The Unique Shape Of Azerbaijan: A Country's Geography

Azerbaijan, officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, is a transcontinental country located at the boundary of Eastern Europe and West Asia. Azerbaijan is a part of the South Caucasus region and is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia's republic of Dagestan to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia and Turkey to the west, and Iran to the south. The country's size is comparable to that of Portugal or the US state of Maine, with a total land area of approximately 86,600 square kilometres. Azerbaijan has a diverse landscape, characterised by the Caspian Sea to the east, the Greater Caucasus mountain range to the north, and extensive flatlands in the centre. The country's elevation changes drastically over short distances, ranging from lowlands to highlands, with nearly half of the country considered mountainous. Baku, the capital and largest city, is renowned for its wealthy oil reserves and its harbour, which is the largest and best on the Caspian Sea.

Caspian Sea shoreline

Azerbaijan is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east. The Caspian Sea is the world's largest inland body of water, often described as the world's largest lake. It is an endorheic basin, lying between Europe and Asia. The Caspian Sea stretches 1,200 km from north to south, with an average width of 320 km. Its gross coverage is 386,400 km2 and the surface is about 27 m below sea level. The sea's name stems from Caspi, the ancient people who lived to the southwest of the sea in Transcaucasia.

The Caspian Sea coastal area consists of Quaternary deposits, while its shoreline configuration varies in different places. The coasts are smooth and invariable in some places, while in other places they are tortuous. There are several gulfs, including Gizlar, Astrakhan, and Mangishlag, as well as a variety of bays. The peninsula of Agrakhan, Buzachi, Tub-Karagan, and Mangishlag is very interesting. The mouths of both the Volga and Ural Rivers's shorelines are variable and consist of numerous small islands and distributary channels. The Caspian middle sector shoreline configuration is characterized by a smooth outline. The Absheron Peninsula is located on the western margin of the Caspian Sea, where the middle and the southern sectors border each other. To the west of the Absheron Peninsula, there are several islands and shoals of the Absheron archipelago. The largest islands are Pirallahi and Chilov. To the south of the Absheron Peninsula, there are islands of the Baku archipelago, including Hara Zira, Gum, Chigil, Gil, Garasu, Zanbil, Sangi-Mughan, Dash Zira, and Kur Dashy. The middle Caspian east shoreline is more tortuous, with the Kazakh gulf being the most profound feature. The biggest gulf of the sea's east margin is Gara-Boghaz-Gol gulf. The Caspian Sea has about 50 small and large islands that embrace a 350 sq km area.

Azerbaijan's coastline stretches for 800 km, and the length of the widest area of the Azerbaijani section of the Caspian Sea is 456 km. Three physical features dominate Azerbaijan: the Caspian Sea, whose shoreline forms a natural boundary to the east; the Greater Caucasus mountain range to the north; and the extensive flatlands at the country's center. The Greater and Lesser Caucasus, and the Talysh Mountains, together cover approximately 40% of the country. The lowest point of Azerbaijan lies in the Caspian Sea, 28 m below sea level. Nearly half of all the mud volcanoes on Earth are concentrated in Azerbaijan.

Caucasus mountain range

Azerbaijan is a transcontinental country at the boundary of Eastern Europe and West Asia. It is a part of the South Caucasus region and is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia's republic of Dagestan to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia and Turkey to the west, and Iran to the south.

The Caucasus Mountains are a mountain range at the intersection of Asia and Europe. Stretching between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, they are surrounded by the Caucasus region. The mountain range includes the Greater Caucasus in the north and the Lesser Caucasus in the south. The Greater Caucasus runs west-northwest to east-southeast, from the Caucasian Natural Reserve near Sochi, Russia, on the northeastern shore of the Black Sea, to close to Baku on the Caspian Sea, in Azerbaijan. The Lesser Caucasus runs parallel to the Greater Caucasus about 100 km to the south. The Greater and Lesser Caucasus ranges are connected by the Likhi Range.

The Caucasus Mountains formed largely as the result of a tectonic plate collision between the Arabian Plate moving northward with respect to the Eurasian Plate. The entire region is regularly subjected to strong earthquakes from this activity. While the Greater Caucasus Mountains have a mainly folded sedimentary structure, the Lesser Caucasus Mountains are largely of volcanic origin.

The climate of the Caucasus varies both vertically and horizontally. Temperature generally decreases as elevation rises. The northern slopes of the Greater Caucasus Mountain Range are about 3°C colder than the southern slopes. There are sharp temperature contrasts between the summer and winter months due to a more continental climate in the highlands of the Lesser Caucasus Mountains in Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia. While precipitation increases from east to west in most areas, the mountains in the Caucasus receive higher amounts of precipitation than the low-lying areas. The Caucasus Mountains are known for the high amount of snowfall, although many regions that are not located along the windward slopes do not receive nearly as much snow.

