Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan's history is marked by its position as a crossroads of civilizations. The region was initially inhabited by Caucasian Albanians and subsequently influenced by various Persian empires. Throughout the 19th century, the territory became part of the Russian Empire following a series of Russo-Persian wars. A distinct Azerbaijani national identity began to emerge in the late 19th century, culminating in a brief period of independence with the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic in 1918. The modern Republic of Azerbaijan gained its sovereignty after the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991.