The rise in the oil sector was 1.8 percent, while the non-oil sector grew by 7.2 percent.

Azerbaijan exports natural gas to Turkey and Europe through the Southern Gas Corridor and continues to make inroads into an energy market which until now has been dominated by Russia.

A day of clashes on the border separating Armenia’s eastern Gegharkunik province and Azerbaijan’s Kalbacar district left three Armenian servicemen and one Azeri dead.

Azerbaijan has until now paid scant attention to the growing worldwide wave of renewable energy sources.