Azerbaijan is a nation.
Azerbaijan . The Azerbaijan Democratic Republic proclaimed its independence in 1918 and became the first democratic state in the Muslim orient world . The modern Republic of Azerbaijan proclaimed its independence on 30 August 1991 , prior to the official dissolution of the USSR in December 1991 . The country is a member state of the Council of Europe , the OSCE and the NATO Partnership for Peace ( PfP ) program . It is one of six independent Turkic states , an active member of the Turkic Council and the TÜRKSOY community . Most Azerbaijanis however , do not actively practice any religion , and the country has been seen to be one of the most irreligious countries in the Muslim world , with 53 % stating religion has little to no importance in their lives , according to Pew Research Center and Gallup polls .