Map of Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan is a country in Asia with its capital at Baku, home to about 10.25 million people across 86,600 km². The interactive map below plots 17 cities and towns, 2 rivers, 2 lakes and 1 mountain summits recorded for Azerbaijan in YearMaps.
- Population
- 10.25 million
- Area
- 86,600 km²
- Capital
- Baku
- Continent
- Asia
Interactive Map of Azerbaijan
Centred on Baku at 40.3972° N, 49.8603° E. Use the layer panel to switch on rivers, dams, ports, peaks and historical borders.
About Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan, officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, is a landlocked country at the boundary of Western Asia and Eastern Europe. It is a part of the South Caucasus region and is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia's republic of Dagestan to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Turkey (via the exclave of Nakhchivan) and Armenia to the west, and Iran to the south. Baku is the capital and largest city.
The territory of what is now Azerbaijan was ruled first by Caucasian Albania and later by various Persian empires. Until the 19th century, it remained part of Qajar Iran, but the Russo-Persian wars of 1804–1813 and 1826–1828 forced the Qajar Empire to cede its Caucasian territories to the Russian Empire; the treaties of Gulistan in 1813 and Turkmenchay in 1828 defined the border between Russia and Iran. The region north of the Aras was part of Iran until it was conquered by Russia in the 19th century, where it was administered as part of the Caucasus Viceroyalty.
By the late 19th century, an Azerbaijani national identity emerged, and the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic proclaimed its independence from the Transcaucasian Democratic Federative Republic in 1918, a year after the Russian Empire collapsed, and became the first secular democratic Muslim-majority state in the world. In 1920, the country was conquered and incorporated into the Soviet Union as the Azerbaijan SSR. The modern Republic of Azerbaijan proclaimed its independence on 30 August 1991, shortly before the dissolution of the Soviet Union. In September 1991, the ethnic Armenian majority of the Nagorno-Karabakh region formed the self-proclaimed Republic of Artsakh, which became de facto independent with the end of the First Nagorno-Karabakh War in 1994, although the region and seven surrounding districts remained internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan. Following the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War in 2020, the seven districts and parts of Nagorno-Karabakh were returned to Azerbaijani control. An Azerbaijani offensive in 2023 ended the Republic of Artsakh and resulted in the expulsion of Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians.
Azerbaijan is a unitary semi-presidential republic. It is one of six independent Turkic states and an active member of the Organization of Turkic States and the TÜRKSOY community. Azerbaijan has diplomatic relations with 182 countries and holds membership in 38 international organizations, including the United Nations, the Council of Europe, the Non-Aligned Movement, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), and the NATO PfP program.
Summary adapted from Wikipedia: Azerbaijan (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Geography and Climate of Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan -- a secular nation with a majority-Turkic and majority-Shia Muslim population -- was briefly independent (from 1918 to 1920) following the collapse of the Russian Empire; it was subsequently incorporated into the Soviet Union for seven decades. Beginning in 1988, Azerbaijan and Armenia fought over the Nagorno-Karabakh region, which was populated largely by ethnic Armenians but incorporated into Soviet Azerbaijan as an autonomous oblast in the early 1920s. In the late Soviet period, an ethnic-Armenian separatist movement sought to end Azerbaijani control over the region. Fighting over Nagorno-Karabakh escalated after Armenia and Azerbaijan gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. By the time a ceasefire took effect in 1994, separatists with Armenian support controlled Nagorno‑Karabakh and seven surrounding Azerbaijani territories. After decades of cease-fire violations and sporadic flare-ups, a second sustained conflict began in 2020 when Azerbaijan tried to win back the territories it had lost in the 1990s. After significant Azerbaijani gains, Armenia returned the southern part of Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding territories to Azerbaijan. In September 2023, Azerbaijan took military action to regain the rest of Nagorno-Karabakh; after a conflict that lasted only one day, nearly the entire ethnic Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh fled to Armenia. Since gaining its independence in 1991, Azerbaijan has significantly reduced the poverty rate and has directed some revenue from its oil and gas production to develop the country’s infrastructure. However, corruption remains a burden on the economy, and Western observers and members of the country’s political opposition have accused the government of authoritarianism. The country’s leadership has remained in the ALIYEV family since Heydar ALIYEV, the most highly ranked Azerbaijani member of the Communist Party during the Soviet period, became president during the first Nagorno-Karabakh War in 1993.
