General Information

Location: The Republic of Azerbaijan lies in the borderlands of Asia and Europe. It is situated in 

the south-eastern part of the Southern Caucasus and shares borders in the north with the 

Russian Federation, in the south with the Islamic Republic of Iran, in the west with Turkey,

Georgia and Armenia, and in the east its neighbors across the Caspian Sea are Kazakhstan and

Turkmenistan.

Country Name: Republic of Azerbaijan

Capital: Bakı (in USSR Baku) with a population of 1 811 000 (according to 2006 census)

State Language: Azerbaijani

Religion: Religion is separated from the State and all religions are equal before the law

Population: The population is 8 436 000 people (January, 2006)

Monetary Unit: Manat (1 US $ = 0.9170 manat as at January, 2006)

Territory Area: 86,600 sq km

Length of Land Boundaries: 2,646 km

Borders with Neighbouring Countries: Armenia - 1007 km, Georgia - 480 km, Iran - 756 km, 

Russia - 390 km, Turkey - 13 km

Baku city

Baku is the capital city of the independent Republic of Azerbaijan. Located on the Apsheron Peninsula, it is the biggest city on the shore of the Caspian Sea renowned for its sturgeon fisheries and the source of caviar. The name Baku is allegedly derived from the names of ancient tribes called Bakan or Bagi inhabiting the Absheron peninsula during 12th -5th centuries BC. The meaning of Baku from the Persian language is a place where strong winds blow. However according to Turkish “Islamic Encyclopedia” the origin of the word “Baku” derives from the words “Bey-Kyoy” which mean “the main city” in Turkish.

The fifth largest city in the former Soviet Union, Baku is a cosmopolitan city with over two million people. The inhabitants of Baku are primarily Shiite Muslims. Their original language and culture have developed over the last century to a unique blend of Turkish language and Islamic tradition.

The first historical reference to the city goes back to AD 885, although archaeological evidence indicates a much earlier date. In 1918 Baku became the capital of the Azerbaijan Republic.

The political, economic and cultural center of Azerbaijan, Baku enjoyed the booms, and suffered the busts, of the oil industry for more than 150 years. Baku's original Zoroastrian population was among the first to discover natural gases that once ignited burned forever. Since that time, Baku oil has been employed in various forms as fuel for lamps and medicine. Only at the turn of the 20th century did Baku become a pioneering force in the world’s petroleum industry.

Major places of interest in Baku include both modern and ancient sites such as the Azerbaijan Art Museum, the Azerbaijan Carpet Museum, the Icheri Sheher Fortress (AD 1078) with its Sinik Kala Minaret, the Shirvan Shah Palace (AD 1400s) ensemble, and the Maiden Tower.

The hotel " Girkan Inn " is in the center of Old City " Icheri Sheher ". Here you with comfort can will take pleasure in olden time and to find out a lot of new.