Iran has one of the highest urban population growth rates in the world. From 1950 to 2002, the urban proportion of the population increased from 27% to 60%.[1] The United Nations (UN) predicts that by 2030 80% of the population will live in urban areas.[2] Most internal migrants have settled near the cities of Tehran, Isfahan, Karaj, Ahvaz, Mashhad and Qom. Tehran, with a population of 8.7 million (2016 census), is the largest city in Iran and is the nation's capital. Tehran is home to around 11% of Iran's population. It is the hub of the country's communication and transport networks.[3]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/14/The_most_populated_cities_of_iran.svg/350px-The_most_populated_cities_of_iran.svg.png)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/31/Iran_population_density_2004.jpg/200px-Iran_population_density_2004.jpg)
Mashhad, with a population of 4.2 million (as of 2019), is the second-largest Iranian city and the centre of the province of Razavi Khorasan. Mashhad is one of the holiest Shi'a cities in the world as it is the site of the Imam Reza shrine. It is the centre of tourism in Iran and between 15 and 20 million pilgrims go to Imam Reza's shrine every year.[4][5]
The third most populous city of Iran is Isfahan with a population 2.5 million (as of 2019). This city is one of the most industrial cities of Iran with large industries and hosts several UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The city has a wide variety of historic monuments and is known for its paintings, history and architecture.
The fourth most populous Iranian city is Karaj, with a population of 2.1 million (as of 2019). Karaj is the capital of Alborz Province and is situated 35 km west of Tehran, at the foot of Alborz mountains; however, the city is increasingly becoming an extension of metropolitan Tehran.
The fifth most populous Iranian city is Shiraz (population 1.57 million), which is located in the southwest of Iran with a moderate climate and has been a regional trade center for over a thousand years. Shiraz is one of the oldest cities of ancient Persia, known as the city of poets, literature and flowers. It is also considered by many Iranians to be the city of gardens and also a major center for Iran's electronic industries.
The other major cities are Tabriz (population 1.56 million), Qom (population 1.2 million) and Ahvaz (population 1.18 million).[6]
List of Metro Cities
editThere are 10 large cities or metropolitan cities in Iran with the population over a million' or more.
Rank | City | Population |
---|---|---|
1 | Tehran | 15,800,000 |
2 | Isfahan | 3,989,070 |
3 | Mashhad | 3,416,000 |
4 | Karaj | 2,512,737 |
5 | Shiraz | 1,800,000 |
6 | Tabriz | 1,773,023 |
7 | Qom | 1,260,000 |
8 | Ahvaz | 1,184,788 |
9 | Kermanshah | 1,083,833 |
10 | Urmia | 1,000,000 |
Cities over 100,000 population
editThe following sorted table, lists the most populous cities in Iran with a population of more than 100,000 according to 2016 Census results announced by Statistical Center of Iran.[7][8] A city is displayed in bold if it is the province capital.