- Location
- Southwestern Asia, bordering the Caspian Sea, between Iran and Russia, with a small European portion north of the Caucasus range.
- Climate
- Dry, semiarid steppe.
- Terrain
- Large, flat Kur-Araz Ovaligi (Kura-Araks Lowland, much of it below sea level) with Great Caucasus Mountains to the north, Qarabag Yaylasi (Karabakh Upland) to the west; Baku lies on Abseron Yasaqligi (Apsheron Peninsula) that juts into Caspian Sea.
- Highest point
- Bazarduzu Dagi 4,466 m.
- Lowest point
- Caspian Sea -28 m.
- Coastline
- 0 km (landlocked)
- Land borders
- Total: 2,468 km; border countries: Armenia 996 km; Georgia 428 km; Iran 689 km; Russia 338 km; Turkey 17 km.
- Major lakes
- Salt water lake(s): Caspian Sea (shared with Iran, Russia, Turkmenistan, and Kazakhstan) - 374,000 sq km.
- Natural resources
- Petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, nonferrous metals, bauxite.
- Land use
- Agricultural land: 57.8% (2023 est.); arable land: 25.3% (2023 est.); permanent crops: 3.3% (2023 est.); permanent pasture: 29.2% (2023 est.); forest: 14.4% (2023 est.); other: 27.7% (2023 est.)
- Natural hazards
- Droughts.
- Geographic note
- Both the main area of the country and the Naxcivan exclave are landlocked.
- Languages
- Azerbaijani 96.1%, other 1.4%; less than 1%: Russian, Avar, Talyshi, Turkish, Tatar, Sakhur, Tat, Ukrainian, Georgian, Hebrew (2019 est.)
- Religions
- Muslim 97.3% (predominantly Shia), Christian 2.6%, other <0.1, unaffiliated <0.1 (2020 est.)
- Ethnic groups
- Azerbaijani 94.8%, other 1.8%; less than 1%: Talish, Russian, Avar, Sakhur, Tartar, Georgian, Jewish, Kurd (2019 est.)
- Economy
- Upper-middle income, oil-dependent Caucasus economy; minimal economic diversification and dominance of state-owned enterprises; growth and fiscal consolidation supported by oil revenues, but risks remain from demand shocks; potential economic gains from Nagorno-Karabakh ceasefire; education investments to diversify and retain human capital.
From the CIA World Factbook (public domain), archived edition of 2026-01-22. The Factbook is no longer updated, so figures reflect that edition.
Azerbaijan in Numbers
- Population
- 10.25 million
- GDP
- US$75.9 billion
- GDP per person
- US$7,411
- Life expectancy
- 74.6 years
- Population growth
- 0.43% a year
- Population density
- 123 per km²
- Urban population
- 58.6%
- Surface area
- 86,600 km²
- Forest cover
- 14.6%
- Arable land
- 25.3%
- Access to electricity
- 100.0%
- Internet users
- 90.8%
Indicators from World Bank Open Data (CC BY 4.0). The year under each figure is its reference year.
Azerbaijan in Depth
History
The earliest evidence of human settlement in the territory of Azerbaijan dates back to the late Stone Age and is related to the Guruchay culture of Azykh Cave. Early settlements included the Scythians during the 9th century BC. Following the Scythians, Iranian Medes came to dominate the area to the south of the Aras river. The Medes forged a vast empire between 900 and 700 BC, which was integrated into the Achaemenid Empire around 550 BC. The area was conquered by the Achaemenids leading to the spread of Zoroastrianism.
