Azerbaijan NATURAL MONUMENTS
MUD VOLCANOES
The mud volcanoes – the mystery of nature.
Azerbaijan keeps the first place in the world for the number of mud volcanoes. There are 800 mud volcanoes on the Earth and 400 of them are in the Southern Caspian region. About 300 mud volcanoes are to be found in Azerbaijan – at the shore, in the sea and on islands. There are all types of mud volcanoes – both active and dormant. Volcanoes can be high and low, gryphons and buried ones, submarine and subterranean. Each of them has its own character and chemical composition. As the most of remarkable sites of Azerbaijan the 23 of the most interesting volcanoes got the status of a national park and are protected by the state.
Mud volcanoes are definite accompaniments of oil and gas fields confirming the availability of the great natural resources in Azerbaijan.
The mud volcanoes can supply raw materials for chemical and building industries as well as for pharmacology. The mud and clay of these volcanoes alongside with the volcanic waters can treat many diseases. These substances consist of many chemical elements. The mud volcanoes are a natural lab and storehouse for the scientists. The mud volcanoes are also interesting for the tourists. The strange landscape reminds the youth of our planet or the views of the Moon but unlike the old Moon’s dead surface the mud volcanoes of Azerbaijan are still alive.
From Baku the most accessible group of active mud volcanoes is right beside the Baku-Shamakha road – within five minutes’ walk or a one-minute ride off the main road. The most famous is formally called Buraniz Julgya located at km 41. In this area one can see another group of less impressive cones situated near the village of Pirekeshkyul some 500 m south of the main road, turning 400m east of km 38.
The most interesting and tourist-visited group of active volcanoes located along the Baku-Alat road, about 10 km south of Gobustan as well as volcanoes that one can see not far from Dashgil area.
LAKES
The Caspian Sea.
The Caspian Sea is the largest lake on Earth as it has no direct outlet to the world Ocean. The water in the sea is salty and has all features of a sea. The total area of the sea is about 392600 km2 or the 18% of all world lakes area. It can be compared with the area of the United Kingdom or with the area of all five Great Lakes in the USA. More than 130 rivers run into the sea and the average volume of water is 7864000 m3.
The coastline of Azerbaijan is 825 km long and occupies the central and southern parts of the Caspian Sea. The deepest place is the Lankaran hollow (1025 m in depth) in the southern part of the sea. At a depth of about 150 m near the Absheron to the east there is an underwater threshold separating central and southern parts of the sea.
One of the unsolved secrets of the sea is its permanent transgression throughout the history. Since scientific explorations of the sea were initiated only on the frontier of 19-20 centuries, it is hard to determine the time cycles of the transgressions. At the same time this transgression is a feature distinguishing the sea from other internal reservoirs of the planet, and though there are long time scales between transgressions, they deeply affected the economy and the fate of the people living at the coasts of the Caspian Sea.
The climate of the Caspian area is a sharply continental. The sea is stormy for 250 days a year and sometimes the severe winds cause huge waves to arise. However, there are many people enjoying the rest on the Absheron beaches from late spring to early autumn when it is still hot enough. The average summer temperature of the water in the south of the sea is about 25-30 C° and 13 C° in winter. The sea never freezes close to the coastline of Azerbaijan but freezes in its northern part.
The Caspian Sea is a unique ecosystem with mineral, organic and recreational components. The sea was rapidly landlocked as the result of the early complicated geological processes. It has helped rare-relic and endemic kinds of the sea flora and fauna to survive. It is the only reservoir in the world with preserved 5 kinds of sturgeons being used for industrial needs.
The fact is that sturgeons existed here as far back as 200 millions year ago since dinosaurs roamed the planet. 90% of sturgeons in the world are currently concentrated in the Caspian Sea, where are also seals, mollusks etc. are found. More than 315 species of the Caspian zooplankton is of natural origins, 46% are local endemics.
The Caspian fish is represented mainly by the sprat, herring, mullet, sazan, lobster, kutum (also known as Caspian white fish), ling, perch, crab, various species of salmon and sturgeon etc. The marine mammals-seals-populate and breed on the winter ice of the Northern Caspian and migrate to the central and southern directions in summer. To control the seal population, the Absheron National Park was founded in Azerbaijan. People resting on the Absheron beaches can often see these funny creatures playing in the waves.
The bushes, reeds and canes along the shorelines are populated with wild boars, otter, raccoon, muskrat and wildcat. Hares, rabbits, jackals, marmots, gophers and hazels are found on the seashore as well. The coasts of the Caspian Sea are the season shelters for birds migrating from Europe to Asia. Among them are rare kinds of flamingoes and eagles. Hunting for 14 species of birds mainly for various species of duck and goose is allowed in Azerbaijan. There are numerous islands located in the Caspian Sea close to the Azerbaijan shore.
