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THE AZERBAIJAN REPUBLIC: Country Overview
Basic Information: The Azerbaijan Republic is an independent
nation occupying 86.6 thousand km2 on the western coast of
Caspian Sea among the mountain ranges of the Greater and Lesser Caucasus
and the Talish mountains. The river Araz flows along the southern border,
separating Azerbaijan from Iran and Turkey. Georgia and Armenia border
it on the west. On the north, the border runs through the Greater Caucasus.
The Autonomous Republic of Nakhichivan within the borders of Armenia is
also part of Azerbaijan's territory. Baku is the capital of the Republic.
Topography: The Azerbaijan Republic
occupies the south-east and à small part of the south of the Caucasus
Mountains. Its territory includes the south-east part of the Greater Caucasus
and à part of the Lesser Caucasus, Talish Mountains, and the Kyur-Araz
Lowlands situated between them. The Republic also includes some islands
located along the western coast of Caspian Sea. The average height of
the Republic is 384m above sea level,
varying from à maximum 4466 m (Bazar-Duzi mountain), and à minimum of
27 m below sea level on the Caspian Sea coast. Eighteen percent of the
territory is below the world sea level. Valleys and lowlands occupy over
39 percent, low and average height hills (up to 2500 m) 39.5 percent,
high mountains (above 2500 m) 3.5 percent of the territory. The region
is seismically active, with frequent earthquakes, and is subject to floods.
Climate: The climate of Azerbaijan is determined by its geographical
position, topography, and the Caspian Sea. There are several marked climatic
zones, depending on altitude and distance from the Caspian Sea: dry subtropical,
wet subtropical, temperate, and alpine climates. Dry subtropical climate
is typical for the Kyur-Araz lowlands and Absheron Peninsula. À wet subtropical
climate is found only in the south Talish mountains, and is typical in
the foothills and the Lankaran lowlands. The temperate climate dominates
the mountain slopes of the Greater and Lesser Caucasus covered by forests
and is divided into dry, warm dry, warm wet and cool zones. The high mountain
ridges and the mountain peaks of the Greater and Lesser Caucasus are alpine
and subalpine environments. The average annual temperature varies from
14°C in the lowlands and 0°C and below in highlands. The average temperature
for July in the lowlands is 25-27°C and in the highlands 5°C. The absolute
maximum temperature reaches 43C, the absolute minimum temperature falls
to minus 30°C. These extremes are found in the Nakhichivan depression
and in the highlands, accordingly. The winds prevailing winds are northern
(on the Absheron peninsula), north-west/south-west (Kyur-Araz lowlands),
and western (Lankaran depression). Rainfall varies from the south coast
of Absheron where it is less than 200 mm per year, to 300-900 mm in the
foothills and mountainous zones, 1000-1300 mm on the southern slope of
the Greater Caucasus, and 1200-1400 mm/year in Lankaran.
Vegetation: The territory of Azerbaijan is rich with flora -
4300 species of flowering and non-flowering plants. All the species of
plants growing in Azerbaijan can be classified into 125 families (the
total number of plant families in the Caucuses is 156 and 920 genera (there
are à total of 1286 genera in the Caucasus). The total area covered
by is 989.5 thousand ha. - about 11.4 percent of the country. Forests
are not equally distributed over the territory of Azerbaijan. In the Greater
Caucasus the forests occupy 48.8 percent of the land, in the Lesser Caucasus
34.2 percent, in Talish mountains 14.5 percent, in the Kyur-Araz lowlands
2.5 percent, and in Nakhchivan 0.5 percent of the land area.
Fauna: In Azerbaijan, the animal world is rich and diverse with
many relic, endemic and rare animals. Fauna has been formed under the
influence of various centers of speciation. There are approximately 18
thousand animal species - at least 14 thousand insect species, more than
1100 arachnids, and over 600 species of vertebrates. Of these, 14 species
of mammals, 36 birds, 13 amphibians and reptiles,
5 fishes and 40 insects are listed as endangered in the Red Book, which
was last updated in the early 1990. The Caspian Sea coast is à key north-south
migratory corridor for mammals, as well as an important destination area,
for wintering-over, breeding and nesting.
It has à unique hydrofauna -fishes in particular, but including at least
one endangered marine mammal species.
Key environmental problems and action priorities
The main environmental problems identified by the NEAP (NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL
ACTION PLAN) teams include: resources of the nation, particularly in
- Severe pollution damage caused by industries, oil exploration and
production, and energy;
- Threat of irreversible collapse of the sturgeon stock triggered by
loss of reproductive ñàðàñity, pollution,
and overfishing;
- Deteriorating water quality, especially of drinking water, both in
rural and urban areas, causing increase of water born diseases;
- Loss of fertile agricultural land from erosion, salinization, pollution
with heavy metals and chemicals, and deteriorating irrigation systems;
loss of forestry cover, mainly in war-affected areas; and threats to
protected areas leading to losses in biodiversity;
- Damage to the Caspian coastal zone caused by flooding from sea level
rise and pollution.
Deterioration of the cultural heritage, due to natural causes,
aggravated by modern environmental problems such as acid rain and uncontrolled
development.
Pollution Damage from Industries, Oil Production, Energy and Transport.
These sectors have been à source of severe
air, water, and soil pollution in Azerbaijan, particularly in Sumgayit
and parts of Baku. The main reasons are outdated technology, malfunctioning
or even lacking end-of-pipe pollution abatement equipment and use of
low quality raw materials generating high pollution emissions and waste.
While pollution decreased as industries declined, there is evidence that
perunit-of-output pollution has increased in many enterprises. Thus, pollution
may rapidly increase as à result of industrial recovery if no measures
are taken to improve the industries' environmental performance.
