The ethnic composition of Baku Governorate according to the 1897 All-Russian Census

Baku Governorate was one of the governorates of the Russian Empire where large number of Armenians lived. From the mid-19th century, due to the extraction and processing of oil, the population of the governorate significantly increased.

According to the 1886 family registry data, the number of population of Baku Governorate was 708,095 people, of which Armenians constituted 55,459. The first All-Russian census of 1897 recorded a permanent population of 828,511 and an existing population of 826,716 in the governorate. Between 1886 and 1897, the governorate's population increased by 118,621. This growth was primarily mechanical in nature. Due to the development of the oil industry, the population of Baku city was rapidly increasing, reaching 20% of the governorate's total population by 1897.

Baku Governorate had a diverse ethnic composition. According to the first All-Russian census of 1897, more than 50 nationalities resided in the governorate. The largest ethnic group were the Tatars, numbering 485,146 people, followed by the Tats, 89,519 people, Russians (including Ukrainians and Belarusians), 77,681 people, Armenians, 52,233 people, and Talysh, 34,994 people, and others. The governorate was also home to Udis, Georgians, Persians, Kurds, Circassians, Lezgins, Avars, and other Turkic-speaking groups such as Turkmens, Bashkirs, and Kyrgyz, as well as Jews and representatives of several European nationalities.

The number of Armenians underwent a quantitative change between 1886 and 1897, decreasing from 55,459 to 52,233. Armenians were primarily concentrated in the Baku (12.3%), Geokchay (11.03%), and Shamakhi (11.7%) districts. The Armenian population of Baku Governorate decreased by 3,226 people during a decade. This decline in the Armenian population was primarily due to the intolerant attitude of Muslims, forcing Armenians to leave.

The Armenian population of the uezds of Baku Governorate, according to the 1897 census data

N	Uezds	Population	Number of Armenians	Percentage
1	Baku	182897	22583	12,34 %
2	Geokchay	117705	12994	11,03 %
3	Javad	90043	699	0,77 %
4	Kuba	183242	1191	0,64 %
5	Lenkoran	130987	483	0,36 %
6	Shamakhi	121842	14283	11,72 %
	Total	826716	52233	6,32 %

The number of Armenians in the uezd centers of Baku Governorate, according to the 1897 census data

N	Centers /town/	Population	Number of Armenians	Percentage
1	Baku	111904	19099	17,06 %
2	Geokchay	2201	296	13,44 %
3	Salyan	11787	108	0,91 %
4	Kuba	15363	807	5,25 %
5	Lenkoran	8733	299	3,42 %
6	Shamakhi	20007	2515	12,57 %
	Total	169995	23124	13,6 %

The Armenian population in Baku Governorate was significantly large, particularly in the city of Baku (17.6%). This was primarily due to the development of the oil industry and, in particular, the activities of prominent Armenian oil industrialists such as P. Ter-Gukasov, the Mirzoyan brothers, A. Mantashyan, and others.

Notably, the participation of the Armenians accounted for 31% in Baku's commercial and industrial enterprises. Armenians were primarily involved in large-scale commercial ventures and the oil industry. Armenians also owned 41.1% of the value of urban real estate in Baku Governorate, while Muslims owned only 36%, primarily in the form of land ownership.

Due to the predominantly Muslim population, Baku Governorate had one of the lowest literacy rates among all the governorates of the Russian Empire. In contrast, Russians, Jews, and Armenians had significantly higher literacy levels.

It should be noted that most Turkic ethnic groups were nomadic, and "Azerbaijani" group did not exist at that time.

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