• Country: 
  •  (Provinces / Districts only available for South Asia)

Country: Iran

Number of People Groups

94

People Groups Unreached

84 (89.4%)

Progress Level

Progress Gauge

Total
Population

83,865,000

Population in Unreached

83,536,000 (99.6%)

Largest Religion

Islam (97.8%)

% Christian Adherent

1.6%

% Evangelical

1.19%

Evangelical Annual Growth Rate

19.6%
Map Notes
Click column headings for sorting ▲▼
Progress Scale: ●●●●●   
☀
 = Frontier peoples
Photo People Group ▲ Population
this Country		 Global
Population		 Indigenous Primary Language Primary Religion Progress
Scale		 % Christian
Adherent 		% Evangelical Est. Workers
Needed *
Afghan, Tajik 400,000 10,986,000 Dari Islam ☀ 0.01 % 0.01 % 8
Afshari 378,000 393,000 ● Azerbaijani, South Islam ☀ 0.00 % 0.00 % 8
Aimaq 235,000 2,086,000 ● Aimaq Islam ☀ 0.00 % 0.00 % 5
Arab, Arabic Gulf Spoken 277,000 7,028,000 Arabic, Gulf Spoken Islam ● 1.20 % 0.10 % 6
Arab, Iranian 1,442,000 1,442,000 ● Arabic, Mesopotamian Spoken Islam ● 0.30 % 0.29 % 29
Armenian 109,000 6,249,000 Armenian Christianity ● 94.00 % 8.00 % -
Assyrian 109,000 845,000 Assyrian Neo-Aramaic Christianity ● 97.00 % 0.50 % -
Astiani 27,000 27,000 ● Ashtiani Islam ☀ 0.00 % 0.00 % 1
Aynallu 6,500 6,500 ● Azerbaijani, South Islam ☀ 0.00 % 0.00 % 1
Azerbaijani, Azeri Turk 16,530,000 17,452,000 ● Azerbaijani, South Islam ● 1.50 % 1.40 % 331
Baharlu 9,800 9,800 ● Azerbaijani, South Islam ☀ 0.00 % 0.00 % 1
Bakhtiari 1,247,000 1,247,000 ● Bakhtiari Islam ☀ 0.00 % 0.00 % 25
Baloch, Southern 505,000 1,581,000 ● Balochi, Southern Islam ☀ 0.00 % 0.00 % 10
Baloch, Western 750,000 1,274,000 ● Balochi, Western Islam ☀ 0.00 % 0.00 % 15
Bashkardi 8,900 8,900 ● Bashkardi Islam ☀ 0.00 % 0.00 % 1
Brahui 24,000 3,171,000 Brahui Islam ☀ 0.00 % 0.00 % 1
British 3,400 53,799,000 English Christianity ● 60.00 % 8.00 % -
Chinese, general 3,300 15,378,000 Chinese, Mandarin Ethnic Religions ● 15.00 % 8.00 % -
Deaf 420,000 47,601,000 ● Iranian Sign Language Islam ● 0.51 % 8
Dezfuli Unknown Unknown ● Dezfuli Islam ☀ 0.00 % 0.00 % 0
Fars, Northwestern 8,800 8,800 ● Fars, Northwestern Islam ☀ 0.00 % 0.00 % 1
Fars, Southwestern 111,000 111,000 ● Fars, Southwestern Islam ☀ 0.00 % 0.00 % 2
French 9,900 50,524,000 French Christianity ● 63.00 % 1.00 % -
Gabri, Dari 15,000 15,000 ● Dari, Zoroastrian Other / Small ☀ 0.00 % 0.00 % 1
