Zanjan Province

Zanjan (Azerbaijani: زنجان; Persian: زنجان) is a province located in the North-West Iran with the Zanjan city being its center. Zanjan province with an area of 36,400 km² has a mostly rural, population of 1.7 million. The province lies 330 km northwest of Tehran, connected to it via a freeway.
Zanjan also has an incredible cave called katale khor. It is near the Sultaniyeh.

History
The history of Zanjan has close connections to that of Azarbaijan. Zanjan was always one of the important city in Azarbaijan. The name of Azerbaijan derives from Atropatesو a Iranian satrap of Media under the Achaemenid empire, who later was reinstated as the satrap of Media under Alexander of Macedonia.The original etymology of this name is thought to have its roots in the ancient Zoroastrianism, namely, in Avestan Frawardin Yasht ("Hymn to the Guardian Angels"), there is a mentioning of: âterepâtahe ashaonô fravashîm ýazamaide, which literally translates from Old Persian as "we worship the Fravashi of the holy Atare-pata" . Atropates ruled over the region of present-day Iranian Azerbaijan.
In Ptolemy's Geography, the city is referred to as Aganzana. It is said that the Sassanid king Ardashir I of Persia, reconstructed the city and called it Shahin but later it was renamed to Zangan, of which the present name is the arabicized form of.
In past times Zanjan's name was Khamseh, which means "province with five tribes".

Yazd Province

Yazd (Persian: استان یزد) is one of the 30 provinces of Iran. It is in the centre of the country, and its center is Yazd.
The province has an area of 73,467 km², and according to the most recent divisions of the country, is divided into ten counties: Maybod, Mehreez, Taft, Ardakan,Behabad,Khatam,Sadogh, Bafq, Abar Kooh and Yazd, the capital. According to the 1996 census, Yazd province had a population of about 750,769, of which 75.1% were urban residents while 24.9% resided in rural areas. In 2006, Yazd had an estimated population of 1,033,291.The city of Yazd is the economic and administrative capital of the province and therefore the most heavily populated.

History and historical attractions
In the course of history due to its distance from important capitals and its harsh natural surrounding, Yazd remained immune to major troops' movements and destruction from wars, therefore it kept many of its traditions, city forms and architecture until recent times.
Yazd hails from an ancient history. As an example, Tehran University and Iran's Cultural Heritage Organization have teamed up with France's CNRS (Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique) to carry out archeological studies in Yazd province as part of a project aiming at preparing archeological plans of the area from the Mesolithic era.
During the invasion of Genghis Khan in the early 13th century, Yazd became a safehaven and home for many artists, intellectuals, and scientists fleeing their war ravaged cities across Persia.
Yazd was visited by Marco Polo in 1272, who described it as a good and noble city and remarked its silk production industry. Isolated from any approach by a huge tract of monotonous desert, the vibrancy of Yard often comes as a surprise.

Architecture of Yazd
Although more often described as the entrance to a now non-existent bazaar, the chief function of this building known as a Tekyeh, and the square before it, was to host the Ta'ziyeh, a cycle of passion plays commemorating the martyrdom of Husayn ibn Ali, which takes place once a year during the mourning month of Moharram. The site dates from the fifteenth century amid the efforts of its eponymous builder, Amir Jalal Al-Din Chakhmagh, governor of Yazd.
For a brief period, Yazd was the capital of Atabakan and Mozaffarid dynasties. During the Qajar Dynasty (18th Century A.D.) it was ruled by the Bakhtiari Khans.
Amidst the immense surrounding desert, Yazd retains elements of its old religion, traditions, and architecture, which is recognized by UNESCO for its architectural heritage.In 2004, the Majles allocated funds to help restore historical sites in Yazd inorder to nominate Yazd as a Cultural Heritage city by UNESCO.
The word Yazd means feast and worship. The city of Yazd has resisted the modern urbanization changes and has so far maintained its traditional structure. The geographical features of this region have prompted residents to develop special architectural styles. For this reason, in the older part of the city most houses are built of adobe and have domed roofs (gonbad). These materials serve as an excellent insulation preventing heat from passing through.
The existence of special ventilation structures, called Badgirs is a distinctive feature of the architecture of this city (A Badgir is a high structure on the roof under which, in the interior of the building, there is a small pool).
The Jame Mosque (Friday Mosque) of Yazd crowned by a pair of minarets, the highest in Persia, the portal's facade is decorated from top to bottom in dazzling tile work, predominantly blue in colour.

West Azarbaijan Province

West Azarbaijan or West Azerbaijan (Persian:آذربایجان غربی Āzarbāijān-e Gharbī, Azeri: غربی آذربایجان Gharbī Āzarbāijān ) is one of the 30 provinces of Iran.
The province of West Azarbaijan covers an area of 39,487 km², or 43,660 km² including Lake Urmia. In 2006 the province had a population of 3,015,361 .The capital city of the province is Urmia.