The Sasanian Empire turned Caucasian Albania into a vassal state in 252, while King Urnayr officially adopted Christianity as the state religion in the 4th century.
Geography
Azerbaijan is located in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia, straddling West Asia and Eastern Europe. It lies between latitudes 38° and 42° N, and longitudes 44° and 51° E. The perimeter of Azerbaijan's land borders is 2,648 km (1,645 mi), of which 1,007 km (626 mi) are with Armenia, 756 km (470 mi) with Iran, 480 kilometres with Georgia, 390 km (242 mi) with Russia and 15 km (9 mi) with Turkey. The coastline stretches for 800 km (497 mi), and the length of the widest area of the Azerbaijani section of the Caspian Sea is 456 km (283 mi). The country has a landlocked exclave, the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic.
Economy
After gaining independence in 1991, Azerbaijan became a member of the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the Islamic Development Bank, and the Asian Development Bank. The banking system consists of the Central Bank of Azerbaijan, commercial banks, and non-banking credit organizations. The National (now Central) Bank was created in 1992 based on the Azerbaijan State Savings Bank, an affiliate of the former State Savings Bank of the USSR. The Central Bank serves as Azerbaijan's central bank, empowered to issue the national currency, the Azerbaijani manat, and to supervise all commercial banks. Two major commercial banks are UniBank and the state-owned International Bank of Azerbaijan, run by Abbas Ibrahimov.
Demographics
As of March 2022, 52.9% of the population of 10,164,464 is urban, with the remaining 47.1% being rural. In January 2019, 50.1% of the total population was female. The sex ratio in the same year was 0.99 males per female. The 2011 population growth-rate was 0.85%, compared to 1.09% worldwide. A significant factor restricting population growth is a high level of migration. In 2011 Azerbaijan saw a migration of −1.14/1,000 people.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Azerbaijan (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Azerbaijan: Key Facts
| Currency | Azerbaijani manat |
|---|---|
| Official languages | Azerbaijani, Azerbaijani Sign Language |
| Head of state | Ilham Aliyev |
| Head of government | Ali Asadov |
| Form of government | republic, unitary state |
| Calling code | +994 |
| Internet domain | .az |
| Highest point | Mount Bazardüzü |
| Lowest point | Caspian Sea |
| Established | 1991 |
Facts from Wikidata Q227 (CC0).
History of Azerbaijan: Empires and States
The atlas records 36 polities whose mapped territory included part of Azerbaijan, from Achaemenid Persian Empire in 550 BCE to 2024 CE. They are listed in the order they first appear.
| Polity | Period here | Extent |
|---|---|---|
| Achaemenid Persian Empire | 550–330 BCE | A small part |
| Achaemenid Empire | 550–327 BCE | A small part |
| Kingdom of Armenia | 326 BCE – 643 CE | A small part |
| Seleucid Empire | 210–189 BCE | A small part |
| Parthian Empire | 110 BCE – 164 CE | A small part |
| Caucasian Albania | 63 BCE – 509 CE | Most |
| The Roman Empire | 60–126 CE | A small part |
| The Sasanian Empire | 260–637 CE | Most |
| Huns | 396–406 CE | A small part |
| Balasagan | 638–646 CE | Most |
| Rashidun Caliphate | 644–665 CE | Most |
| The Umayyad Caliphate | 666–750 CE | Most |
| The Abbasid Caliphate | 751–946 CE | Most |
| Shirvan | 825–1539 CE | Most |
| Georgia | 888–946 CE | A large part |
| Sajid Dynasty | 898–935 CE | A small part |
| Hamdanid Emirates | 947–1235 CE | A small part |
| Kingdom of Georgia | 1010–1802 CE | Most |
| Great Seljuk Empire | 1072–1125 CE | Most |
