Total population | |
---|---|
280,805 (2021 census) [1] [a] 0.8% of the total Canadian population (2021) 262,625(Persian-speaking Canadians) [2] 0.7% of the total Canadian population (2021) | |
Regions with significant populations | |
Richmond Hill, Toronto, North Vancouver, Montreal, Ottawa | |
Languages | |
Persian, Canadian English, Canadian French Azerbaijani, Armenian, Kurdish, Mandaic, and other languages of Iran. | |
Religion | |
Predominantly Shia Islam and Irreligion Minorities include Agnosticism, Baháʼí Faith, Christianity (Protestantism and Catholicism), Judaism, Sunni Islam, Zoroastrianism and Mandaeism | |
Related ethnic groups | |
Iranian diaspora (Iranians of UAE • Ajam of Bahrain • Ajam of Qatar • Ajam of Iraq • 'Ajam of Kuwait • Iranians of Canada • Iranians of America • Iranians of UK • Iranians of Germany • Iranians of Israel • Iranians in Turkey) Iranian Peoples (Lurs, Achomis, Baluchs, Kurds, Iranian Azeris), Turkic peoples (Qashqai, Azerbaijanis), Huwala |
Iranian Canadians or Persian Canadians [3] [4] are Canadians of Iranian origin. [5] From the 2016 Canadian census, the main communities can be found in Southern Ontario, British Columbia, and Quebec. As of 2016 [update] a total of 97,110 Iranians reside in the Greater Toronto Area, [6] 46,255 in the Greater Vancouver Area, [7] and 23,410 in the Greater Montreal Area, [8] with the remainder spread out in the other major cities of Canada, based on the 2016 Canadian Census. These numbers represent the people who stated "Iranian" as their single or joint ethnic origin in the census survey.
Iranian-Canadian is used interchangeably with Persian-Canadian, [9] [10] [11] [12] partly due to the fact [13] that, in the Western world, Iran was known as "Persia". On the Nowruz of 1935, Reza Shah Pahlavi asked foreign delegates to use the term Iran, the endonym of the country used since the Sasanian Empire, in formal correspondence. Since then the use of the word "Iran" has become more common in the Western countries. This also changed the usage of the terms for Iranian nationality, and the common adjective for citizens of Iran changed from "Persian" to "Iranian". In 1959, the government of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, Reza Shah Pahlavi's son, announced that both "Persia" and "Iran" could officially be used interchangeably. [14] However the issue is still debated today. [15] [16]
While the majority of Iranian-Canadians come from Persian backgrounds, there is a significant number of non-Persian Iranians such as Azeris [17] [18] [19] and Kurds within the Iranian-Canadian community, [20] [21] leading some scholars to believe that the label "Iranian" is more inclusive, since the label "Persian" excludes non-Persian minorities. [20] The Collins English Dictionary uses a variety of similar and overlapping definitions for the terms "Persian" and "Iranian". [22] [23]
Year | Pop. | ±% |
---|---|---|
1981 | 5,600 | — |
1986 | 15,745 | +181.2% |
1991 | 43,210 | +174.4% |
1996 | 64,405 | +49.1% |
2001 | 88,220 | +37.0% |
2006 | 121,505 | +37.7% |
2011 | 163,290 | +34.4% |
2016 | 210,405 | +28.9% |
2021 | 280,805 [a] | +33.5% |
Source: Statistics Canada [24] [25] [26] [27] [28] [29] [30] [31] [32] [1] |
In 2021, there were 213,160 individuals in Canada who had been born in Iran, of which 70,395 had immigrated to Canada since 2011.