History
The name of Azerbaijan derives from Atropates و a Iranian satrap of Media under the Achaemenid empire, who later was reinstated as the satrap of Media under Alexander of Macedonia.The original etymology of this name is thought to have its roots in the ancient Zoroastrianism, namely, in Avestan Frawardin Yasht ("Hymn to the Guardian Angels"), there is a mentioning of: âterepâtahe ashaonô fravashîm ýazamaide, which literally translates from Old Persian as "we worship the Fravashi of the holy Atare-pata" . Atropates ruled over the region of present-day Iranian Azerbaijan.
According to various sources cited in Encyclopedia Iranica, the current province of West Azarbaijan was part of the Sassanid Azarbadegan satrap as far back as the 3rd century. The current ruins of Takht-i Suleiman in today’s West Azarbaijan was the capital of the Azarbaijan Satrapy.
Permanent settlements were established in the province as early as the 6th millennium BCE as excavation at sites such as Teppe Hasanlu establish. In Hasanlu, a famous Golden Vase was found in 1958. The province is also the location of Tepe Hajji Firuz, site of some of the world’s earliest evidence of wine production. Gooy Teppe is another significant site, where a metal plaque dating from 800 BCE was found that depicts a scene from the epic of Gilgamesh.
Ruins such as these and the UNESCO world heritage site at the Sassanid compound of Takht-i-Suleiman illustrate the strategic importance and tumultuous history of the province through the millennia. Overall, the province enjoys a wealth of historical attractions, with 169 sites registered by the Cultural Heritage Organization of Iran.
While some Islamic researchershave proclaimed that the birth of the prophet Zoroaster was in this area, in the vicinity of Lake Orumieh (Chichesht), Konzak City, recent scholarship indicates that Ardabil or sites in Central Asia are more likely.
The province continued to experience many wars over the centuries. Numerous Azeris arrived in the region, including to the west of Lake Urmia beginning around the 13th century.
The first monarch of Iran's Qajar dynasty, Agha Muhammad Khan, was crowned in Urmia in 1795.
Significant events in 19th and 20th century that took place are:
Shaikh Ubeidullah Revolts, west and south of Lake Urmia in 1880;
Simko Insurrections, west of Lake Urmia from 1918 to 1922;
the Soviet occupation in 1946;
the foundation and destruction of the Republic of Mahabad in 1946; and
periodic severe fighting from 1979 until 1990s (and even to the present, but on a smaller scale ) between Kurdish (nationalist and communist) forces and the Iranian government. At times, large parts of the province were without government control.
These separatist movements may have many motivations and origins; however, the colonialist policies of the Soviet Union and Imperial Russia encouraged such movements. In a cable sent on July 6th 1945 by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, the local Soviet commander in Russian held Azerbaijan (northern Azerbaijan) was instructed:
"Begin preparatory work to form a national autonomous Azerbaijan district with broad powers within the Iranian state and simultaneously develop separatist movements in the provinces of Gilan, Mazandaran, Gorgan, and Khorasan".

Tehran Province

Tehran Province (Persian: استان تهران; transliterated ostān-e Tehrān;) is one of the 30 provinces of Iran. It covers on area of 18,909 square kilometers and is located to the north of the central plateau of Iran.
Tehran Province borders Māzandarān Province in the north, Qom Province in the south, Semnān Province in the east, and Qazvīn Province in the west. The metropolis of Tehran is the capital city of the province and of Iran. As of June 2005, this province includes 13 townships, 43 municipalities, and 1358 villages.
The province gained importance when Tehran was claimed the capital by the Qajar dynasty in 1778. Today Tehran ranks in the top 20 metropolitan cities of the world in size.

Geography
The towering Alborz mountain range in Tehran rises above modern high-rises of Elahiyeh district.
The province of Tehran has over 14 million inhabitants and is Iran's most densely-populated region. Approximately 84.15 percent reside in urban areas and 15.85 percent in rural areas of the province.
The highest point of the province is Mount Damavand, at an elevation of 5678 m above sea level; the lowest point of the province is the plains of Varamin, 790 m above sea level.
The largest rivers of this province are Karaj River and Jajrud River.
Mountain ranges such as The Alborz span the north; Savad Kooh and Firooz Kooh are located in the north east; Lavasanat, Qarah Daq, Shemiranat, Hassan Abad and Namak Mountains are in the southern areas; Bibi Shahr Banoo and Alqadr are situated in the south east and the heights of Qasr-e-Firoozeh being located to the east of the province.
Environmentally speaking, the climate of Tehran province in the southern areas is warm and dry, but in the mountain vicinity is cold and semi-humid, and in the higher regions is cold with long winters. The hottest months of the year are from mid-July to mid-September when temperatures range from 28°-30°C and the coldest months experience 1°C around December-January, but at certain times in winter it can reach -15°C. Tehran city has moderate winters and hot summers. Average annual rainfall is approximately 200 mm, the maximum being during the winter season.

