Province of Iran
Province in Region 1, Iran
Golestan Province
(
Persian
:
????? ??????
)
[a]
is one of the 31
provinces of Iran
, located in the northeast of the country and southeast of the
Caspian Sea
. Its capital is the city of
Gorgan
,
[7]
formerly called Esterabad until 1937. Golestan was split off from
Mazandaran Province
in 1997.
The province was made a part of Region 1 upon the division of the provinces into
5 regions
, solely for coordination and development purposes, on 22 June 2014.
[1]
Majority of its population are Sunni Muslims.
[8]
[9]
At the time of the 2006 National Census, the province's population was 1,593,055 in 379,354 households.
[10]
The following census in 2011 showed an increase in population to 1,777,014 in 482,842 households.
[11]
At the most recent census conducted in 2016, the population had risen to 1,868,819 in 550,249 households.
[4]
Etymology
[
edit
]
Gulistan, Golestan, or Golastan translates to "gul-" meaning "flower" and "-stan" meaning "land" or "region." Golestan, therefore, literally means "land of flowers" in
Iranian languages
(e.g.,
Persian
,
Kurdish
, and
Mazandarani
). This is a common toponym in countries with Persian linguistic roots (see
Gulistan
).
The capital of Gorgan derives its name from a wider region known historically as
Gorgan
(
?????
),
Middle Persian
Gurg?n
, and
Old Persian
Vark?na
(in the
Behistun Inscription
) meaning "land of
wolves
".
[12]
This is also the root of the
Ancient Greek
?ρκαν?α (
Hyrkania
) and
Latin
Hyrcania
. Wild wolves are still found in Golestan.
History
[
edit
]
Human settlements in this area date back to 10,000 BC. Evidence of the ancient city of
Jorjan
can still be seen near the current city of
Gonbad-e Kavus
. It was an important city of Persia located on the
Silk Road
.
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
[13]
in his list of Xerxes' army during the invasion of
Greece
.
[12]
Administrative divisions
[
edit
]
The population history and structural changes of Golestan Province's administrative divisions over three consecutive censuses are shown in the following table.
Golestan Province
Counties
|
2006
[10]
|
2011
[11]
|
2016
[4]
|
Aliabad
|
123,923
|
132,757
|
140,709
|
Aqqala
|
109,440
|
124,185
|
132,733
|
Azadshahr
|
88,251
|
91,767
|
96,803
|
Bandar-e Gaz
|
46,179
|
46,315
|
46,130
|
Galikash
[b]
|
?
|
59,975
|
63,173
|
Gomishan
[c]
|
?
|
63,447
|
68,773
|
Gonbad-e Kavus
|
283,331
|
325,789
|
348,744
|
Gorgan
|
393,887
|
462,455
|
480,541
|
Kalaleh
|
149,857
|
110,473
|
117,319
|
Kordkuy
|
67,427
|
70,244
|
71,270
|
Maraveh Tappeh
[d]
|
?
|
55,821
|
60,953
|
Minudasht
|
126,676
|
75,659
|
75,483
|
Ramian
|
81,866
|
85,324
|
86,210
|
Torkaman
|
122,218
|
72,803
|
79,978
|
Total
|
1,593,055
|
1,777,014
|
1,868,819
|
Cities
[
edit
]
According to the 2016 census, 1,015,774 people (over 54% of the population of Golestan Province) live in the following cities:
[4]
City
|
Population
|
Aliabad-e Katul
|
52,838
|
Anbar Olum
|
7,003
|
Aqqala
|
35,116
|
Azadshahr
|
43,760
|
Bandar Torkaman
|
53,970
|
Bandar-e Gaz
|
20,742
|
Daland
|
20,754
|
Faraghi
|
5,777
|
Fazelabad
|
19,461
|
Galikash
|
23,394
|
Gomishan
|
19,191
|
Gonbad-e Kavus
|
151,910
|
Gorgan
|
350,676
|
Incheh Borun
|
2,494
|
Jelin
|
7,417
|
Kalaleh
|
36,176
|
Khan Bebin
|
10,878
|
Kordkuy
|
39,881
|
Maraveh Tappeh
|
8,671
|
Mazraeh
|
4,009
|
Minudasht
|
30,085
|
Neginshahr
|
8,138
|
Now Deh Khanduz
|
2,989
|
Now Kandeh
|
6,650
|
Ramian
|
12,426
|
Sangdevin
|
4,203
|
Sarkhon Kalateh
|
7,589
|
Siminshahr
|
17,205
|
Tatar-e Olya
|
4,782
|
Demographics
[
edit
]
In 2006, the Ministry of Education of Iran estimated the ethnic breakdown of the province to be:
The
Mazandaranis
who inhabit the foothills to
Shah Pasand
were subsumed under the rubric "Persian" by these official statistics.
The Persians/Mazandaranis are considered by nearly all inhabitants of the province to be "the old natives" while all others are considered ethnic immigrants in the past.
Most
Mazandaranis
live in
Gorgan
,
Ali Abad
,
Kordkuy
,
Bandar-e Gaz
and
Gonbad-e Kavus
. They speak
Mazanderani language
.
[18]
[20]
[17]
[19]
[21]
The
Turkmens
reside in the north of the province, a plain called
Turkmen Sahra
. Since the 15th century, these formerly nomadic people have lived in this area, the main cities of which are
Gonbad-e Kavus
and
Bandar Torkaman
.
Turkmens
are
Sunni Muslim
. They form a sizable minority in cities such as
Gorgan
,
Ali Abad
,
Kalaleh
, and many eastern townships.
Azeris and the Qizilbash predate the Turkmen by centuries and have in time become completely
Shia
, and therefore, culturally associated with the Persians and other Shias.
