The Republic of Azerbaijan is a transcontinental country located at the boundary of Eastern Europe and Western Asia. It is a part of the South Caucasus region and is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia (Republic of Dagestan) to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia and Turkey to the west, and Iran to the south. Baku is the capital and largest city.

Azerbaijan forms an integral part of the Caucasus Ecoregion, a region with exceptional levels of biodiversity. Azerbaijan is also located on the shores of the Caspian Sea, the world’s largest inland body of water. One of the most valuable characteristics of Caspian biodiversity is high endemism.

The Azerbaijan NEA aims to form an essential knowledge ground for the management, use and protection of biodiversity and ecosystem services that is important at national and subnational levels.