This article is about the inhabitants of the modern country of Iran. For the group of Indo-European peoples, see Iranian peoples.
Demographics of Iran
PlaceIran
Size of population92,417,681 (2025 est.)[1]
Density57 /km2 (150 /sq mi) (2024 est.)
Growth0.88% (2024 est.)
Birth14.3 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)
Death5.3 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)
Life75.6 years (2024 est.)
Life male74.3 years
Life female77.1 years
Fertility1.35 children born/woman (2025 est.)[2]
Infant mortality14.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
Net migration−0.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)
Age 0–14 years23.3% (male 10,512,797/female 10,040,282)
Age 15–64 years69.8% (male 31,413,125/female 30,267,241)
Age 65 years7% (male 2,869,617/female 3,283,875) (2024 est.)
Total mf ratio1.03 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
Sr at birth1.05 male(s)/female
Sr under 151.05 male(s)/female
Sr 15–64 years1.04 male(s)/female
Sr 65 years over0.87 male(s)/female
NationIranian
Major ethnicPersians
Minor ethnic
OfficialPersian (61%)[3][4][5][6]
Spoken
Demographics of Iran
GroupIranians
Native nameایرانیان
Populationc. 96 million
RegionsIran 86,563,000 (2025 est.)[7]
Region 1United States
Pop 1568,564
Ref 1[8]
Region 2United Kingdom
Pop 2400,000
Ref 2[9]
Region 3Germany
Pop 3336,000[10]
Ref 3[11]
Region 4Canada
Pop 4280,805
Ref 4[12]
Region 5Israel
Pop 5200,000–250,000
Ref 5[13]
Region 6France
Pop 690,000
Ref 6[14]
Region 7Australia
Pop 770,899
Ref 7[15]
Region 8Italy
Pop 830,532
Ref 8[16]
LangsMajority: Persian
Minority: Azerbaijani, Kurdish, Gilaki, Mazanderani, Arabic, Balochi, and other languages of Iran
RelsShia Islam (majority)
Sunni Islam (minority)
Related groupsOther Iranian peoples

Iran's population increased dramatically in the late 20th century, reaching about 80 million by 2016.[17][18] As of 2025, Iran's population is around 92.4 million.[19] In recent years, however, Iran's birth rate has dropped significantly. Studies project that Iran's rate of population growth will continue to slow until it stabilises above 100 million by 2050.[20][21] Half of Iran's population was under 35 years old in 2012.[22] In January 2025, the average age of the Iranian population is 32 years.[23]

In 2009, the number of households stood at 15.3 million, at 4.8 persons per household.[24] In 2012, the average family income was 11.8 million rials (about $960) per month.[25]

Between 1990 to 2008 Iran's population grew by 17.6 million, an increase of 32%.[26] The literacy rate was 80% in 2002,[27][28] and 85% in 2016.[29] The 2021 fertility rate was 1.6, below the natural replacement rate of 2.1.[30]

Population

In the 2016 census Iran's population was 79.9 million,[17] a fourfold increase since 1956. Between 1976 and 1986, an average annual population growth of almost 4% was reached. Due to decreasing fertility levels, growth decreased to 1.2% between 2011 and 2016.

Population census results[31]
Census datePopulationAverage annual
growth (%)		Population
density/km2		Proportion
urban (%)		Household size
1956-11-0118,954,704—1231.4
1966-11-0125,785,2103.131637.5
1976-11-0133,708,7442.712047.05.02
1986-11-2249,445,0103.913054.05.11
1996-11-0160,055,4882.03761.04.84
2006-11-0170,495,7821.624368.54.03
2011-11-0175,149,6691.294671.43.55
2016-11-0179,926,2701.244974.03.3
Age groupNumber (2006)Percentage (2006)Number (2011)Percentage (2011)
Total70,495,78210075,149,669100
0–45,463,9787.756,232,5528.29
5–95,509,0577.815,657,7917.53
10–146,708,5919.525,671,4357.55
15–198,726,76112.386,607,0438.79
20–249,011,42212.788,414,49711.20
25–297,224,95210.258,672,65411.54
30–345,553,5317.886,971,9249.28
35–394,921,1246.985,571,0187.41
40–444,089,1585.804,906,7496.53
45–493,522,7615.004,030,4815.36
50–542,755,4203.913,527,4084.69
55–591,887,9812.682,680,1193.57
60–641,464,4522.081,862,9072.48
65–691,197,5501.701,343,7311.79
70–741,119,3181.591,119,9681.49
75–79694,1220.98913,5311.22
80+645,6010.92919,5391.22
Unclear––46,3220.06
Number of children 0–14Number of people 15–49ProportionNumber of women 15–49Proportion
17,681,629 (2006)43,049,709 (2006)0.4107 (2006)~21,524,855 (2006)0.8215 (2006)
17,561,778 (2011)45,174,366 (2011)0.3888 (2011)~22,587,183 (2011)0.7775 (2011)

