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Population in Iran compared to Nigeria: Trends, Charts, Rankings

Updated on by Georank

The latest officially reported population of Iran was 92,417,681 in 2025 vs 237,527,782 people in Nigeria in 2025. In 2026, based on the adjusted UN estimation, the current Iran's population is 93,580,141 people compared to 245,016,045 in Nigeria.

Population statistics:

  • Nigeria's population is 2.62 times bigger than Iran's.
  • Iran is ranked the 17th most populous country in the world, while Nigeria is the 6th.
  • The countries together account for 4.07% of the world: 1.13% for Iran vs 2.95% for Nigeria.
  • For the last 10 years, Iran has had an average growth rate of +1.15% per year vs +2.25% in Nigeria.
  • Since 2006, the population of Iran has increased from 73.4M people to 93.6M (27.5% growth), while Nigeria has grown from 149M to 245M (64.4% growth).

Iran vs Nigeria: population by year and forecast

Iran
Factual

Projection
Nigeria
Factual

Projection
1x
Year Population
Iran Nigeria
2100 80,660,972 481,640,156
2099 81,193,582 481,456,918
2098 81,717,474 481,181,892
2097 82,241,892 480,838,161
2096 82,764,411 480,422,467
2095 83,283,942 479,938,579
2094 83,799,806 479,395,022
2093 84,316,389 478,769,369
2092 84,833,108 478,059,864
2091 85,354,240 477,236,907
2090 85,878,473 476,329,495
2089 86,409,859 475,326,347
2088 86,947,263 474,231,442
2087 87,492,427 473,035,563
2086 88,047,949 471,732,001
2085 88,610,339 470,328,175
2084 89,181,346 468,806,172
2083 89,758,453 467,187,453
2082 90,343,413 465,472,417
2081 90,936,310 463,643,190
2080 91,535,218 461,705,493
2079 92,136,544 459,644,523
2078 92,740,467 457,477,264
2077 93,344,865 455,218,871
2076 93,946,187 452,849,991
2075 94,544,733 450,367,356
2074 95,135,317 447,789,885
2073 95,721,351 445,117,028
2072 96,292,835 442,340,440
2071 96,851,951 439,464,323
2070 97,397,073 436,505,329
2069 97,924,812 433,437,998
2068 98,432,509 430,286,232
2067 98,913,776 427,032,499
2066 99,374,357 423,702,640
2065 99,812,137 420,285,359
2064 100,223,387 416,778,394
2063 100,602,361 413,198,800
2062 100,951,282 409,551,159
2061 101,266,537 405,827,482
2060 101,545,806 402,041,765
2059 101,792,315 398,197,311
2058 101,994,395 394,284,767
2057 102,161,227 390,311,065
2056 102,291,323 386,267,580
2055 102,382,089 382,162,992
2054 102,431,558 378,000,511
2053 102,441,204 373,769,779
2052 102,413,350 369,472,476
2051 102,350,865 365,120,741
2050 102,251,999 360,706,317
2049 102,122,983 356,243,287
2048 101,957,508 351,724,743
2047 101,765,614 347,142,279
2046 101,547,098 342,505,549
2045 101,305,486 337,807,869
2044 101,038,874 333,050,132
2043 100,752,109 328,230,652
2042 100,446,296 323,363,366
2041 100,122,690 318,443,989
2040 99,784,572 313,468,061
2039 99,436,793 308,450,008
2038 99,072,548 303,399,842
2037 98,694,577 298,327,800
2036 98,302,279 293,227,654
2035 97,899,013 288,115,630
2034 97,482,352 282,995,818
2033 97,054,589 277,875,880
2032 96,608,216 272,747,599
2031 96,141,200 267,645,657
2030 95,656,003 262,562,767
2029 95,133,736 257,484,616
2028 94,561,150 252,445,821
2027 93,925,792 247,437,680
2026 93,215,072 242,458,365
2025 92,417,681 237,527,782
2024 91,567,738 232,679,478
2023 90,608,707 227,882,945
2022 89,524,246 223,150,896
2021 88,455,488 218,529,286
2020 87,723,443 213,996,181
2019 87,051,648 209,485,641
2018 86,117,998 204,938,755
2017 85,026,754 200,254,579
2016 83,812,228 195,443,700
2015 82,619,362 190,671,878
2014 81,502,045 185,896,915
2013 80,414,686 181,049,443
2012 79,370,580 176,200,625
2011 78,383,598 171,379,598
2010 77,420,842 166,642,886
2009 76,457,825 162,049,464
2008 75,514,204 157,595,014
2007 74,602,648 153,267,261
2006 73,392,747 149,077,334
2005 71,828,455 145,017,253
2004 70,256,316 141,057,045
2003 68,769,340 137,202,644
2002 68,011,317 133,471,989
2001 67,452,005 129,862,595
2000 66,418,659 126,382,494
1999 65,445,391 123,047,320
1998 64,519,859 119,846,254
1997 63,639,638 116,754,792
1996 62,881,300 113,754,779
1995 62,205,567 110,819,428
1994 61,520,598 107,935,714
1993 61,403,543 105,122,069
1992 61,184,983 102,372,770
1991 59,986,931 99,720,162
1990 58,380,092 97,120,925
1989 56,704,914 94,531,014
1988 55,072,694 92,020,090
1987 53,323,493 89,591,716
1986 51,446,045 87,235,953
1985 49,582,289 84,897,973
1984 47,793,998 82,526,443
1983 46,029,535 80,438,260
1982 44,272,141 78,378,701
1981 41,989,312 76,068,103
1980 39,842,324 73,764,641
1979 38,424,952 71,498,242
1978 37,126,535 69,326,532
1977 35,933,181 67,234,590
1976 34,837,271 65,258,009
1975 33,802,973 63,410,815
1974 32,796,463 61,679,144
1973 31,839,838 60,082,139
1972 30,921,179 58,601,748
1971 30,029,071 57,214,684
1970 29,145,100 55,893,838
1969 28,273,482 54,631,914
1968 27,437,391 53,432,783
1967 26,628,432 52,293,065
1966 25,829,270 51,188,234
1965 25,036,978 50,086,764
1964 24,262,859 49,012,016
1963 23,519,005 47,973,575
1962 22,807,907 46,965,292
1961 22,125,726 45,989,310
1960 21,470,434 45,053,782

