Russian In Baku, Azerbaijan: Is It Enough To Get By?

Russian is the first language of more than 150,000 people in Azerbaijan, and in 1994, 38% of Azerbaijanis spoke Russian fluently as a second language. In Baku, the capital, Russian is very widespread, and it is common in restaurants and hotels. The older generation, in particular, knows Russian, and it is still taught in schools as a second language. However, the number of Russian speakers has decreased since the fall of the Soviet Union, and the use of Russian is now more concentrated among the intellectuals and elite of the nation.

Russian is the first language of over 150,000 people in Azerbaijan

Russian is the first language of more than 150,000 people in Azerbaijan. It was introduced to the country in the first half of the nineteenth century after Qajar Iran ceded its Caucasian territories to Russia. By 1830, there were schools in major cities that used Russian as the language of instruction. However, education in Russian was unpopular among ethnic Azeris until 1887, when the first Russian-Azeri school was founded in Baku.

In the Soviet era, the large Russian population of Baku, the quality of Russian-language education, and increased access to Russian literature contributed to the Russification of Baku's population. This resulted in the formation of a supra-ethnic, cosmopolitan, Russian-speaking subculture in Baku, uniting people of Russian, Azerbaijani, Armenian, Jewish, and other origins. In 1970, 57,500 Azeris (1.3%) identified Russian as their native language.

Today, Russian continues to be widely spoken in Baku, especially among the older generation, intellectuals, and the elite. While the use of Russian in Azerbaijan has declined since the collapse of the Soviet Union, it still plays a significant role as a language of education and communication. In Baku, Russian is commonly understood and spoken, especially in the hospitality industry.

In addition to ethnic Russians, Russian is also spoken as a first language by Russified Azeris, Ukrainians, Jews, and other minorities in Azerbaijan. The Russian vernacular spoken in the country is influenced by Azeri and differs from standard Russian in terms of pronunciation and slang.

Russian was introduced to Azerbaijan after its colonisation by Russia in the 19th century

The territories of Azerbaijan became part of the Russian Empire after Qajar Iran was forced to cede them, along with all of its other Caucasian territories, following the Russo-Persian War (1804-1813) and the resulting Treaty of Gulistan, and the Russo-Persian War (1826-1828) and its resulting Treaty of Turkmenchay. The region north of the Aras River, including the territory of the present-day Republic of Azerbaijan, had been Iranian territory until it was occupied by Russia.

By 1830, there were schools with Russian as the language of instruction in the cities of Shusha, Baku, Elisabethpol, and Shamakhi; later, such schools were established in Quba, Ordubad, and Zagatala. Education in Russian was unpopular among ethnic Azeris until 1887, when the first Russian-Azeri school was founded in Baku. This was a secular school with instruction in both Russian and Azeri, and its programs were designed to be consistent with the cultural values and traditions of the Muslim population. Eventually, 240 such schools for both boys and girls, including a women's college founded in 1901, were established prior to the "Sovietization" of the South Caucasus.

In the Soviet era, the large Russian population of Baku, the quality and prospects of education in Russian, and increased access to Russian literature, among other factors, contributed to the intensive Russification of Baku's population. This resulted in the formation of a supra-ethnic urban Baku subculture, uniting people of Russian, Azerbaijani, Armenian, Jewish, and other origins, with Russian as their common language. In 1970, 57,500 Azeris (1.3%) identified Russian as their native language.

In 2002, President Heydar Aliyev issued a decree establishing Azerbaijani as the sole language of state operation. Compulsory teaching of Russian in schools was made optional. Nevertheless, the Russian language continues to feature prominently in the daily life of people in Baku, especially among the intellectuals and "élite" of the nation.

In Baku, most middle-aged people are fluent in Russian

Russian is widely spoken in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, and most middle-aged people are fluent in the language. The Russian language has historically been prevalent in Baku since the city was part of the Russian Empire and later the Soviet Union. During the Soviet era, the large Russian population of Baku, improved access to Russian education, and other factors contributed to the intensive Russification of the city's population. This resulted in the emergence of "Russian-speaking Azeris", i.e., ethnic Azeris who considered Russian their native language.

The Russian-speaking subculture in Baku experienced a decline after the collapse of the Soviet Union due to the emigration of many Russians. However, Russian continues to be widely spoken, especially among the older generation. In a discussion on Reddit, several users commented that Russian is commonly spoken in Baku, particularly among middle-aged and older individuals. One user mentioned that Russian was very common for those above the age of 25. Another user stated that the majority of old people know Russian, while younger people tend to prefer English or Turkish.

The prevalence of Russian in Baku is also evident in the hospitality industry, where most workers speak Russian in addition to Azerbaijani. Russian is taught in schools as a second language, and there are also dedicated Russian schools in the city. The Baku Slavic University, founded in 2000, is an example of a higher education institution that focuses on Russian language and literature.

In summary, Russian is widely spoken in Baku, and most middle-aged people are fluent in the language due to historical factors, cultural influences, and the presence of Russian-speaking minorities. The Russian language continues to play an important role in the daily lives of many residents of Baku, even after the country's independence from the Soviet Union.

Russian is more widely spoken than English in Baku

The history of the Russian language in Azerbaijan is tied to the country's colonisation by Russia in the first half of the nineteenth century. By 1830, there were schools with Russian as the language of instruction in several cities, including Baku. During the Soviet era, the large Russian population of Baku, the quality and prospects of Russian-language education, increased access to Russian literature, and other factors contributed to the intensive Russification of Baku's population. This resulted in the formation of a supra-ethnic, cosmopolitan, Russian-speaking subculture in the city, uniting people of Russian, Azerbaijani, Armenian, Jewish, and other origins. The widespread use of Russian also led to the emergence of "Russian-speaking Azeris", i.e., ethnic Azeris who considered Russian their native language.

Today, the use of Russian in Azerbaijan is concentrated among the intellectuals and "élite" of the nation. While the number of Russian speakers has declined since the collapse of the Soviet Union, especially outside the capital, Russian is still commonly spoken and understood in Baku. Some sources estimate that around 60% of people in Baku speak Russian, and it is particularly common among the older generation and in the hospitality industry. Russian is also taught in schools as a second language, and there are still several Russian-language newspapers published in Baku.

Russian is commonly spoken by young people in Baku

The history of Russian in Baku dates back to the 19th century when the region was colonized by Russia. During the Soviet era, the large Russian population in Baku, access to Russian education and literature, and other factors contributed to the intensive Russification of the city's population. This led to the emergence of a supra-ethnic, cosmopolitan, Russian-speaking subculture in Baku, uniting people of various ethnic backgrounds.

Today, Russian continues to be widely spoken in Baku, especially among young people. Some consider Russian their mother tongue, and it is often used in workplaces and the hospitality industry. However, the number of Russian speakers in Baku has decreased since the collapse of the Soviet Union, and there is a stronger emphasis on the Azerbaijani language in education and government operations.

While Russian is commonly spoken by young people in Baku, it is important to note that the use of Russian varies across different areas of the city and that Azerbaijani is the official language of Azerbaijan.

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