Azerbaijan vs UAE: Comparing the Oil-rich Countries' GDP and Living Standards

7 October, 2013 | Emerging Markets | 22 seen

Have you read the recent article on NYTimes about Azerbaijan's ambitious plan to become famous?

Azerbaijan, like UAE, is an oil-rich country with aspirations for growth and development. In this post, we will compare the GDP and living standards of Azerbaijan and UAE to see how they compare.

Using data from the World Bank, we can see that in 2011, the GDP of Azerbaijan was 63.4 billion USD while the GDP of UAE was 360.2 billion USD. The GDP per capita in Azerbaijan was 6.911 thousand USD and in UAE it was 40.363 thousand USD.

It's clear that UAE has a much higher standard of living than Azerbaijan, but Azerbaijan has ambitions to catch up.

In a future blog post, we will examine the oil reserves of each country and explore the possibility of Azerbaijan outperforming UAE. Additionally, we will delve into the distribution of wealth in Azerbaijan and UAE, to understand if the wealth is evenly shared among the citizens or controlled by a few oligarchs. Stay tuned for more insights on Azerbaijan vs UAE comparison.

The State of Ukraine's Economy: A Look Since the Collapse of the Soviet Union

7 October, 2013 | Emerging Markets | 19 seen

Ukraine, a country once considered as an integral part of the Soviet Union, has had a checkered economic history since its independence.

Despite being one of the largest economies in Eastern Europe, Ukraine's GDP per capita has always lagged behind Russia, which has been three-four times better in terms of GDP terms per capita. The recent announcement by the World Bank that the forecast for Ukraine's GDP has been cut down to zero this year (2013) has only added to the country's economic woes.

The upcoming Eastern Partnership summit in Vilnius, where the Association Agreement, including its Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area, is to be signed, has generated a lot of interest and speculation about the future of Ukraine's economy. Many are hoping that eventual incorporation into EU structures will change the country's economic trajectory for the better.

One of the countries often cited as a positive example is Poland, which has seen significant improvements in its economy and GDP since joining the EU. In the next few posts, I will be comparing Ukraine with Poland to gain a better understanding of the challenges facing Ukraine's economy and what lessons…

A Look at the 2013 GDP Forecasts for Baltic States and Caucasus

6 October, 2013 | Macroeconomics | 6 seen

t is fascinating to compare the economic growth of the Baltic states and Caucasus regions and make predictions on their future growth. The competition between these two regions to achieve a GDP of 100 billion USD is intense. In 2012, the total GDP of the Baltic states was 92.47 billion USD, while that of the Caucasus was 92.94 billion USD, with the latter leading by just 47 million USD. With 2013 already underway, it is interesting to take a look at the forecasts for each country and make predictions for the year.

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) predicts that Georgia's economy will grow by 3% in 2013, a decrease from the 5% predicted in January and lower than the government's official forecast of 6%. Armenia is expected to have a 5% growth, while Azerbaijan is expected to grow by 5% as well. On the other hand, the growth predictions for the Baltic states are much lower. Estonia is forecasted to have a growth rate of 1%, Latvia 4.1%, and Lithuania 3.5%.

When we perform some simple calculations based on these predictions, we see that the Caucasus region is expected to have a total GDP of 97.27 billion USD, while the Baltic states are…

Simplify Image Uploads on Your Drupal Site with Multiupload Modules

6 October, 2013 | Drupal Development | 43 seen

Do you find uploading images one by one on your Drupal site to be a time-consuming and frustrating task?

If so, the Multiupload Filefield Widget and Multiupload Imagefield Widget modules can provide an efficient solution. These modules are ideal for those who want complete control over their Drupal installation.

To use these modules, follow these steps:

To use the multi-upload feature, go to your content type and add new content. Under the images section, select multiple images by clicking the browse images button, and then clicking…

Few shots from Tbilisoba 2013

6 October, 2013 | Living in Georgia | 8 seen

On October 4 - 6, 2013 Tbilisi city festival  named Tbilisoba was celebrated. Here are few shots I captured with my old Sony DSC camera and three years later post-processed using Adobe Lightroom. 

Tbilisoba (Georgian: თბილისობა) is an annual October festival which celebrates the diversity and history of Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia. It was first held on October 28, 1979, and has since become an established tradition. The festival features open-air concerts of traditional music and dancing and various cultural events, centered on Old Tbilisi, the historical part of the city. Beyond celebrating the city's past and present, people from all over Georgia represent their region at the fair of the harvest. Awarding honorary citizenship of Tbilisi by the city government also occurs in the framework of Tbilisoba.

