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Introduction
| A Z
E R B A I J A N |
Azerbaijan isn’t affluent –
yet. With the area around Nagorno Karabakh (under dispute with Armenia) just waiting to be
tapped for black gold, things could change before you make your trip. The capital Baku, at
the edge of the Caspian Sea, already has hues of prosperity. Azerbaijan like many
countries in the region offers rich and rewarding cultural, historical and natural sights
to the tourist.
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A word of caution though, ethnic
tensions with neighbour Armenia run high, so think twice before you take a jaunt to
Nagorno Karabakh in particular, and any part close to the border between these two. Go
east instead. Discover the medieval mosques, rock-carvings by Bronze Age civilizations and
sights of a country that straddles both the Islamic and European ways of life. |
F A C
T B O X |
| Country Name |
Republic of Azerbaijan |
| Area |
86,600 sq km (33,400 sq mi) |
| Population |
7.8 million |
| Capital City |
Baku (pop 1.7 million) |
| People |
90% Azeri, 3.2% Dagestani Peoples, 2.5% Russian, 2.3% Armenian. |
| Religion |
Shia Muslim’s - 93%, Russian Orthodox - 2.5%, Armenian Orthodox -
2.3%. |
| Language |
Azeri 89%, Russian 3%, Armenian 2% |
| Government |
Republic |
| President |
Heydar Aliyev |
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