Provinces of Iran

Provinces of Iran; استان‌های ایران (in Persian)
	Also known as:; Ostān; استان
Category	Unitary state
Location	Iran
Number	31
Populations	580,158 (Ilam Province) – 13,267,637 (Tehran)
Areas	5,833 km2 (2,252 sq mi) (Alborz) – 183,285 km2 (70,767 sq mi) (Kerman Province)
Government	Provincial government (National government)
Subdivisions	County

Iran is subdivided into thirty-one provinces (Persian: استان‎ Ostān), each governed from a local centre, usually the largest local city, which is called the capital (Persian: مرکز, markaz) of that province. The provincial authority is headed by a Governor-general[1] (Persian: استاندار Ostāndār), who is appointed by the Minister of the Interior subject to approval of the cabinet.

Provinces of Iran by population in 2014

Provinces of Iran by population density in 2013

Map of the Iranian provinces by Human Development Index in 2017.
Legend:

0.800 – 1.000 (Very high)

0.700 – 0.799 (High)

0.600 – 0.699 (Medium)

Provinces of Iran by contribution to national GDP in 2014

Provinces of Iran by GDP per capita in 2012

Modern history

Iran has held its modern territory since the Treaty of Paris in 1857. From 1906 until 1950, Iran was divided into twelve provinces: Ardalan, Azerbaijan, Baluchestan, Fars, Gilan, Araq-e Ajam, Khorasan, Khuzestan, Kerman, Larestan, Lorestan, and Mazandaran.[2]

In 1950, Iran was reorganized to form ten numbered provinces with subordinate governorates: Gilan; Mazandaran; East Azerbaijan; West Azerbaijan; Kermanshah; Khuzestan; Fars; Kerman; Khorasan; Isfahan.[2]

From 1960 to 1981 the governorates were raised to provincial status one by one. Since then several new provinces have been created, most recently in 2010 when the new Alborz Province was split from Tehran province, and before that in 2004 when the province of Khorasan was divided into three provinces.[3]

