View source for Provinces of Iran

{{Short description|none}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2024}}
{{Infobox subdivision type
| name               = Provinces of Iran<br />{{lang|fa|استان‌های ایران}}<br />''Ostânhâye Irân''
| alt_name           = Ostân<br />{{lang|fa|استان}}
| map                = [[File:Iran provinces.svg|330px]]
| category           = [[Unitary state]]
| territory          = [[Iran]]
| start_date         =
| current_number     = 31
| number_date        =
| population_range   = 591,000 ([[Ilam province]]) – 13,323,000 ([[Tehran province]])
| area_range         = {{Convert|5833|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}} ([[Alborz province]]) – {{Convert|183285|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}} ([[Kerman province]])
| government         = Provincial government ([[Government of Iran|national government]])
| subdivision        = [[Counties of Iran|County]]
}}
[[File:Provinces of Iran by population.svg|thumb|280px|Provinces of Iran by population in 2021]]
[[File:Provinces of Iran by population density.svg|thumb|280px|Provinces of Iran by population density in 2013]]
[[File:Iranian provinces by HDI (2017).svg|thumb|Map of the Iranian provinces by Human Development Index in 2017<br />
Legend:
{{legend|#00023a|0.800 – 1.000 (very high)}}
{{legend|#000074|0.700 – 0.799 (high)}}
{{legend|#0010c0|0.600 – 0.699 (medium)}}|280x280px]]
[[File:Provinces of Iran by contribution to national GDP.svg|thumb|280px|Provinces of Iran by contribution to national GDP in 2014]]
[[File:Provinces of Iran by GDP per capita.svg|thumb|280px|Provinces of Iran by GDP per capita in 2012]]

[[Iran]] is subdivided into thirty-one [[province]]s ({{langx|fa|استان}} ''Ostân''), which are the first-level [[administrative divisions of Iran|administrative divisions of the country]]. Each province is governed from a local centre, usually the largest local city, which is called the capital (Persian: {{lang|fa|مرکز}}, ''[[Markaz (country subdivision)|Markaz]]'') of the province. The provincial authority is headed by a [[List of current Iran governors-general|governor-general]] (Persian: {{lang|fa|استاندار}} ''Ostândâr''), who is appointed by the [[Ministry of Interior (Iran)|Minister of the Interior]] subject to approval of the cabinet. The provinces are subdivided into [[Counties of Iran|counties]], districts (''[[bakhsh]]'') and villages.<ref>{{cite web |title=Iran Country Fact Sheet |date=2007 |url= https://www.justice.gov/sites/default/files/eoir/legacy/2013/11/07/COUNTRY_FACT_SHEET_0.pdf |publisher=[[Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada]] |page=4 |access-date=22 June 2025}}</ref>

== Modern history ==
[[File:Iran Administrative Division (Eyalat and Velayat) map 1911 (1290 SH) - English.png|thumb|right|400px|Map of administrative subdivisions of Iran in 1911 – [[Tehran]], ''eyalats'', and ''velayats'']]

Iran has held its modern territory since the [[Treaty of Paris (1857)|Treaty of Paris]] in 1857. Prior to 1937, Iran had maintained its feudal administrative divisional structure, dating back to the time the modern state was centralized by the [[Safavid dynasty]] in the 16th century, although the boundaries, roles, and rulers changed often. On the eve of the [[Persian Constitutional Revolution]] in 1905, Iran was composed of [[Tehran]], being directly ruled by the monarch; four ''[[eyalet|eyalat]]s'' ({{langx|fa|ایالات}} ''elâyât'' pl., {{lang|fa|ایالت}} ''elayat'' sin.), ruled by [[Qajar dynasty|Qajar princes]]; and various ''[[velayat]]s'' ({{langx|fa|ولایات}} ''velâyât'' pl., {{lang|fa|ولایت}} ''velayat'' sin.). Nomadic tribal confederations, such as the [[Bakhtiari people]] and [[Qashqai people]], were largely independent of the domestic administrative divisions and were autonomous.

