Iran is subdivided into thirty-one provinces (), which are the first-level administrative divisions of the country. Each province is governed from a local centre, usually the largest local city, which is called the capital () of the province. The provincial authority is headed by a governor-general (), who is appointed by the Minister of the Interior subject to approval of the cabinet. The provinces are subdivided into counties, districts () and villages.

Modern history

Iran has held its modern territory since the 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 eyalats ( eyâlât pl., eyâlat sin.), ruled by Qajar princes; and various velayats ( velâyât pl., 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. 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:

On 22 October 1911, the National Consultative Assembly passed another law, titled "The law of Election of National Consultative Assembly" (). 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 districts 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. Below is a list:

Capital city Tehran Eyalats Azerbaijan Pars Kerman and Baluchistan Khorasan and Sistan

Provinces Khuzestan Astarabad (Gorgan) Damavand Gerrus (Bijar) Gilan Golpayegan Hamadan Iraq (Arak) Isfahan Kashan Khamseh (Zanjan) Kermanshahan (Kermanshah) Kurdistan Luristan Malayer Mazandaran Qazvin Qom Saveh Semnan and Damghan Shahrud and Bastam Yazd

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.

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 Pars province. During the Safavid era, Bahrain was subordinate to Bushehr governorship and Zubarah (located in modern-day country of Qatar) was its capital city. In 1737, during the Afsharid era, Bahrain was made subject to Pars governorship. This claim was reasserted by the new theocratic Iranian leadership after 1979 with the famous 1981 coup attempt that occurred.

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 was divided into three provinces.

Provinces by population and GDP

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.

Current provinces

+ Iranian provinces along with additional information and statisticsProvinceAbbreviationCapitalPopulation (2023)Area (km2)Population density (/km2)CountiesNotesMap Alborz AL Karaj 2,730,000 5,833 465.017Until 23 June 2010, it was part of Tehran province. Ardabil AR Ardabil 1,284,000 17,800 71.3712Until 1993, it was part of East Azerbaijan province. Bushehr BU Bushehr 1,174,000 22,743 51.1510Originally part of Pars province. Until 1977, it was known as Khalij-e Pars (Persian Gulf). Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari CB Shahr-e Kord 973,000 16,332 58.0312Until 1973, it was part of Isfahan province. East Azerbaijan EA Tabriz 3,925,000 45,650 85.6423 Fars FA Shiraz 4,904,000 122,608 39.5737 Gilan GN Rasht 2,546,000 14,042 180.2217 Golestan GO Gorgan 1,893,000 20,195 92.5314On 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. Hamadan HA Hamadan 1,756,000 19,368 90.7810Originally part of Kermanshah province. Hormozgan HO Bandar Abbas 1,806,000 70,669 25.1413Originally part of Kerman province. Until 1977, the province was known as Banader va Jazayer-e Bahr-e Oman (Ports and Islands of the Sea of Oman). Ilam IL Ilam 591,000 20,133 28.8212Originally part of Kermanshah province. Isfahan IS Isfahan 5,136,000 107,029 47.8528In 1986, some parts of Markazi province were transferred to Isfahan, Semnan, and Zanjan provinces. Kerman KN Kerman 3,184,000 183,285 17.2725 Kermanshah KE Kermanshah 2,003,000 24,998 78.1014Between 1950 and 1979, both Kermanshah province and city were known as Kermanshahan, and between 1979 and 1995 as Bakhtaran. Khuzestan KH Ahvaz 4,725,000 64,055 73.5430 Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad KB Yasuj 728,000 15,504 45.999Originally part of Khuzestan province. Until 1990, the province was known as Bovir Ahmadi and Kohkiluyeh. Kurdistan KU Sanandaj 1,614,000 29,137 55.0210Originally part of Gilan province. Lorestan LO Khorramabad 1,784,000 28,294 62.2312Originally part of Khuzestan province. Markazi MA Arak 1,436,000 29,130 49.0712Originally part of Mazandaran province. In 1986, some parts of Markazi province were transferred to Isfahan, Semnan, and Zanjan provinces. Mazandaran MN Sari 3,302,000 23,701 138.5422 North Khorasan NK Bojnord 868,000 28,434 30.3510On 29 September 2004, Khorasan province was divided into three provinces: North Khorasan, Razavi Khorasan, and South Khorasan. Qazvin QA Qazvin 1,284,000 15,549 81.926On 31 December 1996, the counties of Qazvin and Takestan were separated from Zanjan province to form Qazvin province. Qom QM Qom 1,300,000 11,526 112.123Until 1995, Qom was a county of Tehran province. Razavi Khorasan RK Mashhad 6,444,000 118,884 54.1234On 29 September 2004, Khorasan province was divided into three provinces: North Khorasan, Razavi Khorasan, and South Khorasan. Semnan SE Semnan 715,000 97,491 7.208Originally part of Mazandaran province. In 1986, some parts of Markazi province were transferred to Isfahan, Semnan, and Zanjan provinces. Sistan and Baluchestan SB Zahedan 2,777,000 180,726 15.3526Until 1986, the province was known as Baluchestan and Sistan. South Khorasan SK Birjand 786,000 151,913 5.0612On 29 September 2004, Khorasan province was divided into three provinces: North Khorasan, Razavi Khorasan, and South Khorasan. Tehran TE Tehran 13,323,000 18,814 705.2016Until 1986, Tehran was part of Markazi province. West Azerbaijan WA Urmia 3,278,000 37,437 87.2220During the Pahlavi dynasty, Urmia was known as Rezaiyeh. Yazd YA Yazd 1,156,000 76,469 14.8912Originally part of Isfahan province. In 1986, part of Kerman province was transferred to Yazd province. In 2002, Tabas County (area: 55,344 km2) was transferred from Khorasan province to Yazd province. Zanjan ZA Zanjan 1,103,000 21,773 48.578Originally part of Gilan province. In 1986, some parts of Markazi province were transferred to Isfahan, Semnan, and Zanjan provinces. Iran (total) IR Tehran 80,528,000 49.078484

