Qobu ( Gobu ) is a district and municipality in the Absheron District of Azerbaijan . Situated approximately 20 kilometers northwest of the capital city, Baku, Qobu has seen significant growth in recent years and now boasts a population exceeding 15,000 residents. The village is notable for its proximity to industrial and energy infrastructure, given its location within Azerbaijan's oil-rich region.
160-634: Qobu has a rich history linked to Azerbaijan's broader historical and cultural development. The area has long been inhabited, with historical records indicating agricultural and pastoral activities as central to village life. In recent decades, the expansion of Baku and the development of regional infrastructure have contributed to Qobu's growth. Qobu is one of the ancient villages of the Absheron region in Azerbaijan , though its history remains relatively under-researched. Historian Sara Ashurbeyli stated that Qobu
320-519: A British population, with a culture distinct from that of mainland South America. There was a violent war between Argentina and the United Kingdom regarding ownership of the islands in 1982, and the residents of the Falklands do not currently wish to be associated with South America, despite their geographical proximity. The Prince Edward Islands are located between Africa and Antarctica, and are
480-677: A Persian satrap under the Achaemenid Empire who was reinstated as the satrap of Media under Alexander the Great . The original etymology of this name is thought to have its roots in the once-dominant Zoroastrianism . In the Avesta 's Frawardin Yasht ("Hymn to the Guardian Angels"), there is a mention of âterepâtahe ashaonô fravashîm ýazamaide , which translates from Avestan as "we worship
640-656: A central Asian country that extends to Europe. The Turkish city Istanbul is a transcontinental city because it lies on both sides of the Bosporus (one of the Turkish Straits). The Russian and Kazakhstani cities of Magnitogorsk , Orenburg , and Atyrau fall on the Ural River, making them transcontinental cities as well. This Ural River delineation is the only segment not to follow a major mountain range or wide water body, both of which often truly separate populations. However,
800-717: A continent stands in opposition to islands and archipelagos. Nevertheless, there are some islands that are considered part of Europe in a political sense. This most notably includes the British Isles (part of the European continental shelf and during the Ice Age of the continent itself); the islands of the North Sea , the Baltic Sea , and the Mediterranean that are part of the territory of
960-508: A vassal state in 252, while King Urnayr officially adopted Christianity as the state religion in the 4th century. Despite Sassanid rule, Caucasian Albania remained an entity in the region until the 9th century, while fully subordinate to Sassanid Iran, and retained its monarchy. Despite being one of the chief vassals of the Sasanian emperor, the Albanian king had only a semblance of authority, and
1120-642: A Pacific Island, but also because of their indigenous population , who are related to the natives of Oceania. In 2010, Australian historian Bronwen Douglas claimed in The Journal of Pacific History that "a strong case could be made for extending Oceania to at least Taiwan, the homeland of the Austronesian language family whose speakers colonized significant parts of the region about 6,000 years ago." Definitions of Oceania which include Taiwan are extremely rare because Taiwan has historical ties to mainland Asia, Taiwan
1280-665: A hillside on the Absheron Peninsula on the Caspian Sea near Baku, which itself is known as the "land of fire." Flames jet out into the air from a thin, porous sandstone layer. It is a tourist attraction to visitors to the Baku area. The first reports on the richness and diversity of animal life in Azerbaijan can be found in travel notes of Eastern travelers. Animal carvings on architectural monuments, ancient rocks, and stones survived up to
1440-513: A location called "Səfər Körpüsü" (Səfər's Bridge), named after a local resident who built a bridge to control floodwaters. Several Azerbaijani films, including Bakıda Küləklər Əsir ("The Winds Blow in Baku"), Mən Vulkana Doğru Gedirəm ("I Am Heading Towards the Volcano"), and Mehman ("The Guest"), were filmed in Qobu. The village has an ancient cemetery, from which some gravestones are preserved in
1600-492: A more developed economy than neighboring Pacific Island nations, and is occasionally associated with mainland Asia as a result of this, despite being geologically distinct and having no cultural links to it prior to European discovery. It has historically been included in definitions of Oceania, ever since the term was first coined in the early 1810s. In the 19th century, many geographers divided up Oceania into mostly racially-based subdivisions; Australasia , Malaysia (encompassing
1760-404: A mountain-steppe racing and riding horse endemic to Azerbaijan. The Karabakh horse has a reputation for its good temper, speed, elegance, and intelligence. It is one of the oldest breeds, with ancestry dating to the ancient world, but today the horse is an endangered species. Azerbaijan's flora consists of more than 4,500 species of higher plants. Due to the unique climate in Azerbaijan, the flora
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#17328516689161920-475: A part of Yemen , an Asian country. The African and European mainlands are non-contiguous, and the delineation between these continents is thus merely a question of which islands are to be associated with which continent. The Portuguese Atlantic island possession of the Azores is 1,368 km (850 mi) from Europe and 1,507 km (936 mi) from Africa, and is sometimes grouped with Europe. By contrast,
2080-758: A transcontinental country; Western New Guinea is often considered part of Oceania because of its Indigenous Melanesian inhabitants and geological association with the Australian continental landmass. East Timor , an independent state that was formerly a part of Indonesia, is classified by the United Nations as a part of the South-eastern Asia subregion . It is expected to join the Association of Southeast Asian Nations , having been involved as an ASEAN Regional Forum member since independence, and has participated in
2240-701: Is a member of the European Union , whereas the European Parliament noted that Armenia and Georgia are eligible to apply for EU membership "like any other European state". On 14 December 2023, Georgia was officially granted EU Candidate status. Cyprus is an island of the Mediterranean located on the Asian continental shelf, geologically a part of the Anatolian Plate and adjacent to Asia Minor , by which it
2400-637: Is a transcontinental country with some of its northern portions (such as Kazbegi Municipality , Khevsureti , and Tusheti ) geographically located in Eastern Europe , north of the Greater Caucasus Watershed , whereas the country's south is arguably in Asia. Similarly, according to this one particular definition, Azerbaijan is a transcontinental country with some northern portions (e.g. Khachmaz , Quba , Qusar , Shabran , and Siazan ) located north of
2560-541: Is about 81 km (50 mi) from the coast of Sicily — much closer than the 288 km (179 mi) distance to the African mainland. The nearby Italian island of Lampedusa (principal island of the Pelagie Islands ) is 207 km (129 mi) from Sicily while just 127 km (79 mi) from the African mainland; similarly, Pantelleria is 100 km (62 mi) from Sicily and just 71 km (44 mi) from
2720-567: Is an active member of international coalitions fighting international terrorism, and was one of the first countries to offer support after the September 11 attacks . The country is an active member of NATO 's Partnership for Peace program, contributing to peacekeeping efforts in Kosovo, Afghanistan and Iraq. Azerbaijan is also a member of the Council of Europe since 2001 and maintains good relations with
2880-437: Is around 14.% of the total land area, equivalent to 1,131,770 hectares (ha) of forest in 2020, up from 944,740 hectares (ha) in 1990. In 2020, naturally regenerating forest covered 826,200 hectares (ha) and planted forest covered 305,570 hectares (ha). Of the naturally regenerating forest 0% was reported to be primary forest (consisting of native tree species with no clearly visible indications of human activity) and around 33% of
3040-835: Is at the Isthmus of Suez , the narrowest gap between the Mediterranean Sea and the Gulf of Suez , the route today followed by the Suez Canal . This makes the Sinai Peninsula geographically Asian, and Egypt a transcontinental country. Less than 2% of the Egyptian population live on the Sinai Peninsula, and hence Egypt, even though technically transcontinental, is usually considered an African country entirely and not partly Asian. But when discussing
