Azerbaijan - Useful information for your trip

Azerbaijan is a state of Transcaucasian Asia, with Baku as a capital city and bordering east with the Caspian Sea, north with Russia, west with Georgia and Armenia and south with Iran. Azerbaijan, in which the Azeri language is spoken, belonging to the Turkish-speaking family, is the largest state in the Caucasus and is also the most populated. Geographically it is located near the southern Caucasus. Most of the population lives in the Kura River valley area. It is a predominantly mountainous land. The territory is divided into 66 districts and an autonomous region, the Autonomous Republic of Naxçıvan. It also includes the self-proclaimed Republic of Nagorno Karabakh. The climate of Azerbaijan can be defined as slightly continental, with fairly cold winters and hot summers. The coasts of the Caspian Sea, where the capital of Baku is located, are arid. Winters are not extremely rigid as the Caucasus mountains protect against cold air. The mountain areas are rich in green forests. The highest peak is Mount Bazardüzü (4,466 meters), in the Caucasus range, on the border with Russian Dagestan. Azerbaijan is also rich in natural parks on the plains and on the coasts, to protect endangered species including seals. The main sector on which the Azeri economy is based is agriculture, thanks to a huge irrigation system supplied by the Mingecaur basin. The most important products are rice, cereals, tobacco, tea, cotton, corn and citrus. Silkworms, sheep and cattle are bred. The export of oil and its trade is also fundamental for the country. The capital Baku is considered one of the oldest cities in the East and consists of a center, an old walled city and the Soviet districts.