Galeshi 2,100 2,100 ● Gilaki Islam ☀ 0.00 % 0.00 % 1
Gazi 9,000 9,000 ● Gazi Islam ☀ 0.00 % 0.00 % 1
Georgian 66,000 3,514,000 Georgian Christianity ● 83.00 % 1.30 % -
German 900 66,334,000 German, Standard Christianity ● 66.00 % 2.10 % -
Gilaki 2,913,000 2,913,000 ● Gilaki Islam ☀ 0.00 % 0.00 % 58
Gujarati 36,000 3,158,000 Gujarati Islam ● 0.50 % 0.10 % 1
Gurani, Hawrami 212,000 385,000 Gurani Islam ☀ 0.00 % 0.00 % 4
Harzani 35,000 35,000 ● Harzani Islam ☀ 0.00 % 0.00 % 1
Hazara 392,000 4,664,000 Hazaragi Islam ☀ 0.05 % 0.01 % 8
Herki 22,000 107,000 Kurdish, Northern Islam ☀ 0.00 % 0.00 % 1
Italian 7,200 38,174,000 Italian Christianity ● 83.00 % 1.10 % -
Jadgali 11,000 11,000 ● Jadgali Islam ☀ 0.00 % 0.00 % 1
Jew, Hulaula 400 5,400 Hulaula Ethnic Religions ☀ 0.00 % 0.00 % 1
Jew, Judeo-Persian 9,600 66,000 Dzhidi Ethnic Religions ☀ 0.00 % 0.00 % 1
Karakalpak 54,000 874,000 Karakalpak Islam ☀ 0.00 % 0.00 % 1
Karingani 22,000 22,000 ● Karingani Islam ☀ 0.00 % 0.00 % 1
Kazakh 6,300 15,662,000 Kazakh Islam ☀ 0.00 % 0.00 % 1
Khalaj, Turkic 53,000 53,000 ● Khalaj Islam ☀ 0.00 % 0.00 % 1
Khorasani Turk 958,000 958,000 ● Khorasani Turkish Islam ☀ 0.00 % 0.00 % 19
Khunsari 27,000 27,000 ● Khunsari Islam ☀ 0.00 % 0.00 % 1
Korean 18,000 80,920,000 Korean Non-Religious ● 31.00 % 16.00 % -
Koroshi 400 400 ● Koroshi Islam ☀ 0.00 % 0.00 % 1
Kumzari 700 6,300 Kumzari Islam ☀ 0.00 % 0.00 % 1
Kurd, Central 3,387,000 8,064,000 ● Kurdish, Central Islam ● 0.20 % 0.11 % 68
Kurd, Kurmanji 495,000 15,724,000 ● Kurdish, Northern Islam ● 0.40 % 0.10 % 10
Kurd, Southern 3,365,000 3,365,000 ● Kurdish, Southern Islam ☀ 0.05 % 0.03 % 67
Laki 1,236,000 1,236,000 ● Laki Islam ☀ 0.00 % 0.00 % 25
Larestani 119,000 119,000 ● Lari Islam ☀ 0.00 % 0.00 % 2
Lasgerdi 1,200 1,200 ● Lasgerdi Islam ☀ 0.00 % 0.00 % 1
Luri, Northern 1,871,000 1,986,000 ● Luri, Northern Islam ☀ 0.00 % 0.00 % 37
Luri, Southern 1,019,000 1,019,000 ● Luri, Southern Islam ☀ 0.00 % 0.00 % 20
Mamasani 126,000 126,000 ● Luri, Southern Islam ☀ 0.00 % 0.00 % 3
Mandaean 24,000 68,000 ● Mandaic Other / Small ● 2.00 % 0.00 % 1
Mazanderani, Tabri 2,419,000 2,419,000 ● Mazandarani Islam ● 1.20 % 1.14 % 48
Moqaddam 1,300 1,300 ● Azerbaijani, South Islam ☀ 0.00 % 0.00 % 1
Mussulman Tat 9,500 37,000 Tat, Muslim Islam ☀ 0.00 % 0.00 % 1
