# Piranshahr

Piranshahr (Persian: پيرانشهر) is a city in the Central District of Piranshahr County, West Azerbaijan province, Iran, serving as capital of both the county and the district.

## Etymology

According to the Arab geographer Yaqut al-Hamawi, the name of the city is derived from the famous figure of Shahnameh Piran. Piran is a Turanian figure in Shahnameh, the national epic of Greater Iran. Beside Shahnameh, Piran is also mentioned in other sources such as Tabari and Tha'ālibī. He is the king of Khotan and the spahbed of Afrasiab, the king of Turan. He is described as a wise and intelligent man, seeking to bring peace to Iran and Turan.
In old Iranian writings, Piran and Aghrirat are the only Turanians that have been described positively. Piran plays a vital role in the story of Siavash, the story of Kay Khosro and the story of Bizhan and Manizhe. In Persian culture, Piran is a symbol of wisdom. It has been said that Karim Khan called Mohammad Khan Qajar "Piran". Piran is often compared to Bozorgmehr.
According to Djalal Khaleghi Motlagh, Piran may be the Median Harpagus that saved Cyrus the Great.

## Parsua civilization

According to Minorsky, the ancient Parsua is identical with the name of the town Pasveh in Lajan District of Piranshahr County.
Pasveh is in the vicinity of Piranshahr. Pasva is a village near Piranshahr whose name, according to the Iranist Vladimir Minorsky has existed since the 9th century BC and was built by the "Parsua tribes." It was also mentioned in the records of the Assyrian ruler Shalmaneser III (reign 858-824 BC).

## Demographics
### Population

At the time of the 2006 National Census, the city's population was 57,692 in 12,184 households. The following census in 2011 counted 69,049 people in 16,407 households. The 2016 census measured the population of the city as 91,515 people in 23,468 households.
According to Piranshahr's organization for Civil Registration, the highest average annual growth rate in West Azerbaijan province is in Piranshahr.

## Climate

Piranshahr's climate is classed under the Köppen climate classification as a humid continental climate (Dsa).
Climate data for Piranshahr (1986-2005) :
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 2.5 (36.5) | 4.2 (39.6) | 9.5 (49.1) | 16.5 (61.7) | 22.0 (71.6) | 28.1 (82.6) | 32.1 (89.8) | 32.4 (90.3) | 28.1 (82.6) | 20.9 (69.6) | 12.3 (54.1) | 5.9 (42.6) | 17.9 (64.2) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −1.4 (29.5) | -0.0 (32.0) | 5.0 (41.0) | 11.1 (52.0) | 15.7 (60.3) | 20.5 (68.9) | 24.6 (76.3) | 24.5 (76.1) | 20.4 (68.7) | 14.6 (58.3) | 7.5 (45.5) | 1.9 (35.4) | 12.0 (53.7) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −5.3 (22.5) | −4.3 (24.3) | 0.4 (32.7) | 5.7 (42.3) | 9.3 (48.7) | 13.0 (55.4) | 17.2 (63.0) | 16.6 (61.9) | 12.6 (54.7) | 8.4 (47.1) | 2.6 (36.7) | −2.1 (28.2) | 6.2 (43.1) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 90.6 (3.57) | 101.1 (3.98) | 106.6 (4.20) | 96.8 (3.81) | 40.2 (1.58) | 5.5 (0.22) | 0.9 (0.04) | 1.4 (0.06) | 1.8 (0.07) | 37.0 (1.46) | 93.3 (3.67) | 97.5 (3.84) | 672.7 (26.5) |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 71 | 66 | 62 | 54 | 49 | 39 | 36 | 33 | 34 | 46 | 62 | 68 | 52 |
| Average afternoon relative humidity (%) | 68 | 64 | 55 | 47 | 41 | 31 | 31 | 28 | 27 | 37 | 53 | 63 | 45 |
| Average dew point °C (°F) | −6.2 (20.8) | −6.2 (20.8) | −2.2 (28.0) | 2.0 (35.6) | 5.1 (41.2) | 6.2 (43.2) | 8.6 (47.5) | 7.0 (44.6) | 3.6 (38.5) | 2.5 (36.5) | 0.1 (32.2) | −3.8 (25.2) | 1.4 (34.5) |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 118.2 | 141.9 | 177.2 | 204.7 | 275.5 | 334.8 | 353.2 | 341.0 | 295.4 | 228.2 | 164.7 | 131.6 | 2,766.4 |
| Source: ||||||||||||||
* ↑ Afternoon humidity is measured at 9:00 UTC.(12:30 IRST)

## Law and government

The city's chief administrator is the mayor, who is elected by the municipal board of the city. According to Iranian laws the municipal board is periodically elected by the city residents.
Mayor: Safer Tefakhur
Governor: Kakderwishi
Friday prayer: Saleh Hashimabadi
Majlis representative: Kemal Hussainpur

## Education

The main institutions of higher education in the area are Payame Noor University and Islamic Azad University. The city is also home to a number of conservatories and art schools.