How many Russians live in Azerbaijan?
Medianews.az notes that the exact answer to this question will be known after the population census to be conducted in the fall of 2029.
The census also collects information about the population's national (ethnic) affiliation.
The settlement of Russians in Azerbaijan dates back to the early 19th century. After the Empire strengthened its position in the South Caucasus, the relocation of various Russian communities to the region began.
The first to be relocated were mainly Molokans, Doukhobors, Subbotniks, Baptists, and other religious communities subjected to religious persecution. After 1832, they settled in various regions of Azerbaijan, primarily in rural areas.
At the beginning of the 20th century, there were 46 Russian villages in Azerbaijan comprising these communities. Although some of these settlements have changed over time, the village of Ivanovka in the Ismayilli district is still recognized as a historical settlement of Russian Molokans.
The second phase in the formation of the Russian community is linked to Baku’s transformation into a large industrial and oil center at the end of the 19th century. As a result of the oil industry's development, engineers, workers, entrepreneurs, and other specialists from various regions of Russia came to Baku.
The third phase corresponds to the Soviet period. During those years, Baku was one of the important industrial and military centers of the USSR. Families of officers who served in the Soviet military units in Azerbaijan primarily settled in cities.
Population censuses conducted during the USSR era indicate that Russians were for a time the second largest ethnic group in Azerbaijan.
According to the 1926 census, 220,672 Russians lived in Azerbaijan, comprising 9.5 percent of the republic's population.
During the 1939 census, the number of Russians reached 528,318. This is the highest figure recorded. At that time, Russians made up 16.5 percent of Azerbaijan’s population.
The 1959 census recorded 501,013 Russians in Azerbaijan. Their share of the republic's population was 13.6 percent.
In 1970, the number of Russians increased to 510,437, but their share of the total population fell to 10 percent.
According to the 1979 census, 475,255 Russians lived in Azerbaijan, making up 7.9 percent of the republic's population.
The 1989 census, conducted on the eve of the USSR’s collapse, showed that 392,304 Russians lived in Azerbaijan. At that time, Russians accounted for 5.6 percent of the republic's population.
Thus, the Russian community in Azerbaijan reached its highest number in 1939, but in subsequent decades, both general demographic changes and migration processes gradually reduced their proportion.
The migration of the Russian population from Azerbaijan is not only related to the years of independence. This process began already in the 1980s.
According to the 1989 census, of the 392,300 Russians in Azerbaijan, 295,500 lived in Baku.
In the early 1990s, the collapse of the USSR, political instability, economic crisis, and conflicts in the region further accelerated migration processes.
Censuses conducted during the independence period show a continuing trend of decrease in the number of the Russian community.
According to the 1999 census, 141,687 Russians lived in Azerbaijan, representing 1.8 percent of the country's population.
The 2009 census showed that the number of Russians living in Azerbaijan was 119,306. Their share of the country’s population dropped to 1.3 percent.
The next census, conducted in 2019, found that 71,259 ethnic Russians lived in Azerbaijan, making up 0.7 percent of the country’s population.
Along with migration, natural demographic processes also influenced the decrease in the Russian community’s size. A high proportion of the older generation within the community, low birth rates, and differences in gender structure were among the factors affecting this process.
According to the 1999 census results, women significantly outnumbered men in the Russian community. At the same time, the average age of the Russian population was higher compared to other ethnic groups living in the country.
Currently, the majority of Russians living in Azerbaijan reside in the city of Baku. Representatives of the Russian community also live in the cities of Sumgait, Ganja, and in the districts of Khachmaz and Ismayilli.
Russians remain one of the largest ethnic minorities in Azerbaijan today. Russian-language educational institutions, cultural centers, media organizations, and Orthodox religious communities operate in the country.
Toğrul Ali,