Persians
Cyrus the Great • Darius the Great • Saadi • Anousheh Ansari
Total population
Approximately 55 million Persians (including related/subgroups) 45 million to 60 million total Iranian population
Regions with significant populations
Iran 50 million Including subgroups inside Iran [1][2] [3]  United States 800,000 [4]  Turkey 400,000 [5]  UAE 227,000 [6]  Iraq  United Kingdom 130,000  Canada 121,505 (2006 Census) [7]  Germany 110,000 [8]  Israel 40,000 [4]  Qatar 73,000 [9]  France 62,000 [4]  India 60,000 (Parsi and Irani people) [4]  Kuwait 60,000  Sweden 60,000  Russia 50,000  South Korea 50,000 [10]  Syria 50,000 [4]  Bahrain 48,000 [11]  Azerbaijan 22,000 (Speak a Medieval Iranian Dialect called Tat-Iranian )[12] [2]  Greece 20,000 [4]  Spain and  Portugal 15,000 [4]  Denmark 10,000 [4]  Belgium 6,000 [4]  Norway 6,000 [4]  Finland 2,000 [4]
Languages
Persian (Western dialect, in addition to regional varieties)
Religions
Predominately Shi'a Muslim,[13][14] and small minorities of Sunni Muslims, Bahá'ís, Christians, Jews, and Zoroastrians. Darius I the Great (c 549 BC&ndash486 BC 𐎭𐎠𐎼𐎹𐎺𐎢𐏁 Dārayavahuš: "Possessing goodness" Having ascended to power amidst controversy and bloodshed Sheikh Saadi (in سعدی full name in English Muslih-ud-Din Mushrif ibn Abdullah) (1184 &ndash 1283/1291? is one of the major Persian Poets of Anousheh Ansari (انوشه انصاری born 12 September 1966) is the Iranian-American co-founder and chairman of Prodea Systems, Inc and For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iran topics. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Turkey (Türkiye known officially as the Republic of Turkey ( is a Eurasian Country that stretches For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iraq topics. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Israel topics. Qatar ( قطر; ˈqɑtˁɑr local pronunciation giṭar officially the State of Qatar (Arabic دولة قطر transliterated This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country The State of Kuwait ( دولة الكويت IPA [dawlatt̪ alkuwajt̪]) is a sovereign Arab Emirate on the coast of the Persian Gulf, enclosed "Sverige" redirects here For other uses see Sweden (disambiguation and Sverige (disambiguation. Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea and often referred to as Korea ( Korean: 대한민국 tɛː Syria ( سوريّة or) officially the Syrian Arab Republic (Arabic ar الجمهورية العربية السورية The Kingdom of Bahrain (in مملكة البحرين,, literally Kingdom of the Two Seas) is an Island country in the Persian Gulf Azerbaijan ( English; Azərbaycan officially the Republic of Azerbaijan (Azərbaycan Respublikası is the largest and most populous country in the South Greece (Ελλάδα transliterated: Elláda, historically, Ellás,) officially the Hellenic Republic (Ελληνική Δημοκρατία Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic (República Portuguesa is a country on the Iberian Peninsula. The Kingdom of Denmark ( ˈd̥ænmɑɡ̊ (archaic ˈd̥anmɑːɡ̊ commonly known as Denmark, is a country in the Scandinavian region of northern Europe The Kingdom of Belgium is a Country in northwest Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts its headquarters as well as those Norway ( Norwegian: Norge ( Bokmål) or Noreg ( Nynorsk) officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Constitutional Finland, officially the Republic of Finland ( is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of northern Europe. Sunni Islam is the largest denomination of Islam. Sunni Islam is also referred to as Ahl as-Sunnah wa’l-Jamā‘h (Arabic The Bahá'í Faith is a Religion founded by Bahá'u'lláh in nineteenth-century Persia, emphasizing the spiritual unity of all humankind A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth Judaism (from the Greek Ioudaïsmos, derived from the Hebrew יהודה Yehudah, " Judah " in Hebrew יַהֲדוּת Yahedut Zoroastrianism (ˌzɔroʊˈæstriəˌnɪzəm is the religion and philosophy based on the teachings

The Persians are Iranian people who live primarily in Iran with expatriate communities in many bordering countries as well as the Persian Gulf states. The Iranian people are a collection of Ethnic groups defined along linguistic lines as speaking Iranian languages. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iran topics. An expatriate (in abbreviated form expat) is a person temporarily or permanently residing in a country and culture other than that of the person's upbringing The Arab states of the Persian Gulf are made of the kingdoms of Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, the Sultanate of Oman, the States Significant number of Persians reside overseas in North America and Europe. Persians are typically characterized by their usuage of the Persian language and a common culture and history. To best understand Iran and its people one must first attempt to acquire an understanding of its ancient culture See Also Persian Empire History of Iran and Greater Iran (also referred to as the " Iranian Cultural Continent