Population Estimates by Sex and Age Group (01.VII.2020) Data refers to the Iranian Year which begins on 21 March and ends on 20 March of the following year.[32]

Age groupMaleFemaleTotal%
Total42,484,18641,553,41484,037,600100
0–43,751,1603,584,6407,335,8008.73
5–93,644,8233,453,1097,097,9328.45
10–143,195,8373,043,1606,238,9977.42
15–192,850,2012,723,0695,573,2706.63
20–242,817,2362,715,7435,532,9796.58
25–293,398,1063,322,9346,721,0408.00
30–344,246,2334,166,1798,412,41210.01
35–394,226,3664,147,7718,374,1379.96
40–443,375,6623,271,0316,646,6937.91
45–492,687,8922,591,3865,279,2786.28
50–542,321,5522,270,4294,591,9815.46
55–591,841,3371,847,8723,689,2094.39
60–641,510,2991,557,9193,068,2183.65
65–691,058,0911,138,1292,196,2202.61
70–74640 098748 8901,388,9881.65
75–79415 623459 393875 0161.04
80+503 670511 7601,015,4301.21
Age groupMaleFemaleTotalPercent
0–1410,591,82010,080,90920,672,72924.60
15–6429,274,88428,614,33357,889,21768.88
65+2,617,4822,858,1725,475,6546.52
Year0–1415–6465+
197644.5523.5
198545.551.53
199639.556.14.3
200625.1 (17,681,629)69.7 (49,157,562)5.2 (3,656,591)
201123.4 (17,561,778)70.9 (53,297,122)5.7 (4,290,769)
201624.0 (19,192,665)69.9 (55,862,087)6.1 (4,871,518)

Table 9 – Population and Average Annual Growth by Provinces: 2006 and 2011

Province20062011Average annual growth
Alborz2,076,9912,412,5133.04
Ardabil1,228,1551,248,4880.33
Bushehr886,2671,032,9493.11
Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari857,910895,2630.86
East Azerbaijan3,603,4563,724,6200.66
Fars4,336,8784,596,6581.17
Gilan2,404,8612,480,8740.62
Golestan1,617,0871,777,0141.90
Hamadan1,703,2671,758,2680.64
Hormozgan1,403,6741,578,1832.37
Ilam545,787557,5990.43
Isfahan4,559,2564,879,3121.37
Kerman2,652,4132,938,9882.07
Kermanshah1,879,3851,945,2270.69
Khuzestan4,274,9794,531,7201.17
Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad634,299658,6290.76
Kurdistan1,440,1561,493,6450.73
Lorestan1,716,5271,754,2430.44
Markazi1,351,2571,413,9590.91
Mazandaran2,922,4323,073,9431.02
North Khorasan811,572867,7271.35
Qazvin1,143,2001,201,5651.00
Qom1,046,7371,151,6721.93
Razavi Khorasan5,593,0795,994,4021.40
Semnan589,742631,2181.37
Sistan and Baluchestan2,405,7422,534,3271.05
South Khorasan636,420662,5340.81
Tehran11,345,37512,183,3911.44
West Azerbaijan2,873,4593,080,5761.40
Yazd990,8181,074,4281.63
Zanjan964,6011,015,7341.04
Total70,495,78275,149,6691.29

1 The population of the provinces of Alborz and Tehran for 2006 and their average annual growth have been calculated based on the data of 2011.

Unofficial Translation 17

Table 10 – Population Percentages by Province: 2006 and 2011 (Percentage)

Province20062011
Alborz2.953.21
Ardabil1.741.66
Bushehr1.261.37
Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari1.221.19
East Azerbaijan5.114.96
Fars6.156.12
Gilan3.413.30
Golestan2.292.36
Hamadan2.422.34
Hormozgan1.992.10
Ilam0.770.74
Isfahan6.476.49
Kerman3.763.91
Kermanshah2.672.59
Khuzestan6.066.03
Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad0.900.88
Kurdistan2.041.99
Lorestan2.432.33
Markazi1.921.88
Mazandaran4.154.09
North Khorasan1.151.15
Qazvin1.621.60
Qom1.481.53
Razavi Khorasan7.937.98
Semnan0.840.84
Sistan and Baluchestan3.413.37
South Khorasan0.900.88
Tehran16.0916.21
West Azerbaijan4.084.10
Yazd1.411.43
Zanjan1.371.35
Total100100

1 The population of the provinces of Alborz and Tehran for 2006 and their average annual growth have been calculated based on the data of 2011.

