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📝South Caucasus Asymmetry📝
who will survive by 2050?

The South Caucasus is undergoing active transformation, but little is said about the key driver of change — demographics. The population size and demographic forecast in the three countries of the region have absolutely different dynamics, but it explains why exactly Azerbaijan is becoming the regional leader.

In Azerbaijan, since 1991, the population has increased from 7.2 to 10.2 million people. It is the only country in the region with sustained growth. Azerbaijanis have the youngest population in the South Caucasus (median age — 33 years), which provides demographic momentum that will last for several more decades. According to forecasts, Azerbaijan will face natural population decline no earlier than 2045–2050.

In Armenia, they left the USSR with a population of 3.3 million people, today — 3 million. In recent years, there has been population growth after a decline to 2.9 million (2020), but this is only a temporary phenomenon due to the resettlement of Armenians from Karabakh and the return of migrant workers. In 2032, the country faces the beginning of natural population decline.

The most severe situation is observed in Georgia, where depopulation began in 2021. The country has lost 31.5% of its population since 1991 (from 5.4 million to 3.7 million). Among the causes, in addition to the loss of control over Abkhazia and South Ossetia, is mass emigration — about 1 million people left the country. Meanwhile, the standard of living and healthcare here are lower than in Armenia and Azerbaijan, and mortality in working ages (15-64 years) is higher than the global average. By 2050, the population will shrink to 3 million.

🔻The secret of Azerbaijan's leadership:

▪️All three countries are experiencing demographic transition, in which a high birth rate is replaced by a lower mortality rate. However, Azerbaijan is at its earlier stage.

▪️The total fertility rate (TFR) in the countries today is in a similar range — from 1.4 to 1.7 births per woman. But at the same time, the population in Azerbaijan is much younger, so the absolute number of births is larger.

▪️In addition to oil and gas revenues and the ability to provide medicine and living standards, Azerbaijan leads due to the demographic boom of the late Soviet period, when the TFR was 3.0. This created a large generation that is now in reproductive age and provides demographic momentum even with a similar TFR to neighbors (1.5).

▪️Despite the fact that half of Azerbaijan's population lives in cities, where fertility is low (TFR in Baku is only 1.