Regions of Iran

This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these template messages) This article possibly contains original research. Please improve it by verifying the claims made and adding inline citations. Statements consisting only of original research should be removed. (December 2016) (Learn how and when to remove this message) This article may contain verify the text. Please check for citation inaccuracies. (December 2016) (Learn how and when to remove this message ) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

Iran has been divided into regions in a number of different ways historically.^[1] It has been divided into five administrative regions (Persian: منطقه‌ها mantaqehâ, singular منطقه mantaqe) since 2014.

Current administrative regions

Iran's thirty-one provinces were grouped into five regions on 22 June 2014, based on a decision by the Ministry of Interior.^[2] In this change, the adjacency, geographical location and similarities of the provinces were considered.^[2]

The

does not provide for regions and they are not the constituent units of the country but exist purely for the convenience of governmental administration.

According to Javad Naserian, the Ministry of Interior's Management Development and Human Resources Vice-Minister, the purpose of this grouping of provinces was the creation of synergy, transfer of experience, information exchange, and regional development. Also, it now provides an intermediate level where provinces can discuss their problems among themselves, instead of going immediately to Tehran.^[2]

The intention was for each region to have regularly scheduled meetings of the constituent provinces' governors-general, rotating the meeting place through the provincial capitals. The host province would provide the chairman of each meeting. A regional secretariat would be established in the capital city of the main province of each region, with a coordinating bureau in the Ministry of Interior headquarters in Tehran.^[2]

Region		Capital	Provinces	Population	Area (km2)
	Region 1 ۱ منطقه	Tehran	Tehran Province	23,343,033	193,109
	Region 2 ۲ منطقه	Isfahan	Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Province	12,973,089	354,885
	Region 3 ۳ منطقه	Tabriz	Zanjan Province	12,782,820	165,839
	Region 4 ۴ منطقه	Kermanshah	Markazi Province	11,739,552	185,978
	Region 5 ۵ منطقه	Mashhad	Yazd Province	13,145,227	734,576

Historical regions

In 1937 the territory of Iran was divided into ten administrative regions:

Histories, travel books and economic analyses often refer to less formal, more historical or geographical, Iranian regions. The borders of these are not fixed and often have changed over time, and even overlapped at the same time.

• Alamut - in the Alborz mountain range of northern Iran;
• Central Iran: Known as Iraq-i Ajam (Persian Iraq)
• Sistan and Baluchestan Province
  and sometimes all of Baluchistan;
• Semnan
• Eastern Iran
• Gilan;^[6]
• West Azerbaijan Province
  ;
• Semnan Province
  • Quhistan - southern Khorasan;^[7]
• Bushehr
  provinces;
• Southeastern Iran (
  Kerman Province
  , but often extending to the coast;
• Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Province;^[8]

See also

• Geographic history of Iran [fa]

References

Further reading

• "New administrative regions could boost Iran's economy". Al-Monitor. Washington, DC. 15 May 2014. Archived from the original on 11 February 2017. Retrieved 10 February 2017.