THE ZARATHUSHTI WORLD:

A GLIMPSE OF THE JOURNEY & A 2012 DEMOGRAHIC PICTURE

Roshan Rivetna
. MOTHERLAND IRAN
PERSIAN EMPIRE (559 BCE - 651 CE)

936 CE (or 716 CE). Arrival “in seven shiploads”

at Sanjan on the Western shores of India.

Map of Achaemenian Persian Empire (ca 500 BCE)

Centuries after the birth of Zarathushtra (ca 1400 BCE), Zoroastrianism
was dominant for over 1000 years, during the Persian Empires. It was the
Imperial religion of the Sasanian Empire. Followers numbered in millions.
.
MOTHERLAND IRAN
THE DARK AGE (636 - 1925 CE)

The Dark Age. Over 1200 years following the Arab

conquest (in 636 CE …) through the Islamic
dynasties, was the dark age for Zoroastrians.
“Only 7,000 of them are left and only a miracle
may save them from extinction. They teach a
lesson that glory is not everlasting, because these
are the descendants of the people who once
ruled the world.” - Count de Gabineau
French Ambassador to Iran, 1850s

Easing of conditions in 1900s. Zoroastrian

luminaries emerged -- in business, industry and
government. Members of Parliament were:
A Gabar family Keikhosrow Shahrokh, Arbab Rustam Guiv, Dr.
[photo: A.V.W.Jackson, 1906] Esfandiiyar Yeganegi ….. Esfandiyar Ekhtiyari.
.
EXODUS to INDIA

936 CE or 785 CE or 716 CE. Seeking refuge from

Arab oppression, some Zoroastrians set sail from
Hormuz “in seven shiploads” and landed at
Sanjan on the Western shores of India.

“Just as this small pinch of sugar has

sweetened this pot of milk, so will my
people live harmoniously with your people
and strive to enrich your country.”
- High Priest Neriosang Dhaval
. THE FIRST DIASPORA
THE INDIAN SUBCONTINENT
(INDIA, PAKISTAN & SRI LANKA)

First 800 years. With their sacred Fire, the Parsis

journeyed inwards from Sanjan – and established
Iranshah at Udvada in 1742.
By the 1800s, under British rule, Parsis
became the foremost economic figures in
Bombay, and went on to blaze the trail in
commerce, science and industry; and built a
reputation for Integrity, Industry and
Philanthropy across the Indian subcontinent.

“The Parsis … are the principal native inhabitants of Bombay,

in regard to wealth and numbers; not only the most valuable
estates, but most of the shipping of the port belongs to them …
the favourites of fortune; let us add, they are deservedly so, for
we find them doing very extensive acts of charity and
benevolence.” - Sir William Ouseley, 1813
 THE WESTERN DIASPORA
BRITISH ISLES & EUROPE

Zoroastrians of UK -- oldest community of south Asian origin

in the Western world. Majority live in the British Isles, small
numbers also reside in countries across Europe.
1724. Nowroji Rustom Maneck Sett (1663 - 1732) -- first
Zoroastrian (and first Asian) to visit UK.
1861. Formal Association (now ZTFE) was established.
1890 - 1935. Three Zoroastrians (also first three Asians)
elected to Britain’s House of Commons - Dadabhai Naoroji,
Sir Muncherjee Bhownaggree and Shapurji Saklatvala
In recent years. Three Zoroastrians honored by British
Royalty - Lord Karan Bilimoria, CBE (House of Lords),
Cyrus Todiwala, OBE and Dorab Mistry, OBE.

