Azerbaijan
Republic of AzerbaijanAzarbaycan Respublikasi
presidential republicIndependence 30 August 1991 (declared from the Soviet Union)
Azerbaijan as the 2025 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 146 fields, one of 34 editions from 1992 to 2025.
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Introduction
1 fieldBackground
Azerbaijan -- a secular nation with a majority-Turkic and majority-Shia Muslim population -- was briefly independent (from 1918 to 1920) following the collapse of the Russian Empire; it was subsequently incorporated into the Soviet Union for seven decades.
Beginning in 1988, Azerbaijan and Armenia fought over the Nagorno-Karabakh region, which was populated largely by ethnic Armenians but incorporated into Soviet Azerbaijan as an autonomous oblast in the early 1920s. In the late Soviet period, an ethnic-Armenian separatist movement sought to end Azerbaijani control over the region. Fighting over Nagorno-Karabakh escalated after Armenia and Azerbaijan gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.
By the time a ceasefire took effect in 1994, separatists with Armenian support controlled Nagorno‑Karabakh and seven surrounding Azerbaijani territories. After decades of cease-fire violations and sporadic flare-ups, a second sustained conflict began in 2020 when Azerbaijan tried to win back the territories it had lost in the 1990s. After significant Azerbaijani gains, Armenia returned the southern part of Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding territories to Azerbaijan.
I n September 2023, Azerbaijan took military action to regain the rest of Nagorno-Karabakh; a fter a conflict that lasted only one day, n early the entire ethnic Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh fled to Armenia.
Since gaining its independence in 1991, Azerbaijan has significantly reduced the poverty rate and has directed some revenue from its oil and gas production to develop the country’s infrastructure. However, corruption remains a burden on the economy, and Western observers and members of the country’s political opposition have accused the government of authoritarianism. The country’s leadership has remained in the ALIYEV family since Heydar ALIYEV, the most highly ranked Azerbaijani member of the Communist Party during the Soviet period, became president during the first Nagorno-Karabakh War in 1993.
Geography
Southwestern Asia, bordering the Caspian Sea, between Iran and Russia, with a small European portion north of the Caucasus range
18 fieldsLand useshare of 86,600 sq km
Location
Southwestern Asia, bordering the Caspian Sea, between Iran and Russia, with a small European portion north of the Caucasus range
Terrain
- large, flat Kur-Araz Ovaligi (Kura-Araks Lowland, much of it below sea level) with Great Caucasus Mountains to the north, Qarabag Yaylasi (Karabakh Upland) to the west;
- Baku lies on Abseron Yasaqligi (Apsheron Peninsula) that juts into Caspian Sea
Major lakes (area sq km)
salt water lake(s): Caspian Sea (shared with Iran, Russia, Turkmenistan, and Kazakhstan) - 374,000 sq km
Population distribution
- highest population density is found in the far eastern area of the country, in and around Baku;
- apart from smaller urbanized areas, the rest of the country has a fairly light and evenly distributed population
People and Society
35 fieldsAge structuremale left, female right · (2024 est.)
Per 1,000 population(2025 est.)
Male · female(2023 est.)
Ethnic groups
Azerbaijani 94.8%, other 1.8%; less than 1%: Talish, Russian, Avar, Sakhur, Tartar, Georgian, Jewish, Kurd
(2019 est.)
note: Nagorno-Karabakh, which is part of Azerbaijan on the basis of the borders recognized when the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991, was populated almost entirely by ethnic Armenians; Azerbaijan has over 80 ethnic groups
Languages
Azerbaijani 96.1%, other 1.4%; less than 1%: Russian, Avar, Talyshi, Turkish, Tatar, Sakhur, Tat, Ukrainian, Georgian, Hebrew (2019 est.); major-language sample(s): Dünya fakt kitabı, əsas məlumatlar üçün əvəz olunmaz mənbədir (Azerbaijani); The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. note: Russian is widely spoken
Religions
Muslim 97.3% (predominantly Shia), Christian 2.6%, other <0.1, unaffiliated <0.1 (2020 est.) note: religious affiliation for the majority of Azerbaijanis is largely nominal, percentages for actual practicing adherents are probably much lower
Population distribution
- highest population density is found in the far eastern area of the country, in and around Baku;
- apart from smaller urbanized areas, the rest of the country has a fairly light and evenly distributed population
Sex ratio
- at birth:
- 1.15 male(s)/female
- 0-14 years:
- 1.15 male(s)/female
- 15-64 years:
- 1 male(s)/female
- 65 years and over:
- 0.72 male(s)/female
- total population:
- 1 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
Infant mortality rate
- total:
- 10.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
- male:
- 12.6 deaths/1,000 live births
- female:
- 9 deaths/1,000 live births
Alcohol consumption per capita
- total:
- 1.38 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- beer:
- 0.36 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- wine:
- 0.06 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- spirits:
- 0.94 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- other alcohols:
- 0.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Environment
11 fieldsLand use(2023 est.)
