Azerbaijan

Languages:

Azerbaijan, a country located at the crossroads of Eastern Europe and Western Asia, has Azerbaijani as its official language, spoken by the majority of the population. Azerbaijani, a Turkic language, is written in the Latin script and shares similarities with Turkish. Due to the country's Soviet past, Russian is widely spoken and understood, particularly among older generations. In recent years, English has gained popularity as a foreign language, particularly in urban centers and within the education and business sectors. Additionally, minority languages such as Lezgian, Talysh, and Avar are spoken by smaller ethnic communities.

Religion:

Azerbaijan's religious landscape is predominantly Muslim, with approximately 97% of the population adhering to Islam. The majority of Azerbaijani Muslims are Shia, while a smaller percentage identify as Sunni. Despite its predominantly Muslim population, Azerbaijan is known for its secular governance and tolerance towards religious diversity. The country's constitution guarantees religious freedom, and non-Muslim communities, such as Russian Orthodox Christians, Jews, and Baha'is, practice their faiths without significant restrictions. The remaining 3% of the population comprises various Christian denominations, Judaism, and other faiths or identifies as non-religious.

Ethnic Groups:

Azerbaijani 91.6%, Lezghin 2%, Russian 1.3%, Armenian 1.3%, Talysh 1.3%, other 2.4% (2009 est.) note: the separatist Nagorno-Karabakh region is populated almost entirely by ethnic Armenians