According to topschoolsintheusa, there are more than 50 higher educational institutions in Azerbaijan, where about 100,000 students study. The largest universities in the country: Azerbaijan State University. Rasuzade, Institute of Oil and Chemistry, Azerbaijan Technical University, Azerbaijan Pedagogical Institute of Russian Language and Literature. M.V. Akhundov, Azerbaijan State Institute of Foreign Languages, Azerbaijan Medical University. Narimanov, Conservatory. U. Gadzhibekova and others. In recent years, several private and international universities have appeared. Among the latter stands out the Western University (founded in 1991). At the Caucasus University, education is conducted in Turkish. Most universities are located in Baku.
Basic scientific research is carried out at the institutes of the Azerbaijan Academy of Sciences, founded in 1945 (at the Institute of Philosophy and Law, the G. Nizami Institute of History, Language and Literature, the Institute of Economics, and others). The largest library of Azerbaijan is the State Library. M.Akhundov, the largest repository of documents is the National Archives.
A distinctive feature of Azerbaijani literature is the oral poetry of ashugs (folk singer-poets), whose traditions have been preserved to this day. Ancient epics (for example, Kitabi Dede Korkud, 11th century), as well as poetry of a later period (Ganjavi Nizami, c. 1141-1209; Muhammad Fizuli, 1494-1556) are part of the literary heritage shared with the Anatolian Turks. Written Azerbaijani literature emerged after the final incorporation of the country into Russia in the early 19th century. Its founder Mirza Fatali Akhundov (1812-78) is the founder of Azerbaijani drama, which was further developed in the works of Najaf-bek Vezirov (1854-1926) and Abdurrahim Akhverdov (1870-1933). In the beginning. 20th century Jalil Mamekulizadeh (1866-1932), playwright Huseyn Javid (1884-1941), poet Muhammad Hadi (1879-1920) worked.
Such Azerbaijani directors as A.M.Sharifzade, A.I.Bek-Nazarov, T.M.Tagizade, A.M.Ibragimov are known. The strength of Azerbaijani cinematography is documentary.
The theater appeared in Azerbaijan only in the middle. 19th century With the advent of Soviet power, theaters were nationalized. In 1920, the Azerbaijan Drama Theater was opened in Baku, and in 1924, the Opera and Ballet Theater.
The Islamic period left a strong imprint on the rich architectural heritage of Azerbaijan. The symbol of Baku, the unique Maiden’s Tower, which has an oval shape in plan (12th century), also belongs to Islamic architectural monuments. The classical Azerbaijani applied art used Persian and Islamic styles and techniques, which were reflected, in particular, in the miniatures of the famous Tabriz school. Gasanbek Zardabi (1837–1907) began publishing the first Azerbaijani newspaper, Ekinchi (Plowman), in 1875. About 400 newspapers are registered in modern Azerbaijan, but less than 50 are published regularly. The first radio broadcasts took place in Baku in 1926. Television began broadcasting in 1956.
