Editing Economy of Azerbaijan (section)

==Sectors of the economy==

===Agriculture===
{{Main|Agriculture in Azerbaijan}}
Azerbaijan has the largest agricultural basin in the region. About 54.9 percent of Azerbaijan is agricultural lands. At the beginning of 2007 there were {{Convert|4.76|e6ha|e6acre|sigfig=3|abbr=off}} of utilized agricultural area.<ref name="AG">{{cite web|title=Natural resources |publisher=The State Statistical Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan |url=http://www.azstat.org/publications/azfigures/2007/en/003.shtml |access-date=2007-05-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070610085820/http://www.azstat.org/publications/azfigures/2007/en/003.shtml |archive-date=10 June 2007 |url-status=dead }}</ref> In the same year, the total wood resources counted {{Convert|136|e6m3|e6yd3|sigfig=3|abbr=off}}.<ref name="AG"/> Azerbaijan's agricultural scientific research institutes are focused on meadows and pastures, horticulture and [[subtropical]] crops, [[leaf vegetable]]s, [[viticulture]] and [[Azerbaijani wine|wine-making]], cotton growing and [[medicinal plants]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Azerbaijan: Status of Database |publisher=Central Asia and Caucasus Institute |url=http://www.cac-biodiversity.org/aze/aze_database.htm |access-date=28 May 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070320100930/http://www.cac-biodiversity.org/aze/aze_database.htm |archive-date=20 March 2007 }}</ref> In some lands, it is profitable to grow grain, potatoes, [[sugar beet]]s, cotton and tobacco. Livestock, [[dairy product]]s, and wine and [[Distilled beverage|spirits]] are also important farm products. The Caspian [[fishing industry]] is concentrated on the dwindling stocks of [[sturgeon]] and [[Beluga (sturgeon)|beluga]].

Some portions of most products that were previously imported from abroad have begun to be produced locally (among them are Coca-Cola by Coca-Cola Bottlers LTD, beer by Baki-Kastel, parquet by Nehir and oil pipes by EUPEC Pipe Coating Azerbaijan).<ref>{{cite web|title=Industry |publisher=Statistical Yearbook of Azerbaijan 2004 |url=http://www.azstat.org/publications/yearbook/SYA2004/Pdf/18en.pdf |access-date=2007-05-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070202100114/http://www.azstat.org/publications/yearbook/SYA2004/Pdf/18en.pdf |archive-date=2 February 2007 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

A new program which is prepared by the European Union is aimed to supporting the economic diversification of Azerbaijan.<ref>https://ec.europa.eu/neighbourhood-enlargement/news_corner/news/eu4lankaran-%E2%80%93-new-eu-action-boost-rural-and-regional-competitiveness-azerbaijan_en {{Dead link|date=January 2022}}</ref>

===Manufacturing===
[[File:Parad 878.jpg|thumb|[[Marauder (vehicle)|Marauder (Mine Protected Vehicle)]] is manufactured in Azerbaijan.]]
In 2007, mining and hydrocarbon industries accounted for well over 95 percent of the Azerbaijani economy. Diversification of the economy into manufacturing industries remains a long-term issue.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Snow|first1=Nick|title=Azerbaijan looks beyond energy successes for economic growth|url=http://www.ogj.com/articles/2014/04/azerbaijan-looks-beyond-energy-successes-for-economic-growth.html|website=ogj.com|date=30 April 2014 |publisher=[[Oil & Gas Journal]]|access-date=14 August 2014}}</ref>

As of the late 2000s, the defense industry of Azerbaijan has emerged as an autonomous entity with a growing defense production capability. The ministry is cooperating with the defense sectors of Ukraine, Belarus and Pakistan.<ref name="autogenerated1">{{cite news|url=http://www.rferl.org/featuresarticle/2007/02/2b0bdd2d-49a6-4bff-826d-05edefe4dbdb.html|title=Azerbaijan: Baku Signals New Determination For Defense Reform|work=RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty|date=2 February 2012 |access-date=3 March 2015|last1=Giragosian |first1=Richard }}</ref> Along with other contracts, Azerbaijani defense industries and Turkish companies, Azerbaijan will produce 40&nbsp;mm revolver grenade launchers, 107&nbsp;mm and 122&nbsp;mm MLRS systems, Cobra 4×4 vehicles and joint modernization of BTR vehicles in Baku.<ref name="brothership1">{{cite web |url=http://www.news.az/articles/politics/26065 |title=Azerbaijan, Turkey to produce revolver grenade launchers |website=Today.AZ |access-date=3 March 2015}}</ref><ref name="brothership2">[http://en.apa.az/news.php?id=136785 Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Defense Industry plans to assume several projects on technical modernization of Armed Forces] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120402090426/http://en.apa.az/news.php?id=136785 |date=2 April 2012 }}</ref><ref name="brothership3">{{cite web|url=http://www.news.az/articles/politics/25988|title=News.Az{{Snd}} Azerbaijan, Turkey sign contract on joint rocket production|access-date=3 March 2015|archive-date=8 November 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101108063414/http://www.news.az/articles/politics/25988|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="brothership4">[http://en.apa.az/news.php?id=136603 Azerbaijani Defense Industry Ministry conducts negotiations with Turkish "Otokar" Company on production of armored vehicles] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120325182937/http://en.apa.az/news.php?id=136603 |date=25 March 2012 }}</ref>

====Financial and business services====
{{Main|Banking in Azerbaijan}}
The banking sector remains small in relation to the size of the Azerbaijani economy.

