Beginners' guide to Azerbaijan

By John May

A master tactician at work, Garry Kasparov

England fly into unknown territory when they take on Azerbaijan on Wednesday.

Azerbaijan became independent following the break-up of the Soviet Union in 1991, and will provide a culture shock to England's parade of Premiership and Primera Liga stars.

BBC Sport provides its very own guide to Azerbaijan.

WHERE IS AZERBAIJAN?

It is in the south-east of the former USSR and bordered to the south by Iran, Turkey to the west, Georgia and the Russian Federation to the north, with the Caspian Sea to its east.

Azerbaijan has a population of around 8m, 90% of whom are Azeris, with other ethnic minorities making up the remaining 10%.

The capital Baku takes its name from the Azeri phrase Bad Kube, which means City of Winds and is a reference to the strong gales that sweep across the semi-arid Azerbaijan landscape.

Azerbaijan is one of the great oil exporting nations and, at one point, pumped out as much as half the world's supply.

The country has been famous for its oil-sprouting springs since ancient times, when "everlasting fires" surrounding them were important in the founding of the Zoroastrian religion (see famous Azerbaijanis below).

DO WE KNOW ANY FAMOUS AZERBAIJANIS?

Musa Manarov: Became the first man to spend more than a year in space on the Mir space station.

A master tactician at work, Garry Kasparov

Gary Kasparov: The former world chess champion learned his gambits and Sicilian openings growing up in Azerbaijan.

Freddie Mercury: Mercury was born Faroukh Bulsara in Zanzibar but his parents were Azerbaijani Zoroastrians.

That is good enough for Azerbaijanis to claim Mercury as one of their own.

AREN'T WE FORGETTING SOMEBODY?

Tofik Bakhramov: Loathed in Scotland, despised in Germany, the late Bakhramov will forever have a place in English hearts.

Bakhramov was the "Russian" linesman who gave the nod to Geoff Hurst's controversial third goal for England in the 1966 World Cup final.

Bakhramov (second left) checks his flag-waving arm is working

Actually from Azerbaijan, Bakhramov died in 1996 and English fans travelling to Wednesday's match have asked to be shown his grave so they can put flowers on it.

Hurst will actually be in Baku and is due to unveil a statue to Bakhramov, who became Azerbaijan's most famous sportsman after rising to the top of refeering.

The national stadium is already named after him. It is difficult to imagine the Andy D'Urso Stadium ever taking shape in England.

WHAT ABOUT THE FOOTBALL TEAM?

Azerbaijan are 114th in Fifa's latest world rankings, four places below Northern Ireland.

The fortunes of this relatively young footballing country (its FA was only founded in 1992) have perked up since the appointment of Carlos Alberto Torres, Brazil's 1970 World Cup-winning captain, as coach in February.

Azerbaijan have yet to qualify for a major tournament and have not exactly formed a fearful reputation.

Carlos Alberto Torres won the World Cup with Brazil

But they did beat Serbia and Montenegro 2-1 in a Euro 2004 qualifier - their biggest scalp so far.

Perhaps their best player is Gurban Gurbanov, the Azerbaijan player of the year.

He is back plying his trade in his home country after a short spell in Russia with FC Volgar-Gazprom Astrakhan.

Most of the Azerbaijani squad are home-based, but midfielder Mahir Shukurov and Ildar Furbanov play in Turkey with Antalyaspor and Fenerbahce.