Exploring Baku: Azerbaijan's Captivating Capital City

Baku is the capital of Azerbaijan. It is located on the western shore of the Caspian Sea, in the south of the Absheron Peninsula. Baku is Azerbaijan's largest city and the largest city on the Caspian Sea and in the Caucasus region. It is the country's scientific, cultural, and industrial centre, with a population of around 2.2 million people. Baku's economy is primarily based on the oil and gas industry, with significant contributions from the construction, transport, and services sectors. The city boasts a rich history that stretches back thousands of years, with the earliest signs of human settlement in the area dating back to the Bronze Age.

Baku is the capital of Azerbaijan

Baku is divided into 12 administrative raions and 48 townships. The townships include those on the Baku Archipelago's islands and the Neft Daşları industrial settlement, which was built on oil rigs in the Caspian Sea, 60 kilometres (37 miles) from Baku. The city's Old City, which contains the Palace of the Shirvanshahs and the Maiden Tower, was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000.

Baku is Azerbaijan's scientific, cultural, and industrial centre. Many sizeable Azerbaijani institutions are headquartered there. Baku has hosted many major international events, including the 2012 Eurovision Song Contest, the 2015 European Games, the 2016 European Grand Prix, and the 2017 Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

Baku is a windy city, reflected in its nickname, the "City of Winds". It has a cold semi-arid climate, with hot and humid summers and cool winters. The city is the most arid part of Azerbaijan, largely due to the rain shadow effect from the Caucasus Mountains.

Baku's largest industry is petroleum, and its exports contribute significantly to Azerbaijan's balance of payments. The existence of petroleum in Baku has been known since the 8th century, and commercial exploitation began in 1872. By the beginning of the 20th century, Baku's oil fields were the largest in the world, and the city supplied half of the world's oil.

Baku is one of the most important tourist destinations in the Caucasus, with hotels in the city earning 7 million euros in 2009. The city has many popular tourist spots, including Fountains Square, the One and Thousand Nights Beach, and the Yanar Dag natural gas fire. Baku has a growing shopping scene, with malls such as Ganjlik Mall, Deniz Mall, and Park Bulvar.

Baku has wildly varying architecture, ranging from the Old City core to modern buildings and the spacious Baku port. Baku's architectural highlights include the Palace of the Shirvanshahs, the Maiden Tower, and the Flame Towers, the city's tallest skyscrapers. The Old City of Baku, also known as the Walled City, features narrow alleys and ancient buildings.

Baku's transport system includes rail, sea, and road transport. Baku Railway Station is the terminus for national and international rail links, and the city has a rapid-transit system, the Baku Metro. The Heydar Aliyev International Airport is the city's only commercial airport.

It is a large scientific, cultural and industrial centre

Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, is a large scientific, cultural, and industrial centre.

Scientific Centre

Baku is home to the Azerbaijan State Philharmonic Hall, the Azerbaijan State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre, the International Mugham Center, and the Azerbaijan State Carpet Museum, among other cultural venues. The city's three main institutions for exhibiting modern and contemporary art are the Baku Museum of Modern Art, the Heydar Aliyev Center, and the Yarat Contemporary Art Space.

Cultural Centre

Baku has been a venue for major international events, including the Eurovision Song Contest, the European Games, the Islamic Solidarity Games, the European Grand Prix, the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, and the UEFA Europa League Final. The city is also home to several shopping malls, including Ganjlik Mall, Deniz Mall, and Park Bulvar.

Industrial Centre

Baku's largest industry is petroleum, and its petroleum exports make it a large contributor to Azerbaijan's balance of payments. The city's petroleum industry dates back to the 8th century, and by the beginning of the 20th century, Baku's oil fields were the largest in the world. The city is also home to the headquarters of many sizeable Azerbaijani institutions, including the International Bank of Azerbaijan.

Baku is situated on the shore of the Caspian Sea

Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, is situated on the western shore of the Caspian Sea, in the south of the Absheron Peninsula. The city wraps around a semicircular bay, oriented towards the south, with the downtown and old town areas largely situated in the western half of the semicircle on a hill sloping steeply down towards the sea. Baku is the largest city on the Caspian Sea and in the Caucasus region.

The Caspian Sea is the world's largest inland body of water, often described as the world's largest lake and sometimes referred to as a full-fledged sea. It is an endorheic basin, lying between Europe and Asia, and is bounded by Kazakhstan to the northeast, Russia to the northwest, Azerbaijan to the southwest, Iran to the south, and Turkmenistan to the southeast.

