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Less than half of the people of Iran are Persians (46%), but they are culturally and structurally dominating the society. Other large peoples of Iran are Azeris, 17% and Kurds, 9%. Kurds live along the border areas close to Iraq, and in a territory close to Turkey. The Azeris live north and east of the Kurds, and the two peoples are divided by Lake Urmiye. Both Kurds and Azeris make up a large part of the population of the capital Teheran. Other groups making up the population of Iran are Gilaki, living at the western coast of the Caspian sea; Mazandarani, living at the eastern coastal area of the Caspian Sea; Lur, who live in the mountainous areas in western Iran, east of the Kurds, and south of the Azeris; Bakhtiari, who live in southwestern Iran, south of the Lur; Arabs, who live in southern Iran, close to the border to Iraq, south of the Kurds and the Bakhtiari; Baloch, who live in southeastern Iran, in the areas close to Pakistan. Each of these peoples make up between 1 and 5% of the population of Iran. |
 Woman reading in Isfahan |  Man and women smoking shisha overlooking Emam Khomeini square |  Young women in Isfahan |
 Girl in Shiraz |  Women in a souk in Isfahan |  Women in Qom |
 Young women from Shiraz eating watermelon |  Women sitting in a Qom street |  Iranian women dressed in a chador and man |