Provinces of Iran

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]

Iran has had a historical claim to Bahrain as its 14th province: Bahrain Province, until 1971 under British colonial occupation. Prior to 1957, Bahrain was placed under Fars Province.[3] During Safavid Iran, Bahrain was subordinate to Bushehr governorship and Zubarah (located in modern-day country of Qatar) was its capital city. In 1737, under Afsharid dynasty Bahrain was made subject to Fars governorship.[4] This claim was reasserted by the new theocratic Iranian leadership after 1979 with the famous 1981 coup attempt that occurred.[5]

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.[6]

Map of the 31 provinces of Iran

According to Donyaye Eqtesad, between 2017 and 2019, some 11 of the 20 poorest Iranian cities were in the province of Sistan and Baluchestan. Three other markedly poor cities were located in Kerman province. [7]

Iranian provinces along with additional information and statistics

Province	Capital	Population, 2016[8]	Population 2011	Annual Population Growth Rate (2006–2016)	Population of the capital city	Capital's share of provincial population	Land Area (km2)	Population Density (people per km2)	Shahrestans (counties)	Life expectancy, male[9]	Life expectancy, female[9]	Notes	Map
Alborz	Karaj	2,712,400	2412513	3.21%	1592492	58.71%	5833	465.01	4	74.4	78	Until 23 June 2010, Alborz was part of Tehran province.
Ardabil	Ardabil	1,270,420	1248488	0.50%	529374	41.67%	17800	71.37	9	71.3	75.6	Until 1993, Ardabil was part of East Azerbaijan province.[10]
Azerbaijan, East	Tabriz	3,909,652	3724620	1.08%	1558693	39.87%	45650	85.64	19	72.5	75.9
Azerbaijan, West	Urmia	3,265,219	3080576	1.53%	793000	24.29%	37437	87.22	14	71.6	76.3	During the Pahlavi Dynasty Urmia was known as Rezaiyeh.[11]
Bushehr	Bushehr	1,163,400	1032949	3.43%	223504	19.21%	22743	51.15	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	947,763	895263	1.23%	190441	20.09%	16332	58.03	6	70.2	75	Until 1973 was part of Isfahan province.[12]
Fars	Shiraz	4,851,274	4596658	1.49%	1565572	32.27%	122608	39.57	23	72.1	76.3
Gilan	Rasht	2,530,696	2480874	0.63%	713000	28.17%	14042	180.22	16	72.1	76.5
Golestan	Gorgan	1,868,819	1777014	1.73%	350676	18.77%	20195	92.53	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	1,738,234	1738214	0.50%	554405	31.53%	19368	90.78	8	71.2	75.6	Originally part of Kermanshah province.[2]
Hormozgān	Bandar Abbas	1,776,415	1578183	3.01%	526648	29.65%	70669	25.14	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	580,158	557599	0.35%	194030	33.44%	20133	28.82	7	70.5	72	Originally part of Kermanshah province.[2]
Isfahan	Isfahan	5,120,850	4879312	1.64%	2132000	41.63%	107029	47.85	21	73	77	In 1986, some parts of Markazi province were transferred to Isfahan, Semnan, and Zanjan provinces.[2]
Kerman	Kerman	3,164,718	2938988	2.24%	537718	16.99%	183285	17.27	14	71.4	75.5
Kermanshah	Kermanshah	1,952,434	1945227	0.60%	1026000	52.55%	24998	78.10	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	863,092	867727	0.90%	228931	26.52%	28434	30.35	6	69.8	72.6	On 29 September 2004, Khorasan was divided into three provinces. North Khorasan; Razavi Khorasan; South Khorasan.[6]
Khorasan, Razavi	Mashhad	6,434,501	5994402	1.67%	3208000	49.86%	118884	54.12	29	72.1	76.2	On 29 September 2004, Khorasan was divided into three provinces. North Khorasan; Razavi Khorasan; South Khorasan.[6]
Khorasan, South	Birjand	768,898	662534	2.80%	203636	26.48%	151913	5.06	8	70.8	73.9	On 29 September 2004, Khorasan was divided into three provinces. North Khorasan; Razavi Khorasan; South Khorasan.[6]
Khuzestan	Ahvaz	4,710,509	4531720	1.24%	1244000	26.41%	64055	73.54	18	71.3	73.9
Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad	Yasuj	713,052	658629	1.47%	134532	18.87%	15504	45.99	5	71.2	73.1	Originally part of Khuzestan province. Until 1990, the province was known as Bovir Ahmadi and Kohkiluyeh.[2]
Kurdistan	Sanandaj	1,603,011	1493645	1.32%	412767	25.75%	29137	55.02	9	70.6	74.1	Originally part of Gilan province.[2]
Lorestan	Khorramabad	1,760,649	1754243	0.42%	373416	21.21%	28294	62.23	9	71.1	74.5	Originally part of Khuzestan province.[2]
Markazi	Arak	1,429,475	1413959	0.77%	520944	36.44%	29130	49.07	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	3,283,582	3073943	1.35%	309820	9.44%	23701	138.54	15	73.5	77
Qazvin	Qazvin	1,273,761	1201565	1.29%	402748	31.62%	15549	81.92	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	1,292,283	1151672	2.47%	1288000	99.67%	11526	112.12	1	71.5	75.6	Until 1995, Qom was a shahrestan of Tehran province.[2]
Semnan	Semnan	702,360	631218	2.30%	134532	19.15%	97491	7.20	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	2,775,014	2534327	1.81%	610000	21.98%	180726	15.35	8	65.7	69.2	Until 1986, the province was known as Baluchestan and Sistan.[2]
Tehran	Tehran	13,267,637	12183391	1.82%	9135000	68.85%	18814	705.20	13	74.3	77.8	Until 1986, Tehran was part of Markazi province.
Yazd	Yazd	1,138,533	1074428	1.88%	529673	46.52%	76469	14.89	10	73.2	76.7	Originally part of Isfahan province.[12] 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	1,057,461	1015734	1.22%	430871	40.75%	21773	48.57	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	79,926,270	75129615	1.55%	31654423	40%	1,628,554 km2 (628,788 sq mi)	49.078	342	72.5	75.9

• Khorasan Province
• Bahrain Province

• List of current Iran governors-general
• List of Iranian provinces by Human Development Index
• Administrative divisions of Iran
  • Regions of Iran
  • Counties of Iran
• Geography of Iran
• ISO 3166-2:IR

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Provinces of Iran.

• 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