Sumqayit
Encyclopedia
Sumgayit is one of the largest cities in Azerbaijan
, located near the Caspian Sea
, about 31 kilometres away from the capital, Baku
. The city has a population of 308,700 (2009 census), making it the third-largest city
in Azerbaijan
after the capital Baku
and Ganja
. The city has a territory of 83 km². It was founded on November 22, 1949. Two settlements are within the city administration: Jorat
and Haji Zeynalabdin
, a settlement named after oil businessman and philanthropist Haji Zeynalabdin Taghiyev
. It is home to Sumqayit State University
.
According to historians, Medean tribes
lived in the area. During the construction boom, when the foundation of the executive power building was being excavated, remains of an ancient caravanserai
along with personal items and kitchenware was found at the site.
A popular legend about the city states that a caravan
was passing by the area. A male by the name Sum and a female named Jeyran, who were in love with each other, were among the travellers. Due to a lack of water supply, Jeyran became thirsty and Sum went on to look for water. Sensing trouble of losing Sum, Jeyran screamed Sum qayıt, Sum qayıt (Sum, come back). The city name is believed to have originated from this legend.
The first reports of settlements at the present site of Sumgayit were in 1580, when English traveller H. Barrow mentioned Sumgayit in his writings and in 1858, when Alexander Dumas wrote about the area in his memoirs Trip to Caucasus, although nothing substantial was created on the site until the Soviet Union
gained control over the area in the 1920s.
In 1935, the Soviet government decided to develop heavy industry in Absheron Peninsula, and the future location of Sumgayit was chosen from its proximity to Baku
and its key position on existing railroad lines.
Between 1938-1941, a thermal power station
was constructed to power Baku's growing petroleum industry. This was soon followed by more heavy industries. Due to World War II
the construction of the area stopped and resume in 1944, when metallurgical and chemical plants
were constructed and put into operation. The first production of Sumgayit Chemical Plant led to a rapid growth and construction boom, creating a new job market, and a need for a resident population. In 1949, Sumgayit gained official city status according to resolution of the Supreme Soviet of Azerbaijan SSR. In 1952, a tube-rolling plant delivered its first produce thus developing black metallurgy production in Azerbaijan. The same year, another new Synthetic Rubber
Production Plant started its operations producing ethylene
obtained from oil
. Operations at Sumgayit Steel Processing Plant and Sumgayit Aluminium Plant were commenced in 1953 and 1955, respectively. In 1957-1955, a number of scientific research facilities and cultural centers were built, leading to further development of the city infrastructure. In 1960, authorities started building the Petroleum Chemical Factory, the largest in Europe
at the time. From 1961 through 1968, a brick
producing factory, a polymer construction materials
industrial complex, a phospohor production plant were built. In 1970-1980s, light industry
and mechanical engineering facilities were added to the industrial base of the city. By the end of 1980s, Sumgayit was already the center of chemical industry of USSR.
population living in Sumqayit, setting off a series of killings involving Azeris and Armenians. Approximately 26 Armenians and 6 Azerbaijanis died, with over 2000 injuries in 3 days of ethnic rioting. As a result, the whole Armenian population was forced from Sumqayit. The Sumqayit riots marked the beginning of the long-term stand-off between Armenians and Azeris, culminating in the later Nagorno-Karabakh War
and continuing into the present. Later the city has become home to a number of refugees
mainly hailing from Qubadli
and Zengilan regions from the war.
and the Abşeron
rayon) was considered by scientists to be the most ecologically devastated part of Azerbaijan. The city was known for its children's cemetery, known as the "Baby Cemetery" which contains many graves of infants born with deformities and mental retardation that were further complicated by the lack of adequate medical care for the poor. Sumgayit was named as most polluted place on earth by the US based environmental group the Blacksmith Institute
in 2006 and placed on their list of The World's Most Polluted Places by Time
magazine in 2007. The report noted the former Soviet industrial base was polluting the local environment with industrial chemicals like chlorine and heavy metals. The report also mentioned cancer
rates in Sumgayit were as much as 51% higher than the national average and that genetic mutations and birth defects were commonplace.
