When the Environment Speaks: Land Subsidence in Iran
Land subsidence in Iran is one of the most serious environmental and urban challenges. Due to poor and unprincipled management, it has caused extensive damage to infrastructure, agriculture, water resources, and the environment.
Key contributing factors include excessive extraction of groundwater (which is the main cause of land subsidence in Iran due to overuse in agriculture, industry, and drinking water), recurrent droughts, illegal wells, land use changes (leading to unauthorized construction, destruction of vegetation, and increased surface load), and mining activities.
According to domestic news agency reports, in 2024 (Iranian year 1403), 360 regions, covering approximately 3.5% of the country’s surface area, were affected by subsidence. Reports indicate that the provinces of Kerman, Alborz, Markazi, Qom, Razavi Khorasan, and Hamedan experienced the highest rates of land subsidence, with Kerman province facing particularly severe conditions, recording over 30 centimeters of subsidence.
