October 18: Day of Restoration of Independence in Azerbaijan
Prayer Idea
Pray for the people and government of Azerbaijan.
Map by Peter Hermes Furian / Shutterstock.com.
History Note
The Caucasus Mountains stretch from east to west between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea. This region is also called the Caucasus, which may come from an ancient Scythian word meaning “shimmering with snow.” It is an area of cultural, linguistic, and religious diversity.
Over the centuries, the modern country of Azerbaijan has been home to Persians, Turks, Kurds, and Caucasian Albanians (unrelated to the Albanians of Europe). After conflict between Russia and Persia in the 19th century, the area came under the control of Russia. The mostly Muslim population generally saw themselves as part of the larger Muslim world and did not have a strong national identity like their neighbors in Georgia and Armenia.
The town of Baku, located on the Caspian Sea, was the source of about half of the world’s petroleum production in 1901. However, ethnic and social tension between Russians and Armenians on one side and local Muslims on the other simmered. Azerbaijanis developed a more distinct national identity early in the 20th century.
At the end of World War I, Azerbaijanis attempted to establish their own independent country. However, by 1920, Communist Russian troops had returned, and Azerbaijan became part of the Soviet Union.
As the Soviet Union began to collapse in the 1980s, Azerbaijan had a war with Armenia, which was also part of the Soviet Union. The two countries have continued to have tension, and the border between them is complex.
On October 18, 1991, the Supreme Soviet of Azerbaijan declared independence from the Soviet Union. Since the country had considered itself independent after World War I, Azerbaijan celebrates October 18 as the Day of Restoration of Independence.
Azerbaijan has a population of almost 11 million people. The majority are ethnic Azerbaijanis, and they speak the official Azeri language. Most of them are Shia Muslims, though a small number are Christians.
This 2025 photo shows State Flag Square in Baku. According to Guinness World Records, this is the world’s largest flag ever flown. It is 236 feet long and 118 feet wide. Photo by SinanDogan34 / Shutterstock.com.
Learn More
Learn about Azerbaijan’s mud volcanoes.
Find more resources at Homeschool History.
