Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan is a country in Asia with its capital in Baku and about 10.2 million people. Azerbaijan is called the Land of Fire for gas fires that burn from the ground, such as Yanar Dag, and Baku drilled some of the world’s first oil wells in the 1840s.

Azerbaijan in purple, with Baku marked. Outline from the same detailed coastlines the games use.

Capital: Baku
Continent: Asia
Population (2025): 10.2 million
Land area: 82,650 km² (31,911 sq mi)

Find it among 48 Asia countries →Explore Azerbaijan on the map

The story of Azerbaijan

Where the name comes from

Azerbaijan means “land of Atropates”, a ruler in today’s northwestern Iran after Alexander’s conquests; his Persian name meant “protected by fire”.

First people

Stone Age people sheltered in caves such as Azykh, and Atropates later governed ancient Media Atropatene.^1,2

Known for

Azerbaijan is called the Land of Fire for gas fires that burn from the ground, such as Yanar Dag, and Baku drilled some of the world’s first oil wells in the 1840s.³

Outside contact

Russia took the lands north of the Aras River from Persia in 1813 and 1828.²

The modern country

The Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, founded in 1918, gave women the vote as well as men, but the Red Army invaded in 1920. Azerbaijan regained independence in 1991.⁴

Azerbaijan

The story of Azerbaijan

Where the name comes from

First people

Known for

Outside contact

The modern country

Nearby countries

Quiz yourself on Asia

More countries in Asia

Sources