Economic regions of Azerbaijan are 14 regions of the Republic of Azerbaijan characterized by a certain economic and geographical position, territorial and economic unity, the diversity of natural and economic conditions and industrial specialization.
The territory of Azerbaijan was divided into 10 economic districts prior to 2021. [1] On July 7, 2021, the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev signed Decree "On the new division of economic regions in the Republic of Azerbaijan", which abolished some of the former regions and created new ones. There are currently 14 economic districts of Azerbaijan. [2]
| Economic region [3] | Total area (thousand km2) [4] | Population (2021) in thousands of people. [4] | Population density (2021, per 1 km2, person) | Brief information |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baku | 2,140 | 2300,5 | 1075 | Includes Baku itself. It is the main economic centre of Azerbaijan. Main industries: international trade, oil refining, chemical, machine-building, food, textile industry. [5] The military industry, high-tech industries, and information technologies are being developed. [6] |
| Absheron-Khizi | 3,730 | 578,8 | 155 | Includes the Absheron and Khizi administrative districts and the city of Sumgait. The main industries are petrochemical, chemical, heavy industry, ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy, energy, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, light and food industry, construction industry, transport infrastructure. |
| Ganja-Dashkasan | 5,270 | 611,3 | 116 | Includes Dashkasan, Goranboy, Goygol, Samukh administrative districts and the cities of Ganja, Naftalan. |
| Shaki-Zagatala | 8,840 | 630,4 | 71 | Includes Balakan, Qakh, Qabala, Oghuz, Zagatala, Shaki administrative districts. Main industries: light, tourism and food industry. [7] |
| Lankaran-Astara | 6,070 | 953,6 | 157 | Includes Astara, Jalilabad, Lerik, Yardimli, Lankaran, Masally administrative districts. Main industry: food and tourism industry. |
| Guba-Khachmaz | 6,960 | 558,7 | 80 | Includes Shabran, Khachmaz, Guba, Qusar, Siyazan administrative districts. Main industries: agriculture, light, tourism and food industry. [8] |
| Central Aran | 6,690 | 740,0 | 111 | Includes Aghdash, Goychay, Kurdamir, Ujar, Yevlakh, Zardab administrative districts, and the city of Mingachevir. [9] |
| Karabakh | 8,990 | 904,5 | 101 | Includes Agjabadi, Aghdam, Barda, Fuzuli, Khojaly, Khojavend, Shusha, Tartar administrative regions and the city of Khankendi (Stepanakert). |
| East Zangezur | 7,470 | 343,5 | 46 | Includes Jabrayil, Kalbajar, Qubadli, Lachin, Zangilan administrative districts. |
| Mountainous Shirvan | 6,130 | 324,8 | 53 | Includes Agsu, Ismayilli, Gobustan, Shamakhi administrative districts. Main industries: light and food industries. |
| Nakhchivan | 5,500 | 461,5 | 84 | Includes the whole territory of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic. Main industries: light, auto and food industries. |
| Gazakh-Tovuz | 7,030 | 687,6 | 98 | Includes Aghstafa, Gadabay, Gazakh, Shamkir, Tovuz administrative districts. |
| Mil-Mughan | 5,670 | 522,6 | 92 | Includes Beylagan, Imishli, Saatly, Sabirabad administrative districts. |
| Shirvan-Salyan | 6,080 | 501,3 | 82 | Includes Bilasuvar, Hajigabul, Neftchala, Salyan administrative districts and the city of Shirvan. |
| In total | 86,570 | 9593,00 |
Russia is divided into several types and levels of subdivisions.
Azerbaijan is administratively divided into 69 districts and 11 cities that are subordinate to the Republic. Out of these, 7 districts and 1 city is located within the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic. The districts are further divided into municipalities.
A raion is a type of administrative unit of several post-Soviet states. The term is used for both a type of subnational entity and a division of a city. The word is from the French rayon, and is commonly translated as "district" in English.
Bilasuvar District is one of the 66 districts of Azerbaijan. It is located in the south-east of the country and belongs to the Shirvan-Salyan Economic Region. The district borders the districts of Imishli, Saatly, Sabirabad, Salyan, Neftchala, Jalilabad, and Ardabil Province of Iran. Its capital and largest city is Bilasuvar. As of 2020, the district had a population of 105,100.
Jabrayil District is one of the 66 districts of Azerbaijan. It is located in the south-west of the country and belongs to the East Zangezur Economic Region. The district borders the districts of Khojavend, Fuzuli, Qubadli, Zangilan, and the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Balakan District is one of the 66 districts of Azerbaijan. It is located in the north of the country and belongs to the Shaki-Zagatala Economic Region. The district borders the district of Zagatala, as well as the Kakheti region of Georgia and the Russian Republic of Dagestan. Its capital and largest city is Balakan. As of 2020, the district had a population of 99,100.