Urban population

See also: List of largest cities of Iran and List of cities in Iran

Iran has one of the steepest urban growth rates in the world. In 2015, approximately 73.4% of Iran's population lived in urban areas, up from 27% in 1950.[33]

The following is a list of the 8 most populous cities in Iran:

RankCityProvincepopulation
City[34]Metro[35]
1TehranTehran8,693,70614,700,000
2MashhadRazavi Khorasan3,001,1843,100,000
3IsfahanIsfahan1,961,2603,100,000
4KarajAlborz1,592,4922,500,000
5ShirazFars1,565,5721,700,000
6TabrizEast Azarbaijan1,588,6931,760,000
7QomQom1,201,1581,240,000
8AhvazKhuzestan1,184,7881,320,000

Vital statistics

See also: Provinces of Iran

UN estimates

2022 estimates.[36]

Population
(on 1 July)		Live births
per year		Deaths
per year		Natural
change
per year		Crude
birth
rate1		Crude
death
rate1		Natural
change1		Crude
migration
rate1		Total
fertility
rate2		Infant
mortality
rate3
195016,833,000844,000469,000375,00050.127.922.36.95209.0
195117,220,000863,000481,000382,00050.127.922.20.36.95207.3
195217,614,000883,000485,000398,00050.127.522.6-0.26.96203.7
195318,018,000904,000490,000414,00050.127.223.0-0.66.98200.5
195418,435,000925,000490,000434,00050.126.623.6-1.07.01197.2
195518,874,000946,000491,000455,00050.126.024.1-0.87.04192.9
195619,332,000968,000494,000474,00050.025.524.5-0.87.08189.5
195719,806,000996,000497,000499,00050.225.125.2-1.37.18185.8
195820,295,0001,022,000494,000528,00050.324.326.0-1.97.28181.6
195920,822,0001,046,000494,000551,00050.223.726.5-1.27.38177.8
196021,389,0001,049,000493,000556,00049.023.126.00.57.30174.0
196121,984,0001,053,000489,000564,00048.022.325.71.47.23170.2
196222,605,0001,069,000500,000569,00047.422.225.22.37.22167.3
196323,259,0001,082,000485,000597,00046.620.925.72.47.18162.8
196423,949,0001,098,000483,000615,00045.920.225.73.17.13159.1
196524,667,0001,120,000482,000637,00045.519.625.93.27.11155.4
196625,399,0001,145,000480,000664,00045.118.926.22.67.08151.6
196726,133,0001,174,000480,000694,00044.918.426.61.57.05147.6
196826,875,0001,195,000487,000708,00044.518.126.41.26.97144.0
196927,644,0001,220,000474,000746,00044.217.227.00.86.90138.9
197028,450,0001,229,000468,000761,00043.216.526.81.56.71134.1
197129,274,0001,239,000459,000780,00042.415.726.71.46.51128.9
197230,112,0001,237,000456,000782,00041.115.126.01.86.25123.8
197330,982,0001,258,000440,000818,00040.614.226.41.76.11118.2
197431,896,0001,295,000433,000862,00040.613.627.01.76.04113.0
197532,857,0001,339,000428,000911,00040.813.027.81.46.01107.7
197633,841,0001,416,000425,000991,00041.812.529.3-0.26.14102.3
197734,876,0001,474,000421,0001,053,00042.312.130.2-0.56.2096.6
197835,994,0001,550,000446,0001,104,00043.112.430.70.46.3392.4
197937,205,0001,645,000411,0001,234,00044.211.033.2-0.76.5385.1
198038,521,0001,708,000422,0001,286,00044.411.033.40.86.5879.5
198140,476,0001,756,000463,0001,293,00044.111.632.415.96.5674.3
198242,500,0001,886,000467,0001,419,00044.411.033.414.26.5569.3
198344,028,0001,930,000458,0001,472,00043.910.433.51.26.5165.1
198445,628,0001,966,000420,0001,546,00043.19.233.91.26.4461.5
198547,266,0001,974,000415,0001,559,00041.88.833.01.76.2658.2
198648,913,0001,957,000409,0001,547,00040.08.431.72.06.0155.3
198750,541,0001,915,000407,0001,507,00037.98.129.92.35.6952.6
198852,112,0001,872,000399,0001,473,00036.07.728.31.85.3949.8
198953,645,0001,828,000358,0001,470,00034.16.727.41.25.1147.4
199055,794,0001,788,000395,0001,393,00032.57.225.313.24.8646.5
199157,991,0001,790,000359,0001,431,00030.96.224.713.24.5143.1
199259,372,0001,697,000358,0001,340,00028.56.022.50.84.0841.3
199359,755,0001,579,000352,0001,227,00026.15.820.3-13.93.6839.8
199459,986,0001,367,000340,0001,027,00022.85.717.1-13.23.2738.2
199560,795,0001,244,000335,000908,00020.45.514.9-1.62.8936.8
199661,598,0001,145,000333,000811,00018.65.413.2-0.22.5735.4
199762,481,0001,081,000334,000747,00017.35.412.02.12.3334.0
199863,461,0001,064,000336,000727,00016.85.311.53.92.2032.5
199964,475,0001,065,000333,000732,00016.65.211.44.32.1031.0
200065,544,0001,071,000337,000735,00016.45.211.25.12.0229.5
200166,675,0001,082,000344,000738,00016.35.211.15.91.9428.1
200267,327,0001,086,000345,000742,00016.15.111.0-1.31.8726.4
200367,955,0001,081,000370,000712,00016.05.510.5-1.31.8225.6
200469,062,0001,107,000345,000762,00016.15.011.14.91.8023.4
200570,183,0001,134,000348,000786,00016.25.011.24.81.7821.9
200671,276,0001,173,000349,000824,00016.54.911.63.71.7720.6
200772,319,0001,221,000350,000872,00016.94.812.12.31.7719.4
200873,318,0001,265,000369,000896,00017.35.012.21.41.7718.2
200974,323,0001,304,000381,000923,00017.55.112.41.11.7717.2
201075,374,0001,337,000385,000953,00017.85.112.61.31.7716.3
201176,343,0001,388,000381,0001,008,00018.25.013.2-0.51.8015.5
201277,324,0001,464,000378,0001,085,00018.94.914.0-1.31.8914.8
201378,459,0001,526,000385,0001,141,00019.44.914.501.9614.2
201479,962,0001,579,000391,0001,188,00019.84.914.93.92.0413.6
201581,791,0001,583,000395,0001,188,00019.44.814.67.82.0513.1
201683,306,0001,584,000394,0001,190,00019.04.714.33.92.0712.6
201784,505,0001,572,000396,0001,176,00018.64.713.90.32.0712.2
201885,618,0001,475,000404,0001,071,00017.24.712.50.51.9711.8
201986,564,0001,308,000421,000886,00015.14.910.2-0.41.7711.4
202087,290,0001,243,000486,000757,00014.25.68.7-0.11.7111.0
202187,923,0001,204,000566,000638,00013.76.47.3-0.11.6910.7
202288,550,0001,151,000531,000620,00013670.11.710
Notes

