N.A.Pashayev, Z.N.Eminov, N.G. Eyubov
Institute of Geography named after acad. H.A.Aliyev of ANAS 31, av. H. Javid, Baku, AZ 1143
Key words: The Caspian Sea, development, socio-economic problems
Introduction.The coasts of the oceans and seas, deltas and valleys of rivers, plains, foothills of mountains have favorable natural-geographical conditions and economic and geographical position and are the most densely populated areas. The increase in demographic pressure, the rapid increase in the objects of the material and social infrastructure, is not only a cause of environmental tension and risk, but also a significant complication in the rational organization of productive forces on a global, regional and national scale, which sometimes leads to problems of their management.
Materials and methods of research.
Natural resources potential, demographic problems of Caspian Sea ‘coastal region of Azerbaijan and contemporary development problems and its solutions ways have been studied. For this purposes, the following methods such as collecting of statistical data and analyzing of them, systematic approach and scientific literature, as well as case study has been carried out.
The main sources of information on the rural population and demographic indicators were data from the State Statistics Committee of the Republic by districts[1, 2, 3, 4, 5].
The Caspian coast of Azerbaijan with a length of 825 km, having a favorable economic-geographical position, natural conditions and resources, is a well-developed and populated region of the republic and cover the territories of Khachmaz, Shabran, Siyazan, Salyan, Neftchala, Masally, Lenkaran and Astara, Sumgayit town, Baku (Big Baku), but is more than 13% of the country (about 14.65 thousand km2). In this region live 3858.4 thousand people or 39.3% of the population of the republic (2017).
Discussing topic. The majority of the population is urban and lives in 14 cities, 102 townships and 655 villages. By the level of concentration of the population in the region four areas are distinguished: Khachmaz-Siyazan, Absheron (Sumgayit-Big Baku), Salyan-Neftchala, Masally-Lenkaran (Table 1).
Table 1
Demographic and resettlement indicators of the Caspian region of Azerbaijan
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
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.
References:
1. Azərbaycanın əhalisi - 2008. 2017. Bakı, DSK, 97 s.
2. Azərbaycanın sənayesi – 2010. 2017. Bakı, DSK, 580 s.
3. 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.