3200-494: Is close to China (being 180 km away), and Taiwan lies on the continental shelf of Asia. Taiwan was formerly a member of the Oceania Football Confederation; this was for political reasons: It was forced to compete against teams from Oceania because China, its political administrator, did not recognize its sovereignty and would not compete against them. It was a member from 1975 to 1989, but now competes as part of
3360-607: Is extremely rare, however, because of their non-tropical biogeography and because their inhabitants have historically been related to Indigenous Americans . St. Lawrence Island in the northern Bering Sea belongs to Alaska and may be associated with either continent but is almost always considered part of North America, as with the Rat Islands in the Aleutian chain. At their nearest points, Alaska and Russia are separated by only 4 kilometres (2.5 miles). The geographical notion of
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#17328516689163520-810: Is for statistical convenience and does not imply any assumption regarding political or other affiliation of countries or territories". Furthermore, the UNSD classification often differs from those of other United Nations organizations. For instance, while UNSD includes Georgia and Cyprus in Western Asia, the United Nations Industrial Development Organization and UNESCO include both states in Europe. The Council of Europe includes transcontinental or Eurasian states, such as Armenia , Azerbaijan, Cyprus , Georgia, and Turkey as members. Cyprus
3680-569: Is generally a matter of geographical convention. Several slightly different conventions are in use. The number of continents is most commonly considered seven (in English-speaking countries ) but may range as low as four when Afro-Eurasia and the Americas are both considered as single continents. An island can be considered to be associated with a given continent by either lying on the continent's adjacent continental shelf (e.g. Singapore ,
3840-553: Is held by the unicameral National Assembly and the Supreme National Assembly in the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic. The Parliament of Azerbaijan , called Milli Majlis, consists of 125 deputies elected based on majority vote , with a term of five years for each elected member. The elections are held every five years, on the first Sunday of November. The Parliament is not responsible for the formation of
4000-400: Is historically, culturally, and politically a European state, with a history of imperial conquests in Asia. The situation for Turkey is inverse, as that of an Asian country with imperial conquests in Europe. Kazakhstan is also a transcontinental state by this definition, with its West Kazakhstan and Atyrau provinces extending on either side of the Ural River, although it is considered
4160-576: Is much richer in the number of species than the flora of the other republics of the South Caucasus. Sixty-six percent of the species growing in the whole Caucasus can be found in Azerbaijan. The country lies within four ecoregions: Caspian Hyrcanian mixed forests , Caucasus mixed forests , Eastern Anatolian montane steppe , and Azerbaijan shrub desert and steppe . Azerbaijan had a 2018 Forest Landscape Integrity Index mean score of 6.55/10, ranking it 72nd globally out of 172 countries. Forest cover
4320-565: Is nearly 2,000 km removed from Tokyo , and is geographically closer to the Micronesian territories of Guam and Northern Mariana Islands . Inhabitants of the Ryukyu Islands , on the periphery of the main Japanese archipelago, are sometimes associated with Austronesians. The islands are geologically and historically linked with Asia, and are excluded from most definitions of Oceania, along with
4480-560: Is particularly evidenced by remnants of ancient rivers found throughout the country. The water systems are continually changing under the influence of natural forces and human-introduced industrial activities. Artificial rivers (canals) and ponds are a part of Azerbaijan's water systems. In terms of water supply, Azerbaijan is below the average in the world with approximately 100,000 cubic metres (3,531,467 cubic feet) per year of water per square kilometer. All big water reservoirs are built on Kur. The hydrography of Azerbaijan basically belongs to
4640-562: Is sometimes associated with Asia ( Western Asia ), as in the United Nations geoscheme . Despite differences regarding its geographic affiliation, the Republic of Cyprus was nevertheless admitted to the Council of Europe in 1961 and joined the EU in 2004. The northern part of the island functions as the unrecognized (except by Turkey) Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus . The Greek North Aegean islands and
4800-676: Is the administration in its current formation. The president does not have the right to dissolve the National Assembly but has the right to veto its decisions. To override the presidential veto, the parliament must have a majority of 95 votes. The judicial power is vested in the Constitutional Court , Supreme Court , and the Economic Court. The president nominates the judges in these courts. Azerbaijan's system of governance nominally can be called two-tiered. The top or highest tier of
4960-555: Is the deliberative body under the president, and he organizes it according to the constitution. It was established on 10 April 1997. The administrative department is not a part of the president's office but manages the financial, technical and pecuniary activities of both the president and his office. The short-lived Azerbaijan Democratic Republic succeeded in establishing diplomatic relations with six countries, sending diplomatic representatives to Germany and Finland. The process of international recognition of Azerbaijan's independence from
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5120-549: Is the grouping into Oceania of the Pacific Islands with Australia and Zealandia . There are three overland boundaries subject to definition: While today the isthmus between Asia and Africa is navigable via the Suez Canal , and that between North and South America via the Panama Canal , these artificial channels are not generally accepted as continent-defining boundaries in themselves. The Suez Canal happens to traverse
5280-562: The fravashi of the holy Atropatene ". The name "Atropates" is the Greek transliteration of an Old Iranian , probably Median , compounded name with the meaning "Protected by the (Holy) Fire" or "The Land of the (Holy) Fire". The Greek name was mentioned by Diodorus Siculus and Strabo . Over the span of millennia, the name evolved to Āturpātākān ( Middle Persian ), then to Ādharbādhagān , Ādhorbāygān , Āzarbāydjān (New Persian) and present-day Azerbaijan . The name Azerbaijan
5440-1024: The Aegean Sea , the Dardanelles – Sea of Marmara – Bosporus (together known as the Turkish Straits ), the Black Sea , along the watershed of the Greater Caucasus , the northwestern portion of the Caspian Sea , and along the Ural River and Ural Mountains to the Kara Sea , as mapped and listed in most atlases including that of the National Geographic Society and as described in The World Factbook . According to this particular definition, Georgia
5600-555: The Aliyev political family and the New Azerbaijan Party ( Yeni Azərbaycan Partiyası , YAP) established by Heydar Aliyev continuously since 1993. It is categorised as "not free" by Freedom House , who ranked it 7/100 on Global Freedom Score in 2024, calling its regime authoritarian. The structural formation of the political system was completed by the adoption of the constitution on 12 November 1995. According to Article 23 of
5760-982: The Antarctic Treaty System . Australia's Heard Island and McDonald Islands (an external territory ) and the French Kerguelen Islands are located on the Kerguelen Plateau , on the Antarctic continental plate . Both are still within the bounds of the Indian Ocean. The United Nations categorizes Heard Island and McDonald Islands, which are politically affiliated with Australia, as being part of Oceania. The islands are 4,000 km from Perth in Australia, and have never been inhabited by indigenous peoples of Oceania or any other humans. Heard Island has only been visited 240 times throughout its entire history, and
5920-635: The Aru Islands in Maluku Province and western New Guinea , which contain six provinces of Indonesia, are part of the Australian continent . The eastern half of New Guinea is a part of Papua New Guinea which is considered to be a part of Oceania. Indonesia is commonly referred to as one of the Southeast Asian countries. Indonesia's eastern region of Western New Guinea and nearby islands, makes it
6080-550: The Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic on 28 April 1920. Although the bulk of the newly formed Azerbaijani army was engaged in putting down an Armenian revolt that had broken out in Karabakh , Azerbaijanis did not surrender their brief independence of 1918–20 quickly or easily. As many as 20,000 Azerbaijani soldiers died resisting what was effectively a Russian reconquest. Within the ensuing early Soviet period,
