Baku

Baku

Baku (Azerbaijani: Bakı, IPA: [bɑˈcɯ]) is the capital and largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and of the Caucasus region. It is located on the southern shore of the Absheron Peninsula, which projects into the Caspian Sea. The city consists of two principal parts: the downtown and the old Inner City (21.5 ha). Baku's urban population at the beginning of 2009 was estimated at just over two million people.[3] Officially, about 25 percent of all inhabitants of the country live in the metropolitan city area of Baku. TOSHIBA Satellite 2805-s201 Laptop Keyboard

Baku is divided into eleven administrative districts (raions) and 48 townships. Among these are the townships on islands in the Baku Bay and the town of Oil Rocks built on stilts in the Caspian Sea, 60 km (37 mi) away from Baku. The Inner City of Baku along with the Shirvanshah's Palace and Maiden Tower were inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000. According to the Lonely Planet's ranking, Baku is also among the world's top ten destinations for urban nightlife.[4] TOSHIBA Satellite 1800-921 Laptop Keyboard

The city is the scientific, cultural and industrial center of Azerbaijan. Many sizeable Azerbaijani institutions have their headquarters there, including SOCAR, one of the world's top 100 companies andothers.[5] The Baku International Sea Trade Port, sheltered by the islands of the Baku Archipelago to the east and the Absheron Peninsula to the north, is capable of handling two million tons of general and dry bulk cargoes per year.[6] Baku hosted the 57th Eurovision Song Contest in 2012 and will host the 2015 European Games. SONY Vaio PCG-K315Z Laptop Keyboard

The name Baku is widely believed to be derived from the old Persian names of the city باد-کوبه Bād-kube, meaning "Wind-pounded city", in which bād means "wind" and kube is rooted in the verb کوبیدن kubidan, "to pound", thus referring to a place where wind is strong and pounding. Indeed, IBM Lenovo ThinkPad R52 1870 Laptop Keyboard

the city is renowned for its fierce winter snow storms and harsh winds.[7] A less probable folk etymology explains the name as deriving from Baghkuy, meaning "God's town". Baga (now بغ bagh) and kuy) are the Old Persian words for "god" and "town" respectively; the name Baghkuy may be compared with Baghdād ("God-given") in which dād is the Old Persian word for "give". Arabic sources refer to the city as Baku, Bakukh, Bakuya, and Bakuye, all of which seem to come from a Persian name. TOSHIBA Satellite L300 Laptop Keyboard

Various different politically motivated hypotheses have been also proposed to explain the etymology of the word Baku to suit a given political agenda . According to L.G.Lopatinski[8] and Ali Huseynzade,[9] for example, Baku is derived from Turkic word for "hill". Caucasian history specialist Kerope Patkanov also explains the name as "hill" but in the Lak language.[9] HP G62-361TX Laptop Keyboard

The Turkish Islamic Encyclopedia presents the origin of the word Baku as being derived from the words Bey-Kyoy, which mean "the main city" in Turkic. Another theory suggests that the name Baku is derived from the ancient Caucasian Albanian city which was called Baguan. HP G62-225NR Laptop Keyboard

The first written evidence for Baku dates to the 1st century AD.[10]

The city became important after an earthquake destroyed Shamakhy in the 12th century, when the ruling Shirvanshah, Akhsitan I, chose Baku as the new capital. In 1501, Safavid Shah Ismail I laid siege to Baku. At this time the city was enclosed within the lines of strong walls, which were washed by the sea on one side and protected by a wide trench on land. In 1540 Baku was again captured by the Safavid troops. In 1604 the Baku fortress was destroyed by Safavid Shah Abbas I. HP G62-b70SP Laptop Keyboard

On 26 June 1723, after a long siege and cannon fire, Baku surrendered to the Russians. According to Peter the Great's decree the soldiers of two regiments (2,382 people) IBM Lenovo Thinkpad X201 Laptop Keyboard

were left in the Baku garrison under the command of Prince Baryatyanski, the commandant of the city. In 1795, Baku was invaded by Agha Muhammad Khan Qajar to defend against tsarist Russia's ambitions to subjugate the South Caucasus. In the spring of 1796, by Catherine II's order, General Zubov's troops began a major campaign in Transcaucasia. Baku surrendered after the first demand of Zubov, HP pavilion DV7-1000 Laptop Keyboard

who had sent 6,000 troops to capture the city. On 13 June 1796 the Russian flotilla entered Baku Bay and a garrison of Russian troops was placed in the city. General Pavel Tsitsianovwas appointed Baku's commandant. Later, however, Czar Paul I ordered him to cease the campaign and withdraw Russian forces. Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E520 Laptop Keyboard

In March 1797 the tsarist troops left Baku, but a new tsar, Alexander I, began to show a special interest in capturing Baku. In 1803, Tsitsianov reached an agreement with the Baku khan to a compromise, but the agreement was soon annulled. On 8 February 1806, upon the surrendering of Baku, Huseyngulu khan of Baku stabbed and killed Tsitsianov at the gates of the city. HP Compaq NC8430 Laptop Keyboard

Baku is a city founded upon oil, for to its inexhaustible founts of naphtha it owes its very existence, its maintenance, its prosperity.... At present Baku produces one-fifth of the oil that is used in the world, and the immense output in crude petroleum from this single city far surpasses that in any other district where oil is found. Verily, the words of the Scriptures find illustration here: 'the rock poured me out rivers of oil.'HP Pavilion dv6-2020sa Laptop Keyboard

Oil is in the air one breathes, in one's nostrils, in one's eyes, in the water of the morning bath (though not in the drinking water, for that is brought in bottles from distant mineral springs), in one's starched linen – everywhere. This is the impression one carries away from Baku, and it is certainly true in the environs.[11]  DELL Latitude D830 Laptop Keyboard

The first oil well was mechanically drilled in the Bibi-Heybat suburb of Baku in 1846, though a number of hand-dug wells predate it. Large-scale oil exploration started in 1872, when Russian imperial authorities auctioned the parcels of oil-rich land around Baku to private investors. Within a short period of time Swiss, British, French, Belgian, German, Swedish and American investors appeared in Baku. COMPAQ Presario C700 Laptop Keyboard

Among them were the firms of theNobel brothers together with the family von Börtzell-Szuch (Carl Knut Börtzell, who also owned the Livadia Palace) and the Rothschild family. An industrial oil belt, better known as Black City, was established near Baku. By the beginning of the 20th century almost half of world production was being extracted in Baku.[12] DELL XPS 15 L502X Laptop Keyboard

In 1917, after the October revolution and amidst the turmoil of World War I and the breakup of the Russian Empire, Baku came under the control of the Baku Commune, which was led by veteran Bolshevik Stepan Shaumyan. HP G42-415DX Laptop Keyboard

Seeking to capitalize on the existing inter-ethnic conflicts, by spring 1918, Bolsheviks inspired and condoned civil warfare in and around Baku. During the infamous March Days, Bolsheviks and Dashnaks seeking to establish control over the Baku streets, were faced with armed Muslim groups. Muslims suffered a crushing defeat by the united forces of the Baku Soviet and were massacred by Dashnak teams. Acer eMachines G730ZG laptop keyboard

On 28 May 1918, the Azerbaijani faction of the Transcaucasian Sejm proclaimed the independent Azerbaijan Democratic Republic (ADR) in Ganja. Shortly after, Azerbaijani forces, with support of theOttoman Army of Islam led by Nuru Pasha, started their advance into Baku, eventually capturing the city from the loose coalition of Bolsheviks, Esers, Dashnaks, Mensheviks and British forces under the command of General Lionel Dunsterville on 15 September 1918. Baku became the capital of the ADR. SONY VAIO VGN-NR31E/S laptop keyboard

On 28 April 1920, the 11th Red Army invaded Baku and reinstalled the Bolsheviks, making Baku the capital of the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic.

