Azerbaijan, a country that is indissolubly linked to fire. The word "Azerbaijan" means "country of fire" because of the abundance of oil and gas in its underground reserves, which are shallow and easily ignite when exposed to open flames. Today, the national emblem of Azerbaijan** proudly displays a blazing flame.
In the 6th century BC, temples associated with Zoroastrianism had already appeared in Azerbaijan, and the origins of Zoroastrianism were inextricably linked to the bizarre sight of fire on the ground. Zoroastrianism saw the flame as a symbol of the power of light, purifying the heart and soul, and later spread throughout Iran.
Azerbaijan is known as Iran's "Outer Mongolia", and in the 19th century, it was invaded by Tsarist Russia and parted ways with Iran. During the Soviet era, Azerbaijan became one of its 15 union republics. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Azerbaijan declared its independence and separated from Iran for more than 100 years, and the two countries did not merge like East and West Germany.
At the time of independence in 1991, the total population of Azerbaijan was 7.27 million, and today it is more than 100 million. Last year, the population reached 10.16 million, of which 92 per cent were ethnic Azerbaijanis and 8 per cent were 42 other ethnic groups. However, the largest number of ethnic Azerbaijanis are in Iran, with about 20 million people, or a quarter of the country's population.
Azerbaijan is divided into two parts, the mainland is located on the coast of the Caspian Sea, and the other enclave is called Nakhiche, separated by Armenia, with an area of 5,502 square kilometers and a population of about 460,000. The total area is 8660,000 square kilometers, slightly more than China's Chongqing Municipality, but with a population of just over one-third.
The first oil well of the modern oil industry was drilled in 1846 on the Helon Peninsula near Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan. Half a century later, by the early 1900s, Baku accounted for half of the world's oil production. Winston Churchill once exclaimed: "If oil is the queen, Baku is her throne." ”
Azerbaijan has abundant reserves of oil and gas resources, with proven reserves of more than 6 billion tons of oil in the sea and on land, and 6 trillion cubic meters of prospective natural gas reserves. Today, Azerbaijan produces about 35 million tonnes of oil per year, all of which is used for export purposes. Due to the abundance of petroleum resources, domestic gasoline is extremely cheap, about 4 yuan per liter.
The Flame Tower, one of Baku's most iconic buildings, is located on a hillside on the edge of the old city and consists of three separate buildings. The one on the south side is the tallest, with a height of more than 190 meters, and the three buildings together form the shape of the flame, hence the name Flame Tower. Its majestic form can be admired from almost any corner of Baku. The light show at night is even more beautiful.
There are nearly 400 mud volcanoes in Azerbaijan, the largest number in the world, so it is known as the "mud volcano capital". The biggest difference between mud volcanoes and common volcanoes is that they erupt in mud, like frogs, rather than lava. This is also the origin of the name mud volcano.
With more than 2,000 years of history, the capital Baku, which was the size of a village 200 years ago, has grown into a beautiful seaside city with an area of 2,200 square kilometers and a population of more than 2.3 million. Known as "Transcaucasian Jerusalem" and "Transcaucasian Paris", it is also the world's lowest capital with an altitude of minus 22 meters. The climate is pleasant, making it an ideal retreat and holiday destination.