Republic of Azerbaijan is an independent country located in Transcaucasia. Politically, Azerbaijan is considered part of Eastern Europe and is integrating into European organizations and infrastructure. Georgraphically, Azerbaijan is located in SouthWest Asia and only borders Europe through Big Caucasus mountain range.

Republic of Azerbaijan covers only the northern part of the historical region of Azerbaijan, which also includes the Iranian provinces of East Azerbaijan, West Azerbaijan, and Ardabil, located to the south of Araxes River. In XIXth century, Russian empire conquered northern parts of Azerbaijan and Araxes River became a border between two parts of historical Azerbaijan, usually called by Azeris as NORTH and SOUTH Azerbaijan. People in both parts of historical Azerbaijan speak the same Azeri Turkic dialect and share Shi'a version of Islam. They're generally known as Azers or Azeri Turks.

Republic of Azerbaijan has an area of 33,440 square miles (86,600 sq km) and is bordered by Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, Iran to the south, and the Caspian Sea to the east. The capital of the Republic of Azerbaijan is Baku, the largest industrial center located on Caspian Sea shores, with a population of about 2 million.

Azerbaijan is one of the oldest spots of civilization, a country with a rich and ancient history. The discovery of AZYKH cave and GOBUSTAN, the earliest habitation of man to be found in the world, and a number of habitations of the ancient stone age prove that Azerbaijan enters the zone of anthropoids to reveal the birthplace of mankind.

The first known state, established in 11th century B.C. in southern part of Azerbaijan was MANNAE. Later Mannae became part of another ancient Azerbaijani state, MEDES (Mada) and during the rule of Cyrus the Great (THE MEDE) became along with Parthia part of Great Persian empire in 6th - 4th centuries B.C. Since those times and until XIXth century, Azerbaijan shared most of its history with what is now Iran.

During the invasion of Alexander the Great in 4th century B.C., Azerbaijan was ruled by Atropates. Upon the arrival of Alexander, Atropates became his satrap, and hence preserved his semi-autonomous rule of the territory of Azerbaijan. It's widely accepted that etymology of the name "Azerbaijan" is derived from ATROPATES, which in Persian interpretation became Aturpatakan, and later upon Arab conquest, got its Arabic pronounciation of Azerbaijan.

Another, less authoritative, theory traces the origin of the name "Azerbaijan" to ancient Persian word "Ather" ("The Fire"), hence Azerbaijan, "the Land of Fires". This version is supported by the fact that inhabitants of historical Azerbaijan practiced Zoroastrianism in ancient times, and there are several Zoroastrian temples preserved up until nowadays, and fueled by plentiful supplies of natural oil.

North Azerbaijan was in ancient times dominated by various tribes, including Scythians, Sachs, Massaghets, and invading Khazars. These tribes were of indigenous Caucasian and Turkic origins. Scythian ruler of North Azerbaijan, Queen Tomyris is known to have beheaded Cyrus the Great to revenge the killing of her son, after Cyrus' army invaded north of Araxes river and was defeated in a battle. Closer to 4th century B.C., the tribes of North Azerbaijan merged into an ancient state known as Albania (Aghvan, Aluank in Armenian sources). To avoid confusion with modern country of Albania, historians refer to this ancient state as Caucasian Albania.

So starting from 4th century B.C., Azerbaijani history was dominated by two ancient states: Atropatena in the South and Caucasian Albania in the North. Initially Zoroastrian religion was practiced in both parts of Azerbaijan and was a state religion of Caucasian Albania. In 4th century A.D., King Urmayr of Caucasian Albania accepted Christianity in Diophysite teaching, similar to Byzantine Greeks and Georgians. Acceptance of Christianity by all three main Caucasus peoples, brought to close relations and intermarriages between them. At about the same time, in the beginning of 5th century A.D., Armenian monk St. Mesrob Mashdots introduced alphabets for Armenian, Georgian and Alban peoples.

It shall be noted here, that Armenians accepted a Monophysite doctrine of Christian religion, which distinguished them from Georgians and Albans, and distinguishes them from the rest of Christians up to date. Moreover, Armenian language belongs to Indo-European family of languages, while Georgian and ancient Alban language belong to indigenous Ibero-Caucasian ethno-linguistic group. This note is necessary, as Armenian historians often attempt to portray Caucasian Albans as Armenians and Caucasian Albanian inscriptions and churches as Armenian, in order to justify their territorial claims to modern Azerbaijan and its historical monuments.

