| Bay of Baku | |
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  Bay of Baku | |
| Coordinates | 40°20′08″N49°50′39″E / 40.335611°N 49.844091°E |
| Max. width | 15 km (9.3 mi) |
| Surface area | 50 km2 (19.3 sq mi) |
| Average depth | 4 m (13.1 ft) |
| Water volume | 0.7 km3 (0.2 cu mi) |
| Shore length1 | 20 km (12.4 mi) |
| Settlements | Baku |
| 1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure. | |
Bay of Baku (Baku Bay) is a natural harbor of the Baku port and local yacht club, on the southern shore of the Absheron Peninsula and on the western shore of the Caspian Sea. [1]
It has an area of 50 km² and a coastline of 20 km. The bay is bordered by Sultan Cape in the east, Shikh Cape on the south-west and the islands of Qum, Dash Zira and Boyuk Zira in the south and south-east. These islands are part of the Baku Archipelago which lies mostly within the bay. These characteristics make it an ideal place for a harbor. There lies Baku Boulevard on the seashore. During severe storms with high winds, the height of the waves in the bay can reach 1–5 m.
From the 1st century AD till the 7th century, Baku bay was dry and the islands in the bay joined the land. In Ptolemy’s map Baku was described far from the sea. After the 7th century, the water level of the Caspian Sea rose until the 9th century and since then formation of Baku bay began. [2] Severe changes happened at the end of the 8th century, when the Caspian Sea rose more than ten meters. A major earthquake occurred in 1306, the Sabayil Castle, built on an island in the Bay of Baku, was submerged and remained underwater for several centuries. It was only in the early 18th century, when the Caspian Sea retreated, that the island resurfaced. [3] Mario Sanuto, an Italian geographer of the 14th century sadly noted that: "Water level of the Caspian Sea rises each year and most cities have flooded.", and according to words of Abd ar-Rashid al-Bakuvi, the geographer, in 1403 the Caspian Sea flooded the part of Baku and water stood near a mosque. At that time the sea was waving near the foot of the Maiden Tower, which confirms a legend about a girl, who threw herself from the top of the tower. At that time Sabayil Castle, which was built on the rock in Baku bay, was totally located underwater. During the next 600 years level of the sea was hesitatingly stood high till the beginning of the 20th century, when it began to sink.
According to a statement of a representative of the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources there are a lot of reasons of pollution of Baku bay. Wastes from industrial, dwelling and domestic objects located on the seashore and also exploitation of vessels, oil and gas deposits are the main factors that worsen the ecological condition. Works on investigation of depth of Baku bay began after 1996, and later works on extraction of metallic constructions and sunk vessels from water were begun. In 2007-2009's, large scale works on cleansing of the bay of sunken vessels, metallic constructions and non-exploited hydrotechnical constructions, non-serviceable subsea pipelines began. [4] In all 4500 tons of scrap metal and approximately 412 tons of wooden waste were extracted from the sea. [5]
Trade port is stretched along the northern and western shores of Baku bay. The port is fully re-equipped, all loading and unloading works in it are mechanized. There is a port for ferry quay in the north-western part of Baku bay. [6] There is discussion on the need of construction of a bridge through Baku bay, - from Lokbatan to Zikh highway. [7] It is considered that length of the bridge over the sea, from Shikh to Zig is 14,5 km. [8] Total length of the bridge, which will be connected with encircling highway is 26 km. The sea bridge will be constructed on high piers, for not impeding movement of vessels. Automobile highway through Baku bay will be paid. Construction works will last for 3,5 years.
Foreign companies plan to open a recreational center in Boyuk Zira and Pirallahi islands of Baku bay. In Azerbaijani newspapers is reported that a Turkish company which is preparing an appropriate project will hold the construction of the recreational center in Nargin Island. It is planned to open modern hotels, entertainment places and other buildings in the island. It is also planned to open one of the biggest lunaparks in the CIS, which will be constructed by German specialists. It is expected that the island will be one of the centers of tourism in the future.
The Gulf of Finland is the easternmost arm of the Baltic Sea. It extends between Finland to the north and Estonia to the south, to Saint Petersburg in Russia to the east, where the river Neva drains into it. Other major cities around the gulf include Helsinki and Tallinn. The eastern parts of the Gulf of Finland belong to Russia, and some of Russia's most important oil harbors are located farthest in, near Saint Petersburg. As the seaway to Saint Petersburg, the Gulf of Finland has been and continues to be of considerable strategic importance to Russia. Some of the environmental problems affecting the Baltic Sea are at their most pronounced in the shallow gulf. Proposals for a tunnel through the gulf have been made.
Mobile Bay is a shallow inlet of the Gulf of Mexico, lying within the state of Alabama in the United States. Its mouth is formed by the Fort Morgan Peninsula on the eastern side and Dauphin Island, a barrier island on the western side. The Mobile River and Tensaw River empty into the northern end of the bay, making it an estuary. Several smaller rivers also empty into the bay: Dog River, Deer River, and Fowl River on the western side of the bay, and Fish River on the eastern side. Mobile Bay is the fourth largest estuary in the United States with a discharge of 62,000 cubic feet (1,800 m3) of water per second. Annually, and often several times during the summer months, the fish and crustaceans will swarm the shallow coastline and shore of the bay. This event, appropriately named a jubilee, draws a large crowd because of the abundance of fresh, easily caught seafood.
