Government
Azerbaijan has a parliamentary form of government with a popularly elected president. According to Azerbaijans constitution, which became effective in 1995, the President is the most powerful person in government. He is elected by the people for tenure of five years. A Cabinet of Ministers, headed by a Prime Minister and appointed by the President, helps carry the operations of the government.
Azerbaijan has a parliament consisting of 125 members known as the Milli Majlis (National Assembly), which formulates the countrys laws. Assembly members are elected by voters for a tenure of five years.
Local government comprises of the Naxcivan Autonomous Republic, districts cities and villages, with each having a governing council to manage local affairs. Citizens aged 18 years and above are eligible to vote.
The highest court is the Supreme Court. In addition, there are a number of regional courts.
The armed forces have a combined strength of 1,850,000. At least 17 months of service in armed forces is compulsory for all men.
Azerbaijan was acquired by Russia during two wars with Persia between 1800 and 1828. In 1917, shortly after the fall of the Russian imperial government, Azerbaijan proclaimed itself an independent republic. Azerbaijan was conquered by the Red Army in 1920 and in 1922 was combined with Armenia and Georgia to form the Transcaucasian Soviet Federal Socialist Republic. In 1936 Azerbaijan became a union republic of the Soviet Union.
Ethnic and religious differences between Azerbaijanis and Armenians in the region led to tension between the two groups. Tensions rose in the late 1980's and fighting broke out in Nagorno Karabakh, a predominantly Armenian region within Azerbaijan. In 1990 Soviet troops were sent to the region to restore order.
During 1990–91, rising nationalism throughout the union republics gradually eroded the authority of the Soviet central government. In 1991 the Soviet Union collapsed and Azerbaijan became independent. Also that year, Azerbaijan joined the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), a loose confederation of former Soviet republics. During 1992 fighting between Azerbaijanis and Armenians in Nagorno Karabakh intensified.
In June, 1992, Abulfez Elchibey became Azerbaijan's first popularly elected president. During 1993 Azerbaijani forces suffered several disastrous defeats at the hands of rebel Armenians, who captured all of Nagorno-Karabakh and parts of surrounding areas. In the summer of 1993, Elchibey was overthrown by a faction in the armed forces. Heydar Aliyev was appointed acting president, and in October, 1993, was elected president. In the spring of 1994, a cease-fire was negotiated between the Azerbaijanis and the rebel Armenians.