Among all Iranian-Canadians, 103,560 (49%) identified as Muslim. Among immigrants since 2011, about 39,860 (57%) identified as Muslim while most of the rest did not identify with any religion. [33]
Religious group | 2021 [34] [b] | |
---|---|---|
Pop. | % | |
Islam | 123,045 | 43.82% |
Irreligion | 120,250 | 42.82% |
Christianity | 18,270 | 6.51% |
Judaism | 1,235 | 0.44% |
Hinduism | 240 | 0.09% |
Buddhism | 220 | 0.08% |
Sikhism | 150 | 0.05% |
Indigenous spirituality | 35 | 0.01% |
Other (primarily Zoroastrianism ) | 17,350 | 6.18% |
Total Iranian Canadian population | 280,805 [a] | 100% |
|
|
Province/Territory | 2021 [1] [a] | 2016 [32] | 2011 [31] | 2006 [30] | 2001 [29] | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | |
Ontario | 155,855 | 1.11% | 117,065 | 0.88% | 92,635 | 0.73% | 70,595 | 0.59% | 51,775 | 0.46% |
British Columbia | 68,545 | 1.39% | 47,985 | 1.05% | 39,285 | 0.91% | 29,265 | 0.72% | 21,910 | 0.57% |
Quebec | 34,010 | 0.41% | 25,530 | 0.32% | 17,825 | 0.23% | 12,370 | 0.17% | 9,535 | 0.13% |
Alberta | 15,185 | 0.36% | 13,925 | 0.35% | 9,215 | 0.26% | 5,835 | 0.18% | 3,130 | 0.11% |
Manitoba | 2,010 | 0.15% | 1,885 | 0.15% | 1,265 | 0.11% | 1,485 | 0.13% | 630 | 0.06% |
Saskatchewan | 1,825 | 0.17% | 1,340 | 0.13% | 795 | 0.08% | 630 | 0.07% | 525 | 0.05% |
Nova Scotia | 1,640 | 0.17% | 1,405 | 0.15% | 1,240 | 0.14% | 805 | 0.09% | 390 | 0.04% |
New Brunswick | 845 | 0.11% | 670 | 0.09% | 445 | 0.06% | 380 | 0.05% | 185 | 0.03% |
Newfoundland and Labrador | 535 | 0.11% | 215 | 0.04% | 180 | 0.04% | 60 | 0.01% | 35 | 0.01% |
Prince Edward Island | 270 | 0.18% | 295 | 0.21% | 335 | 0.24% | 15 | 0.01% | 25 | 0.02% |
Northwest Territories | 45 | 0.11% | 60 | 0.15% | 55 | 0.13% | 45 | 0.11% | 20 | 0.05% |
Nunavut | 20 | 0.05% | 20 | 0.06% | 0 | 0% | 10 | 0.03% | 10 | 0.04% |
Yukon | 20 | 0.05% | 15 | 0.04% | 20 | 0.06% | 10 | 0.03% | 45 | 0.16% |
Canada | 280,805 | 0.77% | 210,405 | 0.61% | 163,290 | 0.5% | 121,505 | 0.39% | 88,220 | 0.3% |
Canada in 2022 banned ten thousand IRGC seniors and officers from entry. [35] Iranian celebrities and government former ministers and officials are often mentioned in the news residing or traveling in Canada as well. [36] [37] [38] [39]
Various Persian-language media (including TV and newspapers) are active in Canada, including Shahrvand and Salam Toronto, which cover local events as well. [43]
Statistics Canada conducts a country-wide census that collects demographic data every five years on the first and sixth year of each decade. The 2021 Canadian census enumerated a total population of 36,991,981, an increase of around 5.2 percent over the 2016 figure. It is estimated that Canada's population surpassed 40 million in 2023 and 41 million in 2024. Between 1990 and 2008, the population increased by 5.6 million, equivalent to 20.4 percent overall growth. The main driver of population growth is immigration, with 6.2% of the country's population being made up of temporary residents as of 2023, or about 2.5 million people. Between 2011 and May 2016, Canada's population grew by 1.7 million people, with immigrants accounting for two-thirds of the increase.
Polish Canadians are citizens of Canada with Polish ancestry, and Poles who immigrated to Canada from abroad. At the 2016 Census, there were 1,106,585 Canadians who claimed full or partial Polish heritage.
Danish Canadians are Canadian citizens of Danish ancestry. According to the 2006 Census, there were 200,035 Canadians with Danish background, 17,650 of whom were born in Denmark.
The population withinRegina, Saskatchewan's metropolitan area was 236,481 as of 2016 Canada Census with an annual growth rate of 2.4%.
British Columbia is a Canadian province with a population of about 5.6 million people. The province represents about 13.2% of the population of the Canadian population. Most of the population is between the ages of 15 and 49. About 60 percent of British Columbians have European descent with significant Asian and Aboriginal minorities. Just under 30% of British Columbians are immigrants. Over half of the population is irreligious, with Christianity and Sikhism being the most followed religions.
Ontario, one of the 13 provinces and territories of Canada, is located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province by a large margin, accounting for nearly 40 percent of all Canadians, and is the second-largest province in total area. Ontario is fourth-largest in total area when the territories of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut are included. It is home to the nation's capital city, Ottawa, and the nation's most populous city, Toronto.
Alberta has experienced a relatively high rate of growth in recent years, due in large part to its economy. Between 2003 and 2004, the province saw high birthrates, relatively high immigration, and a high rate of interprovincial migration when compared to other provinces. Approximately 81% of the population live in urban areas and only about 19% live in rural areas. The Calgary–Edmonton Corridor is the most urbanized area in Alberta and is one of Canada's four most urban regions. Many of Alberta's cities and towns have also experienced high rates of growth in recent history. From a population of 73,022 in 1901, Alberta has grown to 4,262,635 in 2021 and in the process has gone from less than 1.5% of Canada's population to 11.5%. It is the fourth most populated province in Canada. Between the 2016 and 2021 censuses, the Alberta population grew by 4.8%.
