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Ethnologue > Web version > Country index > Asia > Afghanistan > Hazaragi

Hazaragi

A language of Afghanistan

ISO 639-3: haz

Population	1,770,000 in Afghanistan (2000). Population total all countries: 2,210,000.
Region	Central mountains between Kabul and Herat (Hazarajat); Kabul, between Maimana and Sari-Pul; north from immediately south of Ikoh i Baba mountain range almost to Mazar e Sharif; many refugees. Also in Iran, Pakistan, Tajikistan.
Language map	Afghanistan
Alternate names	Azargi, Hazara, Hezareh
Dialects	Related to Dari [gbz]; possibly distinct.
Classification	Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Iranian, Western, Southwestern, Persian
Language development	Literacy rate in L1: Below 1%. Literacy rate in L2: Possibly 10%–20%. Radio programs.
Writing system	Arabic script.
Comments	Ethnic group names are (Central) Dai Kundi, Dai Zangi, Behsud, Yekaulang, (Southern) Polada, Urusgani, Jaguri, Ghazni Hazaras, Dai Miradad. In Hazarajat: agriculturalists; semi-sedentary pastoralists; in cities like Kabul and Mazar e Sharif they are laborers; traders; shopkeepers; tradesmen; transportation workers. Muslim.

Also spoken in:

Iran

Language name	Hazaragi
Population	283,000 in Iran (1993). Population increased significantly due to influx of Hazaragi-speaking refugees from Afghanistan.
Region	Widespread, especially urban centers.
Alternate names	Hazara, Hezare’i, Hezareh
Language use	Also use Western Farsi [pes].
Comments	Ethnic group names are (Central) Dai Kundi, Dai Zangi, Behsud, Yekaulang, (Southern) Polada, Urusgani, Jaguri, Ghazni Hazaras, Dai Miradad. Laborers. Muslim (Imami Shi’a, Ismaili, and Sunni).

Pakistan

Language name	Hazaragi
Population	157,000 in Pakistan (2000). Many recent refugees from Afghanistan.
Region	Baluchistan; Qunduz area, Quetta, Karachi and Islamabad, some villages in rural Sindh.
Language map	Southern Pakistan
Alternate names	Azargi, Hazara, Hezareh
Language development	Literacy rate in L1: Below 10%. Literacy rate in L2: 10%–30% Urdu [urd], Dari [prs], or Farsi.
Comments	Alternate names listed refer to the people. Group or regional names are (Central) Dai Kundi, Dai Zangi, Behsud, Yekaulang, (Southern) Polada, Urusgani, Jaguri, Ghazni Hazaras, Dai Miradad, Kabul. Laborers; civil servants; tradesmen; shopkeepers; traders. Muslim (Imami Shi’a).

Entries from the SIL Bibliography about this language:

Academic Publications

GEHRING, Roman; MALISTANI, A. H. Tariq, compilers. 1993. Farhang e ibtedai milli hazara (Hazaragi - Dari/Farsi - English: a preliminary glossary).

Vernacular Publications

Afsanah hai Aesop. 2006.