6240-428: The Azerbaijanis are nowadays parted between two nations: Iran and Azerbaijan. After the collapse of the Russian Empire during World War I , the short-lived Transcaucasian Democratic Federative Republic was declared, constituting the present-day republics of Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Armenia. It was followed by the March Days massacres that took place between 30 March and 2 April 1918 in Baku and adjacent areas of
6400-418: The Baku Governorate . When the republic dissolved in May 1918, the leading Musavat party declared independence as the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic (ADR), adopting the name of "Azerbaijan", a name that prior to the proclamation of the ADR was solely used to refer to the adjacent northwestern region of contemporary Iran . The ADR was the first modern parliamentary republic in the Muslim world. Among
6560-479: The Baku pogrom , the Maraga massacre and the Kirovabad pogrom . Furthermore, an estimated 30,000 people were killed and more than a million people were displaced (more than 800,000 Azerbaijanis and 300,000 Armenians). Four United Nations Security Council resolutions ( 822 , 853 , 874 , and 884 ) demand for "the immediate withdrawal of all Armenian forces from all occupied territories of Azerbaijan." Many Russians and Armenians fled Azerbaijan as refugees during
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6720-401: The Bonin Islands (also known as the Ogasawara Islands), the Volcano Islands , and three remote islets ( Nishinoshima , Minami-Tori-shima and Okinotorishima ), all governed collectively as Ogasawara Village , which is an administrative division consisting of scattered island atolls located in the Pacific Ocean . These mostly uninhabited islands are located at some distance southeast of
6880-407: The British Isles ) or being a part of a microcontinent on the same principal tectonic plate (e.g. Madagascar and Seychelles ). An island can also be entirely oceanic while still being associated with a continent by geology (e.g. Bermuda , the Australian Indian Ocean Territories ) or by common geopolitical convention (e.g. Ascension Island , the South Sandwich Islands ). Another example
7040-427: The Canary Islands and the Madeira islands (the latter of which also include the Desertas Islands and the Savage Islands ) off the Atlantic coast of Morocco are much closer to, and usually grouped with, Africa; the Canary Islands are only 100 km (62 mi) from the African mainland at their closest point but 945 km (587 mi) from the European mainland, while Madeira is 520 km (320 mi) from
7200-450: The Dodecanese lie on the coast of the Asian part of Turkey (on the Asian continental shelf). Thus, generally, these island groups could be considered part of Asia. More specifically, the small islands of Kastellorizo , Strongyli Megistis , and Ro (all these islands are still in the Dodecanese group) are directly to the south of the Turkish Anatolia coastline, of which they are directly adjacent. Additionally, they lie at some distance to
7360-452: The Eurasian Plate . This island is located in the Alboran Sea , 50 km (31 mi) north of the Moroccan coast and 90 km (56 mi) south of Spain . There are six definitive occurrences of territories unequivocally being a part of the African continent, but legally being administered by a European state. Three of these are administered by France , and the other three by Spain . The existence of these territories further blurs
7520-415: The First Nagorno-Karabakh war with the ethnic Armenian majority of Nagorno-Karabakh backed by Armenia. By the end of the hostilities in 1994, Armenians controlled 14–16 percent of Azerbaijani territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh. During the war many atrocities and pogroms by both sides were committed including the massacres at Malibeyli, Gushchular and Garadaghly and the Khojaly massacre , along with
7680-451: The Greater Caucasus Watershed and thus geographically in Europe, whereas the rest arguably falls under Asia. Georgia actively identified as European throughout the 19th and 20th centuries. In the 21st century, Georgia is regarded as a European country for historical, cultural, religious, and political reasons. The international geographic community has never reached a universal agreement on continental borders, especially with regard to
7840-486: The Guruchay culture of Azykh Cave . Early settlements included the Scythians during the 9th century BC. Following the Scythians, Iranian Medes came to dominate the area to the south of the Aras river . The Medes forged a vast empire between 900 and 700 BC, which was integrated into the Achaemenid Empire around 550 BC. The area was conquered by the Achaemenids leading to the spread of Zoroastrianism . The Sasanian Empire turned Caucasian Albania into
8000-485: The Japanese archipelago . Owing to the location and oceanic nature of these islands, they are sometimes considered to be a part of Oceania as well. The islands are within the Oceanian biogeographical realm , unlike the rest of Japan, and may have been inhabited by Micronesians around 2,000 years ago. Their official discovery came much later in the 16th century, through Europeans. The most remote island within this group, Minami-Tori-shima (also known as Marcus Island)
8160-450: The McDonald Islands have only ever been visited twice, in 1971 and 1980. The World Factbook categorizes these islands as part of Antarctica rather than Oceania. The French Crozet Islands , Île Amsterdam , Île Saint-Paul , and the Norwegian Bouvet Island are also located on the Antarctic continental plate, and are not often associated with other continents. The United Nations categorize Bouvet Island as part of South America, while
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#17328516689168320-410: The Non-Aligned Movement and World Trade Organization and is a correspondent at the International Telecommunication Union . On 9 May 2006 Azerbaijan was elected to membership in the newly established Human Rights Council by the United Nations General Assembly . The term of office began on 19 June 2006. Azerbaijan was first elected as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council in 2011 with
8480-621: The Old City ( Icherisheher ) caravanserai in Baku. The inscriptions on these stones are in a form of calligraphy known as "Shikaste." The "Qobu carpet" is a well-known traditional craft of the village, recognized for its unique patterns and weaving techniques. The carpets are woven with camel wool, dyed using natural plants, and were historically even exported abroad. The tradition of carpet weaving continues in Qobu, where villagers are distinct from other settlements in Absheron, especially in their unique dialect. Today, Qobu also hosts Azerbaijan's largest camel-breeding farm, and many residents work in
8640-408: The Safavid dynasty of Iran subdued the Shirvanshahs and gained its possessions. In the course of the next century, the Safavids converted the formerly Sunni population to Shia Islam , as they did with the population in what is modern-day Iran. The Safavids allowed the Shirvanshahs to remain in power under Safavid suzerainty until 1538, when Safavid King Tahmasp I completely deposed them and made
8800-431: The South Caucasus region and is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia's republic of Dagestan to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia and Turkey to the west, and Iran to the south. Baku is the capital and largest city. The territory of what is now Azerbaijan was first ruled by Caucasian Albania and later various Persian empires . Until the 19th century, it remained part of Qajar Iran , but
8960-455: The Southeast Asian Games since 2003 . Occasionally, all of the Malay Archipelago is included in Oceania, although this is extremely rare, especially as most of the archipelago lies on the Asian continental shelf . The Malay Archipelago was more frequently associated with Oceania during the 19th century, when the term was first coined. Many inhabitants in the Malay Archipelago are Austronesians, sharing genetic and linguistic affinities to
9120-458: The Soviet Union , the boundary along the Kuma–Manych Depression was the most commonly used as early as 1906. In 1958, the Soviet Geographical Society formally recommended that the boundary between Asia and Europe be drawn in textbooks from Baydaratskaya Bay , on the Kara Sea , along the eastern foot of the Ural Mountains, then following the Ural River until the Mugodzhar Hills , and then the Emba River ; and Kuma–Manych Depression, thus placing
9280-427: The United Kingdom . The United Nations consider them to be part of South America. Definitions of South America that exclude the Galápagos Islands and Juan Fernández Islands (both oceanic in nature) still generally include the Falklands, which share biographical affinities to Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego , and which are located on the South American continental shelf. The Falkland Islands and South Georgia and
