Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan (in Azeri, AzÜrbaycan, pronounced[›»( listen)), officially Republic of Azerbaijan (in Azeri, Azěrbaycan Respublikası, pronounced[/25070/zæ angularbŭjшdŭn γespublikŭs]]), is a sovereign country of the Caucasus region, located between Western Asia and Eastern Europe. No exit to any ocean, bordering the east with the Caspian Sea, north with Russia, northwest with Georgia, west with Armenia and south with Iran. The Najichevan exclave borders Armenia to the north and east, with Turkey to the west and Iran to the south and west.

Azerbaijani territory has a historical and ancient cultural heritage, originally inhabited by the Caucasian (Aghvank) Albanian civilization, a local Christian people who had their own alphabet, until the Islamic conquest which left hardly any traces of it. It is one of the Muslim countries with the greatest support for secularism and religious tolerance. The Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, the first secular and democratic republic in the Islamic world, was established in 1918, but became part of the Soviet Union since 1920 until its independence in 1991. Shortly thereafter, during the Upper Karabakh War, Armenia occupied the Upper Karabakh region as well as other surrounding territories and enclaves previously held by Azerbaijanis, although in 2020 Azerbaijan recaptured much of those territories with a new war. The Republic of Artsakh, which emerged in this area, continues without diplomatic recognition from any nation and is still considered de jure as part of Azerbaijan, despite being de facto independent. since the end of the war.

Azerbaijan is a unitary, secular, constitutionalist republic. It is one of the six independent Turkic states, as well as an active member of the Turkic Council and the Türksoy community. It also has diplomatic relations with 158 countries and is a member of 38 international organizations. It is one of the founding members of GUAM and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). On May 9, 2006, Azerbaijan was elected a member of the newly created Human Rights Council by the United Nations General Assembly.

After gaining its independence, Azerbaijan achieved a high level of human, economic, and literacy development, as well as low levels of unemployment and homicides compared to other CIS and Eastern European countries. On January 1, 2012, the country began its two-year term as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council. In 2015, the country became an observer member of the Forum of Gas Exporting Countries (FPEG).

Etymology

The name Azerbaijan, shared by the republic and Iranian Azerbaijan, comes from the name of Atropates, a Persian satrap of the Achaemenid Empire, who was reinstated as satrap of Media under Alexander the Great. and ruled the Atropatene region (present-day Iranian Azerbaijan). The word Atropates is a Greek transliteration of an Old Iranian compound name, probably from Media, meaning "Protector of (Sacred) Fire" or "The Land of (Sacred) Fire". Greek name is mentioned by Diodorus Siculus and Strabo. Over the following centuries, the name evolved to Aturpatakan and then Adharbadhagan, Adharbayagan and Azarbaydjan, up to the present day. Azerbaijan. The word can be translated as "The Treasury" or "The Treasurer of Fire", or as "The Land of Fire" in modern Persian.

History

Antiquity

Petroglyphs in Gobustan dating from 10000 BC, currently declared a World Heritage Site.

The earliest evidence of human habitation in present-day Azeri territory dates from the late Stone Age and is related to the Guruchay culture of the Azykh cave. Late Paleolithic and Bronze Age cultures also left vestiges in the caves of Tagilar, Damcili, Zar, Yataq-yeri and in the Leylatepe necropolis.

In the IX century B.C. the first Scythian settlements were established; after these, the Medes dominated the region south of the Aras River. The Medes forged a vast empire between 900 and 700 BCE. C., which was integrated into the Achaemenid Empire around 550 BC. C. Later, the area became part of the Empire of Alexander the Great and his successor, the Seleucid Empire. Caucasian Albanians, the original inhabitants of the region, established an independent kingdom around the IV century BCE. During this period, Zoroastrianism spread to the Caucasus and Atropatene.

Feudal era

The Tower of the Maiden in the ancient part of Baku was built in the eleventh century.

In 252 A.D. The Sassanids made Caucasian Albania a vassal state, while King Urnayr officially adopted Christianity as the state religion in the 4th century. Despite numerous conquests by the Sassanids and Byzantines, Albania remained a a semi-independent state until the 9th century. In 667, the Umayyad Caliphate drove both armies out of the region and conquered Caucasian Albania after suppressing Christian resistance led by Prince Javanshir. The power vacuum left by the decline of the Abbasid Caliphate was filled by numerous local dynasties such as the Salarids., the Sayids, the Shaddadids, the Rawadids and the Buyids. In the early 11th century, the territory began to be attacked by waves of Oguz Turkic tribes from Central Asia.

Before the arrival of the Turks, the native population spoke several languages, such as the Northeast Caucasian languages (which survive in the north), probably the Armenian language; and an Iranian language known as Old Azari, which was slowly replaced from the 11th century by present-day Azeri, a Turkic language, until it became completely extinct in the 16th century. However, some linguists claim that the Tati spoken in Iran and Azerbaijan by tats is a remnant of Azarid. The region was annexed to the Seljuk Empire in the 11th century, when the atabegs system was established to police the territory. Although technically vassals of the Seljuk sultans, atabegs often became de facto independent rulers. Under the Seljuk rule, local poets such as Nezamí Ganyaví and Khagani Shirvani promoted the flourishing of Persian literature in the territory of present-day Azerbaijan. The next dominant state was that of the short-lived Jalayérid dynasty, which fell amid the conquests of Tamerlane.

Map of the Safavid Empire.

The local dynasty of the Shirvansháhs was at the service of the Timurid Empire in its fight against Toqtamish, the ruler of the Golden Horde. After the death of Tamerlane, two rival Turkic states arose: Kara Koyunlu and Ak Koyunlu, which invaded the Caucasus from the south, although they ended up defeated by the Ottoman Empire. The Shirvansháhs returned to power, maintaining a high degree of autonomy as local rulers from 861 to 1539. During the rule of the Safavids, Shi'ism prevailed among the formerly Sunni population, as part of their struggle against the Ottoman Empire.

Modern era

Signature of the Treaty of Turkmenchay (1828), in which Persia yielded the Caucasus kanatos to the Russian Empire.

After the fall of the Safavids, the area was dominated by the Iranian dynasties of the Afsharid, Zand and briefly the Qajar. After the collapse of the last dynasty, de facto independent khanates emerged. The brief and successful Russian campaign of 1812 ended with the Treaty of Gulistan, in which claims to Russia were withdrawn. shahs over some Khanates in the Caucasus, by virtue of their having been de facto independent long before the Russian occupation.