Persian identity, at least in terms of language, is traced to the ancient Indo-European Aryans who arrived circa 2000-1500 BCE. Indo-Iranian peoples consist of the Indo-Aryan, Iranian, Dardic and Nuristani peoples that is speakers of Indo-Iranian languages Starting around 550 BCE, from the province of Fars, the ancient Persians spread their language and culture to other parts of the Iranian plateau through conquest and assimilated local Aryan and non-Aryan groups over time. Fars (pronounced/fɑː(ɹs ( Persian: فارس Fârs) is one of the 30 provinces of Iran. The Iranian Plateau, also known as the Persian plateau is a Geological formation in Southwest Asia, Southern Elam is the name of an ancient civilization located in what is now southwest Iran. This process of assimilating other Iranian peoples continued in the face of Greek, Arab, Mongol and Turkic invasions and would take centuries and continued right up to Islamic times. Alexander the Great ( or, Mégas Aléxandros; July 20 356 BC June 10 or June 11 323 BC also known as Alexander III of Macedon (el Ἀλέξανδρος Γ' The Islamic conquest of Persia (633–656 led to the end of the Sassanid Empire and the eventual extirpation of the Zoroastrian religion in Persia The Ilkhanate, also spelled Il-khanate or Il Khanate (Ил Хан улс Il Khan uls;) was a Mongol Khanate established in The Ghaznavid Empire was a Khorāṣānian Sunni Muslim state founded by a dynasty of Turkic Mamluk. ^[15] Numerous dialects and regional identities emerged over time, while a Persian national orientation fully manifested itself by the 20th century, mirroring developments in post-Ottoman Turkey, the Arab world and Europe. The Young Turk Revolution of 1908 reversed the suspension of the Ottoman parliament by Sultan Abdul Hamid II, marking the onset of the Second Constitutional Arab nationalism ( Arabic: القومية العربية is a Nationalist ideology which rose to prominence amongst Arabs from the early 20th century onwards With the losses of Afghanistan and territories in the Caucasus ^[16], Persian identity became focused upon the current borders of Iran. Afghanistan /æfˈgænɪstæn/ officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan ( Pashto: د افغانستان اسلامي جمهوریت, Azerbaijan ( English; Azərbaycan officially the Republic of Azerbaijan (Azərbaycan Respublikası is the largest and most populous country in the South Looking to link the modern state with the imperialist past, the Reza Shah government switched the country name from Persia to Iran in 1935, signaling the emergence of Iranian nationalism. For the Afghan serial killer see Reza Khan (Taliban. Iran has been the subject of a naming dispute in common Western usage Iranian Nationalism is the term given to describe a political movement that has been in existence in the Iran for thousands of Later, following the Iranian Revolution, emphasis shifted to Shia Islamic values. The Iranian Revolution' (mostly known as the Islamic Revolution, Persian: انقلاب اسلامی Enghelābe Eslāmi was the Revolution that transformed The Islamic conquest of Persia (637-651 led to the end of the Sassanid Empire and the eventual decline of the Zoroastrian religion in Persia. The synonymous usage of Iranian and Persian has persisted over the centuries despite the varied meanings of Iranian, which includes different but related languages and ethnic groups.

Persians, even under theocratic governments, have shown a strong predilection towards urbanization and modernity. The politics and government of Iran takes place in the framework of a Republic with an Islamic ideology Modernity is a term that refers to the Modern era. It is distinct from Modernism, and in different contexts refers to cultural and intellectual movements of the Exiled communities in the United States and Europe have continued to maintain close ties with their families in Iran and are a source of Western influence. Iranian Americans are American citizens of Iranian ethnicity or heritage In addition, with the break-up of the former Soviet Union, Persians have also begun to foster closer cultural ties with closely related groups in the Caucasus including the Tats and Talysh as well as Central Asian Persians in Tajikistan and Afghanistan. The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991 For Tattoos also called "tats" see Tattoo. The Tat are an Aryan (Iranic ethnic group in the Caucasus. Tajik ( - Tādjīk; UniPers: Tâjik; Cyrillic: Тоҷик is a term generally applied to Persian-speaking people of Tajikistan (təˈdʒɪkɨstæn or /təˈdʒiːkɨstæn/ Тоҷикистон tɔʤikɪsˈtɔn or, Persian تاجیکستان‎ taajikestaan officially the Republic of Afghanistan /æfˈgænɪstæn/ officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan ( Pashto: د افغانستان اسلامي جمهوریت,

Terminology

Costumes of an ancient Persian nobleman and soldiers.

The term Persia was adopted by all western languages through the Greeks and was used as an official name for Iran by the West until 1935. Due to that label, all Iranians were considered Persian. Therefore, many Western sources, when regarding Iran's history, will label many non-Persian Iranians as Persians, which distinguishes ethnicity. Also, many others who embraced the Persian language and culture are also often referred to as Persian as a part of Persian civilization (culturally and linguistically).