In the beginning of 8th century A.D., Azerbaijan was conquered by Arabs and became part of Arab Caliphate as a province of ARRAN. Islam became the leading religion in Azerbaijan creating new traditions and culture in most of mainland Azerbaijan. Small group of Caucasian Albans inhabiting Artsakh (Karabakh) did not convert to Islam, and remained Christian, which resulted in their isolation from the rest of Islamicized Caucasian Albans. This group of people, under heavy influence of Armenian church, was gradually converted to Armenian Church and ultimately became what is now known as Karabakh Armenians. In middle ages, during Persian and Turkic rules, and until the establishment of Muslim Azeri Khanate in Shusha, Albans of Karabakh were ruled by noble Albanian Mihranids, which were Christian.

Armenianization of Caucasian Albans in Karabakh continued through centuries and culminated in 1836, when by the order of Russian Czar, patriarchate of Albanian church was dissolved and subdued to Gregorian Armenian Apostolic Church. From this point on, the association of Karabakh inhabitants with ancient Albanian culture was effectively erased, and their origin and language became attributed to Armenians.

Muslim population of Azerbaijan continued integrating into new culture and religion brought by Arabs and later enforced by resettlement of Turkic tribes. Islamization and Turkification of Azerbaijan erased the last cultural and religious borders between inhabitants of North and South Azerbaijan, and the process of establishment of Azeris (or Azeri Turks) in modern meaning started. In middle ages, between 12th and 15th centuries several successive Turkic dynasties ruled both North and South Azerbaijan, including QARAQOYUNLU, AGQOYUNLU, SAFAVI, and QAJARS. The latter two, subdued all of Iran and their kingdoms were known to modern historical science as medieval Persia. Although the mother tongue of these dynasties was Turkic, they practiced Persian as literary and state language. The exception was Shah Ismail Safavi, the founder of Safavi state, who used Turkic as a state language.

Heroism of such popular leaders as JAVANSHIR and Baback has been turned into a school of patriotism, embodiment of courage and unification of people. Life and activity of MOUHAMMED JAHAN PAHLAVAN, QIZIL ARSLAN, UZUN HASSAN, SHAH ISMAIL KHATAI and other statesmen developed love of Motherland and statehood in people, and have been turned to one of the major goals of our life.

Azerbaijani people distinguish among other peoples with its specific image in the world culture. Cultural and literaty specimen of this people created for centuties are tanned with love of life, feelings of freedom and independence. Gran works of art of our people such as 'KITABI DEDE-GORGUD', 'KEROGLU', coryphaeus who have left indelible traces in the history of the world civilization such as NIZAMI GENJEVI, EFSALADDIN KHEGANI, KHETIB TEBRIZI, IMAMEDDIN NESIMI, GATRAN TEBRIZI, MOUHAMMED FOUZULI whose creative activities were devoted to praising world ideas of truth and justice, served to establish human ideals. Art lovers are still admired by the works of SEFIEDDIN OURMAVI, EJEMI NAKHCHIVANI, SULTAN MOUHAMMED TEBRIZI, who gave pearls to the treasure of world culture. Our people have full right to be proud of the contribution given to the world science. The names of our thinkers NESREDDIN TOUSI, ABOUL-HASSAN BEHMENYAR, MIRZE FETELI AKHOUNDOFF, ABASGOULI AGHA BAKIKHANOFF and others are wellknown to world science.

A rivalry between states to involve Azerbaijan into the sphere of their interests resulted in striking inner destabilization in 18th century. A number of independent state formations - Khanates appeared, the contradictions between Russia, Turkey and Iran deepened in the 18th - 19th century. Two Russo-Persian wars followed, one in 1804-1813 and the second in 1826-1828. The first was ended by the Treaty of GULISTAN (1813), by which Russia obtained the azeri khanates of GARABAGH, GENJE, SHEKI, ILISOU, SHIRVAN, GOUBA, DERBENT, BAKU, and TALISH, as well as western Georgia (Imeretia and Abkhazia) and Daghestan. The second war, in which Russia was again victorious, was ended by the Treaty of Turkmanchai (1828), by which Persia ceded the two large azeri khanates of NAKHCHIVAN and IREVAN (now Armenia). The TURKMENCHAY Treaty of 1828 between Russia and Iran separated Azerbaijan and its people: the northern part of Azerbaijan was conquered by Russia, its southern part became a part of the Iranian state.