History
Tehran Province has several archeological sites indicating settlements dating back several thousand years old. Until 300 years ago, Ray was the most prominent of the cities of the province. However, the city of Tehran rose to become the larger city and capital of Iran by 1778, and since then has been the political, cultural, economical, and commercial nucleus of Iran.
Tehran has over 1500 historical sites of cultural significance registered with the Cultural Heritage Organization of Iran. The oldest of these in Tehran province are the remains of two sites in Firuzkuh County that date back to the 4th millennium BCE.

South Khorasan Province

South Khorasan (Persian: خراسان جنوبی) is a province located in eastern Iran. Birjand is the centre of the province. The other major cities are Ferdows and Qaen.
South Khorasan Province consists of 7 counties: Birjand, Ferdows, Qaen, Sarayan, Nehbandan, Darmian and Sarbisheh.
South Khorasan is one the three provinces that were created after the division of Khorasan in 2004.

History

Greater Khorasan has witnessed the rise and fall of many dynasties and governments in its territory throughout history. Various tribes of the Arabs, Turks, Mongols, Turkemen and Afghans brought changes to the region time and time again.
Ancient geographers of Iran divided Iran ("Iran-Shahr") into eight segments of which the most flourishing and largest was the territory of Greater Khorasan.
The famous Parthian empire was based near Merv in Khorasan for many years. However they did have many fortifications and strongholds in Khorasan, such as the Nehbandan castle in South Khorasan province.
During the Sassanid dynasty the province was governed by an Espahbod (Lieutenant General) called "Padgoosban" and four margraves, each commander of one of the four parts of the province.
Khorassan was divided into four parts during the Islamic Conquest of Iran and each section was named after the four large cities, such as Neyshabour, Merv, Herat, and Balkh.
In the year 651 CE, the army of Islamic Arabs invaded Khorasan. The territory remained in the hands of the Abbasid clan until 820 CE, followed by the rule of the Iranian Taherid clan in the year 896 CE and the Samanid dynasty in 900 CE.
Sultan Mohmud Qaznavi conquered Khorasan in 994 CE and in the year 1037 CE Toqrol, the first of the Seljuqian rulers conquered Neyshabour.
Mahmud Qaznavi retaliated against the invaders several times, and finally the Qaznavi Turks defeated Sultan Sanjar. But there was more to come, as in 1157 CE Khorasan was conquered by The Khwarazmids and because of simultaneous attacks by the Mongols, Khorasan was annexed to the territories of the Mongol Ilkhanate.
In the 14th century, a flag of independence was hoisted by the Sarbedaran movement in Sabzevar, and in 1468 CE, Khorasan came into the hands of Amir Teimoor Goorkani (Tamerlane) and the city of Herat was declared as capital.
In 1507 CE, Khorassan was occupied by Uzbek tribes. After the death of Nadir Shah Afshar in 1747 CE, Khorasan was occupied by the Afghans.
During the Qajar period, Britain supported the Afghans to protect their East India Company. Herat was thus separated from Persia, and Nasereddin Shah was unable to defeat The British to take back Herat. Finally, the Paris Treaty was concluded in 1903 and Iran was compelled not to challenge The British for Herat and other parts of what is today Afghanistan.
Finally Khorasan was divided into two parts: the eastern part, which was the most densely populated region came under British occupation, and the other western section remained part of Iran.
Khorasan was the largest province of Iran until it was divided to three provinces on September 29, 2004. The provinces approved by the parliament of Iran (on May 18, 2004) and the Council of Guardians (on May 29, 2004) were Razavi Khorasan, North Khorasan, and South Khorasan.

Sistan and Baluchestan Province

Sistān o Balūchestān (Persian: استان سیستان و بلوچستان) is one of the 30 provinces of Iran. It is in the southeast of the country, bordering Pakistan and Afghanistan and its capital is Zahedan.
The province is the largest in Iran, with an area of 181,785 km² and a population of 4.1 million. The counties of the province are Iran Shahr, Chabahar, Khash, Zabol, Zahedan, Saravan, and Nik Shahr.
The region is also home to Iran's Balochi Sunni minority.

