Tolerance

Tolerance is one of the Things About Azerbaijan You Should Know. Some consider Azerbaijan to be one of the world's five most religiously tolerant countries. Today, Azerbaijan is one of the few countries with a mix of mosques, churches, and synagogues that do not discriminate against people of different religions. Foreigners are taken aback when they see mosques, churches, and synagogues located side by side in the center of Baku (Azerbaijan's city) or 150 meters apart in Guba (Azerbaijan's western province). Azerbaijanis have long stood out for their tolerance — not just in the Orient, but around the world.

Azerbaijan practices Shia Islam, as does neighbor Iran. There's nothing exceptional about this. They regard Sunni Turkey to be their brothers, however. The country has positive relations with Israel, which is unheard of in the Islamic world. That is not all. After centuries of Russian influence, many Azerbaijanis are pro-Russian. The same folks support the West. In short, Azerbaijani culture appears to be a tantalizing amalgamation of the best of everything.