During the continuing Nazi German invasion of the southwestern Soviet Union, capturing the oil fields of Baku would have been one of the ultimate goals ofOperation Edelweiss, carried out between May and November 1942. HP G62-452SL laptop keyboard

The German Army's closest approach to Baku was no closer than some 530 kilometers (330 miles) northwest of Baku in November 1942, falling far short of the city's capture before being driven back during the Soviet Operation Little Saturn in mid-December 1942. SONY VGN-FE48E laptop keyboard

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With the initiatives for saving the city in the 21st century, Baku embarked on a process of restructuring on a scale unseen in its history.[13] Thousands of buildings from Soviet period were demolished to make way for a green belt on its shores; parks and gardens were built on the land reclaimed by filling up the beaches of the Baku Bay. Improvements were made in the general cleaning, maintenance, and garbage collection, SONY VAIO VGN-AR870 laptop keyboard

and these services are now at Western European standards. The city is growing dynamically and developing at full speed on an east-west axis along the shores of the Caspian Sea. TOSHIBA Satellite L655-S5165 laptop keyboard

Baku has a subtropical semi-arid climate (Köppen climate classification: BSk) with warm and dry summers, cool and occasionally wet winters, and strong winds all year long. However, unlike many other cities with this climate, Baku does not see extremely hot summers. This is largely because of its northerly latitude and the fact that it is located on a peninsula on the shore of the Caspian Sea. Baku and the Absheron Peninsula on which it is situated, SONY VGN-FE48E laptop keyboard

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 months are particularly wet. During Soviet times, Baku with its long hours of sunshine and dry healthy climate, was a vacation destination where citizens could enjoy beaches or relax in now-dilapidated spa complexes overlooking the Caspian Sea. The city's past as a Soviet industrial center has left it as one of the most polluted cities in the world.[14] TOSHIBA V000130380 laptop keyboard

At the same time Baku is noted as a very windy city throughout the year, and gale-force winds, the cold northern windkhazri and the warm southern wind gilavar are typical here in all seasons. Indeed, the city is renowned for its fierce winter snow storms and harsh winds.[7] The speed of the khazri sometimes reaches 144 kph (89 mph), which can cause damage to crops, trees and roof tiles.[15] Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E520 laptop keyboard

The daily mean temperature in July and August averages 26.4 °C (79.5 °F), and there is very little rainfall during that season. During summer the khazrisweeps through, bringing desired coolness. Winter is cool and occasionally wet, with the daily mean temperature in January and February averaging 4.3 °C(39.7 °F). During winter the khazri sweeps through; driven by masses of polar air; temperatures on the coast frequently drop below freezing and make it feel bitterly cold. Winter snow storms are occasional, snow usually remains only for a few days after each snowfall. HP Pavilion dv6-3006ax laptop keyboard

Until 1988 Baku had very large Russian, Armenian, and Jewish populations which contributed to cultural diversity and added in various ways (music, literature, architecture and progressive outlook) to Baku's history. With the onset of the Karabakh War and the pogrom against Armenians starting in January 1990, the city's large Armenian population was expelled.[35][36] Under Communism, SONY VGN-FE48E laptop keyboard

the Soviets took over the majority of Jewish property in Baku and Kuba. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Azerbaijani President Heydar Aliyev returned several synagogues and a Jewish college, nationalized by the Soviets, to the Jewish community. He encouraged the restoration of these buildings and was well liked by the Jews of Azerbaijan. Renovation has begun on seven of the original 11 synagogues, including the Gilah synagogue, built in 1896, and the large Kruei Synagogue.[37] SONY VGN-FE41S laptop keyboard

The urban landscape of Baku is shaped by many communities. The religion with the largest community of followers is Islam. The majority of the Muslims are Shia Muslims, and the Republic of Azerbaijan has the second highest Shia population percentage in the world after Iran.[42] Zoroastrianism had a long history in Azerbaijan, DELL Vostro 3550 Laptop Keyboard

evident in sites such as the Fire Temple of Baku[43] or ceremonies like Nowruz, along with Manichean. The city's notable mosques includeJuma Mosque, Bibi-Heybat Mosque, Muhammad Mosque and Taza Pir Mosque. TOSHIBA Satellite L750D-BT5N22 laptop keyboard

There are some other faiths practiced among the different ethnic groups within the country. By article 48 of itsConstitution, Azerbaijan is a secular state and ensures religious freedom. Religious minorities include Russian Orthodox Christians, Catholic Levantines, Ashkenazi Jews and Sufi Muslims. SONY KFRMBA221A laptop keyboard

Today the vast majority of the population of Baku are ethnicAzerbaijanis (more than 90%). The intensive growth of the population started in the middle of the 19th century when Baku was a small town with a population of about 7,000 people. The population increased again from about 13,000 in the 1860s to 112,000 in 1897 and 215,000 in 1913, making Baku the largest city in the Caucasus region.[38] GATEWAY MT6709 laptop keyboard

Baku has been a cosmopolitan city at certain times during its history, meaning ethnic Azerbaijanis did not constitute the majority of population.[39] In 2003 Baku additionally had 153,400 internally displaced persons and 93,400 refugees.[40] TOSHIBA Satellite P305D-S8995E laptop keyboard

Baku's largest industry is petroleum, and its petroleum exports make it a large contributor to Azerbaijan's balance of payments. The existence of petroleum has been known since the 8th century. Packard Bell Easynote TK85 laptop keyboard

In the 10th century, the Arabian traveler, Marudee, reported that both white and black oil were being extracted naturally from Baku.[45] By the 15th century, oil for lamps was obtained from hand-dug surface wells. Commercial exploitation began in 1872, and by the beginning of the 20th century the Baku oil fields were the largest in the world. Towards the end of the 20th century much of the onshore petroleum had been exhausted, Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E520 laptop keyboard

and drilling had extended into the sea offshore. By the end of the 19th century skilled workers and specialists flocked to Baku. By 1900 the city had more than 3,000 oil wells, of which 2,000 were producing oil at industrial levels. Baku ranked as one of the largest centres for the production of oil industry equipment before World War II. The World War II Battle of Stalingrad was fought to determine who would have control of the Baku oil fields. Fifty years before the battle, Baku produced half of the world's oil supply.[46] ACER Aspire 9300-5317 laptop keyboard

Currently the oil economy of Baku is undergoing a resurgence, with the development of the massive Azeri-Chirag-Guneshli field (Shallow water Gunashli by SOCAR, deeper areas by a consortium led by BP), development of the Shah Deniz gas field, the expansion of the Sangachal Terminal and the construction of the BTC Pipeline. SONY VAIO VGN-N330FH/W laptop keyboard

The Baku Stock Exchange is Azerbaijan's largest stock exchange, and largest in the Caucasian region by market capitalization. A relatively large number of transnational companies are headquartered in Baku. One of the more prominent institutions headquartered in Baku is the International Bank of Azerbaijan, which is run by Dr. Jahangir Hajiyev and employs over 1,000 people. International banks with branches in Baku include HSBC, Société Générale andCredit Suisse.[47] HP Pavilion DV6-1210sa laptop keyboard

