Wikijunior:Asia/Azerbaijan
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Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan is a country was known as Caucasian Albania in ancient times. Azerbaijan name are widely believed comes from the Arabicized form of old Persian word “Atropatakan” (aka Atropatena or Atropatene) “ - the country of Atropatos”.
Azerbaijan was an independent nation from 1918 to 1920 but was then incorporated into the Soviet Union. It became a constituent (union) republic in 1936. Azerbaijan declared sovereignty on September 23, 1989, and independence on August 30, 1999 (after fall of Soviet Union). Azerbaijan are also known for its distinctive traditional exports of fine horses and caviar.
The currencies of Azerbaijan is Azerbaijani manat.
Where is Azerbaijan? Edit
Azerbaijan is a country located in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia, straddling. It is located in the Eurasia region bordering north to Russia and Georgia, west to Armenia and Turkey and south to Iran. Bordering to the east are the Caspian Sea. The Caspian Sea is the largest lake in the world by surface area, and it is also the largest enclosed body of water on Earth.
The capital city of Azerbaijan is Baku or Bakı in native languages. It is the largest city in the country and is located right next to Caspian Sea.
How many people live in Azerbaijan? Edit
According to population census conducted in 2019 it is estimated about 9.98 million people living there. Estimated of 91.6% of populations are Azerbaijani natives, 2.0% are Lezgis, 1.3% are Armenians, 1.3% are Russians, 1.3% are Talyshs and 2.5% of other minorities group.
What are the most common languages in Azerbaijan? Edit
Azerbaijani, also called the Azeri, is the most widely spoken language in Azerbaijan with almost 93% of population speaking in the language. Currently used Azerbaijani alphabet has 32 letters which is very similar to Latin letters except the following: ç , ə , ğ , ő , ş , ü.
It is a Turkic language, which means that it is related to languages such as Turkish, Kazakh, and Uzbek.
Azerbaijani language evolved few times throughout history where the Arabic script was introduced in 7th century and used until early of 20th century. There was a movement to reform the Azerbaijani alphabet. In 1929, a new alphabet based on the Latin script was introduced. This alphabet was used for Azerbaijani until 1939. The Cyrillic alphabet ;Yanalif (new alphabet) was introduced by Soviet Union in 1939. After the independence from Soviet Union, in 1992 the Azerbaijani government switched from the Cyrillic to the Roman alphabet as its official writing systems.
There are distinct branch of 2 Azerbaijani languages namely north Azerbaijani and south Azerbaijani, which are sometimes classified as separate languages, although there is a fair degree of mutually intelligibility between them.
North Azerbaijani is spoken in Azerbaijan, where it is the official language. It is also spoken in southern Dagestan, in the southern Caucasus Mountains, and in parts of Central Asia. The alphabet used is based on Latin alphabet
South Azerbaijani is spoken mainly in the northwest of Iran, where it is known as تورکی (Türki), and also in parts of Iraq and Turkey, and in Afghanistan and Syria. It is written with a version of the Arabic script and is known as Azeri Turk in Iran.
What is the most common religion in Azerbaijan? Edit
The most common religions are Muslim religion (95%) , with 85% being Shia Muslims and 15% being Sunni Muslims.The rest are minority Christian sect followers such as Russian Orthodox, Georgian Orthodox and Armenian Apostolic
What is the sport of Azerbaijan? Edit
National sport of Azerbaijan is chovgan.
Chovgan share the resemblances to polo and are played on horseback . The sport's name is named after a type of curved stick traditionally used to catch sheep.
The sports rule are as followed: It requires horse riders to divide into two teams.Each team gets on the horseback and tries to score more goals against the opposite team.
The entire game is divided into 2 half-times. Duration of the game is six periods of 7 minutes. Each time period is called a “Chukka” or “Chukker”.
To begin with the game, each team’s players stay on horsebacks in a row behind the middle line in the middle of the field. Then, the referee throws the ball between them from approximately 6.5 m away for them to start the game. Players start riding toward the ball to get control over it and launch a tactical offense toward the opponent’s goal post. If there's foul during the game or it's time for the rest between two Chukkas, the game is paused.
What are some important sites? Edit
The Palace of Shirvanshahs -
The name Shirvanshahs literally named "The King of Shirvans" as it was a royal title in medieval Islamic times. The palace constructions was overseen by Shirvanshah Ibrahim I, who ruled from 1411 to 1465. In the 15th century the Shirvanshah dynasty transferred his country's capital from Shemakha to Baku a historical region in present-day Azerbaijan, and committed himself to the construction of the "palace". During their rule, the palace was used as a royal residence, and it also served as a center of government and culture.
With prime location in the centre of the Old City, it provided the ideal place for the King to rule over his domain. The multi-building complex would have been the height of comfort, with everything from a mosque to a private hamam to large cistern.
Today, it is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is comprised of five distinct sections namely Divanhane (main reception hall), the shah’s mosque with a minaret, Seyid Yahya Bakuvi’s mausoleum (Tomb of Seyid Yahya Bakuvi) , a portal in the east – Murad’s gate and a reservoir and the remnants of the bath-house.
Maiden Tower (Qiz Qalasi) -
It is a round bastion tower, built in the 12th century , originally on the ancient shore of Caspian Sea . (later due to land reclamation, the tower is no more near the Caspian Sea) .It supposedly to serve as a watch tower. It's an important part of Azerbaijani history considering that it features on the country's currency notes.
The name of Maiden Tower are purportedly come from local tales as followed:
A foreign prince fell in love with Azerbaijan's King beautiful daughter and wished to marry her. Horrified, the princess tried to delay the nuptials by asking her father to build the biggest tower she had ever seen. When the tower was completed, the princess went up to admire the view and threw herself into the waves of the Caspian, lapping against the tower walls below.
The tower is made of red brick, and there is a single entrance on the southern face of the tower. Once enter inside , it has a spiral but narrow staircase that winds its way up to the top. Inside, the central cylindrical void is divided by shallow vaults into eight floors with a single room on each floor. Once at the top of towers, the views from the top of the tower are amazing, and you can see all of the Baku city.
Gobustan Rock Art -
It is a vast area of rocky outcrops covered in prehistoric rock art, including petroglyphs, pictograms, and geoglyphs. The art dates back to the Upper Paleolithic period, and it provides a unique glimpse into the lives and cultures of the people who lived in the region over 40,000 years ago.
The rock art at Gobustan depicts a variety of subjects, including hunting, fishing, animal husbandry, and religious ceremonies. There are also depictions of animals, such as bulls, goats, and deer. The art is often very detailed, and it provides a valuable record of the history and culture of the region.
The petroglyphs was first accidentally discovered by the stone quarry workers in the 1930s were found during works in a stone quarry in the 1930s. In 1939, a group of Azerbaijani archaeologists led by Isaak Jafarzadeh began the first archeological investigation of the petroglyphs at Gobustan. Between 1940 to 1965, teams identified and documented approximately 3,500 individual rock paintings on 750 rocks. The most ancient petroglyphs have been identified as belonging to the 12-8th century B.C.
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