Data sources: United Nations | World Population Prospects (2026–2100, retrieved 2026-07-08); World Bank | Health (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08).

GeoRank.org/population/iran/nigeria | CC BY

From 2006 to 2016, the population of Iran increased by 10,419,481 people (a 14.2% growth), while Nigeria gained 46,366,366 people (a 31.1% growth).

For the next 10 years, from 2016 to 2026, Iran gained 9,767,913 people (a 11.7% growth), while Nigeria's population increased by 49,572,345 people (a 25.4% growth).

Iran was ranked 17th most populous country in 2006 and is still 17th in 2026. Nigeria was ranked 7th in 2006 and ranked 6th now.

The UN's World Population Prospects forecasts that in 24 years (in 2050) Iran's population will grow by 9.27% to 102,251,999 people with a rank change from 17th to 18th. The population of Nigeria will increase by 47.2% to 360,706,317 people and rank change from 6th to 5th.

Iran is projected to reach its peak in 2053 at 102M people compared to the peak of 482M people in 2100 for Nigeria.

Population growth rate by year

Iran
Factual

Projection
Nigeria
Factual

Projection
1x
Year Growth rate
Iran Nigeria
2100 -0.66% 0.04%
2099 -0.64% 0.06%
2098 -0.64% 0.07%
2097 -0.63% 0.09%
2096 -0.62% 0.1%
2095 -0.62% 0.11%
2094 -0.61% 0.13%
2093 -0.61% 0.15%
2092 -0.61% 0.17%
2091 -0.61% 0.19%
2090 -0.61% 0.21%
2089 -0.62% 0.23%
2088 -0.62% 0.25%
2087 -0.63% 0.28%
2086 -0.63% 0.3%
2085 -0.64% 0.32%
2084 -0.64% 0.35%
2083 -0.65% 0.37%
2082 -0.65% 0.39%
2081 -0.65% 0.42%
2080 -0.65% 0.45%
2079 -0.65% 0.47%
2078 -0.65% 0.5%
2077 -0.64% 0.52%
2076 -0.63% 0.55%
2075 -0.62% 0.58%
2074 -0.61% 0.6%
2073 -0.59% 0.63%
2072 -0.58% 0.65%
2071 -0.56% 0.68%
2070 -0.54% 0.71%
2069 -0.52% 0.73%
2068 -0.49% 0.76%
2067 -0.46% 0.79%
2066 -0.44% 0.81%
2065 -0.41% 0.84%
2064 -0.38% 0.87%
2063 -0.35% 0.89%
2062 -0.31% 0.92%
2061 -0.28% 0.94%
2060 -0.24% 0.97%
2059 -0.2% 0.99%
2058 -0.16% 1.02%
2057 -0.13% 1.05%
2056 -0.09% 1.07%
2055 -0.05% 1.1%
2054 -0.009% 1.13%
2053 0.03% 1.16%
2052 0.06% 1.19%
2051 0.1% 1.22%
2050 0.13% 1.25%
2049 0.16% 1.28%
2048 0.19% 1.32%
2047 0.22% 1.35%
2046 0.24% 1.39%
2045 0.26% 1.43%
2044 0.28% 1.47%
2043 0.3% 1.51%
2042 0.32% 1.54%
2041 0.34% 1.59%
2040 0.35% 1.63%
2039 0.37% 1.66%
2038 0.38% 1.7%
2037 0.4% 1.74%
2036 0.41% 1.77%