The city administration prepared an environmental protection plan for 2003-2010 which has been steadily decreasing the levels of pollution to minimal. The program oversees 118 activities targeting to minimize the pollution on all possible levels of economic production. The program was prepared with participation of all industrial enterprises in the city and its enforcement is being regulated by the executive power of the city. For instance, the amount of waste water from industrial production went down from 600 thousand m3 during 1990's to 76.3 thousand m3 in 2005. Solid waste went down from 300 thousand to 3,868 tons a year. World Bank
has issued a loan to Azerbaijani government for construction of a burial range for mercury
waste.
poet Imadaddin Nasimi.
The same year, the city administration raised the Peace Dove
monument in the middle of the park assigning the city a symbol of peace. The flora of the park includes 39 types of trees. Events of 1990's such as the Black January
tragedy and Nagorno-Karabakh War
, led to establishment of Stars (Ulduzlar) and 20 January Monument monuments in the park. In the eastern section of the park, Shehidler Khiyabani similar to Martyrs' Lane
in Baku was established as burial ground for thousands of soldiers from Sumgayit who died during the war. According to the Decree No. 132 of the Cabinet of Ministers of Azerbaijan
dated August 2, 2001 the park was given the status of national historical importance. Its current size is 80 ha
.
In addition to Nasimi Culture and Leisure Park, the city administration built Ludwigshafen Park in 1997 in celebration of the 20th annivesary of twin-city relations between Ludwigshafen and Sumgayit. In 1999, Heydar Aliyev
Park and Luna Park were built in the rapidly growing city.
through bus services. The building of new subway line from Baku is on agenda currently.
team competing in the top-flight of Azerbaijan
i football - Sumgayit City F.C., currently playing in the Azerbaijan Premier League
.
Bari
, Italy
Genoa
, Italy
Cherkasy
, Ukraine
Zhuzhou
, China
Ceyhan
, Turkey
Rustavi
, Georgia
Mogilev
, Belarus
Nevinnomyssk
, Russia
Piteşti
, Romania
Aktau
, Kazakhstan
Linz
, Austria
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan , officially the Republic of Azerbaijan is the largest country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to...
, located near the Caspian Sea
Caspian Sea
The Caspian Sea is the largest enclosed body of water on Earth by area, variously classed as the world's largest lake or a full-fledged sea. The sea has a surface area of and a volume of...
, about 31 kilometres away from the capital, Baku
Baku
Baku , sometimes spelled as Baki or Bakou, is the capital and largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and of the Caucasus region. It is located on the southern shore of the Absheron Peninsula, which projects into the Caspian Sea. The city consists of two principal...
. The city has a population of 308,700 (2009 census), making it the third-largest city
City
A city is a relatively large and permanent settlement. Although there is no agreement on how a city is distinguished from a town within general English language meanings, many cities have a particular administrative, legal, or historical status based on local law.For example, in the U.S...
in Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan , officially the Republic of Azerbaijan is the largest country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to...
after the capital Baku
Baku
Baku , sometimes spelled as Baki or Bakou, is the capital and largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and of the Caucasus region. It is located on the southern shore of the Absheron Peninsula, which projects into the Caspian Sea. The city consists of two principal...
and Ganja
Ganja, Azerbaijan
Ganja is Azerbaijan's second-largest city with a population of around 313,300. It was named Yelizavetpol in the Russian Empire period. The city regained its original name—Ganja—from 1920–1935 during the first part of its incorporation into the Soviet Union. However, its name was changed again and...
. The city has a territory of 83 km². It was founded on November 22, 1949. Two settlements are within the city administration: Jorat
Corat
Corat is a village and municipality in Sumqayit, Azerbaijan. It has a population of 9,028....
and Haji Zeynalabdin
Haci Zeynalabdin
Hacı Zeynalabdin is a village and municipality in Sumqayit, Azerbaijan. It has a population of 20,929. The place was named after Zeynalabdin Taghiyev....
