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Azerbaijan or Azerbeijan (Azerbaijani: Azərbaycan, Azərbeycan) is a country in the Caucaus region, adjacent to the Caspian Sea. It borders Russia in the north, Georgia, Armenia, in the west and Iran in the south. The Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic (an exclave) borders on Armenia, Iran, and Turkey
The Republic of Azerbaijan, a secular Turkic-Islamic state, has been a member of the Council of Europe since 2001.
Name
Historical evidence shows that the origins of the name "Azerbaijan" is derived from "Atrupatan." During the Greek conquest in the 3rd century B.C., Atrupat, a local Iranian general, was appointed to rule the region of Azerbaijan, and his state was named "Atrupatakan" after him. Recently some Azerbaijanis have talked about a new theory which states that "Azerbaijan" might be a Turkic name, meaning "high/elevated" and "a place for the wealthy and exalted" yet there is more historical evidence that Atrupatan was the ancient name of the land, forebearing its modern pronounciation.
History Main article: History of Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan is a historical land situated in a crossroads between eastern Europe and western Asia, adjacent to the Caspian Sea. It is often reffered to as "the land of eternal flames" for it is in Azerbaijan, in lands both north and south of the Araz river, where natural gas spontaniously erupts from the ground in the form of fire flames, as it has since antiquity. Historians, anthropologists and scientists agree that it is in this land that the earlieGarden of Eden once existed.
Azerbaijan has been the home of culture and civilization since antiquity. The heritage, culture and civilization of Azerbaijan is amongst the richest and most ancient, and the history of this land and its people is thousands of years old. The people of Azerbaijan are the inheritors of ancient civilizations such as Sumer, Elam, Aratta, Urartu, Mannai, Media and Caucasian Albania and are the descendants of various bodies of Turkic peoples, especially the Oghuz Turks who in the 10th century set the national foundation of modern Azerbaijan.
In the early 19th century, the protected kingdom of Azerbaijan which was under the administration of the Qajar dynasty was seperated in half following the wars fought between Russia and Iran. Azerbaijan was divided in 1828 along the Araz river, which is a physical barrier that has divided the land politically up until now. The northern part of Azerbaijan gained independence in 1991 and is an independent country, and the southern portion of Azerbaijan still remains a stateless nation in Iran, although Azerbaijani statehood in Iran was achieved in the past and demands for self-rule are still voiced.
Politics Main article: Politics of Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan is a presidential republic. The head of state and head of government are separate from the country's law making body. The people elect the president for a five-year term of office. The president appoints all cabinet level government administrators. A fifty member national assembly makes the country's laws. The people of Azerbaijan elect the National Assembly. Azerbaijan has universal suffrage above the age of eighteen. However, the Azerbaijani government has been accused of widespread corruption (a kleptocracy, to some people).
Administrative divisions Main article: Administrative divisions of Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan is divided into:
- 59 rayons (rayonlar; rayon - singular),
- 11 cities* (şəhərlər; şəhər - singular),
- 1 autonomous republic** (muxtar respublika);
Abseron Rayonu, Agcabadi Rayonu, Agdam Rayonu, Agdas Rayonu, Agstafa Rayonu, Agsu Rayonu, Ali Bayramli Sahari*, Astara Rayonu, Baki Sahari*, Balakan Rayonu, Barda Rayonu, Beylaqan Rayonu, Bilasuvar Rayonu, Cabrayil Rayonu, Calilabad Rayonu, Daskasan Rayonu, Davaci Rayonu, Fuzuli Rayonu, Gadabay Rayonu, Ganca Sahari*, Goranboy Rayonu, Goycay Rayonu, Haciqabul Rayonu, Imisli Rayonu, Ismayilli Rayonu, Kalbacar Rayonu, Kurdamir Rayonu, Lacin Rayonu, Lankaran Rayonu, Lankaran Sahari*, Lerik Rayonu, Masalli Rayonu, Mingacevir Sahari*, Naftalan Sahari*, Naxcivan Muxtar Respublikasi**, Neftcala Rayonu, Oguz Rayonu, Qabala Rayonu, Qax Rayonu, Qazax Rayonu, Qobustan Rayonu, Quba Rayonu, Qubadli Rayonu, Qusar Rayonu, Saatli Rayonu, Sabirabad Rayonu, Saki Rayonu, Saki Sahari*, Salyan Rayonu, Samaxi Rayonu, Samkir Rayonu, Samux Rayonu, Siyazan Rayonu, Sumqayit Sahari*, Susa Rayonu, Susa Sahari*, Tartar Rayonu, Tovuz Rayonu, Ucar Rayonu, Xacmaz Rayonu, Xankandi Sahari*, Xanlar Rayonu, Xizi Rayonu, Xocali Rayonu, Xocavand Rayonu, Yardimli Rayonu, Yevlax Rayonu, Yevlax Sahari*, Zangilan Rayonu, Zaqatala Rayonu, Zardab Rayonu.
Geography Main article: Geography of Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan has a temperate climate. Temperatures vary by season. In the southeast lowland, temperatures average forty degrees (Fahrenheit) in the winter and eighty degrees in the summer. In the northern and western mountain ranges, temperatures average fifty-five degrees in the summer and twenty degrees in the winter.
Economy Main article: Economy of Azerbaijan
The economy is largely based on industry. Industries include machine building, oil and other mining, petroleum refining, textile production, and chemical processing. Agriculture accounts for one third of Azerbaijan's economy. Most of the nation's farms are irrigated. In the lowlands, farmers grow such crops as cotton, fruit, grain, tea, tobacco, and many types of vegetables. Silkworms are raised for production of natural silk for the clothing industry. Azerbaijan's herders raise cattle, sheep and goats near the mountain ranges. Seafood and fish are caught in the nearby Caspian Sea. Azerbaijan is a highly dynamic economy, mainly because of oil, and has a GDP growth of 14% a year.
Demographics Main article: Demographics of Azerbaijan
According to the CIA World Factbook, about eighty nine percent of Azerbaijan's population is ethnic Azerbaijani, and the rest of the population is Russian, Armenian, or another ethnicity of the area. Some people state that there are also large Talishi and Tat minorities, about thirty percent of the population together, whose existence is either denied (they are counted as Azerbaijanis) or their numbers are downplayed in the official anouncements of the government. Most Azerbaijanis are Shia Muslim. Other religions or philosophical beliefs that are followed by many in the country are the Sunni and Sufi sects of Islam, the Armenian Orthodox Church, the Russian Orthodox Church, and various secular beliefs (much of which are left over from the Soviet era of less tolerance for spirituality).
Culture Main article: Culture of Azerbaijan
Miscellaneous topics
External links and references - Much of the material in these articles comes from the CIA World Factbook 2000 [1] (http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/aj.html) and the 2003 U.S. Department of State website.
- Caucaz.com : Weekly online publishing articles and reports about Azerbaijan and South Caucasus. Available in English and French (http://www.caucaz.com/home_uk)
- Baku Today (http://www.bakutoday.net)
- State Statistical Committee of the Azerbaijan Republic (http://www.azeri.com/goscomstat/)
- Azerbaijan Pictures (http://www.travel-images.com/azerbaijan.html)
- Who is Who in Azerbaijan (http://www.whitepages.top.az/html/)
- United Nations Office in Azerbaijan (http://www.un-az.org) with a country report (http://www.un-az.org/couinf.htm)
- Library of Congress Portals on the World - Azerbaijan (http://www.loc.gov/rr/international/amed/azerbaijan/azerbaijan.html)
- Azerbaijan: Delivering Dreams (http://www.insightnewstv.com/c47)
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