Naftalan
Encyclopedia
Naftalan is a sahar
(city) in Azerbaijan
, surrounded by the rayon
of Goranboy. It is on an agricultural plain near the Lesser Caucasus Mountains
. The word naftalan also means a petroleum product which can be obtained there.
The word Naftalan, can be traced to the Greek
word "naphtha
" ("νάφθα"), meaning pertaining to oil
, and the Azerbaijani
suffix "-alan", which is of the verb "to take" (and literally meaning "oil buyer").
It is the center of a unique petroleum industry
, with a grade of oil referred to as "Naftalan". While Naftalan crude oil is too heavy for normal export uses (unlike Azerbaijan's plentiful Caspian Sea
oil), it contains about 50 percent naphthalene
, a hydrocarbon
that is the active ingredient in coal tar soaps, which are used to treat psoriasis
. As such, it is only used for medicinal purposes. People using the oil generally sit in a bath and are covered in oil up to their necks (see petroleum spas below).
noted them. The oil in the area was known to people as far as China
and India
, and was traded by caravans throughout countries of the Near East
. Modern use of the oil has dated to the 1870s under Czarist Russia
. By 1912, a German
joint-stock company was founded to export and trade the oil, which was used as a treatment in the Russo-Japanese War
. Research on the properties of the oil continues to be done at Azerbaijan Medical University
and the Scientific Arthritis Center of Azerbaijan.
spa
s (or "oil spas"), once popular vacation spots of the Soviet Union
that are making a return in popularity. Oil from these spas is claimed to be an effective treatment against psoriasis, arthritis
and rheumatism
. At the height of their Soviet-era popularity, the spas in Naftalan had 75,000 visitors a year. The combination of violent ethnic conflict in nearby Nagorno-Karabakh
and the end of Soviet-sponsored free trips brought the industry to its knees in the late-1980s. All but one of the older spas were converted into refugee
housing. The naphthalene in the oil gives it therapeutic properties, however it is not clear whether it may also be a carcinogen
. The remaining spa, the Naftalan Therapeutic Center, had 1,000-beds. New spas are planned to attract tourists.
Administrative divisions of Azerbaijan
Politically, Azerbaijan is divided into:*59 districts ,*11 cities ,*1 autonomous republic , which itself contains:**7 districts**1 city...
(city) in Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan , officially the Republic of Azerbaijan is the largest country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to...
, surrounded by the rayon
Raion
A raion is a type of administrative unit of several post-Soviet countries. The term, which is from French rayon 'honeycomb, department,' describes both a type of a subnational entity and a division of a city, and is commonly translated in English as "district"...
of Goranboy. It is on an agricultural plain near the Lesser Caucasus Mountains
Caucasus Mountains
The Caucasus Mountains is a mountain system in Eurasia between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea in the Caucasus region .The Caucasus Mountains includes:* the Greater Caucasus Mountain Range and* the Lesser Caucasus Mountains....
. The word naftalan also means a petroleum product which can be obtained there.
The word Naftalan, can be traced to the Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
word "naphtha
Naphtha
Naphtha normally refers to a number of different flammable liquid mixtures of hydrocarbons, i.e., a component of natural gas condensate or a distillation product from petroleum, coal tar or peat boiling in a certain range and containing certain hydrocarbons. It is a broad term covering among the...
" ("νάφθα"), meaning pertaining to oil
Oil
An oil is any substance that is liquid at ambient temperatures and does not mix with water but may mix with other oils and organic solvents. This general definition includes vegetable oils, volatile essential oils, petrochemical oils, and synthetic oils....
, and the Azerbaijani
Azerbaijani language
Azerbaijani or Azeri or Torki is a language belonging to the Turkic language family, spoken in southwestern Asia by the Azerbaijani people, primarily in Azerbaijan and northwestern Iran...
suffix "-alan", which is of the verb "to take" (and literally meaning "oil buyer").
It is the center of a unique petroleum industry
Petroleum industry
The petroleum industry includes the global processes of exploration, extraction, refining, transporting , and marketing petroleum products. The largest volume products of the industry are fuel oil and gasoline...
, with a grade of oil referred to as "Naftalan". While Naftalan crude oil is too heavy for normal export uses (unlike Azerbaijan's plentiful Caspian Sea
Caspian Sea
The Caspian Sea is the largest enclosed body of water on Earth by area, variously classed as the world's largest lake or a full-fledged sea. The sea has a surface area of and a volume of...
oil), it contains about 50 percent naphthalene
Naphthalene
Naphthalene is an organic compound with formula . It is a white crystalline solid with a characteristic odor that is detectable at concentrations as low as 0.08 ppm by mass. As an aromatic hydrocarbon, naphthalene's structure consists of a fused pair of benzene rings...
