Number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate in Iran
Iran: Number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate was 1.39 % change on previous year in 2025. ▼ Falling
Latest (2025)
1.39 % change on previous year
Change on year
down 7.8%
World rank
103rd
of 234 countries
All-time high
6.95 % change on previous year
in 1982
All-time low
1.3 % change on previous year
in 2020
Years of data
75
1951–2025
Number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate in Iran, 1951–2025
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in % change on previous year.
Analysis
Iran recorded 1.39 % change on previous year for number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 7.8% on the previous year and down 33.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate in Iran peaked at 6.95 % change on previous year in 1982 and was at its lowest, 1.3 % change on previous year, in 2020.
Iran ranks 103rd of 234 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 75 years of available data.
Number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate in Iran, year by year
| Year | % change on previous year | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1951 | 4.6 % change on previous year | — |
| 1952 | 4.64 % change on previous year | +0.9% |
| 1953 | 4.66 % change on previous year | +0.4% |
| 1954 | 4.69 % change on previous year | +0.7% |
| 1955 | 4.77 % change on previous year | +1.7% |
| 1956 | 4.85 % change on previous year | +1.7% |
| 1957 | 5.07 % change on previous year | +4.5% |
| 1958 | 5.03 % change on previous year | -0.7% |
| 1959 | 5.05 % change on previous year | +0.4% |
| 1960 | 5.09 % change on previous year | +0.8% |
| 1961 | 5.04 % change on previous year | -1.1% |
| 1962 | 5.05 % change on previous year | +0.2% |
| 1963 | 5.07 % change on previous year | +0.3% |
| 1964 | 5.09 % change on previous year | +0.5% |
| 1965 | 4.66 % change on previous year | -8.5% |
| 1966 | 4.73 % change on previous year | +1.5% |
| 1967 | 6.25 % change on previous year | +32.1% |
| 1968 | 5.38 % change on previous year | -13.8% |
| 1969 | 5.36 % change on previous year | -0.5% |
| 1970 | 5.36 % change on previous year | +0.0% |
| 1971 | 5.27 % change on previous year | -1.6% |
| 1972 | 5.17 % change on previous year | -1.9% |
| 1973 | 5.14 % change on previous year | -0.7% |
| 1974 | 5.14 % change on previous year | -0.0% |
| 1975 | 5.17 % change on previous year | +0.6% |
| 1976 | 4.58 % change on previous year | -11.4% |
| 1977 | 5.33 % change on previous year | +16.4% |
| 1978 | 4.89 % change on previous year | -8.2% |
| 1979 | 5.05 % change on previous year | +3.2% |
| 1980 | 5.22 % change on previous year | +3.4% |
| 1981 | 6.92 % change on previous year | +32.6% |
| 1982 | 6.95 % change on previous year | +0.4% |
| 1983 | 5.44 % change on previous year | -21.7% |
| 1984 | 5.28 % change on previous year | -2.9% |
| 1985 | 5.16 % change on previous year | -2.2% |
| 1986 | 4.89 % change on previous year | -5.2% |
| 1987 | 4.94 % change on previous year | +1.0% |
| 1988 | 4.3 % change on previous year | -13.0% |
| 1989 | 3.98 % change on previous year | -7.4% |
| 1990 | 3.97 % change on previous year | -0.3% |
| 1991 | 3.55 % change on previous year | -10.5% |
| 1992 | 3.7 % change on previous year | +4.3% |
| 1993 | 1.82 % change on previous year | -50.7% |
| 1994 | 1.65 % change on previous year | -9.3% |
| 1995 | 2.59 % change on previous year | +56.6% |
| 1996 | 2.16 % change on previous year | -16.8% |
| 1997 | 2.95 % change on previous year | +36.9% |
| 1998 | 2.67 % change on previous year | -9.3% |
| 1999 | 2.73 % change on previous year | +2.1% |
| 2000 | 2.71 % change on previous year | -0.8% |
| 2001 | 2.72 % change on previous year | +0.3% |
| 2002 | 1.93 % change on previous year | -29.1% |
| 2003 | 2.15 % change on previous year | +11.8% |
| 2004 | 3.16 % change on previous year | +46.8% |
| 2005 | 3.17 % change on previous year | +0.3% |
| 2006 | 2.84 % change on previous year | -10.5% |
| 2007 | 2.39 % change on previous year | -15.9% |
| 2008 | 2.06 % change on previous year | -13.5% |
| 2009 | 2.14 % change on previous year | +3.7% |
| 2010 | 2.16 % change on previous year | +0.7% |
| 2011 | 2.1 % change on previous year | -2.7% |
| 2012 | 2.05 % change on previous year | -2.0% |
| 2013 | 2.08 % change on previous year | +1.1% |
| 2014 | 2.09 % change on previous year | +0.8% |
| 2015 | 2.1 % change on previous year | +0.3% |
| 2016 | 2.17 % change on previous year | +3.2% |
| 2017 | 2.17 % change on previous year | -0.1% |
| 2018 | 1.83 % change on previous year | -15.4% |
| 2019 | 1.63 % change on previous year | -11.2% |
| 2020 | 1.3 % change on previous year | -20.0% |