Environmental issues
- severe air, soil, and water pollution;
- soil pollution from oil spills, pesticides, and toxic defoliants used in producing cotton;
- surface and underground water pollution from untreated municipal and industrial wastewater and agricultural run-off
International environmental agreements
- party to:
- Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
- signed, but not ratified:
- none of the selected agreements
Urbanization
- urban population:
- 57.6% of total population (2023)
- rate of urbanization:
- 1.38% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
note: data include Nagorno-Karabakh
Carbon dioxide emissions
38.892 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
- from coal and metallurgical coke:
- 17,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
- from petroleum and other liquids:
- 13.954 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
- from consumed natural gas:
- 24.921 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Methane emissions
- energy:
- 268.8 kt (2022-2024 est.)
- agriculture:
- 188.9 kt (2019-2021 est.)
- waste:
- 93.8 kt (2019-2021 est.)
- other:
- 1 kt (2019-2021 est.)
Waste and recycling
- municipal solid waste generated annually:
- 2.93 million tons (2024 est.)
- percent of municipal solid waste recycled:
- 14.4% (2022 est.)
Total water withdrawal
- municipal:
- 408 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
- industrial:
- 598 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
- agricultural:
- 11.962 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
Government
Presidential republic; President Ilham ALIYEV (since 31 October 2003); Prime Minister Ali ASADOV (since 8 October 2019)
23 fieldsPresidential electionpercent of vote
Country name
- conventional long form:
- Republic of Azerbaijan
- conventional short form:
- Azerbaijan
- local long form:
- Azarbaycan Respublikasi
- local short form:
- Azarbaycan
- former:
- Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic
- etymology:
- the name can be translated as "Fire Keeper" or "The Land of Fire," from the local word azer , or "fire," and baydjan , a word derived from the Iranian word baykan , or "guardian;" may refer to fire worshippers who lived in the region
Capital
- name:
- Baku (Baki, Baky)
- geographic coordinates:
- 40 23 N, 49 52 E
- time difference:
- UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
- daylight saving time:
- does not observe daylight savings time
- etymology:
- the name may derive from the Old Persian word badkuba , meaning "windward" and referring to its windy location on the shore of the Caspian Sea
note: at approximately 28 m below sea level, Baku's elevation makes it the lowest capital city in the world
Administrative divisions
66 districts ( rayonlar ; singular - rayon ), 11 cities (saharlar; sahar - singular)
- districts:
- Abseron, Agcabadi, Agdam, Agdas, Agstafa, Agsu, Astara, Babak, Balakan, Barda, Beylaqan, Bilasuvar, Cabrayil, Calilabad, Culfa, Daskasan, Fuzuli, Gadabay, Goranboy, Goycay, Goygol, Haciqabul, Imisli, Ismayilli, Kalbacar, Kangarli, Kurdamir, Lacin, Lankaran, Lerik, Masalli, Neftcala, Oguz, Ordubad, Qabala, Qax, Qazax, Qobustan, Quba, Qubadli, Qusar, Saatli, Sabirabad, Sabran, Sadarak, Sahbuz, Saki, Salyan, Samaxi, Samkir, Samux, Sarur, Siyazan, Susa, Tartar, Tovuz, Ucar, Xacmaz, Xizi, Xocali, Xocavand, Yardimli, Yevlax, Zangilan, Zaqatala, Zardab
- cities:
- Baku, Ganca, Lankaran, Mingacevir, Naftalan, Naxcivan (Nakhichevan), Saki, Sirvan, Sumqayit, Xankandi, Yevlax
Constitution
- history:
- several previous; latest adopted 12 November 1995
- amendment process:
- proposed by the president of the republic or by at least 63 members of the National Assembly;
- passage requires at least 95 votes of Assembly members in two separate readings of the draft amendment six months apart and requires presidential approval after each of the two Assembly votes, followed by presidential signature;
- constitutional articles on the authority, sovereignty, and unity of the people cannot be amended
International law organization participation
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
Citizenship
- citizenship by birth:
- yes
- citizenship by descent only:
- yes
- dual citizenship recognized:
- no
- residency requirement for naturalization:
- 5 years
Executive branch
- chief of state:
- President Ilham ALIYEV (since 31 October 2003)
- head of government:
- Prime Minister Ali ASADOV (since 8 October 2019)
- cabinet:
- Council of Ministers appointed by the president and confirmed by the National Assembly
- election/appointment process:
