Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan (/æzərbaɪˈdʒɑːn/ (about this soundlisten) AZ-ər-by means of-JAHN; Azerbaijani: Azərbaycan [ɑːzæɾbɑjˈd͡ʒɑn]), formally the Republic of Azerbaijan (Azerbaijani: Azərbaycan Respublikası [ɑːzæɾbɑjˈd͡ʒɑn ɾespublikɑˈsɯ]), is a landlocked u . S . A . Inside the South Caucasus region of Eurasia at the crossroads of jap Europe and Western Asia.[7] it's miles bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west and Iran to the south. The exclave of Nakhchivan is certain via Armenia to the north and east, Iran to the south and west, and has an 11 km long border with Turkey within the northwest.

The Azerbaijan Democratic Republic proclaimed its independence in 1918 and have become the first democratic Muslim country. In 1920 the country changed into incorporated into the Soviet Union as the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic.[8][9] The present day Republic of Azerbaijan proclaimed its independence on 30 August 1991,[10] quickly earlier than the dissolution of the united states of america within the identical yr. In September 1991, the Armenian majority of the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh location seceded to shape the Republic of Artsakh.[11] The area and seven adjacent districts outdoor it became de facto impartial with the cease of the Nagorno-Karabakh struggle in 1994. These regions are the world over diagnosed as a part of Azerbaijan pending a strategy to the popularity of the Nagorno-Karabakh through negotiations facilitated with the aid of the OSCE.[12][13][14][15]

Azerbaijan is a unitary semi-presidential republic.[2] it's miles a member nation of the Council of Europe, the OSCE, and the NATO Partnership for Peace (PfP) software. It's miles one in every of six impartial Turkic states and an energetic member of the Turkic Council and the TÜRKSOY community. Azerbaijan has diplomatic relations with 158 international locations and holds membership in 38 international businesses.[16] it's miles one of the founding individuals of GUAM, the Commonwealth of unbiased States (CIS)[17] and the organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical guns. A member of the United nations given that 1992, Azerbaijan changed into elected to club inside the newly set up Human Rights Council by means of the United nations wellknown assembly on 9 can also 2006. Its term of office started on 19 June 2006.[18] Azerbaijan is also a member nation of the Non-Aligned movement and holds observer reputation within the global exchange enterprise.[16][19]

Whilst more than 89% of the population is Shia Muslim,[20] the charter of Azerbaijan does now not declare an reputable faith and all major political forces inside the usa are secularist. Azerbaijan has a excessive stage of human development that ranks on par with maximum eastern european international locations.[21] It has a high price of financial improvement[22] and literacy,[23] in addition to a low charge of unemployment.[24] however, the ruling celebration, the brand new Azerbaijan celebration, has been accused of authoritarianism and human rights abuses.[25]