Baku is one of the most important tourist destinations in the Caucasus, with hotels in the city earning 7 million euros in 2009.[48] Many sizable world hotel chains have a presence in the city. Baku has many popular tourist and entertainment spots, such as the downtown Fountains Square, the One and Thousand Nights Beach, ACER TravelMate 6252 laptop keyboard

Shikhov Beach and Oil Rocks. Baku's vicinities feature Yanar Dag, an ever-blazing spot of natural gas. On 2 September 2010, with the inauguration of National Flag Square, Baku became home to the world's tallest flagpole, according to the Guinness Book of Records.[49][50] SONY VAIO VGN-N17C laptop keyboard

Baku has several shopping malls; the two most famous city center malls are AF MALL and Park Bulvar. The retail areas contain shops from chain stores up to high-end boutiques. TOSHIBA Satellite m505 laptop keyboard

The city is listed 48th in the 2011 list of the most expensive cities in the world conducted by the Mercer Human Resource Consulting.[51] Its Nizami streetis one of the most expensive streets in the world. SAMSUNG NP-N150-JA07 Laptop Keyboard

Baku has wildly varying architecture, ranging from the Old City core to modern buildings and the spacious layout of the Baku port. Many of the city's most impressive buildings were built during the early 20th Century, when architectural elements of the European styles were combined in eclectic style.[55] Baku thus has an original and unique appearance, earning it a reputation as the 'Paris of the East'.[56] SAMSUNG R518 laptop keyboard

Late modern and postmodern architecture began to appear in the early 2000s. With economic development, old buildings such as Atlant House were razed to make way for new ones. Buildings with all-glass shells have appeared around the city, the most prominent examples being the Azerbaijan Tower, Heydar Aliyev Cultural Center, Flame Towers, Baku Crystal Hall, Baku White City and SOCAR Tower. These projects also brought the attention of international media as notable programs as Discovery Channel's Extreme Engineering featured changes in the city.[57] SONY VAIO VGN-CR23G laptop keyboard

The Old City of Baku, also known as the Walled City of Baku, refers to the ancient Baku settlement. Most of the walls and towers, strengthened after the Russian conquest in 1806, survived. This section is picturesque, with its maze of narrow alleys and ancient buildings: the cobbled streets past the Palace of the Shirvanshahs, SONY VGN-FE865E/H laptop keyboard

two caravansaries, the baths and the Juma Mosque (which used to house the Azerbaijan National Carpet and Arts Museum but is now a mosque again). The old town core also has dozens of small mosques, often without any particular sign to distinguish them as such. SONY VGN-FE865E laptop keyboard

In 2003, UNESCO placed the Inner City on the List of World Heritage in Danger, citing damage from a November 2000 earthquake, poor conservation as well as "dubious" restoration efforts.[58] HP Mini 110-3004tu laptop keyboard

Baku has large sections of greenery either preserved by the National Government or designated as green zones. The city, however, continues to lack a green belt development as economic activity pours into the capital, resulting in massive housing projects along the suburbs.[59] HP Pavilion dv5-1138tx laptop keyboard

Baku Boulevard is a pedestrian promenade that runs parallel to Baku's seafront. The boulevard contains an amusement park, yacht club, musical fountain, statues and monuments. The park is popular with dog-walkers and joggers, and is convenient for tourists. It is adjacent to the newly built International Center of Mugham and the musical fountain. HP Pavilion DV9286EA laptop keyboard

Other prominent parks and gardens include Heydar Aliyev Park, Samad Vurgun Park, Narimanov Park, Alley of Honor and theFountains Square. The Martyrs' Lane, formerly the Kirov Park, is dedicated to the memory of those who lost their lives during the Nagorno-Karabakh War and also to the 137 people killed on Black January. Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E520 laptop keyboard

The music scene in Baku can be traced back to ancient times and villages of Baku, generally revered as the fountainhead of meykhana and mugham in the Azerbaijan.[63][64]

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Following the victory of Azerbaijan's representative Eldar & Nigar at the Eurovision Song Contest 2011, Baku hosted theEurovision Song Contest 2012.[65][66]

2005 was a landmark in the development of jazz in the city. Its been home to legendary jazz musicians like Vagif Mustafazadeh, Aziza Mustafa Zadeh, Rafig Babayev and Rain Sultanov.[67][68] Among Baku's prominent annual fairs and festivals is Baku International Jazz Festival, which includes the world's most identifiable jazz names.[69][70] HP Pavilion dv6-2140ed laptop keyboard

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Baku also has a thriving International Center of Mugham, which is located in Baku Boulevard, Gulustan Palace and Buta Palace, one of the principal performing arts centers and music venues in the city.[71]  IBM Thinkpad R40 laptop keyboard

The majority of Azerbaijan's media companies (including television, newspaper and radio, such as ANS, Azad Azerbaijan TV, Ictimai TV and Lider TV) are headquartered in Baku. The films The World Is Not Enough and The Diamond Arm are set in the city, while Amphibian Man includes several scenes filmed inOld City. SONY VAIO VGN-FS620P/W laptop keyboard

Out of the city's radio stations ANS ChM, Ictimai Radio, Radio Antenn, Burc FM, and Lider FM Jazz are some of the more influential competitors with large national audiences. ANS ChM was one of the first private and independent FM radio broadcasting service in the Caucasus and Central Asia regions when it was established in May 1994.[72] SONY VAIO VGN-FS515B laptop keyboard

Some of the most influential Baku newspapers include the daily Zaman (The Time), Bakinskiy Rabochiy (The Baku Worker), Echo and the English-language Baku Today.

Baku is also featured in the Battlefield 4's gameplay mission.[73] HP Pavilion dv6-2158et laptop keyboard

In the Azerbaijan Basketball League, Baku is represented by Gala BC Baku, BC Aztop Baku, NTD Devon Baku whose home is the Palace of Hand Games.[74] The city also is home of the volleyball clubs such as Rabita Baku, Azerrail Baku,Lokomotiv Baku, Igtisadchi Baku and VC Baku. HP G61-400SP laptop keyboard

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First class sporting facilities were built for the indoor games, including the Palace of Hand Games and Heydar Aliyev Sports and Exhibition Complex. It hosted many sporting events, including FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup, Rhythmic Gymnastics European Championships in 2007 and 2009, 2005 World Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships, TOSHIBA Satellite l25-s1216 laptop keyboard

2007 FILA Wrestling World Championships and 2010 European Wrestling Championships, 2011 World Amateur Boxing Championships, 2009 Women's Challenge Cup and European Taekwondo Championships in 2007.[75][76] Since 2011 the city annually hosts WTA tennis event called Baku Cup.[77] In 2012 City Challenge GmbH brought its first motorsports event to the city. DELL NSK-D8001 laptop keyboard

Baku is also one of world's leading chess centres, having produced famous grandmasters like Teimour Radjabov, Vugar Gashimov, Garry Kasparov, and Rauf Mammadov, as well as the arbiter Faik Hasanov. The city also annually hosts the international tournaments such as Baku Chess Grand Prix, President's Cup, Baku Open and currently bidding to host 42nd Chess Olympiad in 2014.[78][79] Packard Bell Easynote TK85 laptop keyboard

The Synergy Baku Cycling Project participates in the Tour d'Azerbaïdjan a 2.2 multi-stage bicycle race on the UCI Europe Tour.

Baku will host the 2015 European Games which will be the first European Games to be held.

