Iran is subdivided into thirty ostanha (singular ostan: provinces), each governed from a local center, usually the largest local city. The provincial authority is headed by a governor (استاندار: ostāndār), who is appointed by the Minister of the Interior subject to approval of the cabinet. Until 1950, Iran was divided into twelve provinces: Ardelan, Azarbaijan, Baluchestan, Farsistan, Gilan, Irak Ajami, Khorasan, Khoristan, Kerman, Larestan, Lorestan, and Mazandaran. In 1950, Iran was reorganized to form ten numbered provinces with subordinate governorates: Gilan; Mazandaran; East Azarbaijan; West Azarbaijan; Kermanshah; Khuzestan; Fars; Kerman; Khorasan; Isfahan. From 1960 to 1981 the governorates were raised to provincial status one by one. Since then several new provinces have been created, most recently in 2004 when the province of Khorasan was split into three new provinces. The provinces are subdivided into 324 shahrestans.
The thirty provinces of Iran
No.
Province
Capital
Area(km²)
Population
Density (people/km²)!Shahrestans
1
TehranUntil 1986, Tehran was part of Markazi province. | Tehran
18,814
12,150,742
645.8
13
2
QomUntil 1995, Qom was a shahrestan of Tehran province.
HormozganOriginally 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).Hormozgan includes several islands such as Qeshm, Lavan, Kish and Hormoz as well as Abu Musa island which is jointly administered by Iran and the United Arab Emirates.
YazdIn 1986, part of Kerman province was transferred to Yazd province. In 2002, Tabas shahrestan (area: 55,344 km²) was transferred from Khorasan province to Yazd.
GolestanOn 1997-05-31, the shahrestans of Aliabad, Gonbad-e-kavus, Gorgan, Kordkuy, Minudasht, and Torkaman were separated from Mazandaran province to form Golestan province.
