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Fars Province Information

Fars Province (Persian: استان فارس Ostān-e Fārs pronounced /fɑː(r)s/), originally spelled Pars (پارس ), is one of the 31 provinces and known as Cultural Capital of Iran. It is in the south of the country and its center is Shiraz. It has an area of 122,400 km². In 2006, this province had a population of 4.34 million people, of which 61.2% were registered as urban dwellers, 38.1% villagers, and 0.7% nomad tribes.[1] The etymology of the word "Persian" (Pārs-ian : پارسیان) is derived from the cultural capital of Iran and found in many ancient names associated with Iran.

Fars or Pars is the original homeland of the Persian people. The native name of the Persian language is Fârsi or Pârsi. Persia and Persian both derive from the Hellenized form Πέρσις Persis of the root word Pârs. The Old Persian word was Pârsâ.

Contents

Etymology

The word Fars is derived from 𐎱𐎠𐎼𐎿 Pârsa, the Old Persian name for Persia and its capital, Persepolis. Fars is the Arabized version of Pârs, as Arabic has no [p] phoneme.

History

Persis

"Persis" redirects here. For other uses, see Persis (disambiguation). The ruins of Persepolis

The ancient Persians were present in the region from about the 9th century BC, and became the rulers of a large empire under the Achaemenid dynasty in the 6th century BC. The ruins of Persepolis and Pasargadae, two of the four capitals of the Achaemenid Empire, are located in Fars.

The Achaemenid Empire was defeated by Alexander III of Macedon in the fourth century BC. Shortly after this the Seleucid Empire was established. However it never extended its power beyond the main trade routes in Fars, and by reign of Antiochus I or possibly later Persis emerged as an independent state that minted its own coins.[2]

A Sassanid relief showing the investiture of Ardashir I

The Seleucid Empire was defeated by the Parthians in 238 BC. By 205 BC, Antiochus III had extended his authority into Persis and it ceased to be an independent state.[3]

Babak was the ruler of a small town called Kheir. Babak's efforts in gaining local power at the time escaped the attention of Artabanus IV, the Arsacid Emperor of the time. Babak and his eldest son Shapur managed to expand their power over all of Persis.

The subsequent events are unclear, due to the sketchy nature of the sources. It is however certain that following the death of Babak around 220, Ardashir who at the time was the governor of Darabgird, got involved in a power struggle of his own with his elder brother Shapur. The sources tell us that in 222, Shapur was killed when the roof of a building collapsed on him.

At this point, Ardashir moved his capital further to the south of Persis and founded a capital at Ardashir-Khwarrah (formerly Gur, modern day Firouzabad).

After establishing his rule over Persis, Ardashir I rapidly extended his territory, demanding fealty from the local princes of Fars, and gaining control over the neighboring provinces of Kerman, Isfahan, Susiana, and Mesene.

Sarvestan Palace in Sarvestan

Artabanus marched a second time against Ardashir I in 224. Their armies clashed at Hormizdeghan, where Artabanus IV was killed. He was crowned in 226 at Ctesiphon as the sole ruler of Persia; bringing the 400-year-old Parthian Empire to an end.

The Sassanids ruled for 425 years, until the Muslim armies conquered the empire. Afterward the Persians started to convert to Islam, this made it a lot easier for the new Muslim empire to continue the expansion of Islam.

Iran

Fars then passed hand to hand through numerous dynasties, leaving behind numerous historical and ancient monuments; each of which has its own values as a world heritage, reflecting the history of the province, Iran, and western Asia. The ruins of Bishapur, Persepolis, and Firouzabad are all reminders of this.