| The Mongol Empire | 1236–1343 CE | Most |
| Ilkhanate | 1294–1343 CE | Most |
| Golden Horde | 1385–1394 CE | A large part |
| Vassalage of Kingdom of Georgia to Timurid Empire | 1395–1406 CE | Most |
| Timurid Empire | 1395–1414 CE | Most |
| Vassalage of Qara Qoyunlu to Timurid Empire | 1407–1467 CE | Most |
| Qara Qoyunlu | 1415–1467 CE | A small part |
| Aq Qoyunlu | 1468–1501 CE | A small part |
| Safavid Dynasty | 1502–1726 CE | Most |
| The Ottoman Empire | 1579–1737 CE | Most |
| The Russian Empire | 1727–1916 CE | Nearly all |
| Afsharid Iran | 1734–1747 CE | Most |
| Khanates of the Caucasus | 1748–1795 CE | Most |
| Qajar Dynasty | 1796–1805 CE | Most |
| Union of Soviet Socialist Republics | 1922–1991 CE | Nearly all |
| Republic of Armenia | 1992–2024 CE | A small part |
| Republic of Azerbaijan | 1992–2024 CE | Most |
Historical Maps of Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan on the world map in each year one of these states held it:
Derived by testing mapped cities against dated territorial polygons. Dates are when the polygons cover this place, not the polity's whole lifespan, and polities absent from the source dataset are not listed.
Visiting Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan (Azerbaijani: Azərbaycan) is a former Soviet republic in the Caucasus and is variously considered part of Europe or Asia.
Often known as the "Land of Fire", Azerbaijan was ceded to the Russian Empire by the Persian Empire in the late 19th century.
Travel notes adapted from Wikivoyage: Azerbaijan (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Largest Cities in Azerbaijan
17 cities recorded. Ranked by metropolitan population. A port city's harbour is written up on the page of its sea.
| # | Name | Population | Region | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Baku | 2.12 million | Baki | National capital |
| 2 | Ganca | 303,268 | G?nc? | Populated place |
| 3 | Sumqayt | 279,159 | Sumqayit | Admin-1 capital |
| 4 | Naxcivan | 94,788 | Naxçivan | Admin-1 capital |
| 5 | Ali Bayramli | 70,684 | ?li Bayramli | Populated place |
| 6 | Saki | 64,968 | S?ki | Admin-1 capital |
| 7 | Lankaran | 60,180 | Astara | Populated place |
| 8 | Stepanakert | 57,473 | Xocali | Populated place |
| 9 | Yevlax | 53,716 | Yevlax | Admin-1 capital |
| 10 | Kapan | 42,288 | Z?ngilan | Admin-1 capital |
| 11 | Goycay | 35,348 | Göyçay | Populated place |
| 12 | Tovuz | 12,626 | Tovuz | Admin-1 capital |
| 13 | Qabala | 11,867 | Q?b?l? | Admin-1 capital |
| 14 | Gadabay | 8,657 | G?d?b?y | Admin-1 capital |
| 15 | Goranboy | 7,333 | Goranboy | Admin-1 capital |
| 16 | Oğuz | 6,876 | Oguz | Admin-1 capital |
| 17 | Agdam | — | Tovuz | Historic place |
Highest Mountains in Azerbaijan
1 mountain recorded. Ranked by summit elevation above sea level. A summit on a border is listed under both countries.
| # | Name | Elevation | Feet | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bazar Dyuzi | 4,466 m | 14,652 ft | Europe |
Largest Lakes in Azerbaijan
2 lakes recorded. Ranked by mapped surface area. A lake on a border is listed under each country it lies in, with the area of the whole lake.
| # | Name | Surface Area | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Caspian Sea | 425,231 km² | Inland Sea / Endorheic Lake |
| 2 | Mingevir Reservoir | 564 km² | Reservoir |
Caspian Sea
Inland Sea / Endorheic Lake · 425,231 km²
Caspian Sea is a inland sea / endorheic lake in Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Iran, Russia and Azerbaijan, with a mapped surface area of about 425,231 km². World's largest inland body of water by surface area (371,000 km²) and volume..
