Provinces of Iranاستانهای ایران (in Persian) |
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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.
Contents
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 |