Iranian population density map (based on data from the 1996 census).

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%.^[1] The United Nations predicts that by 2030 80% of the population will be urban.^[2] Most internal migrants have settled near the cities of Tehran, Isfahan, Ahvaz, and Qom. Tehran, with population of 7.7 million (2006 census), is the largest city in Iran and is the Capital city. Tehran is home to around 11% of Iran's population. It is the hub of the country's communication and transport network.

Mashhad, with a population of 2.4 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 the Imam Reza's shrine every year.^[3][4]

Another major Iranian city is Isfahan (population 1.5 million), which is the capital of Isfahan Province. The growth of suburb area around the city has turned Isfahan to the second most populous metropolitan area (3.4 million).^[5]

The forth major city of Iran is Tabriz (population 1.3 million) capital of the East Azarbaijan province which is the second industrial city of Iran after Tehran. Tabriz has been the second largest city in Iran until the late 1960s and one of its former capitals. The other major cities are Karaj (population 1.3 million), and Shiraz (population 1.2 million). Karaj is located in Tehran 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.

[edit] Cities over 1,000,000 population

1 - Tehran

2 - Mashhad, Razavi Khorasan

3 - Esfahān, Esfahān Province

4 - Tabriz, East Azarbaijan

6 - Shiraz, Fars

7 - Ahvaz, Khūzestān

8 - Qom, Qom Province

9 - Kermanshah, Kermanshah Province

The following sortable table, lists the most populous cities in Iran with a population of more than 1,000,000 according to 2006 Census results announced by Statistical Center of Iran:^[6]

[edit] Cities between 100,000 and 1,000,000 population

List of cities in Iran with a population between 100,000 and 1,000,000 according to 2006 Census results announced by Statistical Center of Iran:^[6]

[edit] Largest cities in the provinces

This is a list of the largest cities of the 30 provinces by population as of the 2006 census.

[edit] See also

• List of cities in Iran
• List of Iranian cities and towns by province

[edit] References

1. ^ Payvand. ""Iran: Focus on reverse migration"". http://www.payvand.com/news/03/nov/1135.html. Retrieved 2006-04-17. 
2. ^ "Islamic Azad University", retrieved 28 Jan 2008
3. ^ Religious Tourism Potentials Rich retrieved 28 Feb 2008
4. ^ Mashhad, Iran retrieved 28 Feb 2008
5. ^ http://www.sci.org.ir/content/userfiles/_census85/census85/natayej/township/Os10.xls retrieved 27 Feb 2008
6. ^ ^{a b} Statistical Center of Iran 2006 Census website