- published: 30 May 2012
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Baku (Azerbaijani: Bakı, IPA: [bɑˈcɯ]), sometimes spelled as Baki or Bakou, 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. Officially, about 25 percent of all inhabitants of the country live in the metropolitan city area of Baku.
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.
The Baku Archipelago is a group of coastal islands close to Baku, Azerbaijan. The waters surrounding the islands are shallow. The archipelago is made up of the following islands, besides a few small sandbanks.
Islands located in the Bay of Baku:
Islands located SW off the bay detached from the main group:
The vegetation of the islands in the Baku Archipelago has been quite damaged by the pollution caused by the oil wells in the same bay, so that most islands are almost devoid of vegetation. Formerly this archipelago provided an ideal ecosystem for the Caspian seal. Sturgeons are still found where the waters are not too polluted. Certain birds that visit Baku Bay, like teal ducks, Herring Gulls, and grebes find refuge in these islands that are uninhabited except for gas-extraction installations and a lighthouse. There is an automatic monitoring station for water pollution in the area located in Svinoy Island.
Coordinates: 40°17′N 49°58′E / 40.283°N 49.967°E / 40.283; 49.967
RADIO STATION | GENRE | LOCATION |
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RFE/RL Azeri | News Talk,News | Azerbaijan |
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Radio Antenn 101 FM | Varied | Azerbaijan |