Golestan Province
Encyclopedia
Golestan Province is one of the 31 provinces
of Iran
, located in the north-east of the country, south of the Caspian Sea
. Its capital is Gorgan
.
Golestān was split off from the province of Mazandaran in 1997. It has a population of 1.6 million (2006) and an area of 20,380 km². The major townships of the province are: Gorgan
, Gonbad Kavoos, Bandar Torkaman
, Bandar Gaz, Aliabad-e katul
, Kord Kooy, Fenderesk
and Minoo Dasht. Present-day Gorgan was called Esteraba or Astarabad until 1937.
, the district of "the wolves" (still seen thereabouts), is mentioned already as Varkāna- in the Behistun inscription
.
.
Under the Achaemenid Iran, it seems to have been administered as a sub-province of Parthia
and is not named separately in the provincial lists of Darius and Xerxes
. The Hyrcanians, however, under the leadership of Megapanus, are mentioned by Herodotus
in his list of Xerxes’ army during the invasion of Greece
.
s reside in the north of the province, a plain called Turkmen Sahra
, this former nomadic people live in this area from 15th century, main cities of whom is Gonbad-e Kavus and Bandar Torkaman
. recent decades has seen a huge migration to this province, especially from Zabol
northest city of Sistan and Baluchestan. They are a sizable minority at cities such as Gorgan
, Ali Abad, Kalaleh
and many of eastern townships.
Other ethnic groups such as Azerbaijanis, Baluchs, Kazakhs
, Qezelbashs, Kurds, Georgians
, and Armenians
also reside in this area, and have preserved their traditions and rituals.
Turkmen
s are Muslim
and belong to Hanafi school of sunni sect. small minorities; Baluchs and Kazakhs
are also Hanafi.
Persian
and Mazandarani
languages speakers are mainly shia, official religion of Iran with Azeris, Kurds and Qezelbashs.
A small minority of Bahá'í Faith
also Live in Golestan (in Shahpassand).
and Ziyarid
dynasties of Persia were from this region. They were known for the revival of pre-Islamic Persian culture. For example, Buwayhid leaders entitled themselves as Shâhanshâh (شاهنشاه), literally king of kings, a term used by Sassanid rulers.
The world's tallest brick tower stands in this province. It is the famous Gonbad-e Qabus
, built by a famous Amir of this region.
range. In the eastern Alborz section, the direction of mountains faces northeast and gradually decreases in height. The highest point of the province is Shavar, with a height of 3,945 meters.
Golestan National Park is Iran's biggest national park which spans three provinces, Golestan, Mazandaran and North Khorasan. Surprisingly, the authorities ignore repeated calls by experts to construct such roads around, instead of through, the forests, which in this way would no longer threaten the animal and plant life.
Provinces of Iran
Iran is subdivided into thirty one provinces , each governed from a local center, usually the largest local city, which is called the capital of that province...
of Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
, located in the north-east of the country, south of the Caspian Sea
Caspian Sea
The Caspian Sea is the largest enclosed body of water on Earth by area, variously classed as the world's largest lake or a full-fledged sea. The sea has a surface area of and a volume of...
. Its capital is Gorgan
Gorgan
Gorgan Some east of Gorgan is the Golestan National Park. The city has a regional airport and several universities. Gorgan Airport was opened in September 2005.-Etymology:...
.
Golestān was split off from the province of Mazandaran in 1997. It has a population of 1.6 million (2006) and an area of 20,380 km². The major townships of the province are: Gorgan
Gorgan
Gorgan Some east of Gorgan is the Golestan National Park. The city has a regional airport and several universities. Gorgan Airport was opened in September 2005.-Etymology:...
, Gonbad Kavoos, Bandar Torkaman
Bandar Torkaman
Bandar Torkaman is a city in and capital of Torkaman County, Golestan Province, Iran. At the 2006 census its population was 45,045, in 9,755 families.Bandar Torkaman is a port on the Caspian Sea. It is approximately from Tehran...
, Bandar Gaz, Aliabad-e katul
Aliabad-e Katul
Aliabad-e Katul The city is sited on a hillside of the Alborz Mountains between Gorgan and Azad Shahr. The Kaboud-val waterfall is near the city. Nearby are the villages of Kholin Darreh , Chinou, Alestan, and Mayan....
, Kord Kooy, Fenderesk
Fenderesk
Fenderesk is a district in Golestan Province in northern Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 34,326, in 8,206 families.The place in which Mirza Abolghasem Mirfendereski, was born....
and Minoo Dasht. Present-day Gorgan was called Esteraba or Astarabad until 1937.
The name
Gorgān, Hyrcania in LatinLatin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
, the district of "the wolves" (still seen thereabouts), is mentioned already as Varkāna- in the Behistun inscription
Behistun Inscription
The Behistun Inscription The Behistun Inscription The Behistun Inscription (also Bistun or Bisutun, Modern Persian: بیستون The Behistun Inscription (also Bistun or Bisutun, Modern Persian: بیستون...
