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Country Code (FIPS):
Iran
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Iran – People Groups
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Definitions:
Progress Scale:  
People Selector:
People Groups
(click people name for profile)
Population Indig % Evangel % Adherent Progress Scale Primary Religion Primary Language Pho Map Txt
Afghan, Tajik422,0000.01 %0.01 %1 IslamDariP
Afghan, Tajik
 T
Afshari399,000Y0.00 %0.00 %1 IslamAzerbaijani, SouthP
Afshari
M
Afshari of Iran
T
Aimaq248,000Y0.00 %0.00 %1 IslamAimaqP
Aimaq
M
Aimaq of Iran
T
Arab, Arabic Gulf Spoken292,0000.10 %1.20 %1 IslamArabic, Gulf SpokenP
Arab, Arabic Gulf Spoken
M
Arab, Arabic Gulf Spoken of Iran
T
Arab, Iranian1,521,000Y0.29 %0.30 %1 IslamArabic, Mesopotamian SpokenP
Arab, Iranian
M
Arab, Iranian of Iran
T
Armenian115,0008.00 %94.00 %4 ChristianityArmenianP
Armenian
M
Armenian of Iran
T
Assyrian115,0000.50 %97.00 %3 ChristianityAssyrian Neo-AramaicP
Assyrian
 T
Astiani28,000Y0.00 %0.00 %1 IslamAshtianiP
Astiani
M
Astiani of Iran
T
Aynallu6,900Y0.00 %0.00 %1 IslamAzerbaijani, South  T
Azerbaijani, Azeri Turk17,427,000Y1.60 %1.80 %1 IslamAzerbaijani, SouthP
Azerbaijani, Azeri Turk
M
Azerbaijani, Azeri Turk of Iran
T
Baharlu10,000Y0.00 %0.00 %1 IslamAzerbaijani, South  T
Bakhtiari1,315,000Y0.20 %0.20 %1 IslamBakhtiariP
Bakhtiari
M
Bakhtiari of Iran
T
Baloch, Southern533,000Y0.00 %0.00 %1 IslamBalochi, SouthernP
Baloch, Southern
M
Baloch, Southern of Iran
T
Baloch, Western791,000Y0.00 %0.00 %1 IslamBalochi, WesternP
Baloch, Western
M
Baloch, Western of Iran
T
Bashkardi9,300Y0.00 %0.00 %1 IslamBashkardiP
Bashkardi
 T
Brahui25,0000.00 %0.00 %1 IslamBrahuiP
Brahui
M
Brahui of Iran
T
British3,6008.00 %60.00 %4 ChristianityEnglishP
British
  
Chinese, general3,5008.00 %15.00 %4 Ethnic ReligionsChinese, MandarinP
Chinese, general
  
Deaf443,000Y0.51 %1 IslamIranian Sign LanguageP
Deaf
 T
DezfuliY0.00 %0.00 %1 IslamDezfuli   
Fars, Northwestern9,200Y0.00 %0.00 %1 IslamFars, Northwestern M
Fars, Northwestern of Iran
T
Fars, Southwestern117,000Y0.00 %0.00 %1 IslamFars, Southwestern M
Fars, Southwestern of Iran
T
French10,0001.00 %63.00 %3 ChristianityFrenchP
French
 T
Gabri, Dari15,000Y0.00 %0.00 %1 Other / SmallDari, Zoroastrian M
Gabri, Dari of Iran
T
Galeshi2,200Y0.00 %0.00 %1 IslamGilakiP
Galeshi
M
Galeshi of Iran
 
Gazi9,500Y0.00 %0.00 %1 IslamGazi   
Georgian69,0001.30 %83.00 %3 ChristianityGeorgianP
Georgian
M
Georgian of Iran
T
German9002.10 %66.00 %4 ChristianityGerman, StandardP
German
  