Nafar, Nafar Turk 4,600 4,600 ● Azerbaijani, South Islam ☀ 0.00 % 0.00 % 1
Natanzi 8,900 8,900 ● Natanzi Islam ☀ 0.00 % 0.00 % 1
Nayini 8,900 8,900 ● Nayini Islam ☀ 0.00 % 0.00 % 1
Parsee 28,000 153,000 ● Parsi-Dari Other / Small ☀ 0.00 % 0.00 % 1
Pashtun, Southern 160,000 10,055,000 Pashto, Southern Islam ☀ 0.02 % 0.00 % 3
Persian 37,677,000 41,787,000 ● Persian, Iranian Islam ● 2.00 % 1.90 % 754
Pishagchi 1,300 1,300 ● Azerbaijani, South Islam ☀ 0.00 % 0.00 % 1
Punjabi 36,000 2,232,000 Punjabi, Eastern Hinduism ● 1.00 % 0.10 % 1
Qajar 3,900 3,900 ● Azerbaijani, South Islam ☀ 0.00 % 0.00 % 1
Qaragozlu 2,600 2,600 ● Azerbaijani, South Islam ☀ 0.00 % 0.00 % 1
Qashqai, Kashkai 990,000 990,000 ● Kashkay Islam ☀ 0.00 % 0.00 % 20
Romani, Balkan 36,000 1,239,000 Romani, Balkan Islam ● 5.00 % 0.40 % 1
Romani, Domari 1,409,000 3,499,000 ● Domari Islam ☀ 0.06 % 0.05 % 28
Rudbari 300 300 ● Rudbari Islam ☀ 0.00 % 0.00 % 1
Russian 2,700 133,971,000 Russian Christianity ● 67.00 % 1.20 % -
Sangisari 42,000 42,000 ● Sangisari Islam ☀ 0.00 % 0.00 % 1
Semnani 69,000 69,000 ● Semnani Islam ☀ 0.00 % 0.00 % 1
Shahmirzadi 1,000 1,000 ● Shahmirzadi Islam ☀ 0.00 % 0.00 % 1
Shahseven 89,000 91,000 ● Azerbaijani, South Islam ● 0.50 % 0.20 % 2
Shikaki 29,000 55,000 Kurdish, Northern Islam ☀ 0.00 % 0.00 % 1
Sivandi 8,900 8,900 ● Sivandi Islam ☀ 0.00 % 0.00 % 1
Soi 8,900 8,900 ● Soi Islam ☀ 0.00 % 0.00 % 1
Sorkhei 12,000 12,000 ● Sorkhei Islam ☀ 0.00 % 0.00 % 1
Tajik, Tadzhik 600 10,099,000 Tajik Islam ☀ 0.02 % 0.00 % 1
Takistani 404,000 404,000 ● Takestani Islam ☀ 0.00 % 0.00 % 8
Talysh 155,000 233,000 Talysh Islam ☀ 0.00 % 0.00 % 3
Taromi, Upper 300 300 ● Taromi, Upper Islam ☀ 0.00 % 0.00 % 1
Tati, Central 44,000 44,000 ● Shahrudi Islam ☀ 0.00 % 0.00 % 1
Tati, Southern 186,000 186,000 ● Alviri-Vidari Islam ☀ 0.00 % 0.00 % 4
Turk 11,000 63,332,000 Turkish Islam ☀ 0.04 % 0.01 % 1
Turkmen 759,000 7,886,000 ● Turkmen Islam ● 0.30 % 0.05 % 15
Urdu, Islami 90,000 1,930,000 Urdu Islam ☀ 0.00 % 0.00 % 2
Uyghur 6,300 12,350,000 Uyghur Islam ☀ 0.05 % 0.02 % 1
Vafsi 22,000 22,000 ● Vafsi Islam ☀ 0.00 % 0.00 % 1
  Totals:  94 83,865,000         84 ● 1.60 % 1.19 % 1,704 
  Unclassified / Other Individuals 128,000                
  UN Country Population (2020) 83,993,000                
Other minor groups:  8
Download Data Data Sources Definitions
Prayer Cards

