Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in Iran
Iran: Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre was 42.82 people per square kilometre in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
42.82 people per square kilometre
Change on year
up 1.7%
World rank
121st
of 215 countries
All-time high
42.82 people per square kilometre
in 2023
All-time low
4.7 people per square kilometre
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in Iran, 1961–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in people per square kilometre.
Analysis
The most recent figure for number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in Iran is 42.82 people per square kilometre, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 63 years on record.
The figure is up 1.7% on the previous year and up 20.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in Iran peaked at 42.82 people per square kilometre in 2023 and was at its lowest, 4.7 people per square kilometre, in 1961.
Iran ranks 121st of 215 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in Iran, year by year
| Year | people per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 4.7 people per square kilometre | — |
| 1962 | 4.94 people per square kilometre | +5.1% |
| 1963 | 5.19 people per square kilometre | +5.1% |
| 1964 | 5.45 people per square kilometre | +5.1% |
| 1965 | 5.71 people per square kilometre | +4.7% |
| 1966 | 5.98 people per square kilometre | +4.7% |
| 1967 | 6.35 people per square kilometre | +6.2% |
| 1968 | 6.69 people per square kilometre | +5.4% |
| 1969 | 7.05 people per square kilometre | +5.4% |
| 1970 | 7.43 people per square kilometre | +5.4% |
| 1971 | 7.82 people per square kilometre | +5.3% |
| 1972 | 8.23 people per square kilometre | +5.2% |
| 1973 | 8.65 people per square kilometre | +5.1% |
| 1974 | 9.1 people per square kilometre | +5.1% |
| 1975 | 9.57 people per square kilometre | +5.2% |
| 1976 | 10 people per square kilometre | +4.6% |
| 1977 | 10.54 people per square kilometre | +5.3% |
| 1978 | 11.05 people per square kilometre | +4.9% |
| 1979 | 11.61 people per square kilometre | +5.0% |
| 1980 | 12.22 people per square kilometre | +5.2% |
| 1981 | 13.06 people per square kilometre | +6.9% |
| 1982 | 13.97 people per square kilometre | +6.9% |
| 1983 | 14.73 people per square kilometre | +5.4% |
| 1984 | 15.51 people per square kilometre | +5.3% |
| 1985 | 16.31 people per square kilometre | +5.2% |
| 1986 | 17.1 people per square kilometre | +4.9% |
| 1987 | 17.95 people per square kilometre | +4.9% |
| 1988 | 18.72 people per square kilometre | +4.3% |
| 1989 | 19.47 people per square kilometre | +4.0% |
| 1990 | 20.24 people per square kilometre | +4.0% |
| 1991 | 20.96 people per square kilometre | +3.5% |
| 1992 | 21.73 people per square kilometre | +3.7% |
| 1993 | 22.13 people per square kilometre | +1.8% |
| 1994 | 22.49 people per square kilometre | +1.7% |
| 1995 | 23.08 people per square kilometre | +2.6% |
| 1996 | 23.57 people per square kilometre | +2.2% |
| 1997 | 24.27 people per square kilometre | +2.9% |
| 1998 | 24.92 people per square kilometre | +2.7% |
| 1999 | 25.6 people per square kilometre | +2.7% |
| 2000 | 26.29 people per square kilometre | +2.7% |
| 2001 | 27.01 people per square kilometre | +2.7% |
| 2002 | 27.53 people per square kilometre | +1.9% |
| 2003 | 28.12 people per square kilometre | +2.2% |
| 2004 | 29.01 people per square kilometre | +3.2% |
| 2005 | 29.93 people per square kilometre | +3.2% |
| 2006 | 30.78 people per square kilometre | +2.8% |
| 2007 | 31.52 people per square kilometre | +2.4% |
| 2008 | 32.17 people per square kilometre | +2.1% |
| 2009 | 32.85 people per square kilometre | +2.1% |
| 2010 | 33.56 people per square kilometre | +2.2% |
| 2011 | 34.27 people per square kilometre | +2.1% |
| 2012 | 34.97 people per square kilometre | +2.1% |
| 2013 | 35.7 people per square kilometre | +2.1% |
| 2014 | 36.44 people per square kilometre | +2.1% |
| 2015 | 37.21 people per square kilometre | +2.1% |
| 2016 | 38.02 people per square kilometre | +2.2% |
| 2017 | 38.99 people per square kilometre | +2.6% |
| 2018 | 39.7 people per square kilometre | +1.8% |
| 2019 | 40.35 people per square kilometre | +1.6% |
| 2020 | 40.87 people per square kilometre | +1.3% |
| 2021 | 41.43 people per square kilometre | +1.4% |
| 2022 | 42.12 people per square kilometre | +1.7% |
| 2023 | 42.82 people per square kilometre | +1.7% |
Iran compared with similar countries
- Iran's 42.82 people per square kilometre is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 48.45 people per square kilometre, 88% of the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Iran's 42.82 people per square kilometre is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 72.54 people per square kilometre, 59% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 5.79 people per square kilometre | 4.7 people per square kilometre | 7.05 people per square kilometre | 9 |
| 1970s | 9.4 people per square kilometre | 7.43 people per square kilometre | 11.61 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1980s | 15.9 people per square kilometre | 12.22 people per square kilometre | 19.47 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1990s | 22.9 people per square kilometre | 20.24 people per square kilometre | 25.6 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2000s | 29.52 people per square kilometre | 26.29 people per square kilometre | 32.85 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 36.92 people per square kilometre | 33.56 people per square kilometre | 40.35 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 41.81 people per square kilometre | 40.87 people per square kilometre | 42.82 people per square kilometre | 4 |
Countries ranked near Iran
- 118 Ukraine 45.25 people per square kilometre compare
- 119 North Macedonia 45.22 people per square kilometre compare
- 120 Romania 43.35 people per square kilometre compare
- 122 Uzbekistan 41.26 people per square kilometre compare
- 123 Cambodia 40.1 people per square kilometre compare
- 124 Moldova 40.05 people per square kilometre 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)
- World population growth -0.7% (2100)
- Population density 49.33 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 3.09 million people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in Iran?
- Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in Iran was 42.82 people per square kilometre in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre recorded in Iran?
- The highest recorded value was 42.82 people per square kilometre in 2023.
- What is the lowest number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre recorded in Iran?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.7 people per square kilometre in 1961.
- How does Iran rank for number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre?
- Iran ranks 121st out of 215 countries with data for 2023.
- Is number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre rising or falling in Iran?
- Over the last ten years it is up 20.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- 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, per square kilometre. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 63 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Number of people living in urban and rural areas divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Number of people living in urban and rural areas ÷ Land area (sq. km)
Computed from
- Number of people living in urban and rural areas United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
- Land area FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
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
Number of people living in urban and rural areas divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.