Extensive flatlands

Azerbaijan is a country in the Caucasus region, situated at the juncture of Eastern Europe and West Asia. One of the three physical features that dominate the country is the extensive flatlands at its centre.

The elevation changes over a relatively short distance from lowlands to highlands; nearly half of Azerbaijan is considered mountainous. The highest elevations occur in the Greater Caucasus, where Mount Bazardüzü rises 4,466 meters above sea level. Eight large rivers flow down from the Caucasus ranges into the central Kura-Aras Lowlands, alluvial flatlands and low delta areas along the seacoast. The Mtkvari, the longest river in the Caucasus region, forms the delta and drains into the Caspian a short distance downstream from the confluence with the Aras. The Mingechaur Reservoir, with an area of 605 square kilometres, was formed by damming the Kura in western Azerbaijan. The waters of the reservoir provide hydroelectric power and irrigation of the Kura-Aras plain. Most of the country's rivers are not navigable. About 15% of the land in Azerbaijan is arable.

The gently undulating hills of the subtropical southeastern coast are covered with tea plantations, orange groves, and lemon groves. The country also features numerous mud volcanoes and mineral springs in the ravines of Kobustan Mountain near Baku. Azerbaijan's coastal terrain lies as much as 28 meters below sea level.

Mountainous terrain

Azerbaijan is a country located in the south of the Caucasus Mountains, where the mountain range dominates the nature of the country. The majority of the Azerbaijani terrain is mountainous, with more than half of the land exceeding 1,000 meters above sea level. The elevation map of Azerbaijan reveals a relatively limited relief variation for the most prominent regions, which are predominantly elevated. The coastal areas are the flattest regions of Azerbaijan, while the central highlands feature the most dramatic peaks.

The Azerbaijan highlands consist of many mountain ranges, which are predominantly oriented east to west. The Greater Caucasus range, which extends from the north-west to the north, encompasses some of the highest peaks and a large section of the border with Russia. The Sisian and Talysh Mountains ornament the south-western and south-eastern boundaries of the country.

The mountains in Azerbaijan have unique formations and vegetation common with the Mediterranean and European species and ones often seen in the Himalayas like the Edelweiss flower. Especially the region on the Southern slopes of the Caucasus mountains presents a diverse combination of flora and fauna and it is recognized as a UNESCO biosphere reserve.

The highest point in Azerbaijan is Bazarduzu, which stands at 4,466 m (14,652 ft) tall. It is located in the Greater Caucasus range, on the border between Russia and Azerbaijan.

The Greater Caucasus range forms the north-east borders of Azerbaijan with Dagestan, an autonomous republic of Russia. Bazarduzu, Shahdagh, and Tufandag are the high peaks of the mountain range. The highest peak of the Greater Caucasus is Mount Bazarduzu, which is also the highest point in Azerbaijan. The mountains of the Greater Caucasus are located in a region of high seismic activity and are formed by rocks that date back to the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods.

The Lesser Caucasus is the second most important mountain range in Azerbaijan and forms its south-western borders. Mount Murovdag and Mount Zangezur are the main ridges of the Lesser Caucasus. They are formed by sedimentary and volcanogenic rocks of the Cretaceous and Jurassic periods.

The Talysh Mountains cover the southeastern part of Azerbaijan and form part of its border with Iran. The highest peak of the Talysh Mountains is Mount Kyumyurkyoy, which stands at 2,492 m (8,176 ft).

Azerbaijan is characterised by a wide variety of landscapes. Over half of the land consists of mountain ridges, crests, highlands, and plateaus which rise to levels of 400–1,000 m (including the middle and lower lowlands), in some places (Talis, Jeyranchol-Ajinohur and Langabiz-Alat foreranges) up to 100–120 m, and others from 0–50 m and up (Qobustan, Absheron). The rest of Azerbaijan's terrain consists of plains and lowlands. Elevations within the Caucasus region vary from about −28 m at the Caspian Sea shoreline up to 4,466 m (Bazardüzü peak).

Subtropical southeast coast

Azerbaijan's subtropical southeast coast is characterised by gently undulating hills covered with tea plantations, orange groves, and lemon groves. The subtropical climate in this region is humid and mild, with the highest precipitation in the country—about 47 to 55 inches of rainfall per year, most of which falls in the colder months. The southeast is bordered by the Talysh Mountains, which consist of three longitudinal ranges, with Mount Kyumyurkyoy as the highest peak at 8,176 feet.

The southeast coast is part of the larger Länkäran Lowland, which extends to the Iranian border near Astara. The lowland is an extension of the Kura-Aras Lowland, named after the two major rivers that flow through it: the Kura and its tributary, the Aras. The Mingechaur Reservoir, formed by damming the Kura, is the largest body of water in Azerbaijan, with an area of 605 square kilometres. The reservoir provides hydroelectric power and irrigation for the lowland.

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