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80] However, Baku failed to become a Candidate City both times.[81]

Throughout history the transport system of Baku used the now-defunct horsecars, trams and narrow gauge railways. As of 2011, 1000 black cabs are ordered by Baku Taxi Company, and as part of a programme originally announced by the Transport Ministry of Azerbaijan, there is a plan to introduce London cabs into Baku.[83][84] The move was part of £16 million agreement between Manganese Bronze and Baku Taxi Company.[85][86] HP Pavilion G6-1223TX Laptop Keyboard

Local transport includes the Baku Metro, a rapid-transit system notable for its art, murals, mosaics, and ornate chandeliers. Baku Metro was opened in November 1967 and includes 22 stations at present; 170 million people used Baku Metro over the past five years.[87] In 2008, the Chief of the Baku Metro, Taghi Ahmadov, announced plans to construct 41 new stations over the next 17 years. These will serve the new bus complex as well as the international airport.[88] TOSHIBA Satellite L755D-S5361 laptop keyboard

Plans are afoot to introduce a single Smart Card for payment on all types of city transport. The metro is now the only form of transport in Baku to use any type of card-based fare-payment system.[89]  HP G71t-400 CTO laptop keyboard

Baku's Central Railway Station is the terminus for national and international rail links to the city. The Kars–Tbilisi–Baku railway, which will directly connect Turkey, Georgia and Azerbaijan, began to be constructed in 2007 and is scheduled for completion in 2013.[90] The completed branch will connect Baku with Tbilisi in Georgia, and from there trains will continue to Akhalkalaki, and Kars in Turkey.[91] SONY Vaio VGN-AW270Y laptop keyboard

Sea transport is vital for Baku, as the city is practically surrounded by the Caspian Sea to the east. Shipping services operate regularly from Baku across the Caspian Sea to Turkmenbashi (formerly Krasnovodsk) in Turkmenistan and to Bandar Anzali and Bandar Nowshar in Iran.[92] The commuter ferries, along with the high-speed catamaran Seabus(Deniz Avtobusu), also form the main connection between the city and the Absheron peninsula.[93] SONY VGN-FE11M laptop keyboard

The Baku Port was founded in 1902 and since then has been the largest Caspian Sea port. It has six facilities: the main cargo terminal, the container terminal, the ferry terminal, the oil terminal, the passenger terminal and the port fleet terminal. The port's throughput capacity reaches 15 million tons of liquid bulk and up to 10 million tons of dry cargoes.[94] Beginning in 2010, the Baku International Sea Trade Port is being reconstructed. FUJITSU Lifebook P1510 laptop keyboard

The construction will take in three stages and will be completed by 2016. The estimated costs are 400 Million US$.[95] From April to November the Baku Port is accessible to ships loading cargoes for direct voyages from Western European and Mediterranean ports. DELL Vostro PP38L laptop keyboard

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The State Road M-1 and the European route E60 are the two main motorway connections between Europe and Azerbaijan. The motorway network around Baku is well developed and is constantly being extended. COMPAQ Presario C702TU Laptop Keyboard

The Heydar Aliyev International Airport is the only commercial airport serving Baku. The new Baku Cargo Terminal was officially opened in March 2005. It was constructed to be a major cargo hub in the CIS countries and is actually now one of the biggest and most technically advanced in the region.[96] There are also several smaller military airbases near Baku, such as Baku Kala Air Base, intended for private aircraft, helicopters and charters.[97] HP G42-357TU Laptop Keyboard

Baku hosts many universities, junior colleges, and vocational schools. Baku State University, the first established university in Azerbaijan was opened in 1919 by the government of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic. HP G42-354TU Laptop Keyboard

In the early years of the Soviet era, Baku already had Azerbaijan State Oil Academy,Azerbaijan Medical University, and Azerbaijan State Economic University. In the post-WWII period, a few more universities were established such asAzerbaijan Technical University, Azerbaijan University of Languages, and Azerbaijan Architecture and Construction University. After 1991 when Azerbaijan gained independence from the Soviet Union, SAMSUNG NP-N150-JA07 Laptop Keyboard

the fall of communism led to the development of a number of private institutions, including Qafqaz Universityand Khazar University which are the most prestigious ones currently. Apart from the private universities, the government established Academy of Public Administration, Azerbaijan Diplomatic Academy and various military academies. ACER TravelMate 3002WTMi laptop keyboard

The largest universities according to the student population are Baku State University and Azerbaijan State Economic University. In addition, there are Baku Music Academy and Azerbaijan National Conservatoire in Baku established in early 1920s. Publicly run kindergartens and elementary schools (years 1 through 11) are operated by local wards or municipal offices. TOSHIBA Satellite L775-S7140 laptop keyboard

Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences, the main state research organization in Azerbaijan is locating in Baku as well. Moreover, Baku has numerous libraries, many of which contain vast collections of historic documents from the Roman, Byzantine, Ottoman and Soviet periods, as well as from other civilisations of the past. ACER Aspire 2021 laptop keyboard

The most important libraries in terms of historic document collections include the Nizami Museum of Azerbaijan Literature,National Library of Azerbaijan, Mirza Alakbar Central Library, Samad Vurgun Library and Baku Presidential Library. SONY VAIO VGN-FS415M laptop keyboard

Because of its intermittent periods of great prosperity as well as being the largest city in the Caucasus and one of the most ethnically and culturally diverse in the Soviet Union, Baku prides itself on having produced a disproportionate number of notable figures in the sciences, arts and other fields. Some of the houses they resided in display commemorative plaques. Some of the many prestigious residents include: TOSHIBA Tecra A9 laptop keyboard

Academy Award winners Rustam Ibrahimbeyov and Vladimir Menshov, one of the founders and head of the Soviet space program Kerim Kerimov, Nobel Prize winner and physicist Lev Landau and famous musicians such as Gara Garayev, Uzeyir Hajibeyov, Muslim Magomayev, Vagif Mustafazadeh, and Alim Qasimov. World-famous cellist Mstislav Rostropovich was born and raised in Baku, as was world famous chess player, Gary Kasparov. ACER Aspire 5742 Laptop Keyboard

From the 1st century AD till the 7th century, Baku bay was dry and the islands in the bay joined the land. InPtolemy’s map Baku was described far from the sea. After the 7th century began the rising of water level of the Caspian Sea till the 9th century and since then formation of Baku bay began.[1] Severe changes happened at the end of the 8th century, when the Caspian Sea raised up to more than ten meters. Mario Sanuto, COMPAQ Presario C710BR Laptop Keyboard

Italian geographer of the 14th century sadly noted that: "Water level of the Caspian Sea rises each year and most cities have flooded.", and according to words of Abd ar-Rashid al-Bakuvi, the geographer, in 1403 the Caspian Sea flooded the part of Baku and water stood near a mosque. At that time the sea was waving near foot of the Maiden Tower, which confirms a legend about a girl, who threw herself from the top of the tower. HP AETT3U00010 Laptop Keyboard

At that timeSabayil Castle, which was built on the rock in Baku bay, was totally located under water. During the next 600 years level of the sea was hesitatingly stood high till the beginning of the 20th century, when it began to sink. ACER Aspire 5742 Laptop Keyboard

According to a statement of a representative of the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources there are a lot of reasons of pollution of Baku bay. Wastes from industrial, dwelling and domestic objects located on the seashore and also exploitation of vessels, oil and gas deposits are the main factors that worsen the ecological condition. Works on investigation of depth of Baku bay began after 1996, and later works on extraction of metallic constructions and sunk vessels from water were began. In 2007-2009’s, DELL PVDG3 Laptop Keyboard

large scale works on cleansing of the bay from sunk vessels, metallic constructions and non-exploited hydrotechnical constructions, non-serviceable subsea pipelines were began.[2] In whole 4500 tons of scrap metal and approximately 412 tons of wooden wastes were extracted from the sea.[3] SONY VAIO VGN-AW15G Laptop Keyboard