The actions proposed to mitigate the industrial damage are based on
country's strategic considerations and include the following: in the industrial
sector, upgrading emission monitoring equipment and leak detection capabilities;
investing in modern technologies, such as, compressor stations and condensation
systems; and cleaning-up critical public health hazards; in the energy
sector, investment in new equipment and control devices; and introducing
new, efficient technologies; in transport, investment in new buses and
trucks; restricting passenger car-traffic in central Baku; and increasing
taxes on leaded fuel.
Threat of Irreversible loss of Sturgeon Stock.
The seven species of sturgeon in the Caspian Sea are the among the
oldest fish species still living on earth. They have very high value as
consumption fish, sources of medicinal products, and, above all, as the
source of 90 percent of all black caviar produced in the world. The natural
habitat for spawning sturgeon in rivers largely disappeared during 1950s
with the construction of dams, and sturgeon are currently hatched in some
20 hatcheries in Russia, Kazakhstan, Iran and Azerbaijan. Many of these
hatcheries have been seriously damaged by flooding, and unless hatchery
production is increased, the sturgeon stock faces extinction. Any strategy
to save sturgeon should start with the immediate expansion of hatchery
capacities in the Caspian states, as natural reproduction appears to be
incapable of maintaining the population under current pressures. In Azerbaijan,
the annual production capacity of the existing hatcheries should be increased
to 15 million fry by refurbishing and expanding the facilities. The country
must also take steps to strengthen regional cooperation on fisheries management.
Fishery laws and regulations should be reviewed and revised to reflect
the changing economy, and the appropriate International Conventions signed.
Water Quality.
Water resources are critical for the country's economy. Water resources
are limited and losses during distribution are high - reaching 50 percent
in agriculture, which accounts for the 70 percent of the total water usage.
Piped drinking water is available to less than 50 percent of the population,
and many areas experience drinking water shortages. Steps to protect water
quality and improve water resources management should be incorporated
into all sectoral strategies. Special attention needs to be given to the
drinking water problems, because of the general increase in the number
of water borne diseases. In the medium- and long-term, water resources
should be safeguarded through investment in municipal sewage treatment
plants along the Kyur river and in industrial
wastewater purification and recycling systems. Instituting à maintenance
program to reduce the losses in the pipe system in urban areas is also
à very high priority (it is included in the World Bank's Greater Baku
water supply project).
Impacts of the Rising Caspian Water Level.
Since 1978, the water level of the sea has risen almost 2.5 meters,
and extensive flooding damage has occurred along Azerbaijan's coast due
to the relative flatness of the terrain and dense coastal development.
Fortunately, since the onset of the NEAP in 1996, the water level has
declined slightly. This has significantly altered the relative order of
priority actions in the NEAP as protection measures are less urgent, and
there is some time to develop à coastal zone
protection plan before new areas are flooded.
Damages that have already been incurred are pervasive with substantial
social, environmental and economic costs. Damage is on-going in some areas
because of wave action and significantly
higher groundwater levels. À total of 807 km2 of land
has been flooded. An additional 460 km2
will be flooded if the Caspian rises another 1.5 m.- à level that is within
the forecasts to year 2010.
About 50 actions are recommended to be
undertaken in order to address existing damages and prevent new damages.
The total cost of all these actions could reach several hundred million
US dollars. The NEAP team therefore developed à framework to prioritise
actions, applying the following criteria: (i) extent of social
and human impacts; (ii) irreversible loss of natural resources; and (iii)
economic impacts. Immediate priorities include: (i) relocation of infrastructure
and households in the affected regions of Neftchala, Lankaran, and Astara;
(ii) prevention of secondary pollution of the sea from oil-related activities;
(iii) restoration, relocation or protection of infrastructure of national
importance, such as critical land-based transportation links.
Degradation of Agricultural Land, Loss of Forestry and Biodiversity.
About half of the country's land resources are being used for agriculture.
Some 1.2 million ha is affected by high salinity; many soils are exhausted
by years of poor agricultural practices and policies; and many areas are
damaged by erosion. Loss of productive land in some locations is resulting
increased pressure on fragile lands and resources in other locations.
Azerbaijan possesses à very diversified flora
and fauna, with some species having considerable commercial value. Many
of these species are threatened or endangered. The country established
à network of 14 strict preserves and 20 state reserves, but they do not
include many critical sites and species, and their effectiveness
has dramatically decreased due to lack of funds. Forest lands, in particular,
are declining at an alarming rate.
Many of these land degradation issues have no immediate solution and
need to be addressed as part of the long-term restructuring of the various
sectors. Some immediate efforts can be made, however, such as establishing
appropriate legal directives that define prohibited agrochemicals, banning
their importation and storage, and instituting appropriate
sanctions. Êåó international agreements should be signed, such as the
Biodiversity Convention, in order to access the bilateral funding available
to co-operating countries. Funds for management and operation of reserves
and parks also need to be increased.
Cultural Heritage.
Azerbaijan has à long pre-history, dating
back to the Paleolithic. Many of Azerbaijan's historical sites are in
à serious state of disrepair or deterioration, however. Some of the architectural
monuments are structurally damaged and unsound. À number of monuments
are currently under Armenian control and their condition is uncertain.
These sites have survived for enormous periods of time, but natural phenomena,
such as wind, rain, and earthquakes are eroding the sites, and
their effect is being aggravated by acid rain, air pollution, and other
human-induced environmental problems.
The condition of the key cultural and
historical sites needs to be assessed and à protection program developed
for them. Taking into account the current shortage of funds in
the country, this program must be integrated into the framework of on-going
economic development and conservation management plans. Sources of human
and economic capital need to be identified for restoration.
NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION PLAN
State Committee on Ecology and Control of Natural Resources Utilization
Baku, 1998
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