Acting Director General of the Institute of Geography, PhD, Associate Professor Zaur Imrani, noted in an interview with AZERTAC that the institute's 80-year development is an important milestone for geographical science in Azerbaijan, and provided detailed information on the work accomplished and the upcoming scientific and practical goals. Zaur Imrani noted that the Institute of Geography is currently conducting scientific research on global climate change, meteorological processes, synoptic phenomena, water resources and their assessments, fluctuations in the Caspian Sea level, geomorphological and paleogeographic studies, structural differences in industry, the dynamics of agricultural development, transport infrastructure, tourism and recreational potential, the demographic situation, migration flows, the intensity of natural disasters, ecogeographical problems, medical and geographical conditions, and other areas.
In addition, the Institute of Geography participates in projects on the study of natural resources, the scientific justification of nature management, the organization of environmental protection, environmental education of society, the effective territorial organization of industrial areas, territorial-production complexes, social infrastructure, the organization of tourism and recreational work, investment attractiveness and forms of integration, political and geographical issues, and other areas.
He noted that during the 80-year activity of the Institute of Geography, this scientific institution was headed by Hadi Aliyev (1945-1948), Enver Shikhlinski (1948-1951), Aliabbas Madatzade (1951-1957), Gasim Gul (1957-1964), Saleh Rustamov (1964-1967), Hasan Aliyev (1967-1988), Budag Budagov (1988-2012), Ramiz Mammadov (2012-2021).
"The establishment of the Institute of Geography in Azerbaijan was a period of extensive development in all branches of geographical science. Although in the early years, none of the staff held an academic degree, in 1947, of the 20 people working at the institute, 11 received the title of candidate of science. Over the course of more than eighty years, three of the institute's staff members were awarded the title of full member of ANAS, three were awarded the title of corresponding member of ANAS, 39 were awarded the title of doctor of science in geography, and 204 were awarded the title of doctor of philosophy (candidate of science) in geography. During this period, 374 doctoral and dissertation candidates were educated at the institute," the scientist said.
Zaur Imrani added that after the restoration of the state independence of the Republic of Azerbaijan, activities of the Institute of Geography mainly leaned on important scientific problems: the development models of the nature of Azerbaijan; the study of natural resources and their ecological and geographical characteristics, the assessment of agroclimatic resources against the background of climate change, economic and geographical problems of production, social infrastructure and territorial organization of the population, structural and regional problems of the republic, desertification processes; the study of factors causing fluctuations in the level and ecological state of the Caspian Sea.