Orchestrate playing at Rike Park

If you are new to Tbilisi - make sure you visit Rike park and The Bridge of Piece

Tbilisoba set on the streets of Tbilisi Old Town

The best chances to observe Tbilisoba will be at Abanotubani district

Georgian…

Comparing the Economy of Nordic Countries: 2012 GDP and Per Capita Results

5 October, 2013 | Macroeconomics | 18 seen

The Nordic region, consisting of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden, is known for its high standard of living and robust economies. In 2012, these countries combined had a total GDP of 1.603 trillion USD, which is a significant number compared to other regions such as the Baltic states or the Caucasus.

When looking at the GDP of each country, Sweden had the highest with 525.7 billion USD, followed by Norway with 499.7 billion USD, Denmark with 314.2 billion USD, Finland with 250 billion USD, and Iceland with 13.66 billion USD. However, when considering GDP per capita, the picture changes. Norway leads the way with a GDP per capita of 99,550 USD, followed by Denmark with 56, 210 USD, Sweden with 55, 244 USD, Finland with 46, 178 USD, and Iceland with 42, 658 USD.

One reason for Norway's high GDP per capita could be its vast oil reserves. Norway is one of the world's largest exporters of oil and natural gas, which significantly contributes to its economy. In addition to its oil industry, Norway also has a strong shipping industry, fishing industry, and a well-developed tourism sector.

Denmark is another…

How to Display Drupal Taxonomy Terms on a Map

4 October, 2013 | Drupal Development | 16 seen

The ability to display taxonomy terms on a map is a useful feature for many Drupal-powered sites. With the right combination of modules and tools, it's easy to achieve this goal.

To display taxonomy terms on a map, you will need to have the following modules enabled: Taxonomy, Location, Gmap, Views, Location for Taxonomies, Location CCK Field, and Field UI.

Once you've enabled all of the necessary modules, head to "Structure" > "Taxonomy" > "Your Taxonomy" > "Manage Fields". From there, add a new location field. This will allow you to assign a geographic location to each of your taxonomy terms.

Next, go to "Structure" > "Views" and create a new term-based view. You can name it whatever you like, for example "Taxonomy Map". On the view display page, add the field "Taxonomy Name". Under "Display Settings", change the display to GMAP.

Save your field, and now you have a Taxonomy Map display. You can place it on a block or create a separate page for it. 

With this simple setup, you'll be able to easily visualize your taxonomy terms on a map, making it easier for users to understand the relationships between…

Achieving Success with Your Blog: Tips for Improving SEO and Increasing Traffic

3 October, 2013 | Blogging | 4 seen

Blogging can be a challenging and frustrating experience, especially when it comes to the statistics and results of your efforts. It's easy to get discouraged when you don't see the results you expect, but it's important to remember the purpose and goals behind your blogging.

While traffic and recognition are desirable outcomes, they are not the only measure of success for a blog. The primary goal of a blog should be to share knowledge and information with your audience. By focusing on the quality of your content and providing valuable insights, you'll attract a loyal following of readers who are interested in what you have to say.

So, how do you achieve success with your blog? The key is to take a long-term approach and not expect instant results. Successful blogging requires consistent effort and a commitment to producing high-quality content on a regular basis. This is where routine comes into play. By making blogging a daily habit, you'll gradually build your audience and establish yourself as a thought leader in your niche.

Here are some tips to help you improve your blog:

Baltic States vs Caucasus Region: A Comparison of GDP in 2012

3 October, 2013 | Macroeconomics | 16 seen

The Baltic states and Caucasus region both have unique economic landscapes that make for an interesting comparison.

Let's start by looking at the GDP in each of the six countries in 2012. Azerbaijan was the wealthiest country with 67.2 billion USD, followed by Lithuania with 42.25 billion USD, Latvia with 28.37 billion USD, Estonia with 21.85 billion USD, Georgia with 15.83 billion USD, and Armenia with 9.91 billion USD.

It's interesting to see that Azerbaijan was the clear winner when looking at GDP, however, when we compare the GDP per capita, the wealthiest country changes. In 2012, Estonia had the highest GDP per capita with 16,316 USD, followed by Lithuania with 14,150 USD, and Latvia with 14,000 USD. Meanwhile, in the Caucasus region, Azerbaijan had the highest GDP per capita with 7,227 USD, followed by Georgia with 3,500 USD and Armenia with 3,370 USD.

When we look at the total GDP of each region, the Caucasus region had a total of 92.94 billion USD in 2012, while the Baltic states had a total of 92.47 billion USD. So, when comparing the two regions based on GDP in 2012, the Caucasus region outperformed the Baltic states by 47 million USD.