Cultural Diversity

The culture of Azerbaijan is as diverse as its landscapes, which span 75% of the globe's climatic zones. There are several different religions in existence today, ranging from early Zoroastrians and Islamic influences to more modern Orthodox Christians and old Caucasian Jewish settlements. Add to this the fact that every region has its unique customs, cuisine, and carpet-weaving techniques. Azerbaijani culture has an intriguing allure when influences from Iran, Turkey, Russia, and more recently the West are taken into account.

Iranian Azerbaijan and the independent Republic of Iran are home to the Azerbaijani, also referred to as Azerbaijani Turks. After the Anatolian Turks, Azerbaijanis are the second most numerous ethnic group among the Turkic peoples. The term "Azerbaijani" also refers to the Turkic inhabitants of Azerbaijan, who were formerly known as Turkmens, Turks, Ajam, Muslims, and Persians during the period when religious identity predominated over ethnic identification.

The majority of the population of Azerbaijan are Shi'a Muslims, and their official tongue is Azerbaijani. They have a diverse cultural background that includes Iranian, Turkic, and Caucasian characteristics. With 92% of the population, the Azerbaijani are the majority ethnic group in Azerbaijan.