The first known written record about them is from an Assyrian inscription of the 834 BC, which mentions both Parsua (Persians) and Muddai (Medes). Early history The most Neolithic site in Assyria is at Tell Hassuna, the center of the Hassuna culture ^[17][18] The term used by Assyrians, Parsua, was a general designation to refer to southwestern Iranian tribes (who referred to themselves as Aryans). Greeks rendered this word as Persis, which is where the word Persian in English comes from. In Arabic as there is no letter P, they referred to Persia and vs as Fars (Faras) and Farsis.

In its modern definition, the term Persians refers to the people speaking the Western dialect of Persian language and living in the modern country of Iran, as well as the descendants of the people who emigrated from the territory of modern-day Iran to neighboring countries, such as the UAE, Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Turkey and more recently, to the West (notably USA, United Kingdom, Germany, Canada…).

Sub-groups

Main articles: Tajiks, Farsiwan, Kizilbash, and Hazara people

Ethnic Persians can also be found outside Iran and include the Tajiks and Farsiwan of Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Xinjiang province of China and Northern Pakistan. Tajik ( - Tādjīk; UniPers: Tâjik; Cyrillic: Тоҷик is a term generally applied to Persian-speaking people of Fārsīwān ( or its more archaic version Pārsīwān - پارسیوان) is a general designation of the Persian-speakers in Afghanistan. Qizilbash or Kizilbash ( Nastaliq: قزلباش - Qizilbāš; Ottoman Turkish for "Red Heads" is a name given to a wide The Hazāra ( are a Persian-speaking people residing in the central region of Afghanistan and northwestern Pakistan. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iran topics. Tajik ( - Tādjīk; UniPers: Tâjik; Cyrillic: Тоҷик is a term generally applied to Persian-speaking people of Fārsīwān ( or its more archaic version Pārsīwān - پارسیوان) is a general designation of the Persian-speakers in Afghanistan. Afghanistan /æfˈgænɪstæn/ officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan ( Pashto: د افغانستان اسلامي جمهوریت, Tajikistan (təˈdʒɪkɨstæn or /təˈdʒiːkɨstæn/ Тоҷикистон tɔʤikɪsˈtɔn or, Persian تاجیکستان‎ taajikestaan officially the Republic of Uzbekistan, officially the Republic of Uzbekistan ( Uzbek: O‘zbekiston Respublikasi or Ўзбекистон Республикаси is a doubly Xinjiang ( Uyghur: شىنجاڭ Shinjang;; Postal map spelling: Sinkiang; Turkish: Sincan, Sincan Uygur Özerk China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National The Northern Areas ( Urdu:,) is officially referred to by the government of Pakistan as the Federally Administered Northern Areas (FANA Like the Persians of Iran, the Tajiks are descendents of various Iranian peoples, including Persians from Iran, as well as numerous invaders. Tajiks and their cousins the Farsiwan have a particular affinity with Persians in neighboring Khorasan due to historical interaction some stemming from the Islamic period.

Other smaller groups include the Qizilbash of Afghanistan and Pakistan who are related to the Farsiwan and Azerbaijanis. Qizilbash or Kizilbash ( Nastaliq: قزلباش - Qizilbāš; Ottoman Turkish for "Red Heads" is a name given to a wide In the Caucasus, the Tats are concentrated in Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Russian Dagestan and their origins are traced to Sassanid merchants who settled in the region. The Caucasus ( also referred to as North Caucasus) is a geopolitical region located between Europe Asia & Middle East For Tattoos also called "tats" see Tattoo. The Tat are an Aryan (Iranic ethnic group in the Caucasus. Azerbaijan ( English; Azərbaycan officially the Republic of Azerbaijan (Azərbaycan Respublikası is the largest and most populous country in the South Armenia (Հայաստան transliterated: Hayastan,) officially the Republic of Armenia (Հայաստանի Հանրապետություն Hayastani Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending The Republic of Dagestan dæɡɪˈstɑːn (IntEng ˈdeɪɡəstæn (AmEng (Респу́блика Дагеста́н Дагъистанлъул ДжумхIурият Daɣistanłul The Sassanid Empire or Sassanian Dynasty or Sassanian Dynasty (ساسانیان) is the name used for the third Iranian dynasty and the second Persian empire Parsis, a Zoroastrian sect of western India and Pakistan, centred around Gujarat and Mumbai, are also largely descended from Persian Zoroastrians. Zoroastrianism (ˌzɔroʊˈæstriəˌnɪzəm is the religion and philosophy based on the teachings Gujarat (ગુજરાત Gujǎrāt, pronounced) is a state in western India. Mumbai ( Marathi:,, IPA: formerly Bombay, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra and the financial The Iranis, another small community in western India, are descended from more recent Persian Zoroastrian immigrants. The Iranis are an ethno-religious community of the Indian subcontinent; descendants of Zoroastrians who emigrated from Greater Iran (in the main from India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country In addition, the Hazara and Aimaq are ethnic groups of partial Persianized Mongol and Turkic origin. The Hazāra ( are a Persian-speaking people residing in the central region of Afghanistan and northwestern Pakistan. Aimak (or Aimaq) is a term designating Persian -speaking Nomadic or semi-nomadic tribes of mixed Iranian and Mongolian stock inhabiting Persianization or Persianisation is a process of cultural and/or linguistic change in which something non-Persian becomes Persian. The Turkic peoples are Eurasian peoples residing in northern central and western Eurasia who speak languages belonging to the Turkic language family