Administrative divisions

Fars is located in the south of Iran. It neighbours Bushehr Province to the west, Hormozgān Province to the south, Kerman and Yazd provinces to the east, Isfahan province to the north and Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Province to the northwest. According to the latest divisions, the province contains the following counties:

Abadeh Sarvestan Jahrom Eqlid Rostam Estahban Darab Nayriz Bavanat Larestan Qir and Karzin Khorrambid Lamerd Kazerun Fasa Firuzabad Zarrin Dasht Mamasani Shiraz Marvdasht Sepidan Arsanjan Pasargad Kavar Khonj Farashband Gerash Kharameh Mohr Fars Province landscape

Climate and wildlife

There are three distinct climatic regions in the Fars Province. First, the mountainous area of the north and northwest with moderate cold winters and mild summers. Secondly, the central regions, with relatively rainy mild winters, and hot dry summers. The third region located in the south and southeast, has moderate winters with very hot summers. The average temperature of Shiraz is 16.8 °C, ranging between 4.7 °C and 29.2 °C.

The geographical and climatic variation of the province causes varieties of plants; consequently, variation of wildlife has been formed in the province. Additional to the native animals of the province, many kinds of birds migrate to the province every year.[4] Many kinds of ducks, storks and swallows migrate to this province in an annual parade.[4] The main native animals of the province are gazelle, deer, mountain wild goat, ram, ewe and many kinds of birds.[4]

The province of Fars includes many protected wildlife zones. The most important protected zones are:

Arjan Meadow 22 km2 (8.5 sq mi) and Lake Parishan 40 km2 (15 sq mi) are designated Wetlands of International Importance under the Ramsar convention.

A panorama of Bakhtiar lake

Economy

Agriculture is of great importance in Fars. The major products include cereal (wheat and barley), citrus fruits, dates, sugar beets and cotton.

Fars has major petrochemical facilities, along with an oil refinery, a factory for producing tires, a large electronics industry, and a sugar mill.

Tourism is also a large industry in the province. UNESCO has designated an area in the province, called Arjan (known as Dasht e Arjan) as a biosphere reserve.

Shiraz, provincial capital of Fars, is the namesake of Shirazi wine. There used to be a lot of wine factories in the city, but due to Islamic law all wine factories were shut down after the Islamic Revolution in 1979.

Demographics

Due to the geographical characteristics of Fars and its proximity to the Persian Gulf, Fars has long been a residing area for various Iranian People and Semites who were under the influence of Persian culture. However, the tribes of Fars including Qashqai Turks, Mamasani Lurs, Khamseh and Kohkiluyeh have kept their native and unique cultures and lifestyles which constitute part of the cultural heritage of Iran attracting many tourists. The province has a population of 4.4 million approximately.

Transportation

Shiraz Airport is the main international airport of the province and the second in the country. The cities of Lar and Lamerd also have airports linking them with Shiraz and Tehran and nearby Persian Gulf countries such as the UAE and Bahrain. Shiraz is along the main route from Tehran to southern Iran.

Education

The main universities are Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz University and Shiraz University of Technology.

Notables from Fars

References

  1. ^ a b [1] National Census 2006
  2. ^ The Cambridge History of Iran, Vol. 3 (1), p. 299
  3. ^ The Cambridge History of Iran, Vol. 3 (1), p. 302
  4. ^ a b c d Iran fars-shiraz
  5. ^ Nezameddin Faghih
  6. ^ Nezameddin Faghih Books

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Fars Province
Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province Isfahan Province Yazd Province
Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Province Kerman Province
Fars Province
Bushehr Province Hormozgan Province
Links to related articles
Provinces of Iran

Alborz · Ardabil · Bushehr · Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari · East Azerbaijan · Isfahan · Fars · Gilan · Golestan · Hamadan · Hormozgan · Ilam · Kerman · Kermanshah · Khuzestan · Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad · Kurdistan · Lorestan · Markazi · Mazandaran · North Khorasan · Qazvin · Qom · Razavi Khorasan · Semnan · Sistan and Baluchestan · South Khorasan · Tehran · West Azerbaijan · Yazd · Zanjan

