Islam in Azerbaijan: history and Muslim population data

History of Islam in Azerbaijan

The Republic of Azerbaijan has an area of 86,600 sq km, includingNakhichevan Autonomous Republic (5,363 sq km), which is a landlockedexclave and Nagorno Karabagh Region (4,388 sq km). A map ofAzerbaijan is presented in Figures 2.1.2. Azerbaijan was occupied by theRussians in 1813/1228H and gained its independence upon thedissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991/1412H.

Azerbaijan was conquered by Muslims in 643/22H during the time ofCaliph Omar. The Muslim troops led by the Prophet’s companion Bakeerbnu Abdellah al-Ashaj, followed by troops from the western side led bythe Prophet companion Utba bnu Farqad Assulami, until they conqueredDerbent city (Babel-Abwab) in southern Dagestan on the west coast ofthe Caspian Sea

According to the 1897/1314H Russian Empire census the Muslimpopulation was 1.35 million or 74.9% of the total population. This datawas deduced from the corresponding data of Baku Governorate,Elisbethpol Governorate excluding Zangezur Uyezd which is inArmenia, Nakhichevan Uyezd and all Muslims of Sharur-DaealagyozUyezd from Erivan Governorate and Zakatala Uyezd from TiflisGovernorate.

Censuses in 1886/1303H and since 1926/1345H collected ethnicaffiliation demography of the population. In the 1886 Census, Azeriswere recorded as Tatar. The largest Muslim ethnicities starting with thelargest are Azerbaijanis, Lezgin, Talish, Avar, Turk, Tatar, Tat, Tsakhur,Kurd and Gryz (Kryz). The number of members of each of theseethnicities since 1926 is provided in Table 2.1.2a. As the name of thecountry suggests, about 95% of Muslims are Azeris.

Based on the ethnic census data, the Muslim population continued todecrease due to Russian policies of mass deportations and Armenianethnic cleansing. Based on ethnic census data and as summarized inTable 2.1.2b, the Muslim population increased in number but decreasedin percentage from 1.19 million or 72.6% in 1886, to 1.23 million or 72.1%in 1897 to 1.67 million or 72.0% in 1926, to 2.13 million or 66.4% in 1939.The decrease in percentage was due to Russian efforts in changing thedemographic of this region and the persecution of Muslims. However,Muslims continued to increase both in number and percentage since1959 from 2.65 million or 71.7% in 1959, to 4.0 million or 78.3% in 1970, to4.97 million or 82.4% in 1979, to 6.12 million or 87.2% in 1989, to 7.62million or 95.9% in 1999, to 8.63 million or 96.7% in 2009.

Thus, assuming the percentage of Muslims will increase by a quarterof a percentage point per decade; then the Muslim population isexpected to increase to eleven million or 97.8% by 2050/1470H butdecrease in number to eight million or 99.0% by 2100/1520H

Due to Armenian migration to Nagorno-Karabakh, which was alsoencouraged by Russia, the Muslim population (all ethnic Azerbaijani)decreased in Nagorno-Karabakh Oblast from 79% in 1810 to 75% in 1871,to 14% in 1886 and then bounced to 60% in 1897. The data for the latter isfrom the Uyezds of Jebrayil, Javanshir and Shusha. The decreasecontinued to 10% in 1926, as a result of Armenian-Azeri wars aroundWWI. Then to 9% in 1939 due to Russification policy implemented byRussia. However, Muslims picked up momentum, increasing to 14% in1959, then 18% in 1970, and then 23% in 1979. As another ArmenianAzeri war started, the Muslim population decreased to 21% in 1989, and to almost none in 2005 and 2015, as a result of the independence of theterritory, and the subsequent ethnic cleansing of Azeri Muslims.

Historical Muslim population dataset for Azerbaijan

The figures below are from the CoMPS historical dataset. Population values are expressed in thousands; 2100 is a modelled projection, not a present-day count.

For the full time series and visualisation, use the interactive map above.