Azerbaijan

Why it sticks

1. 1

   Called the 'Land of Fire' for natural gas flames such as Yanar Dag that burn out of the ground; Baku's Flame Towers echo the idea.

2. 2

   Baku is the world's lowest-lying national capital, about 28 m below sea level on the Caspian Sea.

3. 3

   The Azerbaijan Democratic Republic of 1918 was the first secular democratic republic in the Muslim world and gave women the vote that same year.

4. 4

   Nakhchivan is an exclave cut off from the mainland by Armenia; it borders Iran and has a short border with Turkey.

• Latin script with the distinctive schwa Ə/ə (e.g. 'küçəsi' = street), which no other country uses.
• White plates with the Azerbaijani flag and 'AZ' on the left, format like 10-AB-123.
• Lada and Mercedes cars, semi-desert lowlands by the Caspian and green Greater Caucasus foothills in the north.