Note: This material was originally prepared in Azerbaijani. This English version was translated using artificial intelligence. The credible version is the Azerbaijani version.
The Assistant to the President of Azerbaijan and Head of the Foreign Policy Affairs Department of the Presidential Administration, Hikmat Hajiyev, claimed during an interview with American economist and professor Jeffrey Sachs that Azerbaijan produced 90 per cent of the world's oil at the beginning of the 20th century (3:50–4:05).
Oil is one of the main sources of revenue for Azerbaijan's economy and its most important export commodity. The history of Azerbaijan's oil industry dates back to approximately the mid-19th century, and Azerbaijani oil did indeed account for a significant share of global oil production in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
However, this significant share was not 90 per cent, as Hikmat Hajiyev claimed. Since Hajiyev referred to the beginning of the 20th century, it is necessary to compare Azerbaijan's oil production with global production between 1900 and 1920.
As the figures demonstrate, Azerbaijan's oil production never accounted for 90 per cent of global oil production between 1900 and 1920. The highest share was recorded in 1900, when Azerbaijani oil represented approximately 48 per cent of total global oil production.
Another interesting comparison is between oil production in Azerbaijan and the United States.
The comparison between US and Azerbaijani oil production also demonstrates that Azerbaijan slightly surpassed the United States in oil production only in 1900 and 1901. These figures further indicate that Azerbaijan could not have produced 90 per cent of the world's oil. From 1902 onward, US oil production exceeded that of Azerbaijan.
Furthermore, official government sources also state that Azerbaijani oil accounted for more than 50 per cent of global oil production at the beginning of the 20th century. For example, the official website of the Ministry of Energy of Azerbaijan states that in 1901, Azerbaijan's oil production accounted for more than half of the world's total oil production, indicating a share of approximately 50 per cent.
Therefore, Azerbaijan did not produce 90 per cent of the world's oil at the beginning of the 20th century.
According to Fakt Yoxla, the claim is FALSE.
