Population and Demographics

Azerbaijan has population of over 8 million, 90.6% of whom are ethnic Azerbaijani (also called Azeris). The second largest ethnic group are Russians, who now form approximately 1.8% of the population, most having emigrated since independence. Numerous 'Dagestani' peoples live around the border with Dagestan.

Azerbaijan also contains numerous smaller groups, such as Georgians, Kurds, Talysh, Tatars and Ukrainians.Around the town of Quba in the north live the Tats, also known as the Mountain Jews, who are also to be found in Dagestan. Many Tats have emigrated to Israel in recent years, although this trend has slowed and even reversed more recently. The country's large Armenian population mostly emigrated to Armenia and to other countries with the beginning of the Armenian-Azeri conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh. During the same period, Azerbaijan also received a large influx of Azerbaijanis fleeing Armenia and later Nagorno-Karabakh and adjacent provinces occupied by the Armenians. Virtually all of Azerbaijan's Armenians now live in the separatist Nagorno-Karabakh region.

Azerbaijan is 93.4% Muslim and most Azerbaijanis are Twelver Shia Muslim. They represent about 60% of the Muslim population. Other religions or beliefs that are followed by many in the country are Sunni Islam, the Armenian Apostolic Church (in Nagorno-Karabakh), the Russian Orthodox Church, and various other Christian and Muslim sects. Traditionally, villages around Baku and the Lenkoran region are considered stronghold of Shi'ism, and in some northern regions populated by Sunni Dagestani people, the Salafi sect has gained a following. Folk Islam is widely practiced, but an organised Sufi movement is absent.

Facts and Figures

• Population: 8,120,247
• Age Structure:
  • 0-14 years: 25.4% (male 1,086,271/female 975,100)
  • 15-64 years: 67.7% (male 2,695,428/female 2,799,047)
  • 65 years and over: 7% (male 211,438/female 352,963)
• Median Age:
  • Total: 27.6 years
  • Male: 26 years
  • Female: 29.4 years
• Population Growth Rate: 0.688%
• Birth Rate: 17.47 births/1,000 population
• Death Rate: 8.35 deaths/1,000 population
• Net Migration Rate: -2.25 migrant(s)/1,000 population
• Sex Ratio:
  • At birth: 1.15 male(s)/female
  • Under 15 years: 1.114 male(s)/female
  • 15-64 years: 0.963 male(s)/female
  • 65 years and over: 0.599 male(s)/female
  • Total population: 0.968 male(s)/female
• Infant Mortality Rate:
  • Total: 58.31 deaths/1,000 live births
  • Male: 64.03 deaths/1,000 live births
  • Female: 51.75 deaths/1,000 live births
• Life Expectancy at Birth:
  • Total population: 65.96 years
  • Male: 61.86 years
  • Female: 70.66 years
• Total Fertility Rate: 2.05 children born/woman
• HIV/AIDS:
  • Adult prevalence rate: less than 0.1%
  • People living with HIV/AIDS: 1,400
• Ethnic Groups:
  • Azeri 90.6%
  • Dagestani 2.2%
  • Russian 1.8%
  • Armenian 1.5%
  • Other 3.9%
  • Note: almost all Armenians live in the separatist Nagorno-Karabakh region
• Religions:
  Note: religious affiliation is still nominal in Azerbaijan; percentages for actual practicing adherents are much lower
  • Muslim 93.4%
  • Russian Orthodox 2.5%
  • Armenian Orthodox 2.3%
  • Other 1.8%
• Languages:
  • Azerbaijani (Azeri) 90.3%
  • Lezgi 2.2%
  • Russian 1.8%
  • Armenian 1.5%
  • Other 3.3%
  • Unspecified 1%
• Literacy:
  • Total population: 98.8%
  • Male: 99.5%
  • Female: 98.2%