- president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds (if needed) for a 7-year term;
- a single individual is eligible for unlimited terms;
- prime minister and first deputy prime minister appointed by the president and confirmed by the National Assembly
- most recent election date:
- 7 February 2024
- election results:
- ; 2018: Ilham ALIYEV reelected president in first round; percent of vote - Ilham ALIYEV (YAP) 86%, Zahid ORUJ (independent) 3.1%, other 10.9%
- 2024: Ilham ALIYEV reelected president;
- percent of vote - Ilham ALIYEV (YAP) 92.1%, Zahid ORUJ (independent) 2.2% ;
- on 16 February 2024, Ali ASADOV reappointed prime minister by parliamentary vote, 105-1
- expected date of next election:
- 2031
Legislative branch
- legislature name:
- National Assembly (Milli Majlis)
- legislative structure:
- unicameral
- number of seats:
- 125 (all directly elected)
- electoral system:
- plurality/majority
- scope of elections:
- full renewal
- term in office:
- 5 years
- most recent election date:
- 9/1/2024
- parties elected and seats per party:
- New Azerbaidjan Party (YAP) (68);
- Independents (44);
- Other (13)
- percentage of women in chamber:
- 20.8%
- expected date of next election:
- November 2029
Judicial branch
- highest court(s):
- Supreme Court (consists of the chairman, vice chairman, and 23 judges in plenum sessions and organized into civil, economic affairs, criminal, and rights violations chambers);
- Constitutional Court (consists of 9 judges)
- judge selection and term of office:
- Supreme Court judges nominated by the president and appointed by the Milli Majlis;
- judges appointed for 10 years;
- Constitutional Court chairman and deputy chairman appointed by the president;
- other court judges nominated by the president and appointed by the Milli Majlis to serve single 15-year terms
- subordinate courts:
- Courts of Appeal (replaced the Economic Court in 2002); district and municipal courts
Political parties
- Azerbaijan Hope Party or ÜMİD
- Azerbaijan Democratic Enlightenment Party or ADMP
- Azerbaijan National Independence Party or AMİP
- Civic Solidarity Party or VHP
- Democratic Reforms Party or DiP
- Great Order Party or BAP
- Justice, Law, Democracy Party or ƏHD
- Great Order Party or BQP
- Motherland Party or AVP
- National Front Party or MCP
- National Revival Movement Party or MDHP
- New Azerbaijan Party or YAP
- Republican Alternative Party or REAL
- Unity Party or VƏHDƏT
Diplomatic representation in the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Khazar IBRAHIM (since 15 September 2021)
- chancery:
- 2741 34th Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
- telephone:
- [1] (202) 337-3500
- FAX:
- [1] (202) 337-5911
- email address and website:
- [email protected]; https://washington.mfa.gov.az/en
- consulate(s) general:
- Los Angeles
Diplomatic representation from the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Amy CARLON (since 23 June 2025)
- embassy:
- 111 Azadlig Avenue, AZ1007 Baku
- mailing address:
- 7050 Baku Place, Washington, DC 20521-7050
- telephone:
- [994] (12) 488-3300
- FAX:
- [994] (12) 488-3330
- email address and website:
- [email protected]; https://az.usembassy.gov/
International organization participation
ADB, BSEC, CD, CE, CICA, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, GCTU, GUAM, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)
Independence
30 August 1991 (declared from the Soviet Union); 18 October 1991 (adopted by the Supreme Council of Azerbaijan)
Flag
- description:
- three equal horizontal bands of sky blue (top), red, and green; a vertical crescent moon and an eight-pointed star in white are centered in the red band
- meaning:
- the blue band stands for Azerbaijan's Turkic heritage, red for modernization and progress, and green for Islam;
- the crescent moon and star are a Turkic insignia;
- the eight star points represent the eight Turkic peoples of the world
National anthem(s)
- title:
- "Azerbaijan Marsi" (March of Azerbaijan)
- lyrics/music:
- Ahmed JAVAD/Uzeyir HAJIBEYOV
- history:
- adopted 1992; originally written in 1919 during a brief period of independence, but did not become the official anthem until after the dissolution of the Soviet Union
National heritage
- total World Heritage Sites:
- 5 (4 cultural, 1 natural)
- selected World Heritage Site locales:
- Walled City of Baku ;
- Gobustan Rock Art Cultural Landscape;
- Historic Center of Sheki;
- Cultural Landscape of Khinalig People and "Koc Yolu" Transhumance Route
Economy
29 fieldsTrading partnersexports left, imports right
By end use% of GDP · (2024 est.)
