OIL ROCKS. ( NEFT DASLARI )

Neft Daşları (Azerbaijani: Neft Daşları, the Oily Rocks, also Neftyanyye Kamni or Nerftekamni in Russian) is an industrial settlement in Baku, Azerbaijan. The settlement forms part of the municipality of Çilov-Neft Daşları in Azizbekov district. It lies 100 km (62 mi) away from capital Baku, and 55 km (34 mi) from the nearest shore in the Caspian Sea. A full town on the sea, it was the first oil platform in Azerbaijan, and the first operating offshore oil platform in the world, incorporating numerous drilling platforms.

The settlement began with a single path out over the water and grew into a system of paths and platforms built on the back of ships sunk to serve as the Neft Daşları's foundation. The most distinctive feature of Neft Daşları is that it is actually a functional city with a population of about 5,000 and over 300 km (190 mi) of streets built on piles of dirt and landfill.

The settlement was originally named as Chernie Kamni ("Black Stones"), but was later renamed to Neft Daşları ("Oily Rocks"), replacing the allusion to the black colour of oil with a reference to the substance itself.

The first large-scale geological study of the area was conducted in 1945-1948. The settlement of Neft Daşları was built in 1949 after oil was discovered there at 1,100 meters beneath the Caspian sea and it became the world's first offshore oil platform.

By 1951, the Neft Daşları was ready for production, equipped with all of the infrastructure needed at the time. Drilling platforms were erected, oil tanks installed, and docks with enclosures for ships were built. The first oil from the Neft Daşları was loaded into a tanker in same year.

In 1952, the systematic construction of trestle bridges connecting the artificial islands was begun. A number of Soviet factories constructed crane assemblies especially for use on the Neft Daşları, along with a crane barge that could carry up to 100 tons of oil. The assemblies were equipped with diesel hammers used to drive piles into the sea floor.

Large-scale construction started on the settlement in 1958, which included nine-story hostels, hotels, cultural palaces, bakery factories and lemonade workshops. The mass development of Neft Daşları continued during 1976-1978 with the building of a five-story dormitory and two oil-gas compressor stations, the installation of a drinking water facility, and the construction of two underwater pipelines to the Dubendi terminal, each with a diameter of 350 millimetres (14 in). In addition, a flyover for vehicular traffic was created. As a result, the area of the settlement grew to around 7 ha in the 1960s, with the length of the steel trestle bridges joining the man-made islands exceeding 200 kilometres (120 mi).

In November 2009, the settlement celebrated its 60th anniversary. Over the last 60 years, the oilfields of Neft Daşları have produced more than 170 million tons of oil and 15 billion m³ of associated natural gas. According to present-day estimates by geologists, the volume of recoverable reserves is as high as 30 million tons.

The population varies from time to time in the settlement as of the 2008 the platforms have a combined population of about 5,000 men, who work in week-long offshore shifts.

The oil extraction is carried out from the shallow water portion of the Absheron geological trend.


* In 2008, a Swiss documentary crew led by film director Marc Wolfensberger filmed "La Cité du Pétrole / Oil Rocks - City above the Sea" in the settlement, which was released in 2009.
* Neft Daşları featured in one of the scenes of James Bond film "The World Is Not Enough" (1999).

Some photos:

