Ethnicities in Iran
Encyclopedia
Approximately 75-80% of Iran's peoples speak Iranian languages
. The major groups in this category include Persians
, Kurd
s, Gilakis, Mazandarani
s, Lurs
, and Baluchi
s. Turkic
speakers, such as the Azeri
, Turkmen
, and the Qashqai
peoples, comprise a substantial minority. The remainder are primarily Semitic
s such as Arabs and Assyrians
or other Indo-Europeans such as Armenians. There are also small communities of Brahui
in southeastern Iran. The Georgian language
is spoken only by those Iranian Georgians that live in Fereydan
and Fereydunshahr. All other communities of Iranian Georgians in Iran have already lost their language.Mandaeans are estimated to be between 5,000 and 10,000 Mandaeans in Iran.There are also communities of Talysh people
in northern Iran,there are no statistical data on the numbers of Talysh-speakers in Iran, but estimates show their number to be around 1 million
According to the CIA World Factbook, Iran's ethnic groups consist of: Persians
61% , Azeris 16%, Kurds 10%,Lurs
6%, Arabs 2% Baloch
2%, Turkmen
and Turkic tribes 2%, other 1%. Other sources mention different statistics, for example the Library of Congress
Iran's ethnic groups consist of: Persians
65%, Azeris 16%, Kurds 7%, Lurs
6%, Arabs 2%, Baloch
2%, Turkmens 1%, Turkic tribal groups (e.g. Qashqai
) 1%, and non-Persian, non-Turkic groups (e.g. Armenians
, Jews
, Assyrians
, and Georgians
) 1%.
and live in the modern country of Iran as well as the descendants of the people who emigrated from the territory of modern-day Iran to other countries. Today, the Persian community of Malaysia is the most populous, followed by the middle east in nations such as UAE, Bahrain
, Iraq
, Kuwait
, Oman
. Significant communities also lie in the west, (notably USA, Canada
, Germany
, United Kingdom
, Sweden
, France
and other countries).
Ethnic Persians inhabit traditionally the Tehran province
, Esfahan province
, Fars province, Alborz province, Razavi Khorasan, South Khorasan, Yazd province
, Kerman province, Bushehr province
, Hormozgan province
, Markazi province
(Arak), Qom province
, Gilan province
, Mazandaran province
, Semnan province
, Qazvin province
, the majority of Hamadan province
including the city of Hamadan, parts of the North Khorasan, parts of Khuzestan province
, parts of Lorestan province
(Borujerd), northern half of Sistan and Baluchistan (Zabol), southern half of Golestan province
(Gorgan), eastern half of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari including the city of Shahrekord
.Ethnic Persians form also a sizeable population in the bilingual cities of Kermanshah
, Ahvaz
and Zahedan
with Shia Kurds, Shia Arabs and Sunni Baluchs respectively.The majority of the Iranian immigrants in the west and other parts of the world also hail from Persian speaking cities especially from Tehran
.
is mainly found in the northwest provinces: East Azarbaijan
, parts of West Azarbaijan
, Ardabil
, Zanjan
, and in some regions of Hamadan
and Qazvin
. Many others live in Tehran
, Karaj
and other regions. Generally, Azeris in Iran were regarded as "a well integrated linguistic minority" by academics prior to Iran's Islamic Revolution
. In fact, until the Pahlavi
period in the 20th century, "the identity of Iran was not exclusively Persian, but supra-ethnic", as much of the political leadership, starting from the 11th century, had been Turkic. Azaris are an Iranian people similar to Kurds who speak a Turkic language due to a process called "language displacement" that happened around 15-16th century. The Azaris were integrated with other Iranian groups until 19th century when after Russian invasion and annexation of northern Azerbaijan, nationalism and communalism began to alter popular perception among both ethnic groups. Despite friction, Azerbaijanis in Iran came to be well represented at all levels of, "political, military, and intellectual hierarchies, as well as the religious hierarchy." In fact, the first wave of Iranian nationalists such as Talebi Tabrizi and Akhundzade(Talibov and Akhundov after Russian annexation of northern Azerbaijan) were ethnic Azaris.In Iran the term "āzari" is used formally; however, informally, Azeris and other Turkic speaking Iranian populations are colloquially referred to as "Tork" (Turks).
them into the mainstream of national life and, along with their fellow Kurds in adjacent regions of Iraq
and Turkey
, have sought regional autonomy
. Such acts of assmiliation would likely be based on Sunni-Shia relations
, trying to make efforts to convert Sunni Kurds to Shiite as Kurds are mostly Sunnis throughout Kurdistan, while Iran favours a shiite majority.
Iranian Kurds make up the majority of the population of Kordestan province and together with the Azarbaijanis, they are one of the two main ethnic groups in West Azarbaijan province, in West Azarbaijan province Kurds are concentrated in parts of the southern and western parts of the province.Kurds also make up the majority of the populations of Kermanshah and Ilam provinces, although Kermanshahi and Ilamian Kurds are Shia Muslims, in contrast to the mainstream Kurds who are adherents of Sunni Islam.Abouth 200.000 to 300.000 Kurds also live in northeastern Iran in parts of North and Razavi Khorasan provinces.
In the seventeenth century, a large number of Kurds were deported by Shah Abbas I to Khorasan
in Eastern Iran and forcibly resettled in the cities of Quchan
and Birjand
. The Kurds of Khorasan still use the Kurmanji
Kurdish dialect.