The Sistani Persians and the Baluch are relatively recent arrivals and date back to the early 20th century. They are still arriving in the area in some numbers due to the lasting drought in their home areas of
Sistan
.
The people of Kordkuy are originally from the Kurdish areas of west Iran,
Kermanshah
and
Kurdistan
provinces. They belong to the Kord-rostami tribe and are also found in significant numbers in other cities like Gorgan and Bandare Gaz. Subtribes of the Kord-Rostami tribe are the Aghili and Sepanlou tribes.
Other ethnic groups such as
Kazakhs
,
Khorasani Kurds
,
Georgians
, and
Armenians
also reside in this area, and have preserved their traditions and rituals.
A small minority of followers of the
Baha?i faith
also live in Golestan (in
Shahpasand
).
[5]
[22]
[23]
Culture
[
edit
]
The world's tallest brick structure of its kind, the
Gonbad-e Qabus
tower, stands in this province.
Climate and geography
[
edit
]
Golestan 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
Alborz
range. In the eastern Alborz section, the direction of the mountains faces northeast and gradually decreases in height. The highest point of the province is
Shavar
, with a height of 3,945 meters. Two of the main rivers are the
Gharasu
and
Gorganrud
.
Golestan National Park
[
edit
]
Golestan National Park
in northern Iran is faced with the construction of a road through the forest, allegedly for the ease of traffic for the villagers and woodmen but at the expense of losing the only national park in Iran throughout which a range of different climates (humidity 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 animal and plant life.
Colleges and universities
[
edit
]
Notes
[
edit
]
References
[
edit
]
- ^
a
b
"????????? ???? ?? ? ????? ????? ????"
.
hamshahrionline.ir
. 22 June 2014
. Retrieved
19 March
2018
.
- ^
OpenStreetMap contributors (22 May 2024).
"Golestan Province"
(Map).
OpenStreetMap
. Retrieved
22 May
2024
.
- ^
http://www.sci.org.ir/content/userfiles/_sci_en/sci_en/sel/year85/f1/CS_01_4.HTM
[
permanent dead link
]
Iranian Statistical Yearbook 1385
- ^
a
b
c
d
"Census of the Islamic Republic of Iran, 1395 (2016)"
.
AMAR
(in Persian). The Statistical Center of Iran. p. 27. Archived from
the original
(Excel)
on 29 March 2019
. Retrieved
19 December
2022
.
- ^
a
b
"?????? ?? ????? ??????"
.
hamshahrionline.ir
. 16 March 2007
. Retrieved
19 March
2018
.
- ^
"Sub-national HDI - Area Database - Global Data Lab"
.
hdi.globaldatalab.org
. Retrieved
13 September
2018
.
- ^
"Golestan Province establishment law"
.
Lamtakam
(in Persian). Guardian Council. 16 September 1376. Archived from
the original
on 14 February 2024
. Retrieved
14 February
2024
.
- ^
???, ???? ???? ?????? ????.
"????? ???? ?? ????? ??????"
.
fa
.
- ^
"Golestan"
.
iranrahno.com
. Retrieved
19 March
2018
.
- ^
a
b
"Census of the Islamic Republic of Iran, 1385 (2006)"
.
AMAR
(in Persian). The Statistical Center of Iran. p. 27. Archived from
the original
(Excel)
on 20 September 2011
. Retrieved
25 September
2022
.
- ^
a
b
"Census of the Islamic Republic of Iran, 1390 (2011)"
.
Syracuse University
(in Persian). The Statistical Center of Iran. p. 27. Archived from
the original
(Excel)
on 17 January 2023
. Retrieved
19 December
2022
.
- ^
a
b
"Gorg?n"
. Encyclopaedia Iranica
. Retrieved
23 December
2009
.
- ^
Herodotus, Histories, 7.62
- ^
"Introduction of Galikash County"
.
Galikesh
(in Persian). Revolutionary Guard Corps, Gonbad-e Kavus County. Archived from
the original
on 30 November 2020
. Retrieved
9 April
2024
.
- ^
Davodi, Parviz (23 January 1388).
"Approval letter regarding country divisions in Torkaman County"
.
Lamtakam
(in Persian). Ministry of Interior, Council of Ministers. Archived from
the original
on 13 February 2024
. Retrieved
13 February
2024
.
- ^
Davodi, Parviz (18 September 2016).
"Letter of approval regarding the reforms of country divisions in Golestan province"
.
Research Center of the System of Laws of the Islamic Council of the Farabi Library
(in Persian). Ministry of Interior, Political-Defense Commission. Archived from
the original
on 23 November 2013
. Retrieved
19 November
2023
.
- ^
a
b
"???? ????"
.
ahouraa.ir
. Archived from
the original
on 11 October 2017
. Retrieved
28 September
2018
.
- ^
a
b
"GORG?NI DIALECT ? Encyclopaedia Iranica"
.
www.iranicaonline.org
.
- ^
a
b
????????? ???????? ????? ????? ???? ????? ? ?? ? ??.
- ^
???? ????????? ?? ????? ????????? ? ???
- ^
????????? ???? ????? ???? ???? ???????? ?? ???????: ??????? ???????? ? ???? ????? ??? 1377? ??? ???? ? 31
- ^
"Shodhganga : a reservoir of Indian theses @ INFLIBNET"
(PDF)
. Retrieved
9 June
2023
.
- ^
The Geography of Golestan Province, Educational Ministry of Iran, 2006
- ^
"Archived copy"
. Archived from
the original
on 21 March 2021
. Retrieved
19 October
2005
.
{{
cite web
}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (
link
)
- ^
"Home"
.
aliabadiau.ac.ir
.
External links
[
edit
]
Places adjacent to Golestan province
|
---|
|