The cover of the ’Azərbaycan’ book The cover of the ’Azərbaycan’ book
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Over 1,000 photographs collected in a book titled “Azərbaycan”, issued to provide detailed information about the country, portray the Azerbaijani people’s ancient history, culture, traditions, ethnographic features and also offer a contemporary view of the country.

The book, a Heydar Aliyev Foundation project, takes the reader through Azerbaijan inch by inch; the virtual journey beginning from the capital, Baku.

There are pictures of the various sights in Baku, which is located on the coast of the legendary Caspian Sea, including the most prominent landmarks: the Old Town, the Shirvanshahs’ Palace and Maiden Tower.

From Baku we are taken across the ancient Absheron peninsula. Then successive pages of the book reveal images of the prehistoric Gobustan rock paintings, Yanar Dag (Burning Mountain), the snowy peaks of Shah Dag, the beautiful orchards of Guba and Khachmaz, the emerald green forests and ancient castles of the Sheki-Zagatala and Ganja-Gazakh regions, the rare nature of Lenkeran and Nakhchivan, as well as the historical monuments seen on the way.

There are also sections about our lands that are still under occupation by Armenia. The “Azərbaycan” book, which also includes a CD and booklet, was officially released at a presentation ceremony in the Museum of Modern Arts in Baku on 18 March 2010.

The president of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, goodwill ambassador of UNESCO and ISESCO and member of the National Assembly, Mehriban khanim Aliyeva, wrote the preface for a book which is aimed at the widest possible readership.

The Heydar Aliyev Foundation decided three years ago to create a photographic album to show the rich and peerless landscape of our country, and so they set up a working group and launched the project. The group comprised both local and foreign experts and photographers. Shooting was done over three years in the various regions, towns and villages, mountains and plains, forests and meadows, lakes and rivers of Azerbaijan.

Azerbaijan´s President ilham Aliyev and first Lady Mehriban Aliyeva attended a ceremony to launch ’Azərbaycan’ book Azerbaijan´s President ilham Aliyev and first Lady Mehriban Aliyeva attended a ceremony to launch ’Azərbaycan’ book
The book took so long to prepare mainly because selecting the most favourable timing and weather conditions was essential to the shooting process. An extensive and rare collection of photographic material was assembled and about 5,000 new pictures were taken. The book’s unique feature is that 80 per cent of the pictures are seeing the light for the first time.

In a word, the “Azərbaycan” book, which is in a completely new format, is an introduction to the nature of the country, its history, culture, and its past and present. The book is in 11 sections. Section one is devoted to Baku, which is dear to all of us and is one of the world’s most beautiful cities.

The other sections give detailed information about Azerbaijan’s 10 economic-geographical regions and display pictures of the natural scenery in the regions, including their flora and fauna. The first edition of the book was published in Azerbaijani, in an edition of 2,000 copies. In the near future, the “Azərbaycan” book will be translated into a number of foreign languages, including English, French, German, Arabic and Chinese, and will be published in greater numbers.