Badakhshan Province - Demography

Demography

The population of the province is about 904,700, which is a multi-ethnic rural society. Persian-speaking Tajiks make up the majority followed by Uzbeks, Pashtuns, Hazaras, Baloch, Kyrgyz, Qizilbash, Russians and others. There are also speakers of the following Pamiri languages: Shughni, Munji, Ishkashimi, and Wakhi.

The inhabitants of the province are mostly Sunni Muslim, althoug there are also some Ismaili Shi'as.

Historical population estimates for Badakhshan Province are as follows:

• 2006: 823,000 (World Gazetteer)
• 2004: 725,700 (Central Statistics Office)
• 2000: 923,144 (Oak Ridge National Laboratory)
• 1998: 924,747 (Oak Ridge National Laboratory)
• 1997: 663,700 (Central Statistics Office)
• 1991: 615,156 (ProMIS UNIDATA)
• 1990: 554,374 (USAID)
• 1979: 497,798 (Central Statistics Office)