The ministry of economic development of the republic of azerbaijan rehabilitation and closure of unauthorized dump sites in the greater baku area environmental



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3.5.2. Soils

The diversity of relief, native grounds that came out on the surface, dry climate and soil cover was a reason of generation of soil types.


The weak development of the vegetative cover and the lack of atmospheric precipitation do not create the necessary condition for collection of organic substances in soil. Little collection of vegetation remnants in soil and high temperature lead usually to mineralization. Consequently, the amount of humus in soil is very little all over the Absheron Peninsula.
As the coastal zone has younger relief the soil cover cannot develop properly under the impact of often repeated strong winds. In the majority of Peninsula areas soils are of light mechanical content and are usually weakly developed.
Sand deposits cover the modern coastal line of the Peninsula and they formed a wide and smooth (1.0 – 1.5 km) sea terrace. Small sand hills are encountered on the beaches composed of sand and cockleshells.
Closer to the sea coast, sand prevails in the content of soil. Sandy gray soils develop in the relatively high areas situated between separate hollow places. Soils develop on the Absheron Peninsula over salty and saline beds.
Mainly brown semi-desert, gray-brown and saline soils developed on the Absheron Peninsula. (Aliyev, Volobuyev, 1953).
Brown semi-desert soils are spread in the part of the Peninsula of the plain sea origin. These soils are characterized with granular structure and high carbonate content. These soils also tend to salinisation process. In salty type soils the maximum salt collection is observed in the first layer above 50 cm but in saline type soils it is observed lower than 50 cm layers. Clay amount in salty soils is 67-70%. Sulfate and chlorine acids amounts increase in the profile of these soils in the deeper layers.
Salty gray soils developed in sloping plains. Humus amount in salty gray soils is not more than 1.2%. Salts make up 1.5-2.7% of the total volume. Soils are of prism granular structure. Carbonate content is equal to 2-4% in the upper layer of soils but in deeper layers it is equal to 12-16%. Being characterized as a mixture-passage of brown and gray soils, these soils combine the characteristics of both soils. These soils also contain carbonates. They contain clay in the upper layers. Salinisation of soils begins from the depth of 0.5 m and their water passage ability is weak. Nitrogen amount is from 0.5% to 0.18%, phosphorus changes by 1.4 mg in each 100 g of soil in the upper layer and it decreases in lower layers.
Salt-ridden lands cover wide area on the Peninsula and the role of native beds is great in their formation. Instantly soluble salts generated as a result of weathering are not absorbed by the deeper layers under hot-dry climate conditions thus being a reason for salinisation of the upper layer. Relief plays a leading role in salinisation of soils. The washed salts from relatively higher areas are collected in lower areas and lead to formation of salty soils in these areas.

3.5.3. Contamination status of soils
On the Absheron Peninsula, about 30 thousand ha of land area has been contaminated as a result of oil production during the period of 150 years on the Peninsula and location of oil industry enterprises here. In these areas, carbon-hydrogen could enter the depths of several meters leaking through soil and under soil layer. This problem becomes more difficult because of use of hundreds of equipment, wells installations and oil pumps that are contamination sources. The contaminated soils are of three categories. The first category comprises the soils contaminated by oil products. According to the information received from SOCAR, the following is included in the first category:
- contaminated soils less than 900 ha (up to 10 cm)

- medium contaminated 2000 ha soils (up to 25 cm)

- contaminated soils more than 3356 ha (deeper than 25 cm)