During the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, successive Iranian governments defeated Kurdish revolts led by Kurdish notables such as Shaikh Ubaidullah (against Qajars in 1880) and Simko
(against Pahlavi
s in the 1920s).
A 1998 report by UNCHR reported 2 million of them live in Khuzestan Province
, most of whom being Shi'a. Sunni Muslim Arabs live along the Persian Gulf coastline.In Khuzestan, Arabs are the dominant ethnic group in Shadegan
, Hoveyzeh and Susangerd, a majority in Mahshahr
and Khorramshahr
, a minority in Abadan
and together with Persians, Arabs are one of the two main ethnic groups in Ahvaz
. There are smaller communities in Khorasan and Fars provinces. Iranian Arab communities are also found in Bahrain
, Iraq
, Kuwait
and the United Arab Emirates
.
live in southern and central parts Sistan and Baluchistan province.The northern part of the province is called Sistan and is inhabited by ethnic Persians that speak a dialect of Persian called Sistani.The Balochi people are Sunni Muslims, in contrast to the Sistani Persians who are adherents of Shia Islam.The capital of Sistan and Baluchistan is Zahedan
and is inhabited by Balochs, the next largest city of the province is Zabol in Sistan and is inhabited by ethnic Persians.The town of Jask
in neighburing Hormozgan Province
is also inhabited by Baloch people.The population of the town of Jask
is 12,000 and including its surrounding villages the population is 80,000.
who are primarily concentrated in the provinces
of Golestān
and North Khorasan
.
In Golestān
the northern half is inhabited by Turkmen people.The largest Turkmen city in the province is Gonbade Kavoos.The southern half including the capital of the province, Gorgan
is inhabited by ethnic Persians and they have adopted the Tehrani dialect of Persian.
and Jolfa district. After the Iranian Revolution
, many Armenians immigrated to Armenian diasporic
communities in North America
and western Europe
. Today the Armenians are Iran's largest Christian religious minority, followed by Assyrians.
The number of Georgians in Iran is estimated from 50,000 to over 100,000. According to Encyclopaedia Georgiana (1986) some 12,000-14,000 lived in rural Fereydan prior to 1985 but these numbers are obvious underestimations.
The Georgian alphabet
is also known to some in Fereydunshahr.
The Georgian language
is still used by some people in Iran
. The center of Georgians
in Iran is Fereydunshahr, a small city, 150 km to the west of Isfahan
. The western part of Isfahan province is historically called Fereydan
. In this area there are 10 Georgian towns and villages around Fereydunshahr. In this region the old Georgian identity is retained the best compared to other places in Iran. In many major Iranian cities, such as Tehran
, Esfahan, Karaj
and Shiraz
live Georgians too.
In many other places such as Najafabad
, Rahmatabad, Yazdanshahr and Amir Abad (near Esfahan). In Mazandaran Province
in northern Iran, there are ethnic Georgians too. They live in the town of Behshahr
, and also in Behshahr county, in Farah Abad, and many other places, which are usually called Gorji Mahalle. Most of them no longer speak the Georgian language, but retain aspects of Georgian culture. Some argue that Iranian Georgians retain remnants of Christian traditions, but there is no evidence for this.
By various estimates, 10,800 Jews remain in Iran, mostly in Tehran, Isfahan, and Shiraz. BBC reported Yazd is home to ten Jewish families, six of them related by marriage, however some estimate the number is much higher. Historically, Jews maintained a presence in many more Iranian cities. Iran supports by far the largest Jewish population of any Muslim country.
A number of groups of Jews of Iran have split off since ancient times. They are now recognized as separate communities, such as the Bukharan Jews and Mountain Jews. In addition, there are several thousand in Iran who are, or who are the direct descendants of, Jews who have converted to Islam and the Bahá'í Faith.
Mandaeans live mainly in the Khuzestan Province
in southern Iran
.
Iranian languages
The Iranian languages form a subfamily of the Indo-Iranian languages which in turn is a subgroup of Indo-European language family. They have been and are spoken by Iranian peoples....
. The major groups in this category include Persians
Persian people
The Persian people are part of the Iranian peoples who speak the modern Persian language and closely akin Iranian dialects and languages. The origin of the ethnic Iranian/Persian peoples are traced to the Ancient Iranian peoples, who were part of the ancient Indo-Iranians and themselves part of...
, Kurd
Kürd
Kürd or Kyurd or Kyurt may refer to:*Kürd Eldarbəyli, Azerbaijan*Kürd Mahrızlı, Azerbaijan*Kürd, Goychay, Azerbaijan*Kürd, Jalilabad, Azerbaijan*Kürd, Qabala, Azerbaijan*Qurdbayram, Azerbaijan...
s, Gilakis, Mazandarani
Mazandarani
Mazandarani may refer to :* Mazandarani people, Mazandaranis, Tabarian people* Mazandarani language, A language spoken mainly in South Caspian region* Morteza Sadouqi Mazandarani, Iranian grand ayatollah...
s, Lurs
Lurs
Lurs are an Iranic people living mainly in south-western Iran. Their population is estimated at above two million. They occupy Lorestan, Bakhtiari, and Kuh-Gilu-Boir Ahmed. "....
