Tonekabon


Tonekabon is a city in the Central District of Tonekabon County, Mazandaran province, Iran, serving as capital of both the county and the district.

Etymology

Toneka was a large and fortress-like city with a fence and a hard and strong surface in the west of Ruyan district. Shortly after the destruction of Toneka Castle, a lower city was built from the ruins of the old city, and it was called Toneka Bon. This name was extended to all the lands that formed the local rulers.

History

The territory of Tonekabon was originally part of Mazandaran. Numerous evidences discovered in various parts of the region, indicate that it was a flourishing city in the past. The ancient Tonekabon came under the realm of the Ruyan territory, also called Rostamdar. The Padusbanan held the power of this vicinity till the reign of Abbas the Great. Thereafter, until the beginning of the Qajar era and the reign of Agha Mohammad Khan Qajar, the city was known as Feiz.
During the Pahlavi era, the city was renamed Shahsavar. After the 1979 Iranian revolution the name was returned to its original historic one, Tonekabon. Most present-day people of the city still use the Shahsavar name.

Demographics

Language

The languages of Tonekabon are Mazandarani and Gilaki.

Population

At the time of the 2006 National Census, the city's population was 43,128 in 13,087 households. The following census in 2011 counted 45,338 people in 14,975 households. The 2016 census measured the population of the city as 55,434 people in 18,878 households.

Geography

Tonekabon is located on the southern coast of the Caspian Sea, north of Tehran, between Ramsar and Chalus. Tonekabon County has common borders with Qazvin province to the south.
In its northern regions it has a moderate and humid climate and in the southern portions cold weather prevails. The Cheshmeh Kileh River flows through it.

Climate

Tonekabon has a humid subtropical climate, with warm, humid summers and cool, damp winters.

Economy

A famous variety of orange, Shahsavari Orange, is grown in the city and bears its former name. The other products of Tonekabon are kiwi fruit, rice, and tea.
Tonekabon has a semi tropical climate. The temperature is mild year round.
The "Ghalegardan high lands" and "Dohezar Valley" are famous resort areas in the Alborz mountain range, southwest of Tonekabon. There are also dense forests in Dohezar and the Sehezar Road areas of the Alborz.

Tourist attractions