Population in largest city in Iran
Iran: Population in largest city was 9.73 million in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
9.73 million
Change on year
up 1.2%
World rank
25th
of 153 countries
All-time high
9.73 million
in 2025
All-time low
1.87 million
in 1960
Years of data
66
1960–2025
Population in largest city in Iran, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN).
Analysis
The most recent figure for population in largest city in Iran is 9.73 million, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.2% on the previous year and up 13.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population in largest city in Iran peaked at 9.73 million in 2025 and was at its lowest, 1.87 million, in 1960.
That places Iran 25th out of 153 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 66 years of available data.
Population in largest city in Iran, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 1.87 million | — |
| 1961 | 1.99 million | +6.0% |
| 1962 | 2.11 million | +6.0% |
| 1963 | 2.23 million | +6.0% |
| 1964 | 2.37 million | +6.1% |
| 1965 | 2.51 million | +6.0% |
| 1966 | 2.66 million | +6.0% |
| 1967 | 2.81 million | +5.6% |
| 1968 | 2.96 million | +5.4% |
| 1969 | 3.12 million | +5.4% |
| 1970 | 3.29 million | +5.4% |
| 1971 | 3.47 million | +5.4% |
| 1972 | 3.65 million | +5.4% |
| 1973 | 3.85 million | +5.4% |
| 1974 | 4.06 million | +5.4% |
| 1975 | 4.27 million | +5.4% |
| 1976 | 4.50 million | +5.4% |
| 1977 | 4.67 million | +3.7% |
| 1978 | 4.80 million | +2.8% |
| 1979 | 4.94 million | +2.8% |
| 1980 | 5.08 million | +2.8% |
| 1981 | 5.22 million | +2.8% |
| 1982 | 5.37 million | +2.8% |
| 1983 | 5.52 million | +2.8% |
| 1984 | 5.68 million | +2.8% |
| 1985 | 5.84 million | +2.8% |
| 1986 | 6.00 million | +2.8% |
| 1987 | 6.11 million | +1.7% |
| 1988 | 6.19 million | +1.4% |
| 1989 | 6.28 million | +1.4% |
| 1990 | 6.36 million | +1.4% |
| 1991 | 6.45 million | +1.4% |
| 1992 | 6.52 million | +1.0% |
| 1993 | 6.57 million | +0.9% |
| 1994 | 6.63 million | +0.9% |
| 1995 | 6.69 million | +0.9% |
| 1996 | 6.74 million | +0.9% |
| 1997 | 6.83 million | +1.3% |
| 1998 | 6.93 million | +1.4% |
| 1999 | 7.03 million | +1.4% |
| 2000 | 7.13 million | +1.4% |
| 2001 | 7.23 million | +1.4% |
| 2002 | 7.33 million | +1.4% |
| 2003 | 7.44 million | +1.4% |
| 2004 | 7.54 million | +1.4% |
| 2005 | 7.65 million | +1.4% |
| 2006 | 7.76 million | +1.4% |
| 2007 | 7.84 million | +1.1% |
| 2008 | 7.92 million | +0.9% |
| 2009 | 7.99 million | +0.9% |
| 2010 | 8.06 million | +0.9% |
| 2011 | 8.13 million | +0.9% |
| 2012 | 8.23 million | +1.2% |
| 2013 | 8.34 million | +1.3% |
| 2014 | 8.44 million | +1.3% |
| 2015 | 8.56 million | +1.3% |
| 2016 | 8.67 million | +1.3% |
| 2017 | 8.78 million | +1.3% |
| 2018 | 8.90 million | +1.3% |
| 2019 | 9.01 million | +1.3% |
| 2020 | 9.13 million | +1.3% |
| 2021 | 9.26 million | +1.4% |
| 2022 | 9.38 million | +1.3% |
| 2023 | 9.50 million | +1.3% |
| 2024 | 9.62 million | +1.2% |
| 2025 | 9.73 million | +1.2% |
Iran compared with similar countries
- Iran's 9.73 million is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 3.00 million, 3.2× the median. (41 countries reporting)
- Iran's 9.73 million is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 3.05 million, 3.2× the median. (22 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 2.46 million | 1.87 million | 3.12 million | 10 |
| 1970s | 4.15 million | 3.29 million | 4.94 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 5.73 million | 5.08 million | 6.28 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 6.68 million | 6.36 million | 7.03 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 7.58 million | 7.13 million | 7.99 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 8.51 million | 8.06 million | 9.01 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 9.44 million | 9.13 million | 9.73 million | 6 |
Countries ranked near Iran
More urban development data for Iran
- Population in the largest city 13.6% (2025)
- Population density 55.85 people per sq. km of land area (2023)
- PM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure 40.25 micrograms per cubic meter (2023)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per capita 0.2522 units per person (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million 23.31 million (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, annual 1.2 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per unit 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per square 14.02 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Crude steelmaking capacity 60 Tonnes (2025)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 23 - Ecological 518.25 Hectares (2020)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population in largest city in Iran?
- Population in largest city in Iran was 9.73 million in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest population in largest city recorded in Iran?
- The highest recorded value was 9.73 million in 2025.
- What is the lowest population in largest city recorded in Iran?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.87 million in 1960.
- How does Iran rank for population in largest city?
- Iran ranks 25th out of 153 countries with data for 2025.
- Is population in largest city rising or falling in Iran?
- Over the last ten years it is up 13.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Iran data come from?
- The figures come from World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN), published as part of Population in largest city. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 66 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Population in largest city is the urban population living in the country's largest metropolitan area.