Iran's counties () are administrative divisions of larger provinces (ostan). The word shahrestan comes from the Iranian words (city) and ("place, land"). "County", therefore, is a near equivalent to (šahrestân).
Counties are divided into one or more districts ( ). A typical district includes both cities ( ) and rural districts ( ), which are groupings of adjacent villages. One city within the county serves as the capital of that county, generally in its Central District.
Each county is governed by an office known as farmândâri, which coordinates different public events and agencies and is headed by a farmândâr, the governor of the county and the highest-ranking official in the division.
Among the provinces of Iran, Fars has the highest number of shahrestans (37), while Qom has the fewest (3). In 2005 Iran had 324 shahrestans, while in 2026 there are 491.
Guide The total population of a province is the total of its counties.
The total population of a county is the total of its districts.
The total population of a district is the total of its cities and rural districts.
To better understand these subdivisions, the following table for Piranshahr County in West Azerbaijan province (as it existed in 2006, 2011 and 2016) is an example showing the hierarchy of a county's divisions:
+ Piranshahr County Population Administrative Divisions 2006 2011 2016 Central District 84,920 99,205 115,200 Lahijan Rural District 5,509 5,481 5,183 Mangur-e Gharbi Rural District 9,120 8,999 9,090 Piran Rural District 12,599 15,676 9,412 Piranshahr (city) 57,692 69,049 91,515 Lajan District 22,757 24,434 23,664 Lahijan-e Gharbi Rural District 6,904 7,169 6,261 Lahijan-e Sharqi Rural District 14,537 15,592 13,202 Gerd Kashaneh (city) 1,316 1,673 4,201 Total 107,677 123,639 138,864
List The counties are listed below, by province, with the capital and the county containing the capital of the provinces in bold:
+ProvinceNo. of CountiesNameCapitalMapAlborz7Chaharbagh ChaharbaghEshtehardEshtehardFardisFardisKarajKarajNazarabadNazarabadSavojbolaghHashtgerdTaleqanTaleqanArdabil12ArdabilArdabilAslan DuzAslan DuzBileh SavarBileh SavarGermiGermiKhalkhalKhalkhalKowsarKiviMeshgin ShahrMeshginshahrNaminNaminNirNirParsabadParsabadSareynSareynUngutAngutBushehr10AsaluyehAsaluyehBushehrBushehrDashtestanBorazjanDashtiKhormujDeylamBandar DeylamDeyrBandar-e DayyerGanavehBandar GanavehJamJamKanganBandar KanganTangestanAhramChaharmahal and Bakhtiari12ArdalArdalBenBenBorujenBorujenFalardMal-e KhalifehFarrokhshahrFarrokh ShahrFarsanFarsanKhanmirzaAluniKiarShalamzarKuhrangChelgerdLordeganLordeganSamanSamanShahrekordShahr-e KordEast Azerbaijan21AharAharAjab ShirAjab ShirAzarshahrAzarshahrBonabBonabBostanabadBostanabadCharuymaqQarah AghajHashtrudHashtrudHerisHerisHurandHurandJolfaJolfaKaleybarKaleybarKhoda AfarinKhomarluMalekanMalekanMaraghehMaraghehMarandMarandMianehMianehOskuOskuSarabSarabShabestarShabestarTabrizTabrizVarzaqanVarzaqanFars37AbadehAbadehArsanjanArsanjanBakhteganAbadeh TashkBavanatBavanatBeyzaBeyzaDarabDarabEqlidEqlidEstahbanEstahbanEvazEvazFarashbandFarashbandFasaFasaFiruzabadFiruzabadGerashGerashJahromJahromJuyomJuyomKavarKavarKazerunKazerunKhafrBab AnarKharamehKharamehKhonjKhonjKhorrambidSafashahrKuhchenarQaemiyehLamerdLamerdLarestanLarMamasaniNurabadMarvdashtMarvdashtMohrMohrNeyrizNeyrizPasargadSaadat