Azerbaijan

Baku is the capital and largest city of Azerbaijan, set on the Caspian Sea’s Absheron Peninsula. Its prominence grew with the 19th–20th century oil boom, which made it a major industrial and cultural center and cemented its role as the country’s political hub. Landmark sights like the UNESCO-listed Old City (Icherisheher) and the flame-shaped skyscrapers reflect Azerbaijan’s nickname, the “Land of Fire,” tied to ancient natural gas flames and Zoroastrian heritage. To remember it: think “Baku burns by the Caspian”—the fiery imagery (Flame Towers, natural gas) anchors Baku to Azerbaijan. The other options are notable but not capitals: Ganja is a historic inland city, Sumqayit is an industrial center near Baku, and Lankaran lies in the subtropical south by the Talish Mountains.