, and Baluchi
Baloch people
The Baloch or Baluch are an ethnic group that belong to the larger Iranian peoples. Baluch people mainly inhabit the Balochistan region and Sistan and Baluchestan Province in the southeast corner of the Iranian plateau in Western Asia....
s. Turkic
Turkic languages
The Turkic languages constitute a language family of at least thirty five languages, spoken by Turkic peoples across a vast area from Eastern Europe and the Mediterranean to Siberia and Western China, and are considered to be part of the proposed Altaic language family.Turkic languages are spoken...
speakers, such as the Azeri
Azerbaijani people
The Azerbaijanis are a Turkic-speaking people living mainly in northwestern Iran and the Republic of Azerbaijan, as well as in the neighbourhood states, Georgia, Russia and formerly Armenia. Commonly referred to as Azeris or Azerbaijani Turks , they also live in a wider area from the Caucasus to...
, Turkmen
Turkmen people
The Turkmen are a Turkic people located primarily in the Central Asian states of Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, and northeastern Iran. They speak the Turkmen language, which is classified as a part of the Western Oghuz branch of the Turkic languages family together with Turkish, Azerbaijani, Qashqai,...
, and the Qashqai
Qashqai
Qashqai are the largest group of nomadic pastoralists people of Azeri descent who mainly live in the provinces of Fars, Khuzestan and southern Isfahan on the territory of modern Iran, especially around the city of Shiraz in Fars. They speak the Qashqai language which is a member of the Turkic...
peoples, comprise a substantial minority. The remainder are primarily Semitic
Semitic
In linguistics and ethnology, Semitic was first used to refer to a language family of largely Middle Eastern origin, now called the Semitic languages...
s such as Arabs and Assyrians
Assyrian people
The Assyrian people are a distinct ethnic group whose origins lie in ancient Mesopotamia...
or other Indo-Europeans such as Armenians. There are also small communities of Brahui
Brahui people
The Brahui or Brohi are ethnic Baloch group of about 2.2 million people with the majority found in Kalat, Baluchistan, Pakistan, but they are also found in smaller numbers in neighboring Afghanistan and Iran. The Brahuis are almost entirely Sunni Muslims.-Origins:The ethnonym "Brahui" is a very...
in southeastern Iran. The Georgian language
Georgian language
Georgian is the native language of the Georgians and the official language of Georgia, a country in the Caucasus.Georgian is the primary language of about 4 million people in Georgia itself, and of another 500,000 abroad...
is spoken only by those Iranian Georgians that live in Fereydan
Fereydan
- Georgians in Fereydan :The Fereydan Georgians are an ethnographic group of the Georgian people who mostly live in the city of Fereydoon Shahr and in the Fereydan region of Iran.- Origins :...
and Fereydunshahr. All other communities of Iranian Georgians in Iran have already lost their language.Mandaeans are estimated to be between 5,000 and 10,000 Mandaeans in Iran.There are also communities of Talysh people
Talysh people
Talysh are an Iranian people indigenous to a region shared between Azerbaijan and Iran which spans the South Caucasus and the southwestern shore of the Caspian Sea. They speak the Talysh language, one of the Northwestern Iranian languages...
in northern Iran,there are no statistical data on the numbers of Talysh-speakers in Iran, but estimates show their number to be around 1 million
According to the CIA World Factbook, Iran's ethnic groups consist of: Persians
Persian people
The Persian people are part of the Iranian peoples who speak the modern Persian language and closely akin Iranian dialects and languages. The origin of the ethnic Iranian/Persian peoples are traced to the Ancient Iranian peoples, who were part of the ancient Indo-Iranians and themselves part of...
61% , Azeris 16%, Kurds 10%,Lurs
Lurs
Lurs are an Iranic people living mainly in south-western Iran. Their population is estimated at above two million. They occupy Lorestan, Bakhtiari, and Kuh-Gilu-Boir Ahmed. "....
6%, Arabs 2% Baloch
Baloch people
The Baloch or Baluch are an ethnic group that belong to the larger Iranian peoples. Baluch people mainly inhabit the Balochistan region and Sistan and Baluchestan Province in the southeast corner of the Iranian plateau in Western Asia....
2%, Turkmen
Turkmen people
The Turkmen are a Turkic people located primarily in the Central Asian states of Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, and northeastern Iran. They speak the Turkmen language, which is classified as a part of the Western Oghuz branch of the Turkic languages family together with Turkish, Azerbaijani, Qashqai,...
and Turkic tribes 2%, other 1%. Other sources mention different statistics, for example the Library of Congress
Library of Congress
The Library of Congress is the research library of the United States Congress, de facto national library of the United States, and the oldest federal cultural institution in the United States. Located in three buildings in Washington, D.C., it is the largest library in the world by shelf space and...
Iran's ethnic groups consist of: Persians
Persian people
The Persian people are part of the Iranian peoples who speak the modern Persian language and closely akin Iranian dialects and languages. The origin of the ethnic Iranian/Persian peoples are traced to the Ancient Iranian peoples, who were part of the ancient Indo-Iranians and themselves part of...
65%, Azeris 16%, Kurds 7%, Lurs
Lurs
Lurs are an Iranic people living mainly in south-western Iran. Their population is estimated at above two million. They occupy Lorestan, Bakhtiari, and Kuh-Gilu-Boir Ahmed. "....