Map of the 31 provinces of Iran

Information

Iran population broken down by province

Iran's GDP contribution broken down by province

Current provinces


Province	Capital	Area[4]	Population[5]	Density	Shahrestans (counties)	Life expectancy, male[6]	Life expectancy, female[6]	Notes
Alborz	Karaj	5,833 km² (2,252 sq mi)	2,712,400	413.6/km² (1,071/sq mi)	4	74.4	78	Until 23 June 2010, Alborz was part of Tehran province.
Ardabil	Ardabil	17,800 km² (6,900 sq mi)	1,270,420	70.1/km² (182/sq mi)	9	71.3	75.6	Until 1993, Ardabil was part of East Azerbaijan province.[7]
Azerbaijan, East	Tabriz	45,650 km² (17,630 sq mi)	3,909,652	82.3/km² (213/sq mi)	19	72.5	75.9
Azerbaijan, West	Urmia	37,437 km² (14,455 sq mi)	3,265,219	78.8/km² (204/sq mi)	14	71.6	76.3	During the Pahlavi Dynasty Urmia was known as Rezaiyeh.[8]
Bushehr	Bushehr	22,743 km² (8,781 sq mi)	1,163,400	45.4/km² (118/sq mi)	9	71	73.5	Originally part of Fars province. Until 1977, the province was known as Khalij-e Fars (Persian Gulf).[2]
Chahar Mahaal and Bakhtiari	Shahrekord	16,332 km² (6,306 sq mi)	947,763	54.8/km² (142/sq mi)	6	70.2	75	Until 1973 was part of Isfahan province.[9]
Fars	Shiraz	122,608 km² (47,339 sq mi)	4,851,274	37.5/km² (97/sq mi)	23	72.1	76.3
Gilan	Rasht	14,042 km² (5,422 sq mi)	2,530,696	176.7/km² (458/sq mi)	16	72.1	76.5
Golestan	Gorgan	20,195 km² (7,797 sq mi)	1,868,819	88.0/km² (228/sq mi)	11	70.8	74.2	On the 31 May 1997, the shahrestans of Aliabad, Gonbad-e-kavus, Gorgan, Kordkuy, Minudasht, and Torkaman were separated from Mazandaran province to form Golestan province. Gorgan was called Esteraba or Astarabad until 1937.[2]
Hamadan	Hamadan	19,368 km² (7,478 sq mi)	1,738,234	90.8/km² (235/sq mi)	8	71.2	75.6	Originally part of Kermanshah province.[2]
Hormozgān	Bandar Abbas	70,669 km² (27,285 sq mi)	1,776,415	22.3/km² (58/sq mi)	11	69.9	73.7	Originally part of Kerman province.[2] Until 1977, the province was known as Banader va Jazayer-e Bahr-e Oman (Ports and Islands of the Sea of Oman).[2]
Ilam	Ilam	20,133 km² (7,773 sq mi)	580,158	27.7/km² (72/sq mi)	7	70.5	72	Originally part of Kermanshah province.[2]
Isfahan	Isfahan	107,029 km² (41,324 sq mi)	5,120,850	45.6/km² (118/sq mi)	21	73	77	In 1986, some parts of Markazi province were transferred to Isfahan, Semnan, and Zanjan provinces.[2]
Kerman	Kerman	183,285 km² (70,767 sq mi)	3,164,718	16.3/km² (42/sq mi)	14	71.4	75.5
Kermanshah	Kermanshah	24,998 km² (9,652 sq mi)	1,952,434	77.8/km² (202/sq mi)	13	70.4	75.3	Between 1950 and 1979, both Kermanshah province and city were known as Kermanshahan and between 1979 and 1995 were known as Bakhtaran.[2]
Khorasan, North	Bojnourd	28,434 km² (10,978 sq mi)	863,092	30.5/km² (79/sq mi)	6	69.8	72.6	On 29 September 2004, Khorasan was divided into three provinces. North Khorasan; Razavi Khorasan; South Khorasan.[3]
Khorasan, Razavi	Mashhad	118,884 km² (45,901 sq mi)	6,434,501	41.4/km² (107/sq mi)	29	72.1	76.2	On 29 September 2004, Khorasan was divided into three provinces. North Khorasan; Razavi Khorasan; South Khorasan.[3]
Khorasan, South	Birjand	151,913 km² (58,654 sq mi)	768,898	9.5/km² (25/sq mi)	8	70.8	73.9	On 29 September 2004, Khorasan was divided into three provinces. North Khorasan; Razavi Khorasan; South Khorasan.[3]
Khuzestan	Ahvaz	64,055 km² (24,732 sq mi)	4,710,509	67.8/km² (176/sq mi)	18	71.3	73.9
Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad	Yasuj	15,504 km² (5,986 sq mi)	713,052	42.5/km² (110/sq mi)	5	71.2	73.1	Originally part of Khuzestan province. Until 1990, the province was known as Bovir Ahmadi and Kohkiluyeh.[2]
Kurdistan	Sanandaj	29,137 km² (11,250 sq mi)	1,603,011	51.3/km² (133/sq mi)	9	70.6	74.1	Originally part of Gilan province.[2]
Lorestan	Khorramabad	28,294 km² (10,924 sq mi)	1,760,649	62.0/km² (161/sq mi)	9	71.1	74.5	Originally part of Khuzestan province.[2]
Markazi	Arak	29,130 km² (11,250 sq mi)	1,429,475	48.5/km² (126/sq mi)	10	72.9	76.7	Originally part of Mazandaran province.[2] In 1986, some parts of Markazi province were transferred to Isfahan, Semnan, and Zanjan provinces.[2]
Mazandaran	Sari	23,701 km² (9,151 sq mi)	3,283,582	129.7/km² (336/sq mi)	15	73.5	77
Qazvin	Qazvin	15,549 km² (6,004 sq mi)	1,273,761	77.3/km² (200/sq mi)	5	71.8	75.3	On 31 December 1996, the shahrestans of Qazvin and Takestan were separated from Zanjan province to form the province of Qazvin.[2]
Qom	Qom	11,526 km² (4,450 sq mi)	1,292,283	99.9/km² (259/sq mi)	1	71.5	75.6	Until 1995, Qom was a shahrestan of Tehran province.[2]
Semnan	Semnan	97,491 km² (37,641 sq mi)	702,360	6.5/km² (17/sq mi)	4	73.2	76.1	Originally part of Mazandaran province.[2] In 1986, some parts of Markazi province were transferred to Isfahan, Semnan, and Zanjan provinces.[2]
Sistan and Baluchestan	Zahedan	180,726 km² (69,779 sq mi)	2,775,014	13.9/km² (36/sq mi)	8	65.7	69.2	Until 1986, the province was known as Baluchestan and Sistan.[2]
Tehran	Tehran	18,814 km² (7,264 sq mi)	13,267,637	647.6/km² (1,677/sq mi)	13	74.3	77.8	Until 1986, Tehran was part of Markazi province.
Yazd	Yazd	76,469 km² (29,525 sq mi)	1,138,533	8.3/km² (21/sq mi)	10	73.2	76.7	Originally part of Isfahan province.[9] In 1986, part of Kerman province was transferred to Yazd province. In 2002, Tabas shahrestan (area: 55,344 km²) was transferred from Khorasan province to Yazd.[2]
Zanjan	Zanjan	21,773 km² (8,407 sq mi)	1,057,461	46.6/km² (121/sq mi)	7	73.2	75.8	Originally part of Gilan province. In 1986, some parts of Markazi province were transferred to Isfahan, Semnan, and Zanjan provinces.[2]
Iran (Total)	Tehran	1,628,554 km² (628,788 sq mi)	79,926,270	46.1/km² (119/sq mi)	342

