Zira Island

Boyuk Zira Nargin
Island of the Baku Archipelago
Outline of Nargin Island
Boyuk Zira
Coordinates: 40°17′38″N 49°55′18″E / 40.29389°N 49.92167°E / 40.29389; 49.92167
Country	Azerbaijan
Region	Absheron Region

Boyuk Zira (Böyük Zirə), 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.

Nargin is the biggest island that separates the Bay of Baku from the sea south of the Absheron Peninsula. It has a length of 3.1 km, and a width of 900 m. The northwestern side of the island is vertical and steep. There is little vegetation.

Caspian seals, sturgeon, and numerous types of birds, such as teal ducks, herring gulls, and grebes are some of the species that can be found on and around Boyuk Zira Island.

A modern name of the island is “Boyuk Zira”, which was also its initial name, and it is originated from merging of two words – “boyuk” means “big” in Azerbaijani and “jazira” means “island” in Arabic.

Most of the names of islands in Baku archipelago, including Boyuk Zira were changed by the Russians and partially by Cossacks, who appeared in the Caspian Sea in the 17th century. Boyuk Zira was also called Nargin, which is related to the name of Peter the Great. Shape of these islands reminded the Russian emperor of Revelian islands with analogous names in the Gulf of Finland, after a war with Swedes. German “Nargin” and Estonian “Nartingen” mean a “narrow strait”. In 1990, Nargin Island has been returned its indigenous name.