Azerbaijan

geographical name

Azer·​bai·​jan ˌa-zər-ˌbī-ˈjän 

ˌä-

1

or ancient Atropatene

ˌa-trō-pə-ˈtē-nē 

or Media Atropatene

ˈmē-dē-ə 

region of northwestern Iran; chief city Tabriz

2

independent country in western Asia and southeastern Europe bordering on the Caspian Sea and including the exclave Naxcivan, which is separated from the main part by Armenia; a constituent republic of the Soviet Union 1936–91; capital Baku area 33,436 square miles (86,600 square kilometers), population 10,047,000