, a settlement named after oil businessman and philanthropist Haji Zeynalabdin Taghiyev
Haji Zeynalabdin Taghiyev
Hajji Zeynalabdin Taghi oglu Taghiyev was an Azeri national industrial magnate and philanthropist.-Early life:...
. It is home to Sumqayit State University
Sumqayit State University
Sumqayit State University , sometimes written as Sumgayit State University or Sumgait State University, is a public university located in Sumqayit, Azerbaijan...
.
History
Medes
The MedesThe Medes...
lived in the area. During the construction boom, when the foundation of the executive power building was being excavated, remains of an ancient caravanserai
Caravanserai
A caravanserai, or khan, also known as caravansary, caravansera, or caravansara in English was a roadside inn where travelers could rest and recover from the day's journey...
along with personal items and kitchenware was found at the site.
A popular legend about the city states that a caravan
Convoy
A convoy is a group of vehicles, typically motor vehicles or ships, traveling together for mutual support and protection. Often, a convoy is organized with armed defensive support, though it may also be used in a non-military sense, for example when driving through remote areas.-Age of Sail:Naval...
was passing by the area. A male by the name Sum and a female named Jeyran, who were in love with each other, were among the travellers. Due to a lack of water supply, Jeyran became thirsty and Sum went on to look for water. Sensing trouble of losing Sum, Jeyran screamed Sum qayıt, Sum qayıt (Sum, come back). The city name is believed to have originated from this legend.
The first reports of settlements at the present site of Sumgayit were in 1580, when English traveller H. Barrow mentioned Sumgayit in his writings and in 1858, when Alexander Dumas wrote about the area in his memoirs Trip to Caucasus, although nothing substantial was created on the site until the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
gained control over the area in the 1920s.
Contemporary period
In 1935, the Soviet government decided to develop heavy industry in Absheron Peninsula, and the future location of Sumgayit was chosen from its proximity to Baku
Baku
Baku , sometimes spelled as Baki or Bakou, is the capital and largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and of the Caucasus region. It is located on the southern shore of the Absheron Peninsula, which projects into the Caspian Sea. The city consists of two principal...
and its key position on existing railroad lines.
Between 1938-1941, a thermal power station
Thermal power station
A thermal power station is a power plant in which the prime mover is steam driven. Water is heated, turns into steam and spins a steam turbine which drives an electrical generator. After it passes through the turbine, the steam is condensed in a condenser and recycled to where it was heated; this...
was constructed to power Baku's growing petroleum industry. This was soon followed by more heavy industries. Due to World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
the construction of the area stopped and resume in 1944, when metallurgical and chemical plants
Chemical industry
The chemical industry comprises the companies that produce industrial chemicals. Central to the modern world economy, it converts raw materials into more than 70,000 different products.-Products:...
were constructed and put into operation. The first production of Sumgayit Chemical Plant led to a rapid growth and construction boom, creating a new job market, and a need for a resident population. In 1949, Sumgayit gained official city status according to resolution of the Supreme Soviet of Azerbaijan SSR. In 1952, a tube-rolling plant delivered its first produce thus developing black metallurgy production in Azerbaijan. The same year, another new Synthetic Rubber
Synthetic rubber
Synthetic rubber is is any type of artificial elastomer, invariably a polymer. An elastomer is a material with the mechanical property that it can undergo much more elastic deformation under stress than most materials and still return to its previous size without permanent deformation...
Production Plant started its operations producing ethylene
Ethylene
Ethylene is a gaseous organic compound with the formula . It is the simplest alkene . Because it contains a carbon-carbon double bond, ethylene is classified as an unsaturated hydrocarbon. Ethylene is widely used in industry and is also a plant hormone...
obtained from oil
Petroleum
Petroleum or crude oil is a naturally occurring, flammable liquid consisting of a complex mixture of hydrocarbons of various molecular weights and other liquid organic compounds, that are found in geologic formations beneath the Earth's surface. Petroleum is recovered mostly through oil drilling...
