Area Code 12 – Baku

Overview of Azerbaijan's Area Code 12

Area code 12 is the geographic National Destination Code (NDC) assigned to Baku, the capital and largest city of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Under the ITU-T E.164 numbering plan, the full international dialing format for a fixed-line number in Baku is +994 12 XXX XX XX, where +994 is the country calling code for Azerbaijan and the subsequent digits represent the local subscriber number. This code is used exclusively for geographic fixed-line (PSTN) services within the Baku metropolitan area, including the administrative districts of the Absheron Peninsula.

Geographic Coverage and Administrative Jurisdiction

The 12 code covers the entire Baku city jurisdiction, encompassing all its administrative districts (e.g., Yasamal, Nasimi, Sabail, Binagadi, and others). It also serves the satellite towns and settlements within the Baku metropolitan area, such as Sumqayit (though Sumqayit has its own code, 18, for some services, most fixed lines in the immediate Baku area use 12). The code is managed by the Ministry of Digital Development and Transport of Azerbaijan, which oversees the national numbering plan in accordance with ITU-T recommendations.

Dialing Formats and Caller Instructions

For callers within Azerbaijan, the national trunk prefix is 0. Therefore, to call a Baku fixed-line number from another city in Azerbaijan, you must dial: 0 12 XXX XX XX. For example, to reach a Baku number 456 78 90 from Ganja, you would dial 012 456 78 90. For international callers, the process is to dial the international access code (e.g., 00 from most countries, or +), followed by Azerbaijan's country code 994, then the area code 12 (without the leading 0), and finally the 7-digit subscriber number: +994 12 456 78 90. When dialing locally within Baku, the area code is often omitted, and you can dial just the 7-digit subscriber number (e.g., 456 78 90). However, for clarity and to avoid misdials, it is recommended to use the full national format when calling from mobile networks.

Numbering Structure and Overlay Considerations

Baku fixed-line numbers are 7 digits long after the area code. The numbering plan does not currently have an overlay code for Baku; the 12 code is the sole geographic code for the city. However, due to the growth of VoIP and mobile services, some numbers may be non-geographic, but they are not part of the 12 code. The 12 code is strictly for fixed-line services, and mobile numbers in Azerbaijan use different prefixes (e.g., 50, 51, 55, 70, 77) under the non-geographic mobile codes.

Practical Guidance for Callers

When calling Baku from abroad, always replace the leading '0' of the national prefix with the international access code and country code. For example, from the United States, dial 011 994 12 456 78 90. From the United Kingdom, dial 00 994 12 456 78 90. If you are using a mobile phone, you can simply use the plus sign: +994 12 456 78 90. It is important to note that some older numbers in Baku may have 6 digits, but the current standard is 7 digits. If you encounter a 6-digit number, you may need to add a leading digit (often '4' or '5') to reach the correct 7-digit format, but this is rare and typically applies to very old lines.