Azerbaijan

Republic of Azerbaijan

Middle East Baku

Population

10.69M

Area

86,600 km²

GDP

$74.32B

GDP Per Capita

$22,100

Pop. Density

123/km²

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.

Geography18

Location

Southwestern Asia, bordering the Caspian Sea, between Iran and Russia, with a small European portion north of the Caucasus range

Geographic coordinates

40 30 N, 47 30 E

Map references

Asia

Area

total : 86,600 sq km
land: 82,629 sq km
water: 3,971 sq km

Area - comparative

about three-quarters the size of Pennsylvania; slightly smaller than Maine

Land boundaries

total: 2,468 km
border countries: Armenia 996 km; Georgia 428 km; Iran 689 km; Russia 338 km; Turkey 17 km

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

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

Natural resources

petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, nonferrous metals, bauxite

Land use

agricultural land

57.8% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 25.3% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 3.3% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 29.2% (2023 est.)

forest

14.4% (2023 est.)

other

27.7% (2023 est.)

Irrigated land

14,693 sq km (2022)

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

Natural hazards

droughts

Geography - note

both the main area of the country and the Naxcivan exclave are landlocked

People & Society35

Population

total: 10,694,370 (2025 est.)
male: 5,354,376
female: 5,339,994

Nationality

noun: Azerbaijani(s)
adjective: Azerbaijani

Ethnic groups

Azerbaijani 94.8%, other 1.8%; less than 1%: Talish, Russian, Avar, Sakhur, Tartar, Georgian, Jewish, Kurd
(2019 est.)

Languages

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.

Religions

Muslim 97.3% (predominantly Shia), Christian 2.6%, other <0.1, unaffiliated <0.1 (2020 est.)

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 (2025 est.)
youth dependency ratio: 31.6 (2025 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 14 (2025 est.)
potential support ratio: 7.1 (2025 est.)

Median age

total: 34.8 years (2025 est.)
male: 32.8 years
female: 36 years

Population growth rate

0.4% (2025 est.)

Birth rate

11.13 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Death rate

6.44 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Net migration rate

-0.71 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

urban population: 57.6% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 1.38% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

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.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

24 years (2019 est.)

Maternal mortality ratio

18 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 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

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 (2025 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

0.79 (2025 est.)

Drinking water source

improved: urban

urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)

improved: rural

rural: 94.5% of population (2022 est.)

improved: total

total: 97.6% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: rural

rural: 5.5% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

total: 2.4% of population (2022 est.)

Health expenditure

Health expenditure (as % of GDP): 4.7% of GDP (2021)
Health expenditure (as % of national budget): 4.6% of national budget (2022 est.)

Physician density

3.19 physicians/1,000 population (2022)

Hospital bed density

3.9 beds/1,000 population (2019 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: urban: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

19.9% (2016)

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.)

Tobacco use

total: 18.4% (2025 est.)
male: 37.9% (2025 est.)
female: 0.1% (2025 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

3% (2023 est.)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

59.7% (2019 est.)

Education expenditure

Education expenditure (% GDP): 3.7% of GDP (2023 est.)
Education expenditure (% national budget): 11.9% national budget (2025 est.)

Literacy

total population: 99.8% (2023 est.)
male: 99.8% (2023 est.)
female: 99.7% (2023 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 13 years (2023 est.)
male: 13 years (2023 est.)
female: 13 years (2023 est.)

Government23

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

Government type

presidential republic

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

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

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

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

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

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

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

azerbaijan@azembassy.us

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

BakuACS@state.gov

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)

National holiday

Republic Day (founding of the Democratic Republic of Azerbaijan), 28 May (1918)

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 symbol(s)

flames of fire

National color(s)

blue, red, green

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

Economy29

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

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024: $225.198 billion (2024 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023: $216.388 billion (2023 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022: $213.497 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2024: 4.1% (2024 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2023: 1.4% (2023 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2022: 4.7% (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita

Real GDP per capita 2024: $22,100 (2024 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2023: $21,300 (2023 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2022: $21,100 (2022 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$74.316 billion (2024 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024: 2.2% (2024 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023: 8.8% (2023 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022: 13.9% (2022 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 5.7% (2024 est.)
industry: 42.6% (2024 est.)
services: 42.3% (2024 est.)

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.)

Agricultural products

milk, wheat, barley, potatoes, tomatoes, watermelons, onions, apples, maize, cotton (2023)

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.)

Labor force

5.02 million (2024 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2024: 5.6% (2024 est.)
Unemployment rate 2023: 5.7% (2023 est.)
Unemployment rate 2022: 5.7% (2022 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

total: 13.7% (2024 est.)
male: 12.3% (2024 est.)
female: 15.3% (2024 est.)

Average household expenditures

on food: 42.7% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
on alcohol and tobacco: 2% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

Remittances

Remittances 2024: 1.8% of GDP (2024 est.)
Remittances 2023: 2.6% of GDP (2023 est.)
Remittances 2022: 5% of GDP (2022 est.)

Budget

revenues: $30.966 billion (2022 est.)
expenditures: $22.95 billion (2022 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2021: 16.8% of GDP (2021 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

15.4% (of GDP) (2022 est.)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2024: $4.671 billion (2024 est.)
Current account balance 2023: $8.329 billion (2023 est.)
Current account balance 2022: $23.478 billion (2022 est.)

Exports

Exports 2024: $34.113 billion (2024 est.)
Exports 2023: $35.487 billion (2023 est.)
Exports 2022: $47.274 billion (2022 est.)

Exports - partners

Italy 37%, Turkey 19%, Israel 5%, Greece 4%, Russia 4% (2023)

Exports - commodities

crude petroleum, natural gas, refined petroleum, plastics, electricity (2023)

Imports

Imports 2024: $27.339 billion (2024 est.)
Imports 2023: $25.016 billion (2023 est.)
Imports 2022: $21.274 billion (2022 est.)

Imports - partners

Russia 17%, China 16%, Turkey 14%, Georgia 4%, Germany 4% (2023)

Imports - commodities

cars, crude petroleum, refined petroleum, broadcasting equipment, garments (2023)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024: $12.699 billion (2024 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023: $13.749 billion (2023 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022: $11.338 billion (2022 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 2023: $12.378 billion (2023 est.)

Exchange rates

Currency

Azerbaijani manats (AZN) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2024

1.7 (2024 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

1.7 (2023 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

1.7 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

1.7 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

1.7 (2020 est.)

Energy7

Electricity access

electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)

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.)

Electricity generation sources

fossil fuels: 93.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
solar: 0.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
wind: 0.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
hydroelectricity: 5.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
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.)

Energy consumption per capita

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

Communications6

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 1.33 million (2024 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 13 (2024 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

total subscriptions: 11.3 million (2024 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 110 (2024 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)

Internet country code

.az

Internet users

percent of population: 89% (2023 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

total: 2.15 million (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 21 (2023 est.)

Transportation5

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

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

Military & Security6

Military 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)

Military expenditures

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

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 Belarus, China, Israel, Russia, and Türkiye; 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)

Transnational Issues1

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees: 6,698 (2024 est.)
IDPs: 657,996 (2024 est.)
stateless persons: 271 (2024 est.)

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