The Caspian Sea was always the significant geopolitical and economical factor for this vast region. Throughout the history the Caspian Sea was the place connecting Europe and Asia by caravan routes of the Great Silk Road. Vikings, Arians and enslaved peoples, khazars and Persians, Greeks and Mongols, Arabs and Turks, Italians, Englishmen, Spaniards – the travelers and traders of almost all tribes and nations passed here.
The Caspian Sea was well known far beyond the region under the ancient names of the Hirkanian Sea, Khvalyn Sea, Baku Sea etc.
Lakes.
There are approximately 700 lakes in the territory of Azerbaijan. Most of them dry up in summertime. Permanent natural lakes number 250. The number of lakes exceeding 1 km2 in area and having the great economic importance is 25. These lakes are divided by their origins into tectonic, landslide, relict, lacustrine/fluvial, lagoon etc.
Depending on the water content, there are salt (also called saline) and freshwater lakes within the territory of the Republic. Lakes located in the mountain areas are freshwater (Gey-Gel, Alagellyar: Great Ala-Gel, Lesser Ala-Gel, Ishigly Gara-Gel, Perichingyl etc.).
Lakes located in plains, foothills and relatively low mountain regions are both freshwater (Sarysu, Hajigabul, Mehman, Aggel, Gultug, Jandyr-Gel etc.) and salt (Agzybirchala, Masazyr, Beyulshor, Ajinohur etc.).
In 1139, as a result of a devastating earthquake Gey-Gel Lake emerged on the slopes of Mount Kapaz in a picturesque area. Near Gey-Gel Lake there are another seven lakes of a similar origin (Maral-Gel, Zeli-Gel, Ag-Gel, Ordek-Gel, Jeyran-Gel, Gara-Gel).
Gey-Gel is a water reservoir located in Kepez district of Ganja city at a height of 1556 m above sea level. This lake is unique due to its beauty. The total area is 80 hectares. Its maximum depth is 98 m. The total volume of pure water is 24 millions m3.
Maral-Gel is located not far away Gey-Gel at a height of 1902 m, its area – 23 hectares and maximum depth – 60 m. Maral-Gel merges with Gey-Gel through the Agsu River. The area adjoining the lake is covered with subalpine forests.
Great Ala-Gel is located on the Garabagh volcanic plateau at a height of 2729 m (Kelbejer region). Its total area is 5 km2. The maximum depth is more than 9 m. The area surrounding Great and Lesser Ala-Gel abounds in valuable alpine meadows.
Gara-Gel is located at a height of 2666 m on the northeastern side of Mount Ishigly (Kepez district of Ganja city). The total area of the lake is 1,8 km2. The maximum depth is 10 m.
Within the territory of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic there are Batabat Lake and Ganly-Gel surrounded by alpine meadows.
Batabat Lake is placed in Bichinek village at the head of the Nakhchivan River.
Ganly-Gel is located in Kyukyu village at the head of the Kukuchay River (tributary of the Nakhchivan River) at a height of 2500 m above sea level.
The Major Caucasian Mountains are known for its eternal glaciers covering such high peaks as Bazardyuzu (4466м), Tufandag (4191м), Shakhdag (4243м), Bazaryurt (4126м).
The landscape of Lenkoran region consists of two parts: Talysh mountains and Lenkoran lowland. Among Talysh Mountains such peaks as Gyzyurdu (2400м) and Gemyurgoy (2477м) are to be mentioned.
Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic covers the territory of low, medium and high mountainous area (up to 3900 м above sea level). Among them are such peaks as Gapijig (3917м), Alagez (3865м) and Kechaldag (3141м).
SPRINGS AND MINERAL WATER
Mineral water springs of the Absheron peninsula.
The Absheron peninsula has the following resort resources:
There are numerous methan and hydrosulfate mineral waters in the peninsula. Among the most popular are waters in Surakhany district (Zikh village) and Shikhov spit. These mineral waters provide with a high balneology effect.
Lakes Beyuk-Shor and Masazyr are inexhaustible sources of valuable healing mud. There are dozens of small and big lakes on the territory of the Absheron peninsula.
Mineral water springs of Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic.
Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic is very rich in mineral springs, which provide with almost all carbonate, chloride and hydrogen sulphate water.
By the diversity of mineral springs Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic can be literally considered as a geo-chemical museum.
Five groups of mineral water springs – Darridag, Sirab, Nahajir, Badamly and Gyzylvang – are extremely valuable hydro-mineral recourses for balneology spa resorts.
