Chilov

Island of the Caspian Sea

Island of the Baku Archipelago in Absheron Region, Azerbaijan

Chilov Çilov adası Zhiloy
Island of the Baku Archipelago
Map of the Absheron peninsula and surrounding islands, with Chilov to the right
40°20′N 50°35′E / 40.333°N 50.583°E / 40.333; 50.583
Country	Azerbaijan
Region	Absheron Region
District	Pirallahi
Area
• Total	12 km² (5 sq mi)
Elevation	8 m (26 ft)
Population
• Total	1,700

Chilov (Azerbaijani: Çilov adası, also spelt Zhiloy and Jiloi) is an island in the Caspian Sea. It is located off the Absheron Peninsula, 55 kilometres (34 mi) east of Baku.^[1]

Geography

Chilov Island is located 25 km (16 mi) off the eastern end of the Apsheron Peninsula in the Caspian Sea, 100 km (62 mi) from Baku. Administratively, Chilov Island belongs to the Khazar district of Baku.

The island is 10 km (6 mi) across and has an irregular shape with various headlands and inlets. Its highest elevation is 8 metres (26 ft). Its area is about 6 km² (2.3 sq mi).^[2]

Environment

The island forms part of the Absheron archipelago Important Bird Area (IBA), designated as such by BirdLife International because it supports significant populations of wintering whooper swans, common pochards, tufted ducks, great crested grebes and common coots, as well as breeding Caspian gulls.^[3]

History

Oil and gas deposits were discovered near Chilov island by Russian Rear Admiral Count Mark Voynovich while he led an expedition to the Caspian Sea in 1781.^[4]^[5]

In 1944, a geological expedition was established at the Azerbaijan Academy of Sciences. This expedition began geological explorations on Chilov Island. The first oil well there was drilled by Agagurban Aliyev.^[6]

In the 1950s, an air defense military unit of the USSR was stationed on the island, organizing air defense of Baku from the eastern part. For this purpose, the C75 anti-aircraft missile system was deployed on the island.

In 1992-1993, Russian troops were completely withdrawn from the island.

References

^ Location
^ Жилой остров, Great Soviet Encyclopedia
^ "Absheron archipelago (north) and Pirallahi bay". BirdLife Data Zone. BirdLife International. 2024. Retrieved 2024-09-05.
^ Oil exploration in Azerbaijan
^ Rear Admiral Count Mark Voynovich
^ “Külək bir az da qalxsa, cəsədimiz də tapılmayacaqdı” | “Neft daşları” necə kəşf olundu (MÜSAHİBƏ-FOTOLAR) hafiztimes.com 24.11.2017