亚塞拜然(Azerbaijan)

正式名称亚塞拜然共和国（Republic of Azerbaijan）

南亚国家。面积86,600平方公里。人口约8,105,000（2001）。首都：巴库。亚塞拜然人为土耳其人的一支，年代可追溯至11世纪时的塞尔柱人移民，带来更进一步的种族混合。语言：亚塞拜然语（官方语）和俄罗斯语。宗教：伊斯兰教，另有少数的东正教信徒。货币：马纳特（manat）。多种多样的地貌是该国地形的特徵，40%以上的土地为低地，而全国约有10%的土地海拔1,500公尺以上。中央部分是库拉河及其支流（包括阿拉斯河）流贯的平原，其上游形成与伊朗的部分疆界。里海是巴库贸易的出口。经济以农业、炼油业和轻工业为主。政府形式为多党制联邦共和国，一院制。国家元首是总统，政府首脑为总理。

亚塞拜然毗邻伊朗的同名地区，两地居民的起源也一样。9世纪时处於土耳其的影响下，在以後的几个世纪中先後与阿拉伯人、蒙古人、土耳其人和伊朗人奋战。19世纪初，俄国占领了现在独立的亚塞拜然地区。1917年俄国革命後，亚塞拜然宣布独立；1920年被红军降服，成为苏维埃社会主义共和国之一。1991年苏联解体，亚塞拜然宣布独立。其在地理上有两个独特之处：在亚美尼亚领土内的飞地纳希切万与亚塞拜然完全分隔开来，而在亚塞拜然境内并在行政上由它管理的纳戈尔诺-加拉巴赫却以信奉基督教的亚美尼亚人占多数。1990年代亚塞拜然与亚美尼亚为了双方的领土而开战，造成巨大的经济损失。1994年虽宣布停火，但政治问题仍未解决。

English version：

Azerbaijan

Nation, South Asia. Area: 33,400 sq mi (86,600 sq km). Population (1997 est.): 7,617,000. Capital: Baku. The Azerbaijanis have a Turkic strain dating from the 11th century AD, while Seljuq migrations brought further mixtures, including Iranian; Russians are a minority. Languages: Azerbaijani (official), Russian. Religions: Islam, minority Orthodox Christianity. Currency: manat. Azerbaijan is characterized by a variety of landscapes. More than 40% of its territory is lowlands, while areas above 5,000 ft (1,500 m) occupy some 10% of the total area. The central part of the country is a plain through which flow the Kura River and its tributaries, including the Araks, whose upper course forms part of the boundary with Iran. The Caspian Sea serves Baku as a trade outlet. Agriculture, petroleum refining, and light manufacturing are economically important. It is a republic with one legislative body; its head of state and government is the president assisted by the prime minister. Azerbaijan adjoins the Iranian region of the same name, and the origin of their respective inhabitants is the same. By the 9th century AD it had come under Turkish influence, and in ensuing centuries it was fought over by Arabs, Mongols, Turks, and Iranians. Russia acquired what is now independent Azerbaijan in the early 19th century. After the Russian Revolution of 1917, Azerbaijan declared its independence; it was subdued by the Red Army in 1920 and became a Soviet Socialist Republic. It declared independence from the collapsing Soviet Union in 1991. Azerbaijan has two geographic peculiarities. The exclave Nax?ivan (Nakhichevan) is separated from the rest of Azerbaijan by Armenian territory. Nagorno-Karabakh, which lies within Azerbaijan and is administered by it, has a Christian Armenian majority. Azerbaijan and Armenia went to war over both territories in the 1990s, causing great economic disruption. Though a cease-fire was declared in 1994, the political situation remained unresolved.