Imadaddin Nasimi,[306] one of the greatest Azerbaijani[307][308][309] Hurufi mystical poets of the late 14th and early 15th centuries[310] and one of the most prominent early divan masters in Turkic literary history,[310] who also composed poetry in Persian[308][311] and Arabic.[310] The divan and ghazal styles were further developed by poets Qasem-e Anvar, Fuzuli and Khatai (pen-name of Safavid Shah Ismail I).

The Book of Dede Korkut consists of two manuscripts copied in the 16th century,[312] and was not written earlier than the 15th century.[313][314] It is a collection of 12 stories reflecting the oral tradition of Oghuz nomads.[314] The 16th-century poet, Muhammed Fuzuli produced his timeless philosophical and lyrical Qazals in Arabic, Persian, and Azerbaijani. Benefiting immensely from the fine literary traditions of his environment, and building upon the legacy of his predecessors, Fuzuli was destined to become the leading literary figure of his society. His major works include The Divan of Ghazals and The Qasidas. In the same century, Azerbaijani literature further flourished with the development of Ashik (Azerbaijani: Aşıq) poetic genre of bards. During the same period, under the pen-name of Khatāī (Arabic: خطائی for sinner) Shah Ismail I wrote about 1400 verses in Azerbaijani,[315] which were later published as his Divan. A unique literary style known as qoshma (Azerbaijani: qoşma for improvisation) was introduced in this period, and developed by Shah Ismail and later by his son and successor, Shah Tahmasp I.[316]

In the span of the 17th and 18th centuries, Fuzuli's unique genres as well Ashik poetry were taken up by prominent poets and writers such as Qovsi of Tabriz, Shah Abbas Sani, Agha Mesih Shirvani [ru], Nishat, Molla Vali Vidadi, Molla Panah Vagif, Amani, Zafar and others. Along with Turks, Turkmens and Uzbeks, Azerbaijanis also celebrate the Epic of Koroglu (from Azerbaijani: kor oğlu for blind man's son), a legendary folk hero.[317] Several documented versions of Koroglu epic remain at the Institute for Manuscripts of the National Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan.[304]

Modern Azerbaijani literature in Azerbaijan is based on the Shirvani dialect mainly, while in Iran it is based on the Tabrizi one. The first newspaper in Azerbaijani, Akinchi was published in 1875.[318] In the mid-19th century, it was taught in the schools of Baku, Ganja, Shaki, Tbilisi, and Yerevan. Since 1845, it was also taught in the University of Saint Petersburg in Russia.[citation needed]

Folk art

Traditional Azerbaijani clothing and musical instruments

Azerbaijanis have a rich and distinctive culture, a major part of which is decorative and applied art. This art form is represented by a wide range of handicrafts, such as chasing, jeweling, engraving in metal, carving in wood, stone, bone, carpet-making, lasing, pattern weaving and printing, and knitting and embroidery. Each of these types of decorative art, evidence of the 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.[319]

The Azerbaijani carpet is a traditional handmade textile of various sizes, with a dense texture and a pile or pile-less surface, whose patterns are characteristic of Azerbaijan's many carpet-making regions. In November 2010 the Azerbaijani carpet was proclaimed a Masterpiece of Intangible Heritage by UNESCO.[320][321]

Handwork coppery in Lahij

Azerbaijan has been since ancient times known as a center of a large variety of crafts. The archeological dig on the territory of Azerbaijan testifies to the well-developed agriculture, stock raising, metalworking, pottery, ceramics, and carpet-weaving that date as far back as to the 2nd millennium BC. Archeological sites in Dashbulaq, Hasansu, Zayamchai, and Tovuzchai uncovered from the BTC pipeline have revealed early Iron Age artifacts.[322]

Azerbaijani carpets can be categorized under several large groups and a multitude of subgroups. Scientific research of the Azerbaijani carpet is connected with the name of Latif Karimov, a prominent scientist and artist. It was his classification that related the four large groups of carpets with the four geographical zones of Azerbaijan, Guba-Shirvan, Ganja-Kazakh, Karabakh and Tabriz.[323]

Cuisine

Dolma, a traditional Azerbaijani meal

The traditional cuisine is famous for an abundance of vegetables and greens used seasonally in the dishes. Fresh herbs, including mint, cilantro (coriander), dill, basil, parsley, tarragon, leeks, chives, thyme, marjoram, green onion, and watercress, are very popular and often accompany main dishes on the table. Climatic diversity and fertility of the land are reflected in the national dishes, which are based on fish from the Caspian Sea, 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 tea is the national beverage.[324] Azerbaijanis often use traditional armudu (pear-shaped) glass as they have very strong tea culture.[325][326] Popular traditional dishes include bozbash (lamb soup that exists in several regional varieties with the addition of different vegetables), qutab (fried turnover with a filling of greens or minced meat) and dushbara (sort of dumplings of dough filled with ground meat and flavor).

Architecture

Momine Khatun Mausoleum in Nakhchivan, built in the 12th century

Azerbaijani architecture typically combines elements of East and West.[327] Azerbaijani architecture has heavy influences from Persian architecture. Many ancient architectural treasures such as the Maiden Tower and Palace of the Shirvanshahs in the Walled City of Baku survive in modern Azerbaijan. Entries submitted on the UNESCO World Heritage tentative list include the Ateshgah of Baku, Momine Khatun Mausoleum, Hirkan National Park, Binagadi asphalt lake, Lökbatan Mud Volcano, Shusha State Historical and Architectural Reserve, Baku Stage Mountain, Caspian Shore Defensive Constructions, Ordubad National Reserve and the Palace of Shaki Khans.[328][329]

Among other architectural treasures are Quadrangular Castle in Mardakan, Parigala in Yukhary Chardaglar, a number of bridges spanning the Aras River, and several mausoleums. In the 19th and early 20th 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.[330]

The task for modern Azerbaijani architecture is diverse application of modern aesthetics, the search for an architect's own artistic style and inclusion of the existing historico-cultural environment. Major projects such as Heydar Aliyev Cultural Center, Flame Towers, Baku Crystal Hall, Baku White City and SOCAR Tower have transformed the country's skyline and promotes its contemporary identity.[331][332]

Visual art

A miniature painting of a battle scene on the walls of the Palace of Shaki Khans, 18th century, city of Shaki

The Gamigaya Petroglyphs, which date back to the 1st to 4th millennium BC, are located in Azerbaijan's Ordubad District. They consist of some 1500 dislodged and carved rock paintings with images of deer, goats, bulls, dogs, snakes, birds, fantastic beings, and people, carriages, and various symbols were found on basalt rocks.[333] Norwegian ethnographer and adventurer Thor Heyerdahl was convinced that people from the area went to Scandinavia in about 100 AD, took their boat building skills with them, and transmuted them into the Viking boats in Northern Europe.[334][335]

Over the centuries, Azerbaijani art has gone through many stylistic changes. Azerbaijani painting is traditionally characterized by a warmth of colour and light, as exemplified in the works of Azim Azimzade and Bahruz Kangarli, and a preoccupation with religious figures and cultural motifs.[336] Azerbaijani painting enjoyed preeminence in Caucasus for hundreds of years, from the Romanesque and Ottoman periods, and through the Soviet and Baroque periods, the latter two of which saw fruition in Azerbaijan. Other notable artists who fall within these periods include Sattar Bahlulzade, Togrul Narimanbekov, Tahir Salahov, Alakbar Rezaguliyev, Mirza Gadim Iravani, Mikayil Abdullayev and Boyukagha Mirzazade.[337]

Cinema

Scene from the Azerbaijani film In the Kingdom of Oil and Millions, 1916

The film industry in Azerbaijan dates back to 1898. Azerbaijan was among the first countries involved in cinematography,[338] with the apparatus first showing up in Baku.[339] In 1919, during the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, a documentary The Celebration of the Anniversary of Azerbaijani Independence was filmed on the first anniversary of Azerbaijan's independence from Russia, 27 May, and premiered in June 1919 at several theatres in Baku.[340] After the Soviet power was established in 1920, Nariman Narimanov, Chairman of the Revolutionary Committee of Azerbaijan, signed a decree nationalizing Azerbaijan's cinema. This also influenced the creation of Azerbaijani animation.[340]

In 1991, after Azerbaijan gained its independence from the Soviet Union, the first Baku International Film Festival East-West was held in Baku. In December 2000, the former President of Azerbaijan, Heydar Aliyev, signed a decree proclaiming 2 August to be the professional holiday of filmmakers of Azerbaijan. Today Azerbaijani filmmakers are again dealing with issues similar to those faced by cinematographers prior to the establishment of the Soviet Union in 1920. Once again, both choices of content and sponsorship of films are largely left up to the initiative of the filmmaker.[338]

Television

There are three state-owned television channels: AzTV, Idman TV and Medeniyyet TV. There is one public channel and 6 private channels: İctimai Television, Space TV, Lider TV, Azad Azerbaijan TV, Xazar TV [az], Real TV [az] and ARB.[341]

Human rights

Rashadat Akhundov, the co-founder of Nida Civic Movement, was sentenced to eight years of imprisonment on 6 May 2014.

The Constitution of Azerbaijan claims to guarantee freedom of speech, but this is denied in practice. After several years of decline in press and media freedom, in 2014, the media environment in Azerbaijan deteriorated rapidly under a governmental campaign to silence any opposition and criticism, even while the country led the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe (May–November 2014). Spurious legal charges and impunity in violence against journalists have remained the norm.[342] All foreign broadcasts are banned in the country.[343]

According to the 2013 Freedom House Freedom of the Press report, Azerbaijan's press freedom status is "not free", and Azerbaijan ranks 177th out of 196 countries.[344]

Christianity is officially recognized. All religious communities are required to register to be allowed to meet, under the risk of imprisonment. This registration is often denied. "Racial discrimination contributes to the country's lack of religious freedom, since many of the Christians are ethnic Armenian or Russian, rather than Azeri Muslim".[345][346]

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and Voice of America are banned in Azerbaijan.[347] Discrimination against LGBT people in Azerbaijan is widespread.[348][349]

During the last few years,[when?] three journalists were killed and several prosecuted in trials described as unfair by international human rights organizations. Azerbaijan had the biggest number of journalists imprisoned in Europe in 2015, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists, and is the 5th most censored country in the world, ahead of Iran and China.[350] Some critical journalists have been arrested for their coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic in Azerbaijan.[351][352]

A report by an Amnesty International researcher in October 2015 points to "...the severe deterioration of human rights in Azerbaijan over the past few years. Sadly Azerbaijan has been allowed to get away with unprecedented levels of repression and in the process almost wipe out its civil society."[353] Amnesty's 2015/16 annual report[354] on the country stated "... persecution of political dissent continued. Human rights organizations remained unable to resume their work. At least 18 prisoners of conscience remained in detention at the end of the year. Reprisals against independent journalists and activists persisted both in the country and abroad, while their family members also faced harassment and arrests. International human rights monitors were barred and expelled from the country. Reports of torture and other ill-treatment persisted."[355]

The Guardian reported in April 2017 that "Azerbaijan's ruling elite operated a secret $2.9bn (£2.2bn) scheme to pay prominent Europeans, buy luxury goods and launder money through a network of opaque British companies .... Leaked data shows that the Azerbaijani leadership, accused of serial human rights abuses, systemic corruption and rigging elections, made more than 16,000 covert payments from 2012 to 2014. Some of this money went to politicians and journalists, as part of an international lobbying operation to deflect criticism of Azerbaijan's president, Ilham Aliyev, and to promote a positive image of his oil-rich country." There was no suggestion that all recipients were aware of the source of the money as it arrived via a disguised route.[356]

Sport

Shakhriyar Mamedyarov was the 2013 World Rapid Chess and three-time European Team Chess champion.
Teimour Radjabov was the 2019 World Cup and three-time European Team Chess champion.