6%, Arabs 2%, Baloch
Baloch people
The Baloch or Baluch are an ethnic group that belong to the larger Iranian peoples. Baluch people mainly inhabit the Balochistan region and Sistan and Baluchestan Province in the southeast corner of the Iranian plateau in Western Asia....
2%, Turkmens 1%, Turkic tribal groups (e.g. Qashqai
Qashqai
Qashqai are the largest group of nomadic pastoralists people of Azeri descent who mainly live in the provinces of Fars, Khuzestan and southern Isfahan on the territory of modern Iran, especially around the city of Shiraz in Fars. They speak the Qashqai language which is a member of the Turkic...
) 1%, and non-Persian, non-Turkic groups (e.g. Armenians
Armenians
Armenian people or Armenians are a nation and ethnic group native to the Armenian Highland.The largest concentration is in Armenia having a nearly-homogeneous population with 97.9% or 3,145,354 being ethnic Armenian....
, Jews
Jews
The Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are a nation and ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation...
, Assyrians
Assyrian people
The Assyrian people are a distinct ethnic group whose origins lie in ancient Mesopotamia...
, and Georgians
Georgians
The Georgians are an ethnic group that have originated in Georgia, where they constitute a majority of the population. Large Georgian communities are also present throughout Russia, European Union, United States, and South America....
) 1%.
Persians
The term “Persians” refers to an ethnic group who speak the Western dialect of PersianPersian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
and live in the modern country of Iran as well as the descendants of the people who emigrated from the territory of modern-day Iran to other countries. Today, the Persian community of Malaysia is the most populous, followed by the middle east in nations such as UAE, Bahrain
Bahrain
' , officially the Kingdom of Bahrain , is a small island state near the western shores of the Persian Gulf. It is ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family. The population in 2010 stood at 1,214,705, including 235,108 non-nationals. Formerly an emirate, Bahrain was declared a kingdom in 2002.Bahrain is...
, Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
, Kuwait
Kuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
, Oman
Oman
Oman , officially called the Sultanate of Oman , is an Arab state in southwest Asia on the southeast coast of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by the United Arab Emirates to the northwest, Saudi Arabia to the west, and Yemen to the southwest. The coast is formed by the Arabian Sea on the...
. Significant communities also lie in the west, (notably USA, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and other countries).
Ethnic Persians inhabit traditionally the Tehran province
Tehran Province
Tehran Province is one of the 31 provinces of Iran. It covers on area of 18,909 square kilometers and is located to the north of the central plateau of Iran....
, Esfahan province
Esfahan Province
Isfahan Province , also transliterated as Esfahan, Espahan, Sepahan or Isphahan, is one of the 31 provinces of Iran. It is located in the center of the country. Its capital is the city of Isfahan.- Geography :...
, Fars province, Alborz province, Razavi Khorasan, South Khorasan, Yazd province
Yazd Province
Yazd Province is one of the 31 provinces of Iran. It is in the centre of the country, and its administrative center is the city of Yazd.The province has an area of 131,575 km², and according to the most recent divisions of the country, is divided into eleven counties: Maybod, Mehreez, Taft,...
, Kerman province, Bushehr province
Bushehr Province
Bushehr Province is one of the 31 provinces of Iran. It is in the south of the country, with a long coastline onto the Persian Gulf. Its center is Bandar-e-Bushehr, the provincial capital. The province has nine counties: Bushehr, Dashtestan, Dashti, Dayyer, Deylam, Jam, Kangan, Ganaveh and Tangestan...
, Hormozgan province
Hormozgan Province
Hormozgan Province is one of the 31 provinces of Iran. It is in the south of the country, facing Oman. Its area is , and its provincial capital is Bandar Abbas...
, Markazi province
Markazi Province
Markazi Province is one of the 31 provinces of Iran. The word markazi means central in Persian. Markazi lies in western Iran. Its capital is Arak. Its population is estimated at 1.35 million...
(Arak), Qom province
Qom Province
Qombol Province is one of the 31 provinces of Iran with 11,237 km², covering 0.89% of the total area in Iran. It is in the north of the country, and its provincial capital is the city of Qom. It was formed from part of Tehran Province in 1995. In 2005, this province had a population of...
, Gilan province
Gilan Province
Gilan Province is one of the 31 provinces of Iran. It lies along the Caspian Sea, just west of the province of Mazandaran, east of the province of Ardabil, north of the provinces of Zanjan and Qazvin....
, Mazandaran province
Mazandaran Province
Mazandaran Province is a Caspian province in the north of Iran. Located on the southern coast of the Caspian Sea, it is bordered clockwise by the Golestan, Semnan, Tehran, Alborz, Qazvin, and Gilan provinces....
, Semnan province
Semnan Province
Semnan Province is one of the 31 provinces of Iran. It is in the north of the country, and its center is Semnan. The province of Semnan covers an area of 96,816 square kilometers and stretches along the Alborz mountain range and borders to Dasht-e Kavir desert in its southern parts.Counties of...
, Qazvin province
Qazvin Province
The Qazvin Province is one of the 31 provinces of Iran. It is in the north-west of the country, and its center is the city of Qazvin. The province was created in 1993 out of part of Tehran Province and includes 20 cities: Qazvin, Takestan, Abyek, Buin-Zahra, Eqhbalieh, Mohammadieh, Alvand,...