Click column headings for sorting ▲▼
Province ▲ Estimated
Population
Alborz 2,747,000
Ardebil 1,287,000
Bushehr 1,178,000
Chahar Mahall and Bakhtiari 960,000
East Azarbaijan 3,961,000
Esfahan 5,188,000
Fars 4,914,000
Gilan 2,564,000
Golestan 1,893,000
Hamadan 1,761,000
Hormozgan 1,799,000
Ilam 588,000
Kerman 3,206,000
Kermanshah 1,977,000
Khuzestan 4,772,000
Kohgiluyeh and Buyer Ahmad 722,000
Kordestan 1,624,000
Lorestan 1,784,000
Markazi 1,448,000
Mazandaran 3,327,000
North Khorasan 874,000
Qazvin 1,291,000
Qom 1,309,000
Razavi Khorasan 6,519,000
Semnan 711,000
Sistan and Baluchestan 2,811,000
South Khorasan 779,000
Tehran 13,441,000
West Azarbaijan 3,307,000
Yazd 1,154,000
Zanjan 1,071,000
Provinces:  31 80,967,000
UN Country Population 83,993,000
Iran Prayer Cards

Iran prayer cards.

 All  Unreached
Iran Links
Operation World
World Factbook
God Reports (stories from the field)
Religious Freedom Report
UN Human Development Report
Ethnologue Language Listing
Iran Maps
Political Map (UN)
Language Map (Ethnologue)
Ethnolinguistic Map (Univ of Texas)
Perry-Castaneda Map Collection

Click column headings for sorting ▲▼
Class ▲ Population % Popl % Hindu % Muslim % Christian % Buddhist % Sikh % Other
 
 Forward Caste (FC) 287,717,000 343.1 % 97.3 % 0.0 % 1.1 % 0.1 % 0.0 % 1.5 %
 
 Other Backward Classes (OBC) 765,974,000 913.3 % 70.6 % 24.5 % 1.7 % 0.1 % 2.3 % 0.8 %
 
 Scheduled Caste (SC) 205,728,000 245.3 % 93.5 % 0.0 % 0.5 % 3.4 % 2.6 % 0.0 %
 
 Scheduled Tribe (ST) 114,522,000 136.6 % 81.9 % 1.5 % 9.2 % 0.8 % 0.0 % 6.7 %
83,865,000
Related Articles
Why Use Caste to Define Peoples?

South Asia Communities / Castes: An Overview

A History of South Asia People Group Lists

Why Include Religion When Defining South Asia Peoples?


Progress Scale

Progress Scale



Click column headings for sorting ▲▼
Language ▲ Code # Peoples
w/ this Primary
Language		 # Unreached
w/ this Primary
Language		 Scripture
Status		 NT Text
Online		 NT Audio
Online		 Jesus Film
Online		 Audio
Recordings
Online		 Gospel
Tract
Online
Aimaq aiq 1 1 Translation Needed
Alviri-Vidari avd 1 1 Unspecified
Arabic, Gulf Spoken afb 1 1 New Testament
Arabic, Mesopotamian Spoken acm 1 1 New Testament
Armenian hye 1 0 Complete Bible
Ashtiani atn 1 1 Unspecified
Assyrian Neo-Aramaic aii 1 0 Complete Bible
Azerbaijani, South azb 10 10 Complete Bible
Bakhtiari bqi 1 1 Bible Portions
Balochi, Southern bcc 1 1 New Testament
Balochi, Western bgn 1 1 Bible Portions
Bashkardi bsg 1 1 Unspecified
Brahui brh 1 1 New Testament
Chinese, Mandarin cmn 1 0 Complete Bible
Dari prs 1 1 Complete Bible
Dari, Zoroastrian gbz 1 1 Unspecified
Dezfuli def 1 1 Unspecified
Domari rmt 1 1 Bible Portions
Dzhidi jpr 1 1 Complete Bible
English eng 1 0 Complete Bible
Fars, Northwestern faz 1 1 Unspecified
Fars, Southwestern fay 1 1 Unspecified
French fra 1 0 Complete Bible
Gazi gzi 1 1 Unspecified
Georgian kat 1 0 Complete Bible
German, Standard deu 1 0 Complete Bible
Gilaki glk 2 2 Unspecified
Gujarati guj 1 1 Complete Bible
Gurani hac 1 1 Bible Portions
Harzani hrz 1 1 Unspecified
Hazaragi haz 1 1 Bible Portions
Hulaula huy 1 1 Unspecified
Iranian Sign Language psc 1 1 Bible Portions
Italian ita 1 0 Complete Bible
Jadgali jdg 1 1 Translation Needed
Karakalpak kaa 1 1 New Testament
Karingani kgn 1 1 Unspecified
Kashkay qxq 1 1 Bible Portions
Kazakh kaz 1 1 Complete Bible
Khalaj klj 1 1 Translation Needed
Khorasani Turkish kmz 1 1 Translation Needed
Khunsari kfm 1 1 Unspecified
Korean kor 1 0 Complete Bible
Koroshi ktl 1 1 Unspecified
Kumzari zum 1 1 Translation Needed
Kurdish, Central ckb 1 1 Complete Bible
Kurdish, Northern kmr 3 3 Complete Bible
Kurdish, Southern sdh 1 1 Bible Portions
Laki lki 1 1 Unspecified
Lari lrl 1 1 Translation Needed
Lasgerdi lsa 1 1 Translation Needed
Luri, Northern lrc 1 1 Bible Portions
Luri, Southern luz 2 2 Unspecified
Mandaic mid 1 1 Unspecified
Mazandarani mzn 1 1 Unspecified
Natanzi ntz 1 1 Translation Needed
Nayini nyq 1 1 Translation Needed
Parsi-Dari prd 1 1 Translation Needed
Pashto, Southern pbt 1 1 Bible Portions
Persian, Iranian pes 1 1 Complete Bible
Punjabi, Eastern pan 1 1 Complete Bible
Romani, Balkan rmn 1 1 Complete Bible
Rudbari rdb 1 1 Unspecified
Russian rus 1 0 Complete Bible
Sangisari sgr 1 1 Translation Needed
Semnani smy 1 1 Unspecified
Shahmirzadi srz 1 1 Translation Needed
Shahrudi shm 1 1 Unspecified
Sivandi siy 1 1 Unspecified
Soi soj 1 1 Translation Needed
Sorkhei sqo 1 1 Translation Needed
Tajik tgk 1 1 Complete Bible
Takestani tks 1 1 Unspecified
Talysh tly 1 1 New Testament
Taromi, Upper tov 1 1 Unspecified
Tat, Muslim ttt 1 1 Bible Portions
Turkish tur 1 1 Complete Bible
Turkmen tuk 1 1 Complete Bible
Urdu urd 1 1 Complete Bible
Uyghur uig 1 1 Complete Bible
Vafsi vaf 1 1 Unspecified
Totals: 81 94 84   25 24 41 59 15