THE FIRST INHABITANS OF AZERBAIJAN

THE FIRST INHABITANTS OF AZERBAIJAN 
The objective of archeology is to study ancient peoples' appearance, their development and formation. Archeology attempts to familiarize modern humans with the ancient past of humankind through the material finds of culture remnants.
Comprehensive evidence of material culture that is related to the time of the first inhabitants was found during archeological excavations in the territory of Azerbaijan. As a result, Azerbaijan was included in the list of countries which hosted the first sites of ancient people. The most ancient artifacts related to the appearance of the first primitive people in Azerbaijan from 1.7-1,8 million years ago have recently been found in the country.
Within the last fifty years the complex research, conducted in Azerbaijan, discovered the patterns of material culture and comprehensive scientific materials for the exploration of the history of the appearance, formation and evolution of ancient people. On the basis of discovered scientific materials the distant past, the initial stages of evolution of the first people and the characteristic features of the patterns of the material culture of our ancestors are being studied and explored.
Scientific research conducted by Azerbaijani and German scientists proved that primitive people appeared on the territory of Azerbaijan 2 million years ago. Yet in the period before 1950 the notion of the settlement of ancient people in Azerbaijan had been rejected. Yet in recent years the archeological research conducted by Azeri archeologists proved the groundlessness of such statements and the existence and formation of ancient people on the territory of the country by means of scientific materials. At the same time the civilization was of a specific kind on the territory of Azerbaijan.
Comprehensive research conducted on the territory of Karabakh registered extensive camps of the Paleolithic era and carried out further scientific exploration.
The scientific research conducted pointed out that it took thousands of years for the ancient inhabitants of Azerbaijan to create implements and to develop them further. Research shows that primitive people mainly settled in the natural caverns, on riverbanks, in caves and other places with favorable conditions.
Rich archeological camps of different stages of the Stone Age were discovered on the territory of Karabakh during exploration work that was conducted in connection with the Paleolithic era in Azerbaijan. The archeological survey conducted by the archeological expedition of the Institute of History under the National Academy of Sciences under the leadership of M.M.Guseynov in the Guruchay and Kondelenchay river valleys discovered cave dwelling camps at Azykh and Taghlar in May of 1960.
It was discovered that karst caves were typical of the mountainous regions of Karabakh. However, the most comprehensive patterns of material culture were registered only in the Azykh and Taghlar caves in the region.
Multi-layer Azykh Paleolithic camps located in one of the most picturesque places on the left bank of the river Guruchay, at a height of 900 above sea level 16 kilometers were found in Fuzuli on the Tugh lowland.

As a result of scientific research that was held in Azerbaijan it was not only proven that primitive people lived in Azerbaijan, but also that Azerbaijan is one of the places with the most ancient of civilizations and that primitive people settled and lived here for a long time. Therefore, the complex scientific research that was conducted in Karabakh had rather important scientific relevance.

Comprehensive archeological materials on patterns of material culture of Olduvay, Ahsel, Mustye, Orinyak, Solyutre, Madlen, Azil, Mezolit, Neolit, Kur-Araz and dyed dishes found in Araz Quruchay, Arpachay, Terterchay, Vileshchay, Zuvandchay and other valleys were also discovered by way of archeological research.

The patterns of material culture that were found in the ancient dwelling places in Azerbaijan informs us about the cave life of primitive people, the production of implements, hunting, first acquaintance with fire, primitive dwellings, rock carvings and the ancient history of Karabakh. At the same time, the material sources further teach us about ancient history and the stages of the formation and settlement of primitive people and the first inhabitants in this area .

Complex scientific research conducted in the dwelling places of the first inhabitants of Azerbaijan proved the existence of primitive people in Azerbaijan. The long formation and settlement of ancient people was proven through scientific evidence.

AREA OF AZERBAIJAN

AREA OF AZERBAIJAN 

Territory	Neighbors
86,6 thousand square km (forests 12%, water basins 1.7%, sown area 54,9%, including 31.1 % pastures and hayfields, 31.4% other lands). The country extends between longitude 44° and 52° east and latitude 38° and 42° north, Baku situated at the parallel of 40°.	It borders with Iran (765 km) and Turkey (15 km) on the south, Russia (390 km) on the north, Georgia (480 km) on the north-west and Armenia (1007 km) on the west.
Distance from Baku to North Pole is 5550 km, to the equator 4440 km.	The length of the largest area of Caspian Sea in Azerbaijan sector is 456 km.
Big lakes, km2	Big islands km2
Sarysu - 67.0	Pirallahy - 14.4 Chilov - 11.5
Aggol - 56.2	Khere-Zire - 3.5 Boyuk-Zire - 1.4
Agzybirchala - 37.0	Big rivers km
Mehman - 35.0	Kur - 1515 Araz - 1072
Boyukshor - 9.2	Alazan (Ganykh) - 413 Iori (Gabyrry) - 389
Hajygabul - 8.4	Samur - 216
	Terter - 200
The world's biggest lake -  Caspian Sea (area - 400000 km2; depth – 1025m).	The highest peak - Bazarduzu (4466m).

