| Total population |
|---|
| 3[1] to 4 million[2] (2006) |
| Regions with significant populations |
| Provinces of Gilan, Mazandaran, and Golestan in Iran |
| Languages |
| Religion |
|
Mostly Shi'a Muslim |
| Related ethnic groups |
|
Persians , and other Iranian peoples, peoples of the Caucasus |
The Gilaki people (in Gilaki: گیلک) are an Iranian people whose homeland is the Gilan Province in northwest Iran. They are also found in the eastward neighboring province of Mazandaran. Along with the Mazandarani people, the Gilaki comprise one of the Caspian people, inhabiting the southern coastal region of the Caspian Sea. They speak the Gilaki language, which is closely related to Mazandarani. Gilaki is not a dialect of Persian, but it shares many words with it as well as with Kurdish. The Mazandarani people call their language Geleki or Gilaki but more recently call it Mazani or Mazandarani from the name of their province. ^ a b c d e f g C.S. Coon, "Iran:Demography and Ethnography" in Encycloapedia of Islam, Volme IV, E.J. Brill, pp 10,8. Excerpt: "The Lurs speak an aberrant form of Archaic Persian" See maps also on page 10 for distribution of Persian languages and dialect ^ a b c Kathryn M. Coughlin, "Muslim cultures today: a reference guide," Greenwood Publishing Group, 2006. pg 89: "...Iranians speak Persian or a Persian dialect such as Gilaki or Mazandarani"
In 2000, there were about 2.4 million Gilaki, an increase from 1.9 million people in 1990.[3] In 1977, a university was built in Rasht, the largest city of Gilan province.[3]
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