The khanates exercised exclusive control over the main trade routes between Central Asia and the West. Engaged in constant warfare, these khanates were finally incorporated into the Russian Empire in 1813, following the Russo-Persian War. The area north of the Aras River, a portion of present-day Azerbaijani territory, was part of Iran until it was occupied by Russia. With the Treaty of Turkmenchay, Persia recognized Russian sovereignty over the Yerevan Khanate, the Nakhchivan Khanate and Lankaran Khanate.

In 2007, during the construction of a stadium, the mass grave of Quba was discovered. Studies conducted by Azerbaijani and foreign scientists confirmed that the human remains found at the site belonged to local residents of various nationalities, including Jews and Lezgins, who were killed in a 1918 massacre carried out by the Armenians. By 2010, remains had been found. more than 600 corpses, including the remains of 50 children and 100 women.

Map of the Democratic Republic of Azerbaijan published by the Paris Peace Conference (1919).

After the collapse of the Russian Empire during World War I, Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Georgia formed the short-lived Transcaucasian Democratic Federal Republic. When it dissolved in May 1918, Azerbaijan declared its independence as the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic (GDR), the first modern parliamentary republic in the Islamic world. Among the main contributions of this first parliament was granting women the right to vote, one of the first countries in the region to do so. Baku State University, the first modern university in the Middle East, was also created.

By March 1920, the expansion of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) began to threaten Baku. Vladimir Lenin said that the occupation of the GDR was justified because the USSR could not survive without Bakunese oil. After only 23 months of independent life, the country was invaded by the Bolshevik 11th Red Army, which established the Azerbaijan SSR on April 28, 1920. Although much of the newly formed Azerbaijani army was fighting an Armenian revolt in Karabakh, Azerbaijan did not give up its brief independence easily. Nearly 20,000 Azerbaijani soldiers were killed as part of the resistance to the Russian reconquest.

On October 13, 1921, the Soviet republics of Russia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia signed an agreement with Turkey known as the Treaty of Kars. According to it, the formerly independent Nakhchivan SSR would become an autonomous republic under the supervision of the Azerbaijan SSR. On the other hand, Armenia got the Zangezur region and Turkey agreed to return Gyumri (then known as Alexandropol) to it.

Baku in the early 1950s.

During World War II, Azerbaijan played a crucial role in the USSR's energy strategy, as most of the oil used by the Eastern Front came from Baku. In February 1942 and by decree of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union, more than 500 workers in the oil industry in Azerbaijan were honored with orders and medals. Operation Edelweiss, carried out by the German Wehrmacht, targeted Baku because of its importance as an energy supplier to the USSR. Between 1941 and 1945, a fifth of all Azerbaijanis fought in World War II. Although the total population of Azerbaijan at the time was 3.4 million, approximately 600,000 troops fought on the front lines; about 250,000 people died in the war. More than 130 Azerbaijanis were named Heroes of the Soviet Union, including Major General Azi Aslanov, who was twice awarded this distinction.

In the 1940s, the threat of a Soviet invasion of Iran caused Iran to close its northern border and kept it under surveillance until the 1990s. Like other nations, in the seventy years of Soviet rule the Azerbaijan SSR it suffered political and cultural oppression, as well as a forced economic transition to communism. At the same time, the population increased, as did levels of literacy and industrialization. During the Cold War era, thousands of Russian and Armenian immigrants arrived in Azerbaijan, although many of them left the country in the 1990s. According to the 1970 census, there were 510,000 Russians and 484,000 Armenians in the country. After the first signs of socialist decline began to manifest themselves in the 1960s, Baku's oil began to lose its importance in the supply of the USSR and the economy contracted. President Heydar Aliyev, the leader of the Azerbaijan Communist Party, introduced some improvements to the situation in the country, but was ousted after the start of perestroika policies.

Republic

Situation of the Republic of Artsaj between 1994 and 2020, independent country de facto.

With the implementation of glasnost policies, initiated by Mikhail Gorbachev, civil unrest and ethnic strife arose in various regions of the Soviet Union, including Nagorno-Karabakh, a region of the Azerbaijan SSR. In response to Moscow's indifference to the already escalating conflict, unrest in Azerbaijan gave rise to calls for independence and secession, culminating in Black January in Baku. In 1990, the Supreme Council of the Azerbaijan SSR removed the words "Soviet Socialist" from the official name of the country, approved the Declaration of Sovereignty of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and restored the flag of the GDR. On October 18, 1991, the Supreme Council of Azerbaijan adopted a declaration of independence that was affirmed by a national referendum the following December, when the Soviet Union officially dissolved.

The first years of independence were overshadowed by the Nagorno Karabagh War, in which the Armenian population of this region sought separation from Azerbaijan and union with Armenia. At the end of the hostilities in 1994, Azerbaijan lost control of 16% of its territory, including Nagorno Karabakh. Nearly 30,000 people were killed in the conflict and more than a million were displaced. Although four Council resolutions Nations Security (822, 853, 874 and 884) demand "the immediate withdrawal of all Armenian forces from all occupied Azerbaijani territories", the conflict still persists.

In 1993, the democratically elected president Abulfaz Elchibey was overthrown by a military insurrection led by Colonel Surat Huseynov, which led to the rise to power of Azerbaijan's former Soviet leader, Heydar Aliyev. Surat Huseynov attempted a military coup against Aliyev, but was arrested and charged with treason. In 1995, an attempted coup by OMON commander Rovshan Javadov was prevented, resulting in the latter's death and the dissolution of Azerbaijan's OMON. During his tenure, Aliyev managed to reduce unemployment in the country, dismantle criminal groups, establish the fundamental institutions for an independent state, and brought peace and stability to enhance foreign investment. At the same time, the country was plagued by corruption in the government bureaucracy. In October 1998, Aliyev was re-elected for a second term. Despite the improvement in the economy, particularly with the exploitation of various oil wells, his government was criticized for alleged electoral fraud and corruption.

