Naftalan

a city (settlement until 1967) under republic jurisdiction in the Azerbaijan SSR. Located in the foothills of the Lesser Caucasus, 360 km west of Baku, 48 km from Kirovabad, and 18 km from the Geran’ railroad station (on the Tbilisi-Baku line). Population, 3,900 (1970).

A balneological health resort, Naftalan has hot summers (average July temperature, 26°C) and mild winters (average January temperature, 2°C). Precipitation is 250 mm per year. There are boreholes along the Naftalan River that yield Naftalan therapeutic petroleum, which is used for baths or is applied to the body before exposure to solar or ultraviolet rays. Treatment is available for patients with disorders of the skeletal and muscular systems, skin diseases, gynecological problems, and disorders of the peripheral nervous system. Naftalan has sanatoriums and facilities for baths.