Azerbaijan

Official name: Republic of Azerbaijan

Capital city: Baku

Internet country code: .az

Flag description: Three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), red, and green; a crescent and eight-pointed star in white are centered in the red band

National anthem: “Azerbaijan, Azerbaijan!” lyrics by Ahmed Javad, music by Useyir Hajibeyov

Geographical description: Southwestern Asia, bordering the Caspian Sea, between Iran and Russia, with a small European portion north of the Caucasus range

Total area: 33,436 sq. mi. (86,600 sq. km.)

Climate: Dry, semiarid steppe

Nationality: noun: Azerbaijani(s) or Azeri(s); adjective: Azer­

baijani or Azeri

Population: 8,120,247 (July 2007 CIA est.)

Ethnic groups: Azeri 90.6%, Dagestani 2.2%, Russian 1.8%, Armenian 1.5%, other 3.9%

Languages spoken: Azerbaijani (Azeri) 90.3%, Lezgi 2.2%, Russian 1.8%, Armenian 1.5%, other and unspecified 4.3%

Religions: Muslim 93.4%, Russian Orthodox 2.5%, Armen­ian Orthodox 2.3%, other 1.8%

monthly literary and sociopolitical journal; organ of the Union of Writers of the Azerbaijan SSR. Published in Baku since 1923. From 1923 to 1927 it was called Maarif vämädäniyyät (Education and Culture); from 1928 to 1936 (nos. 1–5), Ingilab va mädäniyyät (Revolution and Culture); from 1936 to 1941, Revolyusiya vä kul’tura (Revolution and Culture); from 1941 to 1946, Vätän ughrunda (For the Homeland); from 1946 to 1952, Ingilab vämädäniyyät (Revolution and Culture); and since 1953 Azerbaijan. The journal discusses the main events of Azerbaijani cultural life and the development of social and literary critical thought. In its pages are printed works by Azerbaijani writers, translations from Russian and other foreign languages, and historical literary materials.