With the Constitutional Revolution, and the formation of the first [[National Consultative Assembly]], Iran's administrative subdivisions were legally defined in 1907.<ref name="1907Law">{{cite web|website=Laws and Regulations Portal of Islamic Republic of Iran| url=https://qavanin.ir/Law/TreeText/85504| title=The law on the formation of ''Eyalats'' and ''Velayats'' and the instructions of the governors, Passed on December 18, 1907| access-date=2023-02-08}}</ref> Any change in the boundaries of ''eyalats'', ''velayats'', or their respective sub-districts was banned by the Iranian constitution, except with the passage of a new law by the assembly. Per the 1907 law, the following were defined:<ref name="1907Law"/>

{{Text and translation|'''.ماده ۱''' ــ مملکت محروسه ایران برای تسهیل امور سیاسی بایالات و ولایات منقسم می‌شود
'''ماده ۲''' ــ ایالت قسمتی از مملکت است که دارای حکومت مرکزی و ولایات حاکم‌نشین جزء است و فعلاً منحصر به چهار ایالت است: آذربایجان، کرمان و بلوچستان، فارس، خراسان
'''ماده ۳''' ــ ولایات قسمتی از مملکت است که دارای یک شهر حاکم‌نشین و توابع باشد اعم از اینکه حکومت آن تابع پایتخت یا تابع مرکز ایالتی باشد|'''Article 1''' – Guarded Domain of Iran, for the facilitation of political affairs, will be subdivided into ''Eyalats'' and ''Velayats''
'''Article 2''' – ''Eyalat'' is a part of the kingdom which includes a central government and subordinate governor-ruled ''Velayats'' and at the moment there only are four ''Eyalat'': Azerbaijan, Kerman and Baluchistan, Fars, Khurasan.
'''Article 3''' – ''Velayat'' is a part of the kingdom which includes a governor-residence city and subordinate areas, whether its governance is subordinate to the capital [Tehran], or to the capital of an ''Eyalat''.}}

On 22 October 1911, the National Consultative Assembly passed another law, titled "The law of Election of National Consultative Assembly" ({{langx|fa|قانون انتخابات مجلس شورای ملی}}). This law presented a complete list of all ''eyalats'' and ''velayats'' of the country, as well as their constituent districts and cities. This list presented the grouping of various towns and districts into [[electoral district]]s for the purpose of the election. According to this law, in 1911, Iran was made up of 27 administrative subdivisions, the region of [[Tehran]], 4 ''eyalats'', and 22 ''velayats''.<ref name="1911Law">{{cite web |title=The law of Election of National Consultative Assembly, Passed on October 22, 1911 |url=https://qavanin.ir/Law/TreeText/115543 |url-status= |access-date=2023-02-08 |website=Laws and Regulations Portal of Islamic Republic of Iran}}</ref> Below is a list:

{{col-begin|width=50%}}
{{col-break}}
;Capital city
*[[Tehran]]
;''Eyalats''
#[[Azerbaijan (Iran)|Azerbaijan]]
#[[Fars province|Pars]]
#[[Carmania (region)|Kerman]] and [[Baluchistan]]
#[[Greater Khorasan|Khorasan]] and [[Sistan]]
{{col-break}}
;''Provinces''
#[[Khuzestan]]
#[[Astarabad]] ([[Gorgan]])
#[[Damavand]]
#[[Gerrus province|Gerrus]] ([[Bijar (city)|Bijar]])
#[[Gilan]]
#[[Golpayegan]]
#[[Hamadan]]
#[[Persian Iraq|Iraq]] ([[Arak, Iran|Arak]])
#[[Isfahan]]
#[[Kashan]]
#Khamseh ([[Zanjan, Iran|Zanjan]])
#[[Kermanshahan]] ([[Kermanshah]])
#[[Ardalan|Kurdistan]]
#[[Luristan]]
#[[Malayer]]
#[[Mazandaran]]
#[[Qazvin]]
#[[Qom]]
#[[Saveh]]
#[[Semnan province|Semnan]] and Damghan
#[[Shahrud]] and Bastam
#[[Yazd]]
{{col-end}}

In 1937, Iran was reorganized to form ten numbered provinces with subordinate governorates: Gilan, Mazandaran, East Azerbaijan, West Azerbaijan, Kermanshah, Khuzestan, Pars, Kerman, Khorasan, and Isfahan.<ref name="statoid">{{cite web| url=http://www.statoids.com/uir.html| title=Provinces of Iran| first=Statoids website| last=Gwillim Law| access-date=2006-04-30| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161022043249/http://www.statoids.com/uir.html| archive-date=22 October 2016| url-status=live}}</ref>