Trade port is stretched along the northern and western shores of Baku bay. The port is fully re-equipped, all loading and unloading works in it are mechanized. There is a port for ferry quay in the north-western part of Baku bay.[4] There is discussion on the need of construction of a bridge through Baku bay, - from Lokbatan to Zikh highway.[5] It is considered that length of the bridge over the sea, ACER K032130A1 Laptop Keyboard

from Shikh to Zigis 14,5 km.[6] Total length of the bridge, which will be connected with encircling highway is 26 km. The sea bridge will be constructed on high piers, for not impeding movement of vessels. It is planned to deliver the bridge until 2015. Automobile highway through Baku bay will be paid. construction works will last for 3,5 years. HP 519265-001 Laptop Keyboard

Foreign companies plan to open a recreational center in Boyuk Zira and Pirallahi islands of Baku bay. In Azerbaijani newspapers is reported that a Turkish company which is preparing an appropriate project will hold the construction of the recreational center in Nargin Island. It is planned to open modern hotels, DELL Vostro 3550 Laptop Keyboard

entertainment places and other buildings in the island. It is also planned to open one of the biggest lunaparks in the CIS, which will be constructed by German specialists. It is expected that the island will be one of the centers of tourism in the future. DELL UW739 Laptop Keyboard

A United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Site is a place (such as a forest, mountain, lake, island, desert, monument, building, complex, or city) that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance.[1] The list is maintained by the international World Heritage Programme administered by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, composed of 21 states parties[2] which are elected by their General Assembly.[3] HP Pavilion G6-1B59WM Laptop Keyboard

The programme: catalogues, names, and conserves sites of outstanding cultural or natural importance to the common heritage ofhumanity. Under certain conditions, listed sites can obtain funds from the World Heritage Fund. The programme was founded with the Convention Concerning the Protection of World Cultural and Natural Heritage,[4] DELL Vostro 3450 Laptop Keyboard

which was adopted by the General Conference of UNESCO on 16 November 1972. Since then, 190 states parties have ratified the Convention, making it one of the most adhered to international instruments. Only the Bahamas, Liechtenstein, Nauru, Somalia, South Sudan, Timor-Leste and Tuvalu are not Party to the Convention. HP 605344-001 Laptop Keyboard

As of June 24, 2011 in Saint Petersburg, 962 sites are listed: 745 cultural, 188 natural, and 29 mixed properties, in 157 states.[5][6] By sites ranked by country, Italy is home to the greatest number of World Heritage Sites with 48 sites, followed bySpain (44) Compaq Presario CQ42-228LA Laptop Keyboard

and China (43). UNESCO references each World Heritage Site with an identification number; but new inscriptions often include previous sites now listed as part of larger descriptions. As a result, the identification numbers exceed 1,200 even though there are fewer on the list. HP 597635-001 Laptop Keyboard

While each World Heritage Site remains part of the legal territory of the state wherein the site is located, UNESCO considers it in the interest of the international community to preserve each site. ACER Aspire 5610Z Laptop Keyboard

In 1954, the government of Egypt decided to build the Aswan Dam (Aswan High Dam), an event that would deluge a valley containingtreasures of ancient Egypt such as the Abu Simbel temples. UNESCO then launched a worldwide safeguarding campaign. The Abu Simbel and Philae temples were taken apart, moved to a higher location, and put back together piece by piece and the Temple of Dendurwas moved to New York City[7] while the Temple of Debod was moved to Madrid. ACER Aspire 5742 Laptop Keyboard

The cost of the project was US$ 80 million, about $ 40 million of which was collected from 50 countries. The project was regarded as a success, and led to other safeguarding campaigns, saving Venice and its lagoon in Italy, the ruins of Mohenjo-daro in Pakistan, and the Borobodur Temple Compounds in Indonesia. UNESCO then initiated, with the International Council on ACER Aspire One AO532 laptop keyboard

Monuments and Sites, a draft convention to protect the common cultural heritage of humanity.

The United States initiated the idea of cultural conservation with nature conservation.[citation needed] A White House conference in 1965 called for a ‘World Heritage Trust’ to preserve "the world's superb natural and scenic areas and historic sites for the present and the future of the entire world citizenry."  ACER AEZU2R00010 laptop keyboard

The International Union for Conservation of Nature developed similar proposals in 1968, and they were presented in 1972 to the United Nations conference on Human Environment in Stockholm. SONY VAIO VGN-FS215E laptop keyboard

Under the World Heritage Committee signatory countries are required to produce and submit periodic data reporting providing the World Heritage Committee with an overview of each participating nation's implementation of the World Heritage Convention and a "snapshot" of current conditions at World Heritage properties. SONY VGN-FE48E laptop keyboard

A single text was agreed on by all parties, and the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage was adopted by the General Conference of UNESCO on 16 November 1972.  TOSHIBA Satellite M35X-SP349 laptop keyboard

The Eurovision Song Contest 2012 was the 57th annual Eurovision Song Contest. Following Ell & Nikki's win at the 2011 Contest, the festival was brought to the city of Baku, Azerbaijan. The two semi-finals were held on 22 and 24 May 2012, and the final was held on 26 May 2012 at the newly constructed Baku Crystal Hall.[6] Forty-two countries announced their participation in the contest, with Montenegro returning, having last taken part in 2009, and Poland and Armenia withdrawing.[7][8] SONY VAIO VGN-N38Z/W laptop keyboard

Several human rights groups protested against the restraints to express their concerns with the government regime within Azerbaijan.[9] Armenia withdrew from the contest due to security fears over the unresolvedNagorno-Karabakh conflict with Azerbaijan.[8] TOSHIBA Satellite L505-S6946 laptop keyboard

The design of the contest was built around the motto "Light your fire!", inspired by the nickname "Land of Fire", by which Azerbaijan is commonly known.[10] The televoting system reverted to the 15-minute window format, used between the 1998 Contest and 2009 Contest, in which the phone and SMS lines open after all songs have been performed. Each country votes were decided by 50:50 system; TOSHIBA G83C0000E510 laptop keyboard

they were split between televoting and a national jury. The contest was won by singer Loreen from Sweden with the song "Euphoria" which was written by Thomas G:son and Peter Boström. "Euphoria" earned a total of 372 points, placing it in the top spot. Russia finished in second place, with Serbia finishing in third. HP Pavilion dv3-2155ee laptop keyboard

They were followed by the host country, Azerbaijan, which reached the 4th place. Albania achieved its first top 5 placing, and finished 5th. Germany, Italy and Spain were the three members of the "Big Five" that managed to rank within the top 10, finishing in 8th, 9th and 10th places respectively.[11] HP 605344-001 laptop keyboard

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Azerbaijan's first Eurovision appearance was in 2008, and the nation has participated in the contest every year since. On 14 May 2011, Azerbaijan won the 2011 contest with "Running Scared" sung by Ell and Nikki.[12][13] Baku, the capital and largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and of the Caucasusregion, was named the host city for the contest. It is located on the southern shore of the Absheron Peninsula, HP Pavilion DV7-3078nr laptop keyboard

which projects into the Caspian Sea. The city consists of two principal parts: the downtown and the old Inner City (21.5 ha). Baku's urban populationat the beginning of 2009 was estimated at just over two million people.[14] Officially, about 25 percent of all inhabitants of the country live in the metropolitan city area of Baku. HP Pavilion DV7-3078nr laptop keyboard