, the majority of Hamadan province
Hamadan Province
Hamedan Province is one of the 31 provinces of Iran. Its center is Hamedan city. The province of Hamedan covers an area of 19,546 km². In the year 1996, Hamedan province had a population of approximately 1.7 million people....
including the city of Hamadan, parts of the North Khorasan, parts of Khuzestan province
Khuzestan Province
Khuzestan Province is one of the 31 provinces of Iran. It is in the southwest of the country, bordering Iraq's Basra Province and the Persian Gulf. Its capital is Ahwaz and covers an area of 63,238 km²...
, parts of Lorestan province
Lorestan Province
Lorestan Province is a historic territory and province of western Iran, amidst the Zagros Mountains. The population of Lorestan was estimated at 1,716,527 people in 2006.Lorestan covers an area of 28,392 km²...
(Borujerd), northern half of Sistan and Baluchistan (Zabol), southern half of Golestan province
Golestan Province
Golestan Province is one of the 31 provinces of Iran, located in the north-east of the country, south of the Caspian Sea. Its capital is Gorgan....
(Gorgan), eastern half of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari including the city of Shahrekord
Shahrekord
-External links:**...
.Ethnic Persians form also a sizeable population in the bilingual cities of Kermanshah
Kermanshah
Kermanshah is a city in and the capital of Kermanshah Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 784,602, in 198,117 families.The overwhelming majority of Kermanshahi people are Shi'a Muslims...
, Ahvaz
Ahvaz
-History:For a more comprehensive historical treatment of the area, see the history section of Khūzestān Province.-Ancient history:Ahvaz is the anagram of "Avaz" and "Avaja" which appear in Darius's epigraph...
and Zahedan
Zahedan
Zahedan is a city in and the capital of Sistan and Baluchestan Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 552,706, in 109,488 families.-Geography:...
with Shia Kurds, Shia Arabs and Sunni Baluchs respectively.The majority of the Iranian immigrants in the west and other parts of the world also hail from Persian speaking cities especially from Tehran
Tehran
Tehran , sometimes spelled Teheran, is the capital of Iran and Tehran Province. With an estimated population of 8,429,807; it is also Iran's largest urban area and city, one of the largest cities in Western Asia, and is the world's 19th largest city.In the 20th century, Tehran was subject to...
.
Iranian Azeris
Iranian Azeris, who are mainly Shi’a Muslims, are the second largest ethnic group in Iran after the Persians [and are] believed to constitute fifteen to eighteen percent of the population. The "Azeri" (also known as "Azerbaijani") population of IranIran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
is mainly found in the northwest provinces: East Azarbaijan
East Azarbaijan Province
East Azerbaijan Province or East Azarbaijan Province is one of the 31 provinces of Iran. It is in the northwest of the country, bordering Armenia and the Republic of Azerbaijan, and the provinces of Ardabil, West Azerbaijan, and Zanjan...
, parts of West Azarbaijan
West Azarbaijan Province
West Azerbaijan Province or West Azarbaijan Province , is one of the 31 provinces of Iran. It is located in the North West of the country, bordering Turkey, Iraq and Nakhchivan, and the provinces of East Azerbaijan, Zanjan and Kurdistan....
, Ardabil
Ardabil Province
Ardabil Province is one of the 31 provinces of Iran. It is in the north west of the country, bordering the Republic of Azerbaijan and the provinces of East Azerbaijan, Zanjan, and Gilan. Its centre is the city of Ardabil...
, Zanjan
Zanjan Province
Zanjan Province is one of the 31 provinces of Iran. Located in the North West of Iran, its capital is Zanjan city. Zanjan province with an area of 36,400 km² has a mostly rural, population of 964,601 . The province lies 330 km northwest of Tehran, connected to it via a freeway.Zanjan...
, and in some regions of Hamadan
Hamadan Province
Hamedan Province is one of the 31 provinces of Iran. Its center is Hamedan city. The province of Hamedan covers an area of 19,546 km². In the year 1996, Hamedan province had a population of approximately 1.7 million people....
and Qazvin
Qazvin Province
The Qazvin Province is one of the 31 provinces of Iran. It is in the north-west of the country, and its center is the city of Qazvin. The province was created in 1993 out of part of Tehran Province and includes 20 cities: Qazvin, Takestan, Abyek, Buin-Zahra, Eqhbalieh, Mohammadieh, Alvand,...
. Many others live in Tehran
Tehran
Tehran , sometimes spelled Teheran, is the capital of Iran and Tehran Province. With an estimated population of 8,429,807; it is also Iran's largest urban area and city, one of the largest cities in Western Asia, and is the world's 19th largest city.In the 20th century, Tehran was subject to...
, Karaj
Karaj
Karaj is a city in and the capital of Karaj County, Alborz Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 1,377,450, in 385,955 families, , making it the fifth-largest city in Iran after Tehran, Mashhad, Isfahan and Tabriz.) It is situated west of Tehran, at the foothills of the Alborz...
and other regions. Generally, Azeris in Iran were regarded as "a well integrated linguistic minority" by academics prior to Iran's Islamic Revolution
Iranian Revolution
The Iranian Revolution refers to events involving the overthrow of Iran's monarchy under Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and its replacement with an Islamic republic under Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the leader of the...
