Background: 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. In September 2023, Azerbaijan took military action to regain the rest of Nagorno-Karabakh; after a conflict that lasted only one day, nearly 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.

Area
Total: 86,600 km²
Land: 82,629 km²
Water: 3,971 km²
Note: includes the exclave of Naxcivan Autonomous Republic and the Nagorno-Karabakh region; the final status of the region has yet to be determined
Comparative: about three-quarters the size of Pennsylvania; slightly smaller than Maine

Land boundaries
Total: 2,468 km
Border countries (5): (5) Armenia 996 km; Georgia 428 km; Iran 689 km; Russia 338 km; Turkey 17 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Note: Azerbaijan borders the Caspian Sea (713 km)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: dry, semiarid steppe

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

Elevation
Highest point: Bazarduzu Dagi 4,466 m
Lowest point: Caspian Sea -28 m
Mean elevation: 384 m

Land use
Agricultural land: 57.8% (2023 est.)
Arable land: 25.3% (2023 est.)
Permanent crops: 3.3% (2023 est.)
Permanent pasture: 29.2% (2023 est.)
Forest: 14.4% (2023 est.)
Other: 27.7% (2023 est.)

Irrigated land: 14,693 km² (2022)

Natural hazards: droughts

Geography
Note: both the main area of the country and the Naxcivan exclave are landlocked

Population
Total: 10,650,239 (2024 est.)
Male: 5,330,233
Female: 5,320,006
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
Growth rate: 0.43% (2024 est.)

Languages: Azerbaijani (Azeri) (official) 92.5%, Russian 1.4%, Armenian 1.4%, other 4.7% (2009 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

Age structure
0-14 years: 22.3% (male 1,269,241/female 1,104,529)
15-64 years: 68.7% (male 3,659,441/female 3,656,493)
65 years and over: 9% (2024 est.) (male 401,551/female 558,984)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 45.6 (2024 est.)
Youth dependency ratio: 32.4 (2024 est.)
Elderly dependency ratio: 13.1 (2024 est.)
Potential support ratio: 7.6 (2024 est.)

Median age
Total: 34.3 years (2024 est.)
Male: 32.8 years
Female: 36 years

Population growth rate: 0.43% (2024 est.)

Birth rate: 11.2 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Death rate: 6.4 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

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

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

Major urban areas
Population: 2.432 million BAKU (capital) (2023)

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.)

Maternal mortality ratio: 18 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 10.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
Male: 12.6 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 9 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 75.9 years (2024 est.)
Male: 73.5 years
Female: 78.6 years

Total fertility rate: 1.69 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Drinking water source
Urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)
Rural: 5.5% of population (2022 est.)
Total: 2.4% of population (2022 est.)

Sanitation facility access
Urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 3% (2023 est.)

Youth unemployment
Rate (ages 15-24): 5.6% (2024 est.); 5.7% (2023 est.); 5.7% (2022 est.)
Rate (ages 15-24) note: % of labor force seeking employment

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

Legal system: civil law system

International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

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
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
2018: Ilham ALIYEV reelected president in first round; percent of vote - Ilham ALIYEV (YAP) 86%, Zahid ORUJ (independent) 3.1%, other 10.9%
Expected date of next election: 2,031

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 2,029

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

National anthem
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:

Real gdp growth rate: 4.1% (2024 est.); 1.4% (2023 est.); 4.7% (2022 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real gdp per capita: 4.1% (2024 est.); 1.4% (2023 est.); 4.7% (2022 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 55.4% (2024 est.)
Government consumption: 14.4% (2024 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 16.8% (2024 est.)
Investment in inventories: 4.3% (2024 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 45.9% (2024 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -36.8% (2024 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

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

Industries: petroleum and petroleum products, natural gas, oilfield equipment; steel, iron ore; cement; chemicals and petrochemicals; textiles

Industrial production growth rate: 2.1% (2024 est.)
Note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

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): 5.6% (2024 est.); 5.7% (2023 est.); 5.7% (2022 est.)
Rate (ages 15-24) note: % of labor force seeking employment

Budget
Revenues: $30.966 billion (2022 est.)
Expenditures: $22.95 billion (2022 est.)
Note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

Taxes and other revenues: 15.4% (of GDP) (2022 est.)
Note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

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
Commodities: crude petroleum, natural gas, refined petroleum, plastics, electricity (2023)
Commodities 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
Commodities: cars, crude petroleum, refined petroleum, broadcasting equipment, garments (2023)
Commodities note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Electricity
Installed generating capacity: 8.383 million kW (2023 est.)
Consumption: 23.857 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Exports: 3.246 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Imports: 212 million kWh (2023 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 2.197 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Access electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels: 93.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources solar: 0.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources wind: 0.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 5.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources biomass and waste: 0.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Coal
Consumption: 6,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
Imports: 10,000 metric tons (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.)

Carbon dioxide emissions: 38.892 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From coal and metallurgical coke: 17,000 metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 13.954 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From consumed natural gas: 24.921 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita: 66.467 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 1.635 million (2023 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 16 (2023 est.)
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 11 million (2023 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 107 (2022 est.)

Internet
Users percent of population: 89% (2023 est.)

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 2.15 million (2023 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 21 (2023 est.)

Military expenditures: 5.1% of GDP (2024 est.); 4.5% of GDP (2023 est.); 4.5% of GDP (2022 est.); 5% of GDP (2021 est.); 5% of GDP (2020 est.)

Airports: 32 (2025)

Heliports: 5 (2025)

Railways
Total: 2,944.3 km (2017)
Broad gauge: 2,944.3 km (2017) 1.520-m gauge (approx. 1,767 km electrified)

Merchant marine
Total: 312 (2023)
By type: general cargo 40, oil tanker 44, other 228