Geography and culture
The province comprises two sections, Sistan in the north and Baluchestan in the south. The combined Sistan & Baluchestan province today accounts for one of the driest regions of Iran with a slight increase in rainfall from east to west, and an obvious rise in humidity in the coastal regions. The province is subject to seasonal winds from different directions, the most important of which are, the 120-day wind of Sistan known as Levar, the Qousse wind, the seventh (Gav-kosh) wind, the Nambi or south wind, the Hooshak wind, the humid and seasonal winds of the Indian Ocean, the North or (Gurich) wind and the western (Gard) wind.
In the south and west of Sistān and Balūchestān, the people are mostly Balōchi and speak the Baluchi language. The name Balūchestān means "Land of the Balōchi" in Persian language. Similarly, the Persian language name Sistān comes from the Old Persian Sakastāna, meaning "Land of the Sakas".
The inhabitants of the province of Sistan Va Baluchestan continue to embrace their own norms and traditions, and the region has the potential to become one of the sight-seeing areas of Iran. The two most important tribes of the province are the Brahui and Baluch tribes. Their means of livelihood, life-style, mode of dwelling, customs, traditions, and tribal paths all form a cultural background worth seeing.
Many scholars, orators, and literary personalities have sprung up from this part of Iran, amongst which are the reputed Farrokhi Sistani, Ya'qub bin Laith as-Saffar and Rostam. Ayatollah Sistani is also from Sistān; though he currently resides in Najaf, Iraq.

History
In the epigraphs of Bistoon and Persepolis, Sistan is mentioned as one of the eastern territories of Darius the Great. The name Sistan, as mentioned above, is derived from Saka (also sometimes Saga, or Sagastan), one of the Aryan tribes that had taken control over this area in the year 128 BCE. During the Arsacid Dynasty (248 BC to 224 CE), the province became the seat of Suren-Pahlav Clan. From the Sassanid period till the early Islamic period, Sistan flourished considerably.
During the reign of Ardashir I of Persia, Sistan came under the jurisdiction of the Sassanids, and in 644CE, the Arab Muslims gained control as the Persian empire was in its final moments of collapsing.
The famous Persian hero Ya'qub bin Laith as-Saffar, whose descendants dominated this area for many centuries, later became governor of this province. Dynasties such as the Saffarids, Samanids, Qaznavids, and Seljuqids, all ruled over this territory for periods as well. But the region witnessed particularly heavy damage during the Mongol assault.
In 1508 CE, Shah Ismail I of the Safavid dynasty conquered Sistan, and during the reign of Nadir Shah due to internal discrepancies, the region underwent turmoil onmce more.
The ancient name of Baluchestan was Moka and through the passage of time it changed to Mokran / Makran, which is now the southern sector of Baluchestan. This territory came to be known as Baluchestan from the time that the Baluch tribes settled here. According to the relics discovered in the hillocks of Baluchestan, the history of this region dates back to the 3000 BCE.
During the reign of the second caliph of Islam, this territory was conquered by the Arabs and an Arab commander was assigned as governor. In 916 CE, Baluchestan was liberated by the Daylamids and thereafter the Seljuqids, when it became a part of Kerman.

Semnān Province

Semnān is one of the 30 provinces of Iran. It is in the north of the country, and its center is Semnan. The province of Semnan covers an area of 96,816 square kilometers and stretches along the Alborz mountain range and borders to Dasht-e Kavir desert in its southern parts.
Counties of the province include Semnan, Damghan, Shahrood and Garmsar. In 1996, the province had a population of about 501,000, and in 2005 Semnan city (the capital of the province) had a population of 119,778, and the city of Shahroud, which accounts for being the largest city of this province, had a population of 131,831.

History
Semnan can be divided into sixteen sectors from the old days of Avesta. During the Medes and Achaemenid periods, it accounted for being one of the largest provinces of the empire.
During the Islamic era, Semnan was part of the historical region of Gomess or Komesh, and The Silk Road paved its way from the midst of this region. Needless to say, the province was witness to numerous wars.
The Cultural Historical Heritage Organization of Iran lists 470 sites of historical and cultural heritage such as palaces, forts, castles, caravansarais, ab anbars, and badgirs, in Semnan. In addition to these there are various religious and sacred places as well.

Razavi Khorasan Province

Razavi Khorasan (in Persian: خراسان رضوی) is a province located in northeastern Iran. Mashhad is the centre and capital of the province.
Other cities and townships are Ghouchan, Dargaz, Chenaran, Sarakhs, Fariman, Torbat-e Heydarieh, Torbat-e Jam, Taybad, Khaf, Roshtkhar, Kashmar, Bardaskan, Neyshabour, Sabzevar, Gonabad, Kalat, Khalil Abad and Mahvalat.Razavi Khorasan is one of the three provinces that were created after the division of Khorasan in 2004.

