Country Pages

Baku's Old City - Photo courtesy of virtualtourist.com

Azerbaijan emerged as an independent state in 1918 following nearly one hundred years of Russian rule. This brief autonomy lasted only two years before Azerbaijan was absorbed once again by the newly formed Soviet Union. Azerbaijan declared its independence a second time in August 1991. After a period of political instability, presidential powers were conferred upon Heydar Aliyev, former first secretary of the Azerbaijani Communist Party (1969-81) and later deputy prime minister (until 1987). President Heydar Aliyev ruled Azerbaijan for nearly a decade following its independence. Upon his death in October 2003, his son Ilham Aliyev was elected to the presidency in an election that did not meet international standards. Aliyev's political party, The New Azerbaijan Party, retains a strong hold on the executive and legislative branches of the government.

Sheki - Photo courtesy of virtualtourist.com

Azerbaijan's most important domestic and foreign policy issue remains the resolution of the dispute over the region known as Nagorno-Karabakh. Part of Azerbaijan during the Soviet period but now claimed by Armenia, Nagorno-Karabakh is largely occupied by ethnic Armenians who declared independence from Azerbaijan in 1991. After the dispute began, Armenian and Karabakhi troops took control of Nagorno-Karabakh as well as large swaths of land in southern Azerbaijan, predominately occupied by Azeri. Today these regions remain occupied by Armenian forces.

Many attempts have been made to resolve the conflict through negotiation. The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, working with the United States, has made strides in creating a lasting peace. In recent years, the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan have met a number of times and fighting has subsided. However, the fate of Nagorno-Karabakh has yet to be determined. With citizens in Armenia and Azerbaijan highly sensitive to the terms of any agreement, relations between the two countries remain strained.

Baku at Night - Photo courtesy of www.londongate .co.uk

Baku, Azerbaijan's capital, is located directly on the Caspian Sea. It has been home to a vibrant oil industry since the late nineteenth century. At one time Azerbaijan produced more than half of the world's oil. Industrialists from around the world have been drawn to Baku because of the large supply, making it one of the most international cities in the Caucasus. To this day, the oil obtained from the Caspian Sea makes Azerbaijan a highly desirable trading partner.

Geography, Climate and Population

Azerbaijan is nearly the size of Maine. Its geography ranges from mountainous in the north to flat in much of the center and coastal near the Caspian Sea. Azerbaijan's climate is semiarid, with average temperatures in the 70s and 80s during the summer and 30s to 50s in the winter.

Although Azerbaijan has received significant financial gains from oil production in and around Baku, pollution has become a problem in recent years because of the side effects from drilling and shipping the raw material.

The population of Azerbaijan is almost 90 percent ethnic Azeri. The minorities in the country consist of Russians, Armenians and Dagestanis. While Azerbaijan's culture is Persian, the national language is a Turkic derivative. Over 90 percent of the country is Muslim, most of whom are Shiite.

The Fulbright Experience in Azerbaijan

A Carpet Shop in Baku - Photo courtesy of virtualtourist.com

The Fulbright Scholar Program has been active in Azerbaijan for over 10 years. Since 1993-1994 there have been 21 U.S. Fulbright Scholar grantees to Azerbaijan in a variety of fields, including: American literature, computer science, economics, education, engineering, law, library science, music, philosophy, political science and sociology.

Over the years Fulbrighters have enjoyed their experiences in Azerbaijan and found that they were on the front lines in promoting intercultural education and cultural exchange. They also found the experience to be personally enriching. Scholars have noted that
their experiences in Azerbaijan have tremendously expanded their knowledge of Azeri culture and social institutions. Fulbrighters have been successful in establishing contacts with host faculty and staff. Host institutions have provided invaluable assistance in helping Fulbright Scholars feel at home and accomplish their goals as teachers and researchers. However, challenges exist. Scholars should be flexible and resourceful in using institutional and library resources at their host institutions. Checking with host colleagues before arrival on the availability of relevant texts and library books is always a good idea.

Seagulls on the Caspian Sea - Photo courtesy of virtualtourist.com

Living in Azerbaijan can also be both enjoyable and challenging. Fulbrighters have found that housing is widely available in Baku, though the appliances and heating systems are not always up-to-date and power and water outages still occur. Most scholars agree that the Fulbright experience is enormously rewarding, both personally and professionally. As one scholar summarized the Fulbright experience in Azerbaijan: "I worked exceptionally hard, but loved it."

Below are links to sites that provide information we hope will be valuable to you in learning more about working and living in Azerbaijan. CIES encourages interested applicants to make use of the following links to complement their research with potential opportunities available in Azerbaijan. Feel free to contact CIES program staff if you have additional questions.

The U.S. Embassy in Baku

Home page of the American Embassy in Azerbaijan - www.usembassybaku.org

Government Sources for Azerbaijan

The Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan in Washington, DC - www.azembassy.com

The Official Web Page of the President of Azerbaijan - www.president.az

The Milli Mejlis (National Assembly) of the Republic of Azerbaijan - www.meclis.gov.az

The Constitutional Court of the Republic of Azerbaijan -
www.constitutional-court-az.org

Permanent Mission of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the United Nations - www.un.int/azerbaijan

The CIA World Fact Book - Azerbaijan - www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/aj.html

The U.S. Department of State - www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2909.htm

The U.S. Agency for International Development - www.usaid.gov/locations/europe_eurasia/countries/az

Interstate Statistical Committee of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CISSTAT)- www.cisstat.com/eng/ - cis

Nations Online - www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/azerbaijan.htm

An A to Z of Azerbaijan - www.azerb.com

The Ministry of Economic Development - www.economy.gov.az

The National Bank of the Azerbaijan Republic - www.nba.az/?lang=en

EurasiaNet - www.eurasianet.org/resource/azerbaijan/index.shtml

Azerbaijan News.Net - http://azerbaijannews.net

EIN News - www.einnews.com/azerbaijan

Azerbaijan International Magazine - www.azer.com

Russia and East European Network Information Center - http://menic.utexas.edu/reenic/countries/azerbaijan.html#Culture

www.cac-biodiversity.org/aze/aze_culture.htm

The Azerbaijan Delegation to the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization - http://reenic.utexas.edu/countries/azerbaijan.html

The Ministry of Youth, Sport, and Tourism - www.mys.gov.az/

Lonely Planet - www.lonelyplanet.com/destinations/europe/azerbaijan

Trip Advisor - www.tripadvisor.com/Tourism-g293933-Azerbaijan-
Vacations.html

EcoTourism in Azerbaijan - www.ecotourism.aznet.org

The Virtual Tourist - www.virtualtourist.com/travel/Middle_East/Azerbaijan/TravelGuide-
Azerbaijan.html

Baku Pages - www.bakupages.com

Below is a list of universities and their Web sites where Fulbright Scholars have been affiliated in the past.