Azerbaijan


'''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.
Azərbaycan Respublikası
Flag of Azerbaijan Image:azeriarms2.PNG
(In Detail) (Full size)
National motto: None
Image:LocationAzerbaijan.png
Official language Azerbaijani
Capital Baku
Capital's coordinates 40° 22' N, 49° 53' E
President Ilham Aliyev
Prime Minister Artur Rasizade
Area
 - Total
 - % water 		Ranked 111th
86,600 km²
Negligible
Population
 - Total (July 2004 E)
 - Density 		Ranked 89th
7,868,385
90/km².
Independence
 - Date 		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

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: Abseron Rayonu, Agcabadi Rayonu, Agdam Rayonu, Agdas Rayonu, Agstafa Rayonu, Agsu Rayonu, Ali Bayramli Sahari

Geography

Map of Azerbaijan 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


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Category:Caucasus Category:Azerbaijan bg:Азербайджан ca:Azerbaidjan cy:Azerbaijan da:Aserbajdsjan de:Aserbaidschan et:Aserbaidžaan el:Αζερμπαϊτζάν es:Azerbaiyán eo:Azerbajĝano fa:جمهوری آذربایجان fi:Azerbaidžan fr:Azerbaïdjan gl:Acerbaixán id:Azerbaijan ja:アゼルバイジャン ko:아제르바이잔 lv:Azerbaid?āna nds:Aserbaidschan nl:Azerbeidzjan no:Aserbajdsjan pl:Azerbejdżan pt:Azerbaijão ru:Азербайджан sa:अजर्बैजान sl:Azerbajdžan sv:Azerbajdzjan th:ประเทศอาเซอร์ไบจาน tt:Äzärbaycan tr:Azerbaycan uk:Азербайджан zh:阿塞拜疆

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