The materials in this handbook focus on the historical territory of Azerbaijan and the commonly used terms "Northern Azerbaijan," "Southern Azerbaijan," and "Western Azerbaijan." An extensive collection of primary sources from the 19th to the early 21st centuries has made it possible to determine the approximate total area of the historical territory of Azerbaijan, as well as to establish the autochthonous nature of the Turkic element in the territories covered by these definitions. Against the backdrop of the geostrategic interests of the Russian Empire and the USSR, the study demonstrates the administrative-territorial "carving up" of historic Azerbaijani lands with the ultimate goal of eliminating the spatial geography associated with the historical-ethnic name "Azerbaijan." The political and historical situation and the spatial geography of the independent Republic of Azerbaijan are presented.This textbook corresponds to the curriculum of the general course "History of Azerbaijan" and the specialized course "Historical and Political Geography of Azerbaijan" and is intended for students and faculty at institutions of higher education.