Rank | City | Province | Date of Official Foundation of Municipality |
2016 Census | 2011 Census | Change |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Tehran | Tehran | 1907 | 8,693,706 | 8,154,051 | +6.62% |
2 | Mashhad | Razavi Khorasan | 1918 | 3,001,184 | 2,749,374 | +9.16% |
3 | Isfahan | Isfahan | 1907 | 1,961,260 | 1,756,126 | +11.68% |
4 | Karaj | Alborz | 1951 | 1,592,492 | 1,614,626 | −1.37% |
5 | Shiraz | Fars | 1907 | 1,565,572 | 1,460,665 | +7.18% |
6 | Tabriz | East Azerbaijan | 1907 | 1,558,693 | 1,494,988 | +4.26% |
7 | Qom | Qom | 1926 | 1,201,158 | 1,074,036 | +11.84% |
8 | Ahvaz | Khuzestan | 1925 | 1,184,788 | 1,112,021 | +6.54% |
9 | Kermanshah | Kermanshah | 1912 | 946,651 | 851,405 | +11.19% |
10 | Urmia | West Azerbaijan | 1928 | 736,224 | 667,499 | +10.30% |
11 | Rasht | Gilan | 1907 | 679,995 | 639,951 | +6.26% |
12 | Zahedan | Sistan and Baluchestan | 1938 | 587,730 | 560,725 | +4.82% |
13 | Hamadan | Hamadan | 1911 | 554,406 | 525,794 | +5.44% |
14 | Kerman | Kerman | 1907 | 537,718 | 534,441 | +0.61% |
15 | Yazd | Yazd | 1926 | 529,673 | 486,152 | +8.95% |
16 | Ardabil | Ardabil | 1925 | 529,374 | 482,632 | +9.68% |
17 | Bandar Abbas | Hormozgan | 1925 | 526,648 | 435,751 | +20.86% |
18 | Arak | Markazi | 1927 | 520,944 | 526,182 | −1.00% |
19 | Eslamshahr | Tehran | 1978 | 448,129 | 389,102 | +15.17% |
20 | Zanjan | Zanjan | 1923 | 430,871 | 386,851 | +11.38% |
21 | Sanandaj | Kurdistan | 1928 | 412,767 | 373,987 | +10.37% |
22 | Qazvin | Qazvin | 1924 | 402,748 | 381,598 | +5.54% |
23 | Khorramabad | Lorestan | 1931 | 373,416 | 348,216 | +7.24% |
24 | Gorgan | Golestan | 1925 | 350,676 | 329,536 | +6.42% |
25 | Sari | Mazandaran | 1927 | 347,402 | 296,417 | +17.20% |
26 | Shahriar | Tehran | 1952 | 309,607 | 249,473 | +24.10% |
27 | Qods | Tehran | 1989 | 309,605 | 283,517 | +9.20% |
28 | Kashan | Isfahan | 1930 | 304,487 | 275,325 | +10.59% |
29 | Malard | Tehran | 1995 | 281,027 | 290,817 | −3.37% |
30 | Dezful | Khuzestan | 1920 | 264,709 | 248,380 | +6.57% |
31 | Nishapur | Razavi Khorasan | 1931 | 264,375 | 239,185 | +10.53% |
32 | Babol | Mazandaran | 1925 | 250,217 | 219,467 | +14.01% |
33 | Khomeyni Shahr | Isfahan | 1932 | 247,128 | 244,696 | +0.99% |
34 | Sabzevar | Razavi Khorasan | 1930 | 243,700 | 231,557 | +5.24% |
35 | Golestan | Tehran | 1996 | 239,556 | 259,480 | −7.68% |
36 | Amol | Mazandaran | 1933 | 237,528 | 219,915 | +8.01% |
37 | Pakdasht | Tehran | 1991 | 236,319 | 206,490 | +14.45% |
38 | Najafabad | Isfahan | 1931 | 235,281 | 221,814 | +6.07% |
39 | Borujerd | Lorestan | 1935 | 234,997 | 240,654 | −2.35% |
40 | Abadan | Khuzestan | 1924 | 231,476 | 212,744 | +8.80% |
41 | Qarchak | Tehran | 1976 | 231,075 | 191,588 | +20.61% |
42 | Bojnord | North Khorasan | 1931 | 228,931 | 199,791 | +14.59% |
43 | Varamin | Tehran | 1941 | 225,628 | 218,991 | +3.03% |
44 | Bushehr | Bushehr | 1922 | 223,504 | 195,222 | +14.49% |
45 | Saveh | Markazi | 1931 | 220,762 | 200,481 | +10.12% |
46 | Qaem Shahr | Mazandaran | 1935 | 204,953 | 196,050 | +4.54% |
