Taking into account the geopolitical situation of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, the great leader Heydar Aliyev, who always focused on the development of science, signed a historical resolution on August 7, 2002 on the establishment of the Nakhchivan Branch of the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences. In accordance with the above-mentioned order, 6 scientific research institutes were established in the Nakhchivan Branch of ANAS - History, Ethnography and Archaeology, Art, Language and Literature, Natural Resources, Bioresources, Batabat  Astrophysics Observatory and  Fund of Manuscripts.

In 2003, the buildings were allocated for the Presidium of the Nakhchivan Branch of ANAS, Institute of History, Ethnography and Archeology, Institute of Art, Language and Literature, and in 2004 for the Institute of Natural Resources, Batabat Astrophysics Observatory, Manuscripts Fund, Publishing House  and Scientific Library and were reconstructed at the level of modern requirements. In 2005 the modernly constructed building of the Institute of Bioresources, in 2010 the building for the Laboratory of Biochemical Researches were given into use.

In 2005 the publishing-house began to activity within the division and first published sample was the special edition dedicated to Gamigaya. During this period 50 numbers of “News” of the branch in two series and 26 numbers of “Researches” were published. Over the past period, 68 of the “scientific works” (first under the name “News”) published in two series of the department, and 41 of the “searches” magazine were published.

In the branch various scientific directions have been determined in investigation of Nakhchivan history, ethnography, archaeology, literature, folklore, bioresources, natural resources and important scientific results have been produced. “The Encyclopaedia of Nakhchivan” in two volumes, “the Encyclopaedia of Nakhchivan Monuments”, “the Atlas of Nakhchivan History”, three volumes of “Nakhchivan History”, “Chronicle of Nakhchivan Theatre”, “Anthology of  Nakhchivan folklore” in three volumes, “Red book of Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic” in two volumes, “Ampelography of Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic”, “Herbs of Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic”, "Natural resources of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic: current situation and prospects", “the Atlas of Emergency situations of Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic”, “Land of Dede Gorgud - Nakhchivan” historical-geographical ethnographic atlas (in three languages) and “Geography of Nakhchivan” (in two volumes) have been published. Generally, during its existence 234 monographs, 215 books, 28 methodical aids, 8889 articles, 221 theses, 22 atlases and maps of the branch employees have been published. They prepared 5 recommendations, 50 booklets and received 28 patents.24 monographs, 19 books, 1842 articles, 73 theses were published abroad. The scientists of the division have been the winners of 23 grant projects, four of them being the international one. The Dissertation Council attached to Nakhchivan Branch of ANAS defended 17 dissertations for the Doctor of Sciences and 91 for the Doctor of Philosophy degree.

246 people work in Nakhchivan Branch of ANAS, 102 of them are scientific workers. Among the researchers are 2 academicians, 4 correspondent members, 5 doctors of sciences, 50 doctors of philosophy, doctoral students and candidates for a degree.

Recommended literature:

1. Azərbaycan Milli Elmlər Akademiyası - 60 / red. heyəti: M. K. Kərimov [et al.]. - Bakı : Elm, 2005. - 470 s.
2. Azərbaycan Elmlər Akademiyasının yaranma tarixi = История создания Национальной Академии Наук Азербайджана : [kitab-albom] / Azərbaycan Milli Elmlər Akademiyası ; tərt.-müəl.: Z. Ə. Hacıyeva, N. A. Əliyarlı. - Bakı : n. y., 2015. - 125 s.
3. Akademiya simalarda : 1945-2015 / Azərbaycan Milli Elmlər Akademiyası. - Bakı : Elm, 2015. - 462 s.
4. Azərbaycan Milli Elmlər Akademiyası simalarda : 75 il: 1945-2020 / Azərbaycan Milli Elmlər Akademiyası ; red. heyəti: İ. Ə. Həbibbəyli [et al.] ; baş red. R. Ə. Mehdiyev. - Bakı : Elm, 2021. - 987 s.
5. Məlikli, Günel Qurbanəli qızı. Azərbaycan Milli Elmlər Akademiyasının şərəfli tarix yolu / G. Q. Məlikli ; elmi red. İ. Ə. Həbibbəyli ; AMEA Fəlsəfə və Sosiologiya İnstitutu. - Bakı : Elm : Red N Line, 2020. - 240 s.