Iran Ethnic Groups Map

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An Iran Ethnic Groups Map illustrates the diverse ethnic composition of Iran and shows how different communities are distributed across the country’s regions. Iran is home to a wide variety of ethnic groups, with Persians forming the majority, while significant minorities include Azerbaijanis, Kurds, Lurs, Gilaks, Mazandaranis, Arabs, Baloch, and Turkmen. These groups together create a rich cultural and linguistic landscape, reflecting the long history of migration, empire, and cultural interaction across the Iranian plateau.

Iran ethnic groups and demography map

Ethnic Groups in Iran (Population Distribution)

Iran is a multiethnic country with a population of around 89 million people. The largest ethnic group is the Persians, who form the majority of the population and mainly live in the central and eastern parts of the country. Persians are estimated to represent about 60–65% of Iran’s population, which equals roughly 53–58 million people. The second largest ethnic group is the Azerbaijanis (Azeri Turks), who primarily live in northwestern Iran and make up approximately 16–18% of the population, or about 14–16 million people.

Other important ethnic communities include the Kurds, who represent about 7–10% of the population (around 6–9 million people) and mainly live along the western mountainous regions. The Lurs account for roughly 6% of the population (about 5 million people) and inhabit western and southwestern Iran. Smaller ethnic groups include Baloch (about 2%), Arabs (about 2%), Turkmen (around 1%), and several other communities such as Gilaks, Mazandaranis, Armenians, and Assyrians. These groups together contribute to Iran’s rich cultural and linguistic diversity.

Arabs ethnic groups map in Iran

Azeris ethnic groups map in Iran

Iran is predominantly a Muslim country, with Islam being the official religion. About 99% of the population is Muslim, and the vast majority belong to Shia Islam, which represents approximately 90–95% of the population (around 80–84 million people). Iran is considered the largest Shia-majority country in the world. The Sunni Muslim minority makes up about 5–10% of the population, mainly among ethnic groups such as Kurds, Baloch, Turkmen, and some Arabs.

Iran also has small but historically significant religious minorities. Christians account for roughly 0.3–0.4% of the population (about 250,000–350,000 people), including Armenian and Assyrian communities. Zoroastrians, followers of one of the world’s oldest religions originating in ancient Persia, number around 20,000–30,000 people. Jews form another recognized minority with approximately 8,000–10,000 members, while Baha’is, although not officially recognized, are believed to have around 300,000 followers, making them the largest non-Muslim religious group in the country.