Azerbaijan is bounded by Russia, Georgia, Armenia, and Iran. The country is located on the crossroads of Asia and Europe. Azerbaijan is known as the ‘Land of Fire.’ Actually, the word ‘Azer’ means ‘Fire’ in Turkish. Due to the massive amount of petroleum buried under the country, there were many occasions where fire sprung up from underground. Zoroastrianism, a religion which worships fire, also prospered around this area. The unique name of the country came from such backgrounds. Today, most of the Azerbaijanis believe in Islam. Azerbaijan is near the Caspian Sea, which is called the ‘Second Middle East.’ Thanks to such location, the country is drilling out plenty of oil and natural gas from the sea. Oil export and petrochemical industry are the motive power for the country’s economy. In 2006, the real growth rate of the country’s GDP reached 32.5%, the fastest in the world. The traditional music of Azerbaijan, Mugam, was selected as UNESCO’s World Intangible Heritage. Handed down from ancient times, the music developed along Azerbaijani poetries. Male and female singers, each playing traditional instruments, perform Mugam. Even today, the music is enjoyed in various region of the country.