1 per 1000
2 TFR = number of children per woman
3 per 1000 births

Registered births and deaths

[37][38] [39] Note that registrations may be by year of registration and not by year of occurrence. This was especially the case in the beginning of the 1980s when there were many late registrations. This explains the high number of births in 1980–1986. Before 1980, the registrations were incomplete.

Average populationLive birthsDeathsNatural changeCrude birth rate (per 1000)Crude death rate (per 1000)Natural change (per 1000)Crude migration rate (per 1000)Total Fertility Rate
1959864,846176,268688,578
1960876,206171,040705,166
1961902,260159,371742,889
1962957,500165,488792,012
1963920,967135,912785,055
19641,118,911145,174973,737
19651,139,663171,940967,723
19661,101,606178,991922,615
19671,019,373179,159840,214
19681,037,022174,201862,821
19691,091,513167,660923,853
19701,189,203163,4301,025,773
19711,231,227149,3251,081,902
19721,138,843153,568985,275
19731,199,777155,0811,044,696
19741,248,256149,7851,098,471
19751,339,267148,5431,190,724
19761,401,426155,9811,245,445
19771,399,977146,3691,253,608
19781,369,597127,5871,242,010
19791,689,908142,4021,547,506
19802,450,308162,1762,288,132
19812,421,611178,0992,243,512
19822,101,894200,6141,901,280
19832,203,448207,2281,996,220
19842,067,803186,4401,881,363
19852,033,285190,0611,843,224
19862,259,055199,5112,059,544
19871,832,089204,2301,627,859
19881,944,149238,3901,705,759
19891,784,811199,6451,585,166
19901,722,977217,5971,505,380
19911,582,931217,6371,365,294
19921,433,243188,6471,244,596
19931,388,017208,1611,179,856
19941,426,7843.50
19951,205,3723.22
19961,187,9032.95
19971,179,2602.73
19981,185,639551,345634,2942.53
199962,738,0001,177,557374,838802,71918.86.012.82.36
200063,658,0001,095,165382,674712,49117.26.011.23.262.19
200164,592,0001,110,836421,525689,31117.26.510.73.802.09
200265,540,0001,122,104337,237784,86717.15.112.02.502.01
200366,480,0001,171,573368,518803,05517.65.512.12.061.92
200467,477,0001,154,368355,213799,15517.15.311.82.931.87
200569,672,0001,239,408363,723875,68518.15.312.818.931.82
200670,554,0001,253,912408,566845,34617.85.812.00.521.79
200771,336,0001,286,716412,736873,98018.05.812.2−1.291.81
200872,120,0001,300,166417,798882,36817.95.812.2−1.361.80
200972,924,0001,348,546393,514955,03218.35.313.0−2.081.78
201073,762,0001,363,542441,042922,50018.35.912.4−1.151.77
201174,634,0001,382,229422,133960,09618.35.612.7−1.181.74
201275,539,0001,421,689367,5121,054,17718.74.813.9−1.971.73
201376,481,0001,471,834372,2791,099,55519.14.814.3−2.061.70
201477,465,0001,534,362446,3331,088,02919.85.814.0−1.341.68
201578,492,0001,570,219374,8271,195,39220.04.815.2−2.142.16
201679,926,0001,528,053388,7921,139,26119.24.914.33.692.11
201780,960,0001,487,923369,7511,118,17219.04.614.4−1.042.09
201881,865,0001,366,519376,731989,78816.94.612.3−1.031.95
201982,585,0001,196,132395,319800,81314.44.89.6−0.981.74 | 1.77
202083,220,0001,114,128511,881602,24713.46.27.50.391.65
202183,935,0001,116,212544,517571,69513.26.46.81.701.61
20221,075,381395,727679,65412.74.78.01.55(e)
20231,057,948403,202654,74612.44.77.71.52(e)
202485,961,000979,923[40]458,873521,07511.45.36.11.44[41]
202586,563,000892,268[42]451,682440,58610.35.25.11.35[2]

