Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million in Iran
Iran: Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million was 23.31 million in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
23.31 million
Change on year
up 1.2%
World rank
18th
of 121 countries
All-time high
23.31 million
in 2025
All-time low
3.28 million
in 1960
Years of data
66
1960–2025
Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million in Iran, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN).
Analysis
In 2025, population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million in Iran stood at 23.31 million. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.
The figure is up 1.2% on the previous year and up 14.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million in Iran peaked at 23.31 million in 2025 and was at its lowest, 3.28 million, in 1960.
That places Iran 18th out of 121 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 urban agglomerations of more than 1 million in Iran, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 3.28 million | — |
| 1961 | 3.46 million | +5.5% |
| 1962 | 3.65 million | +5.5% |
| 1963 | 3.85 million | +5.5% |
| 1964 | 4.06 million | +5.5% |
| 1965 | 4.29 million | +5.5% |
| 1966 | 4.52 million | +5.5% |
| 1967 | 4.76 million | +5.3% |
| 1968 | 5.01 million | +5.2% |
| 1969 | 5.27 million | +5.2% |
| 1970 | 5.54 million | +5.2% |
| 1971 | 5.83 million | +5.2% |
| 1972 | 6.13 million | +5.2% |
| 1973 | 6.45 million | +5.2% |
| 1974 | 6.79 million | +5.2% |
| 1975 | 7.15 million | +5.2% |
| 1976 | 7.52 million | +5.2% |
| 1977 | 7.87 million | +4.7% |
| 1978 | 8.22 million | +4.4% |
| 1979 | 8.59 million | +4.5% |
| 1980 | 8.98 million | +4.6% |
| 1981 | 9.40 million | +4.6% |
| 1982 | 9.84 million | +4.7% |
| 1983 | 10.31 million | +4.8% |
| 1984 | 10.81 million | +4.9% |
| 1985 | 11.34 million | +4.9% |
| 1986 | 11.91 million | +5.0% |
| 1987 | 12.27 million | +3.0% |
| 1988 | 12.58 million | +2.5% |
| 1989 | 12.89 million | +2.5% |
| 1990 | 13.21 million | +2.5% |
| 1991 | 13.54 million | +2.5% |
| 1992 | 13.78 million | +1.8% |
| 1993 | 13.98 million | +1.5% |
| 1994 | 14.19 million | +1.5% |
| 1995 | 14.41 million | +1.5% |
| 1996 | 14.62 million | +1.5% |
| 1997 | 14.89 million | +1.8% |
| 1998 | 15.17 million | +1.9% |
| 1999 | 15.46 million | +1.9% |
| 2000 | 15.76 million | +1.9% |
| 2001 | 16.06 million | +1.9% |
| 2002 | 16.37 million | +1.9% |
| 2003 | 16.69 million | +1.9% |
| 2004 | 17.01 million | +1.9% |
| 2005 | 17.34 million | +1.9% |
| 2006 | 17.68 million | +1.9% |
| 2007 | 18.00 million | +1.8% |
| 2008 | 18.32 million | +1.8% |
| 2009 | 18.65 million | +1.8% |
| 2010 | 18.98 million | +1.8% |
| 2011 | 19.33 million | +1.8% |
| 2012 | 19.62 million | +1.5% |
| 2013 | 19.88 million | +1.3% |
| 2014 | 20.15 million | +1.3% |
| 2015 | 20.42 million | +1.3% |
| 2016 | 20.69 million | +1.4% |
| 2017 | 20.97 million | +1.4% |
| 2018 | 21.26 million | +1.4% |
| 2019 | 21.55 million | +1.4% |
| 2020 | 21.85 million | +1.4% |
| 2021 | 22.16 million | +1.4% |
| 2022 | 22.46 million | +1.4% |
| 2023 | 22.75 million | +1.3% |
| 2024 | 23.03 million | +1.2% |
| 2025 | 23.31 million | +1.2% |
Iran compared with similar countries
- Iran's 23.31 million is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 5.35 million, 4.4× the median. (32 countries reporting)
- Iran's 23.31 million is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 5.32 million, 4.4× the median. (18 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 4.21 million | 3.28 million | 5.27 million | 10 |
| 1970s | 7.01 million | 5.54 million | 8.59 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 11.03 million | 8.98 million | 12.89 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 14.33 million | 13.21 million | 15.46 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 17.19 million | 15.76 million | 18.65 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 20.28 million | 18.98 million | 21.55 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 22.59 million | 21.85 million | 23.31 million | 6 |
Countries ranked near Iran
- 15 South Korea 26.41 million compare
- 16 Colombia 23.80 million compare
- 17 South Africa 23.36 million compare
- 19 Argentina 20.28 million compare
- 20 Vietnam 20.22 million compare
- 21 United Kingdom 19.05 million compare
More urban development data for Iran
- Population in the largest city 13.6% (2025)
- Population density 56.44 people per sq. km of land area (2024)
- 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, 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)
- Population in largest city 9.73 million (2025)
- 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 urban agglomerations of more than 1 million in Iran?
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million in Iran was 23.31 million in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million recorded in Iran?
- The highest recorded value was 23.31 million in 2025.
- What is the lowest population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million recorded in Iran?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.28 million in 1960.
- How does Iran rank for population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million?
- Iran ranks 18th out of 121 countries with data for 2025.
- Is population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million rising or falling in Iran?
- Over the last ten years it is up 14.2%. 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 urban agglomerations of more than 1 million. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Population in urban agglomerations of more than one million is the country's population living in metropolitan areas that in 2018 had a population of more than one million people.