Iran has had a historical claim to [[Bahrain]] as its 14th province: [[Bahrain province]], which was under British colonial occupation until 1971. Prior to 1957, Bahrain was placed under [[Fars province|Pars province]].<ref>{{citation|first1=Mansoureh|last1=Ebrahimi|first2=Masoumeh|last2=Rad Goudarzi|first3=Kamaruzaman|last3=Yusoff|title=The Dynamics of Iranian Borders: Issues of Contention|publisher=Springer|date=2018|isbn=9783319898360|page=106}}</ref> During [[Safavid Iran]], Bahrain was subordinate to [[Bushehr province|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 Pars governorship.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Mojtahed-Zadeh|first=Pirouz|title=Security and Territoriality in the Persian Gulf: A Maritime Political Geography|publisher=Routledge|year=2013|isbn=978-0700710980|page=139}}</ref> This claim was reasserted by the new theocratic Iranian leadership after 1979 with the famous [[1981 Bahraini coup d'état attempt|1981 coup attempt]] that occurred.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.memri.org/reports/former-irgc-general-close-supreme-leader-khamenei-bahrain-province-iran-should-be-annexed-it |title=Former IRGC General Close To Supreme Leader Khamenei: 'Bahrain Is A Province of Iran That Should Be Annexed To [It&#93;' |publisher=MEMRI |date=2016-03-23 |accessdate=2022-03-15}}</ref>

From 1960 to 1981, the governorates were gradually 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 province|Khorasan]] was divided into three provinces.<ref name="jazeera">{{cite web| url=http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/2B2C2624-ECBE-473A-AF89-A62AF91E7550.htm| title=Iran breaks up largest province| first=Al-Jazeera Satellite Network| last=Online edition| access-date=2006-04-30| url-status=dead| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060520194602/http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/2B2C2624-ECBE-473A-AF89-A62AF91E7550.htm| archive-date=20 May 2006| df=dmy-all}}</ref>
[[File:Country divisions in Iran to 1972 - 1351 Iranian calendar.jpg|600px|thumb|center|23 provinces of Iran in 1974]]
[[File:Map of Iran with province names and neighboring land.svg|600px|thumb|center|Map of the 31 provinces of Iran]]

==Provinces by population and GDP==
[[File:Iran population by province (bar chart).png|none|Iran population broken down by province]]
[[File:Iran's GDP contribution by province.png|803x803px]]

==Current provinces==

According to ''[[Donya-e-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]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://iranintl.com/en/iran/iran-enters-new-economic-era-marked-poverty |title=Iran Enters A New Economic Era Marked By Poverty |work=Iran International |date=2021-08-23 |accessdate=2022-03-15}}</ref>

