Uniting Azerbaijan: Baku's Role In A Future Country

Azerbaijan, officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, is a transcontinental country at the boundary of Eastern Europe and West Asia. Baku is the capital and largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and in the Caucasus region. Baku is 28 metres (92 ft) below sea level, which makes it the lowest-lying national capital in the world and also the largest city in the world below sea level. The city is the scientific, cultural, and industrial centre of Azerbaijan. Baku is divided into twelve administrative raions and 48 townships. The Old City, containing the Palace of the Shirvanshahs and the Maiden Tower, was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000.

Baku is the largest city on the Caspian Sea

Baku is the capital and largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and in the Caucasus region. Baku is located on the western shore of the Caspian Sea and is 28 metres below sea level, making it the lowest-lying national capital in the world. The city is divided into 12 rayonlar (sub-rayons) and 48 townships. Baku's urban population was estimated at two million people as of 2009, with about 25% of Azerbaijan's inhabitants living in Baku's metropolitan area.

Baku is the scientific, cultural, and industrial centre of Azerbaijan. It is the site of several universities, including Baku State University, and many sizeable Azerbaijani institutions have their headquarters in the city, including SOCAR, one of the world's top 100 companies. Baku has also hosted several major international events, including the 57th Eurovision Song Contest in 2012, the 2015 European Games, and the 2016 European Grand Prix.

Baku is renowned for its harsh winds, reflected in its nickname, the "City of Winds". The city has a cold semi-arid climate with hot and humid summers and cool winters. Baku is the most arid part of Azerbaijan, with precipitation around or less than 200 mm per year. The city is also known for its gale-force winds, the cold northern wind khazri and the warm southern wind gilavar.

Baku's largest industry is petroleum, and its petroleum exports make it a large contributor to Azerbaijan's balance of payments. The existence of petroleum in Baku has been known since the 8th century, and 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 oil economy of Baku is undergoing a resurgence, with the development of the massive Azeri-Chirag-Guneshli field.

Baku is also a major tourist destination in the Caucasus, with hotels in the city earning 7 million euros in 2009. The city has many popular tourist and entertainment spots, such as the downtown Fountains Square, the One and Thousand Nights Beach, and Shikhov Beach. Baku is listed 48th in the 2011 list of the most expensive cities in the world.

Baku is the lowest-lying capital in the world

Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, is the lowest-lying capital in the world. It sits 28 metres below sea level, making it one of only two capital cities with an elevation officially below sea level, the other being Amsterdam. Baku is also the largest city in the world with an elevation below sea level.

Baku's low-lying position is due to its location on the western coast of the Caspian Sea, where it is the largest city. It is also the biggest city in the Caucasus region, covering an area of around 2,140 square kilometres and with a population of over two million. Baku's urban population was estimated at two million people as of 2009, with about 25% of Azerbaijan's inhabitants living in the metropolitan area.

The city's low-lying position has shaped its history and development. Baku has a reputation as a focal point for traders and is known for its harsh winds, reflected in its nickname, the "City of Winds". The name Baku is thought to derive from the Persian "Bād-kube", meaning "wind-pounded city". The city is renowned for its fierce winter snow storms, with gale-force winds common throughout the year.

Baku's position on the Caspian Sea has also made it a centre for the oil industry. The existence of petroleum in the region has been known since the 8th century, and the city became a major oil producer in the 19th and 20th centuries. Today, Baku remains an important industrial centre and continues to be known for its oil production.

Baku is a cultural, scientific and industrial centre

Baku is the capital of Azerbaijan and its largest city. It is a cultural, scientific, and industrial centre.

Cultural Centre

Baku is a cultural hub, boasting many museums, theatres, and galleries. The Old City, containing the Palace of the Shirvanshahs and the Maiden Tower, was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000. The city also has many ancient hamams (traditional Islamic baths) dating back to the 12th, 14th, and 18th centuries.

Baku has hosted many major international events, including the Eurovision Song Contest in 2012, the European Games in 2015, and the final of the 2018–19 UEFA Europa League. It is also a popular tourist destination, with hotels in the city earning 7 million euros in 2009.

Scientific Centre

Baku is the scientific centre of Azerbaijan, with many sizeable institutions headquartered there. The city is also the location of the country's first modern university, Baku State University, which was established in 1918.

Industrial Centre

Baku is the industrial centre of Azerbaijan, with many large institutions headquartered in the city. The city's largest industry is petroleum, with its oil exports making a large contribution to Azerbaijan's balance of payments. The oil industry in Baku dates back to the 8th century, and by the early 20th century, the city's oil fields were the largest in the world.