Current vital statistics

PeriodLive birthsDeathsNatural increase
March 2024—March 2025979,929
March 2025—March 2026892,268
Difference–87,661 (-8.95%)
Source:[43]

Total fertility rate

In 1960, Iran's fertility rate was 7.3 children per woman. In 2021, the rate had fallen to 1.7 children per woman.[44] According to a study through the Australian National University, there are both micro and macro factors affecting the fertility rate in Iran, including education, economics, and culture.[45] Micro-factors can include family income levels and individual choices, while macro-factors can include the country's economy, education, and shifting cultural values.[45]

The cross-sectional cohort study examined four provinces in Iran (Gilan, Sistan & Baluchistan, West Azerbaijan, and Yazd) and found that trends show that women in all four provinces are choosing to have fewer children compared to the women born in the earlier cohorts. The majority of women agreed with statements such as "having many children is an obstacle for the parents' interests" and "having many children creates financial pressure for the family", among others.[45]

Other sources also suggest that delayed marriage and a tendency to limit fertility are factors affecting the decline of TFR.[46] A decline in TFR can lead to population decrease, and an ageing population, which can negatively impact the country's economy.[47] In response, Iranian policymakers have attempted to limit these factors by restricting access to contraceptives and surgeries that reduce fertility.[48]

Before 1950

Years1925192619271928192919301931193219331934[49]
Total Fertility Rate in Iran7.087.077.077.067.057.057.047.037.037.02
Years1935193619371938193919401941194219431944[49]
Total Fertility Rate in Iran7.017.0176.996.996.986.976.976.966.95
Years19451946194719481949[49]
Total Fertility Rate in Iran6.956.946.936.936.92

Life expectancy

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0–14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15–24 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
25–54 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
55–64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female
total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2020 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 75.06 years
male: 73.71 years
female: 76.48 years (2021 est.)

Ethnic groups

See also: Ethnicities in Iran

Iran is a mosaic of diverse ethnic groups, contrary to popular belief that all Iranians are "just Persian".[50][51] According to a 1939 survey and Anthropological study of the people of Iran,[52]: 209 these were the ethnic groups that resided in the following areas of Iran:

DistrictLocalitySedentary
[clarification needed]
population
(approx.)		Chief townEthnic Group
Abadeh-i-IqlidNorthern Fars25,000AbadehChiefly Lashani and Cheharrahi
Abadeh-i-TashkNear Daryacheh-i-Tashk6,500Abadeh-i-TashkChiefly Lashani and Cheharrahi
AbrajWest of Mahin1,000N/ATurkics and Persians
AftarSouthwest of Jahrom3,000Abi-i-GarmTurkics and Persians
'AlamarvdakhtSouthern Fars4,000'AlamarvdakhtChiefly Behbehani Lurs with some Arab blood
AngaliNortheast of Bushire2,000Mahmud ShahiChiefly Behbehani Lurs with some Arab blood
Arbaeh, Mahals-iSouth of Firuzabad1,000HangamTurkics from Simakan
ArdakanNorthwest of Shiraz6,000ArdakanTurkics from Simakan
ArisinjanNortheast of Shiraz5,000ArisinjanTurkics from Simakan
AsirNear the 'Alamarvdakht5,500AsirTurkics from Simakan
Baiza, Dasht-iNorthwest of Shiraz1,200Bandar DilamTurkics from Simakan
Bandar DilamNorthwest coast of Fars10,000Bandar DilamTurkics from Simakan
BawanatNortheastern Fars12,000BawanatTurkics from Simakan
Bidshahr (or Juwun-i-Bidshahr)South of JahrumBidshahrDashtis
BorazjanNortheast of Bushire6,500BorazjanDashtis
Chah KutahEast of Bushire1,500Chah KutahDashtis
Chehar Dungeh, Sarhad-i-Northern Fars3,000AsupasDashtis
DalakiNortheast of BushireN/ADalakiDashtis
DarabSoutheastern Fars10,000DarabDashtis
DashtiSoutheast of Bushire20,000KhurmujDashtis
DashtistanEast of Bushire15,000BorazjanImmigrants from Dashti or Shiraz
DizkurdNorthwestern Fars500N/ACircassians
IstehbanatSouth of Niriz4,000IstehbanatMainly Turkic and Lurs
JahrumSouth central Fars7,500JahrumMainly Turkic and Lurs
JirehEast of Bushire2,500JirehMainly Turkic and Lurs
-----
Shibkuh portsWest of Ras Bustaneh--Sunni and Shia Arabs[52]: 228
Minab---An ethnic group of mixed Persian, Baluchi, Arab, and Sub-Saharan African descent.[52]: 228–229
LaristanLaristan region90,000[52]: 228Those living on the coast line are to a great extent Arabs (Huwala), while the farmers are principally Persians [Iranis].[52]: 228

