| Introduction | Azerbaijan |  = Fields  = World Records  = Dictionary  = Bar graph  = Distribution map  = Fields History  = Definitions |
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Flag description:
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three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), red, and green; a crescent and eight-pointed star in white are centered in the red band |
Background:
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Azerbaijan - a nation with a majority-Turkic and majority-Muslim population - was briefly independent from 1918 to 1920; it regained its independence after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. Despite a 1994 cease-fire, Azerbaijan has yet to resolve its conflict with Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh, a primarily Armenian-populated region, assigned to Soviet Azerbaijan in the 1920s by Moscow. Armenia and Azerbaijan began fighting over the area in 1988; the struggle escalated after both countries attained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. By May 1994, when a cease-fire took hold, ethnic Armenian forces held not only Nagorno-Karabakh but also a significant portion of Azerbaijan proper. Corruption in the country is ubiquitous, and the government has been accused of authoritarianism. Although the poverty rate has been reduced in recent years due to revenue from exploiting oil resources, the promise of widespread wealth resulting from the continued development of Azerbaijan's energy sector remains largely unfulfilled. |
| = Fields = World Records = Dictionary = Bar graph = Distribution map = Fields History = Definitions | |
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This page was last updated on 30 January, 2010 |
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