Freestyle wrestling has been traditionally regarded as Azerbaijan's national sport, in which Azerbaijan won up to fourteen medals, including four golds since joining the International Olympic Committee. Currently, the most popular sports include football and wrestling.[357]

Football is the most popular sport in Azerbaijan, and the Association of Football Federations of Azerbaijan with 9,122 registered players, is the largest sporting association in the country.[358][359] The national football team of Azerbaijan demonstrates relatively low performance in the international arena compared to the nation football clubs. The most successful Azerbaijani football clubs are Neftçi, Qarabağ, and Gabala. In 2012, Neftchi Baku became the first Azerbaijani team to advance to the group stage of a European competition, beating APOEL of Cyprus 4–2 on aggregate in the play-off round of the 2012–13 UEFA Europa League.[360][361] In 2014, Qarabağ became the second Azerbaijani club advancing to the group stage of UEFA Europa League. In 2017, after beating Copenhagen 2–2 (a) in the play-off round of the UEFA Champions League, Qarabağ became the first Azerbaijani club to reach the Group stage.[362] Futsal is another popular sport in Azerbaijan. The Azerbaijan national futsal team reached fourth place in the 2010 UEFA Futsal Championship, while domestic club Araz Naxçivan clinched bronze medals at the 2009–10 UEFA Futsal Cup and 2013–14 UEFA Futsal Cup.[363] Azerbaijan was the main sponsor of Spanish football club Atlético de Madrid during seasons 2013/2014 and 2014/2015, a partnership that the club described should 'promote the image of Azerbaijan in the world'.[364]

Azerbaijan is one of the traditional powerhouses of world chess,[365] having hosted many international chess tournaments and competitions and became European Team Chess Championship winners in 2009, 2013 and 2017.[366][367][368] Notable chess players from the country's chess schools that have made a great impact on the game include Teimour Radjabov, Shahriyar Mammadyarov, Vladimir Makogonov, Vugar Gashimov and former World Chess Champion Garry Kasparov. As of 2014, country's home of Shamkir Chess a category 22 event and one of the highest rated tournaments of all time.[369] Backgammon also plays a major role in Azerbaijani culture.[370] The game is very popular in Azerbaijan and is widely played among the local public.[371] There are also different variations of backgammon developed and analyzed by Azerbaijani experts.[372]

Baku National Stadium was used for the first European Games in June 2015.

Azerbaijan Women's Volleyball Super League is one of the strongest women leagues in the world. Its women's national team came fourth at the 2005 European Championship.[373] Over the last years, clubs like Rabita Baku and Azerrail Baku achieved great success at European cups.[374] Azerbaijani volleyball players include likes of Valeriya Korotenko, Oksana Parkhomenko, Inessa Korkmaz, Natalya Mammadova, and Alla Hasanova.

Other Azerbaijani athletes are Namig Abdullayev, Toghrul Asgarov, Rovshan Bayramov, Sharif Sharifov, Mariya Stadnik and Farid Mansurov in wrestling, Nazim Huseynov, Elnur Mammadli, Elkhan Mammadov and Rustam Orujov in judo, Rafael Aghayev in karate, Magomedrasul Majidov and Aghasi Mammadov in boxing, Nizami Pashayev in Olympic weightlifting, Azad Asgarov in pankration, Eduard Mammadov in kickboxing, and K-1 fighter Zabit Samedov.

Azerbaijan has a Formula One race-track, made in June 2012,[375] and the country hosted its first Formula One Grand Prix on 19 June 2016[376] and the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021 and 2022. Other annual sporting events held in the country are the Baku Cup tennis tournament and the Tour d'Azerbaïdjan cycling race.

Azerbaijan hosted several major sport competitions since the late 2000s, including the 2013 F1 Powerboat World Championship, 2012 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup, 2011 AIBA World Boxing Championships, 2010 European Wrestling Championships, 2009 Rhythmic Gymnastics European Championships, 2014 European Taekwondo Championships, 2014 Rhythmic Gymnastics European Championships, and 2016 World Chess Olympiad.[377] On 8 December 2012, Baku was selected to host the 2015 European Games, the first to be held in the competition's history.[378] Baku also hosted the fourth Islamic Solidarity Games in 2017[379] and the 2019 European Youth Summer Olympic Festival,[380] and it is also one of the hosts of UEFA Euro 2020, which because of Covid-19 is being held in 2021.[381]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ UK: /ˌæzərbˈɑːn, -ˈæn/ AZ-ər-by-JA(H)N, US: /ˌɑːzərbˈɑːn, ˌæz-/ A(H)Z-ər-by-JAHN;[8] Azerbaijani: Azərbaycan [ɑːzæɾbɑjˈdʒɑn]
  2. ^ Azerbaijani: Azərbaycan Respublikası [ɑːzæɾbɑjˈdʒɑn ɾespublikɑˈsɯ]; Azerbaijan Republic is sometimes used in an official capacity.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k City under the direct authority of the republic.

