Azerbaijan
POPULATION 7,798,497
MUSLIM 86 percent
OTHER 14 percent
Country Overview
Introduction
The Republic of Azerbaijan, bordered on the east by the Caspian Sea, was until 1991 a part of the former Soviet Union. To the north is Russia, to the northwest is Georgia, to the west is Armenia, and to the south is Iran. Geopolitically Azerbaijan is located at the junction of Europe and Asia, East and West, thus forming a crossing point for nations, cultures, and religions. This has resulted in a great diversity of religions in the country.
Historically the territory of Azerbaijan stretched across the eastern Caucasus and northwestern Iran. In the nineteenth century Azerbaijan was divided between Russia and Iran by the treaties of Gulistan (1813) and Turkmenchay (1828), which established "Southern Azerbaijan" as part of Iran and passed "Northern Azerbaijan" (now the Republic of Azerbaijan) to Russia. Twenty percent of the present territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan is occupied by Armenian military forces.
Prehistoric fire cults played an important role in the religious history of Azerbaijan; fire worship in Azerbaijan and the Caucasus was enabled by natural fire spouts present across the landscape. The name of the country was possibly derived from the Persian words azer, meaning "fire," and baigan, meaning "place," and Azerbaijanis most commonly identify themselves as "Azeris." Zoroastrianism played a central role in the formation of Azerbaijani culture.
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