Provinces of Iran

Iranian Provinces
استان‌های ایران (Persian)
Also known as:
Province
استان
Category Unitary state
Location Islamic Republic of Iran
Number 31 Provinces
Populations 557,599 (Ilam Province) – 12,183,391 (Tehran)
Areas 5,830 km2 (2,252 sq mi) (Alborz) – 181,790 km2 (70,188 sq mi) (Sistan and Baluchestan)
Government Provincal Government, National Government
Subdivisions Counties
Provinces of Iran by population in 2014.
Provinces of Iran by population density in 2013.
Provinces of Iran by area (km2).
Provinces of Iran by contribution to national GDP in 2014.
Provinces of Iran by GDP per capita in 2012.

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

Modern history

According to the Encyclopedia Britannica,[2] in 1911 there were thirty-five administrative divisions in Persia, as follows:

Provinces
  1. Khuzestan and Bakhtiari
  2. Astarabad and Gurgan
  3. Azerbaijan
  4. Fars
  5. Gerrus
  6. Gilan and Talish
  7. Hamada[n]
  8. Irak, Gulpaigan, Khunsar, [Kezzaz, Ferakan, and Tusirkhan]
  9. Isfahan
  10. Kashan
  11. Kazvin
  12. Kerman and Baluchistan
  13. Kermanshah
  14. Kamseh
  15. Khar
  16. Khorasan
  17. Kum
  18. Kurdistan
  19. Luristan and Burujird
  20. Mazandaran
  21. Nehavend, Malayir and Kamereh
  22. Savah
  23. Samnan and Damghan
  24. Shahrud and Bostam
  25. Teheran
  26. Zerend and Bagdadi Shahsevens
Dependencies
  1. Asadabad
  2. Demavend
  3. Firuzkuh
  4. Josehekan
  5. Kangaver
  6. Natanz
  7. []
  8. Tarom Ulia
  9. Kharakan

Until 1950, Iran was divided into twelve provinces: Ardalan, Azerbaijan, Baluchestan, Fars, Gilan, Araq-e Ajam, Khorasan, Khuzestan, Kerman, Larestan, Lorestan, and Mazandaran.[3]

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.[3]

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 2004 when the province of Khorasan was split into three new provinces[4] as well as splitting of the new Alborz Province from Teheran province in 2010.