{{Clear}}
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+
Iranian provinces along with additional information and statistics
|- style="background:#ace1af;"
!Province
!Abbreviation
!Capital
!data-sort-type="number"|Population (2023)<ref name="2023 census">{{cite web |url=https://irandataportal.syr.edu/census/census-2023 |title=Census 2023: Population and Households of the Country by Province and Sub-province (Shahrestan) |format=Excel |author=<!--Not stated--> |website=Iran Data Portal |publisher=The Statistical Center of Iran |access-date=17 December 2022}}</ref>
!Area (km<sup>2</sup>)
! data-sort-type="number" |[[Population density]] (/km<sup>2</sup>)
![[Counties of Iran|Counties]]
!class="unsortable"|Notes
!class="unsortable"|Map
|-
| [[Alborz province|Alborz]]|| AL || [[Karaj]] || style="text-align:right" | 2,730,000 || style="text-align:right" | 5,833|| style="text-align:right" | 465.01|| style="text-align:right" |7||Until 23 June 2010, it was part of Tehran province.<ref name="Alborz Province Establishment Law">{{cite web |title = Alborz province establishment law |language = fa |website = Lamtakam |url = https://lamtakam.com/law/council_of_ministers/782290 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20231216152645/https://lamtakam.com/law/council_of_ministers/782290 |publisher = Guardian Council |last = Larijani |first = Ali |date = 16 April 1389 |archive-date = 16 December 2023 |access-date = 16 December 2023}}</ref>||[[Image:IranAlborz-SVG.svg|80px]]
|-
| [[Ardabil province|Ardabil]]|| AR || [[Ardabil]] || style="text-align:right" | 1,284,000 || style="text-align:right" | 17,800|| style="text-align:right" | 71.37|| style="text-align:right" |12||Until 1993, it was part of East Azerbaijan province.<ref name="ICS">{{cite web| url=http://www.Iranchamber.com/provinces/06_ardabil/06_ardabil.php| title=Ardabil Province| first=Iranian| last=Chamber Society| access-date=2008-07-23| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080612055812/http://www.iranchamber.com/provinces/06_ardabil/06_ardabil.php| archive-date=12 June 2008| url-status=live}}</ref>||[[Image:IranArdabil-SVG.svg|80px]]
|-
| [[Bushehr province|Bushehr]]|| BU || [[Bushehr]] || style="text-align:right" | 1,174,000 || style="text-align:right" | 22,743|| style="text-align:right" | 51.15|| style="text-align:right" |10||Originally part of Pars province. Until 1977, it was known as ''Khalij-e Pars'' (Persian Gulf).<ref name="statoid"/>||[[Image:IranBushehr-SVG.svg|80px]]
|-
| [[Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province|Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari]]|| CB || [[Shahr-e Kord]] || style="text-align:right" | 973,000 || style="text-align:right" | 16,332|| style="text-align:right" | 58.03|| style="text-align:right" |12||Until 1973, it was part of Isfahan province.<ref name="CMB">{{cite web| url=http://www.ostan-cb.ir/default.aspx?page=185| title=Chahar Mahaal and Bakhtiari Province| first=Ostandarie| last=Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province| access-date=2008-07-23}}{{dead link|date=September 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>||[[Image:IranChaharMahaalBakhtiari-SVG.svg|80px]]
|-
| [[East Azerbaijan province|East Azerbaijan]]|| EA || [[Tabriz]] || style="text-align:right" | 3,925,000 || style="text-align:right" | 45,650|| style="text-align:right" | 85.64|| style="text-align:right" |23|| ||[[Image:IranEastAzerbaijan-SVG.svg|80px]]
|-
| [[Fars province|Pars]]|| FA || [[Shiraz]] || style="text-align:right" | 4,904,000 || style="text-align:right" | 122,608|| style="text-align:right" | 39.57|| style="text-align:right" |37|| ||[[Image:IranFars-SVG.svg|80px]]
|-
| [[Gilan province|Gilan]]|| GN || [[Rasht]] || style="text-align:right" | 2,546,000 || style="text-align:right" | 14,042|| style="text-align:right" | 180.22|| style="text-align:right" |17|| ||[[Image:IranGilan-SVG.svg|80px]]
|-
| [[Golestan province|Golestan]]|| GO || [[Gorgan]] || style="text-align:right" | 1,893,000 || style="text-align:right" | 20,195|| style="text-align:right" | 92.53|| style="text-align:right" |14||On 31 May 1997, the counties of Aliabad, Gonbad-e Kavus, Gorgan, Kordkuy, Minudasht, and Torkaman were separated from Mazandaran province to form Golestan province. [[Gorgan]] was known as ''Esteraba'' or ''Astarabad'' until 1937.<ref name="statoid"/>||[[Image:IranGolestan-SVG.svg|80px]]
|-
