The newspaper "Azerbaijan", as the press organ of the Government of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, was first published in Ganja, and then in Baku in Azerbaijani and Russian languages. The first 4 issues were published in Ganja, and the following ones in Baku. The first issue of the newspaper was printed on September 15, 1918 in the printing house of the Governor of Ganja. This issue consisted of four pages, two of them were in Azerbaijani and two in Russian. Three pages of the last (fourth) issue published in Ganja were in Russian and one page in Azerbaijani. The news of the liberation of Baku attracts attention in the first issue of the newspaper: Telegram of the Commander of the Caucasian Islamic Army Nuru Pasha to the Government of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic: “Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim! At the beginning of 09:00 on September 15, 1918, the city of Baku was liberated by units of our heroic army. Commander of the Caucasian Islamic Army Farrukh Nuri”.

The fifth issue of the newspaper "Azerbaijan" was published in Baku in 1918 on October 3 in Azerbaijani, and on October 7 in Russian. From this issue, under the name of the newspaper, the note "Daily political, social, literary and economic Turkish newspaper" was posted. From the sixth issue in Azerbaijani and from the fifth issue in Russian, the newspaper was published under the editorship of Jeyhun bey Hajibeyli and Shafi bey Rustambeyli. Since November 28 of the same year, Azerbaijani-language issues of the newspaper under the editorship of Jeyhun bey Hajibeyli, and Russian-language issues under the editorship of Shafi bey Rustambeyli have been published.

By December 31, 1918, 75 issues in Azerbaijani and 70 issues in Russian of the newspaper "Azerbaijan" were published.

Since the 89th issue, published on January 16, 1919, Uzeyir bey Hajibeyli became the editor of the newspaper. From issue 216, published on July 4 of the same year, the newspaper was temporarily headed by Khalil Ibrahim. From September 3, 1919 to April 28, 1920, Uzeyir bey Hajibeyli again became the editor of the newspaper. From September 15, 1918 to December 31, 1919- 358 issues, and from January 1 to April 28, 1920 - 85 issues of the newspaper “Azerbaijan” were published. In total of 443 issues of the newspaper were published during the period from 1918 to 1920.

The delegation of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic included the editor of the "Azerbaijan" newspaper, Jeyhun bey Hajibeyli, as a consultant to attend the Paris Peace Conference (1919-20).

The publication of resolutions, orders, decrees and other normative documents of the Government of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic in special issues permitted the publication of more theoretical articles, extensive news about Azerbaijan, the world and the countries of the region, and other articles of interest to readers on the pages of the newspaper "Azerbaijan".

The activity of the National Council of Azerbaijan which resumed its work on November 16, 1918, especially in the field of convocation of the Parliament of Azerbaijan was widely covered on the pages of the “Azerbaijan” newspaper. The newspaper published the appeal of the chairman of the National Council M.E.Rasulzade in connection with the convocation of the parliament "To the entire Azerbaijani people" dated November 19, as well as materials of discussions in the council and the adopted resolution.

After the beginning of the work of the Parliament of the the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic on December 7, 1918, the newspaper widely covered its activities and published transcripts of important meetings of the Parliament under the heading "Azerbaijani Majlisi-Mabusaninda". The newspaper also had "Official News", "Telegraph News", "In Russia", "In Armenia", "Georgia", "In Turkey", "The Situation of the Muslims of Yerevan", "Theater and Music" and other permanent headings.

Articles on the history, culture, education and political situation of Azerbaijan written by Mahammad Amin Rasulzade, Uzeyir bey Hajibeyli, Khalil Ibrahim, Farhad Agazade, Haji Ibrahim Gasimov, Mahammad agha Shakhtakhtli, Adil khan Ziyadkhanov, Alabbas Muznib, Shafiga Efendizade, Amin Abid (who studied in Istanbul), and others were published on the pages of the newspaper “Azerbaijan”. The newspaper also published poems of Mahammad Hadi, Ahmed Javad and other poets.

The information about the genocide committed by Andranik's bandits against the Azerbaijani people in Zangezur, Nakhchivan and Karabakh, the bitter fate of Azerbaijanis living in the Republic of Armenia, their mass extermination and expulsion from their ancestral lands was published in the newspaper.

On the occasion of the first anniversary of the declaration of independence of Azerbaijan in May 1919, as well as the actual recognition of Azerbaijan's independence by the Supreme Council of the Paris Peace Conference on January 11, 1920, many congratulations, articles and other materials were published in the newspaper "Azerbaijan".

The newspaper "Azerbaijan" extensively reflected in its issues the state, socio-political, economic and cultural life of Azerbaijan in 1918-20. The materials published in the newspaper "Azerbaijan" are of great importance as a primary source in the study of the history of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic.

The newspaper "Azerbaijan" played a very important role in the national awakening of the Azerbaijani people, who gained independence at the beginning of the 20th century.

Recommended literature:

1. Azərbaycan Xalq Cümhuriyyəti Ensiklopediyası : 2 cilddə / red. heyəti: Y. M. Mahmudov [et al.] ; baş red. Y. M. Mahmudov. I cild. - Bakı : Lider nəşriyyat, 2004. - 440 s.
2. Azərbaycan qəzeti: 1918-1920 / ADA Universiteti; translit.: M. Gəncəli, A. Ağaoğlu; elmi red. T. Kərimli; ön sözün müəl. H. M. Paşayev.- Bakı: Prestige çap evi, 2021.- 104 s.
3. "Azərbaycan" qəzeti: 1918-1920: 20 cilddə / ADA Universiteti; translit.: M. Gəncəli, A. Ağaoğlu; elmi red. T. H. Kərimli. III cild: dekabr 1918.- Bakı: Çaşıoğlu, 2022.- 546 s.
4. 100 yaşlı "Azərbaycan" / İ. Ə. Həbibbəyli [et al.] ; tərt.: D. Tağıyev, Ş. Alıyev ; red. heyəti: İ. Əliyeva [et al.] ; bur. məsul İ. Hüseynli ; red. B. Sadıqov. - Bakı : Mütərcim, 2019. - 398 s.
5. Dünyaminqızı, Qərənfil. Cümhuriyyət dövründə Azərbaycan mətbuatı : 1918-1920-ci illər /Q. Dünyaminqızı ; elmi red. və məsləhətçi Ş. Vəliyev. - Bakı: Elm, 2011. - 216 s.
6. Paşayev, Ataxan Əvəz oğlu.Açılmamış səhifələrin izi ilə: [məqalələr toplusu] /A. Paşayev ; [rəssam Z. Əliyev]. - Bakı: Azərbaycan Nəşriyyatı, 2001. - 535 s.