References

  1. ^ "The Constitution of the Republic of Azerbaijan" (PDF). President of the Republic of Azerbaijan. The Official Website of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 October 2022. Retrieved 31 August 2020. I. The official language of the Republic of Azerbaijan is Azerbaijani Language. The Republic of Azerbaijan guarantees the development of Azerbaijani Language.
  2. ^ "National (ethnic) composition of population". State Statistics Committee. 2019. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
  3. ^ a b c LaPorte, Jody (2016). "Semi-presidentialism in Azerbaijan". In Elgie, Robert; Moestrup, Sophia (eds.). Semi-Presidentialism in the Caucasus and Central Asia. London: Palgrave Macmillan (published 15 May 2016). pp. 91–117. doi:10.1057/978-1-137-38781-3_4. ISBN 978-1-137-38780-6. LCCN 2016939393. OCLC 6039791976. LaPorte examines the dynamics of semi-presidentialism in Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan's regime is a curious hybrid, in which semi-presidential institutions operate in the larger context of authoritarianism. The author compares formal Constitutional provisions with the practice of politics in the country, suggesting that formal and informal sources of authority come together to enhance the effective powers of the presidency. In addition to the considerable formal powers laid out in the Constitution, Azerbaijan's president also benefits from the support of the ruling party and informal family and patronage networks. LaPorte concludes by discussing the theoretical implications of this symbiosis between formal and informal institutions in Azerbaijan's semi-presidential regime.
  4. ^ "Azerbaijan". The World Factbook (2024 ed.). Central Intelligence Agency. Retrieved 24 September 2022. (Archived 2022 edition)
  5. ^ a b c d "World Economic Outlook Database, October 2023 Edition. (Azerbaijan)". International Monetary Fund. 10 October 2023. Retrieved 13 October 2023.
  6. ^ "Gini Index coefficient". CIA World Factbook. Retrieved 16 July 2021.
  7. ^ "Human Development Report 2021/2022" (PDF). United Nations Development Programme. 8 September 2022. Retrieved 8 September 2022.
  8. ^ Wells, John C. (2008). Longman Pronunciation Dictionary (3rd ed.). Longman. ISBN 978-1-4058-8118-0.; Roach, Peter (2011). Cambridge English Pronouncing Dictionary (18th ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-15253-2.
  9. ^ While often politically aligned with Europe, Azerbaijan is generally considered to be at least mostly in Southwest Asia geographically with its northern part bisected by the standard Asia–Europe divide, the Greater Caucasus. The United Nations classification of world regions places Azerbaijan in Western Asia; the CIA World Factbook places it mostly in Southwest Asia [1] and Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary places it in both; NationalGeographic.com, and Encyclopædia Britannica also place Georgia in Asia. Conversely, some sources place Azerbaijan in Europe such as Worldatlas.com.
  10. ^ Harcave, Sidney (1968). Russia: A History: Sixth Edition. Lippincott. p. 267.
  11. ^ Mojtahed-Zadeh, Pirouz (2007). Boundary Politics and International Boundaries of Iran: A Study of the Origin, Evolution, and Implications of the Boundaries of Modern Iran with Its 15 Neighbors in the Middle East by a Number of Renowned Experts in the Field. Universal. p. 372. ISBN 978-1-58112-933-5.
  12. ^ a b c d e Swietochowski, Tadeusz (1995). Russia and Azerbaijan: A Borderland in Transition. Columbia University Press. pp. 69, 133. ISBN 978-0-231-07068-3.
  13. ^ L. Batalden, Sandra (1997). The newly independent states of Eurasia: handbook of former Soviet republics. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 98. ISBN 978-0-89774-940-4.
  14. ^ E. Ebel, Robert, Menon, Rajan (2000). Energy and conflict in Central Asia and the Caucasus. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 181. ISBN 978-0-7425-0063-1.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  15. ^ Andreeva, Elena (2010). Russia and Iran in the great game: travelogues and orientalism (reprint ed.). Taylor & Francis. p. 6. ISBN 978-0-415-78153-4.
  16. ^ Çiçek, Kemal, Kuran, Ercüment (2000). The Great Ottoman-Turkish Civilisation. University of Michigan. ISBN 978-975-6782-18-7.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  17. ^ Ernest Meyer, Karl, Blair Brysac, Shareen (2006). Tournament of Shadows: The Great Game and the Race for Empire in Central Asia. Basic Books. p. 66. ISBN 978-0-465-04576-1.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)[permanent dead link]
  18. ^ Pipes, Richard (1997). The Formation of the Soviet Union: Communism and Nationalism 1917–1923 (2nd ed.). Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press. pp. 218–220, 229. ISBN 978-0-674-30951-7.
  19. ^ "Азербайджан. Восстановлена государственная независимость". Ельцин Центр (in Russian). Archived from the original on 24 September 2021. Retrieved 24 September 2021.
  20. ^ King, David C. (2006). Azerbaijan. Marshall Cavendish. p. 27. ISBN 978-0-7614-2011-8.
  21. ^ Zürcher, Christoph (2007). The Post-Soviet Wars: Rebellion, Ethnic Conflict, and Nationhood in the Caucasus ([Online-Ausg.]. ed.). New York: New York University Press. p. 168. ISBN 978-0-8147-9709-9.
  22. ^ Резолюция СБ ООН № 822 от 30 April 1993 года (in Russian). United Nations. Archived from the original on 3 May 2011. Retrieved 4 January 2011.
  23. ^ Резолюция СБ ООН № 853 от 29 июля 1993 года (in Russian). United Nations. Retrieved 4 January 2011.
  24. ^ Резолюция СБ ООН № 874 14 октября 1993 года (in Russian). United Nations. Archived from the original on 3 May 2011. Retrieved 4 January 2011.
  25. ^ Резолюция СБ ООН № 884 от 12 ноября 1993 года (in Russian). United Nations. Archived from the original on 3 May 2011. Retrieved 4 January 2011.
  26. ^ Kramer, Andrew E. (10 November 2020). "Facing Military Debacle, Armenia Accepts a Deal in Nagorno-Karabakh War". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 10 November 2020.
  27. ^ Ebel, Francesca (28 September 2023). "Defeated by force, Nagorno-Karabakh government declares it will dissolve". The Washington Post. Retrieved 28 September 2023.
  28. ^ a b c "Azerbaijan: Membership of international groupings/organisations". British Foreign & Commonwealth Office. Archived from the original on 9 June 2007. Retrieved 26 May 2007.
  29. ^ Europa Publications Limited (1998). Eastern Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States. Routledge. p. 154. ISBN 978-1-85743-058-5.
  30. ^ a b c d e f g h "Azerbaijan". The World Factbook (2024 ed.). Central Intelligence Agency. Retrieved 8 May 2022. (Archived 2022 edition)
  31. ^ Cornell, Svante E. (2010). Azerbaijan Since Independence. M.E. Sharpe. pp. 165, 284. Indicative of general regional trends and a natural reemergence of previously oppressed religious identity, an increasingly popular ideological basis for the pursuit of political objectives has been Islam.... The government, for its part, has shown an official commitment to Islam by building mosques and respecting Islamic values... Unofficial Islamic groups sought to use aspects of Islam to mobilize the population and establish the foundations for a future political struggle.... Unlike Turkey, Azerbaijan does not have the powerful ideological legacy of secularism... the conflict with Armenia has bred frustration that is increasingly being answered by a combined Islamic and nationalist sentiment, especially among younger people... All major political forces are committed to secularism and are based, if anything, on a nationalist agenda.
  32. ^ "Human Rights Watch: Azerbaijan". Human Rights Watch. Retrieved 6 March 2014.
  33. ^ Houtsma, M. Th. (1993). First Encyclopaedia of Islam 1913–1936 (reprint ed.). Brill. ISBN 978-90-04-09796-4.
  34. ^ Schippmann, Klaus (1989). Azerbaijan: Pre-Islamic History. Encyclopædia Iranica. pp. 221–224. ISBN 978-0-933273-95-5.
  35. ^ Chamoux, François (2003). Hellenistic Civilization. John Wiley and Sons. p. 26. ISBN 978-0-631-22241-5.
  36. ^ Bosworth A.B., Baynham E.J. (2002). Alexander the Great in Fact and fiction. Oxford University Press. p. 92. ISBN 978-0-19-925275-6.
  37. ^ Nevertheless, "despite being one of the chief vassals of Sasanian Shahanshah, the Albanian king had only a semblance of authority, and the Sassanid marzban (military governor) held most civil, religious, and military authority.
  38. ^ a b Swietochowski, Tadeusz (1999). Historical Dictionary of Azerbaijan. Lanham, Maryland: The Scarecrow Press. ISBN 978-0-8108-3550-4.
  39. ^ Darmesteter, James (2004). "Frawardin Yasht". Avesta Khorda Avesta: Book of Common Prayer (reprint ed.). Kessinger Publishing. p. 93. ISBN 978-1-4191-0852-5.
  40. ^ a b "Azerbaijan: Early History: Iranian and Greek Influences". U.S. Library of Congress. Retrieved 7 June 2006.
  41. ^ Sabahi, Farian (2000). La pecora e il tappeto: i nomadi Shahsevan dell'Azerbaigian iraniano (in Italian). Ariele. p. 23. ISBN 978-88-86480-74-1.
  42. ^ Atabaki, Touraj (4 September 2006). Iran and the First World War: Battleground of the Great Powers. I.B.Tauris. p. 132. ISBN 978-1-86064-964-6.
  43. ^ a b Atabaki, Touraj (2000). Azerbaijan: Ethnicity and the Struggle for Power in Iran. I.B.Tauris. p. 25. ISBN 978-1-86064-554-9.
  44. ^ a b Dekmejian, R. Hrair; Simonian, Hovann H. (2003). Troubled Waters: The Geopolitics of the Caspian Region. I.B. Tauris. p. 60. ISBN 978-1-86064-922-6. Until 1918, when the Musavat regime decided to name the newly independent state Azerbaijan, this designation had been used exclusively to identify the Iranian province of Azerbaijan.
  45. ^ a b Rezvani, Babak (2014). Ethno-territorial conflict and coexistence in the caucasus, Central Asia and Fereydan: academisch proefschrift. Amsterdam: Amsterdam University Press. p. 356. ISBN 978-90-485-1928-6. The region to the north of the river Araxes was not called Azerbaijan prior to 1918, unlike the region in northwestern Iran that has been called since so long ago.
  46. ^ Fragner, B.G. (2001). Soviet Nationalism: An Ideological Legacy to the Independent Republics of Central Asia. I.B. Tauris and Company. pp. 13–32. In the post Islamic sense, Arran and Shirvan are often distinguished, while in the pre-Islamic era, Arran or the western Caucasian Albania roughly corresponds to the modern territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan. In the Soviet era, in a breathtaking manipulation, historical Azerbaijan (northwestern Iran) was reinterpreted as "South Azerbaijan" in order for the Soviets to lay territorial claim on historical Azerbaijan proper which is located in modern-day northwestern Iran.
  47. ^ Atabaki, Touraj (2000). Azerbaijan: Ethnicity and the Struggle for Power in Iran. I.B.Tauris. p. 8. ISBN 978-1-86064-554-9.
  48. ^ Bournoutian, George A. (2016). The 1820 Russian Survey of the Khanate of Shirvan: A Primary Source on the Demography and Economy of an Iranian Province prior to its Annexation by Russia. Gibb Memorial Trust. p. 18. ISBN 978-1-909724-83-9. (...) the Baku and Elisavetpol guberniias, declared their independence (to 1920), and, despite Iranian protests, took the name of Azerbaijan (as noted, the same designation as the historical region in northwestern Iran) (...)
  49. ^ Comrie, Bernard (1981). The languages of the Soviet Union. Cambridge [England]: Cambridge University Press. p. 162. ISBN 978-0-521-29877-3. OCLC 6627395.
  50. ^ Azakov, Siyavush. "National report on institutional landscape and research policy Social Sciences and Humanities in Azerbaijan" (PDF). Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 November 2011. Retrieved 27 May 2007.
  51. ^ H. Dizadji (2010). Journey from Tehran to Chicago: My Life in Iran and the United States, and a Brief History of Iran. US: Trafford Publishing. p. 105. ISBN 978-1-4269-2918-2.
  52. ^ Chaumont, M. L. (1984). "Albania". Encyclopædia Iranica.
  53. ^ Shaw, Ian (2017). Christianity: The Biography: 2000 Years of Global History. Zondervan Academic. ISBN 978-0-310-53628-4.
  54. ^ Ehsan Yarshater (1983). The Cambridge history of Iran, Volume 1. Cambridge University Press. p. 141. ISBN 978-0-521-20092-9.
  55. ^ Barthold, V.V. Sochineniya; p. 558: "Whatever the former significance of the Oghuz people in Eastern Asia, after the events of the 8th and 9th centuries, it focuses more and more on the West, on the border of the Pre-Asian cultural world, which was destined to be invaded by the Oghuz people in the 11th century, or, as they were called only in the west, by the Turkmen."
  56. ^ Canby, Sheila R.; Beyazit, Deniz; Rugiadi, Martina; Peacock, A. C. S. (27 April 2016). Court and Cosmos: The Great Age of the Seljuqs. Metropolitan Museum of Art. ISBN 978-1-58839-589-4.
  57. ^ Hewsen, Robert H.; Salvatico, Christoper C. (2001). Armenia: A Historical Atlas. University of Chicago Press. ISBN 978-0-226-33228-4.
  58. ^ Samuelian, Thomas J. (1982). Hewsen, Robert H. (1982). Thomas J. Samuelian, ed. "Ethno-History and the Armenian Influence upon the Caucasian Albanians". Classical Armenian Culture: Influences and Creativity. (Philadelphia: Scholars Press. p. 45.). Scholars Press. ISBN 978-0-89130-565-1.
  59. ^ Hewsen, Robert H. (2001). Armenia: a Historical Atlas. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. pp. 32–33, map 19 (shows the territory of modern Nagorno–Karabakh as part of the Orontids' Kingdom of Armenia).
  60. ^ Моисей Хоренский. Армянская География VII в. Перевод Патканова К.П. СПб., 1877. стр. 40,17
  61. ^ Hewsen, Robert H. "The Kingdom of Artsakh", in T. Samuelian & M. Stone, eds. Medieval Armenian Culture. Chico, CA, 1983
