‘GAZETTEER OF PERSIA VOL. I Comprising the Provinces of ASTARÁBÁD, SHÁHRUD-BÚSTAN, KHÚRÁSÁN, AND SÍSTÁN’ [‎209v] (425/722)

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The Persians themselves have stated the population* to be 200,000,000,
„ 1 Q- r i ri Chardin 40,000,000, both of which estimates are of course
“dicfously eh-e-S; for Sir’John Malcolm reduces it to about 6,000,000.
“ There are ” he says, “ no doubt many and powerful checks upon population
in Persia —the unsettled state of the government, its oppression, the
continua? civil and foreign wars, and, above all others, the debauchery and
vice of a oreat proportion of the inhabitants, and the consequent neglect of
their offspring But, on the other hand, when we consider the salubrity
of the climate the cheapness of provisions, the rare occurrence of famine,
the bloodless character of their civil wars, their obligation to marry, and
the comparatively small number of prostitutes, we may conclude that the
population of this eountrv has not diminished so much within the last cen
tury as is generally supposed. Great changes have taken place m the
condition of cities, and many numerous tribes have removed from their
former spots of residence; but in most cases they have only been trans
planted to other parts of the kingdom. . . .
“ In Persia, as in other parts of Asia, male offspring are desired beyond
all other blessings, even by the lowest ranks; but female children, though
not equally esteemed, cannot be deemed a burden upon their parents in a
country where celibacy is unknown, and where the poorest are seldom in
want of food. It is also to be remarked that in all Muhammadan countries
charity is so strictly enjoined as a religious duty, that a considerable pro
portion of the superfluous means of the rich is always distributed among the
noor • and this must have its effect in encouraging population ; for there is
no fact more certain than that which will always keep pace with the means
of subsistence. The circumstance of the Persians being allowed to emi
grate at pleasure to adjacent countries, where many of them find profitable
employment, is also calculated to add in a slight degree to their numbers,
as it removes one check to their increase.
“ The population of Persia, though perhaps diminished m a very consid
erable decree after the invasion of the Afghans, has no doubt increased
rapidly since. But this observation only applies to the Muhammadan
inhabitants of that country. The despised Jews are much decreased in num
bers, and the persecuted Gabars, whose residence is confined to a quarter
of the city of Yazd, are probably overestimated when computed^ at 4,000
families. The colony of Armenians settled in a suburb of Isfahan, which
formerly amounted to 2,500 families, some of whom were of great opulence,
do not now amount to 500, none of whom are wealthy; and this race has
diminished in a still greater proportion in all other parts of the empire.
The whole of the Armenians in Persia are calculated, in an estimate made
of their number by order of the Bishop of Julfa, to amount to 12,383 souls,
which is said to be not more than a sixth of their number before the
Afghan invasionAf
* St. John says : “ the population of Persia is variously estimated at from ten to four millions.
I myself am inclined to put it at the higher figure.”
f Thomson, in report of 1868, estimates the population of Persia as follows :—
Inhabitants of cities ... ... 1,000,000
Population belonging to tribes ... 1,700,000
Remaining inhabitants ... ... 1,700,000
4,400,000
This estimate is based on the assumption that each individual (excepting the ma 3 ority of the
inhabitants of the principal towns about 500,000, who pay no taxes) pays 1 tuman in taxes year y.
Total revenue is about 4,361,000 tumans (from which 636,000, derived from customs, must be
deducted).