Absheron winds

The peninsula is known for its persistent northern wind, the khazri, which can blow for days and shapes everything from the dunes to the way old houses were built.

Mud volcanoes

Nearly half of the world's mud volcanoes are found in this region. Most are quiet hills of grey clay that bubble slowly; a few erupt with flames once in a decade.

Seasonal birds

Every spring and autumn the coastal wetlands host flamingos, pelicans and thousands of smaller waders on their way between Siberia and Africa.