2035 0.43% 1.81%
2034 0.44% 1.84%
2033 0.46% 1.88%
2032 0.49% 1.91%
2031 0.51% 1.94%
2030 0.55% 1.97%
2029 0.61% 2%
2028 0.68% 2.02%
2027 0.76% 2.05%
2026 0.86% 2.08%
2025 0.93% 2.08%
2024 1.06% 2.1%
2023 1.21% 2.12%
2022 1.21% 2.11%
2021 0.83% 2.12%
2020 0.77% 2.15%
2019 1.08% 2.22%
2018 1.28% 2.34%
2017 1.45% 2.46%
2016 1.44% 2.5%
2015 1.37% 2.57%
2014 1.35% 2.68%
2013 1.32% 2.75%
2012 1.26% 2.81%
2011 1.24% 2.84%
2010 1.26% 2.83%
2009 1.25% 2.83%
2008 1.22% 2.82%
2007 1.65% 2.81%
2006 2.18% 2.8%
2005 2.24% 2.81%
2004 2.16% 2.81%
2003 1.11% 2.8%
2002 0.83% 2.78%
2001 1.56% 2.75%
2000 1.49% 2.71%
1999 1.43% 2.67%
1998 1.38% 2.65%
1997 1.21% 2.64%
1996 1.09% 2.65%
1995 1.11% 2.67%
1994 0.19% 2.68%
1993 0.36% 2.69%
1992 2% 2.66%
1991 2.75% 2.68%
1990 2.95% 2.74%
1989 2.96% 2.73%
1988 3.28% 2.71%
1987 3.65% 2.7%
1986 3.76% 2.75%
1985 3.74% 2.87%
1984 3.83% 2.6%
1983 3.97% 2.63%
1982 5.44% 3.04%
1981 5.39% 3.12%
1980 3.69% 3.17%
1979 3.5% 3.13%
1978 3.32% 3.11%
1977 3.15% 3.03%
1976 3.06% 2.91%
1975 3.07% 2.81%
1974 3% 2.66%
1973 2.97% 2.53%
1972 2.97% 2.42%
1971 3.03% 2.36%
1970 3.08% 2.31%
1969 3.05% 2.24%
1968 3.04% 2.18%
1967 3.09% 2.16%
1966 3.16% 2.2%
1965 3.19% 2.19%
1964 3.16% 2.16%
1963 3.12% 2.15%
1962 3.08% 2.12%
1961 3.05% 2.08%

Data sources: United Nations | World Population Prospects (2026–2100, retrieved 2026-07-08); World Bank | Health (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08).

GeoRank.org/population/iran/nigeria | CC BY

In 2025, the population of Iran grew by 0.93%, while Nigeria's population grew by 2.08%.

Live population counters

Iran Nigeria
Current population
93580141
245016045
Population rank 17/197 6/197
Percent of world population 1.13% 2.95%
One net population change
37.2 seconds
6.52 seconds
One birth every
27.4 seconds
4.17 seconds
One death every
1.21 minutes
11.6 seconds
Daily growth/decline +2,329 +13,283
Annual growth/decline +849,943 +4,848,304
Annual growth/decline rate +0.93% +2.08%
Population growth rate rank 103/197 45/197
One migration net change every
4.51 minutes
34.5 minutes
Annual migration change +116,786 -15,258
Net migration rank 14/196 145/196
Foreign-born residents 3,840,654 1,403,281
Foreign-born residents rank 17/195 49/195
Foreign-born share of population 4.2% 0.6%
Foreign-born share rank 103/195 173/195

