List of largest cities of 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%. The United Nations predicts that by 2030 80% of the population will live in urban areas. Most internal migrants have settled near the cities of Tehran, Isfahan, Ahvaz, and Qom. Tehran, with a population of 8.7 million, 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.
Mashhad, with a population of 3 million, 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.
The third most populous city of Iran is Isfahan with a population 1.9 million. 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 1.6 million. Karaj is the capital of Alborz Province and is situated 20 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 , 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, 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, Qom, and Ahvaz.

Cities over 100,000 population

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. A city is displayed in bold if it is the province capital.
2016
Rank		CityProvinceDate of Official
Foundation of
Municipality		2016 Census2011 CensusChange
1TehranTehran1907--
2MashhadRazavi Khorasan1918--
3IsfahanIsfahan1907--
4KarajAlborz1951--
5ShirazFars1907--
6TabrizEast Azerbaijan1907--
7QomQom1926--
8AhvazKhuzestan1925--
9KermanshahKermanshah1930--
10UrmiaWest Azerbaijan1928--
11RashtGilan1907--
12ZahedanSistan and Baluchestan1938--
13HamadanHamadan1911--
14KermanKerman1921--
15YazdYazd1926--
16ArdabilArdabil1925--
17Bandar AbbasHormozgan1925--
18ArakMarkazi1927--
19EslamshahrTehran1978--
22QazvinQazvin1924--
20ZanjanZanjan1923--
23KhorramabadLorestan1931--
21SanandajKurdistan1928--
29MalardTehran1995--
27QodsTehran1989--
28KashanIsfahan1930--
24GorganGolestan1925--
35GolestanTehran1996--
25SariMazandaran1927--
26ShahriarTehran1952--
30DezfulKhuzestan1920--
33Khomeyni ShahrIsfahan1932--
39BorujerdLorestan1935--
35NishapurRazavi Khorasan1931--
34SabzevarRazavi Khorasan1930--
38NajafabadIsfahan1931--
36AmolMazandaran1933--
32BabolMazandaran1925--
43VaraminTehran1941--
40AbadanKhuzestan1924--
37PakdashtTehran1991--
50KhoyWest Azerbaijan1923--
45SavehMarkazi1931--
42BojnordNorth Khorasan1931--
46Qaem ShahrMazandaran1935--
44BushehrBushehr1922--
41QarchakTehran1976--
49SirjanKerman1936--
47BirjandSouth Khorasan1928--
51IlamIlam1936--
52BukanWest Azerbaijan1948--
56MaraghehEast Azerbaijan1921--
58MalayerHamadan1934--
53Shahr-e KordChaharmahal and Bakhtiari1931--
61Bandar-e MahshahrKhuzestan1954--
54SemnanSemnan1925--
62RafsanjanKerman1935--
59MahabadWest Azerbaijan1931--
63Gonbad-e KavusGolestan1934--
57Shahin ShahrIsfahan1976--
64ShahrudSemnan1925--
60SaqqezKurdistan1935--
65MarvdashtFars1950--
72ZabolSistan and Baluchestan1928--
68Torbat-e HeydariehRazavi Khorasan1928--
75KhorramshahrKhuzestan1925--
70AndimeshkKhuzestan1956--
76MarandEast Azerbaijan1929--
71ShahrezaIsfahan1929--
74MiandoabWest Azerbaijan1935--
83IzehKhuzestan1958--
84Bandar-e AnzaliGilan1922--
67JahromFars1925--
77JiroftKerman1946--
69MarivanKurdistan1957--
66Kamal ShahrAlborz1996--
73YasujKohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad1970--
81NazarabadAlborz2002--
79BehbahanKhuzestan1937--
78BamKerman1937--
87FasaFars1926--
94QuchanRazavi Khorasan1937--
97Masjed SoleymanKhuzestan1959--
82MohammadshahrAlborz1996--
80DorudLorestan1949--
88BorazjanBushehr1928--
55FardisAlborz2013--
48NasimshahrTehran1995--
85AndishehTehran2003--
86IranshahrSistan and Baluchestan1940--
89BanehKurdistan1948--
90ChabaharSistan and Baluchestan1950--
91Robat KarimTehran1983--
92KashmarRazavi Khorasan1929--
93ShushtarKhuzestan1927--
95LahijanGilan1928--
96AharEast Azerbaijan1944--
98Torbat-e JamRazavi Khorasan1933--

Largest cities in the provinces

This is a list of the largest cities of the 31 provinces, based on the city's population as of the 2016 census.
ProvinceLargest city2nd Largest3rd Largest4th largest
TehranTehranEslamshahrShahriarShahr-e Qods
Razavi KhorasanMashhadNishapurSabzevarTorbat-e Heydarieh
East AzerbaijanTabrizMaraghehMarandAhar
AlborzKarajFardisKamalshahrNazarabad
IsfahanIsfahanKashanKhomeyni ShahrNajafabad
FarsShirazMarvdashtJahromFasa
KhuzestanAhvazDezfulAbadanMahshahr
MazandaranSariBabolAmolQa'em Shahr
West AzerbaijanUrmiaKhoyBukanMahabad
KermanKermanSirjanRafsanjanJiroft
GilanRashtBandar-e AnzaliLahijanLangrud
Sistan and BaluchistanZahedanZabolIran ShahrChabahar
KermanshahKermanshahEslamabad-e GharbJavanrudKangavar
LorestanKhorramabadBorujerdDorudAligudarz
HamadanHamadanMalayerNahavandAsadabad
GolestanGorganGonbad-e KavusBandar TorkamanAli Abad
KurdistanSanandajSaghezMarivanBaneh
HormozganBandar AbbasMinabQeshmKish
MarkaziArakSavehKhomeinMahallat
ArdabilArdabilParsabadMeshkinshahrKhalkhal
QazvinQazvinAlvandMohammadiyehTakestan
QomQomQanavatJafariyehKahak
YazdYazdMeybodArdakanBafq
ZanjanZanjanAbharKhorramdarehQidar
BushehrBushehrBorazjanBandar GanavehBandar Kangan
Chahar Mahaal and BakhtiariShahr-e KordBorujenLordeganFarrokhshahr
North KhorasanBojnurdShirvanEsfarayenAshkhaneh
Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-AhmadYasujDogonbadanDehdashtLikak
South KhorasanBirjandGhayenTabasFerdows
SemnanSemnanShahrudDamghanGarmsar
IlamIlamDehloranEyvanAbdanan

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