Iran Population and Ethnic Groups
According to the census in 1385 (2007), the population of the country was more than 70,472,000. The most populated cities are Tehran, Mashhad, Esfahan, Tabriz, Shiraz, Qom, Ahwaz, Rasht, Orumieh, and Kermanshah. A View of Tehran More than half the population of the country is active. Total employed population of the country is reported at about 14.5 million, and about 39.5% of the total population are below 14 years of age. Thus, the population of Iran is one of the youngest in the world. From an employment point of view, the age distribution of the employed population, 10 years of age and above, in different economic sectors is 23.04% in agriculture, 44.5% in services, and 30.7% in industry. Out of the total population of the country, 6 years of age and above, 79.51% are literate. The rate of literacy in urban areas is 96.88%, and in rural areas is 91.37%. This ratio is 84.66% for men and 74.21% for women with a greater difference between sexes in rural areas. In urban areas this ratio is 89.56% and 81.7% and in rural areas is 76.74% and 62.41% for men and women, respectively. In general, tourists are very interested in seeing the decampment of nomad tribes. The main reason for that is the fact that these nomad tribes have well safeguarded their old traditions and culture. The present life style of nomads in Iran is not so different from that of our predecessors. Therefore, visiting the nomad tribes and recognition of their life style, specially decampment between winter and summer settlements is very interesting and will help them to get acquainted with the life and culture of ancient Iranians. Tribes Iran is situated on the way of Central and the East Asia to western countries. As a result different ethnic groups live in Iran. Among them are Farsis, Kurds, Lors, Baluchis, Bakhtiyaris, Azari Turks, Taleshs, Turkamans, Qashqais, and Arabs. Other smaller ethnic groups who live in Iran are Turkaman, who live in Turkaman Sahra and north of Khorassan. They are different from other Iranian ethnic groups in appearance, language, and culture. Qashqais are of Turkish origin and live in the central part of Iran. Arab clans, on the other hand, mostly live in Khuzestan and are scattered along the coastline of the Persian Gulf. Today, the geographic distribution and composition of ethnic groups is more or less mixed due to development and interaction between different ethnic groups. Lezgi, Traditional Dance of Azarbayjan Some groups of colored people scattered in the southern provinces of Iran are the descendants of slave trade with Zanzibar in the past. The existing Indian minority in the south of Iran are also descendants of Indian merchants of the past.
.....
.....
.....