First-level divisions of Iran: population and official figures

Iran is divided into 31 first-level divisions. The largest by population is Islamic Rep., Tehran with 13,095,000 people (16.3% of the total); the smallest is Islamic Rep., Ilam with 572,000. Population figures are World Bank estimates from its Subnational Population database, which ends in 2016; the country's own statistics office publishes later figures.

Who governs Iran's first-level divisions?

Provinces (31): Governor-general (ostandar) appointed by the government on the Interior Minister's proposal. Represents central government; coordinates ministries in the province. The constitutional provincial councils were never fully put into operation.

How local power works in Iran · Level 5: devolved and state governments worldwide

All 31 first-level divisions, largest first

#	First-level division	Population	Year	Share
1	Islamic Rep., Tehran	13,095,000	2016	16.3%
2	Islamic Rep., Razavi Khorassan	6,431,000	2016	8.0%
3	Islamic Rep., Esfahan	5,228,000	2016	6.5%
4	Islamic Rep., Fars	4,880,000	2016	6.1%
5	Islamic Rep., Khuzestan	4,812,000	2016	6.0%
6	Islamic Rep., East Azarbayejan	3,863,000	2016	4.8%
7	Islamic Rep., West Azarbayejan	3,306,000	2016	4.1%
8	Islamic Rep., Kerman	3,253,000	2016	4.1%
9	Islamic Rep., Mazandaran	3,241,000	2016	4.0%
10	Islamic Rep., Alborz	2,790,000	2016	3.5%
11	Islamic Rep., Sistan-o baluchestan	2,676,000	2016	3.3%
12	Islamic Rep., Gilan	2,568,000	2016	3.2%
13	Islamic Rep., Kermanshah	2,020,000	2016	2.5%
14	Islamic Rep., Golestan	1,951,000	2016	2.4%
15	Islamic Rep., Hamedan	1,821,000	2016	2.3%
16	Islamic Rep., Lorestan	1,800,000	2016	2.2%
17	Islamic Rep., Hormozgan	1,771,000	2016	2.2%
18	Islamic Rep., Kordestan	1,554,000	2016	1.9%
19	Islamic Rep., Markazi	1,483,000	2016	1.8%
20	Islamic Rep., Ardebil	1,275,000	2016	1.6%
21	Islamic Rep., Ghazvin	1,266,000	2016	1.6%
22	Islamic Rep., Ghom	1,266,000	2016	1.6%
23	Islamic Rep., Bushehr	1,198,000	2016	1.5%
24	Islamic Rep., Yazd	1,165,000	2016	1.5%
25	Islamic Rep., Zanjan	1,072,000	2016	1.3%
26	Islamic Rep., Chaharmahal-o bakhtiyar	937,000	2016	1.2%
27	Islamic Rep., North Khorassan	929,000	2016	1.2%
28	Islamic Rep., South Khorassan	692,000	2016	0.9%
29	Islamic Rep., Kohgiluyeh va boyerahma	686,000	2016	0.9%
30	Islamic Rep., Semnan	676,000	2016	0.8%
31	Islamic Rep., Ilam	572,000	2016	0.7%

Cities: the largest cities of Iran.

More on Iran: official statistics · government and power · local power

Sources

World Bank: Subnational Population database (World Bank DataBank source 50), SP.POP.TOTL, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 b835583e3a28…)

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