Azerbaijan Manat
The manat is the currency that is used in Azerbaijan and it is further sub-divided into 100 qepik. The term manat is derived from the Russian 'MOHETA' which literally translates as coin.
The currency is identified by the use of the letters AZN and it is often denoted as a figure and then m, MAH or man.
The manat is issued in coins, in denominations of 1, 3, 5, 10, 20 and 50 qepik. Banknotes are issued in the denominations of 1, 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 manat.
One interesting aspect to the manat, which has been in circulation since 2006 is that the notes were designed by the same individual (Robert Kalina, an Austrian) who designed the euro notes. Consequently the manat is actually said to have been inspired, in terms of design, by the euro.
History of the Manat
The history of the manat dates back to 1919 when the Azerbaijan Republics(the Democratic Republic and the Soviet Socialist Republic) both issued their own forms of money, known as the manat. The currency was only ever issued as banknotes, with no coins circulated. However in 1923, the currency was replaced with the Tran Caucasian Soviet ruble.
Then when Azerbaijan gained its independence it re-introduced the manat in 1992, but this currency only lasted until 2006. At this point the 3rd manat was issued and this is the same manat that is in circulation currently.
Effectively the old manat was devalued, since the new manat came in at a value of 5000 of the old manats equalling one new manat.
Getting hold of manats
ATM machines do exist in the major cities, so when you are in the cities, there is no real problem getting access to your cash. However, it is wise to check with your bank beforehand that you will be able to use your card in an ATM machine in Azerbaijan.
One important thing to bear in mind is that there have been instances where people have been held at knifepoint when getting money out an ATM and they have been forced to hand over huge amounts of money. These instances are luckily quite rare, but they do happen (mainly at night), so always take extreme care when using an ATM machine in Azerbaijan and try to avoid using one at night.
The economy is Azerbaijan is very much geared towards cash and you will find that credit cards are not widely accepted, apart from in the very large, international hotels. Similarly traveller's cheques are also only accepted in banks, but there you will have little bother exchanging them.
However, the fact that the economy is so cash orientated means that if you have euros or US dollars, then you will be able to use these quite widely and may even be able to get a discount for purchases made using these. But you may get a poor exchange rate, so if something seems too good to be true, then remember that it probably is!
Make sure that you have plenty of money in the form of manats and US dollars or euros if you are going to venture out into the country areas, since you will simply be unable to find an ATM.
Safety Issues
There are definitely some safety issues that need to be taken into account when visiting Azerbaijan. Although overall the country is now quite calm, in comparison to what it once was, there are still some risks associated with travel to this area. Whilst the decision to travel should be made having weighed up all the risks, it is possible that the situation may change, so before booking any trip to Azerbaijan, make sure that you have checked out the current situation, since in countries like Azerbaijan, the situation can often change dramatically overnight.
The first risk associated with travel to this country is that the area of Nagorno Karabakh is not a safe place to visit. There is a military occupation nearby and this is also unsafe. This area is the part of the country that is still experiencing some conflict with Armenia over land.
As a result it is simply unsafe to go to this area.
The second threat to Azerbaijan is that of terrorism. Due to the fact that there is a very high population of Shia Muslims, there is a perceived high risk of terrorist attacks against western travellers. Consequently all travellers should be vigilant and careful when visiting the country. The risk is not such that travellers are advised not to visit, merely travellers should check out the current situation prior to travelling.
There is a risk of earthquakes in Azerbaijan and although infrequent and usually not too severe, travellers should be aware that these quakes do occur and that often the infrastructure of buildings etc is not built robustly enough to withstand an earthquake.
Bird flu. Although no fatalities with regard to bird flu have occurred since 2006, there have been breakouts of bird flu. Again, this does not prevent travel, but it is worth checking out whether or not there are any current cases before you travel.
Finally, there is also a risk of landmines in Azerbaijan, although these are generally only in the area near Nagorno Karabakh and so these should not pose too much of a problem.
Due to the fact that these risks exist, it is worth pointing out that any insurance policy that you take out should cover any of the risks listed above. So if you take out an insurance policy, will it cover medical costs if you get bird flu? Will it pay for accommodation or even hospitalisation if there is an earthquake etc? It is worth checking this out prior to travel and make sure that you invest in an appropriate and robust insurance policy. Medical bills can soon add up and so it is far better to be safe, rather than sorry!
Specific Safety Tips
Although there have been instances of people being threatened at knifepoint, Azerbaijan is a relatively safe country to visit in terms of the threat of crimes.
General advise is that you should only use ATM machines during the day. You should also not use any taxi that is not a licensed taxi and it is always best to get a hotel or restaurant to ring for a taxi to collect you. Under no circumstances should you simply use an unlicensed taxi.
Corruption is very common in Azerbaijan and some officials may intentionally 'pick' on foreign nationals as an easy target. In the UK, the Foreign Office advise against paying bribes (it is simply not cricket) but the reality is that you may find that life is difficult at times unless you grease the wheels of bureaucracy with a little sweetener in the form of money.
The police will often check out or ask to check out your documents. Sometimes they will find something 'wrong' with the documentation and at this stage, a small offering may ease the problem.
Travellers to this country should also be aware that shorts are not considered appropriate, even in summer. This is a Muslim country and although travellers are usually welcomed and there is a rather secular feel to the country, shorts are frowned upon.