Gilaki, Gilani3,071,000Y1.00 %1.00 %1 IslamGilakiP
Gilaki, Gilani
M
Gilaki, Gilani of Iran
T
Gujarati38,0000.10 %0.50 %1 IslamGujaratiP
Gujarati
M
Gujarati of Iran
T
Gurani, Hawrami224,0000.00 %0.00 %1 IslamGuraniP
Gurani, Hawrami
M
Gurani, Hawrami of Iran
T
Harzani37,000Y0.00 %0.00 %1 IslamHarzaniP
Harzani
M
Harzani of Iran
T
Hazara413,0000.01 %0.05 %1 IslamHazaragiP
Hazara
M
Hazara of Iran
T
Herki23,0000.00 %0.00 %1 IslamKurdish, NorthernP
Herki
M
Herki of Iran
T
Ilsavan94,000Y0.20 %0.50 %1 IslamAzerbaijani, SouthP
Ilsavan
 T
Italian7,6001.10 %83.00 %3 ChristianityItalianP
Italian
 T
Jadgali12,000Y0.00 %0.00 %1 IslamJadgali M
Jadgali of Iran
 
Jew, Hulaula4000.00 %0.00 %1 Ethnic ReligionsHulaulaP
Jew, Hulaula
 T
Jew, Judeo-Persian10,0000.00 %0.00 %1 Ethnic ReligionsDzhidiP
Jew, Judeo-Persian
M
Jew, Judeo-Persian of Iran
T
Karakalpak57,0000.00 %0.00 %1 IslamKarakalpakP
Karakalpak
M
Karakalpak of Iran
T
Karingani23,000Y0.00 %0.00 %1 IslamKaringani M
Karingani of Iran
T
Kazakh6,7000.00 %0.00 %1 IslamKazakhP
Kazakh
 T
Khalaj, Turkic56,000Y0.00 %0.00 %1 IslamKhalajP
Khalaj, Turkic
M
Khalaj, Turkic of Iran
T
Khorasani Turk1,010,000Y0.00 %0.00 %1 IslamKhorasani TurkishP
Khorasani Turk
M
Khorasani Turk of Iran
T
Khunsari28,000Y0.00 %0.00 %1 IslamKhunsari M
Khunsari of Iran
T
Korean19,00016.00 %31.00 %5 Non-ReligiousKoreanP
Korean
 T
Koroshi400Y0.00 %0.00 %1 IslamKoroshi  T
Kumzari7000.00 %0.00 %1 IslamKumzariP
Kumzari
M
Kumzari of Iran
T
Kurd, Central3,571,000Y0.03 %0.03 %1 IslamKurdish, CentralP
Kurd, Central
M
Kurd, Central of Iran
T
Kurd, Kurmanji522,000Y0.10 %0.40 %1 IslamKurdish, NorthernP
Kurd, Kurmanji
M
Kurd, Kurmanji of Iran
T
Kurd, Southern3,548,000Y1.00 %1.00 %1 IslamKurdish, SouthernP
Kurd, Southern
M
Kurd, Southern of Iran
T
Laki1,304,000Y0.00 %0.00 %1 IslamLakiP
Laki
M
Laki of Iran
T
Larestani125,000Y0.00 %0.00 %1 IslamLariP
Larestani
M
Larestani of Iran
T
Lasgerdi1,200Y0.00 %0.00 %1 IslamLasgerdi M
Lasgerdi of Iran
 
Luri, Northern1,973,000Y0.00 %0.00 %1 IslamLuri, NorthernP
Luri, Northern
M
Luri, Northern of Iran
T
Luri, Southern1,075,000Y0.00 %0.00 %1 IslamLuri, SouthernP
Luri, Southern
M
Luri, Southern of Iran
T
Mamasani133,000Y0.00 %0.00 %1 IslamLuri, SouthernP
Mamasani
 T
Mandaean25,000Y0.00 %2.00 %1 Other / SmallMandaicP
Mandaean
M
Mandaean of Iran
T
Mazanderani, Tabri2,550,000Y1.67 %1.67 %1 IslamMazandaraniP
Mazanderani, Tabri
M
Mazanderani, Tabri of Iran
T
Moqaddam1,400Y0.00 %0.00 %1 IslamAzerbaijani, South   
Mussulman Tat10,0000.00 %0.00 %1 IslamTat, MuslimP
Mussulman Tat
M
Mussulman Tat of Iran
T
Nafar, Nafar Turk4,800Y0.00 %0.00 %1 IslamAzerbaijani, South  T
Natanzi9,400Y0.00 %0.00 %1 IslamNatanzi M
Natanzi of Iran
T
Nayini9,300Y0.00 %0.00 %1 IslamNayini M
Nayini of Iran
T
Parsee29,000Y0.00 %0.00 %1 Other / SmallDari, ZoroastrianP
Parsee
M
Parsee of Iran
T
Pashtun, Southern169,0000.00 %0.02 %1 IslamPashto, SouthernP
Pashtun, Southern
M
Pashtun, Southern of Iran
T
Persian39,721,000Y1.60 %1.80 %1 IslamPersian, IranianP
Persian
M
Persian of Iran
T
Pishagchi1,400Y0.00 %0.00 %1 IslamAzerbaijani, South   
Punjabi38,0000.10 %1.00 %1 HinduismPunjabi, EasternP
Punjabi
 T
Qajar4,100Y0.00 %0.00 %1 IslamAzerbaijani, South  T
Qaragozlu2,700Y0.00 %0.00 %1 IslamAzerbaijani, South   
Qashqai, Kashkai1,044,000Y0.00 %0.00 %1 IslamKashkayP
Qashqai, Kashkai
M
Qashqai, Kashkai of Iran
T
Romani, Balkan38,0000.40 %5.00 %1 IslamRomani, BalkanP
Romani, Balkan
M
Romani, Balkan of Iran
T
Romani, Domari1,486,000Y0.05 %0.06 %1 IslamDomariP
Romani, Domari
M
Romani, Domari of Iran
T
Rudbari300Y0.00 %0.00 %1 IslamRudbari M
Rudbari of Iran
T
Russian2,8001.20 %67.00 %3 ChristianityRussianP
Russian
  
