The People

In last two decades, Iran population has been growing at an alarming rate.  According to data published by the government in July 1996, Iran population exceeds 66 million and it is growing at 2.21% annual rate ( 3.5% in 1992).

Nationalities & Origins

There are different nationalities (referred as ethnic groups) in Iran. The dominant nationalities are Persian; Azeri Turks; Kurds; Arabs; Turkomans and Baluchis; and Lur, Bakhtiari, Qashqai tribes, Armenians, Jews, and Assyrians.  Almost two-thirds of Iran's people are of Aryan origin. Their ancestors migrated from Central Asia. The major groups in this category include Persians, Kurds, Lurs, and Baluchi. The remainder are primarily Turkic but also include Arabs, Armenians, Jews, and Assyrians.
 
 

Ethnic Divisions
Persian ................................... 51% Azerbaijani ...............  24%
Gilaki and Mazandarani ..........  8%   Kurd ........................ 7%
Arab ...................................... 3% Lur .......................... 2%
Baloch ................................... 2%   Turkmen .................. 2%
Other ..................................... 1%

Languages & Dialogues

In different parts of Iran, different languages are spoken.  There are many different dialects of each language.
Persian, Turkish dialects, Kurdish, Luri, Gilaki, Arabic, Baloch are the languages that are used regionally.
 

Population


 


Population: 66,094,264 (July 1996 est.)
 
 

Age Distribution (1996 est.)
0-14 years  .................   45% .............  male 15,166,131 
female 14,289,283
15-64 years ................ 52% .............. male 17,326,388 
female 16,731,470
65 years and over .......  3% .............. male 1,327,718 
female 1,253,274
 		  


 
Sex ratio (1996 est.)
At birth ................................................ 1.05 male(s) / female 
Under 15 years .................................... 1.06 male(s) / female 
15-64 years ......................................... 1.04 male(s) / female 
65 years and over ................................ 1.06 male(s) / female 
All ages ................................................ 1.05 male(s) / female 

 
Population Growth (1996 est.)
Population growth rate ............................................2.21% 
Birth rate ............................. 33.67 births / 1,000 population 
Death rate ............................ 6.61 deaths / 1,000 population 
Net migration rate ............... -5 migrant(s) / 1,000 population 


 
Health (1996 est.)
Infant mortality rate ... 52.7 deaths / 1,000 live births
Total fertility rate ......... 4.72 children born / woman

Life Expectancy at Birth: 

Total population ............................. 67.39 years 
Male .............................................. 66.12 years 
Female ........................................... 68.72 years 
 

 
Education (1994 est.)
Literacy (age 15 and over can read and write) 
total population ................................... 72.1% 
male .................................................. 78.4% 
female ............................................... 65.8%

Religions
 

Most Iranians are Muslims; 95% belong to the Shi'a branch of Islam, the official state religion, and about 4% belong to the Sunni branch, which predominates in neighboring Muslim countries. Non-Muslim minorities include Zoroastrians, Jews, Baha'is, and Christians.

 

The IranOnline.com