Between 2000 and 2001, efforts were increased to improve relations with the other countries in the region and negotiations on the future of Nagorno Karabakh were resumed, with the mediation of France and Turkey. Also in 2001, Azerbaijan officially replaced the Cyrillic alphabet with the Latin one, seeking with this measure to bring the country closer to the West. In 2003, Ilham Aliyev succeeded his father as president and his government has been responsible for maintaining many of the policies of its predecessor, as well as seeking a greater opening to the West and turning Azerbaijan into an industrialized nation.

In 2020, Azerbaijan recaptured a large amount of the Nagorno Karabakh and surrounding territories that were under Armenian rule after winning the Second Upper Karabakh War (see 2020 Upper Karabakh Ceasefire Agreement).

Government and politics

President Ilham Aliyev with Russian President Dmitri Medvédev during the 2008 CIS summit.

Ilham Aliyev together with Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad (26 October 2019).

The structural formation of the Azerbaijani political system was completed with the adoption of a new constitution on November 12, 1995. According to article 23 of the constitution, the national symbols are the flag, the coat of arms and the national anthem. The power of the State is limited only by law in internal affairs, but for international affairs it is also limited by the regulations of international agreements.

The government of Azerbaijan is based on the division of powers into three branches: legislative, executive and judicial. The legislative branch consists of the unicameral National Assembly and the Supreme National Assembly in the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic. Elections for the assembly are held every five years, on the first Sunday in November. The New Azerbaijan Party and other minority parties, aligned with the current government, hold most of the 125 seats in the Assembly. European observers found numerous irregularities during the preparation and conduct of the 2010 elections in which the opposition parties, Musavat and the Azerbaijan Popular Front Party, failed to win a single seat.

Executive power is exercised by a president elected to a five-year term by direct suffrage. The president is authorized to form his own cabinet, a body of executive power subordinate to the president, which normally consists of the prime minister, deputies and ministers. 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, parliament must have a majority of 95 votes. The judiciary consists of the Constitutional Court, the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeal, and the common courts; the president appoints the judges of these courts.

Created on April 10, 1997, the Security Council is a deliberative body under the control of the president, who organizes it as stipulated in the constitution. The administrative department is not part of the president's office, but manages financial, technical, and executive branch activities. Although Azerbaijan has held several elections since gaining independence and has many formal institutions for democracy, the report Freedom in the World 2012 produced by Freedom House is considered "not free".

Foreign Relations

Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov and his wife together with United States President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama.

The short-lived Democratic Republic of Azerbaijan managed to establish diplomatic relations with six countries, in addition to sending diplomatic representatives to Germany and Finland. The process of international recognition of Azerbaijani independence after the fall of the Soviet Union lasted less than a year. The last country to recognize Azerbaijan's independence was Bahrain on November 6, 1996. The first diplomatic relations with mutual exchange of missions were established with Turkey, Pakistan, the United States, Iran and Israel. Since then, Azerbaijan has placed particular emphasis on its "special relationship" with Turkey. It is a founding member of the Turkish Council.

By 2012, the country maintained diplomatic relations with 158 countries, in addition to being part of 38 international organizations. It is an observer member of the Non-Aligned Movement and the World Trade Organization, and a correspondent of the International Union of Telecommunications. On May 9, 2006, Azerbaijan was elected to be a member of the newly established Human Rights Council by the United Nations General Assembly.

Azerbaijani foreign policy priorities include: restoration of its territorial integrity; elimination of the consequences of the loss of Nagorno-Karabakh and other territories; integration into the European and Euro-Atlantic structure; contribute to international security; cooperation with international organizations; regional cooperation and in bilateral relations; strengthening of the defense forces; security promotion through national policies; strengthening of democracy; preservation of ethnic and religious tolerance; support for scientific, educational and cultural policies with the preservation of moral values; socioeconomic development; reinforcement of internal and border security and the creation of new migration, energy and transport security policies.

Azerbaijan is an active member of international coalitions fighting terrorism. The country contributes to peacekeeping efforts in Kosovo, Afghanistan, and Iraq. It is also an active member of NATO's Partnership for Peace program, as well as maintaining good relations with the European Union, where it could apply for membership. if conditions are favourable.

In late 2007, the Azerbaijani government announced that the longstanding dispute over the territory occupied by Armenia was about to unleash a war if not resolved soon. To this end, the government has been increasing the defense budget. In Armenia, economic sanctions imposed by its neighbors have weakened the economy, bringing with it rising prices of basic goods and a sharp decline in state revenue.

Armed Forces

The history of the modern Azerbaijani army began at the time of the Democratic Republic, when the National Army was created on June 26, 1918. After Azerbaijan regained its independence after the dissolution of the Soviet Union, on June 9 On October 1991, the Azerbaijani Armed Forces were founded, in accordance with the provisions of the Armed Forces Law. The date of the creation of the GDR army (June 26) is currently commemorated as Army Day. As of 2002, Azerbaijan had 95,000 active members of its armed forces, in addition to 17,000 paramilitary troops. The armed forces consist of three branches: the army, the air force, and the navy. However, they also encompass various military subgroups that can intervene in national defense if required. These include the Internal Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the State Border Service, which includes the Coast Guard. The Azerbaijan National Guard is another paramilitary force that operates as a semi-independent entity from the State Border Service. Special Protection, an agency under the control of the president.

Azerbaijan adheres to the Conventional Armed Forces in Europe Treaty and has signed multiple international arms treaties. The country cooperates closely with NATO in various peacekeeping programs, so it has deployed 151 peacekeepers in Iraq and another 184 in Afghanistan. In 2011, the budget for military spending was 4,460 million US dollars. The Ministry of Defense Industry manufactures small arms, artillery systems, tanks, night vision binoculars, aviation bombs, automatic military vehicles, military planes and helicopters.

Human Rights

In terms of human rights, regarding membership of the seven bodies of the International Bill of Human Rights, which include the Human Rights Committee (HRC), Azerbaijan has signed or ratified:

Status of major international human rights instruments

Azerbaijan	International treaties
	CESCR		CCPR			CERD	CED	CEDAW		CAT		CRC			MWC	CRPD
	CESCR	CESCR-OP	CCPR	CCPR-OP1	CCPR-OP2-DP			CEDAW	CEDAW-OP	CAT	CAT-OP	CRC	CRC-OP-AC	CRC-OP-SC		CRPD	CRPD-OP
Pertenence
Signed and ratified, signed, but not ratified, neither signed nor ratified, without information, it has agreed to sign and ratify the body concerned, but also recognizes the competence to receive and process individual communications from the competent bodies.

