Tehrangeles facts for kids
Tehrangeles (Persian: تهرانجلس) (or Little Persia) is a portmanteau deriving from the combination of Tehran, the capital of Iran, and Los Angeles. A Persian community developed in Westwood, Los Angeles after the Islamic Revolution of 1979 prompted thousands of Iranians to flee to the United States. It is a shopping, eating and gathering place for the large number (estimates range from 500,000 to 600,000) of Iranian-Americans and their descendants residing in the Los Angeles metropolitan area which is the largest such population outside Iran. The intersection of Westwood Boulevard and Wilkins Avenue was recognized by the City of Los Angeles as Persian Square.
Contents
Origin
Persian businesses in the L.A. area originally centered in the Westwood neighborhood of the Westside. Iranian-owned businesses are particularly prevalent on Westwood Boulevard between Wilshire Boulevard (in Westwood) to Pico Boulevard (in West L.A.).
Often referred to as Little Persia or Persian Hills/Persian Square, it is between Beverly Hills and West Los Angeles. Immigration to the area increased several-fold due to the events surrounding the 1979 Iranian Revolution. Westwood Boulevard became known for its many Persian shops and restaurants; and the Persian expatriate community of Los Angeles entered all forms of media including magazines, newspapers, radio, and television stations.
Distribution
As the population grew, many Iranians have moved all over Los Angeles, with other large communities forming in the Los Angeles neighborhoods of Tarzana, Woodland Hills, and Encino in the San Fernando Valley and Beverly Hills, California, the city of Irvine, as well throughout Orange County; and Persians also made their homes in San Diego and the Palm Springs area (Coachella Valley).
Economy
The economy of Tehrangeles demonstrates key features of ethnic enclave economics, providing a wider range of employment opportunities than the general market by virtue of its cultural (Iranian) specificity, and as such provides a feasible method for Iranian immigrants to find employment and economic integration.
Tehrangeles is home to a sizable community of Iranian immigrant entrepreneurs who own their own businesses. Business signs are commonly in Persian and Farsi is spoken in the shops. Iranian-owned businesses are particularly prevalent on Westwood Boulevard between Wilshire Boulevard in Westwood to Pico Boulevard.
See also
In Spanish: Tehrangeles para niños
