Provinces of Iran

Provinces of Iran
استان‌های ایران
Ostânhâ-ye Irân
  • Also known as:
  • Ostân
    استان
CategoryUnitary state
LocationIran
Number31
Populations591,000 (Ilam province) – 13,323,000 (Tehran province)
Areas5,833 km2 (2,252 sq mi) (Alborz province) – 183,285 km2 (70,767 sq mi) (Kerman province)
Government
Subdivisions
Provinces of Iran by population in 2021
Provinces of Iran by population density in 2013
Map of the Iranian provinces by Human Development Index in 2017
Legend:
  0.800 – 1.000 (very high)
  0.700 – 0.799 (high)
  0.600 – 0.699 (medium)
Provinces of Iran by contribution to national GDP in 2014
Provinces of Iran by GDP per capita in 2012

Iran is subdivided into thirty-one provinces (Persian: استان ostân), each governed from a local centre, usually the largest local city, which is called the capital (Persian: مرکز, markaz) of that province. The provincial authority is headed by a governor-general (Persian: استاندار ostândâr), who is appointed by the Minister of the Interior subject to approval of the cabinet.