- 4690 ha soils completely contaminated by oil waste

- 197 ha soils completely left under bitumen.
The second category includes the soils contaminated by industrial, construction and domestic waste (waste landfills). This category covers an area of approximately 1000 ha.
The third category includes open dug sites for different work (quarries, sand-pits, etc.), pipes, etc. This category covers an area of approximately 8000 ha.
Another reason of contamination is high concentration of heavy metals. Sometimes the concentration of heavy metals here is 50 times more than the international standards. As the majority of the contaminated soils are around the city centre, significance of the problem increases. This is connected with the fact that the need for empty areas for construction of residential complexes increased due to the economic development. To eliminate this problem, Government of Azerbaijan began the implementation of work related to soil regulation and rehabilitation in the framework of the State Ecological Programme (SEP) approved by the Order # 1697 of President of Azerbaijan dated September 28, 2006. The other component of SEP is the World Bank supported Programme of Ecological Rehabilitation of Absheron (PERA). The 1st sub-component of PERA – Project of Contaminated Areas Rehabilitation – envisages cleaning-up of former two iodine production areas and 1000 ha oil production area. The 3rd PERA sub-component – Project on Wide Scale Cleaning-Up of Oil Contaminated Soils – envisages cleaning up of 2000 ha contaminated area within 5 years with 60 million USD financial support.
Oil and gas extraction site, shopping centre, industrial enterprises, many concrete producing plants and other industrial entities, highway and roads to the enterprises and residential areas located in the area under study and close to it are a reason of different type contamination of soil cover in the area.

3.6. FLORA AND VEGETATION

3.6.1. FLORA

Out of 4160 plant species registered in Azerbaijan 729 species are spread on the Absheron Peninsula including 426 species of annual grasses, 252 species of multi-year grasses, 27 species of small bushes and 24 species of bushes.


Flora content has been represented by more than 90 types of vegetation species for desert and semi-desert complexes. Particularly, flowering plants (Compositae), mayetiola (Poaidae) and four-petaled flowers (Cruciferae) families are more often met here. The variety of other families is less. The seasonal development dynamics and characteristics was in relation to the vegetation duration and situation and are conditioned by their edificators.
The following plant species included in the “Red Book” of Azerbaijan grow on the Peninsula: Stipa pellita, Avena ventricosa, Ammochloa palaestina, İris acutiloba, Ophris caucasica, Anabasis brachiata

3.6.2. VEGETATION

It is necessary to note that the desert vegetation cover has nor been distributed zonally, they are encountered fragmentarily on the Peninsula and are spread in separate areas.


The vegetation cover is divided into the following types relevant to the relief of the Peninsula: wormwood-ephemeral, wormwood-saline, ephemeral semi-desert and their complexes.

Wormwood develops in semi-desert salted, slightly salted and saline gray and grayish brown soils. Ephemeral plants in typical wormwood phytocenosis include Poa bulbosa and a number of annual ephemers, cereals, four petal flowers, Lamiales, etc.


Phytocenosis composition relevantly changes depending on the mechanical and chemical composition of salt in soils, humidity and other similar factors. In slightly saline soils, mainly ephemeral plants are considerably developed where ephemeral cereals and Poa bulbosa, Vizviz goatgrasses, Aegilops squarosa, A.cylindrica, Eremopyrum triticeum, E.orientale and other similar plants considerably prevail.
Representation of various grass species in plant associations is very characteristic for the vegetation cover of the area. Grasses like white germanders (Teucrium polium), desert gold-dust (Allysum desertorum), Chamaemelum praecos are found here.

Swamp and bush-meadow plants develop in hollows, humid hollow places and around small lakes. They spread around the Masazyr and Haji-Hasan lakes and in little areas around the Boyuk Shor Lake in the form of narrow strip. The following formations of these plants prevail here: Giant reedy (Phragmites communis); Giant reedy-rushy (Phragmites communis, Bolboschoenus maritimus); rushy (Bolboschoenus maritimus); swamp grass (Carex sp. dir.); spiny rush (Juncus acutus, J. litoralis)


Small number of desert and semi-desert plant species develop in rocky – precipitous, stony height peaks covered with lime-stone. Shrub like Ehedra distachya grows in the cracks of rock plates and between stony bed remnants.
As oil industry and residential complexes developed in that area, semi-desert and desert plants are used as pastures only on preserved virgin lands.

3.7. FAUNA

There is sufficient literature information about the fauna diversity of the Absheron Peninsula (amphibians - batrachofauna, reptiles - herpetofauna and mammals - teriofauna) barədə kifayət qədər ədəbiyyat məlumatları vardır. Elmi ədəbiyyat məlumatlarına görə ərazinin:


Batrachofauna (Amphibians) consists of 2 species: Bufo viridis and.Rana ridibunda.
Herpetofauna (Reptiles) consists of 3 groups comprising 14 species: Testudo graeca, Cyrtopodion caspius, Eumeces schneyderi, Stellio caucasius, Ophisops elegans, Eremias velox, Eremias arguta, Typhlopidae vermicularis, Eryx jaculus, Natrix tessellata Laurenti, Eirenis collaris, Telescopus fallax, Molpolon monspessulanus, Macrovipera lebetina obtusa.
Mammals /Mamalia/. There are 23 species of mammals in Absheron residential areas including the species mentioned below:

