The Culture of Azerbaijan has developed under influence under Turkish, Islamic and European cultures, including Caucasian and Turkic heritage as well as Russian influences due to its former status as a Soviet republic. Today, western influences, including globalized consumer culture, are strong.

Azerbaijan is the modern name of a historical and geographic region on the border of Eastern Europe and Western Asia, and formerly known as Aran or Ardan by various Persian Empires, or by Albania by Greeks. It is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia's Daghestan region to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia and Turkey to the southwest, and Iran to the south. Azerbaijan is a home to diverse ethnicities, majority of which are Azeris, an ethnic group which numbers close to 8 million in the independent Republic of Azerbaijan.

The heritage, culture, and civilization of this region today known as the country of Azerbaijan has both ancient and modern roots. The people of the modern country of Azerbaijan are believed to be inheritors of various ancient civilizations and peoples including the indigenous Caucasian Albanians, Iranic tribes such as Scythians and Alans, and the later arrival of Oghuz Turks, among others (note that several modern peoples of the Caucasus can trace their ancestries to more than one of these same ancient peoples).

Mehriban Arif qizi Aliyeva (Azerbaijani: Mehriban Arif qızı Əliyeva) (born 26 August 1964, Baku) is the head of Azerbaijan's Heydar Aliyev Foundation and the wife of its current president Ilham Aliyev. The Sunday Times, writing in 2005 about Mrs. Aliyeva's decision to run for the Azerbaijani parliament, described her as already wielding "considerable influence," and the Heydar Aliyev Foundation as "a powerful and wealthy institution set up to safeguard the late president’s legacy and support a number of educational and charitable projects."

Mehriban Aliyeva (née Pashayeva) was born into a family described in Wikileaks cables as "the single most powerful family in Azerbaijan." Her grandfather was noted Azerbaijani writer Mir Jalal Pashayev. Her uncle Hafiz Pashayev was Azerbaijan's first Ambassador to the United States. Mrs. Aliyeva's father Arif Pashayev is Rector of the National Aviation Academy in Baku, and her mother, Aida Imanguliyeva (1939–92) was a prominent philologist and arabist.

Heydar Alirza oglu Aliyev (Azerbaijani: Heydər Əlirza oğlu Əliyev, Russian: Гейдар Алиевич Алиев; 10 May 1923^{[dead link]} – 12 December 2003), also spelled as Heidar Aliev, Geidar Aliev, Haydar Aliyev, Geydar Aliyev was the third President of Azerbaijan for the New Azerbaijan Party from October 1993 to October 2003, when his son Ilham Aliyev succeeded him.

From 1969 to 1982, Aliyev was also the leader of Soviet Azerbaijan, practically dominating the political life of Azerbaijan for over many years. He was married to Zarifa Aliyeva, who died in 1985, and was survived by his son and daughter.

The details of much of Aliyev's early life remain obscure. According to his hagographical website he was born in Nakhchevan City. After the graduation from Nakhchivan Pedagogical School, from 1939 till 1941, Aliyev attended the Azerbaijan Industrial Institute (now the Azerbaijan State Oil Academy) where he studied architecture. In 1949-50, he studied at the USSR MGB Officer Corps Qualifications-Raising School. Aliyev's official biography also claims that he studied at the Baku State University, graduating with a degree in history in 1957. However, it seems that he actually attended the Ministry of State Security Academy in Leningrad^{[citation needed]}.

Alihan Samedov (Azerbaijani: Əlixan Səmədov; Azerbaijani pronunciation: [æliˈxɑn sæmæˈdov]) (born in 1964 in Sumqayıt) is a musician known for playing wind instruments and Azerbaijan folk instruments.

Alihan Samedov was born in Sumqayıt, Azeri SSR in 1964. Descending from a musician family, he completed his first and secondary education between the years 1971 and 1979. He received his music education at the Samad Vurghun and Nariman Narimanov music school. In 1986 he entered the applied teaching school of Azerbaijan State Pedagogy University and graduated from the same in 1990. He is the master player of wind instruments (balaban, clarinet, tutek, zurna, oboe, saxophone) and Azerbaijan regional folk instruments. He is a chess master. He is currently teaching chess at Erenkoy First School and he is the Music Directors of Kadıköy Folklore Education Centre. Folk Dances Department of Eyuboglu Educational Institutions. Istanbul Caucasus Dance Company as well as the person in charge of Azerbaijani Music at Samanyolu TV's (STV) Music and Entertainment Programs. In his albums Samedov presents the instrument the balaban with his own interpretation. The album, titled Balaban, is released by Mega Music.