. In fact, until the Pahlavi
Pahlavi dynasty
The Pahlavi dynasty consisted of two Iranian/Persian monarchs, father and son Reza Shah Pahlavi and Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi The Pahlavi dynasty consisted of two Iranian/Persian monarchs, father and son Reza Shah Pahlavi (reg. 1925–1941) and Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi The Pahlavi dynasty ...
period in the 20th century, "the identity of Iran was not exclusively Persian, but supra-ethnic", as much of the political leadership, starting from the 11th century, had been Turkic. Azaris are an Iranian people similar to Kurds who speak a Turkic language due to a process called "language displacement" that happened around 15-16th century. The Azaris were integrated with other Iranian groups until 19th century when after Russian invasion and annexation of northern Azerbaijan, nationalism and communalism began to alter popular perception among both ethnic groups. Despite friction, Azerbaijanis in Iran came to be well represented at all levels of, "political, military, and intellectual hierarchies, as well as the religious hierarchy." In fact, the first wave of Iranian nationalists such as Talebi Tabrizi and Akhundzade(Talibov and Akhundov after Russian annexation of northern Azerbaijan) were ethnic Azaris.In Iran the term "āzari" is used formally; however, informally, Azeris and other Turkic speaking Iranian populations are colloquially referred to as "Tork" (Turks).
Iranian Kurds
The Kurds constitute approximately 10% of Iran's overall population.Some Sunni Kurds in Iran have resisted the Iranian government's efforts, both before and after the revolution of 1979, to assimilateCultural assimilation
Cultural assimilation is a socio-political response to demographic multi-ethnicity that supports or promotes the assimilation of ethnic minorities into the dominant culture. The term assimilation is often used with regard to immigrants and various ethnic groups who have settled in a new land. New...
them into the mainstream of national life and, along with their fellow Kurds in adjacent regions of Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
and Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, have sought regional autonomy
Autonomy
Autonomy is a concept found in moral, political and bioethical philosophy. Within these contexts, it is the capacity of a rational individual to make an informed, un-coerced decision...
. Such acts of assmiliation would likely be based on Sunni-Shia relations
Sunni-Shia relations
Sunni and Shia Islam are the two major denominations of Islam. The demographic breakdown between the two denominations is difficult to assess and varies by source, but a good approximation is that 80–90% of the world's Muslims are Sunni and 5...
, trying to make efforts to convert Sunni Kurds to Shiite as Kurds are mostly Sunnis throughout Kurdistan, while Iran favours a shiite majority.
Iranian Kurds make up the majority of the population of Kordestan province and together with the Azarbaijanis, they are one of the two main ethnic groups in West Azarbaijan province, in West Azarbaijan province Kurds are concentrated in parts of the southern and western parts of the province.Kurds also make up the majority of the populations of Kermanshah and Ilam provinces, although Kermanshahi and Ilamian Kurds are Shia Muslims, in contrast to the mainstream Kurds who are adherents of Sunni Islam.Abouth 200.000 to 300.000 Kurds also live in northeastern Iran in parts of North and Razavi Khorasan provinces.
In the seventeenth century, a large number of Kurds were deported by Shah Abbas I to Khorasan
Greater Khorasan
Greater Khorasan or Ancient Khorasan is a historical region of Greater Iran mentioned in sources from Sassanid and Islamic eras which "frequently" had a denotation wider than current three provinces of Khorasan in Iran...
in Eastern Iran and forcibly resettled in the cities of Quchan
Quchan
Quchan is a city in and capital of Quchan County, in Razavi Khorasan Province, Iran. It is located due south of the border city of Ashgabat. At the 2006 census, its population was 96,953, in 25,066 families.-Population:...
and Birjand
Birjand
Birjand is the east Iranian provincial capital of South Khorasan and the centre of the county Birjand resp. Quhestan, known for its saffron, barberry, rug and handmade carpet exports....
. The Kurds of Khorasan still use the Kurmanji
Kurmanji
Kurmanji or Northern Kurdish is the most commonly spoken dialect of the Kurdish language.- Scripts and books :...
Kurdish dialect.
During the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, successive Iranian governments defeated Kurdish revolts led by Kurdish notables such as Shaikh Ubaidullah (against Qajars in 1880) and Simko
Simko Shikak
Simko Shikak also Ismail Agha Shikak ) was a Kurdish chieftain of the Shakak tribe...
(against Pahlavi
Pahlavi dynasty
The Pahlavi dynasty consisted of two Iranian/Persian monarchs, father and son Reza Shah Pahlavi and Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi The Pahlavi dynasty consisted of two Iranian/Persian monarchs, father and son Reza Shah Pahlavi (reg. 1925–1941) and Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi The Pahlavi dynasty ...
s in the 1920s).
Iranian Arabs
Three percent of Iran's citizens are Arabic-speakers.A 1998 report by UNCHR reported 2 million of them live in Khuzestan Province
Khuzestan Province
Khuzestan Province is one of the 31 provinces of Iran. It is in the southwest of the country, bordering Iraq's Basra Province and the Persian Gulf. Its capital is Ahwaz and covers an area of 63,238 km²...
, most of whom being Shi'a. Sunni Muslim Arabs live along the Persian Gulf coastline.In Khuzestan, Arabs are the dominant ethnic group in Shadegan
Shadegan
Shadegan is a city in and the capital of Shadegan County, Khuzestan Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 48,642, in 8,600 families.-External links:*...