  62. ^ Yarshater, E. (1987). "The Iranian Language of Azerbaijan". Encyclopædia Iranica. Vol. III/2.
  63. ^ Ludwig, Paul (1998). Proceedings of the Third European Conference of Iranian Studies. Vol. 1 (Nicholas Sims-Williams (ed.) ed.). Cambridge: Wiesbaden: Reichert. ISBN 978-3-89500-070-6.
  64. ^ Roy, Olivier (2007). The new Central Asia: geopolitics and the birth of nations (reprint ed.). I.B. Tauris. p. 6. ISBN 978-1-84511-552-4.
  65. ^ "Neẓāmī". Encyclopædia Britannica. 2009. Archived from the original on 4 December 2008. Retrieved 28 February 2009.
  66. ^ "Khāqānī". Encyclopædia Britannica.
  67. ^ R. Ward, Steven (2009). Immortal: a military history of Iran and its armed forces. Georgetown University Press. p. 43. ISBN 978-1-58901-258-5.
  68. ^ Malcolm Wagstaff, John (1985). The evolution of middle eastern landscapes: an outline to A.D. 1840, Part 1840. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 205. ISBN 978-0-389-20577-7.
  69. ^ L. Altstadt, Audrey (1992). The Azerbaijani Turks: power and identity under Russian rule. Hoover Press. p. 5. ISBN 978-0-8179-9182-1.
  70. ^ Akiner, Shirin (2004). The Caspian: Politics, Energy and Security. RoutledgeCurzon. p. 158. ISBN 978-0-7007-0501-6.
  71. ^ Balland, D. "ĀŠRAF ḠILZAY". Encyclopædia Iranica. Retrieved 31 December 2011.
  72. ^ Swietochowski, Tadeusz (1995). Russia and Azerbaijan: A Borderland in Transition. Columbia University Press. pp. 69, 133. ISBN 978-0-231-07068-3.
  73. ^ L. Batalden, Sandra (1997). The newly independent states of Eurasia: handbook of former Soviet republics. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 98. ISBN 978-0-89774-940-4.
  74. ^ Walker, Christopher J. (1980). Armenia, the survival of a nation. Croom Helm. p. 45. ISBN 978-0-7099-0210-2. Tsitsianov next moved against the semi-independent Iranian khanates. On the thinnest of pretexts, he captured the Muslim town of Gandja, the seat of Islamic learning in the Caucasus (...)
  75. ^ Saparov, Arsène (2014). From Conflict to Autonomy in the Caucasus: The Soviet Union and the Making of Abkhazia, South Ossetia and Nagorno Karabakh. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-317-63783-7. Even though these principalities [the khanates] had not been under Iranian suzerainty since the assassination of Nadir Shah in 1747, they were traditionally considered an inalienable part of Iranian domains. (...) To the semi-independent Caucasian principalities, the appearance of the new Great Power (...)
  76. ^ Kashani-Sabet, Firoozeh (May 1997). "Fragile Frontiers: The Diminishing Domains of Qajar Iran". International Journal of Middle East Studies. 29 (2): 210. doi:10.1017/s0020743800064473. In 1795, Ibrahim Khalil Khan, the wali of Qarabagh, warned Sultan Selim III of Aqa Muhammad Khan's ambitions. Fearing for his independence, he informed the Sultan of Aqa Muhammad Khan's ability to subdue Azerbaijan and later Qarabagh, Erivan, and Georgia.
  77. ^ Barker, Adele Marie; Grant, Bruce (2010). The Russia Reader: History, Culture, Politics. Duke University Press. p. 253. ISBN 978-0-8223-4648-7. But they were relatively more accessible given the organization of small, centralized, semi-independent khanates that functioned through the decline of Iranian rule after the death of Nadir Shah in the mid-eighteenth century (...)
  78. ^ Avery, Peter; Hambly, Gavin (1991). The Cambridge History of Iran. Cambridge University Press. p. 126. ISBN 978-0-521-20095-0. Agha Muhammad Khan could now turn to the restoration of the outlying provinces of the Safavid kingdom. Returning to Tehran in the spring of 1795, he assembled a force of some 60,000 cavalries and infantry and in Shawwal Dhul-Qa'da/May, set off for Azarbaijan, intending to conquer the country between the rivers Aras and Kura, formerly under Safavid control. This region comprised a number of khanates of which the most important was Qarabagh, with its capital at Shusha; Ganja, with its capital of the same name; Shirvan across the Kura, with its capital at Shamakhi; and to the north-west, on both banks of the Kura, Christian Georgia (Gurjistan), with its capital at Tiflis.
  79. ^ Encyclopedia of Soviet law By Ferdinand Joseph Maria Feldbrugge, Gerard Pieter van den Berg, William B. Simons, Page 457
  80. ^ King, Charles (2008). The ghost of freedom: a history of the Caucasus. University of Michigan. p. 10. ISBN 978-0-19-517775-6.
  81. ^ Hacikyan, Agop Jack; Basmaijan, Gabriel; Franchuk, Edward S.; Ouzounian, Nourhan, eds. (2005). The Heritage of Armenian Literature: From the eighteenth century to modern times. Detroit: Wayne State University Press. p. 6. ISBN 978-0-8143-3221-4.
  82. ^ Gabor Agoston, Bruce Alan Masters. Encyclopedia of the Ottoman Empire Infobase Publishing, 1 January 2009 ISBN 978-1-4381-1025-7 p. 125
  83. ^ Multiple Authors. "Caucasus and Iran". Encyclopædia Iranica. Retrieved 3 September 2012.
  84. ^ Tucker, Spencer C., ed. (2010). A Global Chronology of Conflict: From the Ancient World to the Modern Middle East. ABC-CLIO. p. 1035. ISBN 978-1-85109-672-5. January 1804. (...) Russo-Persian War. Russian invasion of Persia. (...) In January 1804 Russian forces under General Paul Tsitsianov (Sisianoff) invade Persia and storm the citadel of Ganjeh, beginning the Russo-Persian War (1804–1813).
  85. ^ Goldstein, Erik (1992). Wars and Peace Treaties: 1816 to 1991. London: Routledge. p. 67. ISBN 978-0-415-07822-1.
  86. ^ a b Timothy C. Dowling (2014). Russia at War: From the Mongol Conquest to Afghanistan, Chechnya, and Beyond pp. 728–729 ABC-CLIO, ISBN 978-1-59884-948-6
  87. ^ L. Batalden, Sandra (1997). The Newly Independent States of Eurasia: Handbook of Former Soviet Republics. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 98. ISBN 978-0-89774-940-4.
  88. ^ Ebel, Robert E.; Menon, Rajan (2000). Energy and conflict in Central Asia and the Caucasus. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 181. ISBN 978-0-7425-0063-1.
  89. ^ Andreeva, Elena (2010). Russia and Iran in the great game: travelogues and orientalism (reprint ed.). Taylor & Francis. p. 6. ISBN 978-0-415-78153-4.
  90. ^ Çiçek, Kemal, Kuran, Ercüment (2000). The Great Ottoman-Turkish Civilisation. University of Michigan. ISBN 978-975-6782-18-7.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  91. ^ Meyer, Karl E.; Brysac, Shareen Blair (17 March 2009). Tournament of Shadows: The Great Game and the Race for Empire in Central Asia. Basic Books. p. 66. ISBN 978-0-7867-3678-2.
  92. ^ Cronin, Stephanie, ed. (2013). Iranian-Russian Encounters: Empires and Revolutions since 1800. Routledge. p. 63. ISBN 978-0-415-62433-6. Perhaps the most important legacy of Yermolov was his intention from early on to prepare the ground for the conquest of the remaining khanates under Iranian rule and to make the River Aras the new border. (...) Another provocative action by Yermolov was the Russian occupation of the northern shore of Lake Gokcha (Sivan) in the Khanate of Iravan in 1825. A clear violation of Golestan, this action was the most significant provocation by the Russian side. The Lake Gokcha occupation clearly showed that it was Russia and not Iran which initiated hostilities and breached Golestan and that Iran was left with no choice but to come up with a proper response.
  93. ^ Dowling, Timothy C., ed. (2015). Russia at War: From the Mongol Conquest to Afghanistan, Chechnya, and Beyond. ABC-CLIO. p. 729. ISBN 978-1-59884-948-6. In May 1826, Russia, therefore, occupied Mirak, in the Erivan khanate, in violation of the Treaty of Gulistan.
  94. ^ Alexander Mikaberidze (2015). Historical Dictionary of Georgia. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 664. ISBN 978-1-4422-4146-6.
  95. ^ Swietochowski, Tadeusz. Eastern Europe, Russia, and Central Asia 2003 Taylor and Francis, 2003. ISBN 978-1-85743-137-7 p. 104
  96. ^ Gasimov, Zaur (2022). "Observing Iran from Baku: Iranian Studies in Soviet and Post-Soviet Azerbaijan". Iranian Studies. 55 (1): 38. doi:10.1080/00210862.2020.1865136. S2CID 233889871. The preoccupation with Iranian culture, literature, and language was widespread among Baku-, Ganja-, and Tiflis-based Shia as well as Sunni intellectuals, and it never ceased throughout the nineteenth century.
  97. ^ a b Gasimov, Zaur (2022). "Observing Iran from Baku: Iranian Studies in Soviet and Post-Soviet Azerbaijan". Iranian Studies. 55 (1): 37. doi:10.1080/00210862.2020.1865136. S2CID 233889871. Azerbaijani national identity emerged in post-Persian Russian-ruled East Caucasia at the end of the nineteenth century, and was finally forged during the early Soviet period.
  98. ^ Smith, Michael (April 2001). "Anatomy of Rumor: Murder Scandal, the Musavat Party and Narrative of the Russian Revolution in Baku, 1917–1920". Journal of Contemporary History. 36 (2): 228. doi:10.1177/002200940103600202. S2CID 159744435. The results of the March events were immediate and total for the Musavat. Several hundreds of its members were killed in the fighting; up to 12,000 Muslim civilians perished; thousands of others fled Baku in a mass exodus
  99. ^ Minahan, James B. (1998). Miniature Empires: A Historical Dictionary of the Newly Independent States. Bloomsbury Academic. p. 22. ISBN 978-0-313-30610-5. The tensions and fighting between the Azerbaijanis and the Armenians in the federation culminated in the massacre of some 12,000 Azerbaijanis in Baku by radical Armenians and Bolshevik troops in March 1918
  100. ^ Michael Smith. "Pamiat' ob utratakh i Azerbaidzhanskoe obshchestvo/Traumatic Loss and Azerbaijani. National Memory". Azerbaidzhan i Rossiia: obshchestva i gosudarstva (Azerbaijan and Russia: Societies and States) (in Russian). Sakharov Center. Archived from the original on 1 April 2020. Retrieved 21 August 2011.
  101. ^ a b c Kazemzadeh, Firuz (1951). The Struggle for Transcaucasia: 1917–1921. The New York Philosophical Library. pp. 124, 222, 229, 269–270. ISBN 978-0-8305-0076-5.
  102. ^ Schulze, Reinhard. A Modern History of the Islamic World. I.B.Tauris, 2000. ISBN 978-1-86064-822-9.
  103. ^ Горянин, Александр (28 August 2003). Очень черное золото (in Russian). GlobalRus. Archived from the original on 6 September 2003. Retrieved 28 August 2003.
  104. ^ Горянин, Александр. История города Баку. Часть 3. (in Russian). Window2Baku.
  105. ^ Pope, Hugh (2006). Sons of the conquerors: the rise of the Turkic world. New York: The Overlook Press. p. 116. ISBN 978-1-58567-804-4.
  106. ^ Raymond Duncan, Walter; Holman (Jr.), G. Paul (1994). Ethnic nationalism and regional conflict: the former Soviet Union and Yugoslavia. US: Westview Press. pp. 109–112. ISBN 978-0-231-07068-3.
  107. ^ "Azerbaijan celebrates day of victory over fascism". "Contact.az". 9 May 2011. Retrieved 9 May 2011.
  108. ^ "Victory over Nazis 'was impossible without Baku oil'". "AzerNEWS". 8 May 2010. Archived from the original on 4 September 2011. Retrieved 8 May 2010.
  109. ^ Michael P., Croissant (1998). The Armenia-Azerbaijan Conflict: causes and implications. Westport, CT: Praeger Publishers. pp. 36, 37. ISBN 978-0-275-96241-8.
  110. ^ "Human Rights Watch. "Playing the "Communal Card": Communal Violence and Human Rights"". Human Rights Watch.
  111. ^ a b "Milli Məclisin tarixi. Azərbaycan SSR Ali Soveti (1920–1991-ci illər)" [The history of Milli Majlis. Supreme Soviet of Azerbaijan SSR (1920–1991)]. Retrieved 1 December 2010.
  112. ^ David C. King (2006). Azerbaijan. Marshall Cavendish. p. 116. ISBN 978-0-7614-2011-8.
  113. ^ "Bishkek Protocol | UN Peacemaker". United Nations. Retrieved 23 August 2019.
  114. ^ De Waal, Thomas (2013). Black Garden: Armenia And Azerbaijan Through Peace and War. New York: New York University Press, p. 286. ISBN 978-0-8147-1945-9, 0814719457.
  115. ^ "Massacre by Armenians Being Reported". The New York Times. 3 March 1992. Retrieved 9 September 2013.
  116. ^ Smolowe, Jill (16 March 1992). "Tragedy Massacre in Khojaly". Time. Archived from the original on 28 February 2005. Retrieved 9 September 2013.
  117. ^ A Conflict That Can Be Resolved in Time: Nagorno-Karabakh Archived 8 December 2015 at the Wayback Machine. International Herald Tribune. 29 November 2003.
  118. ^ "General Assembly adopts resolution reaffirming territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, demanding withdrawal of all Armenian forces". United Nations General Assembly. 14 March 2008. Retrieved 14 March 2008.
  119. ^ Southern Caucasus: Facing Integration Problems, Ethnic Russians Long For Better Life. EurasiaNet.org. 30 August 2003.
  120. ^ "Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic". The Great Soviet Encyclopedia (1979).
  121. ^ "Azerbaijan: Rise to power". Encyclopedia of the Nations. 3 October 1993. Archived from the original on 10 June 2011. Retrieved 22 May 2011.
  122. ^ "Timeline: Azerbaijan A chronology of key events". BBC News. 31 March 2011.
  123. ^ "Azeri rights activist says 35 imprisoned special police unit members very sick". BBC Archive. 2 June 2000. Archived from the original on 18 November 2018. Retrieved 15 August 2009.
  124. ^ Efron, Sonni (18 March 1995). "Azerbaijan Coup Attempt Crushed Caucasus: Loyal forces storm a building and overcome mutinous police units, president reports". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 24 June 2011. Retrieved 15 August 2009.
  125. ^ Mulvey, Stephen (14 October 2003). "Aliyev and son keep it in the family". BBC News. Retrieved 14 October 2003.
  126. ^ "Nov 2013 – Action against opposition". Keesing's Record of World Events. November 2013. p. 53026.
  127. ^ Welle (www.dw.com), Deutsche (11 April 2018). "Azerbaijan's strongman Ilham Aliyev re-elected for fourth consecutive term | DW | 11.04.2018". Deutsche Welle.