.
History
Human settlements in this area date back to 10 000 BCE. Evidence of the ancient city of Jorjan can still be seen near the current city of Gonbad-e Kavus. This was an important city of Persia, located on the Silk RoadSilk Road
The Silk Road or Silk Route refers to a historical network of interlinking trade routes across the Afro-Eurasian landmass that connected East, South, and Western Asia with the Mediterranean and European world, as well as parts of North and East Africa...
.
Under the Achaemenid Iran, it seems to have been administered as a sub-province of Parthia
Parthia
Parthia is a region of north-eastern Iran, best known for having been the political and cultural base of the Arsacid dynasty, rulers of the Parthian Empire....
and is not named separately in the provincial lists of Darius and Xerxes
Xerxes
Xerxes is a male name. Most notably, it may refer to Xerxes I of Persia . It may also refer to:-People:*Xerxes II of Persia, reigned 424 BCE*Xerxes of Armenia, Armenian king, assassinated around 212 BCE...
. The Hyrcanians, however, under the leadership of Megapanus, are mentioned by Herodotus
Herodotus
Herodotus was an ancient Greek historian who was born in Halicarnassus, Caria and lived in the 5th century BC . He has been called the "Father of History", and was the first historian known to collect his materials systematically, test their accuracy to a certain extent and arrange them in a...
in his list of Xerxes’ army during the invasion of Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
.
Demography
The TurkmenTurkmen people
The Turkmen are a Turkic people located primarily in the Central Asian states of Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, and northeastern Iran. They speak the Turkmen language, which is classified as a part of the Western Oghuz branch of the Turkic languages family together with Turkish, Azerbaijani, Qashqai,...
s reside in the north of the province, a plain called Turkmen Sahra
Turkmen Sahra
Turkmen Sahra that means Plain of Turkmens, is a region in the northeast of Iran near the Caspian Sea, bordering Turkmenistan, the majority of whose inhabitants are ethnic Turkmen. The biggest city is Gorgan which is dominated by Persian inhabitants though in recent years there has been...
, this former nomadic people live in this area from 15th century, main cities of whom is Gonbad-e Kavus and Bandar Torkaman
Bandar Torkaman
Bandar Torkaman is a city in and capital of Torkaman County, Golestan Province, Iran. At the 2006 census its population was 45,045, in 9,755 families.Bandar Torkaman is a port on the Caspian Sea. It is approximately from Tehran...
. recent decades has seen a huge migration to this province, especially from Zabol
Zabol
Zabol is a city in and the capital of Zabol County, Sistan and Baluchestan Province, Iran. Zabol lies on the border with both Afghanistan and Pakistan. At the 2006 census, its population was 130,642, in 27,867 families....
northest city of Sistan and Baluchestan. They are a sizable minority at cities such as Gorgan
Gorgan
Gorgan Some east of Gorgan is the Golestan National Park. The city has a regional airport and several universities. Gorgan Airport was opened in September 2005.-Etymology:...
, Ali Abad, Kalaleh
Kalaleh
Kalaleh is a city in and capital of Kalaleh County in Golestan Province, in northern Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 27,661, in 6,446 families....
and many of eastern townships.
Other ethnic groups such as Azerbaijanis, Baluchs, Kazakhs
Kazakhs
The Kazakhs are a Turkic people of the northern parts of Central Asia ....
, Qezelbashs, Kurds, Georgians
Georgians
The Georgians are an ethnic group that have originated in Georgia, where they constitute a majority of the population. Large Georgian communities are also present throughout Russia, European Union, United States, and South America....
, and Armenians
Armenians
Armenian people or Armenians are a nation and ethnic group native to the Armenian Highland.The largest concentration is in Armenia having a nearly-homogeneous population with 97.9% or 3,145,354 being ethnic Armenian....
also reside in this area, and have preserved their traditions and rituals.
Turkmen
Turkmen people
The Turkmen are a Turkic people located primarily in the Central Asian states of Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, and northeastern Iran. They speak the Turkmen language, which is classified as a part of the Western Oghuz branch of the Turkic languages family together with Turkish, Azerbaijani, Qashqai,...
s are Muslim
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
and belong to Hanafi school of sunni sect. small minorities; Baluchs and Kazakhs
Kazakhs
The Kazakhs are a Turkic people of the northern parts of Central Asia ....
are also Hanafi.
Persian
Persian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
and Mazandarani
Mazandarani
Mazandarani may refer to :* Mazandarani people, Mazandaranis, Tabarian people* Mazandarani language, A language spoken mainly in South Caspian region* Morteza Sadouqi Mazandarani, Iranian grand ayatollah...
languages speakers are mainly shia, official religion of Iran with Azeris, Kurds and Qezelbashs.