Budget(2022 est.)
Economic overview
- upper-middle income, oil-dependent Caucasus economy;
- minimal economic diversification and dominance of state-owned enterprises;
- growth and fiscal consolidation supported by oil revenues, but risks remain from demand shocks;
- potential economic gains from Nagorno-Karabakh ceasefire;
- education investments to diversify and retain human capital
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
- agriculture:
- 5.7% (2024 est.)
- industry:
- 42.6% (2024 est.)
- services:
- 42.3% (2024 est.)
note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data
Agricultural products
milk, wheat, barley, potatoes, tomatoes, watermelons, onions, apples, maize, cotton (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage
Industries
- petroleum and petroleum products, natural gas, oilfield equipment;
- steel, iron ore;
- cement;
- chemicals and petrochemicals;
- textiles
Labor force
5.02 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work
Unemployment rate
5.6% (2024 est.) · 5.7% (2023 est.) · 5.7% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
- total:
- 13.7% (2024 est.)
- male:
- 12.3% (2024 est.)
- female:
- 15.3% (2024 est.)
note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment
Average household expenditures
- on food:
- 42.7% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
- on alcohol and tobacco:
- 2% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
Remittances
1.8% of GDP (2024 est.) · 2.6% of GDP (2023 est.) · 5% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities
Taxes and other revenues
15.4% (of GDP) (2022 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP
Current account balance
$4.671 billion (2024 est.) · $8.329 billion (2023 est.) · $23.478 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars
Exports
$34.113 billion (2024 est.) · $35.487 billion (2023 est.) · $47.274 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Exports - commodities
crude petroleum, natural gas, refined petroleum, plastics, electricity (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars
Imports
$27.339 billion (2024 est.) · $25.016 billion (2023 est.) · $21.274 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Imports - commodities
cars, crude petroleum, refined petroleum, broadcasting equipment, garments (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$12.699 billion (2024 est.) · $13.749 billion (2023 est.) · $11.338 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars
Debt - external
$12.378 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars
Exchange rates
Azerbaijani manats (AZN) per US dollar - 1.7 (2024 est.) · 1.7 (2023 est.) · 1.7 (2022 est.) · 1.7 (2021 est.) · 1.7 (2020 est.)
Energy
7 fieldsElectrification% of population · (2022 est.)
Installed generating capacity, 8.383 million kW(2023 est.)
Petroleum
- total petroleum production:
- 618,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
- refined petroleum consumption:
- 109,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
- crude oil estimated reserves:
- 7 billion barrels (2021 est.)
Natural gas
- production:
- 35.775 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
- consumption:
- 12.703 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
- exports:
- 23.65 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
- imports:
- 2.173 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
- proven reserves:
- 1.699 trillion cubic meters (2021 est.)
Communications
6 fieldsPer 100 inhabitants(2023–24 est.)