Poole Harbour is a large natural harbour in Dorset, southern England, with the town of Poole on its shores. The harbour is a drowned valley (ria) formed at the end of the last ice age and is the estuary of several rivers, the largest being the Frome. The harbour has a long history of human settlement stretching to pre-Roman times. The harbour is extremely shallow, with one main dredged channel through the harbour, from the mouth to Holes Bay.
Halifax Harbour is a large natural harbour on the Atlantic coast of Nova Scotia, Canada, located in the Halifax Regional Municipality. Halifax largely owes its existence to the harbour, being one of the largest and deepest ice-free natural harbours in the world. Before Confederation it was one of the most important commercial ports on the Atlantic seaboard. In 1917, it was the site of the world's largest man-made accidental explosion, when the SS Mont-Blanc blew up in the Halifax Explosion of December 6.
Bulla Island, also Xara Zira, Khara Zira or Khere Zire, is an island south of the Bay of Baku, Caspian Sea. It is the largest island of the Baku Archipelago, located off Baku, Azerbaijan.
Boyuk Zira, also known as Nargin, is an island in the Caspian Sea. It is one of the islands of Baku Archipelago located in the Baku bay near Baku city. Nargin Island is part of the Baku Archipelago, which consists of the following islands: Boyuk Zira, Dash Zira, Qum Island, Zenbil, Sangi-Mugan, Chikil, Qara Su, Khara Zira, Gil, Ignat Dash and a few smaller ones.
Vulf, or Volf , and also known as Dash Zira or Kichik Zira(Kiçik Zirə), is an island of Azerbaijan, in the Caspian Sea. The word "Zira" originated in the Arabic word "Jazīra", meaning "island". Vulf is tiny and uninhabited. It is one of the many islands that protect the Bay of Baku.
The Absheron Peninsula is a peninsula in Azerbaijan. It is the location of Baku, the biggest and the most populous city of the country, and also the Baku metropolitan area, with its satellite cities Sumqayit and Khyrdalan.
Gil Island, also Glinyanii Island is an island of Azerbaijan in the Caspian Sea.
Zanbil is a small island in the Caspian Sea off the Bay of Baku, Azerbaijan. It is also known as Duvanni Island.
Chikil, also known as Oblivnoy, is an uninhabited island off the Bay of Baku, Azerbaijan. This island is part of the Baku Archipelago, which consists of the following islands: Boyuk Zira, Dash Zira, Qum Island or Peschanny, Zenbil, Sangi-Mugan, Chikil, Qara Su, Khara Zira, Gil, Ignat Dash and a few smaller ones.
Qara Su, Qarasu or Los Island, is an uninhabited sandy island south of the Bay of Baku, Azerbaijan.
The Baku Archipelago is a group of coastal islands close to Baku, Azerbaijan. The waters surrounding the islands are shallow.
The Caspian Sea is the world's largest inland body of water, often described as the world's largest lake or a full-fledged sea. An endorheic basin, it lies between Europe and Asia: east of the Caucasus, west of the broad steppe of Central Asia, south of the fertile plains of Southern Russia in Eastern Europe, and north of the mountainous Iranian Plateau of West Asia. It covers a surface area of 371,000 km2 (143,000 sq mi), an area approximately equal to that of Japan, with a volume of 78,200 km3 (19,000 cu mi). It has a salinity of approximately 1.2%, about a third of the salinity of average seawater. It is bounded by Kazakhstan to the northeast, Russia to the northwest, Azerbaijan to the southwest, Iran to the south, and Turkmenistan to the southeast.
Baku Boulevard is a promenade established in 1909 which runs parallel to Baku's seafront. Its history goes back more than 100 years, to a time when Baku oil barons built their mansions along the Caspian shore and when the seafront was artificially built up inch by inch.
Port of Baku is a sea port located in the Bay of Baku, on the coast of city of Baku, Azerbaijan. The main entrance faces the Neftchiler Avenue.
Boyuk Zira Lighthouse is a lighthouse in the north of Boyuk Zira Island, in the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan.
The Crescent Development Project or The Crescent Bay is skyscraper complex which is under construction on the Caspian Sea coast in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Dashli ada, Ignat Dash or Kamen Ignatiya is an island in the Caspian Sea. It is one of the islands of Baku Archipelago located in the Bay of Baku, 74 km to the south of Baku. Dashli ada is part of the Baku Archipelago, which consists of the following islands: Boyuk Zira, Dash Zira, Qum Island, Zenbil, Sangi-Mugan, Chikil, Qara Su, Khara Zira, Gil and a few smaller ones. The island is located 32.2 km east of Cape Bandovan. The closest island to Dashly - Adsiz Ada - is 13.9 km to the north. The island is of volcanic origin and has a mud volcano.
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