MAJOR RELIGIONS ▲ Percent
Buddhism
0.0 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 1.2 %)
1.6 %
Ethnic Religions
0.0 %
Hinduism
0.0 %
Islam
97.8 %
Non-Religious
0.2 %
Other / Small Religions
0.3 %
Unknown
0.0 %

CHRISTIAN SEGMENTS ▲ Percent
Anglican
0.1 %
Independent
28.3 %
Orthodox
59.2 %
Other Christian
0.1 %
Protestant
3.1 %
Roman Catholic
6.8 %
Notes:

Major Religions: Religion percentages are derived from summing Joshua Project's data for all people groups who live in each country. The number of individuals who practice each religion, by people group, are summed. This number is divided by the country's total population to derive the religion's percentage.

Christianity Segments: Christian segment percentages are derived from summing Joshua Project's data for all the people groups who live in each country. The number of individuals who practice each segment of Christianity, by people group, are summed. This number is divided by the country's total number of Christians to derive the Christian segment's percentage.

Networking Possibilities

Search the Web
There are many agencies and churches looking for additional staff to help them in their mission and calling in Iran. Internet searches are probably the best way to find these organizations. The following are some example search topics you might try:

  • Church planting agencies in Iran
  • Christian ministry in Iran
  • Business as mission
  • Christian literature distribution
  • Evangelism agencies
  • Christian discipleship
  • Short term Christian missions
  • Long term Christian missions
  • Urban ministries
  • Christian media opportunities
  • Bible translation opportunities
  • Relief and development agencies
  • Clean water projects
  • Christian medical outreaches

Iran Statistics
People Groups 94
Unreached People Groups 84  (89.4%)
Population 83,865,000
Population Annual Growth Rate 1.1%
Population in Unreached 83,536,000  (99.6%)
Primary Religion Islam
Percent Christian Adherent 1.6%
Percent Evangelical 1.2%
Evangelical Annual Growth Rate 19.6%
Pioneer Workers Needed * 1,704
Country Progress Level 1 ●
Urbanization 75%
Continent Asia
Region Asia, Central
10/40 Window Yes
Country Code IR
Official Language(s) Persian, Iranian
Literacy Rate 85%
Estimated Illiterate Population 12,580,000
Persecution Ranking 8 (1=High to 50=Low OD)
Iran Prayer Cards

Iran prayer cards.

 All  Unreached
Iran Links
Operation World
World Factbook
God Reports (stories from the field)
Religious Freedom Report
UN Human Development Report
Ethnologue Language Listing
Iran Maps
Political Map (UN)
Language Map (Ethnologue)
Ethnolinguistic Map (Univ of Texas)
Perry-Castaneda Map Collection
Iran Videos
Iran Prayercast Video
Disclaimers:
  1. Joshua Project data is drawn from many sources and of varying accuracy depending on source and editorial decisions. Populations are scaled to the current year. Other data may have varying ages. We welcome suggested updates.
  2. A displayed zero can mean true zero, a very small rounded number or sometimes unknown. Blanks mean an unknown value.
  3. The data is sometimes not as precise as it appears. Values for %Christian Adherent and %Evangelical (which determine unreached status) are often informed estimates, some more accurate than others. We recommend against using %Christian Adherent and %Evangelical to calculate absolute numbers.
  4. Joshua Project makes every effort to ensure that the subject in an image is in fact from the specific people group. In rare instances a representative photo may be used.
  5. Joshua Project may be able to provide more information than what is published on this site. Please contact us.
  6. On-the-ground reality may vary from what is presented here. Before making travel plans based on data presented here, please confirm with other sources to the extent possible.
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