, a hydrocarbon
Hydrocarbon
In organic chemistry, a hydrocarbon is an organic compound consisting entirely of hydrogen and carbon. Hydrocarbons from which one hydrogen atom has been removed are functional groups, called hydrocarbyls....
that is the active ingredient in coal tar soaps, which are used to treat psoriasis
Psoriasis
Psoriasis is an autoimmune disease that appears on the skin. It occurs when the immune system mistakes the skin cells as a pathogen, and sends out faulty signals that speed up the growth cycle of skin cells. Psoriasis is not contagious. However, psoriasis has been linked to an increased risk of...
. As such, it is only used for medicinal purposes. People using the oil generally sit in a bath and are covered in oil up to their necks (see petroleum spas below).
History
Archaeological findings in the region date to the 12th century AD. The qualities of Naftalan oil has been known since early times; Marco PoloMarco Polo
Marco Polo was a Venetian merchant traveler from the Venetian Republic whose travels are recorded in Il Milione, a book which did much to introduce Europeans to Central Asia and China. He learned about trading whilst his father and uncle, Niccolò and Maffeo, travelled through Asia and apparently...
noted them. The oil in the area was known to people as far as China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
and India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, and was traded by caravans throughout countries of the Near East
Near East
The Near East is a geographical term that covers different countries for geographers, archeologists, and historians, on the one hand, and for political scientists, economists, and journalists, on the other...
. Modern use of the oil has dated to the 1870s under Czarist Russia
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
. By 1912, a German
German Empire
The German Empire refers to Germany during the "Second Reich" period from the unification of Germany and proclamation of Wilhelm I as German Emperor on 18 January 1871, to 1918, when it became a federal republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of the Emperor, Wilhelm II.The German...
joint-stock company was founded to export and trade the oil, which was used as a treatment in the Russo-Japanese War
Russo-Japanese War
The Russo-Japanese War was "the first great war of the 20th century." It grew out of rival imperial ambitions of the Russian Empire and Japanese Empire over Manchuria and Korea...
. Research on the properties of the oil continues to be done at Azerbaijan Medical University
Azerbaijan Medical University
Azerbaijan Medical University, named after Nariman Narimanov is the formal name of the public medical school located in Baku, Azerbaijan. Due to difficulties with translation, the school is sometimes called: Azerbaijan Medical University, Azerbaijan State Medical University, Azerbaijan State...
and the Scientific Arthritis Center of Azerbaijan.
Petroleum spas
The area is home to petroleumPetroleum
Petroleum or crude oil is a naturally occurring, flammable liquid consisting of a complex mixture of hydrocarbons of various molecular weights and other liquid organic compounds, that are found in geologic formations beneath the Earth's surface. Petroleum is recovered mostly through oil drilling...
spa
Spa
The term spa is associated with water treatment which is also known as balneotherapy. Spa towns or spa resorts typically offer various health treatments. The belief in the curative powers of mineral waters goes back to prehistoric times. Such practices have been popular worldwide, but are...
s (or "oil spas"), once popular vacation spots of the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
that are making a return in popularity. Oil from these spas is claimed to be an effective treatment against psoriasis, arthritis
Arthritis
Arthritis is a form of joint disorder that involves inflammation of one or more joints....
and rheumatism
Rheumatism
Rheumatism or rheumatic disorder is a non-specific term for medical problems affecting the joints and connective tissue. The study of, and therapeutic interventions in, such disorders is called rheumatology.-Terminology:...
. At the height of their Soviet-era popularity, the spas in Naftalan had 75,000 visitors a year. The combination of violent ethnic conflict in nearby Nagorno-Karabakh
Nagorno-Karabakh
Nagorno-Karabakh is a landlocked region in the South Caucasus, lying between Lower Karabakh and Zangezur and covering the southeastern range of the Lesser Caucasus mountains...
and the end of Soviet-sponsored free trips brought the industry to its knees in the late-1980s. All but one of the older spas were converted into refugee
Refugee
A refugee is a person who outside her country of origin or habitual residence because she has suffered persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or because she is a member of a persecuted 'social group'. Such a person may be referred to as an 'asylum seeker' until...
housing. The naphthalene in the oil gives it therapeutic properties, however it is not clear whether it may also be a carcinogen
Carcinogen
A carcinogen is any substance, radionuclide, or radiation that is an agent directly involved in causing cancer. This may be due to the ability to damage the genome or to the disruption of cellular metabolic processes...
. The remaining spa, the Naftalan Therapeutic Center, had 1,000-beds. New spas are planned to attract tourists.
External links
- World Gazetteer: Azerbaijan – World-Gazetteer.com