Azerbaijan is administratively divided into 67 districts (Azerbaijani: rayon) and 11 cities (Azerbaijani: şəhər) that are subordinate to the Republic. Out of these districts and cities, 7 districts and 1 city are located within the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic. The districts are further divided into municipalities (Azerbaijani: bələdiyyə).
Additionally, the districts of Azerbaijan are grouped into 14 Economic Regions (Azerbaijani: İqtisadi Rayon).[1] On 7 July 2021, the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev signed Decree "On the new division of economic regions in the Republic of Azerbaijan".[2]
The list below represents mainland Azerbaijan and excludes the districts of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic:
| Map ref. | Administrative division | Azerbaijani name | Capital | Area[3] (km2) | Population Census 2019[4] | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Absheron District | Abşeron | Xırdalan | 1,360 | 476,819 | Includes an exclave in Baku |
| 2 | Aghjabadi District | Ağcabədi | Aghjabadi | 1,760 | 149,660 | |
| 3 | Aghdam District | Ağdam | Alıbəyli | 1,150 | 78,323 | |
| 4 | Agdash District | Ağdaş | Agdash | 1,050 | 103,267 | |
| 5 | Aghstafa District | Ağstafa | Agstafa | 1,500 | 84,918 | |
| 6 | Agsu District | Ağsu | Agsu | 1,020 | 77,712 | |
| 7 | Şirvan (city) | Şirvan | 30 | 82,135 | Known as Ali Bayramli (Əli Bayramlı) until 2008 | |
| 8 | Astara District | Astara | Astara | 620 | 105,083 | |
| 9 | Baku (city) | Bakı | 2,130 | 2,616,948 | Capital and largest city of Azerbaijan | |
| 10 | Balakan District | Balakən | Balakan | 920 | 107,870 | |
| 11 | Barda District | Bərdə | Barda | 960 | 182,633 | |
| 12 | Beylagan District | Beyləqan | Beylagan | 1,130 | 91,619 | |
| 13 | Bilasuvar District | Biləsuvar | Bilasuvar | 1,400 | 113,412 | |
| 14 | Jabrayil District | Cəbrayıl | Jabrayil | 1,050 | 420 | |
| 15 | Jalilabad District | Cəlilabad | Jalilabad | 1,440 | 207,565 | |
| 16 | Dashkasan District | Daşkəsən | Dashkasan | 1,050 | 33,797 | |
| 17 | Shabran District | Şabran | Shabran | 1,090 | 56,482 | Known as Davachi (Dəvəçi) until 2010 |
| 18 | Fuzuli District | Füzuli | Füzuli | 1,390 | 63,582 | |
| 19 | Gadabay District | Gədəbəy | Gadabay | 1,290 | 95,756 | |
| 20 | Ganja (city) | Gəncə | 110 | 352,196 | ||
| 21 | Goranboy District | Goranboy | Goranboy | 1,760 | 104,916 | |
| 22 | Goychay District | Göyçay | Goychay | 740 | 115,213 | |
| 23 | Hajigabul District | Hacıqabul | Hajiqabul | 1,640 | 73,634 | |
| 24 | Imishli District | İmişli | Imishli | 1,820 | 129,259 | |
| 25 | Ismayilli District | İsmayıllı | Ismayilli | 2,060 | 79,223 | |
| 26 | Kalbajar District | Kəlbəcər | Kalbajar | 3,050 | 19,818 | |
| 27 | Kurdamir District | Kürdəmir | Kurdamir | 1,630 | 111,483 | |
| 28 | Lachin District | Laçın | Lachin | 1,840 | 11,673 | |
| 29 | Lankaran District | Lənkəran | Lankaran | 1,540 | 220,413 | |
| 30 | Lankaran (city) | Lənkəran | 70 | (83,300) | 2019 Census figure included in Lankaran District | |
| 31 | Lerik District | Lerik | Lerik | 1,080 | 80,735 | |
| 32 | Masally District | Masallı | Masally | 720 | 219,607 | |
| 33 | Mingachevir (city) | Mingəçevir | 130 | 119,977 | ||
| 34 | Naftalan (city) | Naftalan | 30 | 9,291 | ||
| 35 | Neftchala District | Neftçala | Neftchala | 1,450 | 83,792 | |
| 36 | Oghuz District | Oğuz | Oghuz | 1,220 | 42,424 | |
| 37 | Qabala District | Qəbələ | Qabala | 1,550 | 101,580 | |