Territorial organization

Economic regions of Azerbaijan.

Districts of Azerbaijan.

For statistical and accounting purposes, Azerbaijan is divided into ten economic regions, which are based on the socio-economic indicators shared by each zone. For political and electoral purposes, the nation is divided into 66 raions (rayonlar, singular rayon) and 77 cities (şəhərlər, singular şəhər), of which 11 are under the direct authority of the republic. Furthermore, Azerbaijan includes the Autonomous Republic (muxtar respublika) of Nakhchivan. governors of each division, while the government of Nakhchivan is elected and approved by the Nakhchivite Assembly. The Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic comprises seven districts and one city, while the Nagorno Karabagh Republic controls three districts, two cities and part of two other districts.

According to a decree of the President "On the new division of economic regions in the Republic of Azerbaijan" Azerbaijan since July 7, 2021 is divided into the following economic regions:

1. Baku
2. Absherón-Khizi
3. Ganyá-Dashkasan
4. Sheki-Zaqatala
5. Lankaran-Astara
6. Guba-Khachmaz
7. Aran Central
8. Karabakh
9. Zangazur Oriental
10. Shirván montañosa
11. Najicheván
12. Gazakh-Tovuz
13. Mil-Mughan
14. Shirván-Salyan

Geography

Azerbaijan and its main cities.

Political map of Azerbaijan.

Physical map of Azerbaijan.

Azerbaijan is located in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia, between Western Asia and Eastern Europe. It is located between latitudes 38° and 42° N and longitudes 44° and 51° E. The total length of the country's borders is 2,648 km, of which 996 km are shared with Armenia, 689 km with Iran, 428 km with Georgia, 338 km with Russia and 17 km with Turkey. It has no outlet to any oceanic sea, but it has a coastline of 713 km with the Caspian Sea. Azerbaijani territory measures 400 km from north to south and 500 km from from west to east.

Three landforms dominate Azerbaijan: the Caspian Sea, whose coastline forms a natural border to the east, the Greater Caucasus Mountains to the north, and the vast plains in the center. The Greater Caucasus, the Talysh Mountains and the Lesser Caucasus cover about 40% of the country's surface. The highest point is Mount Bazardüzü (4,458 masl), while the lowest point is located in the Caspian Sea (- 28 m). About half of all the mud volcanoes on the planet are concentrated in Azerbaijan.

Rivers and lakes form the major part of Azerbaijan's hydrological network and are the main source of fresh water. They formed over a long geologic period and changed significantly during that time, which is particularly evident in the remnants of ancient rivers that exist throughout the country. This basin is under constant change due to natural influences and human activities. Only 24 of the 8,350 rivers exceed 100 km in length. All of these rivers flow into the Caspian Sea to the east. The largest lake is Lake Sarysu (67 km²), while the largest river is the Kurá (1,515 km). Together with the Aras, they flow east to the Kur-Araz plain, forming a navigable network that crosses the center of the country and flows into the Caspian Sea. The four largest Azerbaijani islands occupy an approximate area of 30 km² and among them the Baku archipelago stands out.

Climate

Mount Bazardüzü, the highest point in Azerbaijan.

Azerbaijan's climate is particularly influenced by cold air masses from the Arctic brought by the Scandinavian anticyclone, from Siberia and from Central Asia. However, Azerbaijan's changing landscape affects how these phenomena interact with the climate. The Greater Caucasus protects the country from the direct influence of cold air masses coming from the north, which leads to the formation of a subtropical climate in many of the country's plains and foothills. In addition, these areas are characterized by having high levels of solar radiation. Thanks to its geographical diversity, nine of the eleven existing climates in the Köppen climate classification can be found in Azerbaijan. However, the arid subtropical climate with hot summers and mild winters is the one that prevails in most of the country, also in its capital. The coldest (-33 °C) and warmest (46 °C) temperatures in the country were recorded in the Julfa and Ordubad raions. The maximum annual rainfall falls in Lankaran (1,600 to 1,800 mm) and the minimum in Abşeron (200 to 350 mm). Snowfall is restricted to high and mountainous areas, mainly in the north.

Average climatic parameters of Azerbaijan
Month	Ene.	Feb.	Mar.	Open up.	May.	Jun.	Jul.	Ago.	Sep.	Oct.	Nov.	Dec.	Annual
Average temperature (°C)	5	7	9	14	21	26	28	28	23	18	12	6	16.4
Average temperature (°C)	2	4	7	11	17	22	24	24	20	15	9	6	13.4
Temp. medium (°C)	0	2	4	8	13	18	20	20	17	12	7	2	4
Total precipitation (mm)	119	84	94	66	38	23	28	46	218	213	196	127	1252
Days of precipitation (≥)	12	8	12	9	7	2	2	2	11	8	11	10	94
Relative humidity (%)	79	78	80	76	71	63	61	63	73	81	81	83	74.1
Source: Climatemps.com 19 June 2013

Environment

Mountain Landscape of Quba.

The first reports of the richness and diversity of animal life in Azerbaijan can be found in the travel notes of traders who transited the area. Various sculptures and carvings of animals have survived on architectural monuments, rocks, and ceramics as testimony to the flora of bygone times. However, the first attempts to collect the varieties of animal species in Azerbaijan date back to the 17th century and were made by early naturalists. of the country. It is currently known that there are 106 species of mammals, 97 species of fish, 363 species of birds, 10 species of amphibians and 52 species of reptiles living in Azerbaijani territory. The national animal is the Karabagh horse, a equine of endemic mountain of the region. The Karabakh horse enjoys a good reputation thanks to its good temperament, speed, elegance and intelligence. It is one of the horses with the oldest breed, since its ancestors can be traced back to the Ancient Age. However, due to political problems and the destruction of its habitat, this animal has become a threatened species.

The flora of Azerbaijan consists of more than 4,500 species of vascular plants. Due to the country's unique climate, its flora is richer in number of species compared to other countries in the Caucasus region. In fact, two thirds of the species in the area can be found in Azerbaijan. Since its independence, the Azerbaijani government has carried out various actions to preserve the environment, but it was not until 2001 that real regulations began to be implemented. for nature protection, when the state budget was increased with funds from the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline. In four years, the protected areas doubled and now cover 8% of the national territory. Since 2001, the government has created seven large nature reserves and nearly doubled the budget for environmental protection.