| [[Hamadan province|Hamadan]]|| HA || [[Hamadan]] || style="text-align:right" | 1,756,000 || style="text-align:right" | 19,368|| style="text-align:right" | 90.78|| style="text-align:right" |10||Originally part of Kermanshah province.<ref name="statoid"/>||[[Image:IranHamadan-SVG.svg|80px]]
|-
| [[Hormozgan province|Hormozgan]]|| HO || [[Bandar Abbas]] || style="text-align:right" | 1,806,000 || style="text-align:right" | 70,669|| style="text-align:right" | 25.14|| style="text-align:right" |13||Originally part of Kerman province.<ref name="statoid"/> Until 1977, the province was known as ''Banader va Jazayer-e Bahr-e Oman'' (Ports and Islands of the Sea of Oman).<ref name="statoid"/>||[[Image:IranHormozgan-SVG.svg|80px]]
|-
| [[Ilam province|Ilam]]|| IL || [[Ilam, Iran|Ilam]] || style="text-align:right" | 591,000 || style="text-align:right" | 20,133|| style="text-align:right" | 28.82|| style="text-align:right" |12||Originally part of Kermanshah province.<ref name="statoid"/>||[[Image:IranIlam-SVG.svg|80px]]
|-
| [[Isfahan province|Isfahan]]|| IS || [[Isfahan]]|| style="text-align:right" | 5,136,000 || style="text-align:right" | 107,029|| style="text-align:right" | 47.85|| style="text-align:right" |28||In 1986, some parts of Markazi province were transferred to Isfahan, Semnan, and Zanjan provinces.<ref name="statoid"/>||[[Image:IranEsfahan-SVG.svg|80px]]
|-
| [[Kerman province|Kerman]]|| KN || [[Kerman]] || style="text-align:right" | 3,184,000 || style="text-align:right" | 183,285|| style="text-align:right" | 17.27|| style="text-align:right" |25|| ||[[Image:IranKerman-SVG.svg|80px]]
|-
| [[Kermanshah province|Kermanshah]]|| KE || [[Kermanshah]] || style="text-align:right" | 2,003,000 || style="text-align:right" | 24,998|| style="text-align:right" | 78.10|| style="text-align:right" |14||Between 1950 and 1979, both Kermanshah province and city were known as ''Kermanshahan'', and between 1979 and 1995 as ''Bakhtaran''.<ref name="statoid"/>||[[Image:IranKermanshah-SVG.svg|80px]]
|-
| [[Khuzestan province|Khuzestan]]|| KH || [[Ahvaz]] || style="text-align:right" | 4,725,000 || style="text-align:right" | 64,055|| style="text-align:right" | 73.54|| style="text-align:right" |30|| ||[[Image:IranKhuzestan-SVG.svg|80px]]
|-
| [[Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province|Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad]]|| KB || [[Yasuj]] || style="text-align:right" | 728,000 || style="text-align:right" | 15,504|| style="text-align:right" | 45.99|| style="text-align:right" |9||Originally part of Khuzestan province. Until 1990, the province was known as ''Bovir Ahmadi and Kohkiluyeh''.<ref name="statoid"/>||[[Image:IranKohkiluyehBuyerAhmad-SVG.svg|80px]]
|-
| [[Kurdistan province|Kurdistan]]|| KU || [[Sanandaj]] || style="text-align:right" | 1,614,000 || style="text-align:right" | 29,137|| style="text-align:right" | 55.02|| style="text-align:right" |10||Originally part of Gilan province.<ref name="statoid"/>||[[Image:IranKurdistan-SVG.svg|80px]]
|-
| [[Lorestan province|Lorestan]]|| LO || [[Khorramabad]] || style="text-align:right" | 1,784,000 || style="text-align:right" | 28,294|| style="text-align:right" | 62.23|| style="text-align:right" |12||Originally part of Khuzestan province.<ref name="statoid"/>||[[Image:IranLorestan-SVG.svg|80px]]
|-
| [[Markazi province|Markazi]]|| MA || [[Arak, Iran|Arak]] || style="text-align:right" | 1,436,000 || style="text-align:right" | 29,130|| style="text-align:right" | 49.07|| style="text-align:right" |12||Originally part of Mazandaran province.<ref name="statoid"/> In 1986, some parts of Markazi province were transferred to Isfahan, Semnan, and Zanjan provinces.<ref name="statoid"/>||[[Image:IranMarkazi-SVG.svg|80px]]
|-
| [[Mazandaran province|Mazandaran]]|| MN || [[Sari, Iran|Sari]] || style="text-align:right" | 3,302,000 || style="text-align:right" | 23,701|| style="text-align:right" | 138.54|| style="text-align:right" |22|| ||[[Image:IranMazandaran-SVG.svg|80px]]
|-
| [[North Khorasan province|North Khorasan]]|| NK || [[Bojnord]] || style="text-align:right" | 868,000 || style="text-align:right" | 28,434|| style="text-align:right" | 30.35|| style="text-align:right" |10||On 29 September 2004, Khorasan province was divided into three provinces: North Khorasan, Razavi Khorasan, and South Khorasan.<ref name="jazeera"/>||[[Image:IranNorthKhorasan-SVG.svg|80px]]
|-
