Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan, officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, is a transcontinental country located at the boundary of Eastern Europe and West Asia. It is a part of the South Caucasus region and is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia's republic of Dagestan to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia and Turkey to the west, and Iran to the south. Baku is the capital and largest city.

Some of the key events about Azerbaijan

1918
Azerbaijan declared independence and established the first democratic republic in the Muslim world
1918
Massacre of up to 12,000 Azerbaijanis by Armenian forces in Baku
1920
Baku State University, the first modern-type university in Azerbaijan, was founded
1920
Soviet Red Army invasion and occupation of Azerbaijan
1949
The first offshore oil platform in the world was built in Azerbaijan
1988
Outbreak of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia
1990
Soviet troops violently suppress pro-independence protests in Baku, killing over 130 civilians
1991
Azerbaijan regained its independence following the dissolution of the Soviet Union
1992
Khojaly Massacre results in the deaths of hundreds of Azerbaijani civilians
1993
Armenian forces capture Kelbajar district, displacing thousands of Azerbaijanis
1994
The "Contract of the Century" was signed, allowing foreign oil companies to access Azerbaijan's oil reserves
1994
Signing of ceasefire in Nagorno-Karabakh conflict leaves 20% of Azerbaijan's territory under Armenian control
2000
Azerbaijan became a member of the Council of Europe
2005
Violent suppression of opposition protests following disputed parliamentary elections
2006
The Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline began operation, significantly boosting Azerbaijan's oil exports
2009
Azerbaijan won the Eurovision Song Contest, bringing international attention to its music and culture
2011
Forced evictions and property demolitions in Baku for urban development projects
2012
Azerbaijan hosted the Eurovision Song Contest, showcasing the country to a global audience
2015
The first European Games were held in Baku, marking a significant sporting event for the country
2020
Renewed large-scale fighting in Nagorno-Karabakh results in thousands of casualties

Disclaimer: This material is written based on information taken from open sources, including Wikipedia, news media, podcasts, and other public sources.