Economy

Evolution of GDP per capita in Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia.

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. The banking system Azerbaijani includes the Central Bank of Azerbaijan, commercial banks and non-bank credit organizations. The National (now Central) Bank was created in 1992 based on the Azerbaijan State Savings Bank, a subsidiary of the USSR State Savings Bank. Its function is the issuance and promotion of the national currency, the Azerbaijani manat, as well as supervising and regulating the activities of all commercial banks.

Azeri 1000 manat billet from 2001 representing the Azerbaijani oil wells.

Driven by growth in supply and demand, inflation during the first quarter of 2007 reached 16.6%. Nominal income and monthly wages rose by 29% and 25%, respectively, but the Rising commodity prices increased inflation. Azerbaijan shows some symptoms of so-called "Dutch disease" due to the rapid growth of the energy sector, which causes inflation and makes exports more expensive.

In the early years of the XXI century, high inflation was somewhat controlled for currency reform, and the On January 1, 2006, the new Azerbaijani manat was put into circulation, cementing the adoption of economic reforms and erasing the vestiges of former economic instability. In 2008, the World Bank listed Azerbaijan as one of the ten countries with best economic reforms in the Doing Business Report. For the 2011-2012 period, the country ranked 55th in the Global Competitiveness Index, above the other CIS countries.

The growth in GDP observed in Azerbaijan in recent years made the country one of the fastest growing economies in the world. But the banking sector has not yet achieved the full development potential that it could achieve given its continued growth. Although in most developed countries this sector plays a more visible role in the development process, the Azerbaijani banking market is in a state of minimal development, although it does help to carry out the economic reforms oriented towards the privatization process. This is why the banking system is considered an important element to improve for economic development. By the 2000s, the country was already operating an advanced double banking system —with public and private initiatives— that is based on the principles of a market economy.

Since 2002, multiple reforms have been implemented in order to restructure the banking sector. The main obstacles to overcome are the low rate of privatization of state banks, a weak financial market and the lack of transparency in financial operations. The reforms have slowly started to show positive results and the competitiveness among the leading banks continues to increase.

Plaza Azneft in the center of Baku, named by the company Azneft (AzOil).

Azerbaijan has the largest agricultural area in the region, with 54.9% of its territory covered by arable land, which is equivalent to more than 4,758,400 hectares. In 2011, the total of the forest area was 144.2 million m². Scientific research institutes are concentrating on studies aimed at improving the growth of cereals, vegetables, subtropical fruits and medicinal plants. Significant amounts of grain, potatoes, beets (beets), grapes, tobacco and tea; the farming of animals such as sheep, pigs and goats also drives this sector. In contrast, the fishing industry in the Caspian Sea is declining: in 2002 the merchant navy consisted of only 54 vessels that mainly focused on sturgeon exploitation. and beluga sturgeon. Since the 1990s the industry has experienced considerable growth, such that some of the products that were previously imported are now produced wholly or partly within the country, including Coca-Cola, beer, parquet and oil pipelines.

Tourism is an important part of the Azerbaijani economy. In the 1980s the country was a tourist destination of regional importance, but the fall of the Soviet Union and the war in Nagorno-Karabakh damaged Azerbaijan's image and tourism industry. It was not until the 2000s that tourism began. to recover, and since then the country has experienced tremendous growth in the number of tourist visits and overnight stays. In recent years, Azerbaijan has also become a popular destination for religious, spa and health tourism. The government has labeled Azerbaijan's development as a first-class tourist destination a "high priority" as part of its strategy to make it a major contributor to the national economy.

Infrastructure

Energy

Oil extraction outside Baku.

The country's main source of energy is fossil fuels: two thirds of its surface have oil and natural gas deposits. Thanks to this abundance, the country produces around 1.4 million barrels of oil per day. In September 1994, the Azerbaijani government signed a thirty-year contract with thirteen oil companies, including Amoco, BP, ExxonMobil, Lukoil and Statoil. As foreign companies are allowed to drill the still intact deepwater fields, Azerbaijan is considered as one of the most important exploration and development hotspots in the industry. The Azerbaijan State Oil Fund was created with the extra budget to ensure macroeconomic stability, transparency in oil resource management and control of reserves by future generations. Azeriqaz, a SOCAR company, intends to secure gas supplies for the entire country by 2021. The Lesser Caucasus region contributes most of the gold, silver, iron, copper, titanium, chromium, manganese, cobalt, molybdenum and antimony used in the country.

Transportation

Azerbaijani bote in the Caspian Sea.

Azerbaijan's privileged location at the crossroads of some important international transit routes, such as the Silk Road and the South-North Corridor, gives great strategic importance to the transport sector in the country's economy as a whole. This sector includes highways, roads, railways, air and sea.

Azerbaijan is also an important economic center for the transportation of raw materials. The Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) pipeline began operations in May 2006 and stretches over 1,774 km through Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey. The BTC is designed to transport more than 50 million tons of crude oil annually from the bottom of the Caspian Sea to the Mediterranean coast. provides a constant supply of natural gas to European markets from the Shah Deniz field. More than 296 billion m³ of natural gas per year are produced at this location.

In 2002, the government created the Ministry of Transport with a wide range of policy and regulatory functions. In the same year, the country became a member of the Vienna Convention on Vehicular Traffic. In this sense, its highest priority is to improve the road network and transform the transport service into one of the advantages of investment in the country, since it would be useful for the development of other economic sectors. In 2012, construction began on the Kars–Tbilisi–Baku railway, which is expected to provide a means of transport between Asia and Europe by connecting the railways of China and Kazakhstan to the east with Istanbul and the rest of the European rail system to the west. As of 2010, railways stretched for more than 2,918 km, while electrified tracks covered 1,278 km. There were also 35 airports and only one heliport. Baku Heydar Aliyev International Airport is the most important in the nation due to the number of passengers and cargo that use it annually. Of the 59,141 km of roads and highways in the country, more than half are still unpaved. Although the Ministry of Transport has started to modernize the highways linking the main cities, most of the roads are in poor condition, resulting in high rates of car accidents.