Baku is the largest city in Azerbaijan and the country's primate city, with about 25% of the country's population living in Baku's metropolitan area. The city is the scientific, cultural, and industrial centre of Azerbaijan, with many sizeable Azerbaijani institutions headquartered there. Baku is renowned for its harsh winds, reflected in its nickname, the "City of Winds".

The Caspian Sea holds significant economic importance for the region, with the sea's basin accounting for 40-44% of the total lake waters in the world. The sea is famous for its caviar and oil industries, with the first offshore wells and machine-drilled wells in the world made in Bibi-Heybat Bay, near Baku, in the 1870s. The Caspian Sea is also an important source of water, with its main freshwater inflow coming from the Volga River, Europe's longest river.

Baku has a rich history, dating back to the Stone Age, with traces of human settlement in the region found from the Bronze Age. The city has been ruled by various empires throughout its history, including the Persians, Russians, and Soviets. Today, Baku is a cosmopolitan city, with a blend of traditions and modern developments, and is known for its distinctive architecture.

Baku is the largest city in the Caucasus region

Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, is the largest city in the Caucasus region. It is also the largest city on the Caspian Sea and the world's largest city below sea level. Baku is located on the southern shore of the Absheron Peninsula, on the Bay of Baku. The city is 28 metres (92 ft) below sea level, making it the lowest-lying national capital in the world.

Baku is the cultural, scientific, and industrial centre of Azerbaijan. It is home to the headquarters of many sizeable Azerbaijani institutions, including SOCAR, one of the world's top 100 companies. The Baku International Sea Trade Port can handle two million tonnes of general and dry bulk cargoes per year.

Baku is divided into twelve administrative raions and 48 townships. The city's urban population was estimated at two million people as of 2009. Baku is the primate city of Azerbaijan—the sole metropolis in the country. About 25% of all inhabitants of the country live in Baku's metropolitan area.

Baku has long been a focal point for traders from across the world. Commerce is active, and the area has prospered. Notably, traders from the Indian subcontinent established themselves in the region, building the Ateshgah of Baku during the 17th and 18th centuries. The temple was used as a Hindu, Sikh, and Zoroastrian place of worship.

Baku is renowned for its harsh winds, reflected in its nickname, the "City of Winds". The city is also known as the "Paris of the East" due to its wildly varying architecture. Baku's Old City, also known as the Walled City, features narrow alleys and ancient buildings, including the Palace of the Shirvanshahs, two caravansaries, and the Juma Mosque. The Old City was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000.

Baku is Azerbaijan's largest industry centre, with petroleum as its leading industry. The existence of petroleum in Baku has been known since the 8th century. By the 15th century, oil for lamps was obtained from hand-dug surface wells. Commercial exploitation of Baku's oil began in 1872, and by the beginning of the 20th century, the Baku oil fields were the largest in the world. Today, the development of the massive Azeri-Chirag-Guneshli field and the Shah Deniz gas field is contributing to a resurgence in Baku's oil economy.

Baku has a rich history that stretches back thousands of years

Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, has a rich history that stretches back thousands of years. The city's name is possibly a contraction of the Persian phrase "bad kube", which means "blown upon by mountain winds". This is fitting, as Baku is known as the "City of Winds" due to the harsh winds that blow in from the Caspian Sea.

Baku's history can be traced back to the Stone Age, with early settlements in the region dating back thousands of years. The city has been influenced by various civilisations, including the Romans, Persians, Arabs, and Russians. Baku was a key centre of Zoroastrianism due to its famous Bakuvian fires, which were mentioned by the 5th-century historian Priscus of Panium.

In the medieval period, Baku was frequently assaulted by the Khazars and the Rus'. In the 12th century, it became the capital of the Shirvanshahs, who built massive fortifications, including the iconic Maiden Tower. The city's wealth and strategic position made it a target for larger empires, and it was eventually captured by the Safavid dynasty of Iran in the 16th century.

Baku became a focal point for international trade during the early modern period, with traders from India, Europe, and the Middle East establishing themselves in the region. The city's reputation as an oil-rich region also began during this time, with the first oil well outside of Baku drilled in 1594.

In the 19th century, Baku was conquered by the Russian Empire and became a major centre of the oil industry. By the beginning of the 20th century, Baku was producing half of the world's oil supply, leading to massive population growth and development. After a brief period of independence following the Russian Revolution, Baku became the capital of the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic in 1920.

Since Azerbaijan's independence in 1991, Baku has undergone significant restructuring and development. The city is now a cultural and educational hub, known for its unique architecture and vibrant music scene. Baku's rich history and cultural significance have been recognised by UNESCO, with several sites designated as World Heritage Sites.

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