The Hazaras are the third-largest ethnic group in Afghanistan, and are also a significant minority group in neighbouring Pakistan, where there is a population of between 650,000 and 900,000, mostly in Quetta. Hazaras in Iran are also referred to as Khawaris or Barbaris. Over the many years as a result of political unrest in Afghanistan some Hazaras have migrated to Iran where they are also referred to as Khawaris or Barbaris. The local Hazara population in Iran has been estimated at 500,000 people of which at least one third have spent more than half their life in this country.

They are of Turkic-Mongol origin while they speak the a dialect of Persian (Hazaragi) which is mutually intelligible with Dari (i.e. Persian).

The Hazaras are predominantly Muslim, mainly duodecimal Shiites with small minorities of Ismailis and Sunnis. Since the majority of the Afghan population is Sunni, this has contributed to the discrimination they face.