9440-463: The Ural Mountains and are a continuation of that chain into the Arctic Ocean . While Novaya Zemlya was variously grouped with Europe or with Asia in 19th-century maps it is now usually grouped with Europe, the continental boundary considered to join the Arctic Ocean along the southern shore of the Kara Sea . The Russian Arctic archipelago of Franz Josef Land farther north is also associated with Europe. The Bering Strait and Bering Sea separate
9600-418: The Ural Mountains . The mapmakers continued to differ on the boundary between the lower Don and Samara well into the 19th century. The 1745 atlas published by the Russian Academy of Sciences has the boundary follow the Don beyond Kalach as far as Serafimovich before cutting north towards Arkhangelsk , while other 18th- to 19th-century mapmakers such as John Cary followed Strahlenberg's prescription. To
9760-436: The dissolution of the Soviet Union . In September 1991, the ethnic Armenian majority of the Nagorno-Karabakh region formed the self-proclaimed Republic of Artsakh , which became de facto independent with the end of the First Nagorno-Karabakh War in 1994, although the region and seven surrounding districts remained internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan. Following the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War in 2020,
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#17328516689169920-595: The flight of nearly all ethnic Armenians from the region . Azerbaijan is located in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia , straddling West Asia and Eastern Europe . It lies between latitudes 38° and 42° N , and longitudes 44° and 51° E . The perimeter of Azerbaijan's land borders is 2,648 km (1,645 mi), of which 1,007 km (626 mi) are with Armenia, 756 km (470 mi) with Iran, 480 kilometers with Georgia, 390 km (242 mi) with Russia and 15 km (9 mi) with Turkey. The coastline stretches for 800 km (497 mi), and
10080-514: The landmasses of Asia and North America , as well as forming the international boundary between Russia and the United States. This national and continental boundary separates the Diomede Islands in the Bering Strait, with Big Diomede in Russia and Little Diomede in the U.S. The Aleutian Islands are an island chain extending westward from the Alaskan Peninsula toward Russia's Komandorski Islands and Kamchatka Peninsula . Most of them are always associated with North America, except for
10240-472: The plazas de soberanía ("Localities of Sovereignty"), are small islands that lie immediately adjacent to the North African coastline, with the exception of Peñón de Vélez de la Gomera , which was originally an island like the other 'localities' but has subsequently become directly connected to the Moroccan (African) mainland. The two other Spanish territories are the exclaves of Ceuta and Melilla , which are two populated coastal cities located directly on
10400-402: The " Avtovagzal " station of the Baku Metro and neighbors the settlements of Lokbatan , Guzdek , Hokmali , and Atyali. This Absheron Rayon location article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Azerbaijan Azerbaijan , officially the Republic of Azerbaijan , is a transcontinental country at the boundary of Eastern Europe and West Asia. It is a part of
10560-425: The 13th century, on Enderby Island. Macquarie Island is theorized to have possibly had contact with Polynesians, although there is no archaeological evidence to support this. The continental boundary between Asia and Australia is somewhere in the Wallacean region of the Malay Archipelago. The boundary is frequently divided along the anthropologic Melanesian Line or the biogeographic Weber's Line . Geologically,
10720-464: The 1990s. According to the 1970 census, there were 510,000 ethnic Russians and 484,000 Armenians in Azerbaijan. In 1993, democratically elected President Abulfaz Elchibey was overthrown by a military insurrection led by Colonel Surat Huseynov , which resulted in the rise to power of the former leader of Soviet Azerbaijan, Heydar Aliyev . In 1994, Huseynov, by that time the prime minister, attempted another military coup against Heydar Aliyev, but he
10880-511: The 19th century; however, it has declined in usage over time. This is because it included in Asia certain areas of Russia (such as Stavropol , Krasnodar , and areas just south of Rostov-on-Don ) seen as too European to be Asian. One formal means by which states are grouped into one specified continental area or another is by using the definition used for statistical purposes by the United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD): According to UNSD, "assignment of countries or areas to specific groupings
11040-423: The 5th century BC. As geographic knowledge of the Greeks increased during the Hellenistic period , this archaic convention was revised, and the boundary between Asia and Europe was now considered to be the Tanais (the modern Don River). This is the convention used by Roman era authors such as Posidonius , Strabo and Ptolemy . Throughout the Middle Ages and into the 18th century, the traditional division of
11200-405: The 6th century BC by early Greek geographers such as Anaximander and Hecataeus . Anaximander placed the boundary between Asia and Europe along the Phasis River (the modern Rioni in Georgia in the Caucasus Mountains ), from Rioni mouth in Poti on the Black Sea coast, through the Surami Pass and along the Kura River to the Caspian Sea, a convention still followed by Herodotus in
11360-409: The 8,350 stream are greater than 100 km (62 mi) in length. All the streams drain into the Caspian Sea. The largest lake is Sarysu at 67 km (26 sq mi), and the longest river is Kur at 1,515 km (941 mi), which is transboundary with Armenia. Azerbaijan has several islands along the Caspian sea, mostly located in the Baku Archipelago . Since independence in 1991,
11520-664: The AFC. The presence of these teams in the AFC is not necessarily related to geography or politics, but rather because the Asian Football Confederation have far more resources than the Oceania Football Confederation. All three are members of the Pacific Islands Forum , the major governing body for the Oceania region, with Australia being a founding member in 1971. Guam and Northern Mariana Islands have had similar histories to
11680-558: The African continent). The final territory is the Scattered Islands in the Indian Ocean , administratively a part of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands . This French territory consists of a range of minor uninhabited atolls in the Indian Ocean, located in the deep sea surrounding Madagascar. Antarctica along with its outlying islands have no permanent population. All land claims south of 60°S latitude are held in abeyance by
11840-638: The African mainland and 1,000 km (620 mi) from the European mainland. In his 1895 book Africa: Volume 2 , author Augustus Henry Keane remarked, "In the North Atlantic there are four insular groups — Madeira, the Canaries, Cape Verde and Azores — which are usually assigned to Africa, although the Canaries and Cape Verde alone belong geographically to that continent, the Azores are lost, so to say, in mid-Atlantic." The Mediterranean island country of Malta
12000-526: The African mainland, both bordering only Morocco. Two of the French territories are the inhabited overseas departments and regions of Mayotte and Réunion . Mayotte is an island territory located west of the island country of Madagascar within the Mozambique Channel . Réunion is an island territory located near the island country of Mauritius and to the east of Madagascar (both nominally considered part of
12160-469: The African mainland. All of these Mediterranean islands, including Malta and Sicily, are actually located on the African Plate , and could be considered part of the African continent geologically. However, for political and cultural reasons, maps generally display them as part of Europe instead. A single Spanish islet, known as Alboran Island , is also debatably located on either the African Plate or
12320-615: The Asian Football Confederation. Taiwan, Japan and most of the nations in the Malay Archipelago are dialogue partners of the Pacific Islands Forum, but none have full membership, only Australia, New Zealand and the island states in Polynesia, Melanesia and Micronesia do. The boundary between Asia and Europe is unusual among continental boundaries because of its largely mountain-and-river-based characteristics north and east of
12480-561: The Australian Indian Ocean external territories of Christmas Island and Cocos (Keeling) Islands (both geographically adjacent to Java ) as being part of Oceania, rather than Asia. The islands lie within the bounds of the Australian Plate , and were uninhabited prior to European discovery in the 17th century. They have oceanic geology , making them distinct from both mainland Asia and mainland Australia. Japan possesses