47 | Birjand | South Khorasan | 1928 | 203,636 | 178,020 | +14.39% |
48 | Nasimshahr | Tehran | 1995 | 200,393 | 157,474 | +27.25% |
49 | Sirjan | Kerman | 1936 | 199,704 | 185,623 | +7.59% |
50 | Khoy | West Azerbaijan | 1923 | 198,845 | 200,958 | −1.05% |
51 | Ilam | Ilam | 1936 | 194,030 | 172,213 | +12.67% |
52 | Bukan | West Azerbaijan | 1948 | 193,501 | 170,600 | +13.42% |
53 | Shahr-e Kord | Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari | 1931 | 190,441 | 159,775 | +19.19% |
54 | Semnan | Semnan | 1925 | 185,129 | 153,680 | +20.46% |
55 | Fardis | Alborz | 2013 | 181,174 | 181,174 | 0.00% |
56 | Maragheh | East Azerbaijan | 1921 | 175,255 | 162,275 | +8.00% |
57 | Shahin Shahr | Isfahan | 1976 | 173,329 | 143,308 | +20.95% |
58 | Malayer | Hamadan | 1934 | 170,237 | 159,848 | +6.50% |
59 | Mahabad | West Azerbaijan | 1931 | 168,393 | 147,268 | +14.34% |
60 | Saqqez | Kurdistan | 1935 | 165,258 | 139,738 | +18.26% |
61 | Bandar-e Mahshahr | Khuzestan | 1954 | 162,797 | 153,778 | +5.86% |
62 | Rafsanjan | Kerman | 1935 | 161,909 | 151,420 | +6.93% |
63 | Gonbad-e Kavus | Golestan | 1934 | 151,910 | 144,546 | +5.09% |
64 | Shahrud | Semnan | 1925 | 150,129 | 140,474 | +6.87% |
65 | Marvdasht | Fars | 1950 | 148,858 | 138,649 | +7.36% |
66 | Kamal Shahr | Alborz | 1996 | 141,669 | 109,943 | +28.86% |
67 | Jahrom | Fars | 1925 | 141,634 | 114,108 | +24.12% |
68 | Torbat-e Heydarieh | Razavi Khorasan | 1928 | 140,019 | 131,150 | +6.76% |
69 | Marivan | Kurdistan | 1957 | 136,654 | 110,464 | +23.71% |
70 | Andimeshk | Khuzestan | 1956 | 135,116 | 126,811 | +6.55% |
71 | Shahreza | Isfahan | 1929 | 134,952 | 123,767 | +9.04% |
72 | Zabol | Sistan and Baluchestan | 1928 | 134,950 | 137,722 | −2.01% |
73 | Yasuj | Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad | 1970 | 134,532 | 108,505 | +23.99% |
74 | Miandoab | West Azerbaijan | 1935 | 134,425 | 123,081 | +9.22% |
75 | Khorramshahr | Khuzestan | 1925 | 133,097 | 129,418 | +2.84% |
76 | Marand | East Azerbaijan | 1929 | 130,825 | 124,323 | +5.23% |
77 | Jiroft | Kerman | 1946 | 130,429 | 111,034 | +17.47% |
78 | Bam | Kerman | 1937 | 127,396 | 107,131 | +18.92% |
79 | Behbahan | Khuzestan | 1937 | 122,604 | 107,412 | +14.14% |
80 | Dorud | Lorestan | 1949 | 121,638 | 99,499 | +22.25% |
81 | Nazarabad | Alborz | 2002 | 119,512 | 107,806 | +10.86% |
82 | Mohammadshahr | Alborz | 1996 | 119,418 | 100,519 | +18.80% |
83 | Izeh | Khuzestan | 1958 | 119,399 | 117,093 | +1.97% |
84 | Bandar-e Anzali | Gilan | 1922 | 118,564 | 116,664 | +1.63% |
85 | Andisheh | Tehran | 2003 | 116,062 | 96,807 | +19.89% |
86 | Iranshahr | Sistan and Baluchestan | 1940 | 113,750 | 97,012 | +17.25% |
87 | Fasa | Fars | 1926 | 110,825 | 104,809 | +5.74% |
88 | Borazjan | Bushehr | 1928 | 110,567 | 95,449 | +15.84% |
89 | Baneh | Kurdistan | 1948 | 110,218 | 85,190 | +29.38% |
90 | Chabahar | Sistan and Baluchestan | 1950 | 106,739 | 85,633 | +24.65% |
91 | Robat Karim | Tehran | 1983 | 105,393 | 78,097 | +34.95% |
92 | Kashmar | Razavi Khorasan | 1929 | 102,282 | 90,200 | +13.39% |
93 | Shushtar | Khuzestan | 1927 | 101,878 | 106,815 | −4.62% |