Hemiechinus auritus, Rhinolophidae hipposideros, R. ferrumedinus, Barbastella leucomelas, Vespertilio pipistrellus, V. kühli kühli, V. sorotinus

Allactaga williamsi,. A.elater, A.sylvatucus, Rattus norvegius, R. Rattus, Mus musculus L. Cricetulus migratorius Pallas. Meriones erytrourus Gray.

Lepus europeus, ­Oryctolagus cuniculus

Canis lupus, Canis auerus, Vulpus vulpus, Mustella nivalis, Vermela peregusna,

Phoca caspica
Birds. According to the information from literature 236 bird species were registered in Absheron-Gobustan. 33 species of them (Pelicanus crispus, P.onocrotalus, Phalacrocorax pygmaeus, Platalea leucorodia, Phoenicopterus roseus, Cygnus olor, C.beviskki, Anser erytropus, Branta ruficollis, Marmaronetta angustirostris,Aythya nyroca, Oxyura leucosephala, Pandion heliaetus, Haliaeetus albisilla, Circus macrourus, Aegipius monachus, Aguila rapax, A.chrusoetos, A.clanga, A.heliaca, Circaetus gallicus, Porphyrio porphyrio, Otis tarda, Tetrax tetrax, Chettusia gregaria, Numuneus tenuirostris, Gallinago media, Clareola nordmanni, Pterocles orientalis, Falco cherrug, F.biarmicus, F.peregrinus, F.naumanni) are in the Red Book of Azerbaijan and IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Besides, Absheron-Gobustan is located on the migration route of many bird species. During migration the majority of birds fly to the southern part of the Caspian Sea for wintering.
Water and coastal birds create big gatherings especially in the shallow waters of the Caspian Sea when they fly through Absheron-Gobustan and during wintering there. The birds species belonging to Laridae (gulls) family are nesting in a big number on Absheron and Baku archipelago islands. Shallow waters of the Caspian Sea are a dwelling place of a great number of water birds of international importance during migration and wintering.

3.8. SPECIALLY PROTECTED NATURE AREAS

Specially protected nature areas (SPNA) have been established and function in order to protect the existing natural complexes and study the development of natural processes and events. They usually include nature reserves, national parks, sunctuaries and nature monuments.


At present, the total area of SPNA in Azerbaijan is 925.2 thousand ha (847 thousand ha – land area or 9.8% of the land area of the country, 78.2 thousand ha is offshore area). There are 11 nature reserves, 8 national parks, 25 sunctuaries and many nature monuments (37 paleonthology/geological entities, 4.5 thousand ha of relict/reference forest areas, 2083 different trees aged more than 100 years) in the country that function.
3 SPNA’s are located in the Greater Baku area: State Nature Reserve of Baku and the Absheron Peninsula Mud Volcanoes Group, Absheron National Park and Binagadi Paleonyhological Nature Monument.

3.8.1. State Nature Reserve of Baku and the Absheron Peninsula Mud Volcanoes Group
Mud volcanoes are mostly developed in the eastern part of Absheron, South and Central Gobustan and in the south-eastern part of Caspian plain joined with the Caspian Sea. (Fig. 3.4).
52 mud volcanoes received a status of state natural reserve as a result of establishment of “State Natural Reserve of Baku and the Absheron Peninsula Mud Volcanoes Group” based on the Order of President of Azerbaijan Republic # 2315 dated August 15, 2007 in order to organise elimination of the anthopogenic impact on mud volcanoes located in Baku and the Absheron Peninsula and their protection, protection of these natural resources taking into account the great scientific and practical value of study of their activities and their disposal to future generations, promotion of the natural heritage of Azerbaijan in a wide range.
Inventory was carried out in the reserve covering 20 thousand ha, map-scheme and schematic geological maps were produced through determination of the area boundaries, the real status of those mud volcanoes which suffered mostly from the human activities (Pirakushkul, Keyraki, Garadagh, Dashgil, Bozdagh, Gobu, Hokməli, etc.) was assessed, organisational work on their protection, comprehensive study from the scientific point of view and prevention of construction work at these sites was carried out.
Lokbatan mud volcano is located 15 km to the south – east of Baku, on the Caspian Sea coast, Lokbatan oil field area of Garadagh district. It consists of two dome-type heights on the volcano peak (Fig 3.4). A spiracle site is located between these two heights.

