We are visiting Azerbaijan, a fascinating country where Eastern Europe meets Western Asia. It is often called the “Land of Fire.” There are around 10 million people living here, and the capital is Baku, a city famous for its mix of ultra-modern skyscrapers and ancient stone palaces. The official language is Azerbaijani.

Azerbaijan covers about 86,600 square kilometers, or 33,400 square miles. To imagine its size, the country is roughly the same size as the state of Maine in the U.S., or about three times the size of Belgium. It sits right on the edge of the Caspian Sea, which is actually the largest lake in the world!

The most popular sport in Azerbaijan is Football, though they are also very famous for Wrestling and Chess. Their national animal is the Karabakh Horse, a beautiful and fast horse known for its shiny, golden-red coat and its ability to navigate mountain trails.

The flag features three horizontal stripes of blue, red, and green, with a white crescent and an eight-pointed star in the center of the red stripe.

The food is full of fresh herbs and flavor. The national dish is Plov, a delicious rice pilaf flavored with saffron and served with meat or dried fruits. They are also famous for Black Tea, which is served in beautiful pear-shaped glasses and often enjoyed with sweet jam.

Azerbaijan has a mountain called Yanar Dag that has been burning for hundreds of years because natural gas leaks through the ground and stays lit even in the rain or snow! The country is also home to more than half of the world’s Mud Volcanoes, which are small hills that bubble and spray cold, grey mud instead of hot lava. In the city of Baku, there is a museum shaped like a giant rolled-up carpet because weaving beautiful, colorful rugs is one of the most important traditions in the country.

From the fire-breathing mountains to the shores of the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan is a land of ancient secrets and modern wonders. Sağ olun! That means “Thank you!”