Nowroji Rustom Maneck

Sett [photo: Parsee Lustre on Indian Soil]
 PRESENCE IN THE FAR EAST
HONG KONG, SINGAPORE & …..
1800s. Parsi merchants traded along China coast - Canton,
Macao, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Singapore …
1874. The Zoroastrian Charity Funds of Hong Kong, Canton
and Macao was established.
Today, the Hong Kong and Singapore communities of
successful businessmen and professionals have built a
reputation for generous philanthropy.
The HK$200 million 23-storey “Zoroastrian Building” in
downtown Hong Kong is possibly the most valuable Zoroastrian
asset in the world today.
Small numbers of Zoroastrians also reside in Malaysia, China,
Japan, Phillipines, Indonesia, Korea and Thailand.
 PRESENCE IN AFRICA
SOUTH AFRICA & SEYCHELLES
South Africa -- Durban and Johannesburg
1870 - 1900s. First wave of 30 immigrants ventured to the “dark
continent” in sailing vessels. Second wave followed in early
1900s. They played significant roles in the colonial period, the
apartheid regime and the democracy gained in 1990s.
Among the earliest was “Parsee Rustomjee”, a businessman,
philanthropist and political activist for down-trodden Indians and
Africans in South Africa.
1948. After Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination, Sohrabjee Rustomjee, brought
Gandhiji’s ashes to South Africa in recognition of his prominent role in South
Africa’s struggle against apartheid.

The Seychelle Islands

Around 1880, Mr. Temooljee ventured 2,400 miles across the Indian Ocean, in
a ‘dhow’ to the Seychelle Islands. Today Temooljee & Co, run by 80-year old
Soona Oliaji, is the largest general store in Mahe Island.
“In a country of 100,000, our tiny community of 21 still has
a visible and influential presence.” - Soona Oliaji
 PRESENCE IN AFRICA
EAST AFRICA & ADEN

East Africa -- Mombasa, Nairobi, Dare Salam and Zanzibar

1963. 250-300 Zoroastrians in Zanzibar -- in civil service, business
or professions. After revolution in 1963, almost all left for UK,
USA, Canada or India. The Agiary and aramgah are defunct, and
used as a godown by the Mussalmans.
Aden
1976. Aden Fire was ceremoniously moved to the Lonavla Agiary,
when Zoroastrians left Aden after handover to Yemen.

Above, Diana Darukhanavala, and

her 83-year old father are the only
two remaining Zarathushtis now, in
Zanzibar.
Left, Shamba ya Parisi -- Swahili
for Temple of the Parsis.
[Photos: Farah Bala]
 PRESENCE IN GULF REGION

UAE (Dubai), Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait

1960s. Sitting on top of the greatest pool of oil reserves in the world, Gulf
Region offers good job and business opportunities. Zarathushtis started
arriving after oil was discovered in 1960s.
1979. The resident population was 300, and is growing steadily.
The Region has an active chapter of WZCC and produces WZCC’s flagship
magazine SynergyZ.

Regional director Meher

Bhesania [center] with
Board Members of WZCC
(Middle East).
 WESTERN DIASPORA
NEW ZEALAND & AUSTRALIA
New Zealand.
1877. First known migrant to New Zealand was Hormuzji Ratanji Shroff with
wife and three children. Set up hardware business “Shroff and Sons” in
Auckland. Still run by descendants.
1960s. Zarathushtis seeking a better life, started migrating to New Zealand.
Growth has been significant.
Australia.
1950s. Migration started and has grown steadily, to Sydney (NSW), Melbourne
(Victoria), Western Australia, Adelaide (South Australia) and Brisbane
(Queensland).
Far left, Inaugural jashan,
Parsiana Lodge, Auckland,
2004.
Left, Unveiling Cyrus the
Great statue in Bicentennial
Park, Sydney. Persian
Cultural Festival, 1994.
 WESTERN DIASPORA
NORTH AMERICA - CANADA & USA
1799. Early trade relations between
Bombay and Salem, MA

“The business was carried on by Parsees,

some of the most intelligent people I have
ever known, rich and very honorable in
their dealings. The merchant with whom I
did business, Nasser Vanji Monackjee, was a
very fine man.”
- George Nichols, 1799, collection of
Peabody Essex Museum, Salem MA
 WESTERN DIASPORA
NORTH AMERICA - CANADA & USA
1851. Possibly the first Zoroastrian to
visit USA.

