Azerbaijan, republic in the Transcaucasus region of western Asia, bordered on the north by Russia, on the northwest by Georgia, on the east by the Caspian Sea, on the south by Iran, and on the west by Armenia. Formerly a republic of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), the republic includes the regions known under the Soviets as the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast and the Nakhichevan Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic (ASSR), which is separated from the rest of Azerbaijan by a mountainous strip in Armenia. Baku, a large port city on the Caspian Sea, is the capital and largest city.

Land and Resources

Azerbaijan, which covers an area of about 86,600 sq km (about 33,400 sq miles), is a land of high mountain ranges and low river valleys. The Greater Caucasus mountains form much of the country's northern border and contain Mount Bazardyuzyu, which reaches a height of 4466 m (about 14,653 ft), the highest elevation in the republic. The tallest mountains of the Lesser Caucasus form the country's southeastern boundary and attain heights of 3500 m (about 11,500 ft). The central portion of the country is dominated by the Aras-Kura river valleys. With the exception of the Länkärän Lowland in the subtropical southeast and upper elevations in the mountainous zones, the climate is generally arid. Large-scale canals divert water, primarily for agricultural purposes. The Verkhne-Karabakhskiy Canal channels water from the Mingechaurskoye Reservoir on the upper Kura to the Aras River. The Samur-Apsheronskiy Canal redirects water from the Samur River on Azerbaijan's northern border to the Apsheron Peninsula, which juts into the Caspian Sea. Forests grow in the subalpine zone, which is inhabited by bear, deer, lynx, and wild boar. The arid and semiarid lowlands support a great number of lizards, poisonous snakes, and other reptiles.

Population
Azerbaijan is the most populous country in the Transcaucasus, with a population of 7,174,000 in 1991. Although it contains people of many different nationalities, the republic has become more ethnically homogeneous in recent years. The proportion of Azeris, who have traditionally comprised about four-fifths of the population, has increased since the start of the conflict with Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh in 1990. Large numbers of Azeri refugees have flowed over the border from Armenia, and large numbers of Russians, Armenians, and other nationalities have left the country. The Armenian community, which comprised 6 percent of the population in 1989, is now confined almost exclusively to the Nagorno-Karabakh enclave. Other nationalities include Lezgins, Kurds, Talysh, Tatars, Georgians, Ukrainians, and Avars. Most ethnic groups have resided in the area of present-day Azerbaijan for centuries, although Slavs arrived in large numbers with the industrialization boom of the last century. Lezgins, Kurds, and Talysh, who are geographically concentrated in the north, east, and south of the republic, have agitated for increased autonomy in recent years.
Azerbaijan is the least urbanized of the three Transcaucasus republics (the other two are Georgia and Armenia). Only 53.8 percent of its population lived in cities in 1989. The largest city is Baku, the capital, with an estimated population of 1,179,000 in 1990. Other large cities include Gäncä, formerly Kirovabad (278,000), and Sumqayit (235,000).
The official language of Azerbaijan is Azeri, a Turkic language of the Uralic-Altaic family. Russian is also commonly spoken, although its use is declining. The traditional religion of the Azeris is Shiite Islam, which has experienced a revival in recent years. Orthodox Christianity is practiced to varying degrees among the Georgian, Armenian, and Slavic minorities.

Economy
Industry is the leading sector of Azerbaijan's economy and accounts for more than half of all net material production (54.2 percent in 1991). Heavy industry is based largely on abundant resources of petroleum and natural gas in or near the Caspian Sea. Oil companies from the United States and Europe established operations in Azerbaijan in 1991 to help develop the country's oil fields. Other manufactures include copper, steel, aluminum, chemicals, and textiles. Agriculture accounts for slightly more than one-fourth of total net material production (26.1 percent in 1991). Cotton, grain, grapes, and tobacco are the leading crops, although the production of cotton and grapes has fallen considerably in recent years. Mountain pastures are used for sheep grazing. In the subtropical Länkärän Lowlands in the southeast, tea, citrus fruits, and olives are grown. Production has plummeted in the early 1990s, as the economy has suffered from mounting costs associated with the war in Nagorno-Karabakh and the disruption of trade ties with other former Soviet republics. Net material production declined by an estimated 30 percent in 1992 alone.
Agriculture is the largest sector in terms of employment. The agricultural labor force is twice that of industry. In 1991 agriculture accounted for nearly one-third of total employment (32.9 percent), while industry accounted for 16.3 percent. Employment in services remains at 28 percent, approximately the same level as in the mid-1980s.

Government
The top legislative body in Azerbaijan is the Mejlis, or Supreme Soviet, which is composed of 300 members elected to five-year terms. The nominal head of state is the president, who, according to the constitution, has the power to appoint the prime minister and form the government, subject to Mejlis approval. In October 1991 the Mejlis established a 50-member legislative body, the National Council, which is composed in part of Mejlis members. The National Council suspended the Mejlis after the May 1992 coup. The country is a member of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).

History
The area of Azerbaijan was settled from about the 8th century BC by the Medes, and the region later became part of the Persian Empire. A much-disputed area, it was conquered in the late 7th century AD by Arabs, who introduced Islamic culture. Turkic tribes controlled the area in the 11th and 12th centuries. Azerbaijan again came under Persian control in the 17th century and was ceded by Persia to Russia through treaties in 1813 and 1828. In 1918, after the Russian Revolution, Azerbaijan became an independent state. In 1920 it was proclaimed a Soviet Socialist Republic (SSR) of the USSR and united with Georgia and Armenia to form the Transcaucasian Soviet Federated Socialist Republic (SFSR). When that dissolved in 1936, Azerbaijan became a constituent republic of the USSR. The collapse of Communism in the USSR in 1991 led to the independence of Azerbaijan. It joined the United Nations in 1992.
Political turmoil characterized the first years of Azerbaijani independence, and the constitution was violated on several occasions. President Ayaz Mutalibov (1990-1992) was forced to resign in March 1992 after he was held directly responsible for the death of several hundred Azerbaijanis killed by Armenian forces in Nagorno-Karabakh, the primarily Armenian enclave claimed by Armenia. The interim president, Yagub Mamedov (1992), was unable to control the political situation. The Azerbaijani Popular Front (APF) attempted to take over local administrations, and Mutalibov made an aborted attempt to regain power. With the support of military units, the APF seized control in a nearly bloodless coup in May 1992, after which the Mejlis was suspended by the National Council. In June 1992 Aliyev Abul'faz Elchibey, APF chairman, was elected president with 55 percent of the popular vote. Elchibey soon lost popularity, however, because of his inability to improve the economy or end the war in Nagorno-Karabakh. At least one attempt to assassinate him was made. Pressure on Elchibey increased when he attempted to disarm a disobedient military garrison based in Gäncä in June 1993. The garrison, led by Colonel Surat Huseinov, marched on Baku and seized control, despite protests and appeals from Elchibey, who fled to Nakhichevan. The National Council voted to transfer Elchibey's powers to Geydar Aliyev, the longtime Communist party leader and KGB official who had been elected chairman of the Council earlier the same month. A republic-wide referendum supported Elchibey's removal, and in October 1993 Aliyev was elected president with 98.8 percent of the popular vote in an uncontested election. The Council appointed Huseinov prime minister and charged him with coordinating the country's military effort in Nagorno-Karabakh. The position of both leaders was threatened by a series of Armenian victories in and around Nagorno-Karabakh in 1993 and the loss of control over large areas of Azerbaijani territory.