. Operations at Sumgayit Steel Processing Plant and Sumgayit Aluminium Plant were commenced in 1953 and 1955, respectively. In 1957-1955, a number of scientific research facilities and cultural centers were built, leading to further development of the city infrastructure. In 1960, authorities started building the Petroleum Chemical Factory, the largest in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
at the time. From 1961 through 1968, a brick
Brick
A brick is a block of ceramic material used in masonry construction, usually laid using various kinds of mortar. It has been regarded as one of the longest lasting and strongest building materials used throughout history.-History:...
producing factory, a polymer construction materials
Polymer
A polymer is a large molecule composed of repeating structural units. These subunits are typically connected by covalent chemical bonds...
industrial complex, a phospohor production plant were built. In 1970-1980s, light industry
Light industry
Light industry is usually less capital intensive than heavy industry, and is more consumer-oriented than business-oriented...
and mechanical engineering facilities were added to the industrial base of the city. By the end of 1980s, Sumgayit was already the center of chemical industry of USSR.
Sumgait Pogrom
On 25 January 1988 the first wave of Azeri refugees from Armenia settled in the city of Sumqait. On February 29, 1988, violence erupted against the ethnic ArmenianArmenians
Armenian people or Armenians are a nation and ethnic group native to the Armenian Highland.The largest concentration is in Armenia having a nearly-homogeneous population with 97.9% or 3,145,354 being ethnic Armenian....
population living in Sumqayit, setting off a series of killings involving Azeris and Armenians. Approximately 26 Armenians and 6 Azerbaijanis died, with over 2000 injuries in 3 days of ethnic rioting. As a result, the whole Armenian population was forced from Sumqayit. The Sumqayit riots marked the beginning of the long-term stand-off between Armenians and Azeris, culminating in the later Nagorno-Karabakh War
Nagorno-Karabakh War
The Nagorno-Karabakh War was an armed conflict that took place from February 1988 to May 1994, in the small enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh in southwestern Azerbaijan, between the majority ethnic Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh backed by the Republic of Armenia, and the Republic of Azerbaijan...
and continuing into the present. Later the city has become home to a number of refugees
Refugees and internally displaced persons in Azerbaijan
Azerbaijani SSR was the first republic of Soviet Union that faced the problem of refugees. Those people were the Azerbaijani inhabitants of Armenia.-Refugees from Armenia:...
mainly hailing from Qubadli
Qubadli
Qubadli is a rayon of Azerbaijan. The region has been under the control of the breakaway Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, as part of its Qashatagh Province, since the Nagorno-Karabakh War. According to the last Soviet census of 1989, population was 28,110. According to undated Azerbaijani data, the...
and Zengilan regions from the war.
Environment
As a result of the Soviet planning of the industrial boom era, the city became heavily polluted. Soon after Azerbaijan's independence, the industrial sectors went into decline. The Absheron Peninsula (which consists of Sumqayit, BakuBaku
Baku , sometimes spelled as Baki or Bakou, is the capital and largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and of the Caucasus region. It is located on the southern shore of the Absheron Peninsula, which projects into the Caspian Sea. The city consists of two principal...
and the Abşeron
Abseron
Absheron Rayon , also spelled as Apsheron, is a rayon of Azerbaijan demarkated in 1963. Although it shares the same name as the Absheron Peninsula, the area covered by the rayon is not conterminous, being further west and mostly inland....
rayon) was considered by scientists to be the most ecologically devastated part of Azerbaijan. The city was known for its children's cemetery, known as the "Baby Cemetery" which contains many graves of infants born with deformities and mental retardation that were further complicated by the lack of adequate medical care for the poor. Sumgayit was named as most polluted place on earth by the US based environmental group the Blacksmith Institute
Blacksmith Institute
Founded in 1999, Blacksmith Institute is an international non-for-profit organization dedicated to eliminating life-threatening pollution in the developing world. Blacksmith identifies and cleans up the world's worst polluted places, focusing on communities where children are most at risk. Based in...
in 2006 and placed on their list of The World's Most Polluted Places by Time
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
magazine in 2007. The report noted the former Soviet industrial base was polluting the local environment with industrial chemicals like chlorine and heavy metals. The report also mentioned cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
rates in Sumgayit were as much as 51% higher than the national average and that genetic mutations and birth defects were commonplace.
