Azerbaijan

Located in the South Caucasus, Azerbaijan borders Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, Iran to the south, and the Caspian Sea to the east. The capital, Baku, is the country's political and cultural centre. Azerbaijani is the official language, and the currency is the Azerbaijani manat. The country blends Turkic heritage, Persian influence, and Soviet-era architecture into a distinct national identity shaped by centuries of trade-route history.

Many nationalities can obtain an Azerbaijani visa through the country's official electronic visa system, ASAN Visa (evisa.gov.az), which provides a single-entry e-visa for tourism purposes. Some nationalities hold visa-free access under bilateral agreements. Travellers should verify their specific eligibility through official government channels before departure, as conditions change.

Baku's Icherisheher, the UNESCO-listed Old City, contains the 12th-century Maiden Tower and the multi-storey Palace of the Shirvanshahs within its stone walls. Outside the capital, the mud volcanoes of the Absheron Peninsula are among the world's largest concentrations of this geological phenomenon. Gobustan National Park preserves thousands of prehistoric rock carvings dating back 40,000 years. The ancient caravanserai town of Sheki, with its Khan's Palace decorated in intricate stained-glass shebeke work, offers a well-preserved glimpse of the Silk Road era.

Azerbaijan has nine of the world's eleven climate zones, ranging from subtropical lowlands near Lankaran to alpine conditions in the Greater Caucasus. Baku experiences dry, semi-arid summers with temperatures typically reaching 28–35 °C and mild winters around 3–8 °C. Spring (April–June) and early autumn (September–October) offer the most comfortable conditions for travel. Mountain regions see heavy snowfall in winter, so layering is advisable if visiting highland areas.

• Known as the "Land of Fire" for ancient natural flames.
• Baku hosted Formula 1's Azerbaijan Grand Prix since 2016.
• Azerbaijan was first Muslim-majority nation to grant women the vote.
• The country holds one of Earth's densest mud-volcano concentrations.
• Chess grandmaster Garry Kasparov was born in Baku.

• azerbaijan.travel — official national tourism portal
• evisa.gov.az — official e-visa application system
• taxes.gov.az — State Tax Service and customs information
• eco.gov.az — Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources