Azerbaijan is a land of high mountain ranges and low river valleys, bordering Russia in the north and Iran in the south. The traditional religion of the Azeris is Shiite Islam, which has experienced a revival in recent years.

Georgia has been conquered by Muslim empires several times. Tbilisi (the capital) was conquered by Arabs in the 8th century and a Muslim community remained. From the 16th century, Ottoman Turks and Iranian Safavids (Persians) controlled much of Georgia. Migrants, later known as Tatars, also decided to make the region their home.