ShahrQir and KarzinQirRostamMasiriSarchehanHesamiSarvestanSarvestanSepidanArdakanShirazShirazZarqanZarqanZarrin DashtHajjiabadGilan17AmlashAmlashAstaneh-ye AshrafiyehAstaneh-ye AshrafiyehAstaraAstaraBandar-e AnzaliBandar-e AnzaliFumanFumanKhomamKhomamLahijanLahijanLangarudLangarudMasalMasalRashtRashtRezvanshahrRezvanshahrRudbarRudbarRudsarRudsarShaftShaftSiahkalSiahkalSowme'eh SaraSowme'eh SaraTaleshTāleshGolestan14AliabadAliabad-e KatulAqqalaAqqalaAzadshahrAzadshahrBandar-e GazBandar-e GazGalikashGalikashGomishanGomishanGonbad-e KavusGonbad-e KavusGorganGorganKalalehKalalehKordkuyKordkuyMaraveh TappehMaraveh TappehMinudashtMinudashtRamianRamianTorkamanBandar TorkamanHamadan10AsadabadAsadabadBaharBaharDargazinQorveh-e DargazinFameninFameninHamadanHamadanKabudarahangKabudarahangMalayerMalayerNahavandNahavandRazanRazanTuyserkanTuyserkanHormozgan13AbumusaAbu MusaBandar AbbasBandar AbbasBandar LengehBandar LengehBashagardSardashtBastakBastakHajjiabadHajjiabadJaskJaskKhamirBanda KhamirMinabMinabParsianParsianQeshmQeshmRudanRudanSirikBandar SirikIlam12AbdananAbdananBadrehBadrehChardavolSarablehChavarChavarDarreh ShahrDarreh ShahrDehloranDehloranEyvanEyvanHoleylanTowhidIlamIlamMalekshahiArkavazMehranMehranSirvanLumarIsfahan28Aran va BidgolAran o BidgolArdestanArdestanBorkharDowlatabadBuin MiandashtBuin MiandashtChadeganChadeganDehaqanDehaqanFalavarjanFalavarjanFaridanDaranFereydunshahrFereydunshahrGolpayeganGolpayeganHarandHarandIsfahanIsfahanJarqaviehNikabadKashanKashanKhansarKhansarKhomeyni ShahrKhomeyni ShahrKhur and BiabanakKhurKuhpayehTudeshkLenjanZarrin ShahrMobarakehMobarakehNainNainNajafabadNajafabadNatanzNatanzSemiromSemiromShahin Shahr and MeymehShahin ShahrShahrezaShahrezaTiran and KarvanTiranVarzanehVarzanehKerman25AnarAnarAnbarabadAnbarabadArzuiyehArzuiyehBaftBaftBamBamBardsirBardsirFahrajFahrajFaryabFaryabGonbakiGonbakiJazmurianZeh-e KalutJiroftJiroftKahnujKahnujKermanKermanKuhbananKuhbananManujanManujanNarmashirNarmashirQaleh GanjQaleh GanjRaborRaborRafsanjanRafsanjanRavarRavarRiganMohammadabadRudbar-e JonubiRudbarShahr-e BabakShahr-e BabakSirjanSirjanZarandZarandKermanshah14DalahuKerend-e GharbGilan-e GharbGilan-e GharbHarsinHarsinJavanrudJavanrudKangavarKangavarKermanshahKermanshahPavehPavehQasr-e ShirinQasr-e ShirinRavansarRavansarSahnehSahnehSalas-e BabajaniTazehabadSarpol-e ZahabSarpol-e ZahabShahabad-e GharbShahabad-e GharbSonqorSonqorKhuzestan30AbadanAbadanAghajriAghajriAhvazAhvazAndikaQaleh-ye KhvajehAndimeshkAndimeshkBagh-e MalekBagh-e MalekBaviMollasaniBehbahanBehbahanDasht-e AzadeganSusangerdDezfulDezfulDezpartDehdezGotvandGotvandHaftkelHaftkelHamidiyehHamidiyehHendijanHendijanHoveyzehHoveyzehIzehIzehKarkhehAlvanKarunKut-e AbdollahKhorramshahrKhorramshahrLaliLaliMahshahrBandar-e MahshahrMasjed SoleymanMasjed SoleymanOmidiyehOmidiyehRamhormozRamhormozRamshirRamshirSeydunSeydunShadeganShadeganShushShushShushtarShushtarKohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad9BahmaiLikakBashtBashtBoyer-AhmadYasujCharamCharamDanaSisakhtGachsaranDogonbadanKohgiluyehDehdashtLandehLandehMargownMargownKurdistan10BanehBanehBijarBijarDehgolanDehgolanDivandarrehDivandarrehKamyaranKamyaranMarivanMarivanQorvehQorvehSanandajSanandajSaqqezSaqqezSarvabadSarvabadLorestan11AligudarzAligudarzAznaAznaBorujerdBorujerdDelfanNurabadDorudDorudDowrehSarab-e