Media

Exploitation of oil and gas fields in the 2000s helped improve the state of communications, science and technology, as did campaigns for modernization and innovation. The government estimates that in the future the income from the sale of information technology and the communications industry will grow and be comparable to what oil currently has. However, many of the mass media are under constant government censorship, which has led several human rights groups to advocate for freedom of expression for Azerbaijanis.

The country is making progress in developing the telecommunications sector. However, it still faces serious problems, such as poor infrastructure and an insufficient legal framework. The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, also known for operating the Aztelekom company, acts as policy maker and regulator. Public telephones are only used to make local calls and require a card available in shops and businesses. These cards allow you to make only one call of indefinite duration. In 2009, there were about 1.5 million fixed telephone lines, 9.1 million mobile telephones, and 1.4 million Internet users. Major GSM providers include Azercell, Bakcell, and Azerfon.

The Azerbaijani Space Agency is planning to launch its first satellite by mid-2012, AzerSat 1, from the Kourou Spaceport in French Guiana. This satellite will cover Europe and several countries in Asia and Africa for transmission of television, radio and Internet signals. The launch of its own satellite will be the first step in Azerbaijan's plan to develop its own space industry.

There is only one public radio station, the rest are private initiatives. Radio broadcasts are available in languages other than Azeri, mainly Russian, Armenian and Georgian, which are financed from the state budget. Some local radio stations use Azeri dialects as the main language in their broadcasts. The same situation occurs in various newspapers and magazines, targeting the existing ethnic minorities in the country. The first Azeri-language newspaper, Akinchi, was first published in 1875. There are several television channels operating in Azerbaijan, three of them are owned by the government: AzTV, Idman TV and Medeniyyet TV. In addition to the above, there is another public channel of private initiative, Ictimai TV, and thirteen private channels.

Demographics

According to the data of the Azerbaijan Statistics Committee as of January 1, 2019, the total population of Azerbaijan is 9,981,457 people, of whom 52.8% lived in cities and 47.2% in areas rural. Men amount to 49.9%, and women 50.1%. Density of 115 inhabitants/km². On April 6, 2019, the 10 millionth citizen of Azerbaijan was born.

In 2018, the population growth rate was 0.8%.

Ethnic groups of the Caucasus (stated before the Second War of Upper Karabakh in 2020).

In 2011, the population growth rate was 0.85%, below the world average of 1.09%. An important factor slowing population growth is the high rate of migration. About three million Azerbaijanis, many of them workers, live in Russia. In the same year, Azerbaijan had an emigration rate of 1.14 per 100 people. With 800,000 Azerbaijanis as refugees and internally displaced persons, the The country has the largest population in humanitarian asylum in the region, and in 2006 had the highest population of internally displaced persons per capita in the world.

In 2005, the highest morbidity rate was from respiratory diseases (806.9 cases per 10,000 population). That year, the highest morbidity rates from infectious and parasitic diseases were surpassed by those from influenza and acute respiratory infections (4,168.2 per 100,000 inhabitants). Life expectancy in 2011 did not exceed 71 years, 74.6 for women and 68.3 for men.

From the Azeri diaspora there are Azeri communities in 42 countries around the world. Likewise, there are many centers of ethnic minorities within Azerbaijan, including German, Slavic, Jewish, Kurdish, Lezgin, Crimean Tatar, etc. As a result, the main ethnic groups on Azerbaijani territory are Azerbaijanis, Lezgins, Armenians (although before the Upper Karabakh war their number was much higher than today, and today almost all Armenians live in the breakaway region of Upper Karabakh), the Russians and the Talyshi, who together make up more than 97% of the population. Iranian Azerbaijanis are the largest minority in Iran, making up 24% of the Iranian population, or 16 million people.

Religion

Dome of the centuryXII of the Bibi-Heybat mosque, which was built on the tomb of one of the descendants of Mohammed.

Azerbaijan is a secular state according to article 7 of the Constitution of Azerbaijan and guarantees freedom of religion through article 48 of the Constitution. Traditionally the majority religion in Azerbaijan is Islam since the 7th century and Shi'ism since the XVI. About 95% of the population is Muslim, of these 85% are Shiites and 15% Sunnis, making Azerbaijan the country with the second highest proportion of Shiites, only after of Iran. In the Muslim majority, religious customs are not practiced very strictly, and Muslim identity tends to be based more on ethnicity and culture than on religious practices.

There are Christian (150,000) and Jewish (34,500) communities. Among Christians, the Russian Orthodox Church and the Georgian Church together with the Armenian Apostolic Church (in Upper Karabakh only) have the most followers. In 2010 there were 498 Catholics in the country. Other Christian denominations with a presence in the country include Lutherans, Baptists, and Molokans. There are also small communities of Jews, Baha'is, Hare Krishnas, and Jehovah's Witnesses, who have reported repeated religious persecutions. Zoroastrianism had a long history in Azerbaijan, evident in places such as the Baku Fire Temple or ceremonies such as nowruz, along with Manichaeism.

Languages

The official language is Azerbaijani, a Turkic language spoken in Southwest Asia, mainly Azerbaijan and Iranian Azerbaijan. Azeri is part of the Oguz languages and is closely related to Turkish, Kashgai and Turkmen. Azeri is divided into two variants, Northern and Southern, as well as having several dialects. Khalaj, Kashgai, and Salchuq are considered by some to be independent languages within the Azeri language group. Since the XVI to XX century, Azeri was used as the lingua franca in most of Transcaucasia (except the Black Sea coast), southern Dagestan, eastern Turkey, and Iranian Azerbaijan.

Although Azeri is the most widely spoken language in the country and is used by a quarter of the population in Iran, thirteen other native languages are spoken. Some of these are spoken in very small communities, but others have regional importance. Azeri is mutually intelligible with Turkish and Gagauzo. The northern variant of Azeri is written in the modified Latin alphabet, but was previously written in the Persian alphabet (until 1929), the uniform Turkic alphabet (1929-1939), and the Cyrillic alphabet (1939-1990). The changes in the alphabet have been shaped in large part by religious and political forces.

Russian remains of some importance commercially and as an inter-ethnic language, and in the Upper Karabakh region almost the entire population speaks Armenian.

Education

Class at a primary school in Baku.

