The population of the urban centre grew from 1.04 million in 1950 to an estimated 6.8 million in 1995. Tehran is an important industrial and commercial centre. As of 1988, more than half of the manufactured goods of the Islamic Republic of Iran were produced in Tehran. Industrial plants manufacture such items as textiles, cements, sugar, china and pottery, electrical equipment and pharmaceuticals. There is also an automobile assembly industry.
Government administration is an important source of employment.
After the 1979 revolution and during the war between the Islamic Republic of Iran and Iraq, industrial development and construction works in the city slowed considerably and resulted in lower in-migration. The rapid growth of the city has resulted in housing shortages, pollution and traffic congestion. In recent years, air pollution in Tehran has emerged as an area of serious concern. The greatest percentage of air pollution comes from private automobile emissions. In order to alleviate the increasing problems of urban transport and associated air pollution, the Municipality of Tehran has initiated a number of efforts, namely a trolley bus system, the implementation of separate bus lanes to increase efficiency, trucking restrictions, multi-story parking structures, the opening of the metro system, and an electronic traffic control system.