| [[Qazvin province|Qazvin]]|| QA || [[Qazvin]] || style="text-align:right" | 1,284,000 || style="text-align:right" | 15,549|| style="text-align:right" | 81.92|| style="text-align:right" |6||On 31 December 1996, the counties of Qazvin and Takestan were separated from Zanjan province to form Qazvin province.<ref name="statoid"/>||[[Image:IranQazvin.svg|80px]]
|-
| [[Qom province|Qom]]|| QM || [[Qom]] || style="text-align:right" | 1,300,000 || style="text-align:right" | 11,526|| style="text-align:right" | 112.12|| style="text-align:right" |3||Until 1995, Qom was a county of Tehran province.<ref name="statoid"/>||[[Image:IranQom.svg|80px]]
|-
| [[Razavi Khorasan province|Razavi Khorasan]]|| RK || [[Mashhad]] || style="text-align:right" | 6,444,000 || style="text-align:right" | 118,884|| style="text-align:right" | 54.12|| style="text-align:right" |34||On 29 September 2004, Khorasan province was divided into three provinces: North Khorasan, Razavi Khorasan, and South Khorasan.<ref name="jazeera"/>||[[Image:IranRazaviKhorasan-SVG.svg|80px]]
|-
| [[Semnan province|Semnan]]|| SE || [[Semnan, Iran|Semnan]] || style="text-align:right" | 715,000 || style="text-align:right" | 97,491|| style="text-align:right" | 7.20|| style="text-align:right" |8||Originally part of Mazandaran province.<ref name="statoid"/> In 1986, some parts of Markazi province were transferred to Isfahan, Semnan, and Zanjan provinces.<ref name="statoid"/>||[[Image:IranSemnan-SVG.svg|80px]]
|-
| [[Sistan and Baluchestan province|Sistan and Baluchestan]]
 || SB || [[Zahedan]] || style="text-align:right" | 2,777,000 || style="text-align:right" | 180,726|| style="text-align:right" | 15.35|| style="text-align:right" |26||Until 1986, the province was known as ''Baluchestan and Sistan''.<ref name="statoid"/>||[[Image:IranSistanBaluchistan-SVG.svg|80px]]
|-
| [[South Khorasan province|South Khorasan]]|| SK || [[Birjand]] || style="text-align:right" | 786,000 || style="text-align:right" | 151,913|| style="text-align:right" | 5.06|| style="text-align:right" |12||On 29 September 2004, Khorasan province was divided into three provinces: North Khorasan, Razavi Khorasan, and South Khorasan.<ref name="jazeera"/>||[[Image:IranSouthKhorasan-SVG.svg|80px]]
|-
| [[Tehran province|Tehran]]
|| TE || [[Tehran]] || style="text-align:right" | 13,323,000 || style="text-align:right" | 18,814|| style="text-align:right" | 705.20|| style="text-align:right" |16||Until 1986, Tehran was part of Markazi province.||[[Image:IranTehran-SVG.svg|80px]]
|-
| [[West Azerbaijan province|West Azerbaijan]]|| WA || [[Urmia]] || style="text-align:right" | 3,278,000 || style="text-align:right" | 37,437|| style="text-align:right" | 87.22|| style="text-align:right" |20||During the [[Pahlavi dynasty]], [[Urmia]] was known as ''Rezaiyeh''.<ref name="InfoPlease">{{cite web|url=http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/world/A0850203.html|title=Urmia|access-date=2008-07-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080908103150/http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/world/A0850203.html|archive-date=8 September 2008|url-status=live}}</ref>||[[Image:IranWestAzerbaijan-SVG.svg|80px]]
|-
| [[Yazd province|Yazd]]|| YA || [[Yazd]] || style="text-align:right" | 1,156,000 || style="text-align:right" | 76,469|| style="text-align:right" | 14.89|| style="text-align:right" |12||Originally part of Isfahan province.<ref name="CMB"/> In 1986, part of Kerman province was transferred to Yazd province. In 2002, Tabas County (area: 55,344&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>) was transferred from Khorasan province to Yazd province.<ref name="statoid"/>||[[Image:IranYazd-SVG.svg|80px]]
|-
| [[Zanjan province|Zanjan]]|| ZA || [[Zanjan, Iran|Zanjan]] || style="text-align:right" | 1,103,000 || style="text-align:right" | 21,773|| style="text-align:right" | 48.57|| style="text-align:right" |8||Originally part of Gilan province. In 1986, some parts of Markazi province were transferred to Isfahan, Semnan, and Zanjan provinces.<ref name="statoid"/>||[[Image:IranZanjan-SVG.svg|80px]]
|- class="sortbottom"
| '''[[Iran]] (total)''' || IR || '''[[Tehran]]''' || style="text-align:right" |'''80,528,000''' 
|'''{{convert|1628554|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}}''' || style="text-align:right" | 49.078|| style="text-align:right" |'''484'''|| ||[[Image:Iran location map.svg|80px]]
|}