  128. ^ "Fighting over Nagorno-Karabakh goes on despite US mediation". Associated Press. 24 October 2020.
  129. ^ "Fury and celebrations as Russia brokers peace deal to end Nagorno-Karabakh war". The Independent. 11 November 2020.
  130. ^ "Strong economic performance in Caucasus amid geopolitical turmoil". www.ebrd.com. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
  131. ^ "Azerbaijan: The veneer of democracy is peeling off Baku's authoritarian political structure".
  132. ^ Haas, Devin (14 August 2023). "Rural Azerbaijan risks falling further behind wealthy Baku". Emerging Europe. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
  133. ^ Stocks, Miranda Patrucic, Ilya Lozovsky, Kelly Bloss, and Tom. "Azerbaijan's Ruling Aliyev Family and Their Associates Acquired Dozens of Prime London Properties Worth Nearly $700 Million". OCCRP. Retrieved 23 September 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  134. ^ Demourian, Avet (29 September 2023). "More than 80% of Nagorno-Karabakh's population flees as future uncertain for those who remain". AP News. Retrieved 2 January 2024.
  135. ^ Beck, Hylke E.; Zimmermann, Niklaus E.; McVicar, Tim R.; Vergopolan, Noemi; Berg, Alexis; Wood, Eric F. (30 October 2018). "Present and future Köppen-Geiger climate classification maps at 1-km resolution" (PDF). Scientific Data. 5: 180214. Bibcode:2018NatSD...580214B. doi:10.1038/sdata.2018.214. PMC 6207062. PMID 30375988. Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 October 2022.
  136. ^ a b c "Geographical data". The State Statistical Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Archived from the original on 25 May 2007. Retrieved 26 May 2007.
  137. ^ "Naxcivan | History & Geography | Britannica". www.britannica.com. Retrieved 29 January 2022.
  138. ^ a b c d e "Azerbaijan: Biodiversity". Central Asia and Transcaucasus Network on Plant Genetic Resources. 2003. Archived from the original on 8 February 2012. Retrieved 17 February 2017.
  139. ^ "Azerbaijan's mud volcanoes on Seven Wonders of Nature shortlist". News.Az. Archived from the original on 10 February 2010. Retrieved 8 February 2010.
  140. ^ "Ecological problems in Azerbaijan". Enrin.grida.no. Retrieved 30 June 2010.
  141. ^ "Orography of Azerbaijan". United Nations Environment Programme. Retrieved 30 June 2010.
  142. ^ a b "Azerbaijan – Climate". Heydar Aliyev Foundation. Retrieved 26 May 2007.
  143. ^ "Climate". State Land and Cartography Committee. Archived from the original on 18 July 2014.
  144. ^ a b c d "Climate". Water Resources of the Azerbaijan Republic. Institute of Hydrometeorology, Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources. Archived from the original on 24 May 2007. Retrieved 26 May 2007.
  145. ^ Joyce Chepkemoi (25 April 2017). "Major Rivers Of Azerbaijan". worldatlas.com.
  146. ^ Kleveman, Lutz (2003). The new great game: blood and oil in Central Asia. Atlantic Monthly Press. p. 15. ISBN 978-0-87113-906-1. Retrieved 21 November 2010.
  147. ^ "The Karabakh Horse". Karabakh Foundation. Archived from the original on 13 October 2010.
  148. ^ "Azerbaijan – Flora". Heydar Aliyev Foundation. Retrieved 5 March 2010.
  149. ^ Dinerstein, Eric; Olson, David; Joshi, Anup; Vynne, Carly; Burgess, Neil D.; Wikramanayake, Eric; Hahn, Nathan; Palminteri, Suzanne; Hedao, Prashant; Noss, Reed; Hansen, Matt; Locke, Harvey; Ellis, Erle C; Jones, Benjamin; Barber, Charles Victor; Hayes, Randy; Kormos, Cyril; Martin, Vance; Crist, Eileen; Sechrest, Wes; Price, Lori; Baillie, Jonathan E. M.; Weeden, Don; Suckling, Kierán; Davis, Crystal; Sizer, Nigel; Moore, Rebecca; Thau, David; Birch, Tanya; Potapov, Peter; Turubanova, Svetlana; Tyukavina, Alexandra; de Souza, Nadia; Pintea, Lilian; Brito, José C.; Llewellyn, Othman A.; Miller, Anthony G.; Patzelt, Annette; Ghazanfar, Shahina A.; Timberlake, Jonathan; Klöser, Heinz; Shennan-Farpón, Yara; Kindt, Roeland; Lillesø, Jens-Peter Barnekow; van Breugel, Paulo; Graudal, Lars; Voge, Maianna; Al-Shammari, Khalaf F.; Saleem, Muhammad (2017). "An Ecoregion-Based Approach to Protecting Half the Terrestrial Realm". BioScience. 67 (6): 534–545. doi:10.1093/biosci/bix014. ISSN 0006-3568. PMC 5451287. PMID 28608869.
  150. ^ Grantham, H. S.; Duncan, A.; Evans, T. D.; Jones, K. R.; Beyer, H. L.; Schuster, R.; Walston, J.; Ray, J. C.; Robinson, J. G.; Callow, M.; Clements, T.; Costa, H. M.; DeGemmis, A.; Elsen, P. R.; Ervin, J.; Franco, P.; Goldman, E.; Goetz, S.; Hansen, A.; Hofsvang, E.; Jantz, P.; Jupiter, S.; Kang, A.; Langhammer, P.; Laurance, W. F.; Lieberman, S.; Linkie, M.; Malhi, Y.; Maxwell, S.; Mendez, M.; Mittermeier, R.; Murray, N. J.; Possingham, H.; Radachowsky, J.; Saatchi, S.; Samper, C.; Silverman, J.; Shapiro, A.; Strassburg, B.; Stevens, T.; Stokes, E.; Taylor, R.; Tear, T.; Tizard, R.; Venter, O.; Visconti, P.; Wang, S.; Watson, J. E. M. (2020). "Anthropogenic modification of forests means only 40% of remaining forests have high ecosystem integrity – Supplementary Material". Nature Communications. 11 (1): 5978. Bibcode:2020NatCo..11.5978G. doi:10.1038/s41467-020-19493-3. ISSN 2041-1723. PMC 7723057. PMID 33293507.
  151. ^ Geybulla, Arzu (February 2023). "Uncensored journalism in censored times: Challenges of reporting on Azerbaijan". Journalism. 24 (2): 313–327. doi:10.1177/14648849211036872. ISSN 1464-8849. S2CID 238548904.
  152. ^ Rookwood, Joel (3 April 2022). "From sport-for-development to sports mega-events: conflict, authoritarian modernisation and statecraft in Azerbaijan". Sport in Society. 25 (4): 847–866. doi:10.1080/17430437.2021.2019710. S2CID 245453904.
  153. ^ Toepfl, Florian; Litvinenko, Anna (12 March 2021). "Critically Commenting Publics as Authoritarian Input Institutions: How Citizens Comment Beneath their News in Azerbaijan, Russia, and Turkmenistan". Journalism Studies. 22 (4): 475–495. doi:10.1080/1461670X.2021.1882877. S2CID 232081024.
  154. ^ Lebanidze, Bidzina (2020). "Introduction". Russia, EU and the Post-Soviet Democratic Failure. Vergleichende Politikwissenschaft. Springer Fachmedien. pp. 1–16. doi:10.1007/978-3-658-26446-8_1. ISBN 978-3-658-26446-8. S2CID 242740253.
  155. ^ Umudov, Agshin (2019). "Europeanization of Azerbaijan: Assessment of Normative Principles and Pragmatic Cooperation". Politik und Gesellschaft im Kaukasus: Eine unruhige Region zwischen Tradition und Transformation (in German). Springer Fachmedien. pp. 67–68. ISBN 978-3-658-26374-4.
  156. ^ Goyushov, Altay; Huseynli, Ilkin (2019). "Halted Democracy: Government Hijacking of the New Opposition in Azerbaijan". Politik und Gesellschaft im Kaukasus: Eine unruhige Region zwischen Tradition und Transformation (in German). Springer Fachmedien. pp. 27–51. doi:10.1007/978-3-658-26374-4_2. ISBN 978-3-658-26374-4. S2CID 211343684.
  157. ^ Bedford, Sofie; Vinatier, Laurent (October 2019). "Resisting the Irresistible: 'Failed Opposition' in Azerbaijan and Belarus Revisited". Government and Opposition. 54 (4): 686–714. doi:10.1017/gov.2017.33. ISSN 0017-257X. S2CID 149006054.
  158. ^ Kamilsoy, Najmin (1 September 2023). "Unintended transformation? Organizational responses to regulative crackdown on civil society in Azerbaijan". Southeast European and Black Sea Studies: 1–20. doi:10.1080/14683857.2023.2243698. S2CID 261468959.
  159. ^ Bajek, Mateusz (2020). "The meaning behind Azerbaijan's forged elections". New Eastern Europe. pp. 107–113. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
  160. ^ Synovitz, Ron (7 February 2020). "Azerbaijan's 'Equal Coverage' Law Stifles Media Reports On Elections". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
  161. ^ Kramer, Richard Kauzlarich, David J. (11 April 2018). "Azerbaijan's Election Is a Farce". Foreign Policy. Retrieved 6 September 2023.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  162. ^ McCallion, Chris (22 September 2022). "A small war in Central Asia is a big problem for Joe Biden's narrative about taking on Russia and China". Insider.com. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
  163. ^ "Freedom House: Azerbaijan". Retrieved 7 February 2023.
  164. ^ "freedomhouse.org: Combined Average Ratings: Independent Countries 2009". Freedom House. Archived from the original on 23 December 2011. Retrieved 3 October 2023.
  165. ^ "Azerbaijan: Freedom in the World 2022 Country Report". Freedom House. Retrieved 12 June 2022.
  166. ^ "State power". courts.gov.az. Archived from the original on 6 August 2022. Retrieved 23 November 2020.
  167. ^ (Constitution of Azerbaijan Republic, Articles 104–107)
  168. ^ "Monitors criticize Azerbaijani elections". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 11 November 2010. Retrieved 8 November 2010.
  169. ^ "Azərbaycan Prezidentinin Rəsmi internet səhifəsi". president.az (in Azerbaijani).
  170. ^ "Təhlükəsizlik Şurası". president.az (in Azerbaijani). Archived from the original on 21 July 2021. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
  171. ^ a b "Azerbaijan – Foreign Relations". Country Studies. Retrieved 31 May 2007.
  172. ^ "Bilateral relations". Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Archived from the original on 4 May 2007. Retrieved 27 May 2007.
  173. ^ Lenk, Arthur (7 March 2007). "15th anniversary of Israel-Azerbaijan diplomatic relations" (PDF). Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Israel. Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 October 2022. Retrieved 21 March 2008.
  174. ^ Kardas, Saban. "Turkey Develops Special Relationship with Azerbaijan". Eurasia Daily Monitor Volume. Retrieved 23 December 2010.
  175. ^ Katik, Mevlut. "Azerbaijan and Turkey Coordinate Nagorno-Karabakh Negotiation Position". EurasiaNet. Retrieved 23 December 2010.
  176. ^ "Elections & Appointments – Human Rights Council". United Nations. Archived from the original on 20 December 2008. Retrieved 3 January 2009.
  177. ^ a b c "National Security Concept of the Republic of Azerbaijan" (PDF). United Nations. 23 May 2007. Retrieved 23 May 2007.
  178. ^ Selim Özertem, Hasan. "Independence of Kosovo and the Nagorno-Karabakh Issue". TurkishWeekly. Retrieved 24 April 2008.
  179. ^ "Rex Tillerson affirms US support for Azerbaijan's efforts to diversify its economy". 29 March 2017. Retrieved 14 April 2017.
  180. ^ "US Congress puts the squeeze on military aid to Azerbaijan". The National. July 2021. Retrieved 2 July 2021.
  181. ^ "Disgraced: Azerbaijan and the End of Election Monitoring As We Know It" (PDF). European Stability Initiative. 5 November 2013. Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 October 2022.
  182. ^ Jamie Doward. "Plush hotels and caviar diplomacy: how Azerbaijan's elite wooed MPs". The Guardian. Retrieved 4 July 2015.
  183. ^ "Europe's caviar diplomacy with Azerbaijan must end". Retrieved 4 July 2015.
  184. ^ "Baku Smooths Over Its Rights Record with a Thick Layer of Caviar". RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty. Retrieved 4 July 2015.
  185. ^ Project, Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting. "The Azerbaijani Laundromat". OCCRP. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
  186. ^ Azerbaijan: Short History of Statehood Archived 18 July 2007 at the Wayback Machine, Embassy of Republic of Azerbaijan in Pakistan, 2005, Chapter 3.
  187. ^ Creation of National Army in 1918 (in Russian).
  188. ^ Law of the Republic of Azerbaijan on Armed Forces, No. 210-XII, 9 October 1991 (in Russian).
  189. ^ "Army Day Celebrated in Azerbaijan". Trend.Az. 26 June 2008. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
  190. ^ C. W. Blandy Azerbaijan: Is War Over Nagornyy Karabakh a Realistic Option? Advanced Research and Assessment Group. Caucasus Series 08/17. – Defense Academy of the United Kingdom, 2008, p. 12 Archived 10 May 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  191. ^ Выступление Президента Азербайджанской Республики, Верховного Главнокомандующего Гейдара Алиева на церемонии, посвященной 5-й годовщине образования Национальной гвардии – Штаб Национальной гвардии Азербайджана (in Russian). Heydar Aliyev Heritage Research Center. 25 December 1996. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011.
  192. ^ Abbasov, Shahin. "Azerbaijan: Baku Can Leapfrog over Ukraine, Georgia for NATO Membership". EurasiaNet. Archived from the original on 6 June 2009. Retrieved 3 June 2009.
  193. ^ "Military expenditure (current USD) – Azerbaijan". World Bank. Retrieved 4 September 2022.
  194. ^ "Military expenditure (% of GDP) – Azerbaijan". World Bank. Retrieved 4 September 2022.
  195. ^ "Military expenditure (% of general government expenditure) – Azerbaijan". World Bank. Retrieved 4 September 2022.
  196. ^ "Azerbaijan to start manufacturing arms, military hardware in 2008". BBC Monitoring Service. Retrieved 26 January 2008.
  197. ^ "Azerbaijan to produce tanks, aviation bombs and pilotless vehicles in 2009". panarmenian. Archived from the original on 9 January 2009. Retrieved 24 December 2008.
  198. ^ "Uzeir Jafarov: "Azerbaijan will be unable to produce competitive military technique in the next five years"". Today.Az. Retrieved 26 September 2008.
  199. ^ "President Ilham Aliyev attends the openings of several defense-related facilities". Today.Az. Retrieved 4 March 2011.
  200. ^ "The State Statistical Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Administrative and territorial units of Azerbaijan Republic". Azstat.org. Archived from the original on 12 May 2011. Retrieved 22 May 2011.
  201. ^ a b "Azerbaijan – General Information". Heydar Aliyev Foundation. Archived from the original on 5 May 2007. Retrieved 22 May 2007.
  202. ^ "Rəhbərlik". ibar.az (in Azerbaijani). International Bank of Azerbaijan.