Sangisari44,000Y0.00 %0.00 %1 IslamSangisari M
Sangisari of Iran
 
Semnani73,000Y0.00 %0.00 %1 IslamSemnaniP
Semnani
M
Semnani of Iran
T
Shahmirzadi1,100Y0.00 %0.00 %1 IslamShahmirzadi M
Shahmirzadi of Iran
T
Shikaki31,0000.00 %0.00 %1 IslamKurdish, NorthernP
Shikaki
M
Shikaki of Iran
T
Sivandi9,400Y0.00 %0.00 %1 IslamSivandi  T
Soi9,400Y0.00 %0.00 %1 IslamSoi  T
Sorkhei12,000Y0.00 %0.00 %1 IslamSorkhei M
Sorkhei of Iran
 
Tajik, Tadzhik7000.00 %0.02 %1 IslamTajikP
Tajik, Tadzhik
M
Tajik, Tadzhik of Iran
T
Takistani426,000Y0.00 %0.00 %1 IslamTakestaniP
Takistani
M
Takistani of Iran
T
Talysh164,0000.00 %0.00 %1 IslamTalyshP
Talysh
M
Talysh of Iran
T
Taromi, Upper300Y0.00 %0.00 %1 IslamTaromi, Upper M
Taromi, Upper of Iran
T
Tati, Central46,000Y0.00 %0.00 %1 IslamShahrudi M
Tati, Central of Iran
T
Tati, Southern196,000Y0.00 %0.00 %1 IslamAlviri-VidariP
Tati, Southern
M
Tati, Southern of Iran
T
Turk12,0000.01 %0.04 %1 IslamTurkishP
Turk
 T
Turkmen800,000Y0.05 %0.30 %1 IslamTurkmenP
Turkmen
M
Turkmen of Iran
T
Urdu, Islami94,0000.00 %0.00 %1 IslamUrduP
Urdu, Islami
 T
Uyghur6,6000.02 %0.05 %1 IslamUyghurP
Uyghur
 T
Vafsi23,000Y0.00 %0.00 %1 IslamVafsiP
Vafsi
M
Vafsi of Iran
T
Total People Groups:   94 88,418,000 62     84      67 63 80
Unclassified / Other Individuals 133,000  
UN Country Population (2022) 88,551,000  
Other reported groups:  8  
Data Notes
Data Sources
Progress Scale:  
People Selector:
Iran – People Progress

% of People Groups [1]
 
% of Population in People Group [1] [2]
 
Progress Level Peoples % of Peoples Population % of Population [2]
  1 - Unreached 84 89.4 % 88,071,000 99.6 %
  2 - Minimally reached 0 0.0 % 0 0.0 %
  3 - Superficially reached 5 5.3 % 204,000 0.2 %
  4 - Partially reached 4 4.3 % 123,000 0.1 %
  5 - Significantly reached 1 1.1 % 19,000 0.0 %
Totals 94   88,418,000  


