What Language Does Azerbaijan Speaks?
Azerbaijani is the sole official language of the country. But de facto, Russian is used as a second official language. Prior to its independence in 1991, Azerbaijan was a part of the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union. Russian served as the official language of the whole Empire and afterwards the Soviet Union for the duration of this lengthy period in Azeri history. Because of this, the majority of Azeris, regardless of age, are fluent in Russian, even though they rarely use it.
Azerbaijan Culture
The culture of Azerbaijan has been impacted by its historical affiliation with Iran and membership in the Russian Empire. In Azerbaijan, complex dancing, throat singing from long ago, and drums made of natural materials are the standard. Azeris are aware of how unique their culture is and take every opportunity to showcase it. Any time spent in Azerbaijan will need you to fully immerse yourself in this antiquated culture.
Although being a secure and fascinating country, Azerbaijan nonetheless has a region that is secessionist: Nagorno-Karabakh. The region, a group of provinces in the west of the nation, split from Azerbaijan in 1988, sparking a war. 2020 saw another conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the area. The Azeri side clearly prevailed in the battle. Azerbaijan and its border regions soon underwent re-stabilization after a truce was signed in December 2020. Azerbaijan is thus more secure than ever. If anything, the likelihood of violent outbursts has decreased. Yet, in your daily life, don’t show any, even covert, support for Armenia.
What Religion Is Practiced In Azerbaijan?
Although Azerbaijan is a Muslim nation, it is also among the most secular. Just 4% of Azeris claim to be religious in any way. The state and religion are entirely distinct, and religion has no bearing on Azeri law.
Azerbaijan is a socially conservative nation while being secular. This has less to do with its religion—or lack thereof—than with the fact that it is an ex-Soviet state. The topic of LGBT rights is taboo in Azeri society. The country is still safe for LGBT students, but don’t anticipate any Pride parades in Baku.