  203. ^ a b "Azerbaijan's Q1 inflation rate 16.6%, National Bank Chief says". Today.Az. Retrieved 29 May 2007.
  204. ^ "Dutch disease and the Azerbaijan economy". Communist and Post-Communist Studies. 46 (4): 463–480. 1 December 2013. doi:10.1016/j.postcomstud.2013.09.001.
  205. ^ Mehdizade, Sevinj. "Azerbaijan's New Manats: Design and Transition to a New Currency". Azerbaijan International.
  206. ^ Ismayilov, Rovshan. "Azerbaijan's Manat Makeover: Good Times Ahead?". EurasiaNet. Retrieved 7 December 2010.
  207. ^ "World Economic Forum – The Global Competitiveness Report 2010-2011" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 6 December 2010. Retrieved 4 January 2011.
  208. ^ "Bibliothek der Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 October 2022. Retrieved 11 November 2019.
  209. ^ a b "Azerbaijan – General Information". Heydar Aliyev Foundation. Archived from the original on 28 May 2007. Retrieved 22 May 2007.
  210. ^ "History of Development of Oil Industry".
  211. ^ a b "Southern Gas Corridor project about to come on stream". Deutsche Welle. 11 November 2020.
  212. ^ "New gas pipeline could heat up Azeri-Russian rivalry". Reuters. 6 October 2020.
  213. ^ "Azerbaijan: Economy". globalEDGE. Archived from the original on 12 October 2007. Retrieved 29 May 2007.
  214. ^ a b "Country Trends". Global Footprint Network. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
  215. ^ Lin, David; Hanscom, Laurel; Murthy, Adeline; Galli, Alessandro; Evans, Mikel; Neill, Evan; Mancini, MariaSerena; Martindill, Jon; Medouar, FatimeZahra; Huang, Shiyu; Wackernagel, Mathis (2018). "Ecological Footprint Accounting for Countries: Updates and Results of the National Footprint Accounts, 2012–2018". Resources. 7 (3): 58. doi:10.3390/resources7030058.
  216. ^ "SOCAR plans to completed full gasification of Azerbaijan only by 2021". Azerbaijan Business Center. Archived from the original on 3 October 2011. Retrieved 6 June 2010.
  217. ^ "The Azerbaijan government and co-venturers sign amended and restated Azeri-Chirag-Deepwater Gunashli PSA | Press releases | Media | BP". bp.com. Retrieved 21 September 2017.
  218. ^ a b "Natural resources". The State Statistical Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Archived from the original on 10 June 2007. Retrieved 26 May 2007.
  219. ^ "Azerbaijan: Status of Database". Central Asia and Caucasus Institute. Archived from the original on 20 March 2007. Retrieved 28 May 2007.
  220. ^ "Findings on the Worst Forms of Child Labor – Azerbaijan". Archived from the original on 14 May 2015. Retrieved 4 July 2015.
  221. ^ "Azerbaijan: Transportation". Encyclopedia of the Nations. Archived from the original on 18 April 2007. Retrieved 24 May 2007.
  222. ^ "Industry" (PDF). Statistical Yearbook of Azerbaijan 2004. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 February 2007. Retrieved 26 May 2007.
  223. ^ "Rapid Tourism Assessment for the Azerbaijan Tourism Sector Development Program – Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE)". Retrieved 9 September 2013.
  224. ^ "Azərbaycan Qarabağın turizm imkanlarını təbliğ edir". Azadlıq Radiosu (in Azerbaijani). 18 April 2007.
  225. ^ Ismayilov, Rovshan. "Azerbaijan: Baku Boom Has Yet to Hit Regions". EurasiaNet. Archived from the original on 19 August 2007. Retrieved 12 August 2007.
  226. ^ "$2 bn to be invested in Shahdag winter-summer resort in Azerbaijan". News.az. Archived from the original on 8 April 2011. Retrieved 11 July 2011.
  227. ^ "Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Azerbaijan: Goals". Tourism.az. 6 February 2004. Archived from the original on 28 November 2010. Retrieved 4 January 2011.
  228. ^ Global Passport Power Rank | Passport Index 2017. Passportindex.org. Retrieved 1 July 2017.
  229. ^ Home Page | The Electronic Visa System of Azerbaijan Republic Archived 20 December 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Evisa.gov.az. Retrieved 1 July 2017.
  230. ^ Crotti, Robert and Misrahi, Tiffany(2015) Chapter 1.1 "The Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Index 2015: T&T as a Resilient Contribution to National Development" in The Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Index 2015. World Economic Forum
  231. ^ "Research" (PDF). wttc.org. 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 November 2018. Retrieved 22 April 2020.
  232. ^ Hope, Katie (19 July 2017). "Where's hot? This summer's most popular holiday spots". BBC.
  233. ^ Ziyadov, Taleh. "The New Silk Roads" (PDF). Central Asia-Caucasus Institute Silk Road Studies Program. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 July 2013.
  234. ^ Zeyno Baran (2005). "The Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan Pipeline: Implications for Turkey" (PDF). The Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan Pipeline: Oil Window to the West: 103–118. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 February 2008. Retrieved 30 December 2007.
  235. ^ "SCP Commissioning Commences" (Press release). BP. 1 June 2006. Archived from the original on 11 October 2007. Retrieved 4 June 2008.
  236. ^ Ziyadov, Taleh. "The New Silk Roads" (PDF). Central Asia-Caucasus Institute Silk Road Studies Program. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 July 2013.
  237. ^ "List of Contracting Parties to the Convention on Road Traffic" (PDF). UN Economic Commission for Europe. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 August 2011. Retrieved 23 January 2010.
  238. ^ "Azerbaijan aims for hi-tech state". Euronews. Retrieved 19 December 2010.
  239. ^ "Azerbaijan is in TOP 10 of countries showing dynamic growth in Internet and mobile communications penetration". bakutel.az. Archived from the original on 7 May 2013. Retrieved 15 April 2013.
  240. ^ WIPO. "Global Innovation Index 2023, 15th Edition". www.wipo.int. doi:10.34667/tind.46596. Retrieved 29 October 2023.
  241. ^ "Global Innovation Index". INSEAD Knowledge. 28 October 2013. Archived from the original on 2 September 2021. Retrieved 2 September 2021.
  242. ^ CIA.gov Archived 13 June 2007 at the Wayback Machine, CIA World Factbook Telephones – main lines in use, Azerbaijan 1,397,000 main lines
  243. ^ CIA.gov Archived 4 January 2018 at the Wayback Machine, CIA World Factbook Internet users, Azerbaijan Internet users: 1,485,000.
  244. ^ "Azerbaijani scientist invents earthquake-resistant building". News.Az. Retrieved 18 March 2011.
  245. ^ "International Station for the Forecasting of Earthquakes Atropatena-AZ3, Baku, Azerbaijan". Global Network for the Forecasting of Earthquakes.
  246. ^ Азербайджанский ученый изобрел метод оповещения о землетрясении (in Russian). BlackSea News. Retrieved 29 March 2011.
  247. ^ "Arianespace signs deal to launch Azerbaijani satellite". News.Az. Archived from the original on 8 November 2010. Retrieved 5 November 2010.
  248. ^ "Azerbaijan signs deal with Arianespace to launch satellite". Space Travel. Archived from the original on 6 November 2010. Retrieved 5 November 2010.
  249. ^ "Orbital Contracted to Build Azerbaijan's First Satellite". SatelliteToday. 28 November 2010. Archived from the original on 10 May 2011. Retrieved 1 April 2011.
  250. ^ "Baku developing satellite to kick off national space program". Hurriyet Daily News and Economic Review. 3 December 2009. Archived from the original on 7 October 2011. Retrieved 4 January 2011.
  251. ^ "Meeting held to coordinate orbital slots for Azersat". News.Az. 16 November 2009. Archived from the original on 11 May 2011. Retrieved 18 March 2016.
  252. ^ "Азербайджан рассчитывает запустить спутник связи AzerSat" (in Russian). ComNews. Retrieved 29 July 2009.
  253. ^ "Population of Azerbaijan revealed". Report. 15 April 2022. Retrieved 3 May 2022.
  254. ^ "Azərbaycanda demoqrafik vəziyyət". State Statistical Committee of Azerbaijan (in Azerbaijani). Archived from the original on 19 February 2019. Retrieved 28 February 2019.
  255. ^ "Xaricdəki təşkilatlar" (in Azerbaijani). State Committee on Work with Diaspora. Retrieved 25 May 2007.
  256. ^ a b c d e "Ethnic minorities". Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Archived from the original on 17 April 2007. Retrieved 27 May 2007.
  257. ^ Azərbaycanın əhalisi | Azərbaycan Respublikasının Dövlət Statistika Komitəsi. Stat.gov.az. Retrieved 1 July 2017.
  258. ^ The State Statistical Committee of the Azerbaijan Republic, The ethnic composition of the population according to the 2009 census. azstat.org
  259. ^ a b Population by language, sex and urban/rural residence, UN Data. Retrieved 27 August 2016.
  260. ^ Miller, Donald E.; Miller, Lorna Touryan (2003). Armenia: Portraits of Survival and Hope. Berkeley, California: University of California Press. p. 7. ISBN 978-0-520-23492-5.
  261. ^ "Nagorno Karabakh Republic – Country Overview". Nkrusa.org. Archived from the original on 19 April 2012. Retrieved 6 May 2012.
  262. ^ "Ethnologue report for Azerbaijan". Ethnologue: Languages of the World. Archived from the original on 18 December 2008. Retrieved 3 January 2009.
  263. ^ a b c d e f g h "Endangered languages in Europe and North Asia". Retrieved 4 July 2015.
  264. ^ Clifton, John M., editor. 2002 (vol. 1), 2003 (vol. 2). Studies in languages of Azerbaijan. Baku, Azerbaijan and Saint Petersburg, Russia: Institute of International Relations, Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan and North Eurasian Group, SIL International.
  265. ^ Sharifov, Azad. "Legend of the Bibi-Heybat Mosque". Azerbaijan International. Retrieved 11 July 2010.
  266. ^ "Islam and Secularism: the Azerbaijani experience and its reflection in France". PR Web. Retrieved 16 August 2013.
  267. ^ "Mapping The Global Muslim Population" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 May 2011. Retrieved 22 May 2011.
  268. ^ "Religion" (PDF). Administrative Department of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan – Presidential Library. Retrieved 12 May 2023.
  269. ^ Sources:
  270. ^ Ismayilov, Murad (2018). "1: Hybrid Intentionality and Exogenus Sources of Elite's Manifold Attitudes to Islam in Azerbaijan". The Dialectics of Post-Soviet Modernity and the Changing Contours of Islamic Discourse in Azerbaijan. London: Lexington Books. p. 2. ISBN 9781498568364. The country's population historically divided between the Shia (currently some 50-65 percent of the population) and the Sunni (about 35–50 percent).
  271. ^ Whitaker's Shorts 2015: International. Bloomsbury. 2014. ISBN 9781472914842.
  272. ^ Gallup – What Alabamians and Iranians Have in Common – data accessed on 19 August 2014
  273. ^ "Global Christianity". Pew Research Center's Religion & Public Life Project. 1 December 2014. Archived from the original on 19 July 2014. Retrieved 4 July 2015.
  274. ^ "Catholic Church in Azerbaijan". Catholic-Hierarchy. Archived from the original on 29 April 2007. Retrieved 27 May 2007.
  275. ^ a b Corley, Felix (9 March 2002). "Azerbaijan: 125 religious groups re-registered". Keston News Service. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 9 April 2002.
  276. ^ "5,000 Azerbaijanis adopted Christianity" (in Russian). Day.az. 7 July 2007. Retrieved 30 January 2012.
  277. ^ "Christian Missionaries Becoming Active in Azerbaijan" (in Azerbaijani). Tehran Radio. 19 June 2011. Archived from the original on 19 February 2014. Retrieved 12 August 2012.
  278. ^ Rothholz, Peter (20 November 2015). "Jewish Life in Azerbaijan Embodies Muslim-Majority Nation's Culture of Tolerance". BreakingIsraelNews. Jewish News Syndicate. Archived from the original on 21 November 2015.
  279. ^ "Baku gives land for Jewish cultural center, kosher restaurant". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. 11 December 2013.
  280. ^ Allen-Ebrahimian, Bethany. "How I Accidentally Became a Lobbyist for Azerbaijan". Foreign Policy.
  281. ^ Sloame, Joanna. "Azerbaijan". Jewish Virtual Library. American-Israeli Cooperative Enterprise.
  282. ^ Azerbaijan. state.gov
  283. ^ a b "Azerbaijan: A Country Study, Education, Health, and Welfare". Country Studies.
  284. ^ "Human Development Report 2009" (PDF). United Nations Development Program 2009. January 2009.
  285. ^ "Education in Azerbaijan, The Challenges of Transition". Azerbaijan International. Retrieved 12 March 2016.
  286. ^ Public Domain One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain: Curtis, Glenn E. (1995). Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia : country studies (1st ed.). Washington, D.C.: Federal Research Division. pp. 111–113. ISBN 978-0-8444-0848-4. OCLC 31709972.
  287. ^ Waters, Zena. "What exactly is Novruz Bayram". Azerbaijan Today. Archived from the original on 14 May 2011. Retrieved 22 March 2009.
  288. ^ David C. King. Azerbaijan, Marshall Cavendish, 2006, p. 94
  289. ^ a b Энциклопедический музыкальный словарь, 2-е изд., Москва, 1966 (Encyclopedical Music Dictionary (1966), 2nd ed., Moscow)
  290. ^ "The Azerbaijan musical instruments". Atlas.musigi-dunya.az. Archived from the original on 26 August 2007. Retrieved 27 May 2007.
  291. ^ During, Jean (2001). "Azerbaijan". The Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians. Macmillan. ISBN 978-0-333-23111-1.
  292. ^ Duncan, Ishhad. "The Baku Jazz Festival: Reviving a Tradition in Azerbaijan". EurasiaNet. Archived from the original on 8 May 2005. Retrieved 27 April 2005.
  293. ^ Bahl, Taru; Syed, M. H. (2003). Encyclopaedia of the Muslim World. Anmol Publications PVT. p. 25. ISBN 978-81-261-1419-1.
  294. ^ "ashik, shaman" Archived 26 May 2017 at the Wayback MachineEuropean University Institute, Florence, Italy (retrieved 10 August 2006).
