Kerman province


Kerman province is the largest of the 31 provinces of Iran. Its capital is the city of Kerman.
The province is in the southeast of Iran. In 2014 it was placed in Region 5. Mentioned in ancient times as the Achaemenid satrapy of Carmania, Kerman province has an area of, encompassing nearly 11% of the land area of Iran.

History

According to a text from the 8th century commontly attributed to the Armenian historian Movses Khorenatsi, present-day Kerman province was situated in the southern quarter of the Sasanian Empire. The main city of the region from the Sasanian era to the 10th century was Sirjan.
Early Muslim geographers considered the area as part of the hot climatic zone and the mountainous interior as home of predatory people including the Kufečs. Hamdallah Mustawfi stated that predatory beasts roamed the area which by then had undergone forestation.
In the 13th century it came under the rule of the Qutlugh-Khanids founded by ethnic Khitans, than under the Mongol Empire. It was under the Timurid empire in 15th century.

Demographics

Language

The main languages of Kerman province are Persian and Garmsiri. Smaller languages include Achomi, Turkic dialects and a Median-type dialect spoken by the Jewish and Zoroastrian communities.
The Persian varieties can be considered one single Kermani accent and they are sufficiently close to Standard Persian which they share intelligibility with.

Population

At the time of the 2006 National Census, the province's population was 2,584,834 in 612,996 households. The 2011 census recorded a population of 2,938,988 people in 785,747 households. Urban areas accounted for 1,684,982 people, whereas 1,242,344 lived in rural vicinities; 6,082 were non-residents. The 2016 census measured the population of the province as 3,164,718 in 932,721 households.
The capital city of Kerman, with a population of 537,718, comprises about 29% of the provincial urban population of 1.85 million, being the most developed and largest city of the province.

Administrative divisions

The population history and structural changes of Kerman province's administrative divisions over three consecutive censuses are shown in the following table.
Counties200620112016
Anar—35,29536,897
Anbarabad113,75185,94282,438
Arzuiyeh—41,97938,510
Baft138,84775,94084,103
Bam277,835195,603228,241
Bardsir84,54373,73881,983
Fahraj—68,03867,096
Faryab—34,41734,000
Gonbaki———
Jazmurian———
Jiroft181,300277,748308,858
Kahnuj102,26986,29095,848
Kerman654,052722,484738,724
Kuhbanan24,46521,72121,205
Manujan63,27064,52865,705
Narmashir—58,22954,228
Qaleh Ganj69,00876,37676,495
Rabor—34,39235,362
Rafsanjan291,417287,921311,214
Ravar38,53940,29543,198
Rigan—66,33588,410
Rudbar-e Jonubi86,747104,421105,992
Shahr-e Babak100,19290,495103,975
Sirjan239,455267,697324,103
Zarand119,144129,104138,133
Total2,584,8342,938,9883,164,718

Cities

According to the 2016 census, 1,858,587 people live in the following cities:
CityPopulation
Aminshahr4,413
Anar15,532
Anbarabad18,185
Anduhjerd4,041
Arzuiyeh6,868
Baft34,517
Baghin10,407
Bahreman5,265
Balvard3,534
Bam127,396
Baravat22,761
Bardsir25,152
Bezenjan4,517
Boluk5,304
Chatrud5,860
Darb-e Behesht10,670
Dashtkar3,234
Dehaj5,045
Dow Sari4,130
Ekhtiarabad9,840
Fahraj6,876
Faryab4,863
Golbaf9,205
Golzar5,445
Gonbaki7,210
Hamashahr3,311
Hanza1,452
Hojedk1,007
Jebalbarez6,750
Jiroft130,429
Jowzam3,436
Jupar3,607
Kahnuj52,624
Kazemabad4,060
Kerman537,718
Khanuk2,628
Khatunabad5,471
Khursand8,252
Khvajeh Shahr2,478
Kian Shahr4,543
Koshkuiyeh7,644
Kuhbanan10,761
Lalehzar4,429
Mahan19,423
Manujan15,634
Mardehek2,870
Mes-e Sarcheshmeh5,967
Mohammadabad20,720
Mohiabad3,930
Najafabad20,164
Narmashir5,222
Negar7,600
Nezamshahr2,426
Nowdezh5,562
Qaleh Ganj13,169
Pariz8,005
Rabor13,263
Rafsanjan161,909
Ravar22,729
Rayen10,286
Reyhan Shahr4,580
Rudbar14,747
Safayyeh2,478
Shahdad5,217
Shahr-e Babak51,620
Sirjan199,704
Yazdan Shahr5,607
Zangiabad8,568
Zarand60,370
Zeh-e Kalut6,835
Zeydabad9,112

Most populous cities

The following sorted table, lists the most populous cities in Kerman.
RankCityCountyPopulation
1KermanKerman537,718
2SirjanSirjan199,704
3RafsanjanRafsanjan161,909
4JiroftJiroft130,429
5BamBam127,396
6ZarandZarand60,370
7KahnujKahnuj52,624
8Shahr-e BabakShahr-e Babak51,620
9BaftBaft34,517
10BardsirBardsir25,152

Geography

The altitudes and heights of the province are the continuation of the central mountain ranges of Iran. They extend from the volcanic folds beginning in Azerbaijan and, by branching out in the central plateau of Iran, terminate in Baluchestan. These mountain ranges have brought about vast plains in the province. The Bashagard and Kuhbonan Mountains are the highest in this region and include peaks such as Toghrol, Aljerd, Palvar, Sirach, Abareq and Tahrood. Other ranges that stretch out from Yazd to Kerman and Challeh-ye-Jazmoorian include high peaks like Hazaran which is 4,501 meters above sea level, Kuh-e Shah 4,402 meters ASL, Joupar, Bahr Aseman and Khabr mountain in Khabr National Park and others.
Most of the province is largely steppe or sandy desert, although there are some oases where dates, oranges, and pistachios are cultivated. In antiquity "Carmanian" wine was famed for its quality . The province is dependent on qanats for its irrigation. In the central parts, Mount Hezar is the highest peak, 4501 meters above sea level.
Kerman is prone to natural disasters. A recent flood for example, unearthed the archeological ancient city of Jiroft, in the south of Kerman province. Arg-é Bam on the other hand, the world's largest adobe structure, was destroyed in an earthquake in December 2003. On February 22, 2005, a major earthquake killed hundreds of residents in the town of Zarand and several nearby villages in north Kerman.

Economy

As of 1920, the province was known for the quality of its caraway.
Arg e Jadid, is a specially designated economic zone of Iran, located in Kerman province.
The Gol Gohar mine, the largest iron mine in Iran, is located in Kerman province.

Education

Colleges and universities

Kerman province contains the following universities: