History of Azerbaijan in Timeline
April 1918: March Days massacres
The March Days massacres took place between 30 March and 2 April 1918 in Baku and adjacent areas of the Baku Governorate.
May 1918: Declaration of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic
In May 1918, the leading Musavat party declared independence as the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic (ADR).
June 1918: Creation of the National Army
The National Army of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic was created on 26 June 1918.
1918: Azerbaijani independence
Azerbaijanis did not surrender their brief independence of 1918–20 quickly or easily when the Bolsheviks invaded in April 1920.
1918: Azerbaijan Democratic Republic proclaimed independence
In 1918, the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic proclaimed its independence from the Transcaucasian Democratic Federative Republic, becoming the first secular democratic Muslim-majority state.
1918: Adoption of the name Azerbaijan
In 1918, the government of Musavat adopted the name Azerbaijan after the collapse of the Russian Empire, for the newly established Azerbaijan Democratic Republic.
June 1919: Premiere of The Celebration of the Anniversary of Azerbaijani Independence
In June 1919, a documentary The Celebration of the Anniversary of Azerbaijani Independence was premiered in Baku.
April 1920: Establishment of the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic
On 28 April 1920, the Bolshevik 11th Soviet Red Army invaded Azerbaijan, establishing the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic.
1920: Nationalization of Azerbaijan's cinema
After the Soviet power was established in 1920, Nariman Narimanov signed a decree nationalizing Azerbaijan's cinema.
1920: Azerbaijan conquered and incorporated into the Soviet Union
In 1920, Azerbaijan was conquered and incorporated into the Soviet Union as the Azerbaijan SSR.
1920: Issues similar to those faced by cinematographers prior to the establishment of the Soviet Union
Today Azerbaijani filmmakers are again dealing with issues similar to those faced by cinematographers prior to the establishment of the Soviet Union in 1920.
1940: Cyrillic script spelling adoption
From 1940 to 1991, the country's name was spelled in Cyrillic script as Азәрбајҹан.
1941: Azerbaijanis fought in the Second World War
A fifth of all Azerbaijanis fought in the Second World War from 1941 to 1945.
February 1942: Recognition of oil industry workers
In February 1942, by decree of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union, over 500 workers and employees of the oil industry of Azerbaijan were awarded orders and medals.
1945: Azerbaijanis fought in the Second World War
A fifth of all Azerbaijanis fought in the Second World War from 1941 to 1945.
1970: Literacy rates
According to Soviet data, 100 percent of males and females (ages nine to forty-nine) were literate in 1970.
1970: Ethnic populations in Azerbaijan
According to the 1970 census, there were 510,000 ethnic Russians and 484,000 Armenians in Azerbaijan.
1989: Armenian language in Nagorno-Karabakh
In 1989, Armenian was the majority language in the region of Nagorno-Karabakh, spoken by about 76% of the regional population.
1990: Forest cover
In 1990, forest cover was measured as 944,740 hectares (ha).
1990: Azerbaijan SSR drops "Soviet Socialist" from title
In 1990, the Supreme Council of the Azerbaijan SSR dropped the words "Soviet Socialist" from the title and restored the flag of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic as the state flag.
August 1991: Republic of Azerbaijan proclaimed independence
In August 1991, the modern Republic of Azerbaijan proclaimed its independence shortly before the dissolution of the Soviet Union.
September 1991: Formation of the Republic of Artsakh
In September 1991, the ethnic Armenian majority of the Nagorno-Karabakh region formed the self-proclaimed Republic of Artsakh.
October 1991: Adoption of the Declaration of Independence
On 18 October 1991, the Supreme Council of Azerbaijan adopted a Declaration of Independence.
October 1991: Creation of Armed Forces
On 9 October 1991, the Armed Forces of the Republic of Azerbaijan were created after gaining independence.
1991: Membership in International Financial Institutions
After gaining independence in 1991, Azerbaijan became a member of the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, and other financial institutions.
1991: End of Cyrillic script spelling
From 1940 to 1991, the country's name was spelled in Cyrillic script as Азәрбајҹан.
1991: First Baku International Film Festival East-West
In 1991, after Azerbaijan gained its independence from the Soviet Union, the first Baku International Film Festival East-West was held in Baku.
1991: Independence and environmental measures
Since independence in 1991, the government has taken measures to preserve the environment of Azerbaijan.
1992: Creation of the National Bank
In 1992, the National (now Central) Bank was created based on the Azerbaijan State Savings Bank.
1993: Overthrow of President Abulfaz Elchibey
In 1993, democratically elected President Abulfaz Elchibey was overthrown by a military insurrection led by Colonel Surat Huseynov.
1993: New Azerbaijan Party in Power
Since 1993, the ruling New Azerbaijan Party has been in power, accused of authoritarianism under presidents Heydar Aliyev and his son Ilham Aliyev.
1993: Aliyev political family and New Azerbaijan Party established
The Aliyev political family and the New Azerbaijan Party (Yeni Azərbaycan Partiyası, YAP) established by Heydar Aliyev have continuously ruled since 1993.
September 1994: Oil Contract Signed
In September 1994, a 30-year contract was signed between SOCAR and 13 oil companies.
1994: End of the First Nagorno-Karabakh war
By the end of the hostilities in 1994, Armenians controlled 14–16 percent of Azerbaijani territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh.
1994: Coup attempt by Surat Huseynov
In 1994, Surat Huseynov attempted a military coup against Heydar Aliyev but was arrested and charged with treason.
November 1995: Adoption of the constitution
The structural formation of the political system was completed by the adoption of the constitution on 12 November 1995.
1995: GDP Level
By 2012, the GDP of Azerbaijan had increased 20-fold from its 1995 level.
1995: Coup attempt by Rovshan Javadov
In 1995, another coup was attempted against Aliyev by Rovshan Javadov, resulting in Javadov's death and the disbanding of Azerbaijan's OMON units.
November 1996: Recognition by Bahrain
On 6 November 1996, Bahrain was the most recent country to recognize Azerbaijan's independence from the collapsing Soviet Union.
April 1997: Establishment of the Security Council
The Security Council was established on 10 April 1997 as a deliberative body under the president.
October 1998: Re-election of Aliyev
In October 1998, Aliyev was re-elected for a second term.
June 1999: Legal Status of Local State Administration
On June 16, 1999, the provision determining the legal status of local state administration on local executive authority was adopted.
December 2000: Decree proclaiming 2 August to be the professional holiday of filmmakers of Azerbaijan
In December 2000, former President Heydar Aliyev signed a decree proclaiming 2 August to be the professional holiday of filmmakers of Azerbaijan.
2001: Acceleration of national protection of environment
National protection of the environment accelerated after 2001 when the state budget increased through revenues provided by the Baku–Tbilisi–Ceyhan pipeline.
2001: Membership in the Council of Europe
Since 2001, Azerbaijan is a member of the Council of Europe and maintains good relations with the European Union.
2002: Merchant Marine
In 2002, the Azerbaijani merchant marine had 54 ships.
2002: Establishment of Ministry of Transport and membership in Vienna Convention on Road Traffic
In 2002, the government established the Ministry of Transport with a broad range of policy and regulatory functions. Also in 2002, Azerbaijan became a member of the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic.
2002: Other Christian denominations statistics
Other Christian denominations as of 2002 include Lutherans, Baptists and Molokans.
2003: Ilham Aliyev becomes President
In 2003, Ilham Aliyev, Heydar Aliyev's son, became President of Azerbaijan when his father died.
2003: Roman Catholics statistics
In 2003, there were 250 Roman Catholics.
2005: Azerbaijan Women's Volleyball Super League placed fourth at the European Championship
Azerbaijan Women's Volleyball Super League placed fourth at the 2005 European Championship.
January 2006: Launch of New Currency
On 1 January 2006, a new currency, the new Azerbaijani manat, was launched to cement the economic reforms and erase the vestiges of an unstable economy.
May 2006: Baku–Tbilisi–Ceyhan pipeline became operational
In May 2006, the Baku–Tbilisi–Ceyhan pipeline (BTC) became operational. It extends more than 1,774 km through Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Turkey, designed to transport up to 50 million tons of crude oil annually from the Caspian Sea oilfields to global markets.
May 2006: Election to Human Rights Council
On 9 May 2006, Azerbaijan was elected to membership in the newly established Human Rights Council by the United Nations General Assembly.
June 2006: Term of office at Human Rights Council
On 19 June 2006, Azerbaijan's term of office began in the newly established Human Rights Council.
2006: Gallup poll regarding religion
In a 2006–2008 Gallup poll, only 21% of respondents from Azerbaijan stated that religion is an important part of their daily lives.
2007: Agricultural Area
At the beginning of 2007 there were 4,755,100 hectares of used agricultural area.
2007: Q1 Inflation Rate
The 2007 Q1 inflation rate reached 16.6% in Azerbaijan.
2008: Azerbaijan's debut appearance at the Eurovision Song Contest
Azerbaijan made its debut appearance at the 2008 Eurovision Song Contest.
2008: Gallup poll regarding religion
In a 2006–2008 Gallup poll, only 21% of respondents from Azerbaijan stated that religion is an important part of their daily lives.
2009: Literacy rate
According to the United Nations Development Program Report 2009, the literacy rate is 99.5 percent.
2009: Telephone lines and internet users statistics
As of 2009, there were 1,397,000 main telephone lines and 1,485,000 internet users in Azerbaijan.
2009: Azerbaijan became European Team Chess Championship winners
Azerbaijan became European Team Chess Championship winners in 2009, 2013 and 2017.
2009: Azerbaijan's ashiq art was included in the list of Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO
Azerbaijan's ashiq art was included in the list of Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO in 2009.
2009: Araz Naxçivan clinched bronze medals at the UEFA Futsal Cup
Domestic club Araz Naxçivan clinched bronze medals at the 2009–10 UEFA Futsal Cup.
2009: Azerbaijan gained third place in the Eurovision Song Contest
In 2009, Azerbaijan gained third place in the Eurovision Song Contest.
2009: 2009 Rhythmic Gymnastics European Championships
In 2009, Azerbaijan hosted the Rhythmic Gymnastics European Championships.
2009: Ethnic composition of the population census
The ethnic composition of the population according to the 2009 population census: 91.6% Azerbaijanis, 2.0% Lezgins, 1.4% Armenians, 1.3% Russians, 1.3% Talysh, 0.6% Avars, 0.4% Turkish people, 0.3% Tatars, 0.3% Tats, 0.2% Ukrainians, 0.1% Tsakhurs, 0.1% Georgians, 0.1% Jews, 0.1% Kurds, other 0.2%.
November 2010: Azerbaijani carpet proclaimed a Masterpiece of Intangible Heritage by UNESCO
In November 2010 the Azerbaijani carpet was proclaimed a Masterpiece of Intangible Heritage by UNESCO.
2010: Growth in visitor exports
According to a report by the World Travel and Tourism Council, Azerbaijan was among the top ten countries showing the strongest growth in visitor exports between 2010 and 2016.
2010: Global Competitiveness Report Ranking
Azerbaijan is ranked 57th in the Global Competitiveness Report for 2010–2011.
2010: Railway and airport infrastructure in 2010
By 2010, Broad-gauge railways and electrified railways stretched for 2,918 km and 1,278 km respectively. By 2010, there were 35 airports and one heliport.
2010: Parliamentary election results
During the 2010 Parliamentary election, the opposition parties, Musavat and Azerbaijani Popular Front Party, failed to win a single seat.
2010: 2010 European Wrestling Championships
In 2010, the European Wrestling Championships were held in Azerbaijan.
2010: Azerbaijan national futsal team reached fourth place in the UEFA Futsal Championship
The Azerbaijan national futsal team reached fourth place in the 2010 UEFA Futsal Championship.
2011: Global Competitiveness Report Ranking
Azerbaijan is ranked 57th in the Global Competitiveness Report for 2010–2011.
2011: Azerbaijan won the Eurovision Song Contest 2011
Ell and Nikki won the first place at the Eurovision Song Contest 2011 with the song "Running Scared".
2011: 2011 AIBA World Boxing Championships
In 2011, Azerbaijan hosted the AIBA World Boxing Championships.
2011: Election to UN Security Council
In 2011, Azerbaijan was first elected as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council with the support of 155 countries.
June 2012: Additional Powers to Local Executive Authorities
In June 2012, the president approved a regulation which granted additional powers to local executive authorities, strengthening their dominant position in local affairs.
2012: GDP Increase
By 2012, the GDP of Azerbaijan had increased 20-fold from its 1995 level.