The Caspian Sea is the world's largest inland body of water, also described as the world's largest lake and usually referred to as a full-fledged sea. An endorheic basin, it is situated in both Europe and Asia: east of the Caucasus, west of the broad steppe of Central Asia, south of the fertile plains of Southern Russia in Eastern Europe, and north of the mountainous Iranian Plateau. It covers a surface area of 371,000 km2 (143,244 sq mi) (excluding the highly saline lagoon of Garabogazköl to its east), an area similar to Japan, with a volume of 78,200 km3 (19,000 cu mi). It has a salinity of approximately 1.2% (12 g/L), about a third of the salinity of average seawater. It is bounded by Kazakhstan to the northeast, Russia to the northwest, Azerbaijan to the southwest, Iran to the south, and Turkmenistan to the southeast. The name of the Caspian Sea is derived from the ancient Iranic Caspi people.
The lake stretches 1,200 km (750 mi) from north to south, with an average width of 320 km (200 mi). Its gross coverage is 386,400 km2 (149,200 sq mi) and the surface is about 27 m (89 ft) below sea level.
Adapted from Wikipedia: Caspian Sea (CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Surface area
- 425,231 km²
- Area rank
- #1 of 756 indexed
- Type
- Inland Sea / Endorheic Lake
- Countries
- Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Iran, Russia, Azerbaijan
- Coordinates
- 44.1562°, 50.2358°
Among the 756 water bodies with a mapped extent in YearMaps, Caspian Sea ranks #1 by surface area, ahead of Lake Superior (84,920 km²). Areas are computed from the mapped outline and are approximate.
- Settlements on the shore:
- Baku (19 km), Sumqayt (43 km), Ali Bayramli (112 km)
More about Caspian Sea
History
The main geologic history locally had two stages. The first is the Miocene, determined by tectonic events that correlate with the closing of the Tethys Sea. The second is the Pleistocene noted for its glaciation cycles and the full run of the present Volga. During the first stage, the Tethys Sea had evolved into the Sarmatian Lake, that was created from the modern Black Sea and south Caspian, when the collision of the Arabian peninsula with West Asia pushed up the Kopet Dag and Caucasus Mountains, making lasting south and west limits to the basin. This orogenic movement was continuous, while the Caspian was regularly disconnected from the Black Sea.
Economy
Countries in the Caspian region, particularly Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan, have high-value natural-resource-based economies, where the oil and gas compose more than 10 percent of their GDP and 40 percent of their exports. All the Caspian region economies are highly dependent on this type of mineral wealth. The world energy markets were influenced by Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan, as they became strategically crucial in this sphere, thus attracting the largest share of foreign direct investment (FDI).
All of the countries are rich in solar energy and harnessing potential, with the highest rainfall much less than the mountains of central Europe in the mountains of the west, which are also rich in hydroelectricity sources.
Iran has high fossil fuel energy potential.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Caspian Sea (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Caspian Sea: Key Facts
| Surface area | 386,400 km² |
|---|---|
| Maximum depth | 1,025 m |
| Volume | 78,700 km³ |
| Surface elevation | -28 m |
| Inflows | Astarachay, Atrek River, Volga, Gorganrud, Kuma, Kura |
| Drainage system | Caspian Sea Basin |
Facts from Wikidata Q5484 (CC0).
