Kermanshah Province

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Kermanshah Province استان كرمانشاه
Location

Statistics
Capital: • Coordinates:	Kermanshah • 34.3176° N 47.0869° E
Area :	24,998 km²
Population(2005): • Density :	1,938,060 • 77.5/km²
Sub-provinces (Shahrestan):	13
Time zone:	UTC+3:30
Main language(s):	Kurdish Persian Turkish Laki

Kermanshah (Persian: كرمانشاه; Kurdish: Kirmaşan) is one of the 30 provinces of Iran. It is in the west of the country, bordering Iraq. Between 1979 and the 1990s, the province was known as Bakhtaran.

Its capitol Kermanshah (34°18′N 47°4′E) is located in the middle of the western part of Iran. The population of the city is 690,000.

The city is built on the slopes of Mt.Sefid Kooh. The builtup areas run alongside Sarab River and Valley. City's elevation average about 1420 meters above sea level.

The distance between Kermanshah and Teheran is 525 km. It is the trade center of rich agricultural region that produces grain, rice, vegetable, fruits, and oilseeds, and there are many industrial centers, oil and sugar refineries, and cement, textile and flour factories, etc. The airport is located in north east of the city and the distance from Tehran is 413 km by air.

1 counties of Kermanshah Province
2 History
3 Climate
4 Culture and economy
5 Historical Attractions
6 Notable people
7 Kurdish Poets of Kermanshah Province
8 External links

[edit] counties of Kermanshah Province

Kemanshah consists of 14 shahrestans (counties):

Kermanshah; Islam Abad-e-Gharb; Paveh; Harsin; Kangavar; Sonqor; Javanrood; Salas-e-babajani; Ravansar; Dalahoo; Gilan-Gharb; Sahneh; Qasr-e-Shirin;Sar-Pol-e-Zahab,

[edit] History

The Province has a rich paleolithic heritage. Many caves with Paleolithic remains have been surveyed or excavated there. some of these cave sites are located in Bisetun and north of Kermanshah. The first known physical remains of Neanderthal man in Iran was discovered in Bisetun cave. Do-Ashkaft, Kobeh, Warwasi, and Mar Tarik are some of the Middle Paleolithic sites in the region. Kermanshah also has many Neolithic sites, of which the most famouse are Ganj Dareh , Sarab, and Asiab. At Ganj Dareh, the earliest evidence for goat domestication have been documented . The monuments found in Kermanshah show two glorious periods, the Achaemenid and Sassanid eras.

The mythical ruler of the Pishdadian is described as founding the city while Tahmores Divband built it. An alternative narrative is that the construction was by Bahram IV of the Sassanid dynasty during the 4th century CE. Kermanshah reached a peak during the reign of Hormizd IV and Khosrau I of Sassanids, before being demoted to a secondary royal residence.

The city suffered major damage during the Arab invasions but recovered in the Safavid period to make great progress. Concurrent with the Afghan attack and the fall of Isfahan, Kermanshah was almost comletely destroyed by the Ottoman invasion.

During the Iran-Iraq War the province suffered heavy fighting. Most towns and cities were badly damaged and some like Sar-e Pol-e Zahab and Qhasr-e-Shirin were almost completely destroyed.

At the top panel Khosrow II is believed to be standing here in this relief at Taq-e Bostan. On his left is Ahura Mazda, on his right is Anahita, and below him is a mounted Persian knight.

[edit] Climate

As it is situated between two cold and warm regions enjoys a moderate climate. Kermanshah has a moderate and mountainous climate. It rains most in winter and is moderately warm in summer. The annual rainfall is 500 mm. The average temperature in the hottest months is above 22 °C.

[edit] Culture and economy

[edit] Language

The province is settled mostly by Kurdish, Persian and laki speakers. There are minority Arabs and Turks living in this province. In addition to the inhabitants of the towns and villages, there are nomadic societies through out the province. High mountain ranges closer to the Iraqi border are home to Kurdish tribes people.The predominant language in suburbs is Kurdish ( Southern Kurdish Dialect called "Kurdî Başûr" ), but Persian is the first language in the cities. Other languages such as Laki and Turki are also spoken.

