Baku: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 01:55, 20 October 2005

Revision as of 12:53, 21 October 2005

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[[Image:Azerbaijan-Baki.png|thumb|150px|The Baku harbour on the south of Absheron peninsula]]

[[Image:Baku_Maiden_Tower.jpg|thumb|right|150 px|The [[Maiden Tower (Baku)|Maiden Tower]] in old town Baku]]

'''BakyBaku''' ([[Azeri language|Azeri]]: Bakı, [[Russian language|Russian]]: Баку), formerly known as '''Baku''', is the [[capital]] of [[Azerbaijan]]. It is located on the southern shore of the [[Absheron|Apsheron Peninsula]], at {{coor dm|40|23|N|49|52|E|}}. Today's Baku is really of three parts: the Old Town (İçəri Şəhər), the boomtown and the [[Soviet Union|Soviet]]-built town. Population ([[2003]] census): 1,900,000. About 3 million people in metropolitan area(due to high numbers of refugees and [[Displaced person|IDP]]s).

The boomtown, south of the old city, was built after massive [[petroleum]] exploitation began nearly a century ago and has interesting beaux-arts architecture. Fine arts, history and literature museums are located there, all housed in the mansions of pre-[[Russian Revolution of 1917|Revolutionary]] millionaires.