Azerbaijan is a tiny nation that may be found on both the European and Asian sides of the line that divides the two continents.
Armenia and Georgia are located to the north of Azerbaijan, while Iran can be found to the south of the country. Russia is located to the north of Azerbaijan.
Mountains cover almost fifty percent of the land area of this country. The mountain range known as the Caucasus is the most prominent.
The other half of the nation is made up of dry, flat land, the majority of which is desert-like; but, owing to irrigation, most of this land may be used for agricultural.
Baku, which is also the biggest city in Azerbaijan, serves as both the nation’s capital and its largest metropolis.
The inhabitants of Azerbaijan are referred to as Azeris.
The culture of Azerbaijan is affected by the cultures of various nations and regions, including the Soviet Union, Turkey, Muslims, and the culture of Central Asia.
The Azerbaijani culture places a high value on the importance of the family unit in day-to-day living. In their spare time, people of all ages enjoy spending time with their families.
Health
Baku is home to some of Azerbaijan’s most reputable medical facilities. Although the quality of these clinics is high, this could not be the case for those located further out from the city.
Humans have been infected with the avian flu virus on more than one occasion. If you are going to be traveling across the country, you should make every effort to avoid coming into touch with any live animals. Make sure the chicken and eggs you eat are well cooked before you consume them.
Safety
Even though there has been a truce in place in the Nagorno-Karabakh territory since 1994, there are still ongoing reports of assaults near the border with Armenia.
Mines present another additional risk in the regions bordered by international boundaries. Visitors visiting Azerbaijan are strongly encouraged to steer clear of the Nagorno-Karabakh region and the areas immediately around it.
Although the rate of crime in Azerbaijan is quite low, there is still a possibility of assaults on visitors and other forms of street crime. It is not a good idea to go for a stroll by yourself late at night.
The influence of Islam may be seen in Azerbaijan’s architecture, particularly in the city of Baku and other cities around the nation. Poetry is one example among many other artistic mediums in which this phenomenon manifests itself.
The traditional music of Azerbaijan is known as mugam. Even in modern times, people like listening to music of this style.
Another meaning of the word “mugam” is “music players in a group of three.”
In most cases, a mugam will consist of a vocalist, a player of kamancha, and a player of tar. Both the kamancha and the tar are instruments that are strung.
Lesginka is the name of the traditional dance that is performed in Azerbaijan. During the beginning of this dance, the male participant dons the garb of a fierce mountain fighter and brandishes a sword. The man begins to dance in an attempt to woo the female as she enters the room. A slow dance is performed by the female around the guy until he decides to take her. The duration of the dance is between 10 and 15 minutes. The following are other short tales currently in progress. Tapestries are another thing that Azerbaijan is famous for. Ceramics, calligraphy, and metalwork are some of the other crafts practiced in Azerbaijan.
The majority of the styles and methods employed are largely influenced by Persia as well as by traditional Islamic art.
HISTOTRY OF AZERBAIJAN
The placement of Azerbaijan on the map has had a significant role in shaping its past.
Azerbaijan is an extremely important crossroads between Asia and Europe on account of its location between the Caspian and Black seas.
Many of the world’s most powerful empires and some of history’s most renowned soldiers have done battle for control of this territory.
Azerbaijan was ruled by Persia, Russia, and a number of other formidable empires during the better part of its history.
In the sixth century, missionaries from Armenia spread Christianity, and a large number of people became Christians as a result. Dozens of churches dedicated to Christianity were erected during the next three hundred or four hundred years.
In the year 642, Muslim Arab armies conquered the kingdom of Aghbania, also known as Caucasian Albania. This action added the territory to the Islamic empire, which at the time stretched from Asia to North Africa and the Middle East.
During the 11th century, yet another Islamic nation established its dominance. The Seljuk dynasty was comprised of many Turkish tribes throughout its history.
The population, a significant portion of whom had originally been of Persian lineage, started mixing with Turks, and eventually the Persian language was displaced by the Turkish dialect. Over the course of time, it evolved into the contemporary Azeri language.
