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Panoramic view of Baku
Panoramic view of Baku
Official seal of Baku
Country Azerbaijan
 • MayorEldar Azizov
 • Total2,130 km2 (820 sq mi)
−28 m (−92 ft)
 • Total2,064,900
 • Density969.44/km2 (2,510.8/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+4 (AZT)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+5 (AZST)
Postal code
Area code(s)12
Location of Baku, Azerbaijan

Baku (/bəˈk, bɑːˈk, ˈbɑːk, ˈbæk/; Azerbaijani: Bakı, from the medieval Persian: بادکوبهBâd-kube, meaning "wind-carved city", a compound word of bād, "wind", and kube, which is rooted in the verb کوبیدن kubidan, "to pound", thus meaning a place where the wind would be strong and pounding,[3] and ancient city names Baraca/Persian: باراکا‎ and Pakovan/Armenian: Պակովան[1]) is the capital) is the capital and the largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and of the Caucasus region. It is on the southern shore of the Absheron Peninsula. Baku is located 28 metres (92 ft) below sea level, which makes it the lowest lying national capital in the world and also the largest city in the world located below sea level. Modern Baku has three parts: the Old Town (İçəri Şəhər), the boomtown and the Soviet-built town. About 3 million people live in the metropolitan area. There are large numbers of refugees and internally displaced persons.


Baku is hosted the 57th Eurovision Song Contest in May 2012. They also bid to host the 2020 Summer Olympics.[4] The city's three main football clubs are Neftchi Baku, FC Baku and Inter Baku. Baku is one of world's leading chess centres.

Divisions[change | change source]

Today, Baku is divided into 11 raions (administrative districts) and 5 settlements of city type.[5][6]

References[change | change source]

  4. "Media". Retrieved 2011-09-15.
  6. "Baku's History". Archived from the original on 2011-07-06. Retrieved 2010-04-17.