Shortly after Azerbaijan's victory, officials announced that a new 23,000 seat concert venue was to be built near National Flag Square in Baku, as a potential venue for the event.[15][16] Three days later, other venue options were also revealed by organisers, such as the 37,000-seat Tofiq Bahramov Stadium and the Heydar Aliyev Sports and Exhibition Complex.[17] Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E520 laptop keyboard

On 2 August 2011, Alpine Bau Deutschland AG was awarded the contract to construct the new venue, now known as Baku Crystal Hall. Preparations for construction began in the area shortly after the announcement.[18] Even though the full cost of the contract was not named, the government allocated 6 million AZN for the construction of the venue. ACER Aspire 7738G laptop keyboard

On 8 September 2011, Azad Azerbaijan TV (ATV) reported that Baku Crystal Hal would be the venue of the contest, but no formal confirmation was made at the time by the EBU. On 31 October 2011, Ismayil Omarov, the director general of Azerbaijani national broadcaster İctimai Television announced that a decision on the venue choice would be taken by the steering committee in January 2012.[20] DELL Inspiron M5030 Laptop Keyboard

On 25 January 2012, it was confirmed that the Baku Crystal Hall would be the venue of the Eurovision Song Contest 2012.[21] Even though the venue had an extended capacity of 23,000 people, only 16,000 people were able to attend each show.[21] Tickets for the festival became available online for purchase on 28 February 2012.[22][23] revert to the 15-minute window format, used between the 1998 Contest and 2009 Contest, Compaq Presario CQ57-310 Laptop Keyboard

in which the phone and SMSlines open after all songs have been performed (instead of opening before the show starts, which was the system used between 2010 and 2011). The results format of each show remained the same with each country's votes being decided on a 50:50 split between televoting and a national jury. Each participating country had their own national jury, which consisted of five professional members of the music industry.[25] DELL NSK-DJD01 Laptop Keyboard

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Under the official rules released on 24 November 2011, the number of participants in the final was raised to 26, including the host nation, the "Big Five", and the ten qualifiers from each semi-final. This was the second time in the Eurovision Song Contest that 26 countries were in the final, the first being the 2003 Contest.[25][26][27] ACER Aspire 5742 Laptop Keyboard

The draw that determined the semi-final running order was held on 25 January 2012 at the Buta Palace. The participating countries, excluding the automatic finalists (Azerbaijan, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom), were split into six pots, based upon how those countries voted in past contests. From these pots, HP G61-410EL Laptop Keyboard

half (or as close to half as possible) competed in the first semi-final on 22 May 2012. The other half in that particular pot competed in the second semi-final on 24 May 2012.[28] This draw also acts as an approximate running order, in order for the delegations from the countries to know when their rehearsals would commence and determine which semi-final the automatic finalists would be allowed to vote in.[29][30] SONY VAIO VGN-FS840 Laptop Keyboard

Each introductory video postcard begins with a shot of the artist and performers, followed with the flag and country name in a handwritten font with a background resembling the yellow, orange and red fire of the 2012 theme art.[31] The postcards consisted of various shots of Azerbaijan, with a caption displaying 'Azerbaijan' and underneath 'Land of ...' (e.g. Land of Abundance; Land of Poetry etc.), HP G61-304NR Laptop Keyboard

which were then followed by the name of a town or geographic feature, showing the landscape and culture of the country.[31] Some postcards focus on the host city of Baku with text changing to 'Baku' and underneath 'City of ...' (e.g. City of Jazz; City of Leisure etc.). The postcards finish with a shot of the Crystal Hall displayed in the colours of the performing country's flag. These postcards acted as a tourismmechanism to present the country to a wider audience.[31][32] SONY VAIO VGN-FS742/W Laptop Keyboard

The artist, song and number graphics as well as tables and voting graphics are kept the same as those used in 2011, with a slight updates to incorporate the 2012 theme art.[31] The lower points (1-7) were highlighted in red squares while the top points (8, 10, 12) were highlighted in orange squares with each square increasing in size in relation to the point value. Both sets of graphics were designed by London brand design agency Turquoise Branding.[33][34] HP pavilion DV7-1000 Laptop Keyboard

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Azerbaijan's large investment in hosting the Eurovision contest was widely discussed in Western media as an attempt to "mitigate misgivings about its poor democracy and human rights record".[39][40] Elnur Majidli, an activist imprisoned during the Arab Spring-inspired 2011 Azerbaijani protests, was released in an apparent effort to soften Azerbaijan's image ahead of the contest, but many political prisoners remained.[40] DELL Vostro PP38L laptop keyboard

Human Rights Watch reported a "violent crackdown on protesters" on the eve of the contest,[41] and Amnesty International condemned the "stern crackdown of freedom of expression, dissent, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), critical journalists, in fact anyone who criticises the Aliyev regime too strongly" that continued up to the contest.[9] Packard Bell Easynote TM80 laptop keyboard

Human Rights Watch also criticised the Azerbaijani government and the Baku City Authority for carrying out forced evictions against local residents, in order to allow for the demolition of flats to make way for construction in the neighbourhood where the Baku Crystal Hall was built.[42] The Public Association for Assistance to Free Economy, a transparency and economic rights campaign group, has described the evictions as a "violation of human rights",HP Pavilion dv6-2114sa laptop keyboard

and as having "no legal authority". However, in a statement to the BBC, Eurovision said that on a recent visit to Baku they had observed "that the construction of the concert hall [which] media reports refer to is already well under way on a clean construction site and thus there are no demolitions needed".[43] The EBU cited the "apolitical" nature of the contest and the Azerbaijani government's claim that the construction is not tied to the Eurovision Song Contest.[42] HP Pavilion zv5320us laptop keyboard

The festival's winner Loreen met local human rights activists during the contest, the only entrant to do so. She later told reporters, "Human rights are violated in Azerbaijan every day. One should not be silent about such things."[9] An Azerbaijan government spokesman criticized her in response, saying that the contest should not "be politicised"[9] and requested the EBU prevent such meetings.[44] Swedish diplomats replied that the EBU, Swedish TV and Loreen had not acted against the competition's rules.[45] SONY VAIO VGN-NW120J laptop keyboard

On 26 May, a flash mob of anti-government protesters was quickly dispersed by police.[39] Activists expressed fears that they would face a crackdown when the international spotlight left Azerbaijan again at the end of the contest.[40] Before submitting the results of the German vote, Packard Bell PEW91 laptop keyboard

the presenter from Germany Anke Engelke gave a live statement that alluded to the human rights issues in Azerbaijan, saying: "Tonight nobody could vote for their own country. But it is good to be able to vote. And it is good to have a choice. Good luck on your journey, Azerbaijan. Europe is watching you."[46][47] ACER Aspire One A110-1588 laptop keyboard

Iranian officials objected to Azerbaijan hosting Eurovision 2012 song contest. Iranian clerics Ayatollah Mohammad Mojtahed Shabestari and Ayatollah Ja'far Sobhani condemned Azerbaijan for "anti-Islamic behaviour", claiming that Azerbaijan was going to host a gay parade.[48] This led to protests in front of Iranian embassy in Baku, where protesters carried slogans mocking the Iranian leaders. Ali Hasanov TOSHIBA KFRSBA064A laptop keyboard

, head of the public and political issues department in Azeribaijani President's administration, said that gay parade claims were untrue, and advised Iran not to meddle in Azerbaijan's internal affairs.[49] In response, Iran recalled its ambassador from Baku,[50] while Azerbaijan demanded a formal apology from Iran for its statements in connection with Baku's hosting of the Eurovision song contest,[51] and later also recalled its ambassador from Iran.[52] Lenovo 3000 Y500 7761 laptop keyboard