“… a friend brought a real live Parsee, with a tall

headdress, to take tea with us. It was a revelation to
me that a fire worshipper could take tea like ordinary
mortals.
“ …He drank his tea and ate his bread and butter
quite like other folks … He spoke in a very low,
cultivated, refined voice, using much better English
than we did!”
Ardeshir Cursetjee
- Caroline King’s memoirs.
Wadia came to
Peabody Essex Museum, Salem, MA
Boston area in 1851
to set up trade with
the Americans.
 WESTERN DIASPORA
NORTH AMERICA - CANADA & USA
1866. Gold Rush. Possibly the first
Zoroastrian to visit Canada.

• In 1866, the Gold Rush was on.

Maneckji Faramji Javeri came to
California prospecting for gold.

•Javeri also visited Barkerville, north of

Vancouver, making him possibly the first
Zoroastrian to visit Canada.
 WESTERN DIASPORA
NORTH AMERICA - CANADA & USA
1876. From Baroda to the New World.

“Many enterprising and intelligent Parsis are desirous of

emigrating to the New World … where they can … preserve and
follow the religion of their forefathers …
“A settlement in America has become the subject of our grave
considerations …”
-- Letter to US Consul by Parsis of Baroda, 1876.
 WESTERN DIASPORA
NORTH AMERICA - CANADA & USA
1860. First to settle in USA.

•1860. Conjee Rustomjee Cohoujee Bey (aka Antonio

Gomez) of Lahore came to New York and served in US
Civil War.
• 1866. Possibly first South Asian to settle in San
Francisco.
• 1911. Interned in The Presidio with full military honors.
 WESTERN DIASPORA
NORTH AMERICA - CANADA & USA
1885. First US citizen - in Los Angeles.
1892. First Zoroastrian born in USA.

1885. Eduljee Sorabjee, god-son of Sir Dinshaw Manockjee Petit, came to

Los Angeles and became a naturalized US citizen.
“Mr. Sorabjee was a thorough man of the world, there
was little in his manner or speech to distinguish him
from a cultured Englishman or American.”
- H. D. Barrows, 1912
Historical Society of Southern California

1892. Pestonji Framji Davar settled in San Francisco. Son Jamshed was the
first Zoroastrian born in North America.
 WESTERN DIASPORA
NORTH AMERICA - CANADA & USA
1900. First naturalized US citizen.
1929. Zoroastrian Association of NY.

1900. Bhicaji Balsara came to settle in New York and became the first
naturalized US citizen, after courts opined that:
“Parsees do belong to the white race .. are intelligent and well-
to-do, principally engaged in commerce.”

1904. Phiroze Saklatwala ‘Parsi Oil King’ came to New

York and became part owner of an oil company..
1929. The first Zoroastrian Association of New York
was born in his living room on West 11th Street.
 ELLIS ISLAND
22-year-old Jamshed Irani RECORDS
Arrived at Ellis Island in 1900 - 1920s
1920. His name is on the
American Immigrant Wall
of Honor.

•1903. Merwan Irani, 35 on the

Philadelphia,Southampton.
•1905. Phiroize Sethna, 38 on the Cedric from Liverpool
•1909. Nanabhoy Sethna, 25 on the Adriatic
Southampton.
• 1910 Pestorg Patel, 40 on the Lusitania, Liverpool.
•1914. Maneckji Dhalla, 39, and Cuvarbai Dhalla, 36, on
Carmania, Liverpool.
•1923. Minochie Irani, 25, on Canopic, from Bremerhaven.
 WESTERN DIASPORA
NORTH AMERICA - CANADA & USA
PROMOTING THE VISION

1977. Arbab Rustom Guiv and Morvarid Guiv came to the

USA with the vision to establish dar-e-mehers. Their
generosity bore fruit with dar-e-mehers across North America.

 FEZANA (estd. 1987) serves to coordinate the work of the Associations,

to collectively strengthen the community in NA.
 NAMC (estd. 1992) serves to preserve and perpetuate the religion in NA.
 Today there are 28 Associations and 11 dar-e-mehers / Centers.

Six Fezana Presidents at

25th anniversary. Seventh
President Katayun
Kapadia not in picture.
“DEMOGRAPHICS DETERMINES DESTINY”

• 2004. FEZANA World Zarathushti population Survey.

Population and intermarriages.
• 2012. Repeated 2004 survey, Added data on
children/seniors,
Parsi/Iranian and male/female breakdown.

