Azerbaijan–Turkey relations have been strong with the two often being described as "one nation with two states" by the ex-president of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev due to a common culture and history, and the mutual intelligibility of Turkish and Azerbaijani languages. Turkey was the first country in the world to recognise Azerbaijan's independence in 1991 and has been a staunch supporter of Azerbaijan in its efforts to consolidate its independence, preserve its territorial integrity and realize its economic potential arising from the rich natural resources of the Caspian Sea. The countries share a short 8 km border, with the Aras River separating Turkey from the Nakhchivan exclave.
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“When one walks, one is brought into touch first of all with the essential relations between one’s physical powers and the character of the country; one is compelled to see it as its natives do. Then every man one meets is an individual. One is no longer regarded by the whole population as an unapproachable and uninteresting animal to be cheated and robbed.”
—Aleister Crowley (1875–1947)