How many people spoke Indo-Iranian languages in the early 21st century?

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In the early 21st century, Indo-Iranian languages were spoken by nearly one billion individuals, primarily across southwestern and southern Asia.1

This population is divided between the two main subbranches of the family:

  • Indo-Aryan languages: These are spoken by more than 800 million people, with Hindi, Bengali, Marathi, and Urdu being among the most widely used.1
  • Iranian languages: These are spoken by between 150 and 200 million people, with Persian, Pashto, and Kurdish serving as the most prominent examples.1