What is the largest ethnic minority in Iran?

What is the largest ethnic minority in Iran?

The majority of the population of Iran (approximately 67–80%) consists of Iranic peoples. The largest groups in this category include Persians (who form the majority of the Iranian population) and Kurds, with smaller communities including Gilakis, Mazandaranis, Lurs, Tats, Talysh, and Baloch.

What are the minorities in Iran?

The majority of the Iranian population is formed by the Persians (estimated at between 51% and 65%). The largest other ethno-linguistic groups (accounting for more than 1% of the total population each) are: Azerbaijanis (maximum less than 5%–24%), Kurds (7–10%), Lurs (c. 7%), Mazandaranis and Gilakis (c.

What ethnic group settled Iran?

Persians
Ethnic groups The Persians, Kurds, and speakers of other Indo-European languages in Iran are descendants of the Aryan tribes that began migrating from Central Asia into what is now Iran in the 2nd millennium bce.

What race are Gilaks?

Iranian
Gilaks (Gileki: گیلک) are an Iranian ethnic group native to the northern Iranian province of “Gilan”. They call themselves Gilani which means “from Gilan”. They form one of the main ethnic groups residing in the northern parts of Iran.

What is Iran’s main religion?

Sunni and Shi’i are the two largest branches of Islam, with the overwhelming majority of Iranians practicing Shi’i Islam. About 90 percent of Iranians practice Shi’ism, the official religion of Iran. [i] By contrast, most Arab states in the Middle East are predominantly Sunni.

What ethnic group speaks Farsi?

Persian, known to its native Iranian speakers as Farsi, is the official language of modern day Iran, parts of Afghanistan and the central Asian republic of Tajikistan. Persian is one of the most important members of the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European family of languages.

What is Iran’s religion?

The constitution defines the country as an Islamic republic and specifies Twelver Ja’afari Shia Islam as the official state religion. It states all laws and regulations must be based on “Islamic criteria” and an official interpretation of sharia.

Is mazandarani a Persian?

Mazandarani (also known as Mazani, Tabari, and Gilaki) is a Northwestern Iranian language spoken in northern Iran by more than 2 million speakers primarily in Mazandaran province (south of the Caspian sea).

Is Gilaki a dialect?

Classification. The language is divided into three dialects: Western Gilaki, Eastern Gilaki, and Galeshi (in the heights and mountains of Gilan, Mazandaran, Qazvin and Alborz provinces). Although it is slightly mixed with Mazandaran in these areas, it is still considered a Gilaki dialect.

What are the religious minority groups in Iran?

Most Kurds, Baluchis and Turkamen are Sunni Muslims, making them part ofa religious minority as well:Shi’a Islam is the religion of approximately 80 percent of Iranians and is established by the constitution as the state religion. There are also smaller minorities, including Christians of various denominations, Baha’is, Zoroastrians, and Jews.

What are the human rights problems facing minorities in Iran?

With the exception of the persecution of the Baha’i religious minority, little has been written about human rights problems experienced by minorities. Yet, as this report shows, ethnic and religious differences underlie some of the most persistent and serious human rights problems in Iran today.

What is the ethnic makeup of Iran?

Ethnic demographics. For instance, the majority of Kurds, Baluchis and Turkmen are Sunni Muslims and the Armenians are Christian, while the state religion in Iran is Shi’a Islam. Some of these groups, however, have large Shi’a minorties, and the overwhelming majority of Persians and Azeris are Shi’a.

How many ethnic groups are there in Russia?

Russia is a multinational state with over 190 ethnic groups designated as nationalities; the populations of these groups vary enormously, from millions (e.g., Russians, Tatars) to under 10,000 (e.g., Samis, Kets ). The 83 (or 85) federal subjects which together constitute the Russian Federation include: Yakuts (icl. Dolgans 1939-1959)