Baku also has a large agricultural basin, with about 54.9% of Azerbaijan's land being agricultural.

Baku is the only metropolis in Azerbaijan

Baku is the capital and largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and in the Caucasus region. Baku is the sole metropolis in the country, with an urban population of over two million people as of 2009. About 25% of Azerbaijan's inhabitants live in Baku's metropolitan area.

Baku is located 28 metres below sea level, making it the lowest-lying national capital in the world and the largest city in the world below sea level. It is situated on the southern shore of the Absheron Peninsula, alongside the Bay of Baku. The city is renowned for its harsh winds, reflected in its nickname, the "City of Winds".

Baku is the scientific, cultural, and industrial centre of Azerbaijan. Many sizeable Azerbaijani institutions have their headquarters there, including SOCAR, one of the world's top 100 companies. The Baku International Sea Trade Port is capable of handling two million tons of cargo per year. In recent years, Baku has become an important venue for international events, hosting the Eurovision Song Contest, the European Games, the Islamic Solidarity Games, the European Grand Prix, and the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, among others.

Baku has a rich history, with traces of human settlement dating back to the Stone Age. The city was first referenced in 885 CE, but archaeological evidence indicates a settlement several centuries before Christ. Baku was in the possession of the Shīrvān-Shāhs in the 11th century, who made it their capital in the 12th century. In the 18th and 19th centuries, Baku was passed between Persian and Russian rule, eventually becoming part of the Russian Empire in 1813. In 1920, Baku became the capital of the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic.

The core of Baku is the old town, or fortress, of Icheri-Shekher. Most of the walls, strengthened after the Russian conquest in 1806, survive, along with the 90-foot tower of Kyz-Kalasy (Maiden's Tower, 12th century). The old town is highly picturesque, with its maze of narrow alleys and ancient buildings, including the Palace of the Shīrvān-Shāhs, the Synyk-Kala Minaret and Mosque, the law court, the Dzhuma-Mechet Minaret, and the mausoleum of the astronomer Seida Bakuvi. The walled city, along with the Palace of the Shīrvān-Shāhs and Maiden's Tower, were designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2000.

Baku's largest industry is petroleum, with the presence of oil known since antiquity. Commercial exploitation of oil began in 1872, and by the beginning of the 20th century, the Baku oil fields were the largest in the world. The oil economy of Baku is undergoing a resurgence, with the development of the massive Azeri-Chirag-Guneshli field and the Shah Deniz gas field.

Baku is also a major cultural hub, home to several universities, museums, and theatres. It is a popular tourist destination, offering a variety of shopping malls, parks, and entertainment spots. The city has wildly varying architecture, ranging from the Old City core to modern buildings and the spacious layout of Baku port. Baku joined UNESCO's Network of Creative Cities as a Design City in 2019.

Baku is the administrative centre of the Baku Uyezd, Baku Governorate and Baku Gradonachalstvo

Baku is the capital and largest city of Azerbaijan. It is also the largest city on the Caspian Sea and in the Caucasus region. Baku is the administrative centre of the Baku Uyezd, Baku Governorate and Baku Gradonachalstvo.

Baku has been of significant strategic importance throughout history. During the Second World War, Baku became a vital strategic hub as it supplied 80% of the Soviet Union's oil on the Eastern Front. The city was also a primary target of Operation Edelweiss, carried out by the German Wehrmacht between May and November 1942.

Baku Governorate, known before 1859 as the Shemakha Governorate, was a province of the Caucasus Viceroyalty of the Russian Empire. The Baku Gradonachalstvo was a municipal district based around the city of Baku in the Caucasus Viceroyalty of the Russian Empire. The Baku Uyezd was a county within the Baku Governorate.

The administrative centre of Baku Uyezd was Baku itself, with a land area of 2,970.59 square kilometres (1,146.95 square miles). Baku Uyezd was one of several counties within the Baku Governorate, alongside Geokchay Uyezd, Javad Uyezd, Kuba Uyezd, Lenkoran Uyezd and Shemakha Uyezd.

Baku Gradonachalstvo was formed in 1906 on the territory of the Baku Uyezd of the Baku Governorate, following the Armenian–Tatar Massacres. It was disestablished after the revolution of 1917. The area of the Baku Gradonachalstvo corresponded to the Absheron Peninsula, located in easternmost present-day Azerbaijan.

Baku has been a centre of human settlement since the Stone Age. The city is divided into twelve administrative raions and 48 townships. Baku is the scientific, cultural, and industrial centre of Azerbaijan. It is renowned for its harsh winds, reflected in its nickname, the "City of Winds".

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