Exploring Azerbaijan: Population Density And Urbanization Insights

Azerbaijan is a landlocked country in the Caucasus region, with a population of over 10 million people. The population density of Azerbaijan is approximately 120-125 people per square kilometer, with 58.3% of the population living in urban areas. This makes Azerbaijan the 94th most populous country in the world.

Population density in 2024

The population density of Azerbaijan in 2024 is estimated to be between 120.82 and 125 people per square kilometer. This equates to around 324 people per square mile.

Azerbaijan's total land area is 82,658 square kilometers (31,914 square miles). The country's population in 2024 is estimated to be 10,336,577 people at mid-year. 58.3% of the population is urban, which equates to 6,022,102 people.

The population density figure for 2024 represents a 0.48% increase from 2023. The population density of Azerbaijan in 2023 was 120.24 people per square kilometer, a 0.53% increase from 2022. The population density of the country has been steadily increasing over the years.

The median age in Azerbaijan is 33.1 years, and the country ranks 94th in the list of countries (and dependencies) by population.

Urban population

Azerbaijan's urban population has been steadily increasing over the years, with an annual rate of change of 1.38% between 2020 and 2025. As of 2023, the urban population in Azerbaijan was estimated to be 5,822,506, a slight increase from 5,798,042 in 2022 and 5,755,809 in 2021. This urban population constitutes about 57.6% to 58.3% of the total population of Azerbaijan, which translates to around 6 million people in urban centres in 2024.

The definition of "urban population" varies from country to country, and in Azerbaijan, it is defined by national statistical offices and is based on population size, area, or space between dwellings, among other factors. Therefore, international comparisons of urban populations may be inconsistent.

The urban population in Azerbaijan has seen a consistent increase over the years, with a slight dip in the rate of increase from 2022 to 2023, where the numbers remained around 57.58%. However, 2023 still marked a peak in the share of the urban population in Azerbaijan. The birth rate in urban areas is lower than in rural areas, with 10.8‰ compared to 13.8‰ in rural areas as of 2022.

The urban centres of Azerbaijan include towns and various economic regions, such as the Absheron-Khizi Economic Region, the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, and the Gazakh-Tovuz Economic Region. These urban centres play a crucial role in the country's economic development and contribute significantly to its overall population density.

Rural population

Azerbaijan's population density is currently between 120.82 and 125 people per square kilometre, with a total population of around 10,300,000 as of 2024. The country's population density has been steadily increasing, with a 0.48% increase from 2023 to 2024.

Rural areas in Azerbaijan tend to have higher birth rates compared to urban areas, with a crude birth rate of 13.8 per thousand in 2022, compared to 10.8 in urban areas. As of 2023, 57.6% of the population lived in urban areas, leaving the remaining 42.4% in rural areas. This equates to around 4,291,575 people living in rural areas.

The economic regions of Mountainous Shirvan and Mil-Mughan have the highest birth rates in the country, while the Absheron-Khizi economic region and the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic have the lowest. The Gazakh-Tovuz economic region has the highest death rate, and Absheron-Khizi the lowest.

The World Bank provides further statistics on the rural population of Azerbaijan, including rural population growth, age demographics, and death rate.

Historical population density

Azerbaijan's population density has been increasing steadily since 1950. The population density in 1950 was 40.5 people per square kilometre, and this figure has risen to 125 people per square kilometre as of 2024.

The population density of Azerbaijan has historically been influenced by various factors, including migration, conflict, and changes in governance. For example, the First Nagorno-Karabakh War in the 1990s resulted in significant population displacement, with over a million people fleeing the region.

In addition, the country's complex history, including its time as part of the Soviet Union, has impacted its demographic makeup. The dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 led to an influx of refugees and migrants from other former Soviet republics, further influencing the population density of Azerbaijan.

Furthermore, Azerbaijan's position as a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and West Asia has also played a role in shaping its historical population density. The country's borders with Russia, Georgia, Armenia, Turkey, and Iran have influenced migration patterns and population distribution within the region.

The historical population density of Azerbaijan has also been influenced by the country's economic development and urbanisation. The capital city, Baku, is the largest city in the region and has experienced significant growth and urbanisation, drawing people from rural areas to urban centres.

Overall, the historical population density of Azerbaijan has been shaped by a combination of social, political, and economic factors, resulting in the current density of 125 people per square kilometre as of 2024.

Population density compared to other countries

Azerbaijan's population density in 2024 is 120.82 people per square kilometre, according to the United Nations. Other sources state the density as 125 per square kilometre. This number has been increasing over the years, with a 0.48% increase from 2023 to 2024.

Compared to other countries, Azerbaijan's population density is relatively low. The global average population density is 62 people per square kilometre in 2024. The five most densely populated countries are Macao, Monaco, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Gibraltar, with Singapore having 8,430 people per square kilometre. Even some larger countries have higher densities, such as Bangladesh with 1,342 people per square kilometre.

On the other end of the spectrum, some of the largest countries in the world by land area have much lower population densities than Azerbaijan. For example, Russia has a population density of 9 people per square kilometre, while Canada is even lower at 4 people per square kilometre. Greenland is the least densely populated country, with around 0.1 people per square kilometre.

It is worth noting that the population density of a country can be influenced by various factors such as geographical size, urbanisation, and economic development.

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