A small minority of Bahá'í Faith
Bahá'í Faith
The Bahá'í Faith is a monotheistic religion founded by Bahá'u'lláh in 19th-century Persia, emphasizing the spiritual unity of all humankind. There are an estimated five to six million Bahá'ís around the world in more than 200 countries and territories....
also Live in Golestan (in Shahpassand).
Culture
The BuwayhidBuwayhid
The Buyid dynasty, also known as the Buyid Empire or the Buyids , also known as Buwaihids, Buyahids, or Buyyids, were a Shī‘ah Persian dynasty that originated from Daylaman in Gilan...
and Ziyarid
Ziyarid
The Ziyarids, also spelled Zeyarids , were an Iranian dynasty that ruled in the Caspian sea provinces of Gorgan and Mazandaran from 928-1043 . The founder of the dynasty was Mardavij , who took advantage of a rebellion in the Samanid army of Iran to seize power in northern Iran...
dynasties of Persia were from this region. They were known for the revival of pre-Islamic Persian culture. For example, Buwayhid leaders entitled themselves as Shâhanshâh (شاهنشاه), literally king of kings, a term used by Sassanid rulers.
The world's tallest brick tower stands in this province. It is the famous Gonbad-e Qabus
Gonbad-e Qabus
Gonbad-e Qābus or Gonbad-e Kāvus ; formerly Dashte Gorgan) is a city in and the capital of Gonbad-e-Qabus County, in the province of Golestān in the northeast of Iran...
, built by a famous Amir of this region.
Climate and geography
Golestān enjoys mild weather and a temperate climate most of the year. Geographically, it is divided into two sections: The plains, and the mountains of the AlborzAlborz
Alborz , also written as Alburz, Elburz or Elborz, is a mountain range in northern Iran stretching from the borders of Azerbaijan and Armenia in the northwest to the southern end of the Caspian Sea, and ending in the east at the borders of Turkmenistan and Afghanistan...
range. In the eastern Alborz section, the direction of mountains faces northeast and gradually decreases in height. The highest point of the province is Shavar, with a height of 3,945 meters.
Golestan National Park
Golestan National Park in northern Iran is faced with the construction of a road through the forest, allegedly for the ease of traffic for villagers and woodmen but at the expense of losing the only national park in Iran throughout which a range of different climates (humid near the Caspian Sea and desert farther south) is spread.Golestan National Park is Iran's biggest national park which spans three provinces, Golestan, Mazandaran and North Khorasan. Surprisingly, the authorities ignore repeated calls by experts to construct such roads around, instead of through, the forests, which in this way would no longer threaten the animal and plant life.
Administrative divisions
| Map | Abbreviation in map | County County A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain modern nations. Historically in mainland Europe, the original French term, comté, and its equivalents in other languages denoted a jurisdiction under the sovereignty of a count A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain... (Shahrestan Shahrestan Shahrestan or Shahristan may refer to:*Counties of Iran*Shahristan District*Shahrestan, Afghanistan... ) |
|---|---|---|
| A | Aliabad-e Katul Aliabad-e Katul Aliabad-e Katul The city is sited on a hillside of the Alborz Mountains between Gorgan and Azad Shahr. The Kaboud-val waterfall is near the city. Nearby are the villages of Kholin Darreh , Chinou, Alestan, and Mayan.... |
|
| Az | Azadshahr Azadshahr Azadshahr is a city in and capital of Azadshahr County, in Golestan Province, in northern Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 38,260, in 9,260 families.... |
|
| BT | Bandar-e Torkaman | |
| K | Kalaleh Kalaleh Kalaleh is a city in and capital of Kalaleh County in Golestan Province, in northern Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 27,661, in 6,446 families.... |
|
| G | Gorgan Gorgan Gorgan Some east of Gorgan is the Golestan National Park. The city has a regional airport and several universities. Gorgan Airport was opened in September 2005.-Etymology:... |
|
| Go | Gonbad Kavoos | |
| Ko | Kordkooy Kordkuy Kordkuy is a city in and capital of Kordkuy County, in Golestan Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 28,991, in 7,611 families.Kordkuy is located on the west part of the Golestân province... |
|
| Ga | Galikesh Galikesh Galikash , also Romanized as Galikesh) is a city in and capital of Galikash District, in Minudasht County in Golestan Province, in northern Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 20,009, in 4,829 families.... |
|
| M | Minoodasht | |
| R | Ramiyan | |
| BG | Bandar-e Gaz | |
| Ag | Agh Ghala | |
Colleges and universities
- Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural ResourcesGorgan UniversityGorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, a.k.a. Gorgan University is a university in Golestan Province of Iran.First founded in 1957 as the Junior College of Forestry and Range Management , the university was among the first specialized agricultural universities of...
(website) - Golestan University of Medical Sciences
- Islamic Azad University of Azadshahr
- Islamic Azad University of GorganIslamic Azad University of GorganIslamic Azad University of Gorgan is a campus of Islamic Azad University system in Iran.-History:The university came of age under the direction of Prof...
- Islamic Azad University of Ali Abad katool