The Republic of Azerbaijan covers an area of 86,600 square km. It borders with Iran and Turkey on the south, Russia on the north, Georgia-on the north-west and Armenia on the west.

In 2009, the population of the Republic of Azerbaijan was 9 million people. Azerbaijanis make up 90.6% of the population, Lezguins-2.2%, Russian-1.8%, Armenians-1.5%, Talyshs-1%, avars-0.6%, Turks-0.5%, Tatars-0.4%, Ukrainians-0.4%, Sakhurs-0.2%, Georgians-0.2%, Kurds-0.2%, Tats-0.13%, Jews-0.1%, Udins-0.05% and other nations-0.12%.

Azerbaijan, expanding and developing its regional and global activity and international cooperation, became the member of a number of international organizations such as United Nations, the Organization on Security and Cooperation in Europe, European Council, Organization of Islamic Conference, Commonwealth of Independent States and others. Moreover, Azerbaijan was one of the cofounders of GUAM.

Baku is the capital of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Baku is situated on the shore of the Caspian Sea in the south of the Absheron peninsula. It covers an area of 2,200 square km and has a population of 2 million.

Azerbaijan has been following an independent foreign policy since gaining independence in 1991 after the collapse of USSR. But the collapse of USSR was followed by the change in the geopolitical situation on post-Soviet area. Armenia in fact declared an open and unfair war against Azerbaijan. Armenian military troops, violating the borders of Azerbaijan, entered Karabakh and conjointly with Armenian separatists of Upper Karabakh occupied 20% of Azeri lands, displacing almost one million Azeris.

Links about Azerbaijan:

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Azerbaijan