The city administration prepared an environmental protection plan for 2003-2010 which has been steadily decreasing the levels of pollution to minimal. The program oversees 118 activities targeting to minimize the pollution on all possible levels of economic production. The program was prepared with participation of all industrial enterprises in the city and its enforcement is being regulated by the executive power of the city. For instance, the amount of waste water from industrial production went down from 600 thousand m3 during 1990's to 76.3 thousand m3 in 2005. Solid waste went down from 300 thousand to 3,868 tons a year. World Bank
World Bank
The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans to developing countries for capital programmes.The World Bank's official goal is the reduction of poverty...
has issued a loan to Azerbaijani government for construction of a burial range for mercury
Mercury (element)
Mercury is a chemical element with the symbol Hg and atomic number 80. It is also known as quicksilver or hydrargyrum...
waste.
Demographics
- Population: 308,700 inhabitants, including 62,300 Azerbaijani refugees and IDPsRefugees and internally displaced persons in AzerbaijanAzerbaijani SSR was the first republic of Soviet Union that faced the problem of refugees. Those people were the Azerbaijani inhabitants of Armenia.-Refugees from Armenia:...
- Density of population, per km²: 3621
- Annual population upsurge (pers): 1944
- Average lifetime: 70 years
- Ethnicity: Azerbaijanis 94.7%, RussiansRussiansThe Russian people are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Russia, speaking the Russian language and primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries....
1.7%, UkrainiansUkrainiansUkrainians are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Ukraine, which is the sixth-largest nation in Europe. The Constitution of Ukraine applies the term 'Ukrainians' to all its citizens...
0.3%, TatarsTatarsTatars are a Turkic speaking ethnic group , numbering roughly 7 million.The majority of Tatars live in the Russian Federation, with a population of around 5.5 million, about 2 million of which in the republic of Tatarstan.Significant minority populations are found in Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan,...
0.3%, JewsJewsThe Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are a nation and ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation...
0.1%, others 1.9%.
Economics
- Gross domestic product (million AZMAzerbaijani manatThe Manat is the currency of Azerbaijan. It is subdivided into 100 qəpik. The word manat is borrowed from "moneta" which is pronounced as "maneta"...
): 614,800 (1 AZMAzerbaijani manatThe Manat is the currency of Azerbaijan. It is subdivided into 100 qəpik. The word manat is borrowed from "moneta" which is pronounced as "maneta"...
= 1.25 USD) - Gross domestic product per capita (AZM): 2,079.8
- Import (million AZM): 28,860
- Export (million AZM): 32,380
Cultural establishments
During the Soviet rule of Azerbaijan, Sumgayit was believed to have the longest and cleanest sea side park in the republic. The Culture and Leisure Park was laid on 23 ha of Sumgayit coastline in 1967. On August 17, 1978 the park was given the name of a distinguished AzerbaijaniAzerbaijani people
The Azerbaijanis are a Turkic-speaking people living mainly in northwestern Iran and the Republic of Azerbaijan, as well as in the neighbourhood states, Georgia, Russia and formerly Armenia. Commonly referred to as Azeris or Azerbaijani Turks , they also live in a wider area from the Caucasus to...
poet Imadaddin Nasimi.