History

See also: Persian Empire and History of Iran

The Persians are descendents of the Aryan (Indo-Iranian) tribes that began migrating from Central Asia into what is now Iran in the second millennium BC. The Persian Empire was a series of Iranian empires that ruled over the Iranian plateau, the original Persian homeland and beyond in Western Asia See Also Persian Empire History of Iran and Greater Iran (also referred to as the " Iranian Cultural Continent Aryan is an English word derived from the Sanskrit " Ārya " meaning "noble" or "honorable" Indo-Iranian peoples consist of the Indo-Aryan, Iranian, Dardic and Nuristani peoples that is speakers of Indo-Iranian languages ^[19][20][21] The Persian language and other Iranian tongues emerged as these Aryan tribes split up into two major groups, the Persians and the Medes, and intermarried with peoples indigenous to the Iranian plateau such as the Elamites. The Iranian languages are a branch of the Indo-European language family and its subfamily Indo-Iranian. The Medes were an ancient Iranian people who lived in the northwestern portions of present-day Iran. The term Indigenous Peoples or autochthonous peoples can be used to describe any Ethnic group who inhabit a geographic region with which they have the earliest historical The Iranian Plateau, also known as the Persian plateau is a Geological formation in Southwest Asia, Southern Elam is the name of an ancient civilization located in what is now southwest Iran. ^[22][23] The first mention of the Persians dates to the 9th century BC, when they appear as the Parsu in Assyrian sources, as a people living at the southeastern shores of Lake Urmia. Lake Urmia ( Daryacheh-ye Orumieh; ارومیه گولو, ارومیه گولی ancient name Lake Matiene) is a Salt lake in northwestern Iran

Achaemenid Empire at greatest extent.

The ancient Persians from the province of Pars became the rulers of a large empire under the Achaemenid dynasty (Hakhamaneshiyan) in the sixth century BC, reuniting with the tribes and other provinces of the ancient Iranian plateau and forming the Persian Empire. The Achaemenid Empire or Achaemenid Persian Empire ( haχɒmaneʃijɒn (558–330 BC was the first of the Persian Empires to rule over significant portions of The Iranian Plateau, also known as the Persian plateau is a Geological formation in Southwest Asia, Southern The Persian Empire was a series of Iranian empires that ruled over the Iranian plateau, the original Persian homeland and beyond in Western Asia Over the centuries Persia was ruled by various dynasties; some of them were ethnic Iranians including the Achaemenids, Parthians (Ashkanian), Sassanids (Sassanian), Buwayhids and Samanids, and some of them were not, such as the Seleucids, Ummayyads, Abbasids, and Seljuk Turks. The Persian Empire was a series of Iranian empires that ruled over the Iranian plateau, the original Persian homeland and beyond in Western Asia The Achaemenid Empire or Achaemenid Persian Empire ( haχɒmaneʃijɒn (558–330 BC was the first of the Persian Empires to rule over significant portions of Parthia ( Middle Persian: اشکانیان Ashkâniân) was an Iranian civilization situated in the northeastern part of modern Iran The Sassanid Empire or Sassanian Dynasty or Sassanian Dynasty (ساسانیان) is the name used for the third Iranian dynasty and the second Persian empire The Buyids (آل بویه Āl-e Buye, Caspian: Bowyiyün also known as Buwaihids or Buyyids, were a Shī‘ah Iranian The Samanids (819–999 ( Sāmāniyān) were a Persian dynasty in Central Asia and Greater Khorasan, named after its founder Saman The Seleucid Empire /sə'lusɪd/ ( 312 - 63 BC) was a Hellenistic empire i The Seljuq (also Seljuq Turks, Seldjuks, Seldjuqs, Seljuks; in Turkish Selçuklular; in Ṣaljūqīyān; in

The founding dynasty of the empire, the Achaemenids, and later the Sassanids, were from the southern region of Iran, Pars. The Achaemenid Empire or Achaemenid Persian Empire ( haχɒmaneʃijɒn (558–330 BC was the first of the Persian Empires to rule over significant portions of The Sassanid Empire or Sassanian Dynasty or Sassanian Dynasty (ساسانیان) is the name used for the third Iranian dynasty and the second Persian empire For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iran topics. Fars (pronounced/fɑː(ɹs ( Persian: فارس Fârs) is one of the 30 provinces of Iran. The latter Parthian dynasty arose from the north. Parthia ( Middle Persian: اشکانیان Ashkâniân) was an Iranian civilization situated in the northeastern part of modern Iran However, according to archaeological evidence found in modern day Iran in the form of cuneiforms that go back to the Achaemenid era, it is evident that the native name of Parsa (Persia) had been applied to Iran from its birth. ^[24][25]