History
Greater Khorasan has witnessed the rise and fall of many dynasties and governments in its territory throughout history. Various tribes of the Arabs, Turks, Mongols, Turkemen and Afghans brought changes to the region time and time again.
Ancient geographers of Iran divided Iran ("Iran-Shahr") into eight segments of which the most flourishing and largest was the territory of Greater Khorasan.
The earlies known evidence for Lower Paleolithic occupation of Iran comes from Kashafrud basin at east of Mashad.The famous Parthian empire was based near Merv in Khorasan for many years.
During the Sassanid dynasty the province was governed by an Espahbod (Lieutenant General) called "Padgoosban" and four margraves, each commander of one of the four parts of the province.
Khorassan was divided into four parts during the Islamic Conquest of Iran and each section was named after the four large cities, such as Neyshabour, Merv, Herat, and Balkh.
In the year 651 CE, the army of Islamic Arabs invaded Khorasan. The territory remained in the hands of the Abbasid clan until 820 CE, followed by the rule of the Iranian Taherid clan in the year 896 CE and the Samanid dynasty in 900 CE.
Sultan Mohmud Qaznavi conquered Khorasan in 994 CE and in the year 1037 CE Toqrol, the first of the Seljuqian rulers conquered Neyshabour.
Mahmud Qaznavi retaliated against the invaders several times, and finally the Qaznavi Turks defeated Sultan Sanjar. But there was more to come, as in 1157 CE Khorasan was conquered by The Khwarazmids and because of simultaneous attacks by the Mongols, Khorasan was annexed to the territories of the Mongol Ilkhanate.
In the 14th century, a flag of independence was hoisted by the Sarbedaran movement in Sabzevar, and in 1468 CE, Khorasan came into the hands of Amir Teimoor Goorkani (Tamerlane) and the city of Herat was declared as capital.
In 1507 CE, Khorassan was occupied by Uzbek tribes. After the death of Nadir Shah Afshar in 1747 CE, Khorasan was occupied by the Afghans.
During the Qajar period, Britain supported the Afghans to protect their East India Company. Herat was thus separated from Persia, and Nasereddin Shah was unable to defeat The British to take back Herat. Finally, the Paris Treaty was concluded in 1903 and Iran was compelled not to challenge The British for Herat and other parts of what is today Afghanistan.
Finally Khorasan was divided into two parts: the eastern part, which was the most densely populated region came under British occupation, and the western section remained part of Iran.
Khorasan was the largest province of Iran until it was divided to three provinces on September 29, 2004. The provinces approved by the parliament of Iran (on May 18, 2004) and the Council of Guardians (on May 29, 2004) were Razavi Khorasan, North Khorasan, and South Khorasan.

Qom Province

Qom is one of the 30 provinces of Iran with 11,237 km², covering 0.89% of the total area in Iran. It is in the north of the country, and its provincial capital is the city of Qom. It was formed from part of Tehran province in 1995. In 2005, this province had a population of approximately 2,000,000 out of which 91.2 % resided in urban areas and 8.8 % in rural vicinities. The province contains one city, four counties, nine rural districts, and 256 villages.

History
Qom is thought to have existed in pre-Islamic ages. Archeological discoveries indicate Qom as a residential area from the 5th millennium BCE. According to the pre-Islamic remaining relics and historical texts, Qom was a large city. 'Kom' was the name of the ancient rampart of the city of Qom, thus, the Arabs called it Qom during the Arab conquests of Iran.
It was during the reign of the second caliph Omar, that the Muslims captured Qom’s center. In 644-645 CE, Abu Moosa Ashari, dispatched forces under his command to Qom. Conflicts arose between the invading Arabs and the residents of the area.
During the persecution of the Alavids by the Abbasids and Umayyads, many Alavids fled to Qom, making it their permanent home. The Caliph Al-Ma'mun sent forces to Qom in the year 825 CE, resulting in a public massacre and destruction of the city.
On hearing of the demise of al-Ma'mun, the inhabitants of Qom revolted and were successful in overthrowing the representative of the Caliph in 831 CE. However al-Ma'mun's successor, al-Mu'tasim, dispatched forces to Qom in order to curb the riots and once again the city was set aflame. The unrest continued until the Buwayhid dynasty (Al e Booyeh in Persian) came to power, being of the Alavid community. It was during this reign that the city of Qom expanded and thrived.
In the Saljuqi era the city flourished once more. During the first wave of the Mongol invasion, the city witnessed destruction, but after Mongol rulers, particularly after Sultan Öljeitü Khoda bandeh of the Ilkhanate dynasty converted to Islam, the city received special attention, thus witnessing a revival once again.
In the late 14th century, the city came under the plunder of Tamerlane when the inhabitants were massacred again. During the periods of the rule of the Qarah Qoyoonloo, Aq Qoyoonloo, and specially during the reign of the Safavids, Qom gained special attention and gradually developed.
By 1503, Qom became one of the important centers of theology in relation to the Shia Islam, and became a vital pilgrimage site and religious pivot.
During the Afghan invasion, the city of Qom suffered heavy damages, and its inhabitants witnessed severe economic hardships. Qom further sustained damages during the reigns of Nadir Shah, and the conflicts between the two households of Zandieh and Qajar in order to gain power in Iran.
In 1798, Qom came under the control of Agha Mohammad Khan Qajar . On being victorious over his enemies, Fath Ali Shah made repairs to the sepulchre and Holy Shrine of Hazrat Ma'soumeh, fulfilling his vow.
The city of Qom thrived in the Qajar era. After Russian forces entered Karaj in 1915, many of the inhabitants of Tehran moved to Qom. The transfer of the capital from Tehran to Qom was discussed, but the British and Russians demolished the plan by bringing the monarch of the times, Ahmad Shah Qajar under pressure. Coinciding with this period, a 'National Defense Committee' was set up, and Qom turned into a political and military apex against the Russian and British colonial powers. Qom was also the center from which Ayatollah Khomeini based his opposition to the Pahlavi dynasty, while in Iran.