Rivers in Azerbaijan
2 rivers recorded. Listed alphabetically. A river is listed where its mapped reach lies, so long rivers appear under more than one country.
| Name | Type | Also Flows Through |
|---|---|---|
| Aras | River | Iran, Turkey, Armenia |
| Kura | Lake reach | Georgia, Turkey |
UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Azerbaijan
5 World Heritage Sites recorded. Listed by year of inscription, earliest first. Sites shared with another country appear under each.
| # | Name | Inscribed | Type | Criteria |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Walled City of Baku with the Shirvanshahs' Palace and Maiden Tower | 2000 | Cultural | (iv) |
| 2 | Gobustan State Historical and Cultural Reserve | 2007 | Cultural | (iii) |
| 3 | Historic Centre of Sheki with the Khan’s Palace | 2019 | Cultural | (ii) (v) |
| 4 | Hyrcanian Forests | 2019 | Natural | (ix) |
| 5 | Cultural Landscape of Khinalig People and “Köç Yolu” Transhumance Route | 2023 | Cultural | (iii) (v) |
Mountain Ranges, Deserts and Landforms of Azerbaijan
3 mountain ranges, deserts and other landforms recorded. Ranked by mapped area. Covers mountain ranges, deserts, plateaus, named glaciers, plains, basins, peninsulas and capes. One that crosses a border is listed under every country it lies in, with the area of the whole feature.
| # | Name | Area | Type | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lesser Caucasus | 62,526 km² | Range/mtn | Asia |
| 2 | Absheron Peninsula | 110 km² | Pen/cape | Europe |
| 3 | CAUCASUS Mountains | — | Range/mtn | Europe |
Lesser Caucasus
Range/mtn · 62,526 km²
Lesser Caucasus is a range/mtn in Asia, covering an estimated 62,526 km². It extends across Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan.
The Lesser Caucasus or Lesser Caucasus Mountains, also called Caucasus Minor, is the second of the two main ranges of the Caucasus Mountains, of length about 600 km (370 mi). The western portion of the Lesser Caucasus overlaps and converges with east Turkey and northwest Iran. It runs parallel to the Greater Caucasus, traversing through the Armenian highlands, at a distance averaging about 100 km (62 mi) south from the Likhi Range (Georgia), and limits east Turkey from the north and north-east. It is connected with the Pontic range and separated from it by the Kolkhida Lowland (Georgia) in the west and Kura-Aras Lowland (Azerbaijan) (by the Kura River) in the east.
Adapted from Wikipedia: Lesser Caucasus (CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Feature class
- Range/mtn
- Mapped extent
- 62,526 km²
- Size rank
- #68 of 216 mountain ranges
- Region
- Asia
- Countries
- Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan
- Coordinates
- 40.1900°, 45.8569°
- Adjacent ranges:
- Pontic Mountains (Asia), Kopet Dag Mountains (Asia)
- Settlements:
- Stepanakert (54 km), Ganca (60 km), Yevlax (90 km)
More about Lesser Caucasus
Description
The borders between Georgia, Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Iran run through the range, although its crest does not usually define the border. The range was historically called Anticaucasus or Anti-Caucasus (Greek: Αντι-Καύκασος, Russian: Антикавка́з, Анти-Кавка́з). This usage is commonly found in older sources. Current usage tends towards using the name Lesser Caucasus, but Anti-caucasus can still be found in modern texts.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Lesser Caucasus (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Lesser Caucasus: Key Facts
| Length | 600 km |
|---|---|
| Highest point | Mount Aragats |
| Part of | Caucasus Mountains |
Facts from Wikidata Q216593 (CC0).
Absheron Peninsula
Pen/cape · 110 km²
Absheron Peninsula is a pen/cape in Europe, covering an estimated 110 km².
The Absheron Peninsula (Azerbaijani: Abşeron yarımadası) is a peninsula in Azerbaijan. It is the location of Baku, the most populous city of the country, and the Baku Metropolitan Area, with its satellite cities Sumqayit and Khyrdalan. It extends 60 km (37 mi) eastward into the Caspian Sea, and reaches a maximum width of 30 km (19 mi). Azerbaijan's shape is often compared to an eagle, with the Absheron Peninsula forming its beak as it extends into the Caspian Sea.