| 2021 | 1.36 % change on previous year | +4.6% |
| 2022 | 1.66 % change on previous year | +22.3% |
| 2023 | 1.66 % change on previous year | +0.1% |
| 2024 | 1.51 % change on previous year | -9.2% |
| 2025 | 1.39 % change on previous year | -7.8% |
Iran compared with similar countries
- Iran's 1.39 % change on previous year is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 0.9495 % change on previous year, 1.5× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Iran's 1.39 % change on previous year is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 1.97 % change on previous year, 71% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate in Iran changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | +56.6% | 1.65 % change on previous year | 2.59 % change on previous year |
| 1993 | -50.7% | 3.7 % change on previous year | 1.82 % change on previous year |
| 2004 | +46.8% | 2.15 % change on previous year | 3.16 % change on previous year |
| 1997 | +36.9% | 2.16 % change on previous year | 2.95 % change on previous year |
| 1981 | +32.6% | 5.22 % change on previous year | 6.92 % change on previous year |
| 1967 | +32.1% | 4.73 % change on previous year | 6.25 % change on previous year |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 4.82 % change on previous year | 4.6 % change on previous year | 5.07 % change on previous year | 9 |
| 1960s | 5.17 % change on previous year | 4.66 % change on previous year | 6.25 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 1970s | 5.11 % change on previous year | 4.58 % change on previous year | 5.36 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 1980s | 5.31 % change on previous year | 3.98 % change on previous year | 6.95 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.78 % change on previous year | 1.65 % change on previous year | 3.97 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.53 % change on previous year | 1.93 % change on previous year | 3.17 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.04 % change on previous year | 1.63 % change on previous year | 2.17 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.48 % change on previous year | 1.3 % change on previous year | 1.66 % change on previous year | 6 |
Countries ranked near Iran
- 100 Israel 1.43 % change on previous year compare
- 101 Djibouti 1.41 % change on previous year compare
- 102 Philippines 1.4 % change on previous year compare
- 104 Ireland 1.39 % change on previous year compare
- 105 Saint Barthelemy 1.39 % change on previous year compare
- 106 Colombia 1.36 % change on previous year compare
More population data for Iran
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.6632 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -2.91 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.6632 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.5902 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 99,007 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.4819 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.5653 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate -0.673 (2100)
- Population density 49.33 (2100)
- Projected population under age 5 3.09 million (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate in Iran?
- Number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate in Iran was 1.39 % change on previous year in 2025, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate recorded in Iran?
- The highest recorded value was 6.95 % change on previous year in 1982.
- What is the lowest number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate recorded in Iran?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.3 % change on previous year in 2020.
- How does Iran rank for number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate?
- Iran ranks 103rd out of 234 countries with data for 2025.
- Is number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate rising or falling in Iran?
- Over the last ten years it is down 33.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Iran data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 75 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
The year-on-year percentage change in Number of people living in urban and rural areas. Computed from consecutive annual observations; years either side of a gap are skipped rather than bridged.
Computed from
- Urban and rural population Our World in Data
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
The year-on-year percentage change in Number of people living in urban and rural areas. Computed from consecutive annual observations; years either side of a gap are skipped rather than bridged.