Qazvīn Province

Qazvīn is one of the 30 provinces of Iran. It is in the north-west of the country, and its center is the city of Qazvin. The province was created in 1996 out of part of Zanjan Province and includes 20 cities: Qazvin, Takestan, Abyek, Bou'in-Zahra, Eqhbalieh, Mohammadieh, Alvand, Esfarvarin, Mahmood Abad Nemooneh, Khoram Dasht, Ziä Abad, Avaj, Shäl, Danesfahan, Abgarm, Ardägh, Moallem Keläyeh, Razmian Kouhin and Bidestan in the form of four townships (chief cities) contains 18 sections, 44 rural districts, and 1543 villages.
The population of the province is more than one million people (2003) of which 62 % live in the cities and 38 % live in the villages. Concerning the sex-ratio, the ratio of men to women is 50.7 to 49.3 %. 99.6% of the province population are Muslims and 0.4% of the rest come from other religions. The literacy rate is a bit higher than 82 % which represents the 7th rank in Iran.

Geography and climate
The province covers 15821 km² between 48-45 to 50-50 east of Greenwich Meridian of longitude and 35-37 to 36-45 north latitude of the equator. The province is bounded on the north by Mazandaran and Gilan, on the west by Hamedan and Zanjan, on the south by Markazi and on the east by Tehran Provinces. The famous mountains of the province are those of Siälän, Shäh Alborz, Khashchäl, Sephidkouh, Shojä e din, Alehtareh, Rämand, Ägh dägh, Kharaghän, Saridagh, Soltan pïr, and Siähkouh, in which Siälän with a height of 4175m and Shäh Alborz which is 4056m are the highest. All are part of the central chain of Alborz. The lowest point of the province is in Tärom e Soflä.
The climate of the province in the northern parts is cold and snowy in winters and temperate in summers. In the southern parts the climate is mild with comparatively cold winters and warm summers.

Introduction and history
Qazvin was the location of a former capital of the Persian Empire and contains over 2000 architectural and archeological sites. It is a provincial capital today that has been a cultural center of mass throughout history.
Archeological findings in the Qazvin plain reveal the existence of urban agricultural settlements as far back as 7000BC. The name “Qazvin” or “Kasbin” is derived from Cas, an ancient tribe that lived south of the Caspian Sea millennia ago. Qazvin is historically also rendered as Kazvin, Kasvin, and Casbin in western texts. The Caspian Sea itself in fact derives its name from the same origin. Qazvin geographically connects Tehran, Isfahan, and the Persian Gulf to the Caspian seacoast and Asia Minor, hence its strategic location throughout the ages.
Qazvin has been a hotbed of historical developments in Iranian history. In the early years of the Islamic era Qazvin served as a base for the Arab forces. Destroyed by Genghis Khan (13th century), the Safavid monarchs made Qazvin the capital of the Safavid empire in 1548 only to have it moved to Isfahan in 1598. During the Qajar Dynasty and contemporary period, Qazvin has always been one of the most important governmental centers due to its proximity to Tehran.
Bombed and occupied by Russian forces in both World Wars, Qazvin is also where the famous coup d’etat was launched from that led to the rise of the first Pahlavi dynasty in 1921. Qazvin is also situated near Alamut, where the famous Hasan-i Sabbah, founder of the secret Ismaili order of the Assassins, operated from. Qazvin has been able to survive all this turmoil, today having a population of 290,000 (1996).