Language

Main article: Persian language

The Persian language is one of the world's oldest languages still in use today, and is known to have one of the most powerful literary traditions, with formidable Persian poets like Ferdowsi, Hafez, Khayyam, Attar, Saadi, Nezami, Roudaki, Rumi and Sanai. Hakīm Abū l-Qāsim Firdawsī Tūsī ( more commonly transliterated as Ferdowsi, (935&ndash1020 was a highly revered Persian Poet. Khwāja Šamsu d-Dīn Muḥammad Hāfez-e Šīrāzī, or simply Hāfez ( was a Persian mystic and Poet. For the Thoroughbred racehorse see Omar Khayyam (horse Ghiyās od-Dīn Abol-Fath Omār ibn Ebrāhīm Khayyām Neyshābūri (غیاث الدین Abū Hamīd bin Abū Bakr Ibrāhīm (born 1145-46 in Nishapur &ndash died c Nezāmi-ye Ganjavi ( Nîzamî Gencewî نیزامی گه‌نجه‌وی Nizami Gəncəvi نظامی گنجوی;‎ 1141 – 1209 or Nezāmi ( whose full name Abdullah Jafar Ibn Mohammad Rudaki, (ابوعبدالله جعفر ابن محمد رودکی entitledآدم الشعرا Ādam ul-Shoara or Adam of Poets also written Hakim Abul-Majd Majdūd ibn Ādam Sanā'ī Ghaznavi ( was a Persian Sufi ( Tajik) Poet who lived in Ghazna, in what is now By native speakers as well as in Urdu, Arabic and other neighboring languages, it is called Fārsī, and additionally Dari or Tajiki in the eastern parts of Greater Iran. The Tajik language, or Tajik Persian, or Tajiki, (sometimes written Tadjik or Tadzhik; тоҷикӣ, tg-Latn ''tojikí'') is a modern Greater Iran (in Irān-e Bozorg, or fa ایران‌زمین Irān-zamīn; the Encyclopedia Iranica uses the term It is part of the Iranian sub-section of the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Persian-speakers are today in the majority in Iran, where they speak the western dialect, Tajikistan, and Afghanistan,^[26] and form a large minority in Uzbekistan as well, where they speak the eastern dialect (Dari or Tajiki). For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iran topics. Tajikistan (təˈdʒɪkɨstæn or /təˈdʒiːkɨstæn/ Тоҷикистон tɔʤikɪsˈtɔn or, Persian تاجیکستان‎ taajikestaan officially the Republic of Afghanistan /æfˈgænɪstæn/ officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan ( Pashto: د افغانستان اسلامي جمهوریت, Uzbekistan, officially the Republic of Uzbekistan ( Uzbek: O‘zbekiston Respublikasi or Ўзбекистон Республикаси is a doubly Smaller groups of Persian-speakers are found in Pakistan, western China (Xinjiang), as well as in the UAE, Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman and Azerbaijan. Pakistan () officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located in South Asia, Southwest Asia, Middle East and China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National Xinjiang ( Uyghur: شىنجاڭ Shinjang;; Postal map spelling: Sinkiang; Turkish: Sincan, Sincan Uygur Özerk The Kingdom of Bahrain (in مملكة البحرين,, literally Kingdom of the Two Seas) is an Island country in the Persian Gulf For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iraq topics. The State of Kuwait ( دولة الكويت IPA [dawlatt̪ alkuwajt̪]) is a sovereign Arab Emirate on the coast of the Persian Gulf, enclosed Oman, officially the Sultanate of Oman ( Arabic: سلطنة عُمان) is an Arab Country in Southwest Asia on the southeast Azerbaijan ( English; Azərbaycan officially the Republic of Azerbaijan (Azərbaycan Respublikası is the largest and most populous country in the South

Religion

The entrance to Shah Mosque (aka Imam Mosque or Shah Jame' Mosque) in Isfahan. The Shah Mosque ( Masjed-e Shah is a Mosque in Isfahan ( Eşfahān) Iran standing in south side of Naghsh-i Jahan Square The Shah Mosque ( Masjed-e Shah is a Mosque in Isfahan ( Eşfahān) Iran standing in south side of Naghsh-i Jahan Square This mosque is an example of Persian architecture during the Safavid dynasty. The Safavids ( صفوی) were an Iranian ref>Helen Chapin Metz