Broadcast media
- TV is the most popular medium;
- many homes are hooked up to satellite;
- all Azerbaijan-based channels promote government positions;
- state-owned AzTV runs three national channels, and state-funded iTV is a national public service broadcaster;
- 4 national privately-owned stations;
- Turkish, Russian, and western TV is available on cable;
- analog terrestrial TV was phased out in 2016-17;
- radio outlets focus on entertainment, with around a dozen stations on FM in Baku;
- newspaper distribution is largely limited to Baku (2023)
Transportation
5 fieldsMerchant marine, 312 ships by type(2023)
Railways
- total:
- 2,944.3 km (2017)
- broad gauge:
- 2,944.3 km (2017) 1.520-m gauge (approx. 1,767 km electrified)
Military and Security
6 fieldsMilitary and security forces
- Azerbaijan Armed Forces:
- Land Forces, Air Forces, Navy Forces, Special Forces, State Border Service, Coast Guard
- Ministry of Internal Affairs:
- Internal Troops, local police forces; Special State Protection Service (SSPS): National Guard (2025)
note: the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the State Security Service (intelligence, counterterrorism) are responsible for internal security; the SSPS is under the president and provides protective services to senior officials, foreign missions, significant state assets, government buildings, etc; the National Guard also serves as a reserve for the Army
Military and security service personnel strengths
information varies widely; estimated 100,000 active Armed Forces personnel (2025)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
- Baku has been actively upgrading the military's inventory for over a decade with equipment acquisitions from several sources, including ;
- while most of the military's equipment was once Soviet-era material, it now fields quantities of modern armaments, including armored vehicles, artillery systems, air defense systems, fighter aircraft, tanks, and UAVs (2025)
Military service age and obligation
- 18-30 years of age for compulsory military service for men;
- 18-35 years of age voluntary/contractual service for men (18-40 for women volunteers);
- 18 months service for conscripts, 36 months for voluntary/contractual service (2025)
Military - note
the Azerbaijani military was established in 1991, although its origins go back to 1918; much of the military’s original equipment was acquired from former Soviet military forces that departed Azerbaijan by 1992; territorial defense is the military’s primary focus, particularly with regards to neighboring Armenia;
a secondary focus is guarding against Iran; Armenia and Azerbaijan engaged in open conflicts over the Nagorno-Karabakh enclave in 1991-94 and 2020; tensions continued following the 2020 conflict, and Azerbaijan seized the entire enclave in 2023
key bilateral security relationships include Israel, Russia, and Turkiye; Azerbaijan's ties with Turkiye have included weapons transfers, technical advice, bilateral training exercises, and military support during its conflicts with Armenia; Azerbaijan is not part of NATO but has had a cooperative relationship with it dating back to when it joined NATO’s Partnership for Peace program in 1994 and has provided troops to NATO-led missions in Kosovo (1999-2008) and Afghanistan (2002-2014) (2025)
Space
3 fieldsSpace agency/agencies
- Space Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan (Azercosmos; established 2010 as a state-owned satellite operating company);
- Azerbaijan National Aerospace Agency (NASA; Azərbaycan Milli Aerokosmik Agentliyi, MAKA; established 1992; since 2006, has operated under the Ministry of Defense Industry) (2025)
Space program overview
- largely focused on the acquisition and operation of satellites;
- operates foreign-built communications and remote sensing (RS) satellites;
- cooperates with a variety of foreign space agencies and commercial entities, including those of China, the ESA (bilaterally with individual member states such as France), Israel, Russia, Turkey, and the US;
- Azercosmos is the largest satellite operator in the Caucasus region (2025)
Key space-program milestones
- 2013 - first communications satellite (Azerspace-1) built by US company and launched on European rocket
- 2014 - took operational control over remote sensing (RS) satellite (SPOT-7, now Azersky) from a French company (satellite ceased operations in 2023)
- 2017 - second communications satellite (Azerspace-2) built by US company and launched on European rocket
- 2023 - agreed to participate in China's International Lunar Research Station Cooperation project, which aims to establish a base on the Moon in the 2030s; signed agreement with Israel to jointly develop two multi-spectral RS satellites (Azersky-2 program) for scheduled launches in 2026 and 2028 (2025)
Terrorism
1 fieldTerrorist group(s)
Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS); Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)/Qods Force note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide
Transnational Issues
1 fieldRefugees and internally displaced persons
- refugees:
- 6,698 (2024 est.)
- IDPs:
- 657,996 (2024 est.)
- stateless persons:
- 271 (2024 est.)
Cite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Azerbaijan.” The World Factbook 2025. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/azerbaijan.