North Khorasan Province

North Khorasan (in Persian: خراسان شمالی) is a province located in northeastern Iran. Bojnourd is the centre of the province.
Other counties are Shirvan, Esfarayen, Maneh and Samlaghan, and Garmeh and Jajarm.
North Khorasan is one the three provinces that were created after the division of Khorasan in 2004.

History
Greater Khorasan has witnessed the rise and fall of many dynasties and governments in its territory throughout history. Various tribes of the Arabs, Turks, Kurds Mongols, Turkemen and Afghans brought changes to the region time and time again.
Ancient geographers of Iran divided Iran ("Iran-Shahr") into eight segments of which the most flourishing and largest was the territory of Greater Khorasan. Esfarayen, among other cities of the province, was one of the focal points for residence of the Aryan tribes after entering Iran.
The famous Parthian empire was based near Merv in Khorasan for many years. In Arsacides (Parthians) time, Esfarayen was one of the important villages of Neyshabour.
During the Sassanid dynasty the province was governed by an Spahbod (Lieutenant General) called "Padgoosban" and four margraves, each commander of one of the four parts of the province.
Khorassan was divided into four parts during the Islamic Conquest of Iran and each section was named after the four large cities, such as Neyshabour, Merv, Herat, and Balkh.
In the year 651, the army of Islamic Arabs invaded Khorasan. The territory remained in the hands of the Abbasid clan until 820, followed by the rule of the Iranian Taherid clan in the year 896 and the Samanid dynasty in 900.
Sultan Mohmud Qaznavi conquered Khorasan in 994 and in the year 1037 Toqrol, the first of the Seljuqian rulers conquered Neyshabour.
Mahmud Qaznavi retaliated against the invaders several times, and finally the Qaznavi Turks defeated Sultan Sanjar. But there was more to come, as in 1157 Khorasan was conquered by The Khwarazmids and because of simultaneous attacks by the Mongols, Khorasan was annexed to the territories of the Mongol Ilkhanate.
In the 14th century, a flag of independence was hoisted by the Sarbedaran movement in Sabzevar, and in 1468, Khorasan came into the hands of Amir Teimoor Goorkani (Tamerlane) and the city of Herat was declared as capital.
In 1507, Khorassan was occupied by Uzbek tribes. After the death of Nadir Shah Afshar in 1747, Khorasan was occupied by the Afghans.
During the Qajar period, Britain supported the Afghans to protect their East India Company. Herat was thus separated from Persia, and Nasser-al-Din Shah was unable to defeat the British to take back Herat. Finally, the Paris Treaty was concluded in 1903 and Iran was compelled not to challenge the British for Herat and other parts of what is today Afghanistan.
Finally Khorasan was divided into two parts: the eastern part, which was the most densely populated region came under British occupation, and the other western section remained part of Iran.
Khorasan was the largest province of Iran until it was divided into three provinces on September 29, 2004. The provinces approved by the parliament of Iran (on May 18, 2004) and the Council of Guardians (on May 29, 2004) were Razavi Khorasan, North Khorasan, and South Khorasan.

Māzandarān Province

Mazandaran is a Caspian province in the north of Iran. Located on the Southern coast of the Caspian Sea, it is bordered clockwise by Golestan, Semnan and Tehran provinces (together forming Greater Mazandaran, separated from Mazandaran respectively in 1997, 1976 and 1960 ). The provinces of Qazvin and Gilan lie to the west.
It is one of the most densely populated provinces in Iran and has diverse natural resources, such as large reservoirs of Caspian oil & natural gas.The province's four largest counties are Sari, Behshahr, Babol, Amol, and Qaemshahr (All situated on the Mid-East).Found as province in 1937. Mazanderan was the 2nd modern province just after Gilan.Its diverse nature and climate include plains, prairies, forests and jungles ranges from the sandy beaches to the rugged and snowcapped Elburz sierra with the highest peak & volcano throughout Middle-East and Western Asia, Mount Damavand which at the narrowest point (Nowshahr County) narrows to 5 miles and culminates less than 2 thousand meters from the coast.A major producer of farmed fish in Iran and the neighbor regions,Mazandaran is the leading economic base of agriculture & dish productions,but also relies on the Tourism industry, as many tourists enjoy visiting the area. The area also leads in biotechnology and civil engineering.With the rich history ,its human habitation of the area dates back at least 75,000 years.Recent excavations in Goher Tippe provide proof that the area has been urbanized for more than 5 thousand years of civilization, and this area is one of the most important historical sites of Iran and has played an important role in cultural flourishing and urban development of the region.
Mazandaran was part of the ancient Hyrcanian Kingdom and former Kingdom of Tapuria. Indigenous people of the region are ethnic Mazanderanis (Tapurians) , speaking a Caspian language which most resembles Gilaki and Sangiseri.