94 | Quchan | Razavi Khorasan | 1937 | 101,604 | 103,760 | −2.08% |
95 | Lahijan | Gilan | 1928 | 101,073 | 94,051 | +7.47% |
96 | Ahar | East Azerbaijan | 1944 | 100,641 | 92,608 | +8.67% |
97 | Masjed Soleyman | Khuzestan | 1959 | 100,497 | 103,369 | −2.78% |
98 | Torbat-e Jam | Razavi Khorasan | 1933 | 100,449 | 94,758 | +6.01% |
Largest cities in the provinces
editThis is a list of the largest cities of the 31 provinces, based on the city's population as of the 2016 census.[9]
Gallery
edit-
1. Tehran, Tehran Province
-
2. Mashhad, Khorasan Razavi Province
-
3. Isfahan, Isfahan Province
-
4. Karaj, Alborz Province
-
5. Shiraz, Fars Province
-
6. Tabriz, East Azerbaijan Province
-
7. Ahvaz, Khūzestān Province
-
8. Qom, Qom Province
-
9. Kermanshah, Kermanshah Province
-
10. Urmia, West Azerbaijan Province
-
11. Rasht, Gilan Province
-
12. Zahedan, Sistan and Baluchestan Province
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Payvand. "Iran: Focus on reverse migration". Retrieved 2006-04-17.[dead link]
- ^ "Islamic Azad University", retrieved 28 Jan 2008 Archived November 10, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Assari, Ali; T.M. Mahesh (2011). "Urbanization Process in Iranian Cities". Asian Journal of Development Matters. 5 (1): 151–154. Retrieved 7 January 2013.
- ^ Religious Tourism Potentials Rich retrieved 28 Feb 2008 Archived February 24, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Mashhad, Iran Archived 2010-11-27 at the Wayback Machine retrieved 28 Feb 2008
- ^ "Population of Cities in Iran 2023". worldpopulationreview.com. Retrieved 2023-07-03.
- ^ "Statistical Center of Iran > Population and Housing Censuses".
- ^ "Population of Cities in Iran (Islamic Republic of) 2021 - StatisticsTimes.com". statisticstimes.com. Retrieved 2023-07-03.
- ^ "Iran: Provinces, Major Cities & Towns - Population Statistics, Maps, Charts, Weather and Web Information". www.citypopulation.de. Retrieved 2023-07-03.
Bibliography
edit- Laurence Lockhart (1960). Persian Cities. London. OCLC 1370385.
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - Fredy Bemont. Les Villes de l'Iran (in French). OCLC 489929494. 1969–1973
- Michael E. Bonine (1979). "Morphogenesis of Iranian Cities". Annals of the Association of American Geographers. 69 (2): 208–224. doi:10.1111/j.1467-8306.1979.tb01252.x. JSTOR 2563066.
- Heinz Gaube (1979). Iranian Cities. New York University Press. ISBN 0814729711.
- Fisher, William Bayne; Avery, P.; Hambly, G. R. G.; Gershevitch, Ilya; Melville, C.; Boyle, John Andrew; Frye, Richard Nelson; Yarshater, Ehsan; Jackson, Peter; Lockhart, Laurence (1991). "Traditional Iranian City in the Qajar Period". From Nadir Shah to the Islamic Republic. Vol. 7. Cambridge University Press. pp. 542+. ISBN 9780521200950.
{{cite book}}
:|work=
ignored (help) - Masoud Kheirabadi (2000). Iranian Cities: Formation and Development. Syracuse University Press. ISBN 978-0-8156-2860-6.
- Eckart Ehlers (2011) [1991]. "Cities: Modern Urbanization and Modernization in Persia". Encyclopædia Iranica.