Jalilabad District is one of the 66 districts of Azerbaijan. It is located in the south-east of the country and belongs to the Lankaran-Astara Economic Region. The district borders the districts of Masally, Yardimli, Bilasuvar, and Neftchala. Its capital and largest city is Jalilabad. As of 2020, the district had a population of 225,300.
Hajigabul District is one of the 66 districts of Azerbaijan. It is located in the east of the country and belongs to the Shirvan-Salyan Economic Region. The district borders the districts of Kurdamir, Agsu, Shamakhi, Gobustan, Absheron, Baku, Salyan, Sabirabad and the city of Shirvan. Its capital and largest city is Hajigabul. As of 2020, the district had a population of 76,600.
Kalbajar District is one of the 66 districts of Azerbaijan. It is located in the west of the country and belongs to the East Zangezur Economic Region. The district borders the districts of Lachin, Khojaly, Agdam, Tartar, Goranboy, Goygol and Dashkasan districts of Azerbaijan, as well as the Gegharkunik and Vayots Dzor provinces of Armenia. Its capital and largest city is Kalbajar. As of 2020, the district had a nominal population of 94,100.
Sabirabad District is one of the 66 districts of Azerbaijan. It is located in the centre of the country and belongs to the Mil-Mughan Economic Region. The district borders the districts of Saatly, Imishli, Kurdamir, Hajigabul, Salyan, Bilasuvar, and the city of Shirvan. Its capital and largest city is Sabirabad. As of 2020, the district had a population of 178,800.
Samukh District is one of the 66 districts of Azerbaijan. It is located in the north-west of the country and belongs to the Ganja-Dashkasan Economic Region. The district borders the districts of Goranboy, Goygol, Shamkir, Tovuz, Qakh, Yevlakh, city of Ganja and the Kakheti region of Georgia. Its capital and largest city is Samukh. As of 2020, the district had a population of 58,800.
Babek District is one of the 7 districts of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic of Azerbaijan. The district borders the districts of Julfa, Shahbuz, Kangarli, Nakhchivan city, as well as the Vayots Dzor Province of Armenia and the East Azerbaijan and West Azerbaijan provinces of Iran. Its capital and largest city is Babek. As of 2020, the district had a population of 76,200.
The Armenian-occupied territories surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh were areas of Azerbaijan, situated outside the former Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast (NKAO), which were occupied by the ethnic Armenian military forces of the breakaway Republic of Artsakh with military support from Armenia, from the end of the First Nagorno-Karabakh War (1988–1994) to 2020, when the territories were returned to Azerbaijani control by military force or handed over in accordance to the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh ceasefire agreement. In Armenia and Artsakh, these territories were frequently referred to as the "security belt" or as the "liberated territories". Subsequently, these territories were included by the de facto authorities of the Artsakh Republic into its administrative-territorial structure.
Guba-Khachmaz Economic Region is one of the 14 economic regions of Azerbaijan. It borders Russia to the north, as well as the economic regions of Shaki-Zagatala, Mountainous Shirvan, and Absheron-Khizi. It has an area of 6,960 square kilometres (2,690 sq mi). Its population was estimated to be at 558.7 thousand people in January 2021. The entire territory of the region falls into the geographically European part of Azerbaijan.
Ganja-Dashkasan Economic Region is one of the 14 economic regions of Azerbaijan. It borders Georgia to the north and Armenia to the south, as well as the economic regions of Shaki-Zagatala, Central Aran, Karabakh, East Zangezur, and Gazakh-Tovuz. The region consists of the districts of Dashkasan, Goranboy, Goygol, Samukh, as well as the cities of Ganja and Naftalan. It has an area of 5,270 square kilometres (2,030 sq mi). Its population was estimated to be at 611.3 thousand people in January 2021.
East Zangezur Economic Region is one of the 14 economic regions of Azerbaijan. It borders Iran to the south and Armenia to the west, as well as the economic regions of Karabakh, and Ganja-Dashkasan. The region consists of the districts of Kalbajar, Lachin, Qubadli, Zangilan, and Jabrayil. It has an area of 7,448 square kilometres (2,876 sq mi). Its population was estimated to be at 343.5 thousand people in January 2021.
Mil-Mughan Economic Region is one of the 14 economic regions of Azerbaijan. It borders Iran to the south, as well as the economic regions of Shirvan-Salyan, Central Aran, and Karabakh. The region consists of the districts of Beylagan, Imishli, Saatly, and Sabirabad. It has an area of 5,670 square kilometres (2,190 sq mi). Its population was estimated to be at 522.6 thousand people in January 2021.