Genetics

See also: Genetic history of the Middle East

Haplogroups

Y-chromosome DNA

Y-Chromosome DNA Y-DNA represents the male lineage, the Iranian Y-chromosome pool is as follows where haplogroups, R1 (25%), J2 (23%) G (14%), J1 (8%) E1b1b (5%), L (4%), Q (4%), comprise more than 85% of the total chromosomes.[53][54]

Haplogroup[55]nBCE1b1aE1b1b1a2E1b1b1a3E1b1b1cFGHIJ1J2KLNOP,RQR1aR1bR1b1aR1b1bR2T
MarkerM2V13V22M34M343V88M269M70
Iran5660.530.181.411.771.80.880.3514.002.650.88.1323.860.714.002.121.410.714.0117.491.240.356.181.412.12
Mitochondrial DNA

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) represents the female lineage. West Eurasian mtDNA makes up over 90% of the Iranian population on average. (2013).[56]

Among them, U3b3 lineages appear to be restricted to populations of Iran and the Caucasus, while the sub-cluster U3b1a is common in the whole Near East region.[56]

In Iran outliers in the Y-chromosomes and Mitochondrial DNA gene pool are consisted of the north Iranian ethnicities, such as the Gilaks and Mazandarani's, whose genetic build up including chromosomal DNA are nearly identical to the major South Caucasian ethnicities, namely the Georgians, Armenians and Azerbaijani's. Other outliers are made by the Baloch people, representing a mere 1–2% of the total Iranian population, who have more patrilinial and mitochondrial DNA lines leaning towards northwest South Asian ethnic groups.

Levels of genetic variation in Iranian populations are comparable to the other groups from the Caucasus, Anatolia and Europe.[56]

Autosomal DNA

A large-scale genetic analyses on various ethnic groups of Iran, published in 2019, found that genetically speaking different Iranian ethnic groups, such as Persians, Kurds, Azerbaijanis, Lurs, Mazanderanis, Gilaks and Arabs, cluster tightly together, forming a single cluster known as the "CIC" (Central Iranian cluster). Compared with worldwide populations, Iranians (CIC) cluster in the center of the wider West Eurasian cluster, close to Europeans, Middle Easterners, and South-Central Asians. Iranian Arabs and Turkic-speaking Azeris genetically overlap with Iranian-speaking peoples such as Persians. The genetic substructure of Iranians was found to be low, compared with other "1000G" populations. Iranians display their highest genetic affinity with other Southwest and West Asian populations, followed by Europeans and Central Asian groups. Certain South Asians (specifically the Parsi minority) showed the highest affinity with Iranians, inline with their ethnic history. Overall, the study results suggest that the genetic makeup of the Iranian gene pool formed already about 5,000 years ago and shows high continuity since then, suggesting that they were largely unaffected by migration events from outside groups. On a global scale, Iranians display their highest affinity with other "West Eurasian" populations (such as Europeans or South Asians, but also Latin Americans), while Sub-Saharan Africans and East Asians showed large degrees of differentiation with Iranians.[57]

Languages and ethnic groups

Main articles: Iranian peoples, Turkic people, Languages of Iran and Ethnicities in Iran

The largest linguistic group comprises speakers of Iranian languages, like modern Persian, Kurdish, Gilaki, Mazandarani, Luri, Talysh, and Balochi. Speakers of Turkic languages, most notably Azerbaijani Turkish spoken by Azerbaijanis, which is by far the second-most spoken language in the country, but also the Turkmen, and the Qashqai peoples, comprise a substantial minority. The remainder are primarily speakers of Semitic languages such as Arabic and Assyrian. A small number of Mandaeans in Khuzestan speak Mandaic. There are small groups using other Indo-European languages such as Armenian and Russian; also, Georgian (a member of the Kartvelian language family) is spoken in a large pocket only by those Iranian Georgians that live in Fereydan, Fereydunshahr. Most of those Georgians who live in the north Iranian provinces of Gilan, Mazandaran, Isfahan, Tehran province and the rest of Iran no longer speak the language. The Circassians in Iran, a very large minority in the past and speakers of the Circassian language, have been strongly assimilated and absorbed within the population in the past few centuries. However, significant pockets do exist spread over the country, and they are the second-largest Caucasus-derived group in the nation after the Georgians.[58][59]

