Iran
What exactly constitutes the spatial extent of the city? For these aggregations, we used the Global Human Settlement Layer Urban Center Database (GHS-UCDB) to define the boundaries of the city. These cities -- or urban centers -- cover areas that are densely populated and built-up, and so may extend beyond the spatial borders of these cities that we may be familiar with. The GHS area is shaded in blue.
View Iran on the sprawlmap
Most recent snapshot: Taking into account the entire (i.e. aggregate) street network in Iran as of 2014, the overall level of street-network sprawl is 3.51, which is highly disconnected.
Trends in street network construction: The SNDis of street construction for the respective time periods are 4.11, 2.97, 3.55 and 3.68. The disconnectivity of new streets constructed in Iran fell, then rose. In 1976-1990, new street layouts were the most connected.
Quantity of street network construction: The street network in Iran spans a total of 270887 kilometers. The period with the greatest volume of street construction was 2001-2014. These roads have an SNDi of 3.68, which is highly disconnected.
Effect on the aggregate network: New construction in each period adds to the total stock of streets, but does not change streets that have already been built. Therefore, it has a limited effect on the street network as a whole. The SNDis of the aggregate street network in the respective time periods are 4.11, 3.39, 3.4 and 3.51. The SNDi of the aggregate street network in fell at first, but Iran has worsened in disconnectivity since 1990.
The level of street-network sprawl in new development in Iran was at its lowest in 1976-1990. To get a sense of how street development has changed in Iran, we can consider three of its most populous regions: Tehran, Razavi Khorasan and Khuzestan. Out of the three regions, Tehran and Razavi Khorasan do not follow the same trend as the country. The level of street-network sprawl in new development in Tehran rose steadily. The level of street-network sprawl in new development in Razavi Khorasan followed a zig-zag trend with an overall increase.
How do development practices in Iran fare in comparison to others in the world? Most recently in 2001-2014, street construction in Iran was the 105th-most disconnected out of the 155 countries in the world. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has fallen; relative to other countries in the world, street construction in Iran has become more connected. Iran ranked 38th in 1975, 97th in 1976-1990, 107th in 1991-2000 and 105th in 2001-2014.
The largest city in Iran is Tehran, with a population of 12515000 people. Taking into account the entire (i.e. aggregate) street network in Tehran as of 2014, the overall level of street-network sprawl is 2.8, which is in the 40th to 60th percentile of disconnectedness. The level of street-network sprawl in new development in Tehran peaked in 1991-2000.
As of 2014, the city with the most disconnected street network in Iran is Chalus with an SNDi of 7.79, which is highly disconnected. Conversely, the most connected city is Bandar Ganaveh with an SNDi of -0.83, which is very well-connected. See trends for these cities: Bandar Ganaveh, Chalus
The level of street-network sprawl in the aggregate network in Iran was at its lowest in 1976-1990. To get a sense of how the aggregate street network has changed in Iran, we can consider three of its most populous regions: Tehran, Razavi Khorasan and Khuzestan. Out of the three regions, Tehran does not follow the same trend as the country. The level of street-network sprawl in the aggregate network in Tehran rose steadily.
To date, Iran is the 73rd-most disconnected out of the 155 countries in the world. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has fallen; relative to other countries in the world, the street network in Iran has become more connected. Iran ranked 38th in 1975, 65th in 1976-1990, 70th in 1991-2000 and 73rd in 2001-2014.
The largest city in Iran is Tehran, with a population of 12515000 people. Taking into account the entire (i.e. aggregate) street network in Tehran as of 2014, the overall level of street-network sprawl is 2.8, which is in the 40th to 60th percentile of disconnectedness. The level of street-network sprawl in the aggregate network in Tehran rose steadily.
- West Azarbaijan
- East Azarbaijan
- Kordestan
- Kermanshah
- Ardebil
- Ilam
- Gilan
- Zanjan
- Lorestan
- Hamadan
- Khuzestan
- Qazvin
- Markazi
- Alborz
- Tehran
- Mazandaran
- Qom
- Esfahan
- Chahar Mahall and Bakhtiari
- Kohgiluyeh and Buyer Ahmad
- Bushehr
- Semnan
- Golestan
- Fars
- Yazd
- North Khorasan
- Kerman
- Razavi Khorasan
- Hormozgan
- South Khorasan
- Sistan and Baluchestan