Azerbaijan

A newer version of this article is available: see Azerbaijan at Schools Wikipedia

The Azerbaijan Republic (Azeri: Azərbaycan or Азәрбајҹан, Russian: Азербайджа́н) in the Caucasus on the Caspian Sea shares borders with Russia in the north, Georgia, Armenia, in the west and Iran in the south. The Naxcivan exclave borders on Armenia, Iran, and Turkey.

Azərbaycan Respublikası

Flag of Azerbaijan Image:azeriarms2.PNG
(In Detail) (Full size)

National motto:
image:LocationAzerbaijan.png
Official language Azeri
Capital Baku
Capital's coordinates 40ÃÂÃÂ° 22' N, 49ÃÂÃÂ° 53' E
President Ilham Aliyev
Prime Minister Artur Rasizade
Area
- Total
- % water Ranked 111th
86,600 kmÃÂÃÂ²
Negligible
Population
- Total (As of 2003>2003 E)
- Density Ranked 89th
7'830'764
90/kmÃÂÃÂ²
Independence
(From Soviet Union)
30 August 1991
Currency Manat (AZM)
Time zone UTC +4 (DST +5)
National anthem National Anthem of the Republic of Azerbaijan
Internet TLD .AZ
Calling Code 994

A nation in the Caucasus of Turkic Muslims, it has been an independent republic since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. Despite a cease-fire, in place since 1994, Azerbaijan has yet to resolve its conflict with Armenia over the Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh enclave (largely Armenian populated). Azerbaijan has lost almost 20% of its territory and must support some 750,000 refugees as a result of the conflict. Corruption is ubiquitous and the promise of wealth from Azerbaijan's undeveloped petroleum resources remains largely unfulfilled. Critics of the government of Azerbaijan consider it to be a Kleptocracy.

Table of contents

1 History
2 Name
3 Politics
4 Administrative divisions
5 Geography
6 Economy
7 Demographics
8 Culture
9 Miscellaneous topics
10 External links and references

History

Main article: History of Azerbaijan

Historically, what is today known as the Republic of Azerbaijan used to be part of Iran (then Persia). Iran lost much territory to Russia in the first half of the 18th century in the Caucasus, including all of what is now Republic of Azerbaijan. It is important to note however, that the lost Iranian territories were not just one single Iranian province, rather, they were multiple smaller provinces, most notably Arran (also known as Caucasus Albania), Shervan and Nakhjavan. The Iranian province of Azarbaijan has always been to the south of the Aras river, as recorded in all the major encyclopedias of the world before 1918. It was only after the end of World War I that the land known as Republic of Azerbaijan today, was for the first time in history named Azerbaijan.

Name

The name Azerbaijan is slight Turkification of Azarbaijan. Azarbaijan in turn is Arabicized version of the original Iranian name Azarpayagan due to the fact that the sounds P and G do not exist in Arabic, and names with those sounds are usually Arabicized. The name Azarbaijan in Persian is made up of Azar+payag+an. Azar=fire; payag=base; an=suffix of location.

One ancient Greek historian has recorded that the name comes from Aturpat (in Old Persian/Middle Persian Atur=Azar, Pat=protector) who was the provincial satrap.

Politics

Main article: Politics of Azerbaijan

Administrative divisions

Main article: Administrative divisions of Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan is divided into:

59 rayons (rayonlar; rayon - singular),
11 cities* (saharlar; sahar - 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.

Music of Azerbaijan

Miscellaneous topics

External links and references

Much of the material in these articles comes from the CIA World Factbook 2000 [1] and the 2003 U.S. Department of State website.
Baku Today
State Statistical Committee of the Azerbaijan Republic
Who is Who in Azerbaijan
United Nations Office in Azerbaijan with a country report
Library of Congress Portals on the World - Azerbaijan

Southwest Asia

Europe

Dependencies

Faroe Islands | Gibraltar | Guernsey | Isle of Man | Jersey

Commonwealth of Independent States