==Provincial abbreviations==

Table below shows the provinces' abbreviation, which can be used in postal addresses and academic affiliations for the sake of simplicity.

{| class="wikitable sortable"
!Province
!Abbreviation 
!Method
|-
|[[Alborz province|Alborz]]
|AL
|First two letters
|-
|[[Ardabil province|Ardabil]]
|AR
|First two letters
|-
|[[East Azerbaijan province|Azerbaijan, East]]
|EA
|First two words
|-
|[[West Azerbaijan province|Azerbaijan, West]]
|WA
|First two words
|-
|[[Bushehr province|Bushehr]]
|BU
|First two letters
|-
|[[Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province|Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari]]
|CB
|First two words
|-
|[[Fars province|Pars]]
|FA
|First two letters
|-
|[[Gilan province|Gilan]]
|GI
|First two letters
|-
|[[Golestan province|Golestan]]
|GO
|First two letters
|-
|[[Hamadan province|Hamadan]]
|HA
|First two letters
|-
|[[Hormozgan province|Hormozgan]]
|HO
|First two letters
|-
|[[Ilam province|Ilam]]
|IL
|First two letters
|-
|[[Isfahan province|Isfahan]]
|IS
|First two letters
|-
|[[Kerman province|Kerman]]
|KE
|First two letters
|-
|[[Kermanshah province|Kermanshah]]
|KS
|First two words
|-
|[[North Khorasan province|Khorasan, North]]
|NK
|First two words
|-
|[[Razavi Khorasan province|Khorasan, Razavi]]
|RK
|First two words
|-
|[[South Khorasan province|Khorasan, South]]
|SK
|First two words
|-
|[[Khuzestan province|Khuzestan]]
|KH
|First two letters
|-
|[[Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province|Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad]]
|KB
|First two words
|-
|[[Kurdistan province|Kurdistan]]
|KU
|First two letters
|-
|[[Lorestan province|Lorestan]]
|LO
|First two letters
|-
|[[Markazi province|Markazi]]
|MA
|First two letters
|-
|[[Mazandaran province|Mazandaran]]
|MN
|First and last letter
|-
|[[Qazvin province|Qazvin]]
|QA
|First two letters
|-
|[[Qom province|Qom]]
|QO
|First two letters
|-
|[[Semnan province|Semnan]]
|SE
|First two letters
|-
|[[Sistan and Baluchestan province|Sistan and Baluchestan]]
|SB
|First two words
|-
|[[Tehran province|Tehran]]
|TE
|First two letters
|-
|[[Yazd province|Yazd]]
|YA
|First two letters
|-
|[[Zanjan province|Zanjan]]
|ZA
|First two letters
|}

==Historical provinces==
* [[Khorasan province]]
* [[Bahrain province]]

{{Achaemenid Provinces}}
{{Sassanid Provinces}}

=== Safavid Dynasty ===
The ''Tadhkirat Al-Muluk'', a work made circa 1725 (1137) which details the Safavid administration mentions that Iran had four territories governed by ''[[Velayat|Valis]]'': ([[Safavid Khuzestan|Arabistan]], [[Safavid Lorestan|Luristan]], [[Safavid Georgia|Georgia]] and [[Safavid Kurdistan|Kurdistan]]). 

