Azerbaijan, a small post-Soviet republic located on the western shore of the Caspian Sea, has outsized importance because of its strategic location at the crossroads of Europe and Asia; it oil resources; and its historical experience as an early modernizer in the Muslim world. This book provides a comprehensive introduction to the country. The account begins with six chapters on Azerbaijan's history from pre-Soviet times to the present, with an emphasis on the past twenty years. The next four chapters are thematic, covering the conflict over Karabakh, the political system, the oil-dominated economy, and societal changes and trends including the role of Islam. The remainder of the book surveys Azerbaijan's foreign relations with Iran, Russia, Turkey, and the West, and it concludes with a brief epilogue discussing the country's future.