Provincial abbreviations

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

ProvinceAbbreviation MethodAlborzALFirst two lettersArdabilARFirst two lettersAzerbaijan, EastEAFirst two wordsAzerbaijan, WestWAFirst two wordsBushehrBUFirst two lettersChaharmahal and BakhtiariCBFirst two wordsParsFAFirst two lettersGilanGIFirst two lettersGolestanGOFirst two lettersHamadanHAFirst two lettersHormozganHOFirst two lettersIlamILFirst two lettersIsfahanISFirst two lettersKermanKEFirst two lettersKermanshahKSFirst two wordsKhorasan, NorthNKFirst two wordsKhorasan, RazaviRKFirst two wordsKhorasan, SouthSKFirst two wordsKhuzestanKHFirst two lettersKohgiluyeh and Boyer-AhmadKBFirst two wordsKurdistanKUFirst two lettersLorestanLOFirst two lettersMarkaziMAFirst two lettersMazandaranMNFirst and last letterQazvinQAFirst two lettersQomQOFirst two lettersSemnanSEFirst two lettersSistan and BaluchestanSBFirst two wordsTehranTEFirst two lettersYazdYAFirst two lettersZanjanZAFirst two letters

Historical provinces Khorasan province Bahrain province

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 Valis: (Arabistan, Luristan, Georgia and Kurdistan).

And thirteen provinces governed by Beglarbegis: (Azarbayjan (also called Tabriz Province), Chukhur-i Sa'd, Qarabagh-Ganja, Shirvan, Astarabad, Mashhad, Marv, Herat, Qandahar, Kirman, Kuh-Giluya, Qazvin and Hamadan).

In other places such as Isfahan (the capital) and nearby regions, Yazd, Mazandaran, Gilan, Saveh, Shiraz and many districts of Persian Iraq, they were administered by the Khāssa, the central royal branch of the government; in opposition to the provincial Mamālik government branch.

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

External links

Statistical Centre, Government of Iran Iranian Provinces Investment – trade promotion organization of Iran, affiliated to the Ministry of Commerce (Iran)

Official provincial websites

Ardabil East Azarbaijan West Azarbaijan Bushehr Chahar Mahaal and Bakhtiari Fars Gilan Golestan Hamadan Hormozgan Ilam Isfahan Kerman Kermanshah North Khorasan Razavi Khorasan South Khorasan Khuzestan Kohgiluyeh and Boyer Ahmad Kurdistan Lorestan Markazi Mazandaran Qazvin Qom Semnan Sistan and Baluchestan Tehran Yazd Zanjan