| 38 | Qakh District | Qax | Qakh | 1,490 | 51,519 | |
| 39 | Qazax District | Qazax | Qazax | 700 | 92,912 | Partly under de facto control of Armenia |
| 40 | Gobustan District | Qobustan | Gobustan | 1,370 | 44,348 | |
| 41 | Quba District | Quba | Quba | 2,580 | 161,631 | |
| 42 | Qubadli District | Qubadlı | Qubadli | 800 | (36,700) | |
| 43 | Qusar District | Qusar | Qusar | 1,540 | 98,307 | |
| 44 | Saatly District | Saatlı | Saatly | 1,180 | 104,801 | |
| 45 | Sabirabad District | Sabirabad | Sabirabad | 1,470 | 177,137 | |
| 46 | Shaki District | Şəki | Shaki | 2,430 | 178,648 | |
| 47 | Shaki (city) | Şəki | 9 | (63,700) | ||
| 48 | Salyan District | Salyan | Salyan | 1,790 | 136,917 | |
| 49 | Shamakhi District | Şamaxı | Shamakhi | 1,610 | 102,494 | |
| 50 | Shamkir District | Şəmkir | Shamkir | 1,660 | 212,427 | |
| 51 | Samukh District | Samux | Samukh | 1,450 | 56,696 | |
| 52 | Siyazan District | Siyəzən | Siyazan | 700 | 40,896 | |
| 53 | Sumgait (city) | Sumqayıt | 80 | 491,068 | ||
| 54 | Shusha District | Şuşa | Shusha | 290 | 5,396 | |
| 55 | Tartar District | Tərtər | Tartar | 960 | 85,426 | |
| 56 | Tovuz District | Tovuz | Tovuz | 1,900 | 164,119 | |
| 57 | Ujar District | Ucar | Ujar | 850 | 82,949 | |
| 58 | Khachmaz District | Xaçmaz | Khachmaz | 1,050 | 170,022 | |
| 59 | Khankendi (city) | Xankəndi | 8 | 58,322 | ||
| 60 | Goygol District | Göygöl | Goygol | 1,030 | 66,774 | Known as Khanlar (Xanlar) until 2008 |
| 61 | Khizi District | Xızı | Khizi | 1,850 | 17,903 | |
| 62 | Khojaly District | Xocalı | Khojaly | 940 | 17,050 | |
| 63 | Khojavend District | Xocavənd | Khojavend | 1,460 | (42,100) | |
| 64 | Yardimli District | Yardımlı | Yardimli | 670 | 64,027 | |
| 65 | Yevlakh District | Yevlax | Yevlakh | 1,540 | 130,741 | |
| 66 | Yevlakh (city) | Yevlax | 95 | 59,036 | ||
| 67 | Zangilan District | Zəngilan | Zangilan | 710 | (40,500) | |
| 68 | Zagatala District | Zaqatala | Zaqatala | 1,350 | 125,831 | |
| 69 | Zardab District | Zərdab | Zardab | 860 | 57,022 | |
| 70 | Agdere District | Ağdərə | Became a district in December 2023. | |||
| TOTAL | 81,100 | 9,634,154 (a) | ||||
Note: (a) including an estimated 148,795 for Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) estimated for 2019 by the Artsakh Statistical Service.
The seven districts and one municipality of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic are listed below.
| Map ref. | Administrative division | Azerbaijani name | Capital | Area (km2) | Population Census 2019 | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Babek District | Babək | Babek | 900 | 76,002 | Known as Nakhchivan until 1991 |
| 2 | Julfa District | Culfa | Julfa | 1,000 | 46,970 | |
| 3 | Kangarli District | Kəngərli | Qıvraq | 680 | 32,621 | Split from Babek in March 2004 |
| 4 | Nakhchivan (city) | Naxçıvan | 130 | 94,318 | Split from Nakhchivan (Babek District) in 1991 | |
| 5 | Ordubad District | Ordubad | Ordubad | 970 | 50,156 | Split from Julfa in 1965[5] |
| 6 | Sadarak District | Sədərək | Sadarak | 150 | 16,036 | Split from Sharur in 1990; includes the Karki exclave under de facto control of Armenia |
| 7 | Shahbuz District | Şahbuz | Şahbuz | 920 | 25,233 | Split from Nakhchivan (Babek) in 1965 |
| 8 | Sharur District | Şərur | Sharur | 810 | 117,263 | Known as Norashen until 1964 and Ilyich until 1990 |
| TOTAL | 5,560 | 458,599 | ||||
See main article: Economic regions of Azerbaijan.