The Persian civilization spawned three major religions: Zoroastrianism, Manichaeism, which heavily influenced Saint Augustine before he turned to Christianity, and the Bahá'í Faith. Zoroastrianism (ˌzɔroʊˈæstriəˌnɪzəm is the religion and philosophy based on the teachings Manichaeism (in Modern Persian fa-Arab آیین مانی Āyin e Māni; Chinese zh 摩尼教 was one of the major Gnostic Religions originating The Bahá'í Faith is a Religion founded by Bahá'u'lláh in nineteenth-century Persia, emphasizing the spiritual unity of all humankind Another religion that arose from ancient Iran is Mazdakism, which has been dubbed the first communistic ideology. Mazdak (in Persian مزدک (died c 524 or 528 was a proto- socialist Persian reformer who gained influence under the reign of the Sassanian Both Mazdakism and Manichaeism were sub-branches of Zoroastrianism. Zoroastrianism (ˌzɔroʊˈæstriəˌnɪzəm is the religion and philosophy based on the teachings The religion of Zoroastrianism originates from ancient Persia. Zoroastrianism (ˌzɔroʊˈæstriəˌnɪzəm is the religion and philosophy based on the teachings Zoroastrianism is said to be the first monotheistic religion. Zoroastrianism (ˌzɔroʊˈæstriəˌnɪzəm is the religion and philosophy based on the teachings For the Celtic Frost album see Monotheist (album In Theology, monotheism (from Greek grc [[wiktμόνος μόνος]]

Most Persians in Iran are Shia Muslims, while some communities of Shia Sufis also exist. Sufism ( تصوّف - taṣawwuf, Persian: صوفی‌گری sufigari, Turkish: tasavvuf, Urdu: تصوف There is also a sizeable number of Sunni Muslims. Sunni Islam is the largest denomination of Islam. Sunni Islam is also referred to as Ahl as-Sunnah wa’l-Jamā‘h (Arabic Historically, some of the greatest Sunni Muslim scholars were Persian or had Persian descent, including Abu Dawood, Al Muslim, Hakim al-Nishaburi,Salman the Persian, Al-Tabarani, Ghazali, Imam Bukhari, Tirmidhi, Al-Nasa'i and Abu Hanifa, amongst many others. TemplateInfobox Muslim scholars --> Abu Da'ud or Abu Dawod, full name Abu Da'ud Sulayman ibn Ash`ath Abul Husayn Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj Qushayri al-Nisapuri ( Arabic: أبو الحسين مسلم بن الحجاج القشيري النيشابوري (lived c Abu Abd-Allah Muhammad ibn Abd-Allah al-Hakim al-Nishaburi (d TemplateInfobox Salaf --> Salman the Persian or Salman al Farisi ( سلمان فارسی Salman e Farsi TemplateInfobox Muslim scholars --> Abu al-Qasim Sulaiman ibn Ahmad ibn Al-Tabarani was born sometime in 260 Abū Ḥāmid Muḥammad ibn Muḥammad al-Ghazālī (1058-1111 ( ابو حامد محمد ابن محمد الغزالی or امام محمد غزالی was born and died Muhammad ibn Ismail al-Bukhari, popularly known as Al-Bukhari ( البخاري) or Imam Bukhari (810-870 was a famous Sunni TemplateInfobox Muslim scholars --> Tirmidhī (ترمذی also transliterated as Tirmizi, full name TemplateInfobox Muslim scholars --> Al-Nasā'ī (214 -- 303 AH) full name Aḥmad ibn Shu`ayb ibn Alī ibn Al-Imam al-A'zam ( الامام الاعظم) "The Greatest Imam" Nu’man bin Thabit bin Zuta bin Mahan ( النعمان بن ثابت‎) better known by There are also smaller communities of Zoroastrians, Christians, Jews, and Bahá'ís. Zoroastrianism (ˌzɔroʊˈæstriəˌnɪzəm is the religion and philosophy based on the teachings Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings Judaism (from the Greek Ioudaïsmos, derived from the Hebrew יהודה Yehudah, " Judah " in Hebrew יַהֲדוּת Yahedut The Bahá'í Faith is a Religion founded by Bahá'u'lláh in nineteenth-century Persia, emphasizing the spiritual unity of all humankind Bahá'ís are the largest non-Muslim religious minority in the country. ^[27] There are also Persians who are atheist and agnostic. Atheism Agnosticism ( Greek: α- a-, without + γνώσις gnōsis, knowledge after Gnosticism) is the philosophical view that the Also see religious minorities in Iran. There are several major religious minorities in Iran, while the majority and State religion is Shi'a Islam.

Culture

Main article: Culture of Iran

Persian culture can be defined through its films, as Persian cinema has attained a substantial amount of international and critical acclaim through such films as Children of Heaven and Taste of Cherry, which give both insights into the current state of Persian culture and profound depictions of the general human condition. To best understand Iran and its people one must first attempt to acquire an understanding of its ancient culture The cinema of Iran (or Persian cinema) is a flourishing film industry with a long history Children of Heaven ( is a 1997 Iranian film It was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 1998. Taste of Cherry ( Ta'm-e gīlās) is a 1997 film by Iranian Filmmaker Abbas Kiarostami.

