Who are the Azerbaijanis?
Q: Who are the Azerbaijanis?
A: The Azerbaijanis are a Turkic people living mainly in the Republic of Azerbaijan and Iranian Azerbaijan, as well as in Georgia, Russia (Dagestan), Turkey and formerly Armenia.
Q: How did the present territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan come to be?
A: After the Russo-Persian War (1804–1813) and Russo-Persian War (1826–1828), the land of the Iranian Qajar dynasty in the Caucasus were given to the Russian Empire which makes up the present territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Lands which Iran kept are now known as Iranian Azerbaijan.
Q: Are Azerbaijani people on both sides of an international border considered one ethnic group?
A: Yes, even though they live on two sides of an international border, Azerbaijani people are considered one ethnic group.
Q: What language unifies Azerbaijani people?
A: The Azerbaijani language unifies them and is mutually intelligible with Turkmen, Qashqai, Gagauz, Turkish, and dialects spoken by Iraqi Turkmen. All these languages belong to Oghuz or Western group of Turkic languages.
Q: What religion do most Azerbijanis follow?
A: Most Azerbijanis follow Shi'a Islam.
Q: Is there any difference between northerners and southerners among Azerbaijani people?
A: Yes, due to nearly two centuries of separate social evolution between Iranian Azeribajanis and Russian/Soviet-influenced Azeribajan there is some difference between northerners and southerners among Azerbaijani people.
