- blue represents the need of Turkization;
- green represents the need of Islamization;
- red represents the need of modernization and progress, following the European example.
The Republic of Azerbaijan, once part of the Soviet Union, is bordered by Russia to the north, the Caspian Sea to the east, Iran to the south, and Georgia and Armenia to the west. It is slightly smaller than the state of Maine and has a population of 8.2 million. The capital is Baku, which has historically served as the posterchild for oil and war. The great majority is Shi’a Muslim. GDP/capita is $5300. Azerbaijan is a member of the United Nations and participates as an observer at the Community of Democracies.
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Azerbaijan is linked to the ancient Persians, and its name is thought to be derived from the Persian phrase "Land of Fire," referring both to its petroleum deposits, known since ancient times, and to its status as a former center of the Zoroastrian faith. The country was conquered and converted to Islam by the Arabs in 642 AD. After centuries of prosperity, it was ravaged during the Mongol invasions, but regained strength due to its location astride major trade routes.
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The beginning of modern exploitation of oil in the 1870s led to a period of unprecedented prosperity and growth in the years before World War I.
At the collapse of the Russian Empire in 1917, an independent republic was proclaimed, and Azerbaijan received recognition by the Allies as an independent nation in January 1920, which was soon terminated by the arrival of the Red Army, becoming a union republic of the U.S.S.R. in 1936. Azerbaijan declared its independence from the U.S.S.R. on August 30, 1991.
Ayaz Mutalibov became the country's first President.
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Leadership constantly changed due to elections, takeovers, irregularities, you name it. Ilham Aliyev won re-election on October 15, 2008, taking 88.7% of the vote in an election boycotted by the major opposition parties. Look for a dethroning soon because the human rights situation in the country remains abominous.
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Azerbaijan does have important oil reserves and a significant agronomic potential based on a wide variety of climatic zones. The national currency, the manat, is artificially stable and appreciates against the dollar to prevent inflation.
The World Bank named Azerbaijan “Top Reformer” in its “Doing Business 2009” report, reflecting its significant efforts to simplify its domestic regulatory requirements.
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Azerbaijan faces serious environmental challenges from contaminated soil and water/air pollution. Over-fishing by poachers is threatening the survival of Caspian sturgeon stocks, the source of most of the world's supply of caviar.
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The United States is committed to aiding a transition to democracy in Azerbaijan and its formation of an open market economy through humanitarian aid. U.S. companies are involved in offshore oil development projects with Azerbaijan and have been exploring the emerging investment opportunities in Azerbaijan in other fields, such as telecommunications.
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The U.S. Embassy in Baku, Azerbaijan is at 83 Azadliq Prospect; tel. 994-12-98-03-35; fax 994-12-65-66-71. For the latest security information, the State Department web site athttp://www.travel.state.gov provides alerts and warnings. For additional information on international travel, see http://www.usa.gov/Citizen/Topics/Travel/International.shtml.
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For all the news in Azerbaijan go to Today.AZ. Learn about Nagorno-Karabakh or why 30 people (including women and children) attempted to commit suicide today.
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