Arts

Main article: Persian art

The artistic heritage of Persia is eclectic and includes major contributions from both east and west. The Iranian cultural region - consisting of the modern nations of Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, and Persian art borrowed heavily from the indigenous Elamite civilization and Mesopotamia and later from Hellenism (as can be seen with statues from the Greek period). Elam is the name of an ancient civilization located in what is now southwest Iran. Mesopotamia (from the Greek meaning "land between the rivers" is an area geographically located between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers largely corresponding This article focuses on the cultural aspects of the Hellenistic age for the historical aspects see Hellenistic period. In addition, due to Persia's somewhat central location, it has served as a fusion point between eastern and western arts and architecture as Greco-Roman influence was often fused with ideas and techniques from India and China. When talking of the creative Persian arts one has to include a geographic area that actually extends into Central Asia, the Caucasus, Asia Minor, and Iraq as well as modern Iran. This vast geographic region has been pivotal in the development of the Persian arts as a whole.

Statues

Main article: Persian miniature

Persians' artistic expression can be seen as far back as the Achaemenid period as numerous statues depicting various important figures, usually of political significance as well as religious, such as the Immortals (elite troops of the emperor) are indicative of the influence of Mesopotamia and ancient Babylon. A Persian miniature is a small painting whether a book illustration or a separate work of art intended to be kept in an album of such works The Achaemenid Empire or Achaemenid Persian Empire ( haχɒmaneʃijɒn (558–330 BC was the first of the Persian Empires to rule over significant portions of The Achaemenid Persian Immortals also known as the Persian Immortals or The Immortals were an elite force of Persian soldiers who performed the dual roles of What is perhaps most representative of a more indigenous artistic expression are Persian miniatures. A Persian miniature is a small painting whether a book illustration or a separate work of art intended to be kept in an album of such works Although the influence of Chinese art is apparent, local Persian artists used the art form in various ways including portraits that could be seen from the Ottoman Empire to the courts of the Safavids and Mughals. Chinese art ( Chinese: 中國藝術/中国艺术 has varied throughout its ancient history, divided into periods by the ruling Dynasties of China and changing The Ottoman Empire (1299–1923 ( Old Ottoman Turkish: دولتْ علیّه عثمانیّه Devlet-i Âliye-yi Osmâniyye, Late Ottoman and Modern Turkish The Safavids ( صفوی) were an Iranian ref>Helen Chapin Metz The Mughal Empire ( Persian and self-designation گورکانی; مغلیہ سلطنت) was an Islamic imperial power which ruled most

Music

Main article: Persian Music

The music of Persia goes back to the days of Barbod in the royal Sassanid courts, and even earlier. The music of Iran or Persian music has thousands of years of history dating back to the Neolithic age as seen in the archeological The Sassanid Empire or Sassanian Dynasty or Sassanian Dynasty (ساسانیان) is the name used for the third Iranian dynasty and the second Persian empire As it evolved, a distinct eastern Mediterranean style emerged as Persian folk music is often quite similar to the music of modern Iran's neighbors. In modern times, musical tradition has seen setbacks due to the religious government's policies in Iran, but has survived in the form of Iranian exiles and dissidents who have turned to Western rock music with a distinctive Iranian style as well as Persian rap. Iranian hip hop is Hip hop music from Iran. Intro The first group to release an Iranian Rap album was the Los Angeles based

Architecture

Main article: Persian architecture

The ruins of Persepolis known as the Takht-e Jamshid or throne of Jamshid is part of the ancient architectural tradition of Persia. Architecture in " Greater Iran " has a continuous history from at least 5000BCE to the present with characteristic examples distributed over a vast area from Syria Persepolis ( Old Persian: Pārsa, Modern Persian: تخت جمشید/پارسه Takht-e Jamshid or Chehel Minar) was the ceremonial

Architecture is one of the areas where Persians have made outstanding contributions. Ancient examples can be seen in the ruins at Persepolis, while in modern times monuments such as the Tomb of Omar Khayyam are displays of the varied tradition in Persia. Persepolis ( Old Persian: Pārsa, Modern Persian: تخت جمشید/پارسه Takht-e Jamshid or Chehel Minar) was the ceremonial For the Thoroughbred racehorse see Omar Khayyam (horse Ghiyās od-Dīn Abol-Fath Omār ibn Ebrāhīm Khayyām Neyshābūri (غیاث الدین Various cities in Iran are historical displays of a distinctive Persian style that can be seen in the Kharaghan twin towers of Qazvin province and the Shah Mosque found in Isfahan. The Shah Mosque ( Masjed-e Shah is a Mosque in Isfahan ( Eşfahān) Iran standing in south side of Naghsh-i Jahan Square Persian architecture streams over the borders of Iran and is clearly seen throughout Central Asia as with the Bibi Khanum Mosque in Samarkand as well as Samanids mausoleum in Bukhara and the Minaret of Jam in western Afghanistan. Samarkand (Samarqand Самарқанд سمرقند UniPers: "Samarqand" is the second-largest city in Uzbekistan and the capital of The Samanids (819–999 ( Sāmāniyān) were a Persian dynasty in Central Asia and Greater Khorasan, named after its founder Saman Bukhara (Buxoro Бухоро بُخارا Бухара also spelled as Bukhoro and Bokhara, from the Soghdian βuxārak ("lucky The Minaret of Jam is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in western Afghanistan. Afghanistan /æfˈgænɪstæn/ officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan ( Pashto: د افغانستان اسلامي جمهوریت, Islamic architecture was founded on the base established by the Persians. Persian techniques can also be clearly seen in the structures of the Taj Mahal at Agra and the Blue Mosque in Istanbul. The Taj Mahal (tɑdʒ

