The Baloch (بلوچ alternative transliterations Baluch, Balouch, Balooch, Balush, Balosh, Baloosh, Baloush et al.) are an Iranian people living primarily in the southeast corner of the Iranian plateau in Southwest Asia. The Baloch speak Baluchi, which is considered a north-western Iranian language and the Baloch are generally considered an Iranian people as a result. The Baloch are predominantly Muslim, with most belonging to the Hanafi school of thought of Sunni Islam, but there are also a significant number of Zikri Muslims in Balochistan.
The Origins of the Baloch
The exact origins of the Baloch are shrouded in some mystery and various theories are disputed by academics and historians. There are four popular theories of the origin of the Baloch each with varying degrees of scientific support. The most accepted and probable theory is that the Baloch came from the Caspian Sea region of northern Iran and moved into the area they now inhabit between the 11th and 13th centuries CE and this is corroborated by their Iranian language that appears to show affinities to Kurdish. The second theory is that they are Semites from Aleppo (or Halab) and this is largely derived from Baloch legend and traditional folk tales and it does support a migration theory of some sort for the Baloch, but does not explain their Iranian language. A third theory is that they are simply Arabs from the Arabian Peninsula who arrived as invaders during the early Islamic period and, at some point, adopted an Iranian language, but the small number of actual Arab immigrants makes this theory unlikely. The fourth theory is that they are the indigenous people of Balochistan and this may be partially true as the Baloch may have invaded the region and merged with a smaller local population of indeterminate origins, but it is unlikely that the Baloch are entirely or even mainly of some indigenous background.
Geographical homeland, demographics, and sub-groups
The Baloch speaking population is estimated to be in the range of 10 to 15 million. However, the exact number of Baloch and those who are or claim to be of Baloch ancestry is difficult to ascertain. It is possible that there are more Baloch than simply those who claim Balochi as their mother tongue. This, however, raises the question as to who is and is not a Baloch as many surrounding peoples claim to be of Baloch descent, but do not speak Balochi. The Brahui, having lived in close proximity to the Baloch have absorbed substantial linguistic and genetic admixture from the Baloch and in many cases are indistinguishable, while still regarded as a separate group due to their language as opposed to any cultural differences which are largely absent. The high-end figure for the Baloch may only be possible if the large number of "Baloch" who speak a different language, such as Sindhi and Brahui and who often claim descent from Baloch ancestors, can be counted. Many Baloch outside of Balochistan are also bilingual or of mixed ancestry due to their close proximity to other ethnic groups including the Sindhis, Brahui, Persians, and Pashtuns. There is also a large number of Baloch who have been migrating or have been living in adjacent provinces to Balochistan for centuries. In addition, there are many Baloch located in other parts of the world with the bulk living in the GCC countries of the Persian Gulf. Their homeland, Balochistan, is divided between three countries with portions of it in Pakistani Balochistan, Iranian Balochistan, and the southern parts of Afghanistan.
