Azerbaijan

presidential republic

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

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

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

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

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

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)

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.)

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

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)

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)

$225.198 billion (2024 est.) $216.388 billion (2023 est.) $213.497 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

$22,100 (2024 est.) $21,300 (2023 est.) $21,100 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

4.1% (2024 est.) 1.4% (2023 est.) 4.7% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

2.2% (2024 est.) 8.8% (2023 est.) 13.9% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices

16.8% of GDP (2021 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP

$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

$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

5.6% (2024 est.) 5.7% (2023 est.) 5.7% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment

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

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

milk, wheat, barley, potatoes, tomatoes, watermelons, onions, apples, maize, cotton (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

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

0.4% (2025 est.)

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)

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

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

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

total population: 75.9 years (2024 est.) male: 73.5 years female: 78.6 years

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

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

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): D nya fakt kitabı, əsas məlumatlar n əvəz olunmaz mənbədir (Azerbaijani) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. note: Russian is widely spoken

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

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

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

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

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

32 (2025)

total: 2,944.3 km (2017) broad gauge: 2,944.3 km (2017) 1.520-m gauge (approx. 1,767 km electrified)

total: 312 (2023) by type: general cargo 40, oil tanker 44, other 228

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

percent of population: 89% (2023 est.)