Tagged: Azerbaijan

According to physicscat, in 2013, Azerbaijan was a rapidly developing nation with a population of almost 9.7 million people. The country is located at the crossroads of Eastern Europe and Western Asia, making it an important hub for trade and culture. Azerbaijan’s economy was growing rapidly with a GDP of $77 billion, ranking it 73rd in the world. The capital Baku is a vibrant city full of modern architecture, shopping malls and luxury hotels. Azerbaijani culture is a mix of influences from its neighbours; many festivals feature traditional folk music, dance and art while modern music concerts are also popular. Azerbaijani cuisine is varied and includes dishes such as dolma (stuffed vegetables) and pilaf (rice cooked with herbs). Sport plays an important role in Azerbaijani life; wrestling tournaments are held throughout the year while football (soccer) is widely enjoyed by spectators. In 2013, Azerbaijan hosted several major international events such as the Islamic Solidarity Games which attracted athletes from over 50 countries to compete in various sports. The country has strong links to its neighbours through trade links and membership of organisations such as the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). Azerbaijan in 2014 was a country of contrasts and contradictions. Situated at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, it was a nation that had experienced both great success as well as great suffering in its short history. In 2014, Azerbaijan was a rapidly developing nation with one of the fastest growing economies in the world, yet it was still plagued by ongoing political and social issues. Politically, Azerbaijan was ruled by an autocratic government which had been in power since 1993. The government had been accused of human rights abuses and corruption, particularly within its security services. Despite this, the government enjoyed strong support from many Azeris who believed that it had brought stability to their country after years of conflict with neighboring Armenia over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region. Economically, Azerbaijan had made tremendous progress since gaining independence in 1991. Its economy grew at an average rate of 9% between 2004-2008 due to strong oil exports and other natural resources such as natural gas. It also enjoyed increasing levels of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) which helped to drive economic growth even further. By 2014, it had become one of the fastest growing economies in the world with GDP per capita reaching $14,400 USD per annum – placing it amongst some of the wealthiest former Soviet countries such as Russia and Kazakhstan. Despite these successes there were still many challenges facing Azerbaijan in 2014; poverty levels remained high with estimates suggesting that approximately one third of all Azeris lived below poverty line; unemployment rose above 8%; income inequality widened; corruption remained endemic; and access to healthcare for many rural communities was still limited. Additionally, freedom of speech and expression were restricted by law which resulted in many journalists being arrested or harassed for their work. Overall, Azerbaijan in 2014 was a country which boasted impressive economic growth yet still faced numerous political and social challenges that threatened to derail its development going forward into 2015 and beyond. Check areacodesexplorer for Azerbaijan History.