Jews have had a continuous presence in Iran since the time of Cyrus the Great of the Achaemenid Empire. In 1948, there were approximately 140,000–150,000 Jews living in Iran. According to the Tehran Jewish Committee, the Jewish population of Iran was (more recently) estimated at 25,000 to 35,000, of which approximately 15,000 are in Tehran with the rest residing in Hamadan, Shiraz, Isfahan, Kermanshah, Yazd, Kerman, Rafsanjan, Borujerd, Sanandaj, Tabriz, and Urmia. However, the official 2011 state census recorded only 8,756 Jews in Iran.[60]

The CIA World Factbook (which is based on 2013 statistics) gives the following numbers for the languages spoken in Iran today: Persian, Luri, Gilaki and Mazandarani 66%; Turkish and other Turkic languages 18%; Kurdish 10%; Arabic 2%; Balochi 2%; others 2% (Armenian, Georgian, Circassian, Assyrian, etc.).[61]

According to anthropologist Brian Spooner, around half of Iran's population uses a language other than Persian at home and in informal public situations.[62]

Other sources, such as the Library of Congress, and the Encyclopedia of Islam (Leiden)[63] give Iran's ethnic groups as following: Persians 65%, Azerbaijani Turks 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, Georgians, Assyrians, Circassians) less than 1%.[64] For sources prior to and after 2000, see Languages and ethnicities in Iran.

Religious affiliations

Main articles: Religion in Iran, Islam in Iran, Christianity in Iran and Irreligion in Iran
See also: Roman Catholicism in Iran, Persian Jews, Baháʼí Faith in Iran and Mandaeans

About 99% of the Iranians are Muslims; 90% belong to the Shi'a branch of Islam, the official state religion, and about 9% belong to the Sunni branch, which predominates in neighbouring Muslim countries.[28] Less than 1% non-Muslim minorities include Christians, Zoroastrians, Jews, Baháʼís, Mandaeans, and Yarsan. By far the largest group of Christians in Iran are Armenians under the Armenian Apostolic Church which has 41,385 adherents as of 2016 census.[65] There are hundreds of Christian churches in Iran.[citation needed] The Baháʼí Faith, Iran's largest non-Muslim religious minority with a population around 300,000, is not officially recognised (and therefore not included in the census results), and has been persecuted since its inception in Iran. Since the 1979 revolution the persecution of Baháʼís has increased with executions, the denial of civil rights and liberties, and the denial of access to higher education and employment.[66][67] Unofficial estimates for the Assyrian Christian population range between 20,000,[68][69] and 70,000.[70][71] The number of Iranian Mandaeans is a matter of dispute. In 2009, there were an estimated 5,000 to 10,000 Mandaeans in Iran, according to the Associated Press.[72] Whereas Alarabiya has put the number of Iranian Mandaeans as high as 60,000 in 2011.[73]

Population of Iran according to religion 1956–2016[31][37][74]
MuslimsChristiansZoroastriansJewsOtherUnknown
%%%%%%
census 195618,654,127114,52815,72365,23259,25645,838
census 196624,771,922149,42719,81660,68377,075
census 197633,396,908168,59321,40062,25859,583
census 200670,097,741109,41519,8239,25254,234205,317
census 201174,682,938117,70425,2718,75649,101265,899
census 201679,598,054130,15823,1099,82640,551124,572

Migration

Recent immigration

Most of the large Circassian migrational waves towards mainland Iran stem from the Safavid and Qajar era. A certain amount is from the relatively recent arrivals that migrated as the Circassians were displaced from the Caucasus in the 19th century. A Black African population exists due to historical slavery. A substantial number of Russians arrived in the early 20th century as refugees from the Russian Revolution, but their number has dwindled following the Iran crisis of 1946 and the Iranian Revolution.

In the 20th to 21st centuries, there has been limited immigration to Iran from Turkey, Iraq (especially huge numbers during the 1970s known as Moaveds), Afghanistan (mostly arriving as refugees in 1978), Lebanon (especially in Qom, though a Lebanese community has been present in the nation for centuries), India (mostly arriving temporarily during the 1950s to 1970s, typically working as doctors, engineers, and teachers), Korea (mostly in the 1970s as labour migrants), China (mostly since the 2000s working in engineering or business projects), and Pakistan, partly due to labour migrants and partly to Balochi ties across the Iranian-Pakistani border. About 200,000 Iraqis arrived as refugees in 2003,[citation needed] mostly living in refugee camps near the border; an unknown number of these has since returned to Iraq.

As of 2025, around 400,000 authorized foreigners were working in Iran, most of whom were Afghan nationals.[75]

Over the same period, there has also been substantial emigration from Iran, especially since the Iranian revolution (see Iranian diaspora, Human capital flight from Iran, Jewish exodus from Iran), especially to the United States, Canada, Germany, Israel, and Sweden.