, Hoveyzeh and Susangerd, a majority in Mahshahr
Mahshahr
Bandar-e Mahshahr is a city in and the capital of Mahshahr County, Khuzestan Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 109,927, in 24,110 families....
and Khorramshahr
Khorramshahr
Khorramshahr is a city in and the capital of Khorramshahr County, Khuzestan Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 123,866, in 26,385 families.Khorramshahr is a port city located approximately north of Abadan...
, a minority in Abadan
Abadan
Abadan is a city in and the capital of Abadan County, Khuzestan Province, Iran. It lies on Abadan Island , from the Persian Gulf, near the Iraqi-Iran border. The civilian population of the city dropped to near zero during the eight-years Iran–Iraq War. In 1992, only 84,774 had returned to live...
and together with Persians, Arabs are one of the two main ethnic groups in Ahvaz
Ahvaz
-History:For a more comprehensive historical treatment of the area, see the history section of Khūzestān Province.-Ancient history:Ahvaz is the anagram of "Avaz" and "Avaja" which appear in Darius's epigraph...
. There are smaller communities in Khorasan and Fars provinces. Iranian Arab communities are also found in Bahrain
Bahrain
' , officially the Kingdom of Bahrain , is a small island state near the western shores of the Persian Gulf. It is ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family. The population in 2010 stood at 1,214,705, including 235,108 non-nationals. Formerly an emirate, Bahrain was declared a kingdom in 2002.Bahrain is...
, Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
, Kuwait
Kuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
and the United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates, abbreviated as the UAE, or shortened to "the Emirates", is a state situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman, and Saudi Arabia, and sharing sea borders with Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Iran.The UAE is a...
.
Iranian Balochis
The Balochi people of IranIran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
live in southern and central parts Sistan and Baluchistan province.The northern part of the province is called Sistan and is inhabited by ethnic Persians that speak a dialect of Persian called Sistani.The Balochi people are Sunni Muslims, in contrast to the Sistani Persians who are adherents of Shia Islam.The capital of Sistan and Baluchistan is Zahedan
Zahedan
Zahedan is a city in and the capital of Sistan and Baluchestan Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 552,706, in 109,488 families.-Geography:...
and is inhabited by Balochs, the next largest city of the province is Zabol in Sistan and is inhabited by ethnic Persians.The town of Jask
Jask
Jask is a city in and the capital of Jask County, Hormozgan Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 11,133, in 2,406 families.Jask is a port town, about south of Tehran,situated on the Gulf of Oman....
in neighburing Hormozgan Province
Hormozgan Province
Hormozgan Province is one of the 31 provinces of Iran. It is in the south of the country, facing Oman. Its area is , and its provincial capital is Bandar Abbas...
is also inhabited by Baloch people.The population of the town of Jask
Jask
Jask is a city in and the capital of Jask County, Hormozgan Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 11,133, in 2,406 families.Jask is a port town, about south of Tehran,situated on the Gulf of Oman....
is 12,000 and including its surrounding villages the population is 80,000.
Iranian Turkmen
There are over 500.000 TurkmenTurkmen people
The Turkmen are a Turkic people located primarily in the Central Asian states of Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, and northeastern Iran. They speak the Turkmen language, which is classified as a part of the Western Oghuz branch of the Turkic languages family together with Turkish, Azerbaijani, Qashqai,...
who are primarily concentrated in the provinces
Provinces of Iran
Iran is subdivided into thirty one provinces , each governed from a local center, usually the largest local city, which is called the capital of that province...
of Golestān
Golestan Province
Golestan Province is one of the 31 provinces of Iran, located in the north-east of the country, south of the Caspian Sea. Its capital is Gorgan....
and North Khorasan
North Khorasan Province
North Khorasan Province is a province located in northeastern Iran. Bojnord is the centre of the province.Other counties are Shirvan, Esfarayen, Maneh-o-Samalqan, Jajarm, Faroj and Germeh....
.
In Golestān
Golestan Province
Golestan Province is one of the 31 provinces of Iran, located in the north-east of the country, south of the Caspian Sea. Its capital is Gorgan....
the northern half is inhabited by Turkmen people.The largest Turkmen city in the province is Gonbade Kavoos.The southern half including the capital of the province, Gorgan
Gorgan
Gorgan Some east of Gorgan is the Golestan National Park. The city has a regional airport and several universities. Gorgan Airport was opened in September 2005.-Etymology:...
is inhabited by ethnic Persians and they have adopted the Tehrani dialect of Persian.
Iranian Armenians
The current Iranian-Armenian population is somewhere around 500,000. They mostly live in TehranTehran
Tehran , sometimes spelled Teheran, is the capital of Iran and Tehran Province. With an estimated population of 8,429,807; it is also Iran's largest urban area and city, one of the largest cities in Western Asia, and is the world's 19th largest city.In the 20th century, Tehran was subject to...
and Jolfa district. After the Iranian Revolution
Iranian Revolution
The Iranian Revolution refers to events involving the overthrow of Iran's monarchy under Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and its replacement with an Islamic republic under Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the leader of the...
, many Armenians immigrated to Armenian diasporic
Armenian diaspora
The Armenian diaspora refers to the Armenian communities outside the Republic of Armenia and self proclaimed de facto independent Nagorno-Karabakh Republic...
communities in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
and western Europe
Western Europe
Western Europe is a loose term for the collection of countries in the western most region of the European continents, though this definition is context-dependent and carries cultural and political connotations. One definition describes Western Europe as a geographic entity—the region lying in the...
