Azerbaijan saw devastating earthquakes since ancient times. The first report on "an overall devastating event that destroyed all towns and villages" is dated back to 427 AD. In 1139 AD, a devastating earthquake with the magnitude of IX took place in Azerbaijan. The town of Ganja was destroyed completely and gross casualties were reported. It is noteworthy that Goygol Lake had been generated as a result of that same earthquake. In the 19th century, Shamakhy town suffered several devastating earthquakes. Several of them that occurred in 1856, 1861, 1872, and 1902 that are considered to be the strongest and devastating were estimated as strong as VIII and IX points of magnitude.
The first seismic station on the territory of Azerbaijan was founded by E. Nobel in 1902 in Baku after the Shamakhy earthquake. Afterward, seismic stations were set in different areas in Azerbaijan (Balakhany, Zurnabad, Shamakhy, Ganja, Nakhchivan, Lankaran, Chilov Island, and Mingechevir). 14 analog seismic stations were monitored by earthquakes in Azerbaijan. Starting from 2003 earthquakes in Azerbaijan have been monitored and still continued by means of a digital "Kinemetrix" system (that includes 14 stations) set according to the nation-wide leader Heydar Aliyev's decree. Acquired data is transmitted through the satellite communication system operating in the real-time domain.
Seismic event monitoring by means of installed equipment has been carried out since last century's 50-s. Since the beginning, such kinds of observations applied analog equipment using the photo-recording system. Those systems were replaced by a proprietary made magnetometer Mobile ACC station designed at Design Laboratory established at the Institute of Geology, ANAS. Since 1996 precision seismology observations have been carried out using a digital ISS telemetric system (manufactured in South Africa). In 2003 Institute of geology, ANAS established Seismic Monitoring and Geodynamic Center supported by Civil Investigations and Development Fond. The Center was equipped with eight modified mobile digital ISS stations.
Tangible earthquake seismic effects have studied by R. Aghamirzayev, S. Aliyeva, A. Hasanav, E. Gul, R. Jafarov, V. Kuznetsov, R. Shafadiyayev et al that enables to identify of earthquakes key parameters and to study their activity attenuation.
Earthquake triggering mechanism studies carried out by A. Aghalarova and S. Aghayeva within onshore and offshore Azerbaijan areas have subjected to severe and intricate strain. It was recognized that earthquake focuses are located within the earth's crust and about 90% of them are associated with sedimentary rocks.
Seismicity quantitative and recurrence frequency analysis demonstrates significant seismic activity throughout Azerbaijan territory. Moreover, future earthquake events are expected to be moderate in terms of released energy.
Maps of Azerbaijan territory seismicity ranking on a scale of 1:500,000 have been compiled since 1937. State seismicity ranking maps have been compiled and approved by the Institute of Geology, ANAS in 1963, 1967, 1979, and 1989. Background seismicity rate shown on 1989 seismicity map is accepted as much as VII point of magnitude. IX point magnitude earthquake areas cover the Great Caucasus Balakan-Shamahy zone including both Ganja and Nakhchivan areasa and actually cover the Minor Caucasus too. Seismicity ranking maps bear overview features and therefore cannot be used as a reference guide for earthquake-durable building construction projects.