  295. ^ "Azerbaijan's ashug art included into UNESCO list of Intangible Cultural Heritage". Today.Az. Archived from the original on 2 October 2009. Retrieved 1 October 2009.
  296. ^ Hutcheon, David (19 September 2008). "Alim Qasimov: the living legend you've never heard of". The Times. London. Retrieved 19 September 2008.
  297. ^ "The Washington Post: Azerbaijan duo upset favorites Ireland for first-time win at 2011 Eurovision Song Contest". president.az. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
  298. ^ "Azerbaijan wins the Eurovision Song Contest". BBC News. 14 May 2011. Archived from the original on 14 May 2011. Retrieved 14 May 2011.
  299. ^ Lusher, Adam (15 May 2011). "Azerbaijan wins Eurovision Song Contest". The Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on 10 January 2022. Retrieved 15 May 2011.
  300. ^ "2018 First Semi-final Scoreboard". Eurovision Song Contest. Archived from the original on 12 May 2018. Retrieved 13 May 2018.
  301. ^ "Азербайджанская Советская Социалистическая Республика". Great Soviet Encyclopedia.
  302. ^ Azerbaijan. Cultural life. Encyclopædia Britannica.
  303. ^ a b Beale, Thomas William; Keene Henry George (1894). An Oriental Biographical Dictionary. W.H.Allen. p. 311. ISBN 9781404706484.
  304. ^ a b A.Caferoglu, "Adhari(azeri)", in Encyclopedia of Islam, (new edition), Vol. 1, (Leiden, 1986)
  305. ^ Tyrrell, Maliheh S. (2001). Aesopian Literary Dimensions of Azerbaijani Literature of the Soviet Period, 1920–1990. Lexington Books. p. 12. ISBN 978-0-7391-0169-8.
  306. ^ Průšek, Jaroslav (1974). Dictionary of Oriental Literatures. Basic Books. p. 138.
  307. ^ "AZERBAIJAN viii. Azeri Turkish". Encyclopaedia Iranica. 15 December 1988. Retrieved 9 May 2022. The oldest poet of the Azeri literature known so far (and indubitably of Azeri, not of East Anatolian of Khorasani, origin) is ʿEmād-al-dīn Nasīmī (about 1369–1404, q.v.).
  308. ^ a b Burrill, Kathleen R.F. (1972). The Quatrains of Nesimi Fourteenth-Century Turkic Hurufi. Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co. KG. p. 46. ISBN 978-90-279-2328-8.
  309. ^ Balan, Canan (1 July 2008). "Transience, absurdity, dreams and other illusions: Turkish shadow play". Early Popular Visual Culture. 6 (2): 177. doi:10.1080/17460650802150424. ISSN 1746-0654. S2CID 191493938.
  310. ^ a b c "Seyid Imadeddin Nesimi". Encyclopædia Britannica. 2008. Archived from the original on 18 January 2008. Retrieved 1 September 2008.
  311. ^ Babinger, Franz (2008). "Nesīmī, Seyyid ʿImād al-Dīn". Encyclopaedia of Islam. Brill Online. Archived from the original on 29 July 2020. Retrieved 1 September 2008.
  312. ^ Michael E. Meeker, "The Dede Korkut Ethic", International Journal of Middle East Studies, Vol. 24, No. 3 (Aug. 1992), 395–417. excerpt: The Book of Dede Korkut is an early record of oral Turkic folktales in Anatolia, and as such, one of the mythic charters of Turkish nationalist ideology. The oldest versions of the Book of Dede Korkut consist of two manuscripts copied in the 16th century. The twelve stories that are recorded in these manuscripts are believed to be derived from a cycle of stories and songs circulating among Turkic peoples living in northeastern Anatolia and northwestern Azerbaijan. According to Lewis (1974), an older substratum of these oral traditions dates to conflicts between the ancient Oghuz and their Turkish rivals in Central Asia (the Pecheneks and the Kipchaks), but this substratum has been clothed in references to the 14th-century campaigns of the Akkoyunlu Confederation of Turkic tribes against the Georgians, the Abkhaz, and the Greeks in Trebizond. Such stories and songs would have emerged no earlier than the beginning of the 13th century, and the written versions that have reached us would have been composed no later than the beginning of the 15th century. By this time, the Turkic peoples in question had been in touch with Islamic civilization for several centuries, had come to call themselves "Turcoman" rather than "Oghuz," had close associations with sedentary and urbanized societies, and were participating in Islamized regimes that included nomads, farmers, and townsmen. Some had abandoned their nomadic way of life altogether.
  313. ^ Cemal Kafadar(1995), "in Between Two Worlds: Construction of the Ottoman states", University of California Press, 1995. Excerpt: "It was not earlier than the fifteenth century. Based on the fact that the author is buttering up both the Akkoyunlu and Ottoman rulers, it has been suggested that the composition belongs to someone living in the undefined border region lands between the two states during the reign of Uzun Hassan (1466–78). G. Lewis, on the other hand, dates the composition "fairly early in the 15th century at least."
  314. ^ a b İlker Evrım Bınbaş, Encyclopædia Iranica, "Oguz Khan Narratives" Encyclopædia Iranica | Articles. Retrieved October 2010. "The Ketāb-e Dede Qorqut, which is a collection of twelve stories reflecting the oral traditions of the Turkmens in the 15th-century eastern Anatolia, is also called Oḡuz-nāma"
  315. ^ Minorsky, Vladimir (1942). "The Poetry of Shah Ismail". Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. 10 (4): 1053. doi:10.1017/S0041977X00090182. S2CID 159929872.
  316. ^ V. Minorsky, "The Poetry of Shah Ismail I," Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London 10/4 (1942): 1006–53.
  317. ^ Samuel, Geoffrey; Gregor, Hamish; Stutchbury, Elisabeth (1994). Tantra and Popular Religion in Tibet. International Academy of Indian Culture and Aditya Prakashan. p. 60. ISBN 978-81-85689-68-5.
  318. ^ Friche, Vladimir [in Russian]; Lunacharsky, Anatoly (1929–1939). Литературная энциклопедия. — В 11 т.; М.: издательство Коммунистической академии, Советская энциклопедия, Художественная литература (in Russian).
  319. ^ "Country of the month – Azerbaijan". eanpages.org. 1 September 2018.
  320. ^ "The traditional art of Azerbaijani carpet weaving in the Republic of Azerbaijan". UNESCO. Archived from the original on 5 December 2010. Retrieved 4 January 2011.
  321. ^ "Azerbaijani carpet entered UNESCO List of Intangible Cultural Heritage". Azerbaijan Press Agency. Archived from the original on 11 March 2012. Retrieved 4 January 2011.
  322. ^ "Ancient Heritage of the BTC – SCP Pipeline Corridor". Smithsonian. Archived from the original on 23 April 2014. Retrieved 21 April 2014.
  323. ^ "Organización de las Naciones Unidas para la Educación, la Ciencia y la Cultura". UNESCO.
  324. ^ Akhmedov, IA. Азербайджанская кухня (in Russian). Издательство "Ишыг".
  325. ^ "Chaihana: culture in action". Aze.info. Archived from the original on 5 January 2013. Retrieved 14 December 2012.
  326. ^ The Azerbaijani Turks: power and identity under Russian rule. Audrey L. Altstadt. Hoover Institution Press. 1992. ISBN 978-0-8179-9182-1.
  327. ^ Khanlou, Pirouz. "Baku's Architecture A Fusion of East and West". Azerbaijan International. Retrieved 12 March 2016.
  328. ^ "Azerbaijan Properties inscribed on the World Heritage List". UNESCO.
  329. ^ "World Heritage Sites in Azerbaijan". World Heritage Site.
  330. ^ "Over 70 underground stations to be built in Baku". News.Az. Retrieved 18 February 2011.
  331. ^ Jon Walton (1 February 2012). "$100 Billion Khazar Islands Taking Shape". Construction Digital. Archived from the original on 13 July 2012. Retrieved 25 March 2013.
  332. ^ Glass, Nick. "Flame Towers light up Baku's historic skyline". CNN. Retrieved 14 April 2013.
  333. ^ Наскальные рисунки Гямигая. irs-az.com.
  334. ^ "Ornaments Coming from Gobustan". Diva International.
  335. ^ "Gobustan Rock Art". worldheritagesite.org. Retrieved 11 October 2013.
  336. ^ "Azerbaijani Artists". arthistoryarchive.com. Retrieved 11 October 2013.
  337. ^ "Steps of Time & Art is not only ugly". universes-in-universe.org. Archived from the original on 15 March 2014. Retrieved 11 October 2013.
  338. ^ a b "Cinema in Azerbaijan: Pre-Soviet Era". Azerbaijan International. Autumn 1997. Retrieved 12 March 2016.
  339. ^ Celebrating 100 Years in Film, not 80 by Aydin Kazimzade. Azerbaijan International, Autumn 1997
  340. ^ a b "Azerbaijani cinema in 1920–1935: Silent films". OCAZ.eu.
  341. ^ "Ümumrespublika Televiziya Kanalları". ntrc.gov.az (in Azerbaijani). Archived from the original on 25 November 2020. Retrieved 23 November 2020.
  342. ^ Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, The Protection of media freedom in Europe Archived 2 July 2016 at the Wayback Machine.Background report prepared by Mr William Horsley, special representative for media freedom of the Association of European Journalists
  343. ^ Freedom House, Azerbaijan Archived 10 September 2015 at the Wayback Machine 2015 Press Freedom report
  344. ^ "Freedom of the Press 2013" (PDF). Freedom House. Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 October 2022.
  345. ^ "Azerbaijan". The Voice of the Martyrs Canada. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
  346. ^ "2018 Report on International Religious Freedom: Azerbaijan". US Department of State. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
  347. ^ "Threat to retransmission of BBC, Voice of America and Radio Liberty/Radio Free Europe". Reporters Without Borders. 17 October 2006. Archived from the original on 19 September 2016. Retrieved 25 June 2016.
  348. ^ "Azerbaijan: Anti-Gay Crackdown". Human Rights Watch. 3 October 2017.
  349. ^ "Azerbaijan named most anti-LGBT+ country in Europe". The Independent. 13 May 2019.
  350. ^ Ognianova, Nina (11 June 2015). "Baku 2015: Press freedom, Azerbaijan, and the European Games". Committee to Protect Journalists.
  351. ^ "Azerbaijan: Crackdown on Critics Amid Pandemic". Human Rights Watch. 16 April 2020.
  352. ^ "Azerbaijan abuses quarantine rules to jail critical journalists and bloggers". International Press Institute. 23 April 2020. Archived from the original on 3 May 2020. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
  353. ^ Nozadze, Natalia (8 October 2015). "Azerbaijan closes its doors". News. Amnesty International. Retrieved 15 June 2016.
  354. ^ Amnesty, International. "Annual report on Azerbaijan". Amnesty International.
  355. ^ "Amnesty International Report 2015/16 – Azerbaijan". Amnesty International. 24 February 2016. Retrieved 29 April 2022 – via Refworld.
  356. ^ Harding, Luke; Barr, Caelainn; Nagapetyants, Dina (4 September 2017). "UK at centre of secret $3bn Azerbaijani money laundering and lobbying scheme". The Guardian. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  357. ^ "Named the most popular kinds of sports in Azerbaijan". report.az. 2 August 2017.
  358. ^ "Azərbaycanda nə qədər futbolçu var?". news.milli.az (in Azerbaijani). Archived from the original on 2 February 2014. Retrieved 27 January 2014.
  359. ^ "Football in Azerbaijan". FIFA. Archived from the original on 20 August 2007. Retrieved 27 January 2014.
  360. ^ "Нефтчи" стал первым азербайджанским футбольным клубом, вышедшим в групповой этап еврокубков – ФОТО. 1news.az (in Russian). Archived from the original on 1 September 2012. Retrieved 30 August 2012.
  361. ^ ЦСКА вылетел из еврокубков (in Russian). UEFA. 30 August 2012. Retrieved 30 August 2012.
  362. ^ "Liverpool and Sporting make it as Qarabağ create history". UEFA. 23 August 2017. Retrieved 24 August 2017.
  363. ^ "Araz clinch third place on penalties". UEFA. 25 April 2010. Archived from the original on 23 December 2010. Retrieved 25 April 2010.
  364. ^ "Azerbaijan: Official Atlético sponsor". Club Atlético de Madrid. Archived from the original on 31 May 2016. Retrieved 25 April 2015.
  365. ^ "Chess with Luke McShane". Daily Express. 17 May 2009. Retrieved 12 April 2014.
  366. ^ "Azerbaijan's chess team became European champion". Today.Az. 31 October 2009. Retrieved 30 June 2010.
  367. ^ "Azerbaijan, Russia take gold at the European Team Chess Championship". Chessdom. Archived from the original on 2 May 2019. Retrieved 30 June 2010.
  368. ^ "World Chess Champion: Zeynab Mammadyarova". Azerbaijan International. Retrieved 30 June 2010.
  369. ^ "Carlsen beats Nakamura for perfect 2/2 start in the Gashimov Memorial". The Week in Chess. Retrieved 24 April 2014.
  370. ^ История нард (in Russian). 1-Kalyan. Retrieved 27 May 2007.
  371. ^ "Нарды – игра, требующая сноровки и удачи". inforing.net (in Russian). Archived from the original on 14 October 2017. Retrieved 25 September 2009.
  372. ^ История Нард (in Russian). Nards.
  373. ^ "More than just Mammadova: Azerbaijan's ladies cause World Championship upset". fivb.org (Press release). Retrieved 8 May 2014.
  374. ^ "Vakıfbank women achieve historic success, winning intercontinental volleyball trophy". Hürriyet Daily News. Retrieved 8 May 2014.
  375. ^ "Baku". RacingCircuits.info. Retrieved 28 October 2018.
  376. ^ Sylt, Christian. "F1 Will Race in Azerbaijan in 2016 Says Ecclestone". Forbes. Retrieved 25 July 2014.
  377. ^ "Azerbaijan is a country known for its love of sport and sportsmanship". baku2015.com. Archived from the original on 26 September 2013. Retrieved 27 January 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  378. ^ "Baku 2015 heralds new era in European sports movement". The Washington Times. Retrieved 27 January 2014.
  379. ^ "Baku 2017". www.baku2017.com. Archived from the original on 22 June 2017. Retrieved 5 May 2017.
  380. ^ "Baku to host 2019 Summer European Youth Olympic Festival". European Olympic Committees. 17 January 2017. Retrieved 9 July 2018.
  381. ^ Dunbar, Graham (20 October 2020). "Euro 2020 not at risk from UEFA block on Azerbaijan hosting". Associated Press. Geneva. Retrieved 22 October 2020.