On 30 May, Ministry of National Security of Azerbaijan announced that they had thwarted a series of planned terror attacks against the Eurovision Song Contest, among the targets being Baku Crystal Hall, as well as Marriot and Hilton hotels in Baku.[53] On 22 August, The Daily Telegraph reported that according to Western intelligence services, Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei personally gave orders to the elite Quds Force unit to launch terrorist attacks against the West and its allies, including Azerbaijan during the Eurovision Song Contest.[54]  HP Pavilion dv6-2125el laptop keyboard

Four artists returned in this year's contest. Kaliopi for Macedonia who previously participated in the 1996 contest with the song "Samo ti", which placed in 26th position in the pre-qualifying round.[56][57] Jónsi for Iceland[58] and Željko Joksimović for Serbia[59] both previously participated in 2004. Compaq Presario CQ56-110US laptop keyboard

Joksimović had represented Serbia and Montenegro in 2004 with the song "Lane moje" which placed second in that year. Jónsi performed "Heaven" in 2004, which placed 19th.[60] For a second consecutive year Jedward participated for Ireland, after their 8th place finish at the 2011 Contest with the song "Lipstick".[61][62] SONY KFRMBA152A laptop keyboard

On 17 January 2012, the EBU announced that forty-three countries would take part in the 2012 contest.[7] The 57th edition saw the return of Montenegro, who was previously represented by Andrea Demirović in 2009.[55] Armenia, who had originally planned to participate, later withdraw their application due to security fears of the continuous Nagorno-Karabakh War with Azerbaijan.[8] Poland also withdrew from the competition, TOSHIBA Satellite A205-S5804 laptop keyboard

due to the financial burden of the 2012 UEFA European Football Championship (which Poland co-hosted with Ukraine) and Summer Olympics.[7] The Caspian Sea (Azerbaijani: Xəzər dənizi, Kazakh: Каспий теңізі, Persian: دریای خزر Daryā-i Xazar, دریای مازندرانDaryā-i Māzandarān‎, Russian: Каспийское море, Turkmen: Hazar deňizi) is the largest enclosed inland body of wateron Earth by area, variously classed as the world's largest lake or a full-fledged sea.[2][3] The sea has a surface area of 371, SONY VGN-FE48E laptop keyboard

000 km2 (143,200 sq mi) (not including Garabogazköl Aylagy) and a volume of 78,200 km3(18,800 cu mi).[4] It is in an endorheic basin (it has no outflows) and is bounded to the northwest by Russia, to the west by Azerbaijan, to the south by Iran, to the southeast by Turkmenistan, and to the northeast by Kazakhstan. TOSHIBA Satellite P105-S6114 laptop keyboard

The ancient inhabitants of its coast perceived the Caspian Sea as an ocean, probably because of its saltiness and seeming boundlessness. It has a salinity of approximately 1.2%, about a third the salinity of most seawater. Packard Bell Easynote TM99 laptop keyboard

The word Caspian is derived from the name of the Caspi (Persian: کاسپی‎), ancient people who lived to the south-west of the sea in Transcaucasia.[5] Strabowrote that "to the country of the Albanians belongs also the territory called Caspiane, which was named after the Caspian tribe, as was also the sea; TOSHIBA Satellite L755D-S5359 laptop keyboard

but the tribe has now disappeared".[6] Moreover, the Caspian Gates, which is the name of a region in Tehran province of Iran, is another possible piece of evidence that they migrated to the south of the sea. The Iranian city Qazvin shares the root of its name with that of the sea. In fact, the traditional Arabic name for the sea itself is, Bahr al-Qazwin (Sea of Qazvin).[7] DELL PVDG3 laptop keyboard

In classical antiquity among Greeks and Persians it was called the HyrcanianOcean.[8] In Persian antiquity, as well as in modern Iran, it is known as theMazandaran sea (Persian: دریای مازندران‎). In Iran, it is also referred as Daryā-i Xazar sometimes.[9] Among Indians it was called Kashyap Sagar. In Turkic speaking countries it is known as the Khazar Sea. Old Russian sources call it the Khvalyn or Khvalis Sea (Хвалынское море / Хвалисское море) after the name of Khwarezmia.[10] Ancient Arabic sources refer to it as Baḥr Gīlān (بحر جیلان) meaning "the Gilan Sea".SAMSUNG R522 Laptop Keyboard

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Turkic languages use a consistent nomenclature that is different from the Indo-European languages above. For instance, in Turkmen, the name is Hazar deňizi, inAzeri, it's Xəzər dənizi, and in modern Turkish, it's Hazar denizi. SONY KFRMBA152A Laptop Keyboard

The Caspian Sea, like the Aral Sea and Black Sea, is a remnant of the ancientParatethys Sea. It became landlocked about 5.5 million years ago due to tectonic uplift and a fall in sea level. During warm and dry climatic periods, the landlocked sea has all but dried up, depositing evaporitic sediments like halite that have become covered by wind-blown deposits and were sealed off as an evaporite sink[11] HP Compaq G50-133US Laptop Keyboard

when cool, wet climates refilled the basin.[12] Due to the current inflow of fresh water, the Caspian Sea is a freshwater lake in its northern portions. It is more saline on the Iranian shore, where the catchment basin contributes little flow. Currently, the mean salinity of the Caspian is one third that of the Earth's oceans. The Garabogazköl embayment, which dried up when water flow from the main body of the Caspian was blocked in the 1980s but has since been restored, routinely exceeds oceanic salinity by a factor of 10.[2] SONY VAIO VGN-NR11Z/S Laptop Keyboard

The Caspian Sea is the largest inland body of water in the world and accounts for 40 to 44% of the total lacustrine waters of the world.[13] The coastlines of the Caspian are shared by Azerbaijan,Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Turkmenistan. The Caspian is divided into three distinct physical regions: the Northern, Middle, and Southern Caspian.[14]  HP Envy 15 Laptop Keyboard

The Northern–Middle boundary is the Mangyshlak Threshold, which runs through Chechen Island and Cape Tiub-Karagan. The Middle–Southern boundary is the Apsheron Threshold, a sill of tectonic origin between the Eurasian continent and an oceanic remnant,[15] that runs through Zhiloi Island and Cape Kuuli.[16] The Garabogazköl bay is the saline eastern inlet of the Caspian, which is part of Turkmenistan and at times has been a lake in its own right due to the isthmus which cuts it off from the Caspian. SONY KFRMBA152A Laptop Keyboard

Divisions between the three regions are dramatic. The Northern Caspian only includes the Caspian shelf,[17] and is very shallow; it accounts for less than 1% of the total water volume with an average depth of only 5–6 metres (16–20 ft). The sea noticeably drops off towards the Middle Caspian, where the average depth is 190 metres (620 ft).[16] SONY VAIO VGN-FS742/W Laptop Keyboard

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The Southern Caspian is the deepest, with oceanic depths of over 1,000 metres (3,300 ft). The Middle and Southern Caspian account for 33% and 66% of the total water volume, respectively.[14] The northern portion of the Caspian Sea typically freezes in the winter, and in the coldest winters ice forms in the south as well.[18] SONY VAIO VGN-FS742/W Laptop Keyboard

