Aimaq people

Aimaq
ایماق
Total population
1,593,418 (2021)
4% of the population of Afghanistan
Languages
Aimaq dialect of Persian
Religion
Sunni Islam
Related ethnic groups
Hazaras, Tajiks

The Aimaq (Dari: ایماق, romanized: Aimāq), also known as the Chahar Aimaq, are a collection of Sunni and mostly Persian-speaking nomadic and semi-nomadic tribes. They live mainly in the central and western highlands of Afghanistan, especially in Ghor and Badghis. Aimaqs were originally known as chahar ("four") Aymaqs: Jamshidi, Aimaq Hazara, Firozkohi, and Taymani. The Timuri, which is a separate tribe but is sometimes included among Aimaqs, which is known as Aimaq-e dīgar ("Other Aimaq").

The Aimaq speak several subdialects of the Aimaq dialect of Persian language, but some southern groups of Taymani, Firozkohi, and northeastern Timuri Aimaqs have adopted the Pashto language.

CIA map showing the territory of the settlement of ethnic groups and subgroups in Afghanistan (2005)

Etymology

The word "Aimaq" is derived from the Turkic-Mongolic word "Oymaq" that means "tribe" and "group of tribes".

Origin

The Aimaqs claim different origins based on their tribal background. Some claim to be descended from the troops of Genghis Khan. The Taymani coalition was formed by a Kakar Pashtun while the chiefs of Firozkohi claimed descent from Achakzai Pashtuns.

Culture and society

The Aimaq are largely nomadic to semi-nomadic goat and sheep herders. They also trade with villages and farmers during migrations for pastures for their livestock. The material culture and foodstuffs of the Aimaq include skins, carpets, milk, dairy products and more. They trade these products to settled peoples in return for vegetables, grains, fruits, nuts, and other types of foods and goods.

Religion

Aimaqs are largely Sunni Muslims except for the Jamshidi who are mainly Isma'ili Shia Muslims.

Demographics

In 2021, the Aimaq made up 4% of Afghanistan's population.

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ The last census in Afghanistan was conducted in 1979, and was itself incomplete. Due to the ongoing conflict in the country, no official census has been conducted since.
  2. ↑ Also transliterated as Aymaq, Aimagh, Aimak, and Aymak.

References

  1. ↑ "Population Matters". 3 March 2016. Archived from the original on 16 August 2021. Retrieved 29 September 2021.
  2. ↑ World Population Review (19 September 2021). ""Afghanistan Population 2021"".
  3. ↑ "Afghan Ethnic Groups: A Brief Investigation". reliefweb.int. 14 August 2011.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Janata, A. "AYMĀQ". In Yarshater, Ehsan (ed.). Encyclopædia Iranica (Online ed.). United States: Columbia University.
  5. ↑ "Aimaq". Minority Rights Group. Retrieved 28 July 2021.
  6. ↑ "Aimaq". Encyclopedia of World Cultures. Retrieved 23 October 2026.
  7. ↑ Lansford, Tom (2003). A Bitter Harvest: US Foreign Policy and Afghanistan. p. 25. The term Aimaq means "tribe" but the Aimaq people actually include several different ethnic groups. The classification has come to be used for a variety of nonaligned nomadic tribes.
  8. 1 2 Frye, R. N. (2012), "Čahār Aymaḳ", Encyclopaedia of Islam New Edition Online, Brill, doi:10.1163/1573-3912_islam_SIM_1582, retrieved 23 October 2026
  9. ↑ Vogelsang, W. J. (2002). The Afghans. The peoples of Asia. Oxford, UK; Malden, Mass: Blackwell Publishers. pp. 18, 37–. ISBN 978-0-631-19841-3.
  10. ↑ Spuler, B. (2012), "Aymak", Encyclopaedia of Islam New Edition Online, doi:10.1163/1573-3912_islam_SIM_0904, retrieved 2026-10-23
  11. 1 2 Winston, Robert, ed. (2004). Human: The Definitive Visual Guide. New York: Dorling Kindersley. p. 432. ISBN 0-7566-0520-2.
  12. ↑ Afghanistan. Chicago: Encyclopædia Britannica. 2008.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: publisher location (link)
  13. ↑ "Afghanistan Population 2024 (Live)". worldpopulationreview.com. Retrieved 2025-01-17.

Further reading