Uncategorised
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13 Jun 2024
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Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan is located in Southwestern Asia. Its capital and largest city is Baku. It is bordered to the east by the Caspian sea, the west by Armenia, the north by Russia and Georgia, and the south by Iran. Azerbaijan is the first democratic state in the Muslim-oriented East. It was formerly part of the USSR thus, Russian is the second most popular language spoken by the indigenes with the first being Azerbaijani.
The country is known for several things such as its wide assortment of flowers, East meets West architectural wonders, prominence in the international crude oil scene, beautiful deserts, sand dunes, mud volcanoes, etc.
It has some seven climates including summer, autumn, and winter. It is fine to visit the country in any season as each season holds its own unique appeal. Women should dress modestly in Azerbaijan. Western clothes are commonplace but should be worn decently.
There are about five ethnic groups including Azerbaijani (the largest), Russian, Armenian, etc and the Azerbaijani are 95% Muslim. They are known to mix poetry, storytelling, dance and music into a single cultural act. They are also known for their immense love for pancakes (Kutabi) which is their national dish, fresh vegetables/herbs, and fish from the Caspian sea. They favor beef, mutton, and black tea.
Some fascinating places to visit in Azerbaijan are:
- Little Venice: It is a small, Venetian inspired town in Baku where one 'floats' through restaurants and shops courtesy of its two big islands and several small 'islands'.
- Azerbaijan's Carpet Museum: The museum building itself, built in the shape of a giant rolled up carpet is quite the architectural excerpt. Inside the museum are collected spectacular carpet designs of all ages from regions across the country. It is located in Baku.
- The Caspian Sea: This is the world's largest lake with a coastline that stretches 500 kilometres from Azerbaijan's border with Dagestan and Iran. It has a number of beautiful serene beaches that provide a site for sun bathing, swimming, and other such delights.
- The Gobustan National Park: This park is known for the engravings on its rocks (rock art) that give invaluable insight into the early stages of man's lifestyle in prehistoric times. It is a UNESCO world heritage site.
- Absheron National Park: This park spans over 780 hectares of land reserved for wildlife. It boasts a wide assortment of animals such as gazelles, exotic birds, badgers, seals, etc. Also worthy of sight are its sand dunes and crystal clear, serene waters
Azerbaijan is the first country in the entire East to have given women the right to vote doing so even before Great Britain. Also, it is fascinating that the famous Nobel Prize award was initialized using capital Alfred Nobel acquired on profits from Azerbaijan oil.
Accommodation in Azerbaijan ranges from budget hotels to luxury hotels.
