8 RELIGION 9 LANGUAGE 10 ARTS 11 LEISURE 12 FESTIVALS 13 FOOD Islam Ramadan Soviet rule and Islam Fear of extremism Ancient traditions Zoroastrian influences Jews 77 Historic influences The alphabet Pronunciation 87 Literature The Soviet period Censorship Music and dance Folk arts Architecture 93 Family time The most popular sport Seasonal activities Health resorts Board games International competition 107 Nowruz Religious fests Patriotic celebrations Other festivals 115 The Soviet influence Meats Traditional dishes Breads Desserts Tea time 123 MAP OF AZERBAIJAN 133 ABOUT THE ECONOMY 135 ABOUT THE CULTURE 137 TIMELINE 138 GLOSSARY 140 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION 141 BIBLIOGRAPHY 142 INDEX 143
WHAT COUNTRY LIES EAST OF EUROPE WEST OF ASIA NORTH of the Middle East and south of Russia Here are some hints or perhaps they are riddles This place lies between two seas and across jagged mountains Its mountains are full of snow but its soil is full of fire Its arteries flow with oil and gas but its volcanoes spew mud This is a landlocked country but its capital city embraces a sea Leaping above that city’s skyline are towering flames At night they glow in blazing colors for this country calls itself the Land of Fire The Flame Towers are skyscrapers the city is Baku the sea is the Caspian and the country is Azerbaijan Its name means land of fire A country of contrasts and contradictions it is at once very old and very new Geographically and culturally it is a nation between competing influences The country straddles two continents with one foot in Europe and the other in Asia Culturally it does very much the same thing with the added Persian influence of the Middle East Historically it’s linked to Russia having spent around 70 years as a Soviet republic Azerbaijan is a majority Muslim country that is proudly secular It’s a republic but its people are not really free at least not according to numerous international 5 AZERBAIJAN TODAY
RUSSIA GEORGIA TURKEY IRAN ARMENIA AZERBAIJAN human rights organizations Azerbaijan claims to be a peaceful nation yet it’s in a constant state of discord with its neighbor Armenia These are just some of the conflicting characteristics of this land Azerbaijan is one of three independent nations in Transcaucasia the other two are Georgia and Armenia Transcaucasia named for the Caucasus Mountains is an expanse of land that lies between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea Azerbaijan is on the eastern side bordering the Caspian a great inland sea with no outlet to the earth’s oceans which makes Azerbaijan technically landlocked The country’s most densely populated region is a small peninsular hook of land that extends into this sea Beneath the land and the sea lie treasure the oil and natural gas that fuel the country’s economy as well as the strange fire phenomena that give Azerbaijan its name Azerbaijan is made up of a number of pieces that fit together like a puzzle This puzzle has two pieces or perhaps three The main piece of the nation This map shows the Caucasus region with Azerbaijan and its neighbors as well as the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea 6 Azerbaijan
is separated from its western exclave the Naxcivan Autonomous Republic sometimes spelled Nakhichevan by a stretch of Armenian land Adding to the confusion is yet another autonomous region Nagorno-Karabakh This puzzle piece is claimed by Azerbaijan but it is also the self-proclaimed nation of Artsakh made up of ethnic Armenians This disputed territory is a very sore spot for Azerbaijan an open wound that won’t heal Despite a 1994 ceasefire and numerous international attempts at a peace settlement violence still flares up on its borders Since it first became an independent nation in 1991 Azerbaijan’s status in the world has risen It has redefined itself as a major regional energy supplier which has increased its wealth and influence Pipelines crisscross the country delivering gas and oil to energy-hungry Europe The profits have helped develop the country’s infrastructure as the economy has grown Note The Stepanakert is the capital of the Republic of Artsakh or the largest city in Azerbaijan’s Nagorno Karabakh region depending on one’s perspective The city lies on the Karabakh Plateau at an average altitude of 2,667 feet 813 meters Azerbaijan Today 7
