Social sector in Azerbaijan (January-August 2014)

The dynamic increase in real income of the population, poverty level decrease, an increase in employment, the efficient use of human resources, improvement of the living conditions of disabled war veterans and martyrs' families, the creation of a medical and social rehabilitation system in accordance with modern requirements, an increase in payments to the population prove the perfection of Azerbaijan's social policy.

In August, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev signed a decree on the presidential benefit for the families of servicemen killed, missing and judicially declared dead while fulfilling the international debt as a part of the Soviet troops in Afghanistan. According to the document, the presidential benefit in the amount of 200 AZN per month is assigned for families (parents, widows) of servicemen killed, missing and judicially declared dead while fulfilling the international debt as a part of the Soviet troops in Afghanistan.

Population's income

According to the Azerbaijani State Statistics Committee, the nominal income of the population totaled 24.045 billion AZN in January-August 2014, which is 5.1 percent more compared to January-August 2013.

Thus, during this period, the nominal income of the population per capita increased by 3.8 percent and hit 2.560 AZN.

Major indices, characterizing income of the population

Source: State Statistics Committee

The population's income after paying all required fees and membership fees made up 21.846 billion AZN, which is 5.6 percent more than in the same period of 2013. Real income per capita increased by 4.2 percent to 2.326 AZN.

Azerbaijani citizens spent 70.2 percent to purchase goods and services, 11.8 percent - to pay for taxes, loans, social and insurance fees, 18 percent - to accumulate the capital during this period.

The population's expenditure amounted to 19.717 billion AZN in January-August 2014 or 4.328 billion AZN less than the income of the population.

The gap in the amount of the population's income and expenditure in favor of income testifies to the growth of material well-being of Azerbaijani citizens. The differentiation of the population's income and the Gini coefficient in the country should be taken into account.

Salary

The salary is one of the key social and economic indicators, which sufficiently enough characterizes the level of the prosperity of the working part of the population. According to the Azerbaijani State Statistics Committee, the average monthly salary in Azerbaijan in January-July 2014 comprised 440.8 AZN compared to 412.7 AZN in the same period of 2013.

As of August 1, 2014, the average salary of temporary staff was 266.6 AZN, while employees involved upon civil contracts - 305.9 AZN.

Remuneration in the oil sector reached 1.756 AZN per month, the non-oil sector - 407.5 AZN, the public sector - 356.2 AZN, the private sector - 565.7 AZN.

The highest salary was observed in the mining industry, financial, information and communication, scientific and technical activity, as well as the construction sectors.

Labor market

As of August 1, 2014, around 30,600 people were officially registered as unemployed in Azerbaijan, including 40.1 percent of women. The number of unemployed decreased by 6,094 people in August and by 5,641 people in 2014.

The number of unemployed has reduced by 15.5 percent in the country since early 2014 (as of January 1, 2014, around 36,206 people were registered as unemployed).

As of early September 2014, the economically active population totaled 4.813 million people, of which 4.575 million people were engaged in labour activity.

Thus, as of September 1, 2014, the number of hired employees hit 1.511 million people, including 894,800 people worked in the public sector, and 615,500 people - in private sector.

The number of people working in the oil sector amounted to 36,500 people, in the non-oil sector - 1.475 million people. Around 1.467 million people among hired employees work in non-agricultural sphere.

Around 22 percent fall to the hired employees involved in the production spheres: 6.7 percent in construction, 6.2 percent in manufacturing industry, 3 percent in agriculture, forestry and fishing, 2.4 percent - in the mining industry, 2 percent - in the production and distribution of electricity, gas and steam, 1.7 percent - in water supply, waste recycling,

22.5 percent in education, 18.8 percent - trade, repair of vehicles, 8.7 percent - medical and social services, 6.7 percent in state governance and defense, social maintenance, 5 percent - transportation and warehousing, 3.8 percent - recreation, entertainment and arts, 3.8 percent - professional, scientific and technical activities, 2 percent - financial and insurance activities, 0.8 percent - real estate transactions, 1.6 percent - administrative and additional services, 1.4 percent - tourist accommodation and food service and 1.1 percent - other areas, 1.8 percent - communication and information.

Distribution of unemployed individuals and those who receive unemployment benefit in towns and regions as of September 1, 2014 (people)

As of September 1, 2014, the largest number of unemployed was registered in 12 administrative districts of Baku (11,908 people, of which 630 people received unemployment benefits) and eighteen regions of Aran economic region (8,090 and 371 people respectively).

The unemployment benefit increased by 2.4 percent in Azerbaijan in August compared to July. Taking into account the invariability of consumer prices during a month, an allowance increased by 2.4 percent. As of September 1, 2014, around 1,934 people received it compared to 636 people as of early 2014.

The average unemployment benefit in Azerbaijan is 253.3 AZN.

Social security

An amount of targeted social assistance per family increased. According to the Azerbaijani Ministry of Labor and Social Protection, as of September 1, 2014, around 119,502 families receive targeted social assistance or by 9,059 families (7.1 percent) less than in the same period of last year.

The average amount of targeted social assistance per family is 136.06 AZN. This figure increased by 11.7 percent or 14.27 AZN.