Information

Current provinces

Province Capital Area[5] Population[6] Density
(population/km²)		 Shahrestans (counties) Notes Map
Alborz Karaj 5,833 km2 (2,252 sq mi) 2,412,513 413.6 inhabitants per square kilometre (1,071/sq mi)4Until 23 June 2010, Alborz was part of Tehran province.
Ardabil Ardabil 17,800 km2 (6,900 sq mi) 1,248,488 70.1 inhabitants per square kilometre (182/sq mi)9Until 1993, Ardabil was part of East Azerbaijan province.[7]
Azerbaijan, East Tabriz 45,650 km2 (17,630 sq mi) 3,724,620 82.3 inhabitants per square kilometre (213/sq mi)19
Azerbaijan, West Urmia 37,437 km2 (14,455 sq mi) 3,080,576 78.8 inhabitants per square kilometre (204/sq mi)14During the Pahlavi Dynasty Urmia was known as Rezaiyeh.[8]
Bushehr Bushehr 22,743 km2 (8,781 sq mi) 1,032,949 45.4 inhabitants per square kilometre (118/sq mi)9Originally part of Fars province. Until 1977, the province was known as Khalij-e Fars (Persian Gulf).[3]
Chahar Mahaal and Bakhtiari Shahrekord 16,332 km2 (6,306 sq mi) 895,263 54.8 inhabitants per square kilometre (142/sq mi)6Until 1973 was part of Isfahan province.[9]
Fars Shiraz 122,608 km2 (47,339 sq mi) 4,596,658 37.5 inhabitants per square kilometre (97/sq mi)23
Gilan Rasht 14,042 km2 (5,422 sq mi) 2,480,874 176.7 inhabitants per square kilometre (458/sq mi)16
Golestan Gorgan 20,195 km2 (7,797 sq mi) 1,777,014 88.0 inhabitants per square kilometre (228/sq mi)11On 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.[3]
Hamadan Hamadan 19,368 km2 (7,478 sq mi) 1,758,268 90.8 inhabitants per square kilometre (235/sq mi)8Originally part of Kermanshah province.[3]
Hormozgān Bandar Abbas 70,669 km2 (27,285 sq mi) 1,578,183 22.3 inhabitants per square kilometre (58/sq mi)11Originally part of Kerman province.[3] Until 1977, the province was known as Banader va Jazayer-e Bahr-e Oman (Ports and Islands of the Sea of Oman).[3]
Ilam Ilam 20,133 km2 (7,773 sq mi) 557,599 27.7 inhabitants per square kilometre (72/sq mi)7Originally part of Kermanshah province.[3]
Isfahan Isfahan 107,029 km2 (41,324 sq mi) 4,879,312 45.6 inhabitants per square kilometre (118/sq mi)21In 1986, some parts of Markazi province were transferred to Isfahan, Semnan, and Zanjan provinces.[3]
Kerman Kerman 180,836 km2 (69,821 sq mi) 2,938,988 16.3 inhabitants per square kilometre (42/sq mi)14
Kermanshah Kermanshah 24,998 km2 (9,652 sq mi) 1,945,227 77.8 inhabitants per square kilometre (202/sq mi)13Between 1950 and 1979, both Kermanshah province and city were known as Kermanshahan and between 1979 and 1995 were known as Bakhtaran.[3]
Khorasan, North Bojnourd 28,434 km2 (10,978 sq mi) 867,727 30.5 inhabitants per square kilometre (79/sq mi)6On 29 September 2004, Khorasan was divided into three provinces. North Khorasan; Razavi Khorasan; South Khorasan.[4]
Khorasan, Razavi Mashhad 144,681 km2 (55,862 sq mi) 5,994,402 41.4 inhabitants per square kilometre (107/sq mi)29On 29 September 2004, Khorasan was divided into three provinces. North Khorasan; Razavi Khorasan; South Khorasan.[4]
Khorasan, South Birjand 69,555 km2 (26,855 sq mi) 662,5349.5 inhabitants per square kilometre (25/sq mi) 8On 29 September 2004, Khorasan was divided into three provinces. North Khorasan; Razavi Khorasan; South Khorasan.[4]
Khuzestan Ahvaz 64,055 km2 (24,732 sq mi) 4,345,607 67.8 inhabitants per square kilometre (176/sq mi)18
Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Yasuj 15,504 km2 (5,986 sq mi) 658,629 42.5 inhabitants per square kilometre (110/sq mi)5Originally part of Khuzestan province. Until 1990, the province was known as Bovir Ahmadi and Kohkiluyeh.[3]
Kurdistan Sanandaj 29,137 km2 (11,250 sq mi) 1,493,645 51.3 inhabitants per square kilometre (133/sq mi)9Originally part of Gilan province.[3]
Lorestan Khorramabad 28,294 km2 (10,924 sq mi) 1,754,243 62.0 inhabitants per square kilometre (161/sq mi)9Originally part of Khuzestan province.[3]
Markazi Arak 29,130 km2 (11,250 sq mi) 1,413,95948.5 inhabitants per square kilometre (126/sq mi) 10Originally part of Mazandaran province.[3] In 1986, some parts of Markazi province were transferred to Isfahan, Semnan, and Zanjan provinces.[3]
Mazandaran Sari 23,701 km2 (9,151 sq mi) 3,073,943129.7 inhabitants per square kilometre (336/sq mi)15
Qazvin Qazvin 15,549 km2 (6,004 sq mi) 1,201,56577.3 inhabitants per square kilometre (200/sq mi)5On 31 December 1996, the shahrestans of Qazvin and Takestan were separated from Zanjan province to form the province of Qazvin.[3]
Qom Qom 11,526 km2 (4,450 sq mi) 1,151,67299.9 inhabitants per square kilometre (259/sq mi) 1Until 1995, Qom was a shahrestan of Tehran province.[3]
Semnan Semnan 97,491 km2 (37,641 sq mi) 631,2186.5 inhabitants per square kilometre (17/sq mi)4Originally part of Mazandaran province.[3] In 1986, some parts of Markazi province were transferred to Isfahan, Semnan, and Zanjan provinces.[3]
Sistan and Baluchestan Zahedan 181,785 km2 (70,188 sq mi) 2,534,327 13.9 inhabitants per square kilometre (36/sq mi)8Until 1986, the province was known as Baluchestan and Sistan.[3]
Tehran Tehran 18,814 km2 (7,264 sq mi) 12,183,391 647.6 inhabitants per square kilometre (1,677/sq mi)13Until 1986, Tehran was part of Markazi province.
Yazd Yazd 129,285 km2 (49,917 sq mi) 1,074,428 8.3 inhabitants per square kilometre (21/sq mi)10Originally 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.[3]
Zanjan Zanjan 21,773 km2 (8,407 sq mi) 1,015,734 46.6 inhabitants per square kilometre (121/sq mi)7Originally part of Gilan province. In 1986, some parts of Markazi province were transferred to Isfahan, Semnan, and Zanjan provinces.[3]
Iran (Total) Tehran 1,628,554 km2 (628,788 sq mi) 75,149,669 46.1 inhabitants per square kilometre (119/sq mi) 342

See also

References and notes

  1. ↑ IRNA, Online Edition. "Paris for further cultural cooperation with Iran". Retrieved 2007-10-21.
  2. ↑ Persia entry in Encyclopaedia Britannica
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 Gwillim Law, Statoids website. "Provinces of Iran". Retrieved 2006-04-30.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Online edition, Al-Jazeera Satellite Network. "Iran breaks up largest province". Retrieved 2006-04-30.
  5. ↑ Statistical Centre, Government of Iran. "General Characteristics of Ostans according to their administrative divisions at the end of 1383 (2005 CE)". Archived from the original on October 26, 2007. Retrieved 2006-04-30.
  6. ↑ Statistical Centre, Government of Iran. "Selected Findings of the 2011 National Population and Housing Census, Table 13. Population by sex, residence status and province" (PDF). Retrieved 2013-09-28.
  7. ↑ Chamber Society, Iranian. "Ardabil Province". Retrieved 2008-07-23.
  8. ↑ "Urmia". Retrieved 2008-07-23.
  9. 1 2 Chahar Mahaal and Bakhtiari Province, Ostandarie. "Chahar Mahaal and Bakhtiari Province". Retrieved 2008-07-23.

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