NOTE: This is not an official, statistically correct census. Data

may be inconsistent, inaccurate and incomplete and our
estimates may be incorrect. We present the raw data here, as
gathered, to get a flavor of the Zarathushti World.
 THE ZARATHUSHTI WORLD
A Demographic Picture

Grateful Thanks to:

• All the sources and contact persons from 25 countries, 50 US
States and 10 Canadian provinces.
• FEZANA Administrator Zenobia Damania for data collection.
• Parsiana (Roxana Driver) and FEZANA Journal (Aban Vazifdar).
• My family and friends for help in making these fancy slides.
 IRAN
1850 7,000 (Est)
1986 32,589 (SCI)
1996 27,920 (SCI)
2006 19,823 (SCI) 24,000 (Est)
2012 25,271 (SCI) 15,000 (Est)
Decline by -37.5% (Est)
• Population is “no more
than 15,000” (Dr. Ekhtiyari)
• Intermarriages: almost zero
• Family size: 3.5 persons
• Male-Female ratio:
51.1%, 48.9%
Concerns:
•Census data unreliable
•Emigration to the west
•Late marriages and
fewer children.
Source:
Dr. Esfandiar Ekhtiyari
Mobed Mehraban Firouzgary
INDIA & SRI LANKA Intermarriages:
1891 89,490 39% of marriages in Mumbai
1901 94,140 (+5.2%) in 2011 were intermarriages.
1911 100,096 (+6.3%) Children:
1921`101,778 (+1.7%) 17.6% in 2001.
Seniors:
1931 109,329 (+7.4%)
24.1% were 65 or over in 2001.
1941 114,890 (+5.1%) Males - Females:
1951 111,791 (-2.7%) 48.8% - 51.2% in 2001.
1961 100,772 (-9.9%) Concerns:
1971 91,266 (-9.4%) • Late marriage, no marriage
1981 86,013 (-5.8%) Low fertility rate = 0.9.
1991 77,353 (-10.1%) Replacement level is 2.1.
(-10.0%) •
Deaths outnumber births.
2001 69,601
2011 61,000(est) (-12.4%)
Source:
2004 66
Prof. Armaity Desai
2012 37 (-43.9%) Prof. S. Siva Raju
Prof. Jamsheed K. Choksy (for
Sri Lanka)
 Intermarriages:
2.6% (10 men and 33 women)
PAKISTAN are married outside. These
women and their offspring are
not counted in the totals.
Students.
Also not included are 47
students studying abroad.
“None are expected to return.”
Children and Seniors:
“No doubt the majority are old. In
1995 2831 last six months, 7 more have died.”
2001 2378 (-16.0%) Origin: All are Parsis.
2004 2121 (-10.8%) Males- Females: 45.6%, 54.4%
2012 1675 (-21.0%)
Source:
Toxy Cowasee
 GREAT BRITAIN

2004 Intermarriages:
----------------------------------- In 2004, percentage of non
GREAT BRITAIN 5,000 Zarathushti spouses in a
England 4,900 sampling of ZTFE directory
was estimated to be 5.2%.
Scotland 65
N. Ireland 25 Age distribution:
REP OF IRELAND 10 “Average age is coming
down. More deaths than
-----------------------------------
births is balanced by a small
2012: inflow of new immigrants.”
“Increased to around 5,500”
Source:
Rusi Dalal
Parsi-Iranians EUROPE & CENTRAL ASIA
2004: About 1,000.
2012: (In progress) Note: Work is in progress to collect
accurate and consistent data.
Zarathushtis by Choice.
2004: 125 officially initiated.
2012: (In progress)
• Dr. Khosro Khazai, European Centre
for Zoroastrian Studies, Belgium:
“1,832 initiated in past 10 years.”
• Mobed Kamran Jamshidi, Sweden.
“2,000 initiated and 20,000 want to
be initiated.”