. Today the Armenians are Iran's largest Christian religious minority, followed by Assyrians.
Iranian Georgians
Iranian Georgians are an ethnic group living in Iran. They are Twelver Shia Moslems. The Phereidnuli Georgian dialect is still spoken in Iran.The number of Georgians in Iran is estimated from 50,000 to over 100,000. According to Encyclopaedia Georgiana (1986) some 12,000-14,000 lived in rural Fereydan prior to 1985 but these numbers are obvious underestimations.
The Georgian alphabet
Georgian alphabet
The Georgian alphabet is the writing system used to write the Georgian language and other Kartvelian languages , and occasionally other languages of the Caucasus such as Ossetic and Abkhaz during the 1940s...
is also known to some in Fereydunshahr.
The Georgian language
Georgian language
Georgian is the native language of the Georgians and the official language of Georgia, a country in the Caucasus.Georgian is the primary language of about 4 million people in Georgia itself, and of another 500,000 abroad...
is still used by some people in Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
. The center of Georgians
Georgian people
The Georgians are an ethnic group that have originated in Georgia, where they constitute a majority of the population. Large Georgian communities are also present throughout Russia, European Union, United States, and South America....
in Iran is Fereydunshahr, a small city, 150 km to the west of Isfahan
Isfahan (city)
Isfahan , historically also rendered in English as Ispahan, Sepahan or Hispahan, is the capital of Isfahan Province in Iran, located about 340 km south of Tehran. It has a population of 1,583,609, Iran's third largest city after Tehran and Mashhad...
. The western part of Isfahan province is historically called Fereydan
Fereydan
- Georgians in Fereydan :The Fereydan Georgians are an ethnographic group of the Georgian people who mostly live in the city of Fereydoon Shahr and in the Fereydan region of Iran.- Origins :...
. In this area there are 10 Georgian towns and villages around Fereydunshahr. In this region the old Georgian identity is retained the best compared to other places in Iran. In many major Iranian cities, such as Tehran
Tehran
Tehran , sometimes spelled Teheran, is the capital of Iran and Tehran Province. With an estimated population of 8,429,807; it is also Iran's largest urban area and city, one of the largest cities in Western Asia, and is the world's 19th largest city.In the 20th century, Tehran was subject to...
, Esfahan, Karaj
Karaj
Karaj is a city in and the capital of Karaj County, Alborz Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 1,377,450, in 385,955 families, , making it the fifth-largest city in Iran after Tehran, Mashhad, Isfahan and Tabriz.) It is situated west of Tehran, at the foothills of the Alborz...
and Shiraz
Shiraz
Shiraz may refer to:* Shiraz, Iran, a city in Iran* Shiraz County, an administrative subdivision of Iran* Vosketap, Armenia, formerly called ShirazPeople:* Hovhannes Shiraz, Armenian poet* Ara Shiraz, Armenian sculptor...
live Georgians too.
In many other places such as Najafabad
Najafabad
Najafabad is a city in and the capital of Najafabad County, Isfahan Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 206,114, in 54,529 families. It is located west of Isfahan and is increasingly becoming a part of Isfahan Metropolitan area....
, Rahmatabad, Yazdanshahr and Amir Abad (near Esfahan). In Mazandaran Province
Mazandaran Province
Mazandaran Province is a Caspian province in the north of Iran. Located on the southern coast of the Caspian Sea, it is bordered clockwise by the Golestan, Semnan, Tehran, Alborz, Qazvin, and Gilan provinces....
in northern Iran, there are ethnic Georgians too. They live in the town of Behshahr
Behshahr
Behshahr is a city in and the capital of Behshahr County, Mazandaran Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 83,537, in 22,034 families.It is approximately forty kilometers from Sari. The name Behshahr literally means The Best city...
, and also in Behshahr county, in Farah Abad, and many other places, which are usually called Gorji Mahalle. Most of them no longer speak the Georgian language, but retain aspects of Georgian culture. Some argue that Iranian Georgians retain remnants of Christian traditions, but there is no evidence for this.
Iranian Jews
Judaism is one of the oldest religions practiced in Iran and dates back to the late biblical times. The biblical books of Isaiah, Daniel, Ezra, Nehemiah, Chronicles, and Esther contain references to the life and experiences of Jews in Iran.By various estimates, 10,800 Jews remain in Iran, mostly in Tehran, Isfahan, and Shiraz. BBC reported Yazd is home to ten Jewish families, six of them related by marriage, however some estimate the number is much higher. Historically, Jews maintained a presence in many more Iranian cities. Iran supports by far the largest Jewish population of any Muslim country.
A number of groups of Jews of Iran have split off since ancient times. They are now recognized as separate communities, such as the Bukharan Jews and Mountain Jews. In addition, there are several thousand in Iran who are, or who are the direct descendants of, Jews who have converted to Islam and the Bahá'í Faith.
Iranian Mandaeans
IranianIranian
Iranian is of, from, or related to the nation of Iran .* Iranian or Persian people who are persons from the nation of Iran/Persia, or of Iranian descent...
Mandaeans live mainly in the Khuzestan Province
Khuzestan Province
Khuzestan Province is one of the 31 provinces of Iran. It is in the southwest of the country, bordering Iraq's Basra Province and the Persian Gulf. Its capital is Ahwaz and covers an area of 63,238 km²...
in southern Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
.