12640-650: The Azerbaijan SSR. The disturbances in Azerbaijan, in response to Moscow's indifference to an already heated conflict, resulted in calls for independence and secession, which culminated in the Black January events in Baku. Later in 1990, the Supreme Council of the Azerbaijan SSR dropped the words "Soviet Socialist" from the title, adopted the "Declaration of Sovereignty of the Azerbaijan Republic" and restored
12800-642: The Azerbaijani national identity was forged. On 13 October 1921, the Soviet republics of Russia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia signed an agreement with Turkey known as the Treaty of Kars . The previously independent Republic of Aras would also become the Nakhchivan Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic within the Azerbaijan SSR by the treaty of Kars. On the other hand, Armenia was awarded
12960-518: The Baku District. By a decree on August 30, 1930, Azerbaijan was divided into 63 districts, and Qobu became part of the Molotov District of Baku, later gaining the status of an urban-type settlement in 1937. From July 26, 1957, it remained in Baku's Molotov District until it was renamed Garadagh District. On March 15, 1963, Garadagh District was renamed Azizbeyov District, and on June 22, 1964, Qobu
13120-654: The Baku Governorate. In 1870, the Caucasian Statistical Committee published a report in Tbilisi, listing Qobu as the 42nd settlement in the Baku Qezasi. The village was noted as being 15 versts (about 16 kilometers) from Baku, with 183 households and a population of 974. Qobu had one mosque, and the residents practiced Shia Islam. Among the district's 41 villages, it ranked 12th in household numbers. In 1892,
13280-541: The Black Sea. Asia and Europe are considered separate continents for historical reasons; the division between the two goes back to the early Greek geographers . In the modern sense of the term "continent", Eurasia is more readily identifiable as a "continent", and Europe has occasionally been described as a subcontinent of Eurasia. The threefold division of the Old World into Africa, Asia, and Europe has been in use since
13440-584: The Caspian Sea basin. The Kura and Aras are the major rivers in Azerbaijan. They run through the Kura-Aras lowland . The rivers that directly flow into the Caspian Sea originate mainly from the north-eastern slope of the Major Caucasus and Talysh Mountains and run along the Samur–Devechi and Lankaran lowlands. Yanar Dag , translated as "burning mountain", is a natural gas fire which blazes continuously on
13600-681: The Caucasus entirely in Asia and the Urals entirely in Europe. However, most geographers in the Soviet Union favoured the boundary along the Caucasus crest and this became the standard convention in the latter 20th century, although the Kuma–Manych boundary remained in use in some 20th-century maps. The modern border between Asia and Europe is a historical and cultural construct, and for that reason, its definition has varied. One commonly accepted border follows
13760-510: The Caucasus region between the Black and Caspian seas. As Encyclopædia Britannica explains: “The watershed of the Greater Caucasus, the backbone of the system, traditionally has been part of the line dividing Europe and Asia, but Europe's eastern boundary has been the subject of much debate. One widely accepted scheme draws the dividing line along the crest of the Greater Caucasus range, putting
13920-414: The Caucasus region vary from about −28 meters at the Caspian Sea shoreline up to 4,466 meters ( Bazardüzü peak). The climate is influenced particularly by cold arctic air masses of Scandinavian anticyclone , temperate air masses of Siberian anticyclone, and Central Asian anticyclone. Azerbaijan's diverse landscape affects the ways air masses enter the country. The Greater Caucasus protects
14080-512: The European Union. The country may eventually apply for EU membership. On 1 July 2021, the US Congress advanced legislation that will have an impact on the military aid that Washington has sent to Azerbaijan since 2012. This was because the packages to Armenia, instead, are significantly smaller. Boundaries between the continents Determining the boundaries between the continents
14240-621: The Greater and Lesser Caucasus , and the Talysh Mountains , together covering approximately 40% of the country. The highest peak is Mount Bazardüzü 4,466 m (14,652 ft), while the lowest point lies in the Caspian Sea −28 m (−92 ft) . Nearly half of all the mud volcanoes on Earth are concentrated in Azerbaijan, these volcanoes were among nominees for the New 7 Wonders of Nature . The main water sources are surface waters. Only 24 of
14400-717: The Iranian Zands and Qajars . From the late 18th century, Imperial Russia switched to a more aggressive geo-political stance towards Iran and the Ottoman Empire . Russia actively tried to gain possession of the Caucasus region which was, for the most part, in the hands of Iran. In 1804, the Russians invaded and sacked the Iranian town of Ganja , sparking the Russo-Persian War of 1804–1813 . The militarily superior Russians ended
14560-572: The Isthmus of Suez between the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea , dividing Africa and Asia. The continental boundaries are considered to be within the very narrow land connections joining the continents. The remaining boundaries concern the association of islands and archipelagos with specific continents, notably: Historically in Greco-Roman geography , "Africa" meant Ancient Libya , and its eastern extent
14720-572: The Kuma–Manych Depression to the Caspian and then the Ural River, and the third abandoning the Don altogether, following the Greater Caucasus watershed to the Caspian. The question was still treated as a controversy in geographical literature of the 1860s, with Douglas Freshfield advocating the Caucasus crest boundary as the best possible, citing support from various modern geographers. In Russia and
14880-466: The Malay Archipelago separate from Oceania for this very reason. He wrote, "Before the advent of Europeans into the Pacific, our cultures were truly oceanic, in the sense that the sea barrier shielded us for millennia from the great cultural influences that raged through continental land masses and adjacent islands. This prolonged period of isolation allowed for the emergence of distinctive oceanic cultures with
15040-613: The Malay Archipelago), Melanesia , Micronesia and Polynesia . Australia, Guam and Northern Mariana Islands currently compete in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), with Australia and Northern Mariana Islands having originally been part of the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC). Guam was never an official OFC member, although they exclusively played against teams from Oceania prior to joining
15200-555: The Melanesian, Micronesian and Polynesian inhabitants of Oceania, who also fall under the Austronesian umbrella. However, the Austronesians of the Malay Archipelago had significant contact with mainland Asia during prehistoric times, unlike with the Austronesians and Indigenous Australians of Oceania, who were isolated from the culture of Asia and the eastern world . Epeli Hauʻofa , a scholar of Tongan and Fijian descent, considered
15360-615: The Republic of Azerbaijan, like those spoken by the Tats , are descended from Old Azeri. Locally, the possessions of the subsequent Seljuk Empire were ruled by Eldiguzids , technically vassals of the Seljuk sultans, but sometimes de facto rulers themselves. Under the Seljuks, local poets such as Nizami Ganjavi and Khaqani gave rise to a blossoming of Persian literature in the region. Shirvanshahs ,
15520-472: The Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs published a statistical report noting that Qobu had 256 homes and a population of 1,511. The village had significant land for cultivation, covering around 4,960 hectares, making it one of the largest land-owning villages in the area after Novkhani , Keshla , and Gala. On April 8, 1929, administrative districts in Azerbaijan were reorganized, and Qobu was included in
15680-692: The Russo-Persian wars of 1804–1813 and 1826–1828 forced the Qajar Empire to cede its Caucasian territories to the Russian Empire ; the treaties of Gulistan in 1813 and Turkmenchay in 1828 defined the border between Russia and Iran. The region north of the Aras was part of Iran until it was conquered by Russia in the 19th century, where it was administered as part of the Caucasus Viceroyalty . By
15840-602: The Sasanian marzban (military governor) held most civil, religious, and military authority. In the first half of the 7th century, Caucasian Albania, as a vassal of the Sasanians, came under nominal Muslim rule with the Muslim conquest of Persia . The Umayyad Caliphate repulsed both the Sasanians and Byzantines from the South Caucasus and turned Caucasian Albania into a vassal state after Christian resistance led by King Juansher
16000-464: The Sinai Peninsula, Israel , Palestine , much of Lebanon and the coastal governorates of Syria being located on the African Plate . The Comoros , Madagascar , Mauritius , and Seychelles are island countries in the Indian Ocean which are nominally associated with Africa. The Socotra Archipelago may be considered African as it lies on its continental shelf; however, it is politically
