Golestan Province

For other uses, see Gulistan (disambiguation).

Golestan Province استان گلستان
Province
Location of Golestān within Iran
Coordinates:
Country	Iran
Region	Region 1
Capital	Gorgan
Counties	12
Area
• Total	20,367 km2 (7,864 sq mi)
Population (2011)
• Total	1,777,014
• Density	87/km2 (230/sq mi)
Time zone	IRST (UTC+03:30)
• Summer (DST)	IRST (UTC+04:30)
Main language(s)	Persian Turkmen Mazandarani Balochi

Golestān Province (Persian: استان گلستان‎‎, Ostān-e Golestān) is one of the 31 provinces of Iran, located in the north-east of the country south of the Caspian Sea. Its capital is Gorgan.

The province was put as part of Region 1 upon the division of the provinces into 5 regions solely for coordination and development purposes on June 22, 2014.

Golestān was split off from the province of Mazandaran in 1997. It has a population of 1.7 million (2011) and an area of 20,380 km². The province is divided into the following twelve counties (shahrestans): Aliabad County, Aqqala County, Azadshahr County, Bandar-e Gaz County, Gonbad-e Qabus County, Gorgan County, Kalaleh County, Kordkuy County, Maraveh Tappeh County, Minudasht County, Ramian County, and Torkaman County. Present-day Gorgan was called Esterabad until 1937.

The name

Gorgān, Hyrcania (in Latin), and Υρκανία (in Ancient Greek, meaning "the district of the wolves") were all previously referred to as Varkāna in the Behistun Inscription. Wolves are still seen in the vicinity.

History

Map of the Abbasid Caliphate showing Gorgan province, forerunner to modern-day Golestan Province

Human settlements in this area date back to 10 000 BCE. 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 in his list of Xerxes’ army during the invasion of Greece.

Demographics

• Persians
• Turkmens
• Mazandarani
• Balochis
• Zabolis

The Turkmens reside in the north of the province, a plain called Turkmen Sahra. From 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 Muslim and follow the Hanafi school of Sunni interpretation. They are a sizable minority at cities such as Gorgan, Ali Abad, Kalaleh and many of eastern townships.

Other ethnic groups such as Baluchs, Qezelbashs, Kazakhs, Georgians, and Armenians also reside in this area, and have preserved their traditions and rituals.

Recent decades has seen a huge migration to this province, especially from Zabol northest city of Sistan and Baluchestan.

A small minority of Bahá'í Faith also live in Golestan (in Shahpassand).

Culture

The world's tallest brick tower stands in this province. It is the famous Gonbad-e Qabus, built by a famous Amir of this region.

Climate and geography

Golestān 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 mountains faces northeast and gradually decreases in height. The highest point of the province is Shavar, with a height of 3,945 meters.

Golestan National Park

See also: Geography of Iran and Environmental issues in Iran

Golestan National Park in northern Iran is faced with the construction of a road through the forest, allegedly for the ease of traffic for villagers and woodmen but at the expense of losing the only national park in Iran throughout which a range of different climates (humid near the Caspian Sea and desert farther south) is spread.

Golestān 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 the animal and plant life.

Administrative divisions

Map	Abbreviation in map	County (Shahrestan)
	A	Aliabad
	Az	Azadshahr
	BT	Torkaman
	K	Kalaleh
	G	Gorgan
	Go	Gonbad-e Qabus
	Ko	Kordkuy
	Ga	Galikash
	M	Minudasht
	R	Ramian
	BG	Bandar-e Gaz
	Ag	Aqqala

Colleges and universities

1. Golestan University (website)
2. Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources (website)
3. Golestan University of Medical Sciences
4. Islamic Azad University of Azadshahr
5. Islamic Azad University of Gorgan
6. Islamic Azad University of Ali Abad katool

External links

• The Provincial Cultural Heritage Organization