And thirteen provinces governed by ''[[Beylerbeylik (Safavid Persia)|Beglarbegis]]'': ([[Azerbaijan province (Safavid Iran)|Azarbayjan]] (also called Tabriz Province), [[Erivan province (Safavid Iran)|Chukhur-i Sa'd]], [[Safavid Karabakh|Qarabagh-Ganja]], [[Safavid Shirvan|Shirvan]], [[Safavid Astarabad|Astarabad]], [[Mashhad]], [[Merv|Marv]], [[Herat]], [[Safavid Kandahar|Qandahar]], [[Kerman province|Kirman]], [[Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province|Kuh-Giluya]], [[Qazvin]] and [[Hamadan]]).<ref name="al-Muluk">{{cite book |last=Minorsky |first=Vladimir |date=1943 |title=Tadhkirat al-Mulūk, A Manual of Safavid Administration |url=https://archive.org/details/tadhkirat-al-muluk-1943-minorsky |location=Cambridge, England |publisher=E. J. W. Gibb Memorial Trust |page=163 |isbn=0906094127}}</ref>

== See also ==
* [[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]]

== References and notes ==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* {{Wikiatlas|Iran}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20060825031041/http://www.sci.org.ir/english/default.htm Statistical Centre, Government of Iran]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20110910061604/http://en.tpo.ir/documents/document/13244/13512/portal.aspx Iranian Provinces Investment] – trade promotion organization of Iran, affiliated to the [[Ministry of Commerce (Iran)]]
* {{Statoids|id=uir|title=Provinces of Iran}}

; Official provincial websites
{{Div col|colwidth=20em}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080913131408/http://www.ardabil.ir/Default.aspx Ardabil]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20110303194405/http://www.ostan-as.gov.ir/ East Azarbaijan]
* [http://www.ostan-ag.gov.ir West Azarbaijan]
* [http://www.ost-boushehr.ir Bushehr]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080916081623/http://www.ostan-cb.ir/ Chahar Mahaal and Bakhtiari]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080913200943/http://www.farsp.ir/Portal/Show.aspx?Page=322 Fars]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20050125080542/http://ostan-gl.ir/ Gilan]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080826082421/http://www.golestanstate.ir/ Golestan]
* [http://www.ostan-hm.ir Hamadan]
* [http://www.hormozgan.ir Hormozgan]
* [http://www.portal-il.ir Ilam]
* [http://www.ostan-es.ir/user/Index.jsp Isfahan]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080806200638/http://www.kermanprovince.ir/ Kerman]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090601072725/http://www.portal-ks.ir/ Kermanshah]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20141217235031/http://nkhorasan.ir/ North Khorasan]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20140831113123/http://www.khorasan.ir/ Razavi Khorasan]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080825121356/http://www.sk-portal.ir/ South Khorasan]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070623153445/http://www.ostan-kz.ir/ Khuzestan]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080913170703/http://www.ostan-kb.ir/ Kohgiluyeh and Boyer Ahmad]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080913081650/http://www.ostan-kd.ir/ Kurdistan]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070929101010/http://www.lorestan.ir/ Lorestan]
* [http://www.ostan-mr.ir Markazi]
* [http://www.ostan-mz.ir Mazandaran]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080820081327/http://www.qazvin.gov.ir/ Qazvin]
* [http://www.qomict.ir/old-site/portal Qom]{{dead link|date=April 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
* [http://www.ostan-sm.ir Semnan]
* [http://www.sbportal.ir Sistan and Baluchestan]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20050204165358/http://www.ostan-th.ir/ Tehran]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080913094446/http://www.ostan-yz.ir/ Yazd]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070919150628/http://www.ostan-zn.ir/ Zanjan]
{{div col end}}

{{Provinces of Iran}}
{{Articles on first-level administrative divisions of Asian countries}}
{{Types of administrative country subdivision}}

[[Category:Provinces of Iran| ]]
[[Category:Administrative divisions in Asia|Iran 1]]
[[Category:First-level administrative divisions by country|Provinces, Iran]]
[[Category:Iran geography-related lists]]
[[Category:Lists of administrative divisions|Iran, Provinces]]
[[Category:Subdivisions of Iran]]