Population, GDP, natural resources, leaders and history of Azerbaijan: the Magna Factbook country file, with its Magna grade (MCB, ranked #64 of 195).
Azerbaijan is a presidential republic in Southwestern Asia, bordering the Caspian Sea, between Iran and Russia, with a small European portion north of the Caucasus range. The country's capital is Baku (Baki, Baky); it covers 86,600 sq km. Independence: 30 August 1991 (declared from the Soviet Union); 18 October 1991 (adopted by the Supreme Council of Azerbaijan). 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. Climate: dry, semiarid steppe. Population: 10.7 million (2025 estimate). Po…
| Capital | Baku (Baki, Baky) |
|---|---|
| Population | 10,694,370 (2025 est.) |
| GDP (PPP) | $225.198 billion (2024 est.) |
| GDP per capita (PPP) | $22,100 (2024 est.) |
| Real GDP growth | 4.1% (2024 est.) |
| Inflation | 2.2% |
| Unemployment | 5.6% |
| Public debt | 16.8% of GDP (2021 est.) |
| Exports | $34.113 billion (2024 est.) |
| Imports | $27.339 billion (2024 est.) |
| Life expectancy | 75.9 years (2024 est.) |
| Median age | 34.8 |
| Urbanization | 57.6% of total population (2023) |
| Government | presidential republic |
| Independence | 30 August 1991 (declared from the Soviet Union); 18 October 1991 (adopted by the Supreme Council of Azerbaijan) |
| Languages | Azerbaijani 96.1%, other 1.4%; less than 1%: Russian, Avar, Talyshi, Turkish, Tatar, Sakhur, Tat, Ukrainian, Georgian, Hebrew (2019 est.) |
MCB · 53/100 — The Magna grade is our 0–100 composite of structural national power — five dimensions, 100+ indicators. It is the Bureau's own assessment, not a mirror of World Bank or CIA figures.
Momentum 0 — Quarterly momentum: the Bureau's read on the country's trajectory over the last quarter, from −10 (deteriorating fast) to +10 (accelerating).
Jul–Sep 2026 came and went without leaving a mark on the country's trajectory. Continuity, not change, is the story.
For a small or mid-sized state, that is often the good outcome: no shock to absorb, no crisis to manage.
Oil, Natural gas, Iron ore, Bauxite.
Ilham Aliyev — President. President Ilham ALIYEV (since 31 October 2003)
Azerbaijan maintains 62 embassies and 4 consulates abroad. The breadth of a diplomatic network is a direct measure of diplomatic power — it shows how far a country’s influence, alliances and interests reach.
| Embassies abroad | 62 |
|---|---|
| Consulates abroad | 4 |
Source: Outbound: Consular Affairs Center (Yonsei Univ.), diplomatic & consular networks database, January 2026 report (Zenodo).
Transport networks are economic power made physical — ports, runways, railways and pipelines decide what a country can move, sell and defend.
| Sea access | Landlocked — no seacoast; exports move through transit corridors across neighbouring countries. |
|---|---|
| Airports (total) | 32 + 5 heliports (registration prefix 4K) |
| Railways | 2944.3 km |
| Pipelines | 89 km condensate, 3,890 km gas, 2,446 km oil (2013) |
Ganja International Airport (GNJ) — Ganja; Heydar Aliyev International Airport (GYD) — Baku; Nakhchivan International Airport (NAJ) — Nakhchivan; Gabala International Airport (GBB) — Gabala; Lachin International Airport (LHL) — Lachin.
Sources: OurAirports public-domain extract (2026-10-02); per-entry Wikipedia links included; CIA World Factbook via cia_factbook snapshot (2026-09-28); theodora.com CIA mirror (CIA World Factbook Transportation section), scraped 2026-10-02
| Political system | presidential republic |
|---|---|
| Next election | No election currently scheduled. |
MCB · 53 Ranked #64 of 195 countries in the Magna Country Rankings. Full ranking breakdown for Azerbaijan.
Historical timeline of Azerbaijan