16160-582: The South Sandwich Islands were uninhabited when discovered by Europeans, with some theorizing that the Falklands were visited by Indigenous peoples of the Americas during prehistoric times. These theories are usually considered dubious, as there is no archaeological evidence indicating prehistoric human inhabitation on the Falklands. South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands do not have any permanent residents. The Falkland Islands have historically had
16320-490: The United Nations also to be part of Oceania. The Auckland Islands could be considered part of Oceania on cultural grounds rather than mere political grounds, as they are believed to be the southernmost island group to have been settled by Polynesians during prehistoric times. The islands were uninhabited when discovered by Europeans, but archaeological traces have since been found to indicate Polynesian settlement, dating to
16480-857: The United Nations, the Council of Europe , the Non-Aligned Movement , the OSCE , and the NATO PfP program. It is one of the founding members of GUAM , the Commonwealth of Independent States , and the OPCW . Azerbaijan is also an observer state of the World Trade Organization . The vast majority of the country's population (97%) is nominally Muslim, but the Constitution of Azerbaijan does not declare an official religion, and all major political forces in
16640-527: The Ural River is the most common division used by authorities, is the most prominent natural feature in the region, and is the "most satisfactory of those (options) proposed" which include the Emba River , a much smaller stream cutting further into Central Asian Kazakhstan. The Ural River bridges in Atyrau and Orenburg are even labeled with permanent monuments carved with the word "Europe" on one side, "Asia" on
16800-670: The Volga, now joined with it by the Volga–Don Canal ), into territory not described in any detail by the ancient geographers. Philip Johan von Strahlenberg in 1725 was the first to depart from the classical Don boundary by drawing the line along the Volga , following the Volga north until the Samara Bend , along Obshchy Syrt (the drainage divide between the Ural and Volga rivers) and then north along
16960-542: The World Factbook categorizes it as part of Antarctica. South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands are closer to Antarctica than to any other continent. However, they are politically associated with the Falkland Islands , which are less geographically isolated from South America. Furthermore, Argentina , a South American country, maintains its irredentist claims on all of these islands, which are administered by
17120-571: The absolute maximum temperature were observed in Julfa and Ordubad —regions of Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic . The maximum annual precipitation falls in Lankaran (1,600 to 1,800 mm or 63 to 71 in) and the minimum in Absheron (200 to 350 mm or 7.9 to 13.8 in). Rivers and lakes form the principal part of the water systems of Azerbaijan, they were formed over a long geological timeframe and changed significantly throughout that period. This
17280-564: The area into the Safavid province of Shirvan . The Sunni Ottomans briefly managed to occupy present-day Azerbaijan as a result of the Ottoman–Safavid War of 1578–1590 ; by the early 17th century, they were ousted by Safavid Iranian ruler Abbas I . In the wake of the demise of the Safavid dynasty, Baku and its environs were briefly occupied by the Russians as a consequence of the Russo-Persian War of 1722–1723 . Remainder of present Azerbaijan
17440-525: The collapsing Soviet Union lasted roughly one year. The most recent country to recognize Azerbaijan was Bahrain, on 6 November 1996. Full diplomatic relations, including mutual exchanges of missions, were first established with Turkey, Pakistan, the United States, Iran and Israel. Azerbaijan has placed a particular emphasis on its " special relationship " with Turkey. Azerbaijan has diplomatic relations with 158 countries so far and holds membership in 38 international organizations. It holds observer status in
17600-412: The constitution, the state symbols are the flag , the coat of arms , and the national anthem . The state power is limited only by law for internal issues, but international affairs are also limited by international agreements' provisions. The Constitution of Azerbaijan states that it is a presidential republic with three branches of power – executive, legislative, and judicial. The legislative power
17760-479: The country are secular. Azerbaijan is a developing country and ranks 89th on the Human Development Index . The ruling New Azerbaijan Party , in power since 1993, has been accused of authoritarianism under president Heydar Aliyev and his son Ilham Aliyev , and worsening the country's human rights record , including increasing restrictions on civil liberties, particularly on press freedom and political repression. The term Azerbaijan derives from Atropates ,
17920-408: The country from direct influences of cold air masses coming from the north. That leads to the formation of subtropical climate on most foothills and plains of the country. Meanwhile, plains and foothills are characterized by high solar radiation rates. Nine out of eleven existing climate zones are present in Azerbaijan. Both the absolute minimum temperature ( −33 °C or −27.4 °F ) and
18080-411: The east of the rest of the Dodecanese group in the direction of Cyprus and the Turkish city of Antalya . Akin to Cyprus, these small islets would nominally be considered Asian if only the continental shelf were used to define the boundary, but for history and cultural influences they are considered a part of Europe. Russia's Vaygach Island and Novaya Zemlya extend northward from the northern end of
18240-404: The entire 19th century, preoccupation with Iranian culture , literature , and language remained widespread among Shia and Sunni intellectuals in the Russian-held cities of Baku, Ganja and Tiflis ( Tbilisi , now Georgia). Within the same century, in post-Iranian Russian-held East Caucasia, an Azerbaijani national identity emerged at the end of the 19th century. As a result of the Russian conquest,
18400-403: The eruption of instability. Numerous khanates with various forms of autonomy emerged. The rulers of these khanates were directly related to the ruling dynasties of Iran and were vassals and subjects of the Iranian shah. The khanates exercised control over their affairs via international trade routes between Central Asia and the West. Thereafter, the area was under the successive rule of
18560-416: The exploitation of the Azeri–Chirag–Guneshli oil field and Shah Deniz gas field , the Aliyev family rule has been criticized with election fraud, high levels of economic inequality and domestic corruption . In September 2023, Azerbaijan launched an offensive against the breakaway Republic of Artsakh in Nagorno-Karabakh that resulted in the dissolution and reintegration of Artsakh on 1 January 2024 and
18720-428: The final bout of hostilities between the two, the Russo-Persian War of 1826–1828 . The resulting Treaty of Turkmenchay forced Qajar Iran to cede sovereignty over the Erivan Khanate, the Nakhchivan Khanate and the remainder of the Talysh Khanate . After the incorporation of all Caucasian territories from Iran into Russia, the border between the two was set at the Aras River. Despite the Russian conquest, throughout
18880-487: The flag of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic as the state flag. As a consequence of the failed 1991 Soviet coup attempt in Moscow, the Supreme Council of Azerbaijan adopted a Declaration of Independence on 18 October 1991 which was affirmed by a nationwide referendum in December, while the Soviet Union officially ceased to exist on 26 December. The country celebrates its Day of Restoration of Independence on 18 October. The early years of independence were overshadowed by
19040-438: The forest area was found within protected areas. In 2015, 100% of the forest area was reported to be under public ownership , 0% private ownership and 0% with ownership listed as other or unknown. Azerbaijan's government functions as an authoritarian regime in practice; although it regularly holds elections , these are marred by electoral fraud and other unfair election practices. The government has been ruled by
19200-428: The geopolitical region of the Middle East and North Africa , Egypt is usually grouped with the Western Asian countries as part of the Middle East , while Egypt's western neighbor Libya is grouped with the remaining North African countries as the Maghreb . Both are members of the African Union . However, the geological boundary is located further to the east, along the Gulf of Aqaba and the Dead Sea Transform , with