Source:
Dolly Dastoor et al.
 FAR EAST Intermarriages:
Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Japan, China, Hong Kong: 15.5%
Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam Singapore: 13.0%
Children:
Hong Kong: 27.2%
Hong Kong Singapore: 39.4%
2004: 210 Seniors:
2012: 204 (-3%) Hong Kong: 16.3%
Singapore: 9.3%
Origin:
Almost all are Parsis
Male-Female:
Singapore Hong Kong: 46.7%, 53.2%
2004: 162 Singapore: 51.9%, 48.1%
2012: 372 (130%)
Source:
Hong Kong: Yazdi Parekh
Singapore: Russi Ghadiali
and Homiyar Vasania
 Intermarriages:
AFRICA S. Africa: 20.1%
E. Africa: “Of the 15 in Mombasa,
7 are unmarried, 3 married (1 to
EAST AFRICA non-Z), 2 widows, 1 separated.”
Kenya (Mombasa, Nairobi) Children - Seniors:
Tanzania (Dare Salam, Zanzibar) S. Africa: 8.2% children and
2004: 78 25.4% seniors.
2012: 37 (-53%) E. Africa: 60% over 65. “In
Mombasa no one is below 40.”
SEYCHELLES Origin:
2004: 21 Almost all (but 1 or 2) are Parsis.
Male - Female:
2012: 21
S. Africa: 44.0%, 56.0%
SOUTH AFRICA E. Africa: 53.3%, 46.7%
(Jo’burg, Durban)
Source:
2004: 114
S. Africa: Solly Shapurjee
2012: 134 (+17.5%) E. Africa: Vistasp Vatchha
Seychelles: Soona Oliaji
 Intermarriages:
GULF REGION
4.1%.
Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, UAE
Children (under 21):
27%
Seniors:
“Not many above 65
are able to stay, unless
sponsored or have special
visas.”
Origin: Almost all Parsis. Data
not available on Iranians.
Male - Female:
GULF REGION 53.0%, 47.0%
2004: 2,200
2012: 1900 (-13.6%) Source:
Meher Bhesania
AUSTRALIA and NEW ZEALAND Intermarriages:
Australia: 4.0%
New Zealand: 2.6%
Children:
Australia: 9.3%
Australia New Zealand: 24.4%
2004: 2601 Seniors:
2012: 2577 (-0.9%) Australia: 29.6%
New Zealand: 3.2%
Origin (Parsi - Iranian):
Australia: 71.1%, 28.9%
New Zealand: 98%Parsis
Male - Female:
Australia: 50.3%, 49.7%
N. Zealand: 48.8%, 51.2%
New Zealand Source:
2004: 900 Australia: Arnavaz Chubb
2012: 1231 (+36.8%) New Zealand: Tehmus Mistry
 Intermarriages:
 2004 Estimated (Recorded) CANADA & USA Canada: 5.6%
 2012 Estimated (Recorded) USA: 9.9%
Children:
Canada Canada: 16.8%
5,975 (5,341) USA: 18.7%
Seniors:
6,442 (5,995) Canada: 15.8%
7.8% (12.2%) USA: 12.2%
Origin Parsi - Iranian:
Canada: 72.0%, 28.0%
USA: 68.1%, 31.9%
USA Male - Female:
10,794 (9158) Canada: 51.4%, 48.6%
Total NA USA: 51.7%, 48.3%
16,769 (14,499) 14,405 (10764) Concern:
Assimilation.
33.5% (17.5%)
20,847 (16,759) Source:
24.3% (15.6%) Association / individual in
each of 50 US States and
10 Canadian provinces.
 IMMIGRATION TO NA (2004 - 2012)

(Full Report in FEZANA Journal Fall 2013 and at www.fezana.org)

Canada
Immigration to Canada, based on only 5 of 10 provinces reporting is roughly
estimated at 500; 300 (mostly from Iran) to British Columbia and 200 to rest
of Canada.
USA
Immigration to USA, based on only 10 of 50 states reporting is roughly
estimated at 1870, rounded to 2000; 1670 to California (mostly from Iran)
and 200 to rest of USA.

