Provinces of Iran استان‌های ایران (in Persian)
Also known as Province استان
Category	Unitary state
Location	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

Iran is subdivided into thirty-one provinces (Persian: استان‎ Ostān, plural استان‌ها Ostānhā), each governed from a local center, 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 (Persian: استاندار Ostāndār), who is appointed by the Minister of the Interior subject to the approval of the cabinet.

Modern history

Iran has held its modern territory since the second half of the 19th century (Treaty of Paris (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.

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.

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 as well as splitting of the new Alborz Province from Teheran province in 2010.

Information

Current provinces

Province	Capital	Area	Population	Density	Shahrestans(counties)	Notes	Map
Alborz	Karaj	5,833 km2(2,252 sq mi)	2,712,400	413.6/km2(1,071/sq mi)	4	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	Until 1993, Ardabil was part of East Azerbaijan province.[6]
Azerbaijan, East	Tabriz	45,650 km2(17,630 sq mi)	3,909,652	82.3/km2(213/sq mi)	19
Azerbaijan, West	Urmia	37,437 km2(14,455 sq mi)	3,265,219	78.8/km2(204/sq mi)	14	During the Pahlavi Dynasty Urmia was known as Rezaiyeh.[7]
Bushehr	Bushehr	22,743 km2(8,781 sq mi)	1,163,400	45.4/km2(118/sq mi)	9	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	Until 1973 was part of Isfahan province.[8]
Fars	Shiraz	122,608 km2(47,339 sq mi)	4,851,274	37.5/km2(97/sq mi)	23
Gilan	Rasht	14,042 km2(5,422 sq mi)	2,530,696	176.7/km2(458/sq mi)	16
Golestan	Gorgan	20,195 km2(7,797 sq mi)	1,868,819	88.0/km2(228/sq mi)	11	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	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	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	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	In 1986, some parts of Markazi province were transferred to Isfahan, Semnan, and Zanjan provinces.[2]
Kerman	Kerman	180,836 km2(69,821 sq mi)	3,164,718	16.3/km2(42/sq mi)	14
Kermanshah	Kermanshah	24,998 km2(9,652 sq mi)	1,952,434	77.8/km2(202/sq mi)	13	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	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	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	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
Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad	Yasuj	15,504 km2(5,986 sq mi)	713,052	42.5/km2(110/sq mi)	5	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	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	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	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
Qazvin	Qazvin	15,549 km2(6,004 sq mi)	1,273,761	77.3/km2(200/sq mi)	5	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	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	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	181,785 km2(70,188 sq mi)	2,775,014	13.9/km2(36/sq mi)	8	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	Until 1986, Tehran was part of Markazi province.
Yazd	Yazd	129,285 km2(49,917 sq mi)	1,138,533	8.3/km2(21/sq mi)	10	Originally part of Isfahan province.[8] 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	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