19360-415: The government has taken measures to preserve the environment of Azerbaijan . National protection of the environment accelerated after 2001 when the state budget increased through revenues provided by the Baku–Tbilisi–Ceyhan pipeline . Within four years, protected areas doubled and now make up eight percent of the country's territory. Since 2001 the government has set up seven large reserves and almost doubled
19520-474: The government is the executive power headed by president. The local executive authority is merely a continuation of executive power. The provision determines the legal status of local state administration on local executive authority ( Yerli Icra Hakimiyati ), adopted 16 June 1999. In June 2012, the president approved a regulation which granted additional powers to local executive authorities, strengthening their dominant position in local affairs The Security Council
19680-434: The government, but the constitution requires the approval of the Cabinet of Ministers by Milli Majlis. The New Azerbaijan Party, and independents loyal to the ruling government, currently hold almost all of the Parliament's 125 seats. During the 2010 Parliamentary election , the opposition parties, Musavat and Azerbaijani Popular Front Party , failed to win a single seat. European observers found numerous irregularities in
19840-402: The important accomplishments of the Parliament was the extension of suffrage to women, making ADR the first Muslim nation to grant women equal political rights with men. Baku State University , first modern university founded in the Muslim East, was established during this period. Independent Azerbaijan lasted only 23 months until the Bolshevik 11th Soviet Red Army invaded it, establishing
20000-402: The landmass of Eurasia into two continents, Asia and Europe, followed Ptolemy, with the boundary following the Turkish Straits , the Black Sea , the Kerch Strait , the Sea of Azov and the Don (known in antiquity as the Tanais). But maps produced during the 16th to 18th centuries tended to differ in how to continue the boundary beyond the Don bend at Kalach-na-Donu (where it is closest to
20160-514: The late 19th century, an Azerbaijani national identity emerged when the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic proclaimed its independence from the Transcaucasian Democratic Federative Republic in 1918, a year after the Russian Empire collapsed , and became the first secular democratic Muslim-majority state. In 1920, the country was conquered and incorporated into the Soviet Union as the Azerbaijan SSR . The modern Republic of Azerbaijan proclaimed its independence on 30 August 1991, shortly before
20320-443: The length of the widest area of the Azerbaijani section of the Caspian Sea is 456 km (283 mi). The country has a landlocked exclave , the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic . Three physical features dominate Azerbaijan: the Caspian Sea, whose shoreline forms a natural boundary to the east; the Greater Caucasus mountain range to the north; and the extensive flatlands at the country's center. There are three mountain ranges:
20480-410: The line between the borders of Africa and Europe, in particular with regard to the Spanish territories which lie immediately adjacent to and/or connected to the African mainland. The French territories lie within the Indian Ocean , and, consequently, are more dislocated from the principal boundary between the two continents. The uninhabited Spanish unincorporated overseas minor territories, known as
20640-464: The local dynasty of Arabic origin that was later Persianized, became a vassal state of Timurid Empire of Timur and assisted him in his war with the ruler of the Golden Horde Tokhtamysh . Following Timur's death, two independent and rival Turkoman states emerged: Qara Qoyunlu and Aq Qoyunlu . The Shirvanshahs returned, maintaining for numerous centuries to come a high degree of autonomy as local rulers and vassals as they had done since 861. In 1501,
20800-406: The newly adopted country name. During Soviet rule, the country was also spelled in Latin from the Russian transliteration as Azerbaydzhan (Russian: Азербайджа́н ). The country's name was also spelled in Cyrillic script from 1940 to 1991 as Азәрбајҹан . The earliest evidence of human settlement in the territory of Azerbaijan dates back to the late Stone Age and is related to
20960-402: The oil industry of Azerbaijan were awarded orders and medals. Operation Edelweiss carried out by the German Wehrmacht targeted Baku because of its importance as the energy (petroleum) dynamo of the USSR. A fifth of all Azerbaijanis fought in the Second World War from 1941 to 1945. Approximately 681,000 people (with over 100,000 women) went to the front, while the total population of Azerbaijan
21120-418: The oil industry of Garadagh District. A monument honors over 400 residents who served in World War II, of whom only five returned alive. Additionally, 170 residents of Qobu participated in the Karabakh War, with seven casualties and six left disabled. This village is situated in a large depression slightly above sea level. It is surrounded on all sides by the Shubani Mountains. Qobu is located 11 kilometers from
21280-418: The only non-oceanic influences being the original cultures that the earliest settlers brought with them when they entered the vast, uninhabited region. Scholars of antiquity may raise the issue of continental cultural influences on the western and northwestern border islands of Oceania, but these are exceptions, and the Asian mainland influences were largely absent until the modern era. On the eastern extremity of
21440-402: The other hand, as early as 1670 John Ogilby under the title Africa published "an accurate Description of the Regions of Egypt, Barbary, Libya, and Billedulgerid, the Land of Negroes, Guinea, Æthiopia, and the Abyssines, with all the adjacent Islands, either in the Mediterranean, Atlantic, Southern, or Oriental Seas, belonging thereunto" . The usual line taken to divide Africa from Asia today
21600-515: The other. Because the Kazakhs are an Asian people, after the collapse of the USSR , the option according to which the border of Europe runs from the Caspian Sea along the state border between Russia and Kazakhstan to the Ural River has also gained popularity. The Kuma–Manych Depression (more precisely, the Manych River , the Kuma–Manych Canal , and the Kuma River ) remains cited less commonly as one possible natural boundary in contemporary sources. This definition peaked in prominence in
21760-574: The portion of the region north of the line in Europe and the portion south of it in Asia. Another puts the western portion of the Caucasus region in Europe and the eastern part (the bulk of Azerbaijan and small portions of Armenia, Georgia, and Russia's Caspian Sea coast) in Asia. Still another scheme identifies the Aras River and the Turkish border as the line of continental demarcation, thereby locating Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia in Europe” Russia and Turkey are transcontinental states with territory in both Asia and Europe by any definition. Russia
21920-402: The present times. The first information on flora and fauna of Azerbaijan was collected during the visits of naturalists to Azerbaijan in the 17th century. There are 106 species of mammals, 97 species of fish, 363 species of birds, 10 species of amphibians, and 52 species of reptiles which have been recorded and classified in Azerbaijan. The national animal of Azerbaijan is the Karabakh horse ,
22080-422: The region of Zangezur and Turkey agreed to return Gyumri (then known as Alexandropol). During World War II , Azerbaijan played a crucial role in the strategic energy policy of the Soviet Union , with 80 percent of the Soviet Union's oil on the Eastern Front being supplied by Baku. By decree of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union in February 1942, the commitment of more than 500 workers and employees of
22240-547: The region there were some influences from the Americas, but these were minimal. It is for these reasons that Pacific Ocean islands from Japan , through the Philippines and Indonesia, which are adjacent to the Asian mainland, do not have oceanic cultures, and are therefore not part of Oceania. This definition of our region delineates us clearly from Asia and the pre-Columbian Americas and is based on our own historical developments, rather than on other people's perceptions of us." The United Nations and The World Factbook categorize
22400-399: The rest of Micronesia , and are biogeographically and geologically distinct from mainland Asia. Palau made an unsuccessful attempt to join the Asian Football Confederation in 2009. They too share much of the same history as the rest of Micronesia, and are a member of the Pacific Islands Forum. Taiwan has at times been associated with Oceania, not only because of their loose status as
22560-440: The run-up to the election and on election day. The executive power is held by the president , who is elected for a seven-year term by direct elections, and the prime minister . The president is authorized to form the Cabinet , a collective executive body accountable to both the president and the National Assembly. The Cabinet consists primarily of the prime minister, his deputies, and ministers. The 8th Government of Azerbaijan
