Dagestani Azerbaijanis

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Dagestani Azerbaijanis (Azerbaijani: Dağıstan azərbaycanlıları (Latin), Дағыстан азәрбајҹанлылары (Cyrillic); Russian: Азербайджанцы в Дагестане) are a segment of Azerbaijani Turks or Azerbaijanis who have settled in Dagestan. According to the 2021 census, the Azerbaijani population in the Republic of Dagestan numbers 116,907 people, making them the seventh largest ethnic group in the region.^[1][2]

Dagestani Azerbaijani Turks hold an important place in the history of Dagestan. Particularly after the strengthening of Turkic tribes in the South Caucasus, the influence of Turks and Azerbaijani Turks began to grow in Dagestan as well, with the establishment of new settlements. During the Safavid Empire and the subsequent Afsharid dynasty, military campaigns in the region further strengthened the presence of Azerbaijani Turks.

The Azerbaijani Turkish language has played a significant role in the cultural and political life of Dagestan. In addition to having a strong influence on the languages of other indigenous peoples of Dagestan, it served for a long period as the main language of writing and communication. Furthermore, up until the mid-Soviet era, Azerbaijani was used as the primary language of education for several other ethnic groups in Dagestan.