Baloch people
بلۏچ | |
|---|---|
| Total population | |
c. 15 million
| |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| Pakistan | 8,117,795 (2023 census) |
| Iran | 4.8 million |
| Afghanistan | 1.1 million |
| Oman | 1,000,000 |
| United Arab Emirates | 383,000 |
| India | 64,000 |
| Qatar | 53,000 |
| Bahrain | 44,000 |
| Turkmenistan | 36,000 |
| Kuwait | 20,000 |
| Saudi Arabia | 12,000 |
| Somalia | 11,000 |
| Sweden | 5,000 |
| United Kingdom | 3,000 |
| Canada | 1843 |
| Australia | 357 |
| Algeria | 11 |
| Languages | |
| Balochi, Brahui, various other languages of host regions spoken by splinter groups
Other languages: Persian (in Iran and Afghanistan), Urdu (in Pakistan), Pashto (in Afghanistan), English | |
| Religion | |
| Predominantly Islam (mainly Sunni Islam) | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Other Iranic peoples | |
The Baloch (/bəˈloʊtʃ/ bə-LOHCH) or Baluch (/bəˈluːtʃ/ bə-LOOCH; Balochi: بلۏچ, romanized: Balòc, plural بلۏچانٚ) are a nomadic, pastoral, ethnic group which speaks the Western Iranic Balochi language and is native to the Balochistan region of South and Western Asia, occupying parts of Pakistan, Iran, and Afghanistan. There are also Baloch diaspora communities in neighbouring regions, including in Central Asia, and the Arabian Peninsula.
The majority of the Baloch reside within Pakistan. About 50% of the total Baloch population live in the Pakistani province of Balochistan, while 40% are settled in Sindh and a significant albeit smaller number reside in the Pakistani Punjab. They make up 3.6% of Pakistan's total population, and around 2% of the populations of both Iran and Afghanistan and the largest non-Arab community in Oman.