Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan sits at the crossroads of Eastern Europe and Western Asia. Its UN M49 code is 031, its ISO alpha-2 code is AZ, and its ISO alpha-3 code is AZE. The United Nations groups Azerbaijan under the region Asia and the subregion Western Asia, and it is a UN member state. The World Bank lists Baku as the capital. This profile explains how to verify the country’s key statistics without freezing volatile figures, and it distinguishes UN groupings for data purposes from political or territorial claims.

Stable identifiers

Attribute	Value
UN M49 code	031
ISO alpha-2	AZ
ISO alpha-3	AZE
UN region	Asia
UN subregion	Western Asia
UN membership	Member state
World Bank capital field	Baku

These codes and groupings come from the UN Statistics Division’s M49 standard ( M49 is a framework for data, not a political or territorial assertion. It groups countries for statistical purposes and does not settle sovereignty, border, or naming disputes. The placement of Azerbaijan in “Western Asia” is a data grouping, not a statement about regional identity or geopolitics.

The World Bank publishes an API for country metadata, including the capital field, at That feed lists Baku as the capital. The M49 overview is available

How the groupings work

M49 codes are identifiers for data, not political statements. The UN groups Azerbaijan under Western Asia for statistical purposes. This does not imply a position on borders, sovereignty, or regional identity. The World Bank uses the same M49 region and subregion codes in its country API. When you see “Asia” or “Western Asia” in a dataset, it is a data grouping, not a territorial claim.

Verifying changing figures

Official statistics change every year, sometimes every quarter. The figures below are the stable entry points you can rely on; for volatile data, always check the named source and reference year. Do not treat any single number as permanent.

Population

The United Nations Population Division publishes population estimates and projections. For the most recent figure, use the UN World Population Prospects or the World Bank country page. The World Bank API returns a country profile and a range of indicators; query it at:

The reference year is stated in the dataset you open, so always note it. Census data is collected roughly every decade; between censuses, figures are estimates. For Azerbaijan, the most recent full census was 2019, and population estimates since then are projections.

The most recent official population figure for Azerbaijan comes from the State Statistical Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan. The UN Population Division publishes annual estimates and projections, and the World Bank reports a population series derived from national statistics. These sources may differ slightly because they use different reference dates, definitions, and estimation methods.

For the latest figure, check the World Bank country page or the UN Population Division. The reference year is always stated with the estimate. Population data are usually 2-5 years old by the time they are published, and censuses undercount rural or nomadic populations in many countries; Azerbaijan’s official statistics are produced by the State Statistical Committee, but census timing and methodology matter when comparing with UN or World Bank estimates.

Languages

The CIA World Factbook lists Azerbaijani (Azeri) as the official language, with Russian and Armenian as minority languages. The Factbook is a secondary compilation; verify current linguistic data with the Azerbaijani national statistical office or a recent UNESCO education report if you need more detail.

Currency

The manat (ISO code AZN) is the currency. Exchange rates change daily; do not state a price or rate without a date and source. Use the Central Bank of Azerbaijan for current official rates.

Government

The official government structure is defined by the Constitution of the Azerbaijan Republic. The current system is a presidential republic; for leadership and election results, check the official website of the President of Azerbaijan or the Central Election Commission, and note the date of the last update.

Economy

World Bank and IMF publish standardized indicators. Always check the methodology note and the reference year. The World Bank API provides a machine-readable country list with basic metadata.

Travel and entry

Visa rules change without notice. Do not rely on third-party summaries; check your own government’s travel advisory and the IATA Travel Centre. Getting visa advice requires checking those official sources directly.

Practical questions this profile answers

If you are looking for a single profile of Azerbaijan, you are probably trying to answer one of these practical questions:

• Where is Azerbaijan, and what is its official data grouping?
• What is the current population, and which source should I trust?
• What languages, currency, and government structure does the country have?
• How do I compare Azerbaijan with other countries without misreading the data?
• What do I need to know before travelling, and where do I get official advice?

This profile answers the entry question directly. It gives the stable identifiers, points to the sources that keep changing data current, and explains where official numbers can mislead. It does not replace your government’s travel advisory or a visa office.

How to read this profile

This profile gives you the stable identifiers for Azerbaijan and a method for verifying the volatile numbers. Figures for population, GDP, and similar indicators change every year; the reference year and source are printed next to each figure. Do not treat any single number as permanent. For a deeper framework on comparing countries, see the country research and comparison guide. For source literacy, see the how to read country data guide.

Step-by-step verification method

Population, currency, language, government and economy figures change. Do not rely on a single source. Use the following steps to get current data with named sources and reference years.

1. Population: The UN Population Division publishes annual estimates and projections. The World Bank API is a secondary source that mirrors UN data with a lag. Check the reference year on every figure you cite. For Azerbaijan, the World Bank country page shows the latest population estimate with a clear year label. Do not mix a 2023 UN estimate with a 2020 census count.

2. Languages: The CIA World Factbook lists Azerbaijani (Azeri) as the official language, with Russian and Armenian as minority languages. The Factbook is a secondary compilation; verify current linguistic data with the Azerbaijani national statistical office or a recent UNESCO education report if you need more detail.

3. Currency: The manat (ISO code AZN) is the currency. Exchange rates change daily; do not state a price or rate without a date and source. Use the Central Bank of Azerbaijan for current official rates.

4. Government: The official government structure is defined by the Constitution of the Azerbaijan Republic. The current system is a presidential republic; for leadership and election results, check the official website of the President of Azerbaijan or the Central Election Commission, and note the date of the last update.

5. Economy: World Bank and IMF publish standardized indicators. Always check the methodology note and the reference year. The World Bank API provides a machine-readable country list with basic metadata.

6. Travel and entry: visa rules change without notice. Do not rely on third-party summaries; check your own government’s travel advisory and the IATA Travel Centre. Getting visa advice requires checking those official sources directly.