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]
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]
There 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 |
The 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% |
This is a list of the largest cities of the 31 provinces, based on the city's population as of the 2016 census. [9]
Tehran province is one of the 31 provinces of Iran. Its capital is the city of Tehran.
Razavi Khorasan province is one of the 31 provinces of Iran, located in northeastern Iran. Its capital is the city of Mashhad, the second-most-populous city in Iran.
Gulistan, Golestan or Golastan means "flower land" in Persian language.
GMT+03:30 is an identifier for a time offset from UTC of +03:30. In ISO 8601 the associated time would be written as 2024-08-25T17:22:21+03:30. This time is used only in Iran, so it is also called Iran Standard Time.
Iran has rapid transit systems operating in five cities, and others are under construction.
Shahr Khodro Football Club, previously known as Padideh, is an Iranian football club based in Mashhad, Razavi Khorasan, that competes in the Persian Gulf Pro League. The club was founded in 2013 and was known as Padideh Khorasan Football Club between 2013 and 2019, and between March and August 2021.
The majority of the population of Iran consists of Iranic peoples. The largest groups in this category include Persians and Kurds, with smaller communities including Gilakis, Mazandaranis, Lurs, Tats, Talysh, and Baloch.
Khorramabad is the capital of Lorestan Province, Iran.
The 2013–14 Hazfi Cup was the 27th season of the Iranian football knockout competition. Sepahan was the defending champion, but was eliminated by Sanat Naft in the Round of 32. The competition started on 4 September 2013 and ended on 14 February 2014. Tractor won the title, defeating Mes Kerman in the final.
The 2013–14 Iranian Futsal Hazfi Cup were the 1st season of the Iranian futsal knockout competition. Mahan Tandis Qom won the title with defeating Misagh Tehran in the final.
The 2015–16 Hazfi Cup was the 29th season of the Iranian football knockout competition. Zob Ahan Isfahan was the defending champion. The competition started on 27 August 2015 and the final was played on 29 May 2016.
Zob Ahan won the tournament for the second time in a row after defeating Esteghlal in the final.
The 2016–17 Hazfi Cup was the 30th season of the Iranian football knockout competition. Zob Ahan Isfahan, the defending champions, were eliminated by Tractor Sazi in the semi-final in extra time. The competition started on 12 September 2016, and the final was played on 11 May 2017. Naft Tehran defeated Tractor Sazi in the final, earning their first title.
The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Mashhad, Iran.
The 2021-2022 Iranian protests erupted on 15 July 2021 to protest the water shortages and crisis, but were quickly met with police violence and brutality. "Bloody Aban", November 2021 saw further protests due to water shortages but various other protests and strikes also took place due to the worsening economic situation. In August 2021, Amnesty International noted that brutal forces have been used by the Security Forces to oppress the protesters.
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