The same year, the city administration raised the Peace Dove
Peace Dove (Sumgayit)
Peace Dove The monument was designed by the Chief Artist of Sumgayit Vagif Nazirov and architect A. Guliyev. It is made of solid concrete. It was raised in 1978 as a symbol of peace in a newly functioning public park on coastline city of Sumgayit....
monument in the middle of the park assigning the city a symbol of peace. The flora of the park includes 39 types of trees. Events of 1990's such as the Black January
Black January
Black January , also known as Black Saturday or the January Massacre, was a violent crackdown of the Azerbaijani independence movement in Baku on January 19–20, 1990, pursuant to a state of emergency during the dissolution of the Soviet Union....
tragedy and Nagorno-Karabakh War
Nagorno-Karabakh War
The Nagorno-Karabakh War was an armed conflict that took place from February 1988 to May 1994, in the small enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh in southwestern Azerbaijan, between the majority ethnic Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh backed by the Republic of Armenia, and the Republic of Azerbaijan...
, led to establishment of Stars (Ulduzlar) and 20 January Monument monuments in the park. In the eastern section of the park, Shehidler Khiyabani similar to Martyrs' Lane
Martyrs' Lane
Martyrs' Lane, Alley of Martyrs or Şəhidlər Xiyabanı , formerly The Kirov Park, is a cemetery and memorial in Baku, Azerbaijan dedicated to those killed by the Soviet Army during Black January and later to those killed in Nagorno-Karabakh War.-History:In the closing days of World War I fighting...
in Baku was established as burial ground for thousands of soldiers from Sumgayit who died during the war. According to the Decree No. 132 of the Cabinet of Ministers of Azerbaijan
Cabinet of Azerbaijan
The Cabinet of Azerbaijan is the chief executive body of the Republic of Azerbaijan.-The Executive Power:The President of the Republic of Azerbaijan is the head of state....
dated August 2, 2001 the park was given the status of national historical importance. Its current size is 80 ha
Hectare
The hectare is a metric unit of area defined as 10,000 square metres , and primarily used in the measurement of land. In 1795, when the metric system was introduced, the are was defined as being 100 square metres and the hectare was thus 100 ares or 1/100 km2...
.
In addition to Nasimi Culture and Leisure Park, the city administration built Ludwigshafen Park in 1997 in celebration of the 20th annivesary of twin-city relations between Ludwigshafen and Sumgayit. In 1999, Heydar Aliyev
Heydar Aliyev
Heydar Alirza oglu Aliyev , also spelled as Heidar Aliev, Geidar Aliev, Haydar Aliyev, Geydar Aliyev was the third President of Azerbaijan for the New Azerbaijan Party from June 1993 to October 2003, when his son Ilham Aliyev succeeded him.From 1969 till 1982, Aliyev was also the leader of Soviet...
Park and Luna Park were built in the rapidly growing city.
Transportation
The city has extensive communication with BakuBaku
Baku , sometimes spelled as Baki or Bakou, is the capital and largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and of the Caucasus region. It is located on the southern shore of the Absheron Peninsula, which projects into the Caspian Sea. The city consists of two principal...
through bus services. The building of new subway line from Baku is on agenda currently.
Sports
The city has one professional footballFootball (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
team competing in the top-flight of Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan , officially the Republic of Azerbaijan is the largest country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to...
i football - Sumgayit City F.C., currently playing in the Azerbaijan Premier League
Azerbaijan Premier League
-Attendance:- Records :Players in the Premier League compete for the Azerbaijan Premier League Golden Boot, awarded to the top scorer at the end of each season. Nazim Aliyev is the league's all-time top scorer with 183 goals, including 39 in the 1992 season.During the 1995–96 season he became the...
.
Twin towns — Brother cities
Ludwigshafen, GermanyGermany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
Bari
Bari
Bari is the capital city of the province of Bari and of the Apulia region, on the Adriatic Sea, in Italy. It is the second most important economic centre of mainland Southern Italy after Naples, and is well known as a port and university city, as well as the city of Saint Nicholas...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
Genoa
Genoa
Genoa |Ligurian]] Zena ; Latin and, archaically, English Genua) is a city and an important seaport in northern Italy, the capital of the Province of Genoa and of the region of Liguria....