DowrehKhorramabadKhorramabadKuhdashtKuhdashtPol-e DokhtarPol-e DokhtarRumeshkanChaqabolSelselehAleshtarMarkazi12ArakArakAshtianAshtianDelijanDelijanFarahanFarmahinKhomeynKhomeynKhondabKhondabKomijanKomijanMahallatMahallatSavehSavehShazandShazandTafreshTafreshZarandiyehMamuniyehMazandaran22AbbasabadAbbasabadAmolAmolBabolBabolBabolsarBabolsarBehshahrBehshahrChalusChalusFereydunkenarFereydunkenarGalugahGalugahJuybarJuybarKelardashtKelardashtMahmudabadMahmudabadMiandorudSurakNekaNekaNorth SavadkuhShirgahNowshahrNowshahrNurNurQaem ShahrQaem ShahrRamsarRamsarSariSariSavadkuhPol-e SefidSimorghKiakolaTonekabonTonekabonNorth Khorasan10Bam and SafiabadSafiabadBojnordBojnordEsfarayenEsfarayenFarujFarujGarmehGarmehJajromJajromManehPish QalehRaz and JargalanRazSamalqanAshkhanehShirvanShirvanQazvin6AbyekAbyekAlborzAlvandAvajAvajBuin ZahraBuin ZahraQazvinQazvinTakestanTakestanQom3JafarabadJafariyehKahakKahakQomQomRazavi Khorasan 34BajestanBajestanBakharzBakharzBardaskanBardaskanChenaranChenaranDargazDargazDavarzanDavarzanFarimanFarimanFiruzehFiruzehGolbaharGolbaharGonabadGonabadJoghataiJoghataiJoveynNeqabKalatKalatKashmarKashmarKhafKhafKhalilabadKhalilabadKhoshabSoltanabadKuhsorkhRivashMahvelatFeyzabadMashhadMashhadMiyan JolgehEshqabadNishapurNishapurQuchanQuchanRoshtkharRoshtkharSabzevarSabzevarSalehabadSalehabadSarakhsSarakhsSheshtamadSheshtomadTaybadTaybadTorbat-e HeydariehTorbat-e HeydariehTorbat-e JamTorbat-e JamTorqabeh and ShandizTorqabehZavehDowlatabadZeberkhanQadamgahSemnan8AradanAradanDamghanDamghanGarmsarGarmsarMehdishahrMehdishahrMeyamiMeyamiSemnanSemnanShahrudShahrudSorkhehSorkhehSistan and Baluchistan26BampurBampurChabaharChabaharDalganGalmurtiDashtiariNegurFanujFanujGolshanJaleqHamunMohammadabadHirmandDust MohammadIranshahrIranshahrKhashKhashKonarakKonarakLasharEspakehMehrestanMehrestanMirjavehMirjavehNik ShahrNik ShahrNimruzAdimiQasr-e QandQasr-e QandRaskRaskSaravanSaravanSarbazSarbazSib and SuranSuranTaftanNukabadZabolZabolZahedanZahedanZarabadZarabadZehakZehakSouth Khorasan11BirjandBirjandBoshruyehBoshruyehDarmianAsadiyehFerdowsFerdowsKhusfKhusfNehbandanNehbandanQaenQaenSarayanSarayanSarbishehSarbishehTabasTabasZirkuhHajjiabadTehran16BaharestanNasimshahrDamavandDamavandEslamshahrEslamshahrFiruzkuhFiruzkuhMalardMalardPakdashtPakdashtPardisPardisPishvaPishvaQarchakQarchakQodsQodsRayRayThe capital, Ray, is part of the city of Tehran.Robat KarimRobat KarimShahriarShahriarShemiranatShemiranSemiran and Tajrish are part of Tehran.TehranTehranVaraminVaraminWest Azerbaijan20BaruqBaruqBukanBukanChaharborjChahar BorjChaldoranSiah CheshmehChayparehQarah Zia od DinKhoyKhoyMahabadMahabadMakuMakuMiandoabMiandoabMirabadMirabadNaqadehNaqadehOshnaviehOshnaviehPiranshahrPiranshahrPoldashtPoldashtSalmasSalmasSardashtSardashtShahin DezhShahin DezhShowtShowtTakabTakabUrmiaUrmiaYazd12AbarkuhAbarkuhArdakanArdakanAshkezarAshkezarBafqBafqBehabadBehabadKhatamHeratMarvastMarvastMehrizMehrizMeybodMeybodTaftTaftYazdYazdZarachZarachZanjan8AbharAbharIjrudZarrinabadKhodabandehQeydarKhorramdarrehKhorramdarrehMahneshanMah NeshanSoltaniyehSoltaniyehTaromAb BarZanjanZanjan
See also Bakhsh
References
[] (Gitashenasi Province Atlas of Iran)