Azerbaijans

Azerbaijans, commonly referred to as Azerbaijanis, are an East Caucasian ethnic group native to the South Caucasus. The core homeland is the Republic of Azerbaijan, where Azerbaijani is the predominant language and the majority of the population identifies as Azerbaijani. Significant communities live in Iran’s Azerbaijan region, and sizable populations are found in Russia, Georgia, Turkey, and in Europe and North America as part of the Azerbaijani diaspora.

Language: Their language, Azerbaijani, is a Turkic language in the Oghuz branch. It is the official language of Azerbaijan and widely spoken there; in Iran it is spoken by communities in the northwest. The language exists in two main standard varieties: North Azerbaijani and South Azerbaijani. Scripts vary by region, with a Latin-based script used in Azerbaijan and Perso-Arabic scripts used in Iran; Cyrillic was used during the Soviet era.

Religion and society: Most Azerbaijanis are Muslim, with both Shia and Sunni communities represented; Azerbaijan is officially a secular state with religious and ethnic diversity accommodated within a constitutional framework.

History: The Azerbaijani ethnogenesis is rooted in the South Caucasus. The region has been ruled by various empires and khanates. The modern state of Azerbaijan emerged briefly as the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic in 1918, joined the Soviet Union as the Azerbaijan SSR, and regained independence in 1991. The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict has shaped recent history.

Culture: Azerbaijani culture features a rich literary and musical heritage, including poetry, mugham, and ashik traditions, as well as carpet weaving and distinctive cuisine. Hospitality and a tradition of exchange are notable components of social life.