Further reading

  • Altstadt, Audrey. Frustrated Democracy in Post-Soviet Azerbaijan (2018)
  • Broers, Broers Laurence. Armenia and Azerbaijan: Anatomy of a rivalry (Edinburgh University Press, 2019).
  • Cornell, Svante E. Azerbaijan since independence (Routledge, 2015).
  • Dragadze, Tamara. "Islam in Azerbaijan: The Position of Women" in Muslim Women's Choices (Routledge, 2020) pp. 152–163.
  • Elliott, Mark. Azerbaijan with Georgia (Trailblazers Publications, 1999).
  • Ergun, Ayça. "Citizenship, National Identity, and Nation-Building in Azerbaijan: Between the Legacy of the Past and the Spirit of Independence." Nationalities Papers (2021): 1–18. online
  • Goltz, Thomas. Azerbaijan Diary : A Rogue Reporter's Adventures in an Oil-Rich, War-Torn, Post-Soviet Republic. M E Sharpe (1998). ISBN 978-0-7656-0244-2
  • Habibov, Nazim, Betty Jo Barrett, and Elena Chernyak. "Understanding women's empowerment and its determinants in post-communist countries: Results of Azerbaijan national survey." Women's Studies International Forum. Vol. 62. Pergamon, 2017.
  • Olukbasi, Suha. Azerbaijan: A Political History. I.B. Tauris (2011). Focus on post-Soviet era.

External links

General information

Major government resources

Major news media

Tourism

40°18′N 47°42′E / 40.3°N 47.7°E / 40.3; 47.7