Azerbaijanis speak a Turkic language close to the Turkish of Turkey and live in a vast historical landscape between Russia's Dagestan, eastern Georgia and Iran's capital, Tehran. The nation declared independence in 1918, but Russia reoccupied the country by force in 1920. In 1991, Azerbaijan regained its independence for the second time. The oil-rich republic of ten million people is located at a geopolitically important crossroads between Russia and Iran. Predominantly Shiite Muslim and highly secular, Azerbaijan is Turkey and Israel's closest ally in the region. A post-Soviet country the size of Austria on the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan faces numerous socio-political problems rooted mainly in its communist past (1920-1991), such as weak democratic and civil society institutions. Azerbaijan's economy has been based on oil and gas exports for three decades, securing alternative fossil fuel supplies for Europe. At the same time, the non-oil sector remains underdeveloped.

Historical Dictionary of Azerbaijan, Third Edition contains a chronology, an introduction, and an extensive bibliography. The dictionary section contains cross-referenced entries on important personalities as well as aspects of the country's politics, economy, foreign relations, religion, and culture. This book is an excellent resource for students, researchers, and anyone wanting to know more about Azerbaijan.