The Best Views of Baku

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BAKU ( FLAME TOWERS )

BAKU ( AZERBAIJAN )

BAKU CAPITAL OF AZERBAIJAN ....

Misty Baku..

ECONOMY OF AZERBAIJAN

After restoration of independence in 1991, the Republic of Azerbaijan began to realize its sovereign rights in economic field and to implement independent policy. The main directions of this policy are organization of the economic system based on different types of property, transition to market economy and integration into the global economy.

Economically, the years after the independence can be divided into two main periods. The period of 1991-1995 was characterized by economic chaos and regression. The period after 1996 is known for an increase in macroeconomic stability and dynamic economic development.

As the result of far-sighted policy and intensive activities of the President of Azerbaijan, the national leader Heydar Aliyev, significant results were achieved in the fields of socio-economic development and integration into the global economic system within a short period of time – in spite of unfavorable initial conditions. The great achievement was that the Azerbaijani model of the state system establishment and development was established over the past period.

One of the main tasks of the country’s leadership in that period was efficient use and reallocation of the benefits from rich oil and gas endowment. In order to solve this task, in 1999 the national leader Heydar Aliyev adopted the Decree promoting cooperation with international companies in this field. Additionally, in order to channel the revenues from oil exports to the priority sectors of the economy and important social and economic projects, the State Oil Fund was established. At the current moment, international organizations evaluate positively Oil Fund’s activity and its provision of transparency.

In the beginning of economic recovery, the country lacked oil exporting infrastructure. In order to fill this gap, in 1996 Azerbaijan signed an agreement allowed its oil exports via Baku-Novorossiysk pipeline. In 1999 the new pipeline Baku-Supsa was put into use; additionally, an agreement on construction of Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan, which is currently the major oil exporting pipeline.

Oil-gas sector played dominant role in developing other sectors of economy. Considered economic policy led to macroeconomic stability and sustainable economic growth, as the result, reforms started in all economic fields, new measures are taken in order to improve social welfare of population.

Developing entrepreneurship, attracting domestic and foreign investment by establishing favorable business and investment environment, obtaining non-oil sectors’ development had been specific feature of implementing economic policy at this stage. As the result of fulfilling expedient measures, entrepreneurship section was formed and the role of private sector in social-economic development increased considerably.

Implemented measures in providing diverse forms of property contributed positive effects to sustainable economic growth. However, despite at the beginning of privatization specific weight of private sector in GDP was less than 10%, currently special weight reached to 85%. Thus, implementing of Heydar Aliyev strategy overcame recession that appeared during the first years of independence and from 1995 in Azerbaijan new stage of development- recovery and dynamic development stage began. In 1995-2003 Gross Domestic Product increased 90.1%, revenues of government budget more than 3 times, international reserves 85 times, industrial production 25.2%, agricultural production 53.9%, foreign trade 4 times, average monthly real wages 5.6 times, inflation decreased to 2-3% and total capital investment amounted more than 20 billion USD.

After maintaining independence as the major priorities of foreign economic policy, the Republic of Azerbaijan formed relationship with international finance-credit and economic institutions.

Azerbaijan had been admitted nearly to of all international institutions, including in 1992 IMF, World Bank, EBRD, Islam Development Bank, in 1999 Asian Development Bank. The main directions and specifications of social-economic policy strategy, which is continued successfully and improved by the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, is to transit to market economy and to form social, diversified national economy, which possesses ability of self-development and to integrate to world economy.

As the result of implementation of this policy, obtained successes are strengthened, macroeconomic stability was secured, diversification of the economy, development of non-oil sectors and regions accelerated, efficient usage of strategic international reserves was secured, the stability of national currency and confidence of banking system increased, conservative external debt strategy implemented, support from government to entrepreneurship intensified, social welfare of population improved sustainably.

In order to implement comprehensive and sustainable measures aimed at economic diversification, the following President’s decrees and edicts were adopted and successfully implementing: the State Program of Socio-Economic Development of the Regions of Azerbaijan (2009-2013), the State Program of Poverty Reduction and Economic Development in the Republic of Azerbaijan (2008-2015).