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
Cherkasy
Cherkasy
Cherkasy or Cherkassy , is a city in central Ukraine. It is the capital of the Cherkasy Oblast , as well as the administrative center of the surrounding Cherkasky Raion within the oblast...
, Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
Zhuzhou
Zhuzhou
Zhuzhou , formerly Jianning, is a city in Hunan Province, China, southeast of Changsha beside the Xiangjiang River. It is part of the "ChangZhuTan Golden Triangle"...
, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
Ceyhan
Ceyhan
Ceyhan is a city in southeast Turkey and with 105,000 inhabitants it is the second largest city of Adana Province after the capital Adana. Ceyhan is the transportation hub for Middle Eastern, Central Asian and Russian oil and natural gas. It is situated on the Ceyhan River, from which it takes...
, Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
Rustavi
Rustavi
Rustavi is a city in the southeast of Georgia, in the province of Kvemo Kartli, situated southeast of the capital Tbilisi. It stands on the Mtkvari River at...
, Georgia
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
Mogilev
Mogilev
Mogilev is a city in eastern Belarus, about 76 km from the border with Russia's Smolensk Oblast and 105 km from the border with Russia's Bryansk Oblast. It has more than 367,788 inhabitants...
, Belarus
Belarus
Belarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,...
Nevinnomyssk
Nevinnomyssk
Nevinnomyssk is a city in Stavropol Krai, Russia, located on both banks of the Kuban River at its confluence with the Bolshoy Zelenchuk River, south of Stavropol. Population: 132,141 ; 92,000 ; 40,000 ....
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
Piteşti
Pitesti
Pitești is a city in Romania, located on the Argeș River. The capital and largest city of Argeș County, it is an important commercial and industrial center, as well as the home of two universities. Pitești is situated on the A1 freeway connecting it directly to the national capital Bucharest,...
, Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
Aktau
Aktau
Aktau , formerly known as Shevchenko , is a city in Kazakhstan's Mangyshlak Peninsula and country's only seaport on the Caspian Sea. It is the capital of Mangystau Province in western Kazakhstan...
, Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan , officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country in Central Asia and Eastern Europe. Ranked as the ninth largest country in the world, it is also the world's largest landlocked country; its territory of is greater than Western Europe...
Linz
Linz
Linz is the third-largest city of Austria and capital of the state of Upper Austria . It is located in the north centre of Austria, approximately south of the Czech border, on both sides of the river Danube. The population of the city is , and that of the Greater Linz conurbation is about...
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
Notable people from Sumgayit
- Ilham ZakiyevIlham ZakiyevIlham Azizaga oglu Zakiyev is an Azerbaijani blind judoka. Began studying judo in 11 years. In 1998, when he was 18, he went to serve in the army in Aşağı Əbdürrəhmanlı village of Fizuli Rayon. He served in the frontline of the conflict zone. On February 4 of 1999, during a combat mission, was...
, judoka, twice Paralympic, twice World & four times European Champion. - Rafael AghayevRafael AghayevRafael Aghayev is a leading Azeri Karate competitor and is three times World, seven times European champion. -Achievements:2010 results*1st WKF 20th Championships Belgrade, under 75 kg*2nd WKF 20th Championships Belgrade, Team Kumite...
, karate - Shahin ImranovShahin ImranovShahin Imranov is a boxer from Azerbaijan.best known to win two featherweight silver medals at European championships.-Career:...
, boxer, Beijing Olympic Games 2008 bronze medalist - Shakhriyar MamedyarovShakhriyar MamedyarovShakhriyar Hamid oglu Mammadyarov , also known for his Shah nickname, is a chess Grandmaster. On the September 2010 FIDE rating list he was ranked number nine in the world with an Elo rating of 2756....
, chess player - Zeinab MamedyarovaZeinab MamedyarovaZeinab Hamid qizi Mamedyarova is an Azerbaijani Woman Grandmaster chess player.-Career:In 2000, she gained the Woman Grandmaster title...
, chess player