North America.
Estimated immigration, based on only a few states/provinces reporting is roughly
estimated to be 2,500, most of them from Iran.
ADDRESSING CONCERNS OF ASSIMILATION IN NORTH AMERICA-1

(Full Report in FEZANA Journal Fall 2013 and at www.fezana.org)

Inter-married couples were asked:

“How can we inspire and engage inter-married
couples and their children to remain in the fold …?

Reasons why participation is not higher. Top 5 answers

1. Turned off by prejudices and doctrinal conflicts.
2. Too busy with work/school. Community is not a priority.
3. Turned off by dissensions among elders.
4. There are very few or no Z’s where we live, work or at school.
5. We feel uncomfortable at community events.
ADDRESSING CONCERNS OF ASSIMILATION IN NORTH AMERICA-2

Inter-married couples were asked:

“How can we inspire and engage inter-married
couples and their children to remain in the fold …?
What can FEZANA do to help families stay connected? Top 5
answers

1. Have structured online religious education classes.

2. Simple books and websites to introduce the religion.
3. Have an inter-married couples support group.
4. Strengthen “small groups” network to engage families in outlying areas.
5. Enhance the priesthood to also provide ministerial services and be
learned teachers and inspirational speakers.
ADDRESSING CONCERNS OF ASSIMILATION IN NORTH AMERICA-3

Intra-married couples were asked:

“How can we facilitate and inspire young Z’s
to marry within the faith?”

Top 5 answers:
1. Youth get-togethers: congresses, camps, professional meets, trips…
2. “Introductions” by family and friends.
3. Parents to show benefits of intra-marriage -- for the couple and the
community -- from early childhood.
4. “Introductions” by match-makers (e.g. FEZANA Journal matrimonials page).
5. Matrimonial websites. Have online dating service at fezana.org.
ADDRESSING CONCERNS OF ASSIMILATION IN NORTH AMERICA-4

A glimpse of the responses from a cross-section of N.A. elders as well as

“next generation” Z’s suggesting “actions” to address concerns.

1. It all starts at home.

2. Religious Education from early childhood is the key.
3. Maintain our cultural traditions and religious practices.
4. Encourage marriages within the faith, and larger families.
5. Inspire and engage the Next Generation and those on the fringes.
6. Provide spiritual upliftment.
7. Celebrate the togetherness - Iranian and Parsi.
(contd next page)
ADDRESSING CONCERNS OF ASSIMILATION IN NORTH AMERICA-5

8. Revive the entrepreneurial spirit.

9. Get politically active.
10. Adapt and adjust.
11. Attitudes towards inter-marriage and their offspring.
12. Accept conversions.

(Full report in FEZANA Journal Fall 2013, www.fezana.org).

 ZARATHUSHTI POPULATION 2012.
Countries with population less than 100 are not shown.

CANADA
6,442(+7.8%)

GR.BRITAIN
5,500(+10%) EUROPE/C.ASIA
1,000(0.0%)
USA
14,405(+33.5%) IRELAND JAPAN
10 (0%) CHINA 21 (-30.0%)
21 (+5%)
IRAN KOREA
NORTH AMERICA 15,000(-37.5%) 5
PAKISTAN
20,847(+24.4%) 1,675(-21.0%)
HONG KONG
204(-2.9%)
GULF INDIA
MEXICO 1,900(-13.6%) 61,000(-12.4%)
10 (0%) THAILAND
16
SRI LANKA
SOUTH AMERICA 37 (-43.9%) PHILLIPINES
10 (0%) E. AFRICA MALAYSIA 15
37 (-52.6%) 43 (+43.3%)
SEYCHELLES INDONESIA
21 (0%) SINGAPORE 5
372(+129.6%)
WORLD POPULATION S. AFRICA
2004 = 124,953 134(+17.5%) AUSTRALIA
2012 = 111,691 2,577(-0.9%)
Decline by -13,262 (-10.6%)
NEW ZEALAND
1,231(+36.8%)
39
 WORLD POPULATION

