Mud volcanoes and Gobustan

Azerbaijan has the most mud volcanoes of any country, spread broadly across the country. 350 of the 700 volcanoes of the world are in the Azerbaijani Republic.

Gobustan

The area has been settled since the 8th millennium BC. It is known for hosting thousands of rock engravings spread over 100 square km depicting hunting scenes, people, ships, constellations and animals. Its oldest petroglyphs date from the 38th millennium BC. In 2007, UNESCO included the 'Gobustan Rock Art Cultural Landscape' in the World Heritage List. The Gobustan State Reserve was featured during the Thirty-third Session of the Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers.

There are inscriptions nearby left by a Roman Legionnaire around 75AD during the reign of Emperor Domitian which is the easternmost Roman inscription ever found. Gobustan is also famous for its mud volcanoes. Nearly 300 of the world's 700 mud volcanoes are located in this part of eastern Azerbaijan near the Caspian Sea.