Reference: Statistical collection “Population of Azerbaijan-2017” Baku, State Stat.Kom. 2017.
The main part of the country’s economic potential is concentrated in the Caspian region. These high
indicators, first of all, are due to the high concentration of the country’s economic potential in Baku. The
share of administrative regions situated in the Caspian region accounts for about 65.1% of industrial
enterprises operating in the country, 93.9 % of manufactured industrial products, 92,7%
of the basic
production funds of the industry and 72.3% of industrial and production staff.
The Caspian Sea plays an important role in the country’s socio-economic development and formation of
the economic structure. In the years of independence, foreign companies were attracted to develop and
operate deep-sea oil and gas fields located in the Azerbaijani sector of the sea, which was a powerful
impetus in the development of industry. At the same time, measures are being taken to increase the
exploitation and processing of oil, deposits on the
land of Absheron, Siyazan and Neftchala regions. As a
result, 98.8% of the oil produced in the country and 99.9% of natural gas falls to the share of the Caspian
region.
The oil industry has a significant influence on the formation and development of other branches of the
economy. Mechanical engineering, chemical, petrochemical, the industry of building materials, which are the
main branches of industry, are essentially concentrated on Absheron.
Absheron economic-geographic region is the most densely populated area. Here live 2808.9 thousand
people or 73% of the total population of the Caspian coast. On Absheron, that is, in the Baku
agglomeration, the population is formed due to mechanical and natural growth.
In recent years, the role
of migration has significantly increased in the development of demographic potential. In comparison
with other regions of the country, Baku always had a low natural increase in population.
The formation of the economic structure in Absheron and the use of labor resources in this sphere
are significantly different from other regions. The coastal position, the capital factor, political and
administrative functions, the development of the
oil industry, machine building, metallurgy,
petrochemical industry, infrastructure development at a rapid pace led to the creation and increase of
these differences.
Recently, the ongoing changes in the territorial structure of industry have led to the
increasing role of
the Absheron Economic Region. This is due to the fact that the restoration of industrial facilities, the
creation of new ones, their role in production and employment of the population in other region is
proceeding at a slow pace.
At the same time, the majority of oil and gas enterprises, established with financial and technical
support with the participation of foreign companies, are located in Absheron. Other branches of the
economy, including food, and partly light industry are also located on Absheron, Baku and adjacent
areas.
Results. The Caspian region of Azerbaijan, in comparison with the
average republican indicators, has a
high demographic potential and is a more assimilated and densely populated area, and the following
complex measures are required to manage the continuing growth of population pressure and socio-
economic congestion.
Discussion.
1. From the point of view of rational territorial organization of productive forces in the territory of
Azerbaijan, the pace of demographic and socio-economic development of the Caspian region should not
only outstrip other regions of the country, but in some cases even fall behind.
2. In existing and prospective state programs of social and economic development of the regions, special
attention should be paid to the policy of reducing demographic pressure in the coastal region of the
Caspian Sea, especially in the Absheron economic region. To this end, it is necessary to limit the
development of labor-intensive
branches of the economy, which attract additional labor in the Caspian
Sea region. In regions, especially in the border regions, it is necessary to develop labor-intensive and
manufacturing industries and to support this policy organizationally and financially at the state level.
3. Despite the fact that placing new industrial or free economic zones in Absheron is attractive to
investors because of the relatively favorably located consumption area and
its economic and
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geographical situation, but it is strategically incorrect in terms of the rational location of the productive
forces in the country, territorial integrity, and excessive population of the Caspian region. It is advisable
to place new production objects in the regions in which additional labor resources will be attracted.
The concentration of population and economy in Absheron creates the following problems:
- First, the accelerated development of Absheron leads to the decline of the country’s regions, and the
disparity between the regions socio-cultural development is exacerbated.
- Concentration of population and economy in a small area create
ecological, demographic problems in
supplying water, natural gas and electricity. Therefore, the tense ecological situation on Absheron has
created serious problems in the provision of water, heat, housing and resettlement of population.
-The prolonged concentration of the population in Absheron leads to a monocentric form of population
distribution. This ultimately leads to the emergence of unpromising settlements.
-The decline of the role of manufacturing industry in Absheron will lead to an increase in the
dependence of the economy on oil. It is necessary to open new enterprises in the regions for reducing
this dependence.
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1.
Azərbaycanın əhalisi - 2008. 2017. Bakı, DSK, 97 s.
2.
Azərbaycanın sənayesi – 2010. 2017. Bakı, DSK, 580 s.
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Azərbaycanın kənd təsərrüfatı – 2010. 2017. Bakı, DSK, 608 s.
4.
BABAXANOV N.A., PAŞAYEV N.Ə. 2004. T əbii fəlakətlərin iqtisadi və sosial-coğrafi öyrənilməsi.
Bakı, “Elm”, 212 səh.
5.
PAŞAYEV N.Ə., N.H.ƏYYUBOV, Z.N.EMİNOV. Azərbaycan Respublikasının iqtisadi, sosial və siyasi
coğrafiyası. Bakı, 2010/ “Çıraq”, 416 s.
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