Refugee population

See also: Foreign relations of Iran

Iran hosts one of the largest refugee population in the world, with more than one million refugees, mostly from Afghanistan (80%) and Iraq (10%). Since 2006, Iranian officials have been working with the UNHCR and Afghan officials for their repatriation.[76][77] Between 1979 and 1997, UNHCR spent more than US$1 billion on Afghan refugees in Pakistan but only $150 million on those in Iran. In 1999, the Iranian government estimated the cost of maintaining its refugee population at US$10 million per day, compared with the US$18 million UNHCR allocated for all of its operations in Iran in 1999.[77] As of 2016, some 300,000 work permits have been issued for foreign nationals in Iran.[78]

In mid-2025, Iran's government ordered the mass deportation of undocumented Afghans, targeting an estimated 4 million migrants and refugees residing in the country.[79] Iranian authorities expelled approximately 1.6 million undocumented Afghan migrants between January and October 2025.[80]

Emigration

Main article: Iranian citizens abroad

The term "Iranian citizens abroad" or " Iranian/Persian diaspora" refers to the Iranian people and their children born in Iran but living outside of Iran. Migrant Iranian workers abroad remitted less than two billion dollars home in 2006.[81]

As of 2010, there are about 4–5 million Iranians living abroad, mostly in the United States, Canada, Europe, Persian Gulf States, Turkey, Australia and the broader Middle East.[33][82] According to the 2000 Census and other independent surveys, there are an estimated 1 million Iranian-Americans living in the U.S., in particular, the Los Angeles area is estimated to be host to approximately 72,000 Iranians, earning the Westwood area of LA the nickname Tehrangeles.[83] Other metropolises that have large Iranian populations include Dubai with 300,000 Iranians, Vancouver, London, Toronto, San Francisco Bay Area, Washington D.C., Buenos Aires, Mexico City, Stockholm, Berlin, Hamburg and Frankfurt. Their combined net worth is estimated to be $1.3 trillion.[84]

Note that this differs from the other Iranian peoples living in other areas of Greater Iran, who are of related ethnolinguistical family, speaking languages belonging to the Iranian languages which is a branch of Indo-European languages.

People of Iranian ancestry

See also: Greater Iran

Tats (Caucasus)

Main article: Tats (Caucasus)

The Tats are an Iranian people, presently living within Azerbaijan and Russia (mainly Southern Dagestan). The Tats are part of the indigenous peoples of Iranian origin in the Caucasus.[85][86][87]

Tats use the Tat language, a southwestern Iranian language and a variety of Persian[88][89][90][91][92] Azerbaijani and Russian are also spoken. Tats are mainly Shia Muslims, with a significant Sunni Muslim minority. Likely the ancestors of modern Tats settled in South Caucasus when the Sasanian Empire (224–651) built cities and founded military garrisons to strengthen their positions in the region.[93]

Parsis

Main article: Parsis

The Parsis are the close-knit Zoroastrian community based primarily in India but also found in Pakistan. Parsis are descended from Persian Zoroastrians who emigrated to the Indian subcontinent over 1,000 years ago. Indian census data (2001) records 69,601 Parsis in India, with a concentration in and around the city of Mumbai. There are approximately 8,000 Parsis elsewhere on the subcontinent, with an estimated 2,500 Parsis in the city of Karachi and approximately 50 Parsi families in Sri Lanka. The number of Parsis worldwide is estimated to be fewer than 100,000.[94]

Iranis

Main article: Iranian peoples

In Pakistan and India, the term "Irani" has come to denote Iranian Zoroastrians who have migrated to Pakistan and India within the last two centuries, as opposed to most Parsis who arrived in India over 1,000 years ago. Many of them moved during the Qajar era, when persecution of Iranian Zoroastrians was rampant. They are culturally and linguistically closer to the Zoroastrians of Iran. Unlike the Parsis, they speak a Dari dialect, the language spoken by the Iranian Zoroastrians in Yazd and Kerman.[95]

Their last names often resemble modern Iranian names. Irani is a common surname among them. In India they are mostly located in modern-day Mumbai while in Pakistan they are mostly located in modern-day Karachi. In both Pakistan and India, they are famous for their restaurants and tea-houses.[96] Some, such as Ardeshir Irani, have also become very famous in cinema.

Ajam (Bahrain)

Main article: Ajam (Bahrain)

The "Ajam" are an ethnic community of Bahrain, of Iranian origin. They have traditionally been merchants living in specific quarters of Manama and Muharraq. The Iranians who adhere to Shiite sect of Islam are Ajam, and they are different from the Huwala. Ajams are also a large percentage of the populace in UAE, Kuwait, Qatar and Oman.

In addition to this, many names of ancient villages in Bahrain are of Persian origin. It is believed that these names were given during the Safavid rule of Bahrain (1501–1722). i.e. Karbabad, Salmabad, Karzakan, Duraz, Barbar, which indicates that the history of Ajams is much older.

Huwala

Main article: Huwala

Huwala are the descendants of Persians and Arab-Persians who belong to the Sunni sect of Islam.[97] Huwala migrated from Ahvaz in Iran to the Persian Gulf in the seventeenth and eighteenth century.[97][98]

See also

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