Out of this, approximately USD 3.7 billion (79.9 percent of total investments) are direct foreign investments and USD 807.5 million are in foreign loans.

About USD 280.5 million was invested by foreign and joint Azeri-foreign companies in Azeri's oil sector reports the Russian news agency Regnum.

Azerbaijan's is the most rapidly developing economy in the world and achieved 26 percent growth in 2006, reports the news agency. In the first month alone of 2007, Azerbaijan's GDP reached USD 1.9 million. This is 46.8 percent more compared to Janaury 2006.

According to the Azeri administration's prognosis, the GDP is expected to grow by an additional 16.3 percent compared to 2006. The Messenger