Pre Islamic History
The region is known to have been populated from early antiquity, and Mazandaran has changed hands among various dynasties from early in its history. There are several fortresses remaining from Parthian and Sassanid times, and many older cemeteries scattered throughout the province. During this era, Mazandaran was part of Hyrcania Province which was one of important provinces.
With the advent of the Sassanid dynasty, the King of Mazandaran (Tabaristan and Padashkhwargar) was Gushnasp , whose ancestors had reigned in the area (under the Parthian empire) since the time of Alexandar. In 529-536 Mazandarn was ruled by Sassanid prince Kawus son of Kawadh.Anushirawan, the Sassanid king, put in his place Zarmihr, who claimed his ancestry from the legendary blacksmith Kaveh.This dynasty ruled till 645 A.D., when Gil Gawbara (a descendant of the Sassanid king Jamasp and a son of Piruz) joined Mazandaran to Gilan.These families had descendants who ruled during the Islamic period.

Post Islamic History
During the post-Islamic period the local dynasties fall into three classes: 1. local families of pre-Islamic origin, 2. the ʿAlid sayyid s, and 3. local families of secondary importance.
The Bawandids who claimed descent from Kawus provided three dynasties.The first dynasty (665-1007) was overthrown on the conquest of Tabaristan by the Ziyarid Kabus b. Wushmgir. The second dynasty reigned from 466/1073 to 606/1210 when Mazandaran was conquered by 'Ala al-Din Muhammad Khwarzamshah.The third ruled from 635/1237 to 750/1349 as vassals of the Mongols. The last representative of the Bawandids was killed by Afrasiyab Chulawi.
The Karinids claimed descent from Karin, brother of Zarmihr who was the pre-Islamic ruler under the Sassanids. Their last representative Mazyar was put to death in 224/839.
The Paduspanids claimed descent from the Dabyuids of Gilan (their eponym was the son of Gīl Gawbāra). They came to the front about 40/660 and during the rule of the ʿAlids were their vassals. Later, they were vassals of the Buyids and Bawandids, who deposed them in 586/1190. The dynasty, restored in 606/1209-10, survived till the time of Timur; one of its branches (that of Kawus the son of Kayumarth) reigned till 975/1567 and the other (that of Iskandar the son of Kayumarth) till 984/1574.
In 662 CE, ten years after the death of Yazdegerd III the last Sassanian Emperor, a large Muslim army under the command of Hassan ibn Ali (Imam Hassan, the second Shi'a Imam) invaded Tabarestan (Mazandaran as it was then called)[citation needed] only to be severely beaten, suffering heavy losses to the forces of the Zoroastrian princes of the Dabboyid house. For the next two hundred years, Tabaristan maintained an existence independent of the Umayyad Caliphate which supplanted the Persian Empire in the early seventh century, with independent Zoroastrian houses like the Bavand and Karen fighting an effective guerilla warfare against Islam. A short-lived Alid Shiite state collapsed before the subsequent take-over by the Ziyarid princes. Mazandaran, unlike much of the rest of the Iranian Plateau maintained a Zoroastrian majority until the 12th century, thanks to its isolation and hardy population which fought against the Caliph's armies for centuries. Image:Mahmoodabad.jpgthumbleftThe resort of National Iranian Oil Company, near Mahmoodabad.
During the Abbasid caliphate of Abou Jafar Al-Mansur, Tabaristan witnessed a wave of popular revolt. Ultimately, Vandad Hormoz established an independent dynasty in Tabaristan in 783[citation needed]. In 1034, Soltan Mahmoud Ghaznavi entered Tabarestan via Gorgan followed by the invasion of Soltan Mohammad Kharazmshah in 1209. Thereafter, the Mongols governed the region and finally were overthrown by the Timurid Dynasty. After the dissolution of the feudal government of Tabaristan, Mazandaran was incorporated into modern Persian Empire by Shah Abbas I in 1596. In the Safavid era Mazandaran was settled by Georgian migrants, whose descendants still live across Mazandaran. Still many towns, villages and neighbourhoods in Mazandaran bear the name "Gorji" (i.e. Georgian) in them, although most of the Georgians are already assimilated into the mainstream Mazandaranis. The history of Georgian settlement is described by Eskandar Beyg Monshi, the author of the 17th century Tarikh-e Alam-Ara-ye Abbasi, in addition many foreigners e.g. Chardin, and Della Valle, have written about their encounters with the Georgian Mazandaranis.
Before the reign of Nadir Shah, the province was briefly occupied by Russians in the aftermath of the Russo-Persian War, 1722-1723 and peacefully returned to Persia in 1735.