Darydagh mineral (thermal) waters group is the highest-discharge carbonated-arsenical waters and attributed to carbonated-arsenical-ferrous chloral-hydrocarbonated-natrium water type. The valuable healing quality of this water is due to such chemicals as boric acid, lithium, large quantity of carbonic acid, iodine, brome, iron and other components contained in it along with sufficient quantity of arsenic.
Sirab mineral waters are similar to the famous Borjomi mineral water. Sirab mineral waters are of great importance as a hydro-mineral source.
Nahajir mineral waters are similar to Yessentuki No.17 mineral water.
Badamly mineral waters are among mineral waters of the Narzan type. The compound chemical composition of these waters mainly contains carbonic acid gas. They also have favorable temperature and high discharge.
Gyzylvang bitter-saline mineral waters are very rarely found in nature. These waters are purgative because of their composition (sulfate-chloral-calcium-natrium-magnesium).
Mineral water springs of Nagorny Karabagh region.
The advantageous meteorological factors, numerous orchards and available carbonaceous mineral springs and remarkable drinking spring waters enhance the importance of the resorts located in Nagorny Karabagh.
Among 17 the most famous mineral springs of Nagorny Karabagh are Kechaldagh and Shirlan in Shusha district as well as springs in Tumi village (Hadrud district) and Zardanashen village (Xojaly district).
It should be noted that Nagorny Karabagh is abundant in many well-known mineral waters with favorable temperature and high content of carbonic acid gas (up to 150 mg/L).
Mineral water springs of Lachin-Kelbejar region.
This group of spa resorts is located in the western part of Azerbaijan Republic (in Kelbejar and Lachin regions). Among 63 water springs of Lachin-Kelbejar region are notable for their importance springs of the Istisu type (Kelbejar region) and Ilyksy type (Lachin region).
The Istisu type springs are represented by three groups: Upper Istisu, Lower Istisu and Bagyrsah.
At the end of 1948 it was decided to found the Istisu balneology resort.
Ilyksu mineral waters group are located in Lachin region (Minkend and Akhmedly sites) at a height of 1600 m above sea level. These springs belonging to the carbonic-hydrocarbonate-chloride-sodium-magnesium-calcium waters group are the warm Narzan type waters with average temperature of 28˚С. These waters are the favorite remedies for the local population. Besides, there are found dozens of the Narzan type cold mineral waters at Minkend and Akhmedly sites.
Mineral water springs of Ganja.
Hajikend is located 17 km away from Ganja at a height of 1000 m above sea level. The climate of the area is warm-temperate and damp, winter is relatively warm. There is a carbonaceous mineral spring and splendid spring waters not far from Hajikend.
Mineral water springs of Shamakha region.
There are outlets of nitric and hydrosulfate thermal and cold mineral springs in Shamakha. The most popular are Khaltan, Jimi and Khashin springs in Guba district, Chuhuryurd – in Shamakha district, Bum and Khalkhal springs in Gabala district.
Mineral water springs of Sheki and Zagatala regions.
Nowadays, among the most popular mineral waters is Elisu waters group in Gakh region. Apparenty, the local population uses these mineral waters as medical remedies since the ancient time. This is evidenced by names of two main outlets – Oglan Bulag (Men’s spring) and Gyz Bulag (Women’s spring).
Mineral water springs of Lankaran region.
Lankaran region is rich in mineral waters. Thermal and cold springs with temperature from 13 to 64˚С belong to nitric and methan waters group. There are 157 mineral springs in six administrative districts of Lankaran region including Istisu village in Astara district, Ibadi and Khaftoni villages in Lankaran district as well as Gariblar village in Massalli district.
Mineral water springs of Babazan.
There is Babazan Hill (45 m above sea level) not far from the mouth of the River Kura on the territory of Salyan region. Hydrosulfate and methan-chloral-calcium cold and thermal mineral waters of Babazan are used by the local population at all times.
Mineral water springs of Azerbaijan’s lowland.
This part of the Republic is very rich in valuable healing resources of another nature – healing crude oil, mineral waters and healing mud.
Healing crude oil (Naftalan) reaches the ground surface in Geranboy region, 18 km to the south of Geran railway station, at a height of 450 m above sea level. It looks like the industrially produced oil. The Naftalan oil differs from other types of crude oil in such features as absent harmful gases of petrol and kerosene, available valuable lubricating oils, absolute purity and relatively heavy weight (0,930-0,960). The Naftalan oil is currently used with great success almost in all fields of medicine. This region is the only source of medically used oil in the world.
Add comment