Prince Edward Island is a Canadian province. According to the 2011 National Household Survey, the largest ethnic group consists of people of Scottish descent (39.2%), followed by English (31.1%), Irish (30.4%), French (21.1%), German (5.2%), and Dutch (3.1%) descent. Prince Edward Island is mostly a white community and there are few visible minorities. Chinese people are the largest visible minority group of Prince Edward Island, comprising 1.3% of the province's population. Almost half of respondents identified their ethnicity as "Canadian." Prince Edward Island is by a strong margin the most Celtic and specifically the most Scottish province in Canada and perhaps the most Scottish place (ethnically) in the world, outside Scotland. 38% of islanders claim Scottish ancestry, but this is an underestimate and it is thought that almost 50% of islanders have Scottish roots. When combined with Irish and Welsh, almost 80% of islanders are of some Celtic stock, albeit most families have resided in PEI for at least two centuries. Few places outside Europe can claim such a homogeneous Celtic ethnic background. The only other jurisdiction in North America with such a high percentage of British Isles heritage is Newfoundland.
Saskatchewan is the middle province of Canada's three Prairie provinces. It has an area of 651,900 km2 (251,700 mi2) and a population of 1,132,505 (Saskatchewanians) as of 2021. Saskatchewan's population is made of 50.3% women and 49.7% men. Most of its population lives in the Southern half of the province.
Manitoba is one of Canada's 10 provinces. It is the easternmost of the three Prairie provinces.
Newfoundland and Labrador is a province of Canada on the country's Atlantic coast in northeastern North America. The province has an area of 405,212 square kilometres and a population in 2024 of 545,247, with approximately 95% of the provincial population residing on the Island of Newfoundland, with more than half of the population residing on the Avalon Peninsula. People from Newfoundland and Labrador are called "Newfoundlanders," "Labradorians", or "Newfoundlanders and Labradorians".
Nova Scotia is a Canadian province located on the country's southeastern coast. It is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada, and its capital, Halifax, is a major economic centre of the region. Geographically, Nova Scotia is the second smallest province in Canada, with an area of 52,824.71 km2 (20,395.73 sq mi). As of 2021, it has a population of 969,383 people.
New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and the only officially bilingual province in the country. The provincial Department of Finance estimates that the province's population in 2006 was 729,997 of which the majority is English-speaking but with a substantial French-speaking minority of mostly Acadian origin.
Yukon is the westernmost of Canada's three northern territories. Its capital is Whitehorse. People from Yukon are known as Yukoners. Unlike in other Canadian provinces and territories, Statistics Canada uses the entire territory as a single at-large census division.
According to the 2021 census, the City of Edmonton had a population of 1,010,899 residents, compared to 4,262,635 for all of Alberta, Canada. The total population of the Edmonton census metropolitan area (CMA) was 1,418,118, making it the sixth-largest CMA in Canada.
Nordic and Scandinavian Canadians are Canadian citizens with ancestral roots in the Nordic countries and/or Scandinavia
The Saskatoon region is the greater metropolitan area of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. As of 2021 the Statistics Canada estimates the region's population to be 317,480 people.
Belgian Canadians are Canadian citizens of Belgian ancestry or Belgium-born people who reside in Canada. According to the 2011 census there were 176,615 Canadians who claimed full or partial Belgian ancestry. It encompasses immigrants from both French and Dutch-speaking parts of Belgium.
The demographics of Winnipeg reveal the city to be a typically Canadian one: multicultural and multilingual. Winnipeg is also prominent in the size and ratio of its First Nations population, which plays an important part in the city's makeup. About 12.4% of Winnipeggers are of Indigenous descent, which exceeds the national average of 5.0%.
Austrian Canadians are Canadian citizens who are of Austrian ancestry or Austrian-born people who reside in Canada. According to the 2021 Census, there were 189,535 Canadians who claimed either full or partial Austrian ancestry.
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: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)... the majority of the participants self-identified themselves as Persian instead of Iranian, due to the stereotypes and negative portrayals of Iranians in the media and politics. Adolescents from Jewish and Baháʼí faiths asserted their religious identity more than their ethnic identity. The fact Iranians use Persian interchangeably is nothing to do with current Iranian government because the name Iran was used before this period as well. Linguistically modern Persian is a branch of Old Persian in the family of Indo-European languages and that includes all the minorities as well more inclusively.
Iranian/Persian Americans – The flow of Iranian citizens into the United States began in 1979, during and after the Islamic Revolution.
According to previous studies, the presence of heterogeneity is evident among Iranian immigrants (also known as Persians – Iran was known as Persia until 1935) who came from myriads of religious (Muslim, Christian, Jewish, Armenian, Assyrian, Baháʼí and Zoroastrian), ethnic (Turk, Kurds, Baluchs, Lurs, Turkamans, Arabs, as well as tribes such as Ghasghaie, and Bakhtiari), linguistic/dialogic background (Persian, Azari, Gialki, Mazandarani, Kurdish, Arabic, and others). Cultural, religious and political, and various other differences among Iranians reflect their diverse social and interpersonal interactions. Some studies suggest that, despite the existence of subgroup within Iranian immigrants (e.g. various ethno-religious groups), their nationality as Iranians has been an important point of reference and identifiable source of their identification as a group across time and setting.