A relatively high percentage of Azerbaijanis have some form of higher education, mainly from technical schools. Major higher education institutions in the country include Baku State University, Azerbaijan State University of Economics, and Azerbaijan State University of Economics. Azerbaijan State Petroleum Academy. In the Soviet era, literacy and education rose sharply from their initial low levels, despite two changes to the standard alphabet between 1920 and 1940. According to government data, in 1970 100% of men and women between the ages of 9 and 49 could read and write. According to the United Nations Development Program Report 2011, the literacy rate is 99.5%.

After independence, one of the first laws passed by the National Assembly to disassociate from the Soviet Union was the adoption of the Latin alphabet in schools to replace Cyrillic. The Azerbaijani school system has not undergone much change since the soviet time. Early changes included reinstating religious education (banned in the USSR) and modifying the curriculum to emphasize the use of Azeri and remove ideological content. Apart from primary schools, government educational institutions include thousands of kindergartens, general secondary and vocational schools, including specialized and technical secondary schools. Education is compulsory up to the eleventh grade.

Main towns

Culture

The Azerbaijani tapestries were declared part of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.

The culture of Azerbaijan has developed under multiple influences. Although the population has historically been in contact with the cultural and religious ideas of Iran, Azerbaijan is more closely linked to the Turkic nations by linguistic and ethnic ties. To this we must add the seventy-year rule of the Soviet Union and the impact it had on their customs. Currently, Western influences are the most important, including the culture of consumerism and globalization; however, various efforts are made to preserve national traditions. Some of the main elements of Azerbaijani culture are music, literature, dance, art, gastronomy, architecture, cinema and festivals.

Literature

One of the first figures in Azerbaijani literature was Pur Hasan Asfaraini, who wrote a divan composed of ghazals in Persian and Turkic. On Persian ghazals, he used his pen name, while on Turkic ones he signed his real name, Hasanoghlu. Classical Azerbaijani literature, however, did not form until the XIV century, based on various dialects spoken during the Early Middle Ages in Tabriz and Shirvan. Among the poets of this period, Gazi Burhanaddin, Haqiqi (pen name of Jahan-shah Qara Qoyunlu) and Habibi stand out. At the end of this century, the literary activity of Imadaddin Nesimi, one of the great poets of Turkic Hurufism, also began to develop. from the beginning of the XV century, and one of the greatest representatives of the first divans in Turkic, Arabic, and Persian.

Khurshidbanu Natavan was the daughter of the last leader of the Karabakh kanato and is considered one of the best poets of Azerbaijan.

The divan and gazel were further developed within Azeri literature by authors such as Qasim al-Anvar, Fuzuli, and Khatai. One of the main works of the time is the Book of Dede Korkut, which consists of two manuscripts copied in the XVI where twelve stories are narrated that reflect the oral tradition of the Oguz nomads. Since the author narrates facts about the rule of the Akkoyunlu and the Ottomans, it is believed that the collection belonged to someone who he lived on the border of both empires. Mohammed Fuzuli wrote his philosophical works called qazals in Arabic, Persian and Azerbaijani, thus drawing the benefits of all three literary traditions to which he was influenced. Fizuli became one of the great literary leaders of the time thanks to his works such as El Divan de Gazales and Las Qasidas . In the same century, Azeri literature flourished with the development of ashiqs, in addition to the Divan composed by Shah Ismail I, which contained 1,400 verses in Azeri.

Between the 17th and XVIII, the works of Fizuli and the ashiqs were taken up by several prominent writers and poets such as Qovsi of Tabriz, Abbas II of Persia, Agha Mesih Shirvani, Nishat, Molla Vali Vidadi, Molla Panah Vagif, Amani, Zafar, among others. Along with the Turks, Turkmen and Uzbeks, the Azerbaijanis also spread the legend of Köroglu, a hero dating from the oral traditions of the Turks. Several documented versions of the Köroglu story are kept at the country's Manuscript Institute.

Modern Azerbaijani literature is mainly based on the Shirvan dialect, although Iranian authors use the Tabriz dialect more. Since the mid-19th century, Azeri writers have been influenced by the West and neighboring countries. During the 20th century, Azeri literature survived political and religious changes, coupled with changing alphabets and Soviet repression.

Art

Much of the culture of Azerbaijanis is embodied in their handicrafts, such as wood carvings, metal, stone and bone sculptures, jewelry, engravings, tapestry making, pottery, weaving patterns, knitting and embroidery. Each of these types of decorative art is evidence of Azerbaijan's ethnic and cultural diversity. Much information about the development of Azerbaijani arts and crafts was provided by various merchants, travelers and diplomats who traveled to the country at different times. Thus, Azerbaijan has been constantly recognized as a center for the development of arts in the region. Archaeological excavations on its territory testify that from the second millennium BC. C. agriculture, metal work, ceramics and tapestry weaving had already developed.

One of the main examples of national art is Azerbaijani tapestries, traditionally made by hand in various sizes, with a dense texture and patterns that are characteristic of different regions of the country. In November 2010, Azerbaijani tapestries were added to the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO. These tapestries can be classified into several groups, but the classification made by Latif Kerimov, an Azeri scientist and artist, is the most used. This categorization is made up of four large groups that integrate the characteristics of the tapestries themselves and the geographical areas where they are made: Shirván, Qazaj, Karabakh and Tabriz.

Music

Young Azerbaijani with traditional clothes and musical instruments.

Azerbaijani folk music is based on artistic traditions dating back more than a thousand years. For centuries the music has developed based on monodyes, producing various melodies and rhythms, as well as having a branched mode system, where the chromatization of the major and minor scales is of great importance. National musical instruments include fourteen string instruments, eight percussion instruments, and six wind instruments. According to the Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, "in terms of ethnicity, culture and religion Azerbaijanis are musically closer to Iran than to Turkey".

The mugam, the meykhana and the ashiq are the most important musical traditions in the nation. The mugam usually consists of a mixture of poetry with instrumental interludes, so when performing a work poets must transform their emotions into songs and music. Alim Qasimov is considered to be one of the best performers of mugam and one of the best Azerbaijani artists. In contrast to the mugam traditions of Central Asia, the mugam Azerbaijani is less rigid, with improvisation similar to that of jazz. On November 7, 2003, UNESCO proclaimed the mugam tradition a masterpiece Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.