In addition, overt displays of affection, whether gay, lesbian or homosexual are also considered to be in bad taste, so refrain from being too affectionate in public. But if you follow these guidelines, then you should find Azerbaijan a friendly and quite welcoming country.
Spending manats
As a rule you will find that Azerbaijan is a relatively inexpensive country in which to stay and travel around. Many people, particularly in the capital, Baku, speak English and in any of the western hotels you will also find English is spoken. The downside to this is that these tend to be the more expensive areas, but at least communication is just that little bit easier! Azeri is the official Azerbaijan language, but English is now becoming the most widely spoken second language. This used to be Russian, but English is now seen as a more desirable language to learn.
The food on offer tends to be quite basic, but in the more expensive hotels there is a good range of western style dishes to be had. For a long time now, Azerbaijan has been a link between east and west and this is also reflected in its food.
Travellers can pick up some great craft works in nearly every part of Azerbaijan and there are some wonderful carpets or rugs to be had at some very good prices: just remember about luggage allowances when thinking about buying one, or you could have it shipped, but this will obviously add to the cost.
Caviar is also a really good buy in Azerbaijan and some people reckon that the best caviar in the world is available in Baku; you just need to know where to find it! Usually it helps to ask locals where they buy their caviar or where sells the best stuff, then you can source it for yourself.
The Russian influence over Azerbaijan still lingers on in the form of vodka. Vodka of almost every conceivable type (and then a lot more besides) is on offer here and the prices range from dirt cheap to very expensive. If you like vodka you will be spoilt for choice!
Overview
Azerbaijan is a wonderful place with some ancient mosques and mud volcanoes as well as some stunning lakes and beautiful mountains and then of course you have the urban hustle and bustle of Baku.
It is a blend of east and western influences and as such is a fantastic place to see how life in a Muslim yet somehow secular society can be lived.
This is a country that has struggles at times in its history but it now seems to be rising again and asserting its own identity. The fact that it has oil has certainly helped and yet it has not plunged head over heels into western lifestyles, but has simply edged slowly forwards, whilst retaining its Islamic philosophy and beliefs. This is a country that demands investigation by serious travellers and has very much to offer them in return.
I wouldn’t feel happy about visiting somewhere like this. Between the threats of terrorism, landmines, earthquakes, robberies and military occupation, it doesn’t sell itself as a great holiday destination, does it? Maybe business people have to go there on occasion, but if that is the case I don’t envy them the journey.
It’s nice to read about different currencies though, and it surprises me how many there are I’ve never heard of. I wouldn’t claim to be an expert, but I hadn’t heard of the manat before reading this article. It’s fascinating that it is a new currency too. I wonder how long it will last?
— CDixon · Sep 16, 02:58 PM · #
Hi! I am Azerbaijani currently living in UK and I want to state that some issues in this article are much exaggerated. For example, the capital - Baku is much more safer than London, Paris or NY in terms of street crime, etc. In some areas of London you have 0% chances to survive over night, however Baku is relatively safe even in so called "unsafe" areas.
The landmines and military occupation are isolated to the small area on the west boundary of the country, the remaining memory from the war(ceased in 1993). This "no-go" area is well isolated from members in public and it is highly unlikely you ever get in contact with these threats – unless you deliberately travel to that border and pass the military control line.
Earthquakes. The territory is liable to earthquakes, but they are not as extensive as say in Japan. And since it is the well known fact, in contrary to this article, the buildings and the infrastructure has been built with the solid redundancy to withstand all these earthquakes.
So basically the safety is not an issue.
Azerbaijan is the oil extracting country and oil makes more than 90% of the country income. The oil industry in Azerbaijan is being operated exclusively by BP and its subcontractors. As the result of this you can find a lot of western business and working people living in Baku. Thus, BP operations have the strong influence to the country lifestyle, politics and… the “status” of the foreigners.
The foreigner has some “privileges” over locals which gives you the priority and advantages in many situations. For example if someone steals your camera while you walking down the street (very rare type of crime comparing to the most Asian countries), the police will find it within 24 hours – just because you are foreigner. Also you will be forgiven the most of the minor traffic convictions and only issued a warning for the serious ones.
Religion. Despite the fact that Azerbaijan is the ethnically muslim country, 75 years of soviet “atheism” have changed the lifestyle and the mind of people, making Azerbaijan the strong secular country. How would you otherwise explain consumed in big volumes vodka and other alcohol?
It is absolute non-sense about the shorts - no one really care about what do you wear. In the hot (35-42C) summer time the flip-flops and the shorts are the best choice for Baku. Man or women there are no restriction and prejudice to the any type of dress. However the naked man torso on the street could be not welcomed, as it is considered as the bad manner and disrespect to the people around. (the beach areas are excluded obviously)
Regarding the food, it not plain at all, and in fact Azerbaijan is the lost heaven for the gourmands, but obviously you will need the help of specialist to find the best places to go :)
What is the issue then? Well, as I said there are not many life and health threats as Azerbaijan is not a poor country with starving people.
There is so called oil factor, underestimated in this article which makes the prices and the luxury lifestyle to boom year after the year.
The real threat over there is that you may find yourself overspending on everything.
— Vugar · May 28, 05:37 PM · #