References and notes

IRNA, Online Edition. "Paris for further cultural cooperation with Iran". Archived from the original on 23 October 2007. Retrieved 21 October 2007.
Gwillim Law, Statoids website. "Provinces of Iran". Archived from the original on 22 October 2016. Retrieved 30 April 2006.
Online edition, Al-Jazeera Satellite Network. "Iran breaks up largest province". Archived from the original on 20 May 2006. Retrieved 30 April 2006.
Statistical Centre, Government of Iran. "General Characteristics of Ostans according to their administrative divisions at the end of 1383 (2005 CE)". Retrieved 30 April 2006.
"National census 2016". amar.org.ir. Archived from the original on 14 March 2017. Retrieved 14 March 2017.[]
2015-2016 data, Statistical Centre of Iran, Source
Chamber Society, Iranian. "Ardabil Province". Archived from the original on 12 June 2008. Retrieved 23 July 2008.
"Urmia". Archived from the original on 8 September 2008. Retrieved 23 July 2008.
Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province, Ostandarie. "Chahar Mahaal and Bakhtiari Province". Retrieved 23 July 2008.

External links

Wikimedia Atlas of Iran
Statistical Centre, Government of Iran
Iranian Provinces Investment - Trade Promotion Organization of Iran, affiliated to the Ministry of Commerce (Iran)
"Provinces of Iran". Statoids.

Official provincial websites

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.

[govgen-1] IRNA, Online Edition. "Paris for further cultural cooperation with Iran". Archived from the original on 23 October 2007. Retrieved 21 October 2007.

[statoid-2] Gwillim Law, Statoids website. "Provinces of Iran". Archived from the original on 22 October 2016. Retrieved 30 April 2006.

[jazeera-3] Online edition, Al-Jazeera Satellite Network. "Iran breaks up largest province". Archived from the original on 20 May 2006. Retrieved 30 April 2006.

[area-4] Statistical Centre, Government of Iran. "General Characteristics of Ostans according to their administrative divisions at the end of 1383 (2005 CE)". Retrieved 30 April 2006.

[5] "National census 2016". amar.org.ir. Archived from the original on 14 March 2017. Retrieved 14 March 2017.[]

[:0-6] 2015-2016 data, Statistical Centre of Iran, Source

[ICS-7] Chamber Society, Iranian. "Ardabil Province". Archived from the original on 12 June 2008. Retrieved 23 July 2008.

[InfoPlease-8] "Urmia". Archived from the original on 8 September 2008. Retrieved 23 July 2008.

[CMB-9] Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province, Ostandarie. "Chahar Mahaal and Bakhtiari Province". Retrieved 23 July 2008.

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