	“Heyrati” by Khan Shushinsky Example of tradition mugam, declared part of the Oral and Intangible World Heritage.
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For its part, the meykhana is a distinctive traditional song of the Azerbaijanis, which is usually performed by several people improvising on a specific theme. Finally, ashiq combines poetry, storytelling, dance, and music into a traditional performance art that is a symbol of the country's culture. The performer is a minstrel or troubadour playing the baglama, a figure that dates back to the shamanistic beliefs of the Turkic peoples. The songs ashiqs are semi-improvised on common themes. The ashiq was included by Unesco in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity on September 30, 2009.

Modern music tries to combine musical customs with the contemporary rhythms of the West. One of the main arenas for the international promotion of modern Azerbaijani music is the Eurovision Song Contest. Azerbaijan made their festival debut in 2008. The following year they managed to reach third place, and in 2010 fifth. Ell & Nikki won the 2011 edition with the song "Running Scared", giving Baku the opportunity to host 2012, where they finished in fourth position and in 2013 they finished in second position. These good results have made Azerbaijan one of the most successful countries in the history of the tournament.

Architecture

Street of the historical center of Baku.

Traditional Azerbaijani architecture combines elements of eastern and western cultures. Many ancient architectural treasures such as the Maiden's Tower and the Palace of the Shirvansháhs in the Baku Fortified City have survived the test of time and are currently the examples best preserved of ancient Azerbaijani constructions. The Tentative List of World Heritage Sites includes other sites with remarkable architectural style, such as Baku Atashgyakh, Nakhchivan Mausoleum, Caspian Seaside Defensive Constructions, Şuşa and Şuşa Architectural and Historical Reserves. Ordubad and the Palace of the Khan of Shaki.

Other buildings noted for their architecture are the Quadrangular Castle in Mardakan, Parigala in Yukhary Chardaglar, several bridges over the Aras River, and multiple mausoleums. During the 19th century and early XX, smaller architectural monuments began to be built, as well as large residences in Baku and other cities. Among the most outstanding constructions of the contemporary period are the Baku metro stations and the Flame Towers. Plans to build an island city on the Caspian Sea, to be crowned by the Azerbaijan Tower, were recently unveiled. It is estimated that it will replace Dubai's Burj Khalifa as the tallest building in the world, at 1,050 m.

Cinema

Scene of The oil source in Balakhany (1898), one of the first films (directed by Alexander Mishon).

Cinema came to Azerbaijan in 1898, making the country one of the first countries where cinematography developed. The main reason Baku attracted film companies was because of its oil production, which sustained interest in filmmaking. city until the Soviet era. A year after separating from Georgia and Armenia, on May 28, 1919, the documentary The Celebration of the Anniversary of the Independence of Azerbaijan was filmed, which was released in June in various cinemas in Baku. After its annexation to the Soviet Union in 1920, Nariman Narimanov, Head of the Azerbaijan Revolutionary Committee, signed a decree nationalizing the Azerbaijani film industry, as well as promoting animation.

In 1991, after the dissolution of the USSR, the first Baku International East-West Film Festival was held. In December 2000, Aliyev signed a decree proclaiming August 2 as the Day of Azerbaijan Filmmakers. However, during the XXI century, the film industry faces the same problems that it went through after the creation of the RSS of Azerbaijan. Choosing the content of a film and finding sponsors are usually the responsibility of the director, since the government does not provide significant financial support for film creation.

Gastronomy

Ingredients of Azerbaijani cuisine.

Traditional gastronomy is famous for the abundance of seasonal vegetables and fruits used in its dishes. Fresh herbs such as mint, cilantro, dill, basil, parsley, tarragon, leeks, chives, thyme, marjoram, scallion and watercress are very popular and often accompany main courses. of the table. The climatic diversity and fertility of the lands are reflected in the national dishes, which are based on fish from the Caspian Sea, local meats (mainly lamb and beef), and an abundance of fruits and vegetables.

A typical Azeri meal includes several fresh herb leaves, bread (chorek), a cucumber salad with tomato, as well as yogurt and cheese. Some of the most famous Azerbaijani dishes are baliq, fish prepared with herbs and sauce; the dolma, lamb accompanied by rice and herbs; the lavangi, a chicken stew with nuts and spices; the qutab, a bun with lamb, cheese and vegetables; and tika kabab, lamb skewers with vegetables. The national dish is saffron rice pilaf, while black tea has been designated the national drink.

Parties

Sports

Azerbaijan Soccer Selection in 2014.

Sports in Azerbaijan has very remote roots, and today ancient and modern disciplines are practiced equally. Olympic wrestling has been designated the Azerbaijani national sport, although the most practiced disciplines in the XXI century are football and chess. Since the dissolution of the USSR, Azerbaijan has participated in all editions of the Olympic Games, obtaining several medals in wrestling, judo and boxing. The city of Baku has submitted several candidacies to host the Olympic Games, although has not been successful.

However, the Azerbaijan national soccer team has shown a relatively low level in international competitions, especially when compared to its domestic league. This is mainly because a number of foreign players play for Azerbaijani clubs. To counter this situation, the Azerbaijan Football Academy was launched in February 2009 to foster the development of young professional footballers. Among the most successful Azerbaijani clubs are Neftchi Baku, FK Baku, Inter Baku, FK Qarabağ and Khazar Lenkoran. Azerbaijan has been the venue for several regional championships in the sport, as well as hosting the 2012 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup. Futsal is another of the most popular sports in the nation; the national team reached fourth place in the 2010 Futsal Euro Cup, while the Araz Naxçivan club won a bronze medal in the 2009–2010 Futsal European Cup. In order to promote the country's image, the The national tourist office has become the main sponsor of the Spanish team Atlético de Madrid, which is why the rojiblancos players wear the “Azerbaijan: Land of Fire” logo on their shirts (English: “Azerbaijan: Tierra de Fuego”).

Backgammon plays an important role in the culture of Azerbaijan, where it is played by much of the local population. There are different variations of backgammon that were developed by Azerbaijani players. The nation is also recognized as a power in the chess; Despite the collapse of the Soviet Union, the game is still quite popular. Notable chess players include Teimour Radjabov, Shakhriyar Mamedyarov, Vladimir Makogonov, Garry Kasparov, Vugar Gashimov, and Zeinab Mamedyarova. The country has also hosted multiple international chess championships and won the European Team Chess Championship in 2009.

In 2016, the European Grand Prix was held in the country, a Formula 1 race held in June on the Baku street circuit. The following year, it began to be called the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.