Razavi Khorasan province

Razavi Khorasan province
Razavi Khorasan or Central Khorasan Province (Ostân-e Xorâsân-e Razavi) is one of the 31 provinces of Iran, located in northeastern Iran. The city of Mashhad is the center and capital of the province. Central Khorasan is one of the three provinces that were created after the division of Khorasan province in 2004. In 2014, it was placed in Region 5 with Mashhad as the location of the region's secretariat.
At the time of the National Census of 2006, the province had a population of 5,515,980 in 1,426,187 households. The following census in 2011 counted 5,994,402 people in 1,716,314 households. At the latest census conducted in 2016, the population had risen to 6,434,501 in 1,938,703 households.
History
The Greater Khorasan has witnessed the rise and fall of many dynasties and governments in its territory throughout history. Various tribes of the Arabs, Turks, Kurds and Turkmens brought changes to the region time and time again.
Ancient geographers of Iran divided Iran ("Ērānshahr") into eight segments of which the most flourishing and largest was the territory of Greater Khorasan. Esfarayen, among other cities of the province, was one of the focal points for residence of the Aryan tribes after entering Iran.
The Parthian Empire was based near Merv in Khorasan for many years. During the Sassanid dynasty, the province was governed by a Spahbod (Lieutenant General) called "Padgošban" and four margraves, each commander of one of the four parts of the province.
Khorasan was divided into four parts during the Muslim conquest of Persia, each section being named after the four largest cities, Nishapur, Merv, Herat, and Balkh.
In the year 651, the army of the Rashidun Caliphate conquered Khorasan. The territory remained under the rule of the Abbasid Caliphate until 820, followed by the rule of the Iranian Tahirid dynasty until 873, and the Samanid dynasty in 900.
Mahmud of Ghazni conquered Khorasan in 994, and Tuğrul in the year 1037.
In 1507, Khorasan was occupied by the Uzbek tribes. After the death of Nader Shah in 1747, it was occupied by the Afghan Durrani Empire centered in Qandahar.
In 1824, Herat became independent for several years when the Afghan Empire was split between the Durranis and Barakzais. The Persians sieged the city in 1837, but the British assisted the Afghans in repelling them. In 1856, the Persians launched another invasion and briefly managed to recapture the city; it led directly to the Anglo-Persian War. In 1857 hostilities between the Persians and the British ended after the Treaty of Paris was signed, and the Persian troops withdrew from Herat. Afghanistan reconquered Herat in 1863 under Dost Muhammad Khan, two weeks before his death.
Khorasan was the largest province of Iran until it was divided into three provinces on 29 September 2004. The provinces approved by the parliament of Iran (on 18 May 2004) and the Council of Guardians (on 29 May 2004) were Khorasan-e Razavi, North Khorasan, and South Khorasan.
Archaeological sites
Among the archeological sites discovered in this province:
Kohandezh hills
Excavations conducted by an American team between 1935 and 1940 in Nishapur discovered museum-worthy objects, which were shared with the government of the Shah. The Metropolitan Museum of Art's publications document its own Nishapur ceramics from those excavations. For half a century after 1945 the site of Nishapur was ransacked to feed the international market demand for early Islamic works of art. Nowadays, the Kohandezh hills reveal the remains from those excavations.
Shadiyakh
Shadiyakh was an important palace in old Nishapur up to the 7th century, and became more important and populated after that. The palace was completely ruined in the 13th century. It was the home of notables such as Farid al-Din Attar, whose tomb is found in Shadiyakh.
Demographics
The major ethnic group in this region are Persians, there are other sizeable communities such as Khorasani Kurds, Khorasani Turks, Turkmens and Baluchs.
Administrative divisions
Cities
According to the 2016 census, 4,700,924 people (over 73% of the population of Razavi Khorasan province) live in the following cities: Ahmadabad-e Sowlat 8,326 ,Anabad 6,186, Bajestan 11,741, Bajgiran 594, Bakharz 9,044, Bar 3,765, Bardaskan 28,233, Bayg 3,545, Bidokht 5,501, Chapeshlu 2,374, Chekneh 1,381, Chenaran 53,879, Dargaz 36,762, Darrud 5,717, Davarzan 2,744, Dowlatabad 9,329, Eshqabad 1,993, Farhadgerd 8,442, Fariman 39,515, Feyzabad 18,120, Firuzeh 5,884, Golbahar 36,877, Golmakan 8,373, Gonabad 40,773, Hemmatabad 1,274, Jangal 6,650, Joghatai 9,268, Kadkan 3,719, Kakhk 4,625, Kalat 7,687, Kariz 11,102, Kashmar 102,282, Khaf 33,189, Khalilabad 12,751, Kharv 13,535, Kondor 6,460, Lotfabad 1,865, Mashhad 2,987,323, Mashhad Rizeh 10,105, Mashhad Zhaman 13,861, Mazdavand 1,241, Molkabad 2,056, Nashtifan 9,176, Nasrabad 7,460, Neqab 14,783, Nilshahr 7,371, Nishapur 264,375, Now Khandan 2,634, Qadamgah 3,010, Qalandarabad 4,880, Qasemabad 5,145, Quchan 101,604, Razaviyeh 8,850, Rivash 5,687, Robat-e Sang 1,551, Roshtkhar 7,514, Rud Ab 4,028, Sabzevar 243,700, Salami 7,555, Salehabad 8,625, Sangan 12,443, Sarakhs 42,179, Sefid Sang 6,129, Shadmehr 3,825, Shahrabad 2,083, Shahr-e Zow 3,745, Shandiz 13,987, Sheshtomad 3,108, Soltanabad 5,932, Taybad 56,562, Torbat-e Heydarieh 140,019, Torbat-e Jam 100,449, Torqabeh 20,998, and Yunesi 3,426.