Figure 3.4. A map-scheme of mud volcanoes of Azerbaijan
This volcano is relatively 130 m above the land surface, its absolute height is 98 m. All eruptions are accompanied by burning of gases, flame height reaching sometimes 300-400 m, coming out a lot of volcano breakages on the land surface and its spreading 200-300 m alongside a slope (volcano breakage cover embraces a territory of 425 ha). Lokbatan, a “World record” holder in the number of eruptions, is the most active mud volcano in Azerbaijan. Since 1829 it has erupted 23 times. Last time, the volcano erupted on February 4, 2010 and spread yellowish mud mass over the territory of 1.5 ha.

Figure 3.5. Lokbatan mud volcano
There are Keyraki, Abykh, Ziyselperi, Kechaldagh and Kichikdagh mud volcanoes in the area of Binagadi district. Keyraki mud volcano erupted in 1830 first time. So far, the volcano has erupted 14 times, the strongest of which took place on August 4, 1952 and lasted for 4 hours when about 400.000 m3 of volcano breakages came out on the land surface covering the area of 30 ha. Last eruption took place on June 26, 2001, its height reached 15-20 m. (Fig. 3.6).

Figure 3.6. Keyraki mud volcano

3.8.2. Absheron National Park

Absheron National Park was founded in accordance with the Order of President of Azerbaijan Republic #622 dated February 8, 2005 in the area of 783 ha on the administrative territory of Khazar district of Baku, on the basis of Absheron State Natural Reserve. The National Park is located at the south-eastern end of the Absheron Peninsula, in Shah Dil area. (Fig. 3.7).

Figure 3.7. Abşeron NP
The main reason of the National Park establishment is protection and rehabilitation of the natural complexes and entities, threatened rare species of fauna (Caspian seal, crested diver, silver gull, green-head duck, etc.), development of ecotourism, implementation of ecological monitoring and ecological education of the population. In the National Park, the area of application of legal regime of special protection (protection regime) is 381 ha, and that of tourism and recreation is 402 ha.
At the sandy site of the Caspian Sea coast, semi-desert and bald area moderate hot climatic type prevails. The vegetative cover species content  in the National Park is too little, sand plants, weed and reedy meadow, one-year salt grass are spread on the sea coast.
Fauna of the National Park is rich. From amphibians: lake frog, green toad, from reptiles: turtles, Caucasian pangolin, Caspian gecko, snake-eyed lizard, colourful lizard, fast lizard, collared racer (xaltalı eyrenis), water-snake, adder, etc., from birds: silver gull, mute swan, gray and red-headed gooses, pintail, green-head duck, white-eyed black duck, crested diver, great egret, sand snipe, coot, Western Marsh Harrier, and etc., from mammals: gazelle, wolf, jackal, wild cat, racoon, hedgehog, fox, badger, hare are settled here.
Different species of rare fishes and Caspian seal included in the International Red List are spread in the Caspian Sea. The Caspian seal is the only representative of this type of pinnipeds that is included in the Guinness Book of Records.

3.8.3. Binagadi State Paleontological Nature Monument

Binagadi State Paleontological (Pleystocene Fauna area/graveyard) Nature Monument is located in the Centre of the Absheron Peninsula, Baku city, in the vicinity of Binagadi village (1 km to the south – east), in the area of Khirda – Girrar hill, 45 km above sea level


These ancient fauna remnants were discovered in 1938 by Mastanzade A.S., geologist when carrying out excavations in bitumen (asphalt, strongly condensed and hardened oil) deposits/layers. In the collection gathered from Binagadi bitumen of fauna remnants, more than 120 species of insects, 2 species of reptiles out of, 1 species of amphibians, 110 species of birds, 43 species of mammals remnants have been examined.

