Iran, Minority Education in

Whereas most countries of the world use ethnic and national differences to specify minority groups, Iran chooses to define minorities primarily in religious terms. This entry explains why religion dominates the discussion of minority education in Iran and describes the treatment of religious and ethnic minorities in schools.

General Background

Iran is located south of Azerbaijan and Armenia and north of the Persian Gulf and covers 632,457 square miles. In July 2010, the CIA World Factbook estimated the population of Iran to be 66,429, 280. About half its population is Persian (51%), while a quarter is Azeri (24%), with smaller numbers of Gilaki and Mazandarani (8%), Kurd (7%), and Arab (3%), as well as Lur, Baloch, and Turkmen. More than half the population speaks Persian (Farsi) ...

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