In order to use existing economic potential of regions completely and efficiently, improve social-economic situation and provide of equilibrium development of the economy, state program that are implemented successfully describe attention of the President to economic development of regions, it caused complex development of regions, of which recovery and expanding infrastructures, creating new producing and processing enterprises, social-cultural institutions, opening new workplaces and improving social-welfare of population.

The new stage aims at increasing the competitiveness of the national economy, efficient integration into the world economic systems and ensuring a long-term dynamic socio-economic development in the country. Mr. Ilham Aliyev, the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, has identified the tasks which are important for the achievement of this goal in his economic policy decrees. These particularly concern the strengthening and efficient utilization of the economic potential of Azerbaijan, including development of non-oil sector (formation of oil-independent national economy in Azerbaijan), entire and efficient utilization of the potential of each and every region in Azerbaijan, the establishment of favorable conditions for the opening of numerous workplaces, private business development, increasing the scope, quality and target groups of social services, the reduction of poverty, etc.

The President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev successfully and confidently continued and made it rapid and sustainable progress, development strategy determined and led to bright future of the citizens by national leader Heydar Aliyev, and made it rapid and sustainable progress.

Despite recession occurred in major developed economies during global financial-economic crisis, Azerbaijan preserved macroeconomic stability, economic growth, reduction of poverty, and increasing social and economic welfare of population. At the same time, taking the first place in economic growth among regional countries, Azerbaijan took upper stages for so-called indicator. However, in 2009 economic growth of GDP grew by 9.3% and growth per capita grew by 7.9% compared with 2008. Total GDP was formed by 64.1% by production sector and 28.3% by service sector; these sectors’ growth was respectively 10 and 9.1%.

Growth in oil-gas sector was 14.3%, moreover, in non-oil sector went up by 3.2%, industry – 12.8%, transportation – 9.3%, communications – 13.1%, trade – 9.9%.

Government feels specific priority to agriculture and as the result of comprehensive measures, value added in agriculture grew by 3.5% in comparison with 2008.

Finally, during 2004-2009 GDP in real value increased for 2.8 times, GDP in current prices amounted to 43 billion USD. GDP per capita rose from 2004 to 2009 more than 2.2 times and amounted 4874.1 USD. During this period real income of households increased 2.0 times, income per capita 85%, average monthly wages 3 times, minimum pension 3.8 times, minimum wages more than 6.3 times.

During 2004-2009 foreign trade increased 2.8 times, of which export 3.9 times, import 1.7 times, non-oil export 2.4 times. In 2009 both revenues and expenditures of government budget rose 7 times compared to 2004, during this period 32886 new enterprises were established, 840 thousands new jobs were created.

As the result of comprehensive measures, poverty was reduced for 4.1 times, as from 44.7% to 11% for the last 5 years.

The success of Azerbaijan was reflected in the reports of international organizations. Moreover, Azerbaijan is ranked 51 in the Global Competitiveness Report for 2009-2010, which is above other CIS countries. Furthermore, even in the current economic situation Standard&Poor’s increased the Azerbaijani rating’s forecast from “stable” to “positive”.

Dominant tasks of next stage will be sustaining of macroeconomic stability and economic growth. Within these purposes, provision of qualifying economic growth is priority. Aiming to these tasks, expanding of diversification of the economy, government wants to minimize dependence from oil sector, to transit to innovative economy, promote intensive production in agriculture, developing of economy in clusters. Moreover, comprehensive measure will go on in order to strength energy, food and ecological security.

Improving business environment, establishing economic areas and industrial zones, advice and information providing, strengthening government support to entrepreneurship and developing business relationship, development of entrepreneurship and regions will accelerate.

Increase of social and economic welfare of population remains the main direction and priority of social-economic policy for the coming years.

CUISINE OF AZERBAIJAN

The cuisine of Azerbaijan is one of the ancient, rich and delicious cuisines in the world. "The cuisine of Azerbaijan" is not only dishes, the technology of their preparation, but a part of material culture as well. The cuisine of Azerbaijan is the harmonic unity of culture, history, philosophy, table psychology, traditions, physiology, hygiene, chemistry, equipment, ethics, aesthetics, poetry and poetic aspects of the cuisine, as well as practical habits created by Azerbaijani people in the territories where they lived in harmony with the environment.