The following sorted table lists the most populous cities in Razavi Khorasan according to 2016 Census results announced by Statistical Center of Iran. After Mashhad, Nishapur, Sabzevar, and Torbat-e Heydarieh are the most populous cities of the province.
Culture
Attractions
This province contains many historical and natural attractions, such as mineral water springs, small lakes, recreational areas, caves and protected regions, and various hiking areas.
Besides these, Khorasan encompasses numerous religious buildings and places of pilgrimage, including the shrine of Imam Reza, Goharshad mosque and many other mausoleums and Imamzadehs which attract visitors to this province.
The Cultural Heritage of Iran lists 1179 sites of historical and cultural significance in all three provinces of Khorasan.
Some of the popular attractions of Khorasan-e Razavi are:
Mashhad
Imam Reza Shrine
Goharshad Mosque
Tomb of Nader Shah
Tomb of Khajeh Rabie
Tomb of Ferdowsi
Haruniyeh Dome
Nishapur
Mausoleum of Attar of Nishapur
Mausoleum of Omar Khayyám
Tomb of Kamal-ol-molk
Tomb of Heydar Yaghma
Shadiyakh
Jameh Mosque of Nishapur
Sabzevar
Khosrogerd Minaret
Pamenar Mosque, Sabzevar
Jameh Mosque of Sabzevar
Tomb of Hadi Sabzevari
Tomb of Boghrat
Kashmar
Arg of Kashmar
Tomb of Hassan Modarres
Imamzadeh Seyed Morteza
Imamzadeh Hamzeh, Kashmar
Imamzadeh Mohammad
Grave of Pir Quzhd
Jameh Mosque of Kashmar
Haj Soltan Religious School
Haji Jalal Mosque
Atashgah Manmade-Cave
Atashgah Castle
Kohneh Castle, Zendeh Jan
Rig Castle
Amin al-tojar Caravansarai
Talaabad Watermill
Yakhchāl of Kashmar
Khalilabad
Jameh Mosque of Khalilabad
Kondor castle
Kondor Ab anbars
Torbat-e Jam
Sheikh Ahmad-e Jami mausoleum complex
Gonabad
Forud castle
Qanats of Gonabad
Kūh-Zibad
Sarakhs
Ribat-i Sharaf
Tomb of Baba Loghman
Bardaskan
Tomb of Abdolabad
Aliabad Tower
Firuzabad Tower
Firuzabad area
Seyyed Bagher Ab anbar
Darone Cave
Sir Cave
Rahmanniyeh Castle
Qal'eh Dokhtar, Khooshab
Qal'eh Dokhtar, Doruneh
Bajestan
Jameh Mosque of Marandiz
Taybad
Abbasabad Complex Taybad
Karat Minaret
Rivash
Qal'eh Dokhtar, Kuhsorkh
Nameq Village
Shahi Dam
Gabar Hesar castle
Baghdasht Peak
Band-e Qara Bathhouse
Natural Yakhchāl of Band-e Qara
Colleges and universities
Asrar Institute of Higher Education
Bahar Institute of Higher Education
Comprehensive University of Applied and Practical Sciences, Khorasan
Ferdowsi University of Mashhad
Gonabad University of Medical Sciences
Hakim-e Sabzevari University of Sabzevar
Imam Reza University
Islamic Azad University of Ghoochan
Islamic Azad University of Gonabad
Islamic Azad University of Mashhad
Islamic Azad University of Neishabur
Islamic Azad University of Sabzevar
Islamic Azad University of Torbat e Jam
Islamic Azad University of Torbat Heidariyeh
Mashhad University of Medical Sciences
Payame Noor University of Mashhad
Sabzevar University of Medical Sciences
Sadjad University of Technology
Sport Sciences Research Institute of Iran
Gallery
See also
Greater Khorasan
Khorasan Province
South Khorasan Province
North Khorasan Province
References
External links
The text of the law for division of Khorasan into three provinces (in Persian)
Cultural Heritage Foundation of Khorasan
Khorasan-e Razavi Province cooprative office
Khorasan-e Razavi Province cooprative office (in Persian)
Khorasan-e Razavi Province Department of Education (in Persian)
Imam Reza Shrine Official website
Mashad Mayor's Office
Central Library of Astan Quds Razavi Official website
Provinces of Iran