The discoveries prove that the Absheron Peninsula possessed rich fauna and flora diversity in the Pleystocene. It is also of great importance in solution of actual problems of fauna and flora history of the Caucasus, Middle Asian and Eastern European paleo-fauna.


The Binagadi Fauna Area is one of the richest monuments in the world in terms of the quantity of animal remnants, biological diversity and maintenance quality. Even the 35 thousand years old Upper Pleystocene fauna that was discovered in the bitumen layers of the famous Los Angeles “La Brea Tar Pits” (California) is too younger than the Binagadi paleofauna.

3.9. THE SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS OF GREATER BAKU

The review of the contemporary state of social and economic characteristics of Greater Baku is based on analysis and assessment of information from the Baku city Office of Statistics under the State Statistical Committee and Baku city Health Department of the Ministry of Health.


Background. The area of Greater Baku is 2130 k m2, i.e. 2.46% of the entire territory of RA. The city’s population size is 2064.9 thousand people (01.01.2010), 23% of the country population. The population density is 969 people per square kilometer.
The population size and demographic particularities. The Greater Baku was populated by 2.064.917 people as at the beginning of 2011. In addition, the city was the place of settlement for 92 142 refugees from 18 306 families and 179 245 internally displaced people – from 42 492 families. The gender difference in Greater Baku at present is almost equal. The specific weight of males in the population is 49 %, females – 51 %.
The population growth trends demonstrate stability – 285.4 thousand people increase from 2000. Since 2009 such figures grew by 25.2 thousand people, including natural growth rates of 21 249, which shows that the annual population growth as per thousand was more than 10 people.
The Baku population is fairly young: children up to 14 years of age constitute 19.2 % (396.5 thousand people), between 15 and 17 years of age - 5 % (104.4 thousand people) and adults up to 35 years of age – 67 % of the population. The national composition of Greater Baku population is as follows: Azerbaijanis–88 %, Russians – 6.7 %, Ukrainians – 1.4 %, Tatars – 1.9 %, Lezgins - 1.5 %
Education. As at the beginning of 2011 of 365 preschool institutions operating in Greater Baku (down 13.5 % compared to 2005), 360 were state and 5 non-state preschools that have provided education to 38.3 thousand children in total (down 1.5 % compared to 2005). The number of children per 100 seats was 83 (in 2005 - 69 children; in 2008- 72 children, in 2009- 77 children).
As at the beginning of the academic year of 2010/2011 there were 22 state and 3 non-state secondary vocational schools operating in Greater Baku (40 % of overall number of such schools in the country), where the number of admitted students was 8031, the number of graduates-6956, and the number of attending students - 25 515 people . As at the beginning of the academic year of 2010/2011 there were 41 higher institutions operating in Greater Baku, where the number of admitted students was 22603, the number of graduates-24950, and the number of attending students - 109510 people .
The education level of population is high - 914 of 1000 people aged 15 and above have higher and secondary-level education, of whom people with higher education number 117, secondary vocational education – 118 and secondary-level education – 679.
Science. The number of scientific and research institutions operating in Baku was 116. The number of persons employed to perform scientific and research activities was 14 511 of whom more than 50 % (7983 people) were women. Apart from this, 10 375 people, of whom 4977 were women, had performed scientific and pedagogical activities at higher educational institutions.
In 2009 989 people were enrolled in preparatory studies for PHD degrees (in 2005: 1359 people) and the number of admitted students was 42 (in 2005: 457 people) the graduates - 545 people (in 2005: 293 people).
Culture. The social infrastructure of the city plays a significant role in meeting population needs for social and cultural involvements. Baku city residents used services of 112 public libraries with 9.88 mln books and magazines at the disposal of readers, 32 museums, 11 professional theatre clubs (visited by 302.5 mln. people in 2009) and 8 concert halls (visited by 126 mln. people in 2009) as well as 60 cultural events centers and clubs with seats for 15.5 thousand people in audience and lecture halls, 100 culture and recreation parks.
Sports. 150 thousand people go in for sports and physical exercises in Baku. Among sports and leisure centers are 2 Olympic complexes, 1500 –seat and larger capacity 14 stadiums, other 27 stadiums with seats for less than 1500 people, 97 sports facilities, educational institutions with 437 sports halls,27 swimming pools, 47 shooting ranges.

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