2012: Start of covert payments scheme
From 2012 to 2014, the Azerbaijani leadership made more than 16,000 covert payments from a scheme reported on in April 2017.
2012: Construction of a Formula One racetrack
In 2012, Azerbaijan constructed a Formula One racetrack.
2012: Azerbaijan hosted the Eurovision Song Contest
In 2012, Azerbaijan hosted the Eurovision Song Contest in Baku.
2012: 2012 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup
In 2012, Azerbaijan was the host nation for the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup.
2012: Neftchi Baku advanced to the group stage of a European competition
In 2012, Neftchi Baku became the first Azerbaijani team to advance to the group stage of a European competition.
2012: Construction of Kars–Tbilisi–Baku railway
In 2012, construction of the Kars–Tbilisi–Baku railway was completed, aiming to improve transportation between Asia and Europe by connecting railways from China and Kazakhstan to the European railway system via Turkey.
2012: Forecast of rapid growth in the Internet sector
In 2012, rapid growth was forecast for at least five more years in Azerbaijan's Internet sector.
2012: Military aid from Washington
Since 2012 the US Congress sent military aid to Azerbaijan. On 1 July 2021, the US Congress advanced legislation that will have an impact on it.
February 2013: Launch of AzerSat 1 satellite
On February 7, 2013, Azerbaijan National Aerospace Agency launched its first satellite AzerSat 1 into orbit from Guiana Space Centre in French Guiana.
October 2013: Re-election of Ilham Aliyev
In October 2013, Ilham Aliyev was re-elected to a third term as president.
2013: Freedom House Report
According to the 2013 Freedom House Freedom of the Press report, Azerbaijan's press freedom status is "not free", and Azerbaijan ranks 177th out of 196 countries.
2013: Azerbaijan became European Team Chess Championship winners
Azerbaijan became European Team Chess Championship winners in 2009, 2013 and 2017.
2013: Azerbaijan as the main sponsor of Atlético de Madrid
Azerbaijan was the main sponsor of Spanish football club Atlético de Madrid during seasons 2013/2014 and 2014/2015.
2013: 2013 F1 Powerboat World Championship
In 2013, Azerbaijan hosted the F1 Powerboat World Championship.
November 2014: Deterioration of Media Environment
After several years of decline in press and media freedom, in November 2014, the media environment deteriorated rapidly under a governmental campaign to silence any opposition and criticism.
2014: Shamkir Chess event
As of 2014, country's home of Shamkir Chess a category 22 event and one of the highest rated tournaments of all time.
2014: Azerbaijan as the main sponsor of Atlético de Madrid
Azerbaijan was the main sponsor of Spanish football club Atlético de Madrid during seasons 2013/2014 and 2014/2015.
2014: End of covert payments scheme
From 2012 to 2014, the Azerbaijani leadership made more than 16,000 covert payments from a scheme reported on in April 2017.
2014: 2014 European Taekwondo Championships
In 2014, Azerbaijan hosted the European Taekwondo Championships and the Rhythmic Gymnastics European Championships.
2014: Qarabağ advanced to the group stage of UEFA Europa League
In 2014, Qarabağ became the second Azerbaijani club advancing to the group stage of UEFA Europa League.
October 2015: Amnesty International Report on Human Rights
In October 2015, a report by an Amnesty International researcher pointed to "...the severe deterioration of human rights in Azerbaijan over the past few years.
2015: Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report
According to the Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report 2015 of the World Economic Forum, Azerbaijan holds 84th place.
2015: Azerbaijan as the main sponsor of Atlético de Madrid
Azerbaijan was the main sponsor of Spanish football club Atlético de Madrid during seasons 2013/2014 and 2014/2015.
2015: Forest area ownership
In 2015, 100% of the forest area was reported to be under public ownership, 0% private ownership and 0% with ownership listed as other or unknown.
2015: Imprisoned Journalists
In 2015, Azerbaijan had the largest number of journalists imprisoned in Europe, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists.
2015: 2015 European Games
In 2015, Baku was selected to host the European Games.
2016: Growth in visitor exports
According to a report by the World Travel and Tourism Council, Azerbaijan was among the top ten countries showing the strongest growth in visitor exports between 2010 and 2016, In addition, Azerbaijan placed first (46.1%) among countries with the fastest-developing travel and tourism economies, with strong indicators for inbound international visitor spending in 2016.