NOTES:
  1. Small Values: Values less than .3% are not shown on pie charts for labeling clarity.
  2. % of Population in People Group:  The percentage of the population that lives in a people group at each progress level. Not every person living in an unreached people group is necessarily unreached.
Iran – People Photos   *** Note:  Only people groups with photos available are displayed here.***
 

Afghan, Tajik
422,000


Afshari
399,000


Aimaq
248,000


Arab, Arabic Gulf Spoken
292,000


Arab, Iranian
1,521,000


Armenian
115,000


Assyrian
115,000


Astiani
28,000


Azerbaijani, Azeri Turk
17,427,000


Bakhtiari
1,315,000


Baloch, Southern
533,000


Baloch, Western
791,000


Bashkardi
9,300


Brahui
25,000


British
3,600


Chinese, general
3,500


Deaf
443,000


French
10,000


Galeshi
2,200


Georgian
69,000


German
900


© Copyrighted Photo
Gilaki, Gilani
3,071,000


Gujarati
38,000


Gurani, Hawrami
224,000


Harzani
37,000


Hazara
413,000


© Copyrighted Photo
Herki
23,000


Ilsavan
94,000


Italian
7,600


Jew, Hulaula
400


© Copyrighted Photo
Jew, Judeo-Persian
10,000


Karakalpak
57,000


Kazakh
6,700


Khalaj, Turkic
56,000


© Copyrighted Photo
Khorasani Turk
1,010,000


Korean
19,000


Kumzari
700


Kurd, Central
3,571,000


Kurd, Kurmanji
522,000


Kurd, Southern
3,548,000


Laki
1,304,000


Larestani
125,000


Luri, Northern
1,973,000


Luri, Southern
1,075,000


Mamasani
133,000


Mandaean
25,000


Mazanderani, Tabri
2,550,000


Mussulman Tat
10,000


© Copyrighted Photo
Parsee
29,000


Pashtun, Southern
169,000


Persian
39,721,000


Punjabi
38,000


Qashqai, Kashkai
1,044,000


Romani, Balkan
38,000


Romani, Domari
1,486,000


Russian
2,800


Semnani
73,000


Shikaki
31,000


Tajik, Tadzhik
700


Takistani
426,000


Talysh
164,000


Tati, Southern
196,000


Turk
12,000


Turkmen
800,000


Urdu, Islami
94,000


Uyghur
6,600


Vafsi
23,000

Iran People Photos   *** Note:  Only people groups with photos available are displayed here.***
Iran – Languages
(Click headings for sorting )
Definitions:
Progress Scale:  
People Selector:
Language
(click Language name for details)
Language
Code
# Peoples
Primary
Language
# Unreached
Primary
Language
Bible
Status
Bible
Locator
Audio NT
Online
Jesus
Film
Online
Audio
Recordings
Online
Gospel
Tract
Online
Aimaqaiq11Unspecified
Alviri-Vidariavd11Unspecified
Arabic, Gulf Spokenafb11Portions
Arabic, Mesopotamian Spokenacm11NT
Armenianhye10Complete
Ashtianiatn11Unspecified
Assyrian Neo-Aramaicaii10Complete
Azerbaijani, Southazb1010Complete
Bakhtiaribqi11Portions
Balochi, Southernbcc11NT
Balochi, Westernbgn11Portions
Bashkardibsg11Unspecified
Brahuibrh11NT
Chinese, Mandarincmn10Complete
Dariprs11Complete
Dari, Zoroastriangbz22Unspecified
Dezfulidef11Portions
Domarirmt11Portions
Dzhidijpr11Complete
Englisheng10Complete
Fars, Northwesternfaz11Unspecified
Fars, Southwesternfay11Unspecified
Frenchfra10Complete
Gazigzi11Unspecified
Georgiankat10Complete
German, Standarddeu10Complete
Gilakiglk22Portions
Gujaratiguj11Complete
Guranihac11Portions
Harzanihrz11Unspecified
Hazaragihaz11Portions
Hulaulahuy11Unspecified
Iranian Sign Languagepsc11Portions
Italianita10Complete
Jadgalijdg11Portions
Karakalpakkaa11Complete
Karinganikgn11Unspecified
Kashkayqxq11Portions
Kazakhkaz11Complete
Khalajklj11Trans Needed
Khorasani Turkishkmz11Trans Needed
Khunsarikfm11Unspecified
Koreankor10Complete
Koroshiktl11Unspecified
Kumzarizum11Trans Needed
Kurdish, Centralckb11Complete
Kurdish, Northernkmr33Complete
Kurdish, Southernsdh11Portions
Lakilki11Unspecified
Larilrl11Unspecified
Lasgerdilsa11Trans Needed
Luri, Northernlrc11Portions
Luri, Southernluz22Unspecified
Mandaicmid11Unspecified
Mazandaranimzn11Portions
Natanzintz11Trans Needed
Nayininyq11Trans Needed
Pashto, Southernpbt11Portions
Persian, Iranianpes11Complete
Punjabi, Easternpan11Complete
Romani, Balkanrmn11Complete
Rudbarirdb11Unspecified
Russianrus10Complete
Sangisarisgr11Unspecified
Semnanismy11Unspecified
Shahmirzadisrz11Trans Needed
Shahrudishm11Unspecified
Sivandisiy11Unspecified
Soisoj11Trans Needed
Sorkheisqo11Trans Needed
Tajiktgk11Complete
Takestanitks11Unspecified
Talyshtly11NT
Taromi, Uppertov11Unspecified
Tat, Muslimttt11Portions
Turkishtur11Complete
Turkmentuk11Complete
Urduurd11Complete
Uyghuruig11Complete
Vafsivaf11Unspecified
Totals: 80 94 84   46 32 43 59 22
Data Notes
Data Sources
Progress Scale:  
People Selector:
Iran – Religions
Major Religions [1] [3]
Evangelicals: 1.2 %
(subset of Christianity)
 