Natural population change vs migration

Iran
Natural

Migration
Nigeria
Natural

Migration
1x
Year Population change
Iran Nigeria
Natural Migration Natural Migration
2025 - 116,786 - -15,258
2024 715,785 190,156 4,851,833 -35,202
2023 750,150 262,044 4,834,309 -57,936
2022 753,525 403,190 4,739,502 -51,680
2021 645,725 334,967 4,641,562 -86,115
2020 663,978 -180,680 4,525,164 -14,497
2019 893,063 -32,794 4,609,941 -99,722
2018 1,035,052 -27,946 4,659,898 -76,565
2017 1,140,549 34,849 4,706,183 78,685
2016 1,186,949 66,630 4,761,594 75,265
2015 1,178,317 -46,239 4,823,045 -116,162
2014 1,158,552 -56,042 4,862,319 -19,376
2013 1,119,533 -47,322 4,811,751 40,201
2012 1,073,804 -57,823 4,774,508 71,138
2011 1,023,925 -65,924 4,728,363 67,808
2010 980,380 -12,849 4,629,173 47,966
2009 958,322 211 4,528,149 -18,422
2008 940,983 -12,184 4,412,976 -13,646
2007 919,254 -24,950 4,265,428 -9,162
2006 884,529 640,932 4,135,703 -12,093
2005 837,305 765,873 4,013,788 -17,146
2004 801,203 739,996 3,877,376 46,370
2003 732,600 700,222 3,751,120 33,857
2002 752,205 -668,962 3,606,814 69,594
2001 743,658 291,692 3,478,370 64,163
2000 731,203 300,133 3,343,196 74,535
1999 723,237 191,988 3,155,425 97,195
1998 717,655 218,171 3,003,946 145,575
1997 726,574 98,009 2,936,500 96,885
1996 784,508 -92,435 2,882,205 84,448
1995 879,648 -220,258 2,830,771 73,243
1994 1,008,076 -297,487 2,735,198 128,134
1993 1,219,658 -1,696,091 2,673,675 90,200
1992 1,365,466 -451,945 2,596,173 138,412
1991 1,495,594 -13,059 2,527,807 42,760
1990 1,530,434 200,711 2,491,928 135,959
1989 1,609,739 9,460 2,452,324 99,588
1988 1,614,512 30,688 2,376,419 93,510
1987 1,639,644 213,524 2,322,397 64,418
1986 1,659,289 242,411 2,295,003 29,682
1985 1,661,750 163,999 2,289,784 61,514
1984 1,653,051 97,748 2,278,060 113,758
1983 1,573,612 204,544 2,292,089 -507,539
1982 1,514,240 222,390 2,233,401 101,116
1981 1,376,830 1,452,169 2,179,884 106,723
1980 1,361,293 103,674 2,121,618 198,672
1979 1,294,306 75,451 2,074,807 137,721
1978 1,156,974 70,088 2,019,621 111,258
1977 1,091,542 68,093 1,923,917 129,075
1976 1,013,347 18,825 1,827,289 72,889
1975 929,481 106,921 1,718,623 75,603
1974 873,369 103,252 1,624,813 44,281
1973 831,880 104,779 1,525,485 -618
1972 804,043 96,614 1,448,928 -12,962
1971 805,830 77,717 1,373,896 -35,639
1970 794,612 89,757 1,295,507 7,953
1969 780,660 78,196 1,213,484 6,912
1968 743,992 69,342 1,168,254 9,615
1967 727,276 77,313 1,082,884 18,683
1966 695,040 98,709 1,095,582 12,513
1965 663,029 127,808 1,061,840 32,988
1964 635,589 121,817 1,028,272 26,411
1963 620,126 110,190 995,116 27,115
1962 595,538 96,332 966,452 27,906
1961 594,674 77,811 932,111 25,515
1960 584,060 54,041 901,301 12,131

Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08).

GeoRank.org/population/iran/nigeria | CC BY

Over the last 10 years, 89.9% of the population change in Iran is from natural causes (a gain of 8,963,093 people) and 10.1% is from migration (a gain of 1,004,177 people). In Nigeria 99.2% is from natural causes (a gain of 47,153,031 people) and 0.81% is from migration (a loss of 383,929 people).

As of 2024, 3,840,654 residents or 4.2% of the population were not native-born in Iran, compared to 1,403,281 people or 0.6% in Nigeria.

Biggest cities by population

Iran
City Population
Tehran 8.69M
Mashhad 3M
Isfahan 1.96M
Karaj 1.59M
Shiraz 1.57M
Tabriz 1.56M
Qom 1.2M
Ahvaz 1.18M
Kermanshah 947K
Urmia 736K
Nigeria
City Population
Lagos 15.1M
Kano 4.35M
Port Harcourt 3.32M
Ibadan 2.56M
Benin 1.78M
Abuja 1.69M
Onitsha 1.48M
Aba 1.16M
Enugu 1.03M
Owerri 908K

Compare countries by 7 more topics

Population map with other countries

1x

Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08); United Nations | World Population Prospects (1960–2026, retrieved 2026-07-08); U.S. Census Bureau (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08); Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-07-08).

GeoRank.org/population/iran/nigeria | CC BY

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Data sources:

  1. World Bank | Health (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08)
  2. United Nations | World Population Prospects (1960–2100, retrieved 2026-07-08)
  3. U.S. Census Bureau (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08)
  4. Wikidata (2026, retrieved 2026-07-08)
  5. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-07-08)

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