Discover Azerbaijan: Top 9 Fun Facts That Will Amaze and Delight You

1. Mud Volcano Mecca

In a land where muddy mountains burp and roar like ancient earth dragons with indigestion: Azerbaijan boasts the world's largest mud volcano, the Toraghay, and over 400 more, making it a mecca for mud enthusiasts and geology geeks while being protected in the Mud Volcanoes State Nature Reserve.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

2. UNESCO Carpet Weaving

Watch as Aladdin himself gets carpet envy: Azerbaijani carpet weaving has been a UNESCO-recognized Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity since 2010, with the Azerbaijan government launching various programs to preserve and promote this unique art form known for its dense textures and region-specific patterns.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

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3. Pomegranate Festival

Who knew Azerbaijan had a fruitful love life? That's right, they're absolutely pomeg-crazy: The Nar Bayrami festival in Goychay region is an annual celebration of the pomegranate's cultural significance, highlighting its various culinary, artistic, and agricultural roles while symbolizing productivity, abundance, and love in Azerbaijani culture.
Source => ich.unesco.org

4. Real-life Fire Nation

If you've ever wondered where the Fire Nation from Avatar: The Last Airbender could have made its real-life HQ, look no further: Azerbaijan is home to the Yanar Dagh, a natural gas fire that burns continuously on a hillside, discovered by a shepherd in the 1950s, and has played a significant role in the Zoroastrian religion.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

5. Flickering Flame Towers

When you think you've found the ultimate flame emoji in Baku, but it's just Azerbaijan's architectural ode to fire: The Flame Towers are a trio of stunning skyscrapers with distinct purposes, housing luxury apartments, hotel rooms, and office spaces. Adorned with LED lights that simulate flickering flames, these modern marvels pay tribute to the nation's history of fire worship and natural gas resources.
Source => hok.com

6. Azerbaijani Vowel Harmony

Get ready to sing your vowels like a linguistic acrobat, because Azerbaijani is the ultimate vocal workout: The Azerbaijani language has a unique vowel harmony system where all vowels in a word must be pronounced either at the front or back of the mouth, additionally featuring a rounded/unrounded system for certain suffixes, and boasting 9 vowels and 23 consonants that have found their footing through both Arabic and Latin scripts.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

7. Eurovision Champions

Azerbaijan might not have the *keys* to the Grammys or the Oscars, but they certainly know how to strike a chord in the competitive world of Eurovision – and with *running* success: The nation clinched victory at the 2011Euro vision Song Contest with Ell and Nikki's "Running Scared," and went on to secure five consecutive top-five finishes between 2009 and 2013, proving that when it comes to this beloved musical showdown, Azerbaijan is no one-hit wonder!
Source => en.wikipedia.org

8. Landlocked Coastal Nation

In Azerbaijan, one could say they're all dressed up with nowhere to go - coastally speaking, of course: Despite having a 713 km (443 mi) shoreline along the Caspian Sea, the world's largest lake and a closed sea, Azerbaijan is effectively landlocked, with no direct access to the open ocean and unresolved maritime boundaries with neighbors Iran and Turkmenistan.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

9. The Enigmatic Shirvanshah Palace

When life gives you Shirvans, build a palace: The Shirvanshah Palace in Azerbaijan, built between the 12th and 15th centuries, is a medieval architectural marvel featuring a mosque, a royal assembly hall, a family tomb, a mausoleum, and even a bathhouse, all adorned with unique geometric designs and mysterious encrypted inscriptions.
Source => en.wikipedia.org