Azerbaijan

Baku serves as the political, cultural and economic heart of Azerbaijan, positioned in Western Asia. As the seat of government and often the most populous city, it concentrates the country's main institutions, universities and cultural landmarks. Beyond the capital, major cities include Ganja, Sumqayit, Lankaran — each a hub of regional culture, economy and history. Baku's Old City, Icherisheher, contains the 12th-century Maiden Tower and Shirvanshah's Palace behind medieval walls — immediately adjacent to the Flame Towers, three glass skyscrapers whose LED facades animate as fire visible across the Caspian — a city where every other building represents a different century of Azerbaijani ambition.

With a population of approximately 10.2M, Azerbaijan is a vibrant society with a rich mix of traditions and communities. The official language is Azerbaijani, which reflects the country's cultural heritage and connects it with a wide international community. Internationally, Azerbaijan is reached via the dialling code +994. Azerbaijan's carpet-weaving tradition is one of the oldest in the world, with regional pile carpet designs from Karabakh, Shirvan and Guba so distinct that experts can identify provenance to within 50 kilometres — and the 2010 UNESCO designation of Azerbaijani carpet weaving as Intangible Cultural Heritage codified what weavers' families had always understood as a complete language of symbols.

Azerbaijan spans 86,600 km², in the Western Asia subregion of Asia. Geographically centred around 40.5°N, 47.5°E, the country offers a diverse range of landscapes shaped by its location, climate and geology. Road traffic follows the right-hand rule, in line with surrounding Asia convention.

The official currency is the Azerbaijani manat (₼), used for everyday transactions and commerce throughout the country. Azerbaijan's economy is shaped by its geography, natural resources and trade relationships. Business and daily life operate under UTC+04:00, aligning the country with its regional neighbours.

Football / Wrestling holds a special place in the heart of Azerbaijan's national identity. Azerbaijan has built a combat sports infrastructure of unusual depth — and the hosting of the inaugural 2015 European Games in Baku signalled a country using sport as a primary instrument of international visibility.

The highest point in Azerbaijan is Bazardüzü, rising to 4,466 metres above sea level. The Absheron Peninsula on the Caspian coast hosts natural petroleum seeps that have burned continuously for millennia — the Yanar Dag fire has likely burned since ancient times and drew Zoroastrian fire worshippers from across the ancient world, making Azerbaijan's underground oil reservoirs a geological fact that shaped both its economy and its pre-Islamic spiritual identity.