Greater Tehran is the metropolitan urban area in Tehran Province that covers the contiguous cities of Tehran, Ray, Shemiranat, and other areas.As of 2012, greater Tehran hosts a population of close to 14 million residents.Greater Tehran was formed in 1973 to include the villages surrounding the city of Tajrish (Evin, Darakeh, Niyavaran, Rostan Abad, Gholhak, Zargandeh, Elahiyeh, Davoudiyeh, Zarrabkhaneh) and the cities of Vanak and Rey to which “Kooye Siman” had been annexed during the years 1956 to 1966.