Mongolian armies of the strong Genghis Khan Empire invaded the country that is now known as Azerbaijan in the year 1236 and maintained their control over the region until the year 1498.
Around the year 1500, the Safavid dynasty established themselves as the rulers of a new Persian country. Tariz served as the nation’s principal city.
During the rule of the Safavids, Azerbaijan frequently served as a battleground in the conflict for dominance that raged between Russia and Iran. After the fall of the Safavid dynasty in 1722, the territory that is now northern Azerbaijan was partitioned into a number of independent republics. Because of these divides, it was much simpler for Russia to acquire influence and power.
A revolution in 1917 brought an end to the Russian empire. After another year had passed, the Bolshevik faction of the Communist party successfully overthrew the transitional democratic government.
The Soviet Union originated from Russia. A democratic government was established in Azerbaijan thanks to the efforts of a tiny group known as the intelligentsia and the workers of Baku.
The red army of the Soviet Union invaded Azerbaijan in April of 1920, thereby putting an end to the country’s brief stint as an independent state.
In the midst of the Second World War, the German army invaded the Soviet Union in the year 1941 and advanced all the way to the Great Caucasus Mountains the next year. It was stopped by the red Soviet army before it could invade Azerbaijan.
The decline of the Soviet Union started around the end of the 1980s. Following one another in rapid succession, the communist republics of Central and Eastern Europe asserted their freedom.
On August 30, 1991, Azerbaijan proclaimed its independence from the Soviet Union.
In 1993, Armenia maintained authority over over 20 percent of the landmass that makes up Azerbaijan.
Aliyev signed a peace agreement with Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh shortly after becoming president of Azerbaijan in October 1993.
In December of 2003, Heydar Aliyev passed away, and his son Ilham eventually took over as president.
“Azerbaijani cuisine,” “Azerbaijani eating customs,” and “Azerbaijani food”
The cuisine of Azerbaijan is renowned for its incredible diversity. This diversity is a direct result of the vast amounts of food that may be produced in a range of climates and soil types across the nation.
Grapes, almonds, barley, and wheat are all cultivated well in the colder parts of the world.
Citrus fruits and pomegranates are two of the fruits that may be cultivated in subtropical environments.
The people of Azerbaijan are known for their ingenuity when it comes to the use of herbs and spices in their cuisine.
In addition to this, they make use of natural herbs, many of which are obscure outside of their nation.
The kebab, and particularly the kebab made with lamb, is the dish that best represents the cuisine of Azerbaijan.
In most cases, the kebab will serve as the main entrée for the family supper.
Dolma is another one of Azerbaijan’s culinary delicacies. There are a lot of different kinds of dolmas. The primary dish is made with ground lamb, rice, and a variety of spices and herbs including fennel, mint, and cinnamon. A “kalam dolmasi” is created when this mixture is rolled up in a cabbage leaf and baked.
Stews and soups are two of the most common types of food eaten in Azerbaijan. “Dovga” is the name of a traditional stew. The ingredients for this hearty and spicy soup include yogurt, rice, spinach, and fennel. “Dograma” is the name of another type of chilled soup that is prepared by combining sour milk, potatoes, onions, and cucumbers. The dish known as “piti” is a stew that is traditionally prepared with lamb, chickpeas, and saffron. Dushbarra is another another dish that is commonly served. It is a soup with lamb raviolis that are stuffed with herbs and ground lamb.
Lamb, rice, onions, and plums are the main components of plov, which is then flavored with saffron and cinnamon.
The fish dish known as balig is traditionally made using sturgeon. It undergoes the same process of being cut and grilled over an open fire as the kebab. It is served with a sauce made from sour plums.History Of Azerbaijan
Chicken stuffed with nuts and herbs is called lavangi, and it’s traditionally cooked in an earthen pot.
In general, Azeri households do not eat meals outside the home. This is something that is only done on very exceptional occasions, such as when a large family gathers together to reserve a restaurant for an extended supper.
