Erebus

Fact library / Countries

Countries of Caucasus

3 countries in Caucasus, each with a picture to fix its place, shape or name in your memory.

The other Georgia

Georgia lies between the Black Sea and the Caucasus Mountains, with its capital at Tbilisi.

Picture it

GEORGE ("GEORG-ia") stands between the Black Sea and the Caucasus Mountains, puzzled that people keep looking for him in America. He sips hot tea: "T-BILLY-see!"

Memory hooks

  • Georgia: George, not the American state (narrative)
  • Tbilisi: "T-billy-see": sipping hot tea (sound-alike)

Say it: Tbilisi (tbi·LEE·see)

Waving at Ararat

Armenia is a landlocked Caucasus country whose capital, Yerevan, looks out at Mount Ararat across the border in Turkey.

Picture it

An ARM ("ARM-enia") reaches out of a landlocked valley and waves at a giant snowy mountain, Ararat, across the border. Noah's ark sits on top. "YEAR? EVAN?" calls the arm: "Ye-re-VAN!"

Memory hooks

  • Armenia: an arm waving at Ararat (sound-alike)
  • Yerevan: "Year? Evan?" (sound-alike)

The capital below the sea

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

Picture it

On the shore of the Caspian, flames leap out of the ground ("land of fire"). A baker stands in a hole below sea level: "I'll BAKE YOU something!" That's BAKU, the lowest capital on Earth.

Memory hooks

  • Azerbaijan: the land of fire on the Caspian (visual association)
  • Baku: "I'll bake you something" from below sea level (sound-alike)

Say it: Azerbaijan (az·er·by·JAHN)