====Telecommunications====
{{Main|Communications in Azerbaijan}}

The Azerbaijan telecommunications sector is embroiled in corruption. Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev and his family own two of Azerbaijan's largest mobile providers ([[Nar (company)|Azerfon]] and [[Azercell]]) through offshore companies and potentially control three-quarters of the mobile market in Azerbaijan.<ref name=":4">{{Cite news |last=Ismayilova |first=Khadija |date=2014-07-15 |title=TeliaSonera's Behind-The-Scenes Connection To Azerbaijani President's Daughters |language=en |work=Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |url=https://www.rferl.org/a/teliasonera-azerbaijan-aliyev-corruption-investigation-occrp/25457907.html}}</ref> The third large mobile provider is Bakcell, which is registered as a company in an offshore tax haven and whose owners are unknown.<ref name=":4" /> Ownership of the mobile providers in Azerbaijan enables the ruling Aliyev family to monitor phone calls and internet activity.<ref name=":4" />

Investigative reporting revealed that Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and his family made more than $1 billion when state shares of mobile operators were transferred to a purportedly "local partner" which was in reality owned by the Aliyev family's offshore companies.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2015 |title=Offshores Close to President Paid Nothing for State Share of Telecom - Corruptistan |url=https://www.occrp.org/en/corruptistan/azerbaijan/azerbaijan-telecom/offshores-paid-nothing-for-share-of-state-telecom |website=OCCRP |language=en |access-date=2 January 2024 |archive-date=2 January 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240102163914/https://www.occrp.org/en/corruptistan/azerbaijan/azerbaijan-telecom/offshores-paid-nothing-for-share-of-state-telecom |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Azerbaijan has relatively expensive call rates relative to comparable countries. The high prices are possibly due to consolidated control of the mobile market and a lack of competition.<ref name=":4" />

The Azerbaijan government has stated that it wants to create a high-tech sector in Azerbaijan.<ref>{{cite web|title=Azerbaijan aims for hi-tech state|work=euronews |url=http://www.euronews.net/2010/11/26/azerbaijan-aims-for-hi-tech-state/|publisher=[[Euronews]]|access-date=19 December 2010}}</ref>

====Tourism====
{{See also|Tourism in Azerbaijan}}
[[File:Ancient Azerbaijan 4.jpg|thumb|[[Petroglyphs]] in [[Gobustan State Reserve|Gobustan]] dating back to 10,000&nbsp;BC indicating a thriving culture. It is a UNESCO [[World Heritage Site]] considered to be of "outstanding universal value".]]
Tourism is an important part of the economy of Azerbaijan. The country was a well-known tourist spot in the 1980s. However, the fall of the Soviet Union, and the [[First Nagorno-Karabakh War]] during the 1988–1994 period, damaged the tourist industry and the image of Azerbaijan as a tourist destination.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.osce.org/baku/27857 |title=Rapid Tourism Assessment for the Azerbaijan Tourism Sector Development Program |website=[[Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe]] |access-date=2013-09-09 }}</ref>

It was not until the 2000s that the tourism industry began to recover, and the country has since experienced a high rate of growth in the number of tourist visits and overnight stays.<ref>[http://www.azadliq.org/content/article/388501.html Azərbaycan Qarabağın turizm imkanlarını təbliğ edir] {{in lang|az}}</ref> In recent years, Azerbaijan has also become a popular destination for religious, spa, and health care tourism.<ref name="Baku Boom Has Yet to Hit Regions">{{cite web|last=Ismayilov |first=Rovshan |title=Azerbaijan: Baku Boom Has Yet to Hit Regions |publisher=EurasiaNet |url=http://www.eurasianet.org/departments/insight/articles/eav081307.shtml |access-date=12 August 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070819211953/http://www.eurasianet.org/departments/insight/articles/eav081307.shtml |archive-date=19 August 2007 |url-status=live }}</ref> During winter, the [[Shahdag Winter Complex]] offers skiing.

The [[government of Azerbaijan]] has set the development of Azerbaijan as an elite tourist destination a top priority.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Cree |first1=Richard |title=Azerbaijan on Director magazine |url=http://www.director.co.uk/magazine/2010/7_July_August/azerbaijan_63_11.html |website=director.co.uk |access-date=14 August 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140702121348/http://director.co.uk/MAGAZINE/2010/7_July_August/azerbaijan_63_11.html |archive-date=2 July 2014 }}</ref> It is a national strategy to make tourism a major, if not the single largest, contributor to the Azerbaijani economy.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tourism.az/?menu=1&submenu=12&lang=eng |title=Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Azerbaijan: Goals |publisher=Tourism.az |date=6 February 2004 |access-date=4 January 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101128233315/http://tourism.az/?menu=1&submenu=12&lang=eng |archive-date=28 November 2010 |url-status=live }}</ref> These activities are regulated by the [[State Tourism Agency]] and [[the Ministry of Culture]].
The [[List of Formula One Grands Prix|Formula One Grand Prix]] is held in [[Baku]], the capital city, and has been held here for years.