Baku, sometimes spelled as Baki or Bakou, is the capital, largest city, and largest port of Azerbaijan and the Caucasus region. It is located on the southern shore of the Absheron Peninsula, that projects into the Caspian Sea. The city consists of two principal parts: the downtown and the old Inner City (21.5 ha).
The cultural heritage of Azerbaijan is grand and distinctive. Since Azerbaijan used to be a part of Persian and Turkic states its cultural development was greatly influenced by those. It is particularly noticeable in literature and music.
The government of the Republic of Azerbaijan is based on the principles of separation of power. In line with the traditional concept of separation of power, the Constitution of the Republic of Azerbaijan determines that the executive power is held by the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the legislative power is carried out by the Parliament (Milli Majlis), and the judicial power is held by independent courts, the Constitutional Court being the highest court of Azerbaijan.