2016: Biocapacity and Ecological Footprint
In 2016, Azerbaijan had 0.8 global hectares of biocapacity per person, and used 2.1 global hectares of biocapacity per person.
2016: Azerbaijan hosted its first Formula One Grand Prix
In 2016, Azerbaijan hosted its first Formula One Grand Prix.
2016: 2016 World Chess Olympiad
In 2016, Azerbaijan was the host country for the World Chess Olympiad.
April 2017: Report on Secret Scheme
In April 2017, The Guardian reported that "Azerbaijan's ruling elite operated a secret $2.9bn (£2.2bn) scheme to pay prominent Europeans, buy luxury goods and launder money through a network of opaque British companies.
September 2017: Extension of ACG Agreement
On 14 September 2017, Azerbaijan extended the agreement on development of ACG until 2050.
2017: Azerbaijan became European Team Chess Championship winners
Azerbaijan became European Team Chess Championship winners in 2009, 2013 and 2017.
2017: The Azerbaijan Grand Prix
Azerbaijan hosted the Azerbaijan Grand Prix since 2017.
2017: Islamic Solidarity Games
In 2017, Baku hosted the fourth Islamic Solidarity Games.
2017: Qarabağ reached the group stage of the UEFA Champions League
In 2017, after beating Copenhagen 2–2 (a) in the play-off round of the UEFA Champions League, Qarabağ became the first Azerbaijani club to reach the group stage.
April 2018: Aliyev secured fourth term as president
In April 2018, Aliyev secured his fourth consecutive term in an election boycotted by the main opposition parties.
2018: Forest Landscape Integrity Index score
Azerbaijan had a 2018 Forest Landscape Integrity Index mean score of 6.55/10, ranking it 72nd globally out of 172 countries.
2018: Azerbaijan qualified for every Grand Final up until the 2018 edition of the contest
Azerbaijan qualified for every Grand Final up until the 2018 edition of the contest, entering with X My Heart by singer Aisel.
January 2019: Gender population statistics
In January 2019, the 50.1% of the total population was female.
2019: 2019 European Youth Summer Olympic Festival
In 2019, Azerbaijan hosted the European Youth Summer Olympic Festival.
September 2020: Resumption of clashes in Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
On 27 September 2020, clashes in the unresolved Nagorno-Karabakh conflict resumed along the Nagorno-Karabakh Line of Contact.
2020: Defence Budget
As of 2020, Azerbaijan spent $2.24 billion on its defense budget, which amounted to 5.4% of its total GDP.
2020: Second Nagorno-Karabakh War
Following the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War in 2020, the seven districts and parts of Nagorno-Karabakh were returned to Azerbaijani control.
July 2021: US Congress Advances Legislation Impacting Military Aid
On 1 July 2021, the US Congress advanced legislation that will have an impact on the military aid that Washington has sent to Azerbaijan since 2012.
2021: Personnel in Armed Forces
As of 2021, Azerbaijan had 126,000 active personnel in its armed forces.
2021: Full Gasification Target
Azeriqaz, a sub-company of SOCAR, intends to ensure full gasification of the country by 2021.
March 2022: Urban vs. Rural population statistics
As of March 2022, 52.9% of the population of 10,164,464 is urban, with the remaining 47.1% being rural.
September 2023: Azerbaijan launches offensive against Artsakh
In September 2023, Azerbaijan launched an offensive against the breakaway Republic of Artsakh in Nagorno-Karabakh.
2023: Azerbaijani offensive ends the Republic of Artsakh
In 2023, an Azerbaijani offensive ended the Republic of Artsakh and resulted in the flight of Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians.
January 2024: Dissolution and reintegration of Artsakh
The offensive in September 2023 resulted in the dissolution and reintegration of Artsakh on 1 January 2024.
2024: Freedom House ranking
Freedom House ranked Azerbaijan 7/100 on Global Freedom Score in 2024, calling its regime authoritarian.
2024: Global Innovation Index Ranking
In 2024, Azerbaijan was ranked 95th in the Global Innovation Index.
2050: ACG Agreement
On 14 September 2017, Azerbaijan extended the agreement on development of ACG until 2050.