Country 2004 2012 Diff

Iran 24,000 15,000 -9,000 THE ZARATHUSHTI
India 69,601 61,000 -8,601 WORLD POPULATION
USA 10,794 14,405 3,611 TOTALS
Canada 5,975 6,442 467
Gr. Britain 5,000 5,500 500 2004 TOTAL = 124,953
Australia 2,601 2,577 -24
2012 TOTAL = 111,691
Persian Gulf 2,200 1,900 -300
Pakistan 2,121 1,675 -446 In 2012, we estimate
New Zealand 900 1,231 331 13,262 fewer (-10.6%)
Europe/Asia 1,000 1,000 0 Zarathushtis in the world
than in 2004.
Singapore 162 372 210
Hong Kong 210 204 -6
Other countries 389 385 -4
 WORLD POPULATION

GROWTH/DECLINE OF POPULATION BY COUNTRY 2004 - 2012

3,000

1,000
Number of Zarathushtis

UAE+

Hong Kong
USA

Gr. Britain
Canada
India

Europe

S. Africa
Iran

-1,000

Singapore
Australia

New Zealand
Pakistan

All others
-3,000

-5,000

-7,000

-9,000

-11,000

How can we sustain a loss of 13,262 Zarathushtis in less than a decade?

 10
15
20
25

0
5
Iran
India
USA
Canada 2004
Gr. Britain
Australia
2012

UAE+
Pakistan
N.Zealand
Europe
Singapore
Hong Kong
S. Africa
E. Africa
S

Sri Lanka
Percentage of non-Zarathushti spouses

Malaysia
Japan
in the Zarathushti population, 2004 and 2012

Seychelles
China
INTERMARRIAGE
 INTERMARRIAGE
S

PERCENTAGE OF INTERMARRIAGES
from Parsiana (for Mumbai) and
70
FEZANA Journal (for N. America)
60
50
40
30
20 Mumbai (Parsiana)
10 N. America (Fezana Jr)
0
1991

1993

1995

1997

1999

2001

2003

2005

2007

2009

2011
 0
10
20
30
40
50
Iran 60

India

USA

Canada

Gr. Britain

Australia
% Seniors

UAE+
% children

Pakistan

N. Zealand

Singapore

HongKong
AND SENIORS (65 & OVER)

S. Africa

E Africa
PERCENTAGE OF CHILDREN (18 & UNDER)

Sri Lanka

Malaysia
AGE DISTRIBUTION
 BIRTHS AND DEATHS

NUMBER OF BIRTHS AND DEATHS PER YEAR

N. America (FEZANA Jr) Mumbai (Parsiana)

70 1200
60 1000
50
800
40
600 Births/yr
30
20 Births/yr 400 Deaths/yr

10 Deaths/yr 200
0 0

2011
1991

1995

1999

2003

2007
2011
1991

1995

1999

2003

2007
 BIRTHS AND DEATHS

NUMBER DEATHS PER 100 BIRTHS FOR

NORTH AMERICA (FEZANA JR) AND

MUMBAI (PARSIANA)
800
700 In North America:
600 In 21 years:
500 1,022 births and 706 deaths
400
300 N. America In Mumbai:
Mumbai In 20 years:
200
3456 births and 17,715 (!) deaths
100
0
2011
1991

1995

1999

2003

2007
 Percentage

0
20
40
60
80
Iran
100
India
USA
Canada
Gr. Britain
Australia
Parsis

UAE+
Pakistan
N.Zealand
Iranians

Singapore
HongKong
S. Africa
E Africa
PERCENTAGE OF PARSIS AND IRANIANS

Sri Lanka
Malaysia
ORIGIN - PARSIS, IRANIANS
 Percentage

0
20
40
Iran 60
India
USA
Canada
Gr. Britain
Australia
Males

UAE+
Pakistan
N. Zealand
Singapore
Females

HongKong
S. Africa
E Africa
PERCENTAGE OF MALES AND FEMALES

Sri Lanka
Malaysia
MALE-FEMALE DISTRIBUTION
 WE NOW HAVE A FLAVOR OF
THE ZARATHUSHTI WORLD….

Where we have come from.

Where we are today.
Where are we going?

EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US SHARES

AN AWESOME RESPONSIBILITY
TODAY WE ARE SPREAD AROUND THE WORLD
CAN WE COME TOGETHER AND WORK TOGETHER
WE HAVE THE RESOURCES