It is 225 meters above sea level and experiences a warm spring and mild winter climate, with an average annual temperature of approximately +14.8 degrees Celsius.

The word Naftalan, can be traced to the Greek word "naphtha" ("νάφθα"), meaning pertaining to oil, and the Azerbaijani suffix "-alan", which is of the verb "to take" (and literally meaning "oil buyer").

In 1938, the Naftalan Experimental Laboratory was established in the Azerbaijan Scientific-Research Institute of Medical Rehabilitation.

The biological and therapeutic effects of the Naftalan oil began to be studied there.

[4] In the 2010s, the number of hotels increased in the city after the Azerbaijani government's tourism policy.

The combination of the First Nagorno-Karabakh War and the end of Soviet-sponsored free trips brought the industry to its knees in the late-1980s.

The closest route for foreign visitors is the flight to Ganja International Airport.

Over the years, there have been several individuals who have held the position of the city's head since 2004: Naftalan is twinned with: