| Markazi Province | |
| Native Name: | Persian: استان مرکزی |
| Native Name Lang: | fa |
| Settlement Type: | Province |
| Image Map1: | IranMarkazi-SVG.svg |
| Map Caption1: | Location of Markazi Province within Iran |
| Coordinates: | 34.5833°N 90°W |
| Coordinates Footnotes: | [1] |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | Iran |
| Subdivision Type1: | Region |
| Subdivision Name1: | Region 4 |
| Parts Type: | Counties |
| Parts Style: | para |
| P1: | 12 |
| Seat Type: | Capital |
| Seat: | Arak |
| Leader Title: | Governor-general |
| Leader Name: | Farzad Mokhlesolaemeh |
| Leader Title1: | MPs of Assembly of Experts |
| Leader Name1: | Ahmad Mohseni Garakani and Mohsen Araki |
| Leader Title2: | Representative of the Supreme Leader |
| Leader Name2: | Ghorbanali Dorri-Najafabadi |
| Unit Pref: | Metric |
| Area Total Km2: | 29127 |
| Population Total: | 1429475 |
| Population As Of: | 2016 |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Timezone1: | IRST |
| Utc Offset1: | +03:30 |
| Blank Name Sec1: | Main language(s) |
| Blank Info Sec1: | Persian |
| Blank1 Name Sec1: | HDI (2018) |
| Blank1 Info Sec1: | 0.791[2] · 15th |
Markazi province (Persian: استان مرکزی) is one of the 31 provinces of Iran. Its capital is the city of Arak.[3]
The present borders of the province date to 1977, when the province was split into the current Markazi and Tehran provinces, with portions being annexed by Isfahan, Semnan, and Zanjan provinces. In 2014 the province was placed in Region 4.[4]
Markazi Province was part of the Median Empire in the first millennium BC, which included all of the central and western parts of modern-day Iran. The region is considered to be one of the ancient settlements on the Iranian plateau. Numerous remaining ruins testify to the antiquity of this area.
In the early centuries of Islam, the name of the area was changed to Jibal or Kuhestan. By the early 10th century, Khorheh had become a famous city of Jibal province, followed by Tafresh and Khomein.
In recent times, the expansion of the North-South railroad (commonly known as the Persian Corridor) and the establishment of major industries have helped boost development in the area.
At the time of the 2006 National Census, the province's population was 1,326,826 in 364,155 households.[5] The following census in 2011 counted 1,413,959 people in 426,613 households.[6] The 2016 census measured the population of the province as 1,429,475 in 455,866 households.[7] Persians make up the majority of the province, but there are significant minorities of Azerbaijanis, Kurds, Lurs, etc.
The population history and structural changes of Markazi Province's administrative divisions over three consecutive censuses are shown in the following table.
| Counties | 2006 | 2011 | 2016 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 602,971 | 599,634 | 591,756 | ||
| 19,011 | 17,105 | 16,357 | ||
| 43,388 | 48,986 | 51,621 | ||
| — | 30,042 | 28,994 | ||
| 108,840 | 107,368 | 105,017 | ||
| — | 58,262 | 54,018 | ||
| 45,296 | 39,340 | 36,441 | ||
| 48,458 | 53,381 | 55,342 | ||
| 235,843 | 259,030 | 283,538 | ||
| 118,789 | 117,746 | 117,571 | ||
| 46,680 | 25,912 | 24,913 | ||
| 57,550 | 57,153 | 63,907 | ||
| Total | 1,326,826 | 1,413,959 | 1,429,475 |
According to the 2016 census, 1,099,764 people (over 76% of the population of Markazi Province) live in the following cities:[7]
| City | Population | |
|---|---|---|
| Arak | 520,944 | |
| 8,763 | ||
| 7,166 | ||
| 3,906 | ||
| 40,902 | ||
| 5,491 | ||
| 5,756 | ||
| 5,375 | ||
| 1,918 | ||
| 4,993 | ||
| 3,743 | ||
| 3,235 | ||
| 72,882 | ||
| 7,810 | ||
| 5,246 | ||
| 8,776 | ||
| 20,346 | ||
| 43,245 | ||
| 21,814 | ||
| 9,288 | ||
| 2,592 | ||
| 7,507 | ||
| 3,334 | ||
| 6,886 | ||
| 1,374 | ||
| 826 | ||
| 1,345 | ||
| 220,762 | ||
| 7,536 | ||
| 21,181 | ||
| 16,493 | ||
| 2,302 | ||
| 6,027 |
Many figures in Iranian history trace their origins to this province. namely: Mirza Abu'l-Qasem Qa'em-Maqam, Abbas Eqbal Ashtiani, Mirza Taqi Khan Amir Kabir, Mirza Bozorg Qa'em-Maqam, Mahmoud Hessabi, Ayatollah Khomeini, Ayatollah Araki, and many others.