| Economic region[6] | Area (km2)[7] | Population estimate 2021 | Population density per km2 (2021) | Note | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baku | 2,140 | 2,300,500 | 1,075 | Includes Baku itself. It is the main economic centre of Azerbaijan.Main industries: international trade, oil refining, chemical, machine-building, food, tourism, textiles.[8] The military industry, high-tech industries, and information technologies are being developed.[9] | |
| Absheron-Khizi | 3,730 | 578,800 | 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, construction, transport infrastructure. | |
| Ganja-Dashkasan | 5,270 | 611,300 | 116 | Includes Dashkasan, Goranboy, Goygol, Samukh administrative districts and the cities of Ganja, Naftalan. | |
| Shaki-Zagatala | 8,840 | 630,400 | 71 | Includes Balakan, Qakh, Qabala, Oghuz, Zagatala, Shaki administrative districts.Main industries: light, tourism and food.[10] | |
| Lankaran-Astara | 6,070 | 953,600 | 157 | Includes Astara, Jalilabad, Lerik, Yardimli, Lankaran administrative districts.Main industry: food and tourism. | |
| Guba-Khachmaz | 6,960 | 558,700 | 80 | Includes Shabran, Khachmaz, Guba, Qusar, Siyazan administrative districts.Main industries: agriculture, light, tourism, food.[11] | |
| Central Aran | 6,690 | 740,000 | 111 | Includes Agdash, Goychay, Kurdamir, Ujar, Yevlakh, Zardab administrative districts, and the city of Mingachevir.[12] | |
| Karabakh | 8,990 | 904,500 | 101 | Includes Agjabadi, Aghdam, Barda, Fuzuli, Khojaly, Khojavend, Shusha, Tartar administrative regions and the city of Khankendi (Stepanakert). | |
| East Zangezur | 7,470 | 343,500 | 46 | Includes Jabrayil, Kalbajar, Qubadli, Lachin, Zangilan administrative districts. | |
| Mountainous Shirvan | 6,130 | 324,800 | 53 | Includes Agsu, Ismayilli, Gobustan, Shamakhi administrative districts.Main industries: light and food. | |
| Nakhchivan | 5,500 | 461,500 | 84 | Includes the whole territory of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic.Main industries: light and food. | |
| Gazakh-Tovuz | 7,030 | 687,600 | 98 | Includes Aghstafa, Gadabay, Gazakh, Shamkir, Tovuz administrative districts. | |
| Mil-Mughan | 5,670 | 522,600 | 92 | Includes Beylagan, Imishli, Saatly, Sabirabad administrative districts. | |
| Shirvan-Salyan | 6,080 | 501,300 | 82 | Includes Bilasuvar, Hajigabul, Neftchala, Salyan administrative districts and the city of Shirvan. | |
| TOTALS | 86,570 | 10,119,100 | 111 |
The territory of former Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast presently consists of the districts of Khojavend, Shusha, Khojaly, the eastern portion of Kalbajar and the western portion of Tartar. The Autonomous Oblast was abolished on 26 November 1991, by the Supreme Soviet of the Azerbaijan SSR. Since then, the territory of the autonomous oblast has been administratively split between the aforementioned districts.
As a result of the First Nagorno-Karabakh War, most of Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding districts came under the occupation of ethnic Armenian forces.[13] The self-proclaimed Republic of Artsakh also controlled a large part of southwestern Azerbaijan outside Nagorno-Karabakh. Azerbaijan regained control of all of the surrounding districts and large parts of Nagorno-Karabakh following the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war. Azerbaijan regained control of all of Nagorno-Karabakh following 2023 Nagorno-Karabakh clashes.