22720-542: The sector of the budget earmarked for environmental protection. Azerbaijan is home to a wide variety of landscapes. Over half of the land consists of mountain ridges, crests, highlands, and plateaus which rise up to levels of 400–1,000 meters (including the middle and lower lowlands), in some places (Talis, Jeyranchol-Ajinohur and Langabiz-Alat foreranges) up to 100–120 meters, and others from 0–50 meters and up ( Qobustan, Absheron ). The rest of Azerbaijan's terrain consists of plains and lowlands. Elevations within
22880-527: The seven districts and parts of Nagorno-Karabakh were returned to Azerbaijani control. An Azerbaijani offensive in 2023 ended the Republic of Artsakh and resulted in the flight of Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians . Azerbaijan is a unitary semi-presidential republic. It is one of six independent Turkic states and an active member of the Organization of Turkic States and the TÜRKSOY community. Azerbaijan has diplomatic relations with 182 countries and holds membership in 38 international organizations, including
23040-406: The similarly non-oceanic Japanese archipelago, which is not associated with Austronesians. To the north of Japan is the disputed Kuril Islands , currently administered by Russia . Usually, these islands are associated with the Russian Far East . This is primarily as a result of their non-tropical biogeography, and their inhabitants, who are mostly ethnically Russian mainlanders. Australia has
23200-408: The south, the Kuma–Manych Depression was identified circa 1773 by a German naturalist, Peter Simon Pallas , as a valley that, once upon a time, connected the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, and subsequently was proposed as a natural boundary between continents. By the mid-19th century, there were three main conventions, one following the Don, the Volga–Don Canal and the Volga, the other following
23360-835: The support of 155 countries. Foreign policy priorities include, first of all, the restoration of its territorial integrity; elimination of the consequences of occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh and seven other regions of Azerbaijan surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh; integration into European and Euro-Atlantic structure; contribution to international security; cooperation with international organizations; regional cooperation and bilateral relations; strengthening of defense capability; promotion of security by domestic policy means; strengthening of democracy; preservation of ethnic and religious tolerance; scientific, educational, and cultural policy and preservation of moral values; economic and social development; enhancing internal and border security; and migration, energy, and transportation security policy. Azerbaijan
23520-528: The territory of South Africa, an African country. Macquarie Island and the Antipodes Islands , Auckland Islands , and Campbell Islands are all uninhabited, and are located between Australia and New Zealand and Antarctica. The Antipodes Islands, Auckland Islands and Campbell Islands are politically part of New Zealand, while Macquarie Island has been integrated into the Australian state of Tasmania . None are discrete political entities like Heard Island and McDonald Islands. As such, they are likely considered by
23680-432: The unresolved Nagorno-Karabakh conflict resumed along the Nagorno-Karabakh Line of Contact . Both the armed forces of Azerbaijan and Armenia reported military and civilian casualties. The Nagorno-Karabakh ceasefire agreement and the end of the six-week war between Azerbaijan and Armenia was widely celebrated in Azerbaijan, as they made significant territorial gains. Despite the much improved economy, particularly with
23840-438: The war with a victory. Following Qajar Iran's loss, it was forced to concede suzerainty over most of the khanates, along with Georgia and Dagestan to the Russian Empire, per the Treaty of Gulistan . The area to the north of the Aras River was Iranian territory until Russia occupied it in the 19th century. About a decade later, in violation of the Gulistan treaty, the Russians invaded Iran's Erivan Khanate . This sparked
24000-416: The westernmost Near Islands group, which is on Asia 's continental shelf beyond the North Aleutians Basin and on rare occasions could be associated with Asia, which could then allow the U.S. state of Alaska to be considered a transcontinental state. The Aleutian Islands are sometimes associated with Oceania, owing to their status as remote Pacific islands, and their proximity to the Pacific Plate. This
24160-408: Was occupied by the Ottomans from 1722 to 1736. Despite brief intermissions such as these by Safavid Iran's neighboring rivals, the land remained under Iranian rule from the earliest advent of the Safavids up to the course of the 19th century. After the Safavids, the area was ruled by the Iranian Afsharid dynasty . After the death of Nader Shah in 1747, many of his former subjects capitalized on
24320-459: Was 3.4 million at the time. Some 250,000 people from Azerbaijan were killed on the front. More than 130 Azerbaijanis were named heroes of the Soviet Union . Azerbaijani Major-General Azi Aslanov was twice awarded the Hero of the Soviet Union. Following the politics of glasnost initiated by Mikhail Gorbachev , civil unrest and ethnic strife grew in various regions of the Soviet Union, including Nagorno-Karabakh , an autonomous region of
24480-401: Was arrested and charged with treason. In 1995 another coup was attempted against Aliyev, this time by the commander of the Russian OMON special police unit, Rovshan Javadov . The coup was averted, resulting in the death of Javadov and disbanding of Azerbaijan's OMON units. At the same time, the country was tainted by rampant corruption in the governing bureaucracy. In October 1998, Aliyev
24640-409: Was established approximately 700 years ago. The name "Qobu" means "temporary water flow path, or plain." The village is surrounded by the Shubani Mountains. In the 1740s, when the Baki Xanligi was formed on the Absheron Peninsula, Qobu was one of the 39 villages included in the Xanlig. From 1747 to 1806, Qobu was part of the Baku Xanligi, and between 1806 and 1920, it was within the Baku Qezasi of
24800-437: Was first adopted by the government of Musavat in 1918 after the collapse of the Russian Empire , when the independent Azerbaijan Democratic Republic was established. Until then, the designation had been used exclusively to identify the adjacent region of contemporary northwestern Iran , while the area of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic was formerly referred to as Arran and Shirvan . On that basis Iran protested
24960-412: Was incorporated into the newly independent Absheron District. Near the Qobu cemetery, there is a healing water source known as "Pil-pilə." The village is also home to the shrine " Qırx Qızlar" ("Forty Girls"), where the rocks are arranged in a way that resembles forty people standing in line. On Fridays, locals claim to hear the sounds of women wailing from these rocks. Along the Qobu-Lökbatan road lies
25120-427: Was re-elected for a second term. Ilham Aliyev , Heydar Aliyev's son, became chairman of the New Azerbaijan Party as well as President of Azerbaijan when his father died in 2003. He was re-elected to a third term as president in October 2013. In April 2018, Aliyev secured his fourth consecutive term in the election that was boycotted by the main opposition parties as fraudulent. On 27 September 2020, clashes in
25280-408: Was suppressed in 667. The power vacuum left by the decline of the Abbasid Caliphate was filled by numerous local dynasties such as the Sallarids , Sajids , and Shaddadids . At the beginning of the 11th century, the territory was gradually seized by the waves of migrating Oghuz Turks from Central Asia, who adopted a Turkoman ethnonym at the time. The first of these Turkic dynasties established
25440-460: Was taken to be around Marmarica , at the Catabathmus Magnus . This was not considered to be a continent. As wider knowledge of geography developed, the shape of the African landmass (and Egypt's "natural" inclusion in that landmass) became apparent. In 1806, William George Browne still titled his travelogue Travels in Africa, Egypt, and Syria . Similarly, James Bruce in 1835 published Travels through part of Africa, Syria, Egypt, and Arabia . On
25600-406: Was the Seljuk Empire , which entered the area by 1067. The pre-Turkic population spoke several Indo-European and Caucasian languages, among them Armenian and an Iranian language , Old Azeri , which was gradually replaced by a Turkic language , the early precursor of the Azerbaijani language of today. Some linguists have also stated that the Tati dialects of Iranian Azerbaijan and
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