The cuisine of Azerbaijan "born" with the genius of Azerbaijan people in the territories of its historical habitation: today's Azerbaijan Republic, Southern (Irani) Azerbaijan, former khanate of Iravan that turned into today's Armenia after forced ethnical clarification, the lands of Zangezur and Goycha mahals(districts), ancient settlements of Azerbaijanis in Georgia-Borchali, Dagestan, Derbend-the capital of one of the former khanates of Azerbaijan and there surroundings.

The main factor influencing formation of and development of the cuisine is the climate. The territory of Azerbaijan Republic is under the influence of 8 climate zones that causes variety and richness of flora and fauna of the region and form favourable conditions for life and development of all animals and plants. This is the main factor of rich cuisine.

Agricultural production is important for further development of the society alongside with wild animals, birds, fish and plants. Thus people should have high culture of cultivation and animal-breeding.

For example, complex dishes made of paste and grain might appear in the case only if agricultural production dominated the requirement to bread or its substitute. Experimenting and formation of compound dishes was possible only if there was some need to preserve the remains of grain for a long period of time. The process continued for ages and thus appeared new dishes. The existence of "cheten"(archaic form of colander) proves that dish -making from grain and paste, dates to the 5th-6th century B.C. and stable crop in its turn points to high quality cultivation.

Great amount of grain production points to the culture of cultivation, irrigation systems development of animal-breeding etc.

All the abovementioned is not possible without sedentary life.

Goods necessary for the South Caucasus cuisine were produced by Azerbaijanis-people of high culture of cultivation and animal-breeding. Georgian scientist M.I. Tkeshelov wrote about Azerbaijanis lived in former Iravan khanate in 1888: "People in the villages were mainly busy in grain growing, cultivation and gardening. It is evident that animal-breeding is not the only kind of engagement in plains and summer pastures. Azerbaijanis may be called cultivating people as they mainly live on the banks of the rivers, while Armenians settled only in the mountains."

E.K.Artamanov wrote about Iran in 1889: "grain is mainly distributed from Azerbaijan, Khorasan, Kirmanshah, Fars, Isfahan, and Yezd."

G.V.Sologubov wrote in 1952: "Armenians were generally busy with trade and gathering of wealth. Azerbaijanis, depeding to the place of their settlement, mainly interested in cultivation and animal-breeding and thus are main producers in Transcaucasia."

I.V.Segalov wrote in 1902: "Moslems lived on the banks of Bazarchay, Ayrichay, Bargushad, Okhuchay and their flows as well as on the bank of Araz; Armenian lived in separately under hard climate in the mountains. Majority of Armenian men (15-40 ages) moved to the shores of the Caspian, Baku and Tbilisi to earn their life, where they worked as servants and interested in outdoor life. As to Azerbaijanis, they lived cultivating in plains and under good conditions."

All the abovementioned was the result of natural process. Local people settled in and used productive lands before other nations appeared. This fact is proved by Armenian scientist G.A.Yezov in 1908: "New land did not accept Armenians cordially, for it had very few free lands."

Information gave by the voyagers, scientists, merchants, diplomats and others, as well as archaeological digs prove that great amount of grain, rice, kunjut, soy plants, beet, melon, water-melon, grape, apple, pomegranate, quince and other garden and melon plants cultivated on those lands.

Local people and population of neighbouring and foreign countries supplied with the abovementioned products, as well as fresh drained fish, hard-roe, honey, butter and animal products. It is true that the Caucasus had for centuries been provided with animal and cultivation products by Azerbaijanis. Y.D.Angabadze and N.G. Volkova wrote basing on information given in book "Old Tiflis": "Osetins and Azerbaijanis brought cheese to the markets of Tiflis and sell it there with Borchalis (Azerbaijanis-T.A.). There was great demand in Tiflis market for salmon brought from the lake Goycha (after the surrounding of the lake added to the territories of Armenia the lake is now called "Sevan"-T.A.) in Azerbaijan."

Thus Azerbaijanis were the main people in Thanscaucasia able to create and develop rich cuisine who possessed enough good base for it.

This fact caused that majority dish names of Armenian, Georgian, Persian and other cuisines relate to Azerbaijan Turks.