Over 130 rivers provide inflow to the Caspian, with the Volga River being the largest. A second affluent, the Ural River, flows in from the north, and the Kura River flows into the sea from the west. In the past, the Amu Darya(Oxus) of Central Asia in the east often changed course to empty into the Caspian through a now-desiccated riverbed called the Uzboy River, as did the Syr Darya farther north. ACER TravelMate 6292 Laptop Keyboard

The Caspian also has several small islands; they are primarily located in the North and have a collective land area of roughly 2,000 km2 (770 sq mi). Adjacent to the North Caspian is the Caspian Depression, a low-lying region 27 metres (89 ft) below sea level. The Central Asiansteppes stretch across the northeast coast, while the Caucasus mountains hug the Western shore. HP Pavilion dv6-2112sa Laptop Keyboard

The biomes to both the north and east are characterized by cold, continental deserts. Conversely, the climate to the southwest and south are generally warm with uneven elevation due to a mix of highlands and mountain ranges; the drastic changes in climate alongside the Caspian have led to a great deal of biodiversity in the region.[2] HP G62-b10EV laptop keyboard

The Caspian Sea has numerous islands throughout, all of them near the coasts. There are none in the deeper parts of the Sea. Ogurja Ada is the largest island. The island is 37 km long, with gazelles roaming freely on it. In the North Caspian, the majority of the islands are small and uninhabited, like the Tyuleniy Archipelago, an Important Bird Area (IBA), although some of them have human settlements. LENOVO AEQA1STU010 laptop keyboard

The Caspian has characteristics common to both seas and lakes. It is often listed as the world's largest lake, although it is not a freshwater lake. The Caspian was once part of the Tethys Ocean but became landlocked about 5.5 million years ago due to plate tectonics.[13] The Volga River (about 80% of the inflow) and the Ural Riverdischarge into the Caspian Sea, but it has no natural outflow other than by evaporation. IBM ThinkPad T42 2378 laptop keyboard

Thus the Caspian ecosystemis a closed basin, with its own sea level history that is independent of the eustatic level of the world's oceans. The level of the Caspian has fallen and risen, often rapidly, many times over the centuries. Some Russian historians[who?] claim that a medieval rising of the Caspian, perhaps caused by the Amu Darya changing its inflow to the Caspian from the 13th century to the 16th century, caused the coastal towns of Khazaria, such as Atil, to flood. In 2004, the water level was 28 m (92 ft) below sea level. TOSHIBA Satellite L655-128 laptop keyboard

Over the centuries, Caspian Sea levels have changed in synchrony with the estimated discharge of the Volga, which in turn depends on rainfall levels in its vast catchment basin. Precipitation is related to variations in the amount of North Atlantic depressions that reach the interior, Lenovo Thinkpad X220 laptop keyboard

and they in turn are affected by cycles of the North Atlantic Oscillation. Thus levels in the Caspian sea relate to atmospheric conditions in the North Atlanticthousands of miles to the northwest. These factors make the Caspian Sea a valuable place to study the causes and effects of global climate change.[citation needed] SONY VGN-FE780G laptop keyboard

The last short-term sea-level cycle started with a sea-level fall of 3 m (9.84 ft) from 1929 to 1977, followed by a rise of 3 m (9.84 ft) from 1977 until 1995. Since then smaller oscillations have taken place.[19] SONY VGN-FE48E laptop keyboard

Sturgeon inhabit the Caspian Sea in great numbers, and yield roe (eggs) that are processed into caviar. Overfishing has depleted a number of the historic fisheries including the economic exhaustion of the tuna fishery.[21] In recent years overfishing has threatened the sturgeon population to the point that environmentalists advocate banning sturgeon fishing completely until the population recovers. However, the high price of sturgeon caviar allows fisherman to afford bribes to ensure the authorities look the other way, making regulations in many locations ineffective.[22] Caviar harvesting further endangers the fish stocks, since it targets reproductive females. HP Pavilion dv6-2105et laptop keyboard

The zebra mussel is native to the Caspian and the Black Sea, and has also been accidentally introduced and become an invasive species elsewhere.

The native range of the common carp extends to the Caspian Sea as well as the Black Sea and Aral Sea. Like the Zebra mussel it also has become an invasive species where it has been introduced. SONY VAIO VGN-N11M laptop keyboard

The area has given its name to several species, including the Caspian gull and the Caspian tern. The Caspian seal(Pusa caspica) is endemic to the Caspian Sea, and is one of very few seal species that live in inland waters. There are several species and subspecies of fish endemic to the Caspian Sea, including the kutum (also known as the Caspian white fish), Caspian marine shad, Caspian roach, Caspian bream (some report that the bream occurring in the Aral Sea is the same subspecies), and a Caspian "salmon" (a subspecies of trout, Salmo trutta caspiensis), which iscritically endangered.[22] Compaq Presario CQ42 laptop keyboard

Many rare and endemic plant species of Russia are associated with the tidal areas of the Volga delta and riparian forests of the Samur River delta. The shoreline is also a unique refuge for plants adapted to the loose sands of the Central Asian Deserts. The principal limiting factors to successful establishment of plant species are hydrological imbalances within the surrounding deltas, water pollution, HP 431416-001 laptop keyboard

and various land reclamation activities. The water level change within the Caspian Sea is an indirect reason for which plants may not get established. This affects aquatic plants of the Volga delta, such as Aldrovanda vesiculosa and the native Nelumbo caspica. About 11 plant species are found in the Samur River delta these include the unique liana forests that dates back to theTertiary period. HP Compaq G50-133US laptop keyboard

With an increase in the level of the Caspian Sea between 1994–96, there has been a large reduction in the number of habitats for rare species of aquatic vegetation. This has been attributed to a general lack of seeding material in newly-formed coastal lagoons and water bodies. SONY VGN-FE48E laptop keyboard

The earliest human remains around Caspian are from Dmanisi dating back to around 1.8 Ma and yielded a number of skeletal remains of Homo erectus or Homo ergaster. More later evidence for human occupation of the region come from a number of caves in Georgia and Azerbaijan such as Kudaro and Azykh Caves. There is evidence for Lower Palaeolithic human occupation at south of Caspian from western Alburz. TOSHIBA Satellite P10 Series laptop keyboard

These are Ganj Par and Darband Cave sites.Neanderthal remains also have been discovered at a cave site in Georgia. Discoveries in the Huto cave and the adjacent Kamarband cave, near the town of Behshahr, Mazandaran south of the Caspian in Iran, suggest human habitation of the area as early as 11,000 years ago.[23][24]  HP Mini 210-1073TU laptop keyboard

The Caspian area is rich in energy resources. Wells were being dug in the region as early as the 10th century.[25]By the 16th century, Europeans were aware of the rich oil and gas deposits around the area. English traders Thomas Bannister and Jeffrey Duckett described the area around Baku as “a strange thing to behold, SONY Vaio VGN-AW290J laptop keyboard

for there issueth out of the ground a marvelous quantity of oil, which serveth all the country to burn in their houses. This oil is black and is called nefte. There is also by the town of Baku, another kind of oil which is white and very precious (i.e.,petroleum)."[26] SONY Vaio PCG-K45 laptop keyboard

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In 1950 the construction of Main Turkmen Canal was started under the orders of Joseph Stalin. The waterway, which would be used for shipping not irrigation, would run from Nukus on the Amu-Darya to Krasnovodsk on the Caspian Sea thus connecting the Amu-Darya and the Aral Sea to the Caspian. However the project was abandoned soon after the death of Stalin. The project was dropped in favor of the Qaraqum Canal, which runs on a more southerly route but does not reach the Caspian.[27] HP Pavilion dv6-2019ax laptop keyboard

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