Endowed with a large wealth of oil and situated in a strategic position at the crossroads of diverse influences, Azerbaijan occupies a special place among the independent republics that emerged from the break-up of the USSR. This book focuses on the Soviet and post-Soviet Azerbaijan, presenting in a compact manner the main issues of the history, as well as the roots of the current trends in the politics, economy, and culture of Azerbaijan. Divided into eight chapters, it includes: an introduction to the main historical issues in the preceding century of the Russian rule broad treatment of the post-Soviet period and contemporary Azerbaijani politics the process of the Soviet imperial decline from the stand point of the periphery. the Nagorno-Karabagh conflict and its impact on the political life of the country Azerbaijani politics from the time of attempted bloodless revolution under the rule of the People's Front to the end of the period of stability imposed by Haidar Aliyev's regime newly independent Azerbaijan facing the outside world questions relevant to the Azerbaijani national identity and its formation the present condition of the country's economy.