The second factor influencing the cuisine is fire. For instance, majority of sweet buns, and dishes cooked in water and stewed dishes of Slavonic and particularly of Russian cuisine as appeared thanks to Russian stove. Creation and development of Azerbaijan cuisine related with different varieties of high heat open and closed fires such as tendir(clay oven with a whole), kora, bukhari(fire-place), kulfa(brick oven for baking), chala ojag (hollow fire), saj(iron disk for baking bread), mangal (brazier) and others.

Crockery and kitchen equipment also had some king of effect on our cuisine. Even today our women use different crockery made of animal skin, stone, wood, clay, glass, metal, etc.

Electricity, together with firewood, firewood coal, tezek(manure briquette) and others were used as fuel in Azerbaijan cuisine. In places where tezek is used, people rare cut the trees and the bushes for fire; people sued tezek did not suffer from liver and respiratory tract diseases. According to Indian scientists the smoke of tezek has antiseptic character.

Another factor characterising culture of culinary of the people is its attitude to water, its purity and ability of water use. From ancient times Azerbaijan people divided water into white and black. Black water is rich with salts, ions and metals. Water poor in the abovementioned is called soft.

Soft white water used in preparation of food and beverage foods. Weeping willow always grew on the banks of the rivers, irrigation ditches and canals. Roots, branches and other parts of this tree have antibacterial peculiarity and thus it purified water. For this purpose branches of weeping willow were always put into plates full with water. Sometimes silver thing or apricot pip put into the boxes filled with water.

The first and the best natural method of clarification of water applied by Azerbaijanis still exist today. That is water stone. Water stone is made of black or white chick-weed and looks like a drilled pyramid. The stone is placed on special wood rest with its tip down and a plate is placed under it in where purified water gathered. The stone is filled with water, sometimes silver thing or a branch of willow put into it. Water passes through capillary holes of the stone and drop by drop falls into the plate. Water is not only purified by stone but is cooled thanks to difference of pressure in the holes of the stone and passing through capillaries.

It should be pointed out that the oldest 3700 year age samovar found in Azerbaijan (in the territory of Sheki). It is much older than the 2000 year old samovar of the Egypt. This is an important point on culinary: from outside the fire passes into the inside of the equipment, water-air balance changes, separation of the volume of nutritive materials in water changes and thus correspondingly changes the taste of water.

Another important factor influencing the cuisine is historical-geographical location of the people and relations with neighbouring people.

Ancient trade caravans and military roads crossed the territory of Azerbaijan had some affect on our cuisine. Reference to common Turkic ethnos caused appearance of dishes with the same name or root and still Azerbaijan cuisine may be called the peak of that of common Turkic. From the point of the taste Azerbaijan is more close to Anadolu cuisine.

Long time relations with Arabians presented coffee to our cuisine and the historical "Silk Way" brought us tea. From Russian cuisine we took "shi" and "red-beet soup" (known among people under the general name of "red-beet soup") and got acquainted with cuisine of the Europe faultily changed by Russians. Thanks to the development of oil industry at late 19th and early 20th centuries we are directly introduced with the cuisine of the Europe (the process is still on) that influenced only the cuisine of the restaurants and got people used to aluminium equipment. Such kind of interference had only negative influence on the health of the people and brought nothing positive into national cuisine.

Religion and faith of the people also have definite influence on the national cuisine of Azerbaijan. Zardushtism (Zoroastrism), fire-worship, Avesta found their reflection in philosophical psychology and the mind of Azerbaijan people and its cuisine. We suppose that respect to the fire that is the main assistant of cooker comes from the abovementioned fact. Table traditions and dishes formed under the influence of fire and light still exist. For long time Christianity existed and still exists in the territory of Azerbaijan that also affects our cuisine. The people of Azerbaijan are Moslems for more than a millennium. Rejection to use gold crockery and pork, alcohol and other informs about strong influence of Islamic traditions. Different holidays, ceremonies and fasting also influence cuisine.

Kitchen traditions, prohibitions and advices relating to the religion are the objects of particular investigation. The requirements of religion, especially that of Islam about the food have serious scientific base. For instance, Islam does not advice to eat fruits and grain their without peel. The fact that main part of the vitamins and microelements diluted in water gather in peels of the plants only recently invented.