Though technically the easternmost extension of the Caucasus Mountains, the landscape is only mildly hilly, a gently undulating plain that ends in a long spit of dunes known as Shah Dili, also known as the Shah Spit, which is the easternmost point of mainland Azerbaijan, now declared the Absheron National Park. In this part, the peninsula is dissected by ravines and characterized by frequent salt lakes. The peninsula also features four districts, of which two are urban (Baku and Sumqayit) while three are considered suburban (Absheron Rayon, Pirallahi Rayon, and the Khazar Rayon.)
Adapted from Wikipedia: Absheron Peninsula (CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Feature class
- Pen/cape
- Mapped extent
- 110 km²
- Size rank
- #214 of 231 landforms
- Region
- Europe
- Coordinates
- 40.3950°, 50.2997°
- Summits:
- Gora Arlan (1,880 m), Mount Ararat (5,137 m), Mount Damavand (5,610 m)
- Ranges:
- Lesser Caucasus (Asia), Kopet Dag Mountains (Asia)
- Settlements:
- Baku (37 km), Sumqayt (60 km), Ali Bayramli (128 km)
More about Absheron Peninsula
Geography
The Absheron peninsula is located in eastern Azerbaijan, along the western coast of the Caspian Sea with layers of deposits from the Cretaceous, Palaeogene, Neogene, Pliocene and Quaternary periods. The lithological composition up to the Neogene layers is made up of clays, sandy clays, sands and limestones. Middle Pliocene sediments are sandy clays. These are thick in areas with highly mineralized groundwaters. Fresh groundwater is unable to permeate the thick clays to reach underlying sequences, as the overlying layers of sediment deposits have a lower salinity. In the western areas of the peninsula, there are outcrops of low permeability clays from the Cretaceous, Paleogene, Neogene, and Lower Pliocene. These clays are deeper in the eastern areas and covered by Quaternary sediments.
Climate
The Absheron Peninsula has a temperate semi-arid climate (Köppen climate classification: BSk) with warm and dry summers, cool and occasionally wet winters, and strong winds all year long. The peninsula is the most arid part of Azerbaijan (precipitation here is around or less than 200 mm (8 in) a year). The majority of the light annual precipitation occurs in seasons other than summer, but none of these seasons are particularly wet. The natural vegetation of the Absheron Peninsula is dry steppe and semi-desert. Due to the semi-arid climate, local agriculture requires irrigation.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Absheron Peninsula (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Absheron Peninsula: Key Facts
| Area | 2,110 km² |
|---|---|
| On | Caspian Sea |
Facts from Wikidata Q336969 (CC0).
Countries Bordering Azerbaijan
Land and maritime neighbours.
More Maps in Asia
Azerbaijan: Quick Answers
- What is the capital of Azerbaijan?
- The capital of Azerbaijan is Baku.
- What is the population of Azerbaijan?
- Azerbaijan has a population of about 10.25 million, the #95 largest of 225 countries in YearMaps. Source: World Bank, 2025.
- How big is Azerbaijan?
- Azerbaijan covers 86,600 km², ranking #115 by area, with about 118 people per square kilometre.
- Which continent is Azerbaijan in?
- Azerbaijan is in Asia.
- Which countries border Azerbaijan?
- Azerbaijan shares a land or maritime border with Turkey, Russia, Georgia, Armenia, Iran.
- What is the largest city in Azerbaijan?
- Baku is the largest city in Azerbaijan, with a metropolitan population of about 2.12 million.
- What is the highest mountain in Azerbaijan?
- The highest summit recorded for Azerbaijan in YearMaps is Bazar Dyuzi at 4,466 m (14,652 ft). Summits on a border are counted for both countries.
- What is the largest lake in Azerbaijan?
- The largest lake recorded in or bordering Azerbaijan is Caspian Sea, at roughly 425,231 km².