Fars Province, Iran
Capital

Shiraz

Counties (A-K) and Cities
Abadeh County AbadehBahmanIzadkhvastSoghadSurmaq
Arsanjan County Arsanjan
Bavanat County SurianKorehi
Darab County DarabJannat Shahr
Eqlid County EqlidSedeh
Estahban County EstahbanIjRoniz
Farashband County FarashbandDehramNujin
Fasa County FasaNow BandeganSheshdehZahedshahr
Firuzabad County FiruzabadMeymand
Gerash County GerashArad
Jahrom County JahromBab AnarDuzehKhavaranQotbabad
Kavar County Kavar
Kazerun County KazerunBaladehKheshtKonartakhtehNowdanQaemiyeh
Kharameh County Kharameh
Khonj County Khonj
Khorrambid County SafashahrQaderabad
Counties (L-Z) and Cities
Lamerd County LamerdAhelAla-e MarvdashtEshkanan
Larestan County LarBeyramBanaruiyehEvazFishvarJuyomKhurLatifi
Mamasani County NurabadKhumeh Zar
Marvdasht County MarvdashtKamfiruzRamjerdSeyyedan
Mohr County MohrAsirGalleh DarVaravi
Neyriz County NeyrizAbadeh TashkMeshkanQatruyeh
Pasargad County Saadat Shahr
Qir and Karzin County QirEfzarKarzin
Rostam County Masiri
Sarvestan County Sarvestan
Sepidan County ArdakanBeyzaHamashahr
Shiraz County ShirazDarianLapuiZarqan
Zarrin Dasht County HajjiabadDowbaranShahr-e Pir
Landmarks

Afif-Abad Garden · Amir's dam · Arg of Karim Khan · Barmdelak lagoon · Bishapur · Delgosha Garden · Eram Garden · Estakhr · Ghal'eh Dokhtar · Ka'ba-ye Zartosht · Kazerun fire temple · Lake Parishan · Naqsh-e Rajab · Naqsh-e Rustam · Palace of Ardashir · Pars museum · Pasargadae · Persepolis · Qavam House · Qur'an Gate · Saadi's mausoleum · Sarvestan Sassanian palace · Shah Cheragh · Colossal Statue of Shapur I in Shapur cave · Tangeh Bolaghi · Hāfezieh · Tounbbot · Vakil Bath · Vakil Bazaar · Vakil Mosque

Counties of Fars Province

Abadeh · Arsanjan · Bavanat · Darab · Eqlid · Estahban · Farashband · Fasa · Firuzabad · Jahrom · Kazerun · Khorrambid · Lamerd · Larestan · Mamasani · Marvdasht · Mehr · Neyriz · Qir-o-Karzin · Sepidan · Shiraz · Zarrindasht

Provinces of the Achaemenid Empire (Behistun, Persepolis, Naqsh-e Rustam, Susa, Susa foundation charter, and Daiva inscriptions)
Across the sea · Akaufaka · Arabia · Arachosia · Aria · Armenia · Assyria · Babylonia · Bactria · Cappadocia · Caria · Chorasmia · Dahae · Drangiana · 1t Egyptian Satrapy / 2nd Egyptian Satrapy · Eber-Nari · Elam · Gandhara · Gedrosia · Hyrcania · Ionia · Indus · Kush · Libya · Maka · Media · Parthia · Persia · Quadia · Saka · Sardis · Sattagydia · Skudra · Sogdia · Yehud
See also Districts of the Achaemenid Empire according to Herodotus
Provinces of the Sassanid Empire

Abarshahr · Adiabene · Albania · Arabistan · Aria · Armenia · Asuristan · Atropatene · Balasagan · Carmania · Elam · Egypt · Hyrcania · Iberia · India · Kushanshahr · Machelonia · Maishan · Margiana · Mazun · Media · Mokran · Paratan · Parthia · Patishkhwagar · Persis · Sakastan · Susiana · Turan

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