% Evangelical and % Professing Christian Trends [4]

NOTES:
  1. Major Religions: Each People Group's population is multiplied by the Major Religion percentages for that people group. Results are summed for each Religion for all Peoples within the country.
  2. Christianity Segments: Each People Group's population is multiplied by the Christianity Segments percentages for that people group. Results are summed for each Christianity Segment for all peoples within the country.
  3. Small Values: Values less than .3% are not shown on pie charts for labeling clarity.
  4. % Evangelical and % Professing Christian Trends:  Source Operation World Editions 1986, 1993, 2001, 2010.
    Zero percent data values may mean unknown or unavailable.
Iran – Possible Ministry Involvement
  • Below are lists of ministries that may work in Iran. Ministries in the Iran section probably minister in this country. Ministries in the Asia, Central section only possibly minister in this country. The purpose of this information is to assist potential new missionaries connect with sending agencies and for general ministry networking. Click on the links below to visit ministry websites for further information. Visit the Power-Of-Connecting "Find a Network Tool" to find further networking information.
  • The lists below do not include all ministries at work in this country or region. There are likely many excellent ministries not listed here. Omissions are not intentional, but occur simply from lack of data. Please contact us to suggest other ministries to include here. Inclusion here is not an endorsement by Joshua Project.
Ministries in Iran   Ministries in Asia, Central
(Click headings for sorting )   (Click headings for sorting )
Country Level Ministries Size
Not Displayed. Contact Joshua ProjectN/A
 
Regional Level Ministries Size
Not Displayed. Contact Joshua ProjectN/A
Data Sources
 
People Selector:
Iran – Statistics, Prayer Cards, Maps and Links
 
Statistics
Population 88,418,000
Percent Urbanization 75 %
Total People Groups 94
Unreached People Groups 84
Region Asia, Central
10/40 Window Yes
Official National Language Persian, Iranian
Primary Religion Islam
Percent Professing Christian 1.7%  [1]
Percent Evangelical 1.2%  [2]
Country Progress Level 1
Persecution Ranking 8 (1=High to 50=Low OD)
Human Development Index 0.774 (0=Low to 1=High UN)

Links
Operation World
Window International Country Profile
Ethnologue Language Listing
State Department Religious Freedom Report
World Factbook

Notes
[1]  Calculated by summing the major religion data for the people groups in the country.
[2]  Calculated by summing the Evangelical data for the people groups in the country.
 
Prayer Cards
All
Unreached
Maps
Political Map (UN)
Ethnolinguistic Map (Univ of Texas)
Perry-Castaneda Map Collection
 
Prayercast Video

More great prayer resources at Prayercast

Direct link:  http://legacy.joshuaproject.net/countries.php?rog3=IR&tab=6