Rugs

Main article: Persian rug

Gottfried Semper called rugs "the original means of separating space". The Persian carpet ( Pahlavi bōb Persian farš فرش meaning "to spread" and qāli) is an essential part of Gottfried Semper ( November 29 1803 - May 15 1879) was a German Architect, Art critic, and professor of Rug weaving was thus developed by ancient civilizations as a basis of architecture. Persian rugs are said to be the most ldetailed hand-made works of art. Also known as the starus Rugs very important in the culture. Interworking of fibers to produce cloth was known in Iran as early as the 5th millennium B. C. ^[28] When the famous Greek commander Themistocles was asking for asylum from Persia , the “Persian carpet” was mentioned in his speech:

Gardens

Main article: Persian Gardens

The Persian gardens were designed to reflect paradise on earth; The English word paradise is thought to come from the Persian word Pardis, which refers to these gardens. Lucius Mestrius Plutarchus ( Greek: Μέστριος Πλούταρχος c The tradition and style of Garden design of Persian gardens ( Persian باغ ایرانی influenced the design of gardens from Andalusia to India

Although having existed since ancient times, the Persian garden gained greater prominence during the Islamic period as Arab rulers cultivated Persian techniques to create gardens of Persian design from Al-Andalus to Kashgar. Al-Andalus (الأندلس was the Arabic name given to those parts of the Iberian Peninsula governed by Muslims or Kashgar or Kashi (officially transliterated as Kaxgar in Uyghur; قەشقەر/K̡ǝxk̡ǝr, is an Oasis Persian gardens are immortalized in the One Thousand and One Nights and the works of Omar Khayyam. For the Thoroughbred racehorse see Omar Khayyam (horse Ghiyās od-Dīn Abol-Fath Omār ibn Ebrāhīm Khayyām Neyshābūri (غیاث الدین

Women

Main article: Iranian women

Portrait of a Persian lady in Iran.

Persian women have played an important role throughout history. Scheherazade, though fictional, is an important figure of female wit and intelligence, while the beauty of Mumtaz Mahal inspired the building of the Taj Mahal itself. Scheherazade (ʃəˌhɛrəˈzɑːd -ˈzɑːdə sometimes Scheherazadea, Persian transliteration Shahrazad or Shahrzād (شهرزاد Šahrzād Mumtāz Mahal (April 1593 - 17 June 1631 ( Persian, Urdu: ممتاز محل; pronunciation /mumtɑːz mɛhɛl/ meaning "beloved ornament of the palace" The Taj Mahal (tɑdʒ While in ancient times, aristocratic females possessed numerous rights sometimes on par with men, generally Persian women did not attain greater parity until the 20th century. However, Táhirih, the poet, had a great influence on modern women's movements throughout the Middle East. Táhirih ( "The Pure One" or Qurratu'l-`Ayn ( "Solace of the Eyes" are both titles of Fátimih Baraghání (b The Táhirih Justice Center is named after her. The Tahirih Justice Center, known simply as Tahirih, is a United States-based Non-governmental organization (NGO that provides Pro bono Females were given such status in ancient Persia that they were the first to ever serve in a national military.

Persian women today serve an active role in society. Persian women today tend to take a more active role in social, religious and family affairs than their Arab counterparts. Persian women can be seen working in a variety of areas such as politics, law enforcement, transportation industries, etc. Universities still tend to be dominated by women in Iran and one may find a large number of female legislators in the Iranian Majlis (parliament), even by western standards. Former Vice President Masoumeh Ebtekar, noted for her eloquence in dealing with western media, set a new standard for aspiring Iranian female politicians while serving under President Khatami. Masoumeh Ebtekar ( Persian: معصومه ابتکار born 1960 is an Iranian scientist and politician Outstanding Iranian female academics, such as Laleh Bakhtiar have forever left a mark in the fields they contribute to.

Because of some restrictions, women in Iran suffer from inequality in many cases. Human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran are not respected very well, hence some women prefer to migrate and continue their lives in other countries. Human rights in the Pahlavi Dynasty|Human rights in Iran The state of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran has been criticized both by both Iranians and international Research shows that these migrations impose a lot of stress to them. For example, in USA, Iranian mothers have difficult time to teach Persian language or culture to their children. Hence, they will catch some diseases in average 10 years earlier than other women. There are some active communities for Iranian women in USA, which aim at helping them reduce stress.

See also

References

External links

• Ethnologue's entry for Western Persian
• Iranian/Persian Inventions and contribution to human civilization