[edit] Higher education and research

1. Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences
2. Razi University

[edit] Local Products

Hand made Klash of Kermanshah

Kermanshah lends its name to a type of Persian carpet named after the region. It also has famous sweets made of rice, locally known as Nân berendji. The other famous Kermanshahi good is a special kind of oil, locally known as Rüne Dân and globally in Iran known as Roghan Kermanshahi. The Giveh of Kermanshah known as Klash is the highest quality Giveh.

[edit] Historical Attractions

Various attractions exist that date from the pre-Islamic era, such as Pol-e-Kohneh, to contemporary parks and museums. Some of the more popular sites are:

Bisotun:

Darius the Great's Behistun inscription

Darius the Great's inscription at Bisotun, which dates to 522 BCE, lies some 1300 meters high in the mountains, and counts as one of the most famous sites in Near Eastern archeology. The site is a UNESCO World Heritage Site,^[1] and has been attracting visitors for centuries. The Behistun inscription is to Old Persian cuneiform what the Rosetta Stone is to Egyptian hieroglyphs: the trilingual inscription (in Old Persian, Elamite and Akkadian) was crucial in the decipherment of the script. The relief above the inscription depicts Darius facing nine rebels who objected to his crowning. At the kings feet lies Gaumata. The location of this important historical document is not coincidental: Gaumata, a usurper who is depicted as lying at Darius' feet, was a Medean and in Achaemenid times Behistun lay on the Medea-Parsa highway.

Hellenistic-era depiction of Bahram as Hercules.

Behistun is also notable for three reliefs at the foot of the hill that date from the Parthian era. Among them is a Hellenistic-era depiction of the divinity Bahram as the Greek hero Hercules, who reclines with a goblet in his hand, a club at his feet and a lion-skin beneath him. Because it lies on the route of an ancient highway, this life-size rock sculpture may reflect Bahram's status as patron divinity of travelers.

Taq-e Bostan:

The rock reliefs at Taq-e Bostan lie four miles north-East of Kermanshah, where a spring gushes from a mountain cliff and empties into a large reflecting pool. One of the more impressive reliefs, inside the largest grotto (ivan), is the oversized depiction of Sassanid king Khosrau II (591-628 CE), who appears mounted on his favorite charger, Shabdiz. Both horse and rider are arrayed in full battle armor.

There are two hunting scenes on complementary sides of the ivan: one depicts an imperial boar hunt and the other depicting the king stalking deer. Elephants flush out the boar from a marshy lake for the king who stands poised with bow and arrow in hand while he is serenaded by female musicians following in other boats. These royal hunting scenes are narrative murals in stone are count among the most vivid of all Iranian rock reliefs.

The Taq-e Bostan reliefs are not limited to the Sassanid era. An upper relief depicts the 19th century Qajar king Fath-Ali shah holding court.

The Kangavar archaeological complex

Anahita temple:

Kangavar is the site of the archaeological remains of a vast Hellenic-style edifice on a raised platform called Anahita temple. The visible remains at the site date to early Sassanid times,^[2] but the platform of the complex may be several centuries older. By the time excavation began in 1968, the complex had been preemptorily associated with a comment by Isidore of Charax who referred to a temple of Anahita at Concobar (the Greek name of Kangavar, which was then in Lower Medea). Despite archaelogical findings to the contrary,^[2] the association with the divinity of fertility, healing, and wisdom has made the site a popular tourist attraction. The vast edifice was built of enormous blocks of dressed stone with an imposing entrance of opposed staircases that may have been inspired by the Apadana in Persepolis.

[edit] Notable people

One of the renowned scientists and writers of this region is Al-Dinawari who was born at Dinawar north-east of Kermanshah. He lived in 9th century and has written many books in astronomy, botany and history. Notable people born in Kermansha include British author Doris Lessing (b. 1919), whose father, a British army officer, was stationed there at the time of her birth. A family of ancient viziers were living in Kermanshah, the Vaziri family.

[edit] Kurdish Poets of Kermanshah Province

Mustafa Besarani,(1642-1701)
Khana Qubadi, (1700-1760)
Sarhang Almas Khan, mid 18th century
Sheyda Hewramí (1784-1852)
Muhammad Wali Kermashani, (1901-?)
Shami Kermashani(Shamurad Mushtaq), (1927- ), Famous Kurdish Poet of Kermanshah.(see[1] and [2])