Product Code Database
Fars Province, also known historically as Pars Province, Persis or Farsistan (فارسستان), is one of the 31 provinces of Iran. Its capital is the city of Shiraz.
Pars province has an area of 122,400 km2 and is located in Iran's southwest, in Region 2. It neighbours the provinces of Bushehr province to the west, Hormozgan to the south, Kerman province and Yazd province to the east, Isfahan province to the north, and Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad to the northwest.
Pars is the historical homeland of the Persian people. It was the homeland of the Achaemenid and Sasanian Empire dynasties of Iran, who reigned on the throne by the time of the ancient . The ruins of the Achaemenid capitals Pasargadae and Persepolis, among others, demonstrate the ancient history of the region. Due to the historical importance of this region, the entire country has historically been also referred to as Persia in the West. Prior to caliphate rule, this region was known as Pars.Zargaran, Arman. "The City of Shiraz and Fars Province, the root of medical sciences in the history." (2012): 103–104.
The Achaemenid Empire was defeated by Alexander the Great in 333 BC, incorporating most of their vast empire. Shortly after this the Seleucid Empire was established. However, it never extended its power in Pars beyond the main trade routes, and by the reign of Antiochus I or possibly later Persis emerged as an independent state that minted its own coins. The Cambridge History of Iran, Vol. 3 (1), p. 299
The Seleucid Empire was subsequently defeated by the Parthian Empire in 238 BC, but by 205 BC, the Seleucid king Antiochus III had extended his authority into Persis and it ceased to be an independent state. The Cambridge History of Iran, Vol. 3 (1), p. 302
Babak was the ruler of a small town called Kheir. Babak's efforts in gaining local power at the time escaped the attention of Artabanus IV, the Parthian Parthian Empire Emperor of the time. Babak and his eldest son Shapur I managed to expand their power over all of Persis.
The subsequent events are unclear. Following the death of Babak around 220, Ardashir I who at the time was the governor of Darabgird, got involved in a power struggle of his own with his elder brother Shapur I. The sources tell us that in 222, Shapur was killed when the roof of a building collapsed on him.
At this point, Ardashir moved his capital further to the south of Persis and founded a capital at Ardashir-Khwarrah (formerly Gur, modern day Firouzabad). After establishing his rule over Persis, Ardashir I rapidly extended the territory of his Sassanid Empire Empire, demanding fealty from the local princes of Pars, and gaining control over the neighboring provinces of Kerman province, Isfahan province, Susiana, and Mesene.
Artabanus marched a second time against Ardashir I in 224. Their armies clashed at Hormizdegan, where Artabanus IV was killed. Ardashir was crowned in 226 at Ctesiphon as the sole ruler of Persia, bringing the 400-year-old Parthian Empire to an end, and starting the virtually equally long rule of the Sassanian Empire, over an even larger territory, once again making Persia a leading power in the known world, only this time along with its arch-rival and successor to Persia's earlier opponents (the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire); the Byzantine Empire.
The Sassanids ruled for 425 years, until the Muslim armies conquered the empire. Afterwards, the Persians started to convert to Islam, this making it much easier for the new Muslim empire to continue the expansion of Islam.
Persis then passed hand to hand through numerous Dynasty, leaving behind numerous historical and ancient monuments; each of which has its own values as a world heritage, reflecting the history of the province, Iran, and West Asia. The ruins of Bishapur, Persepolis, and Firouzabad are all reminders of this. The Arab invaders brought about an end to centuries Zoroastrian political and cultural dominance over the region; supplanted as the faith of the ruling class in the 7th century by Islam, which and over the next 200 years gradually expanded to include a majority of the population.
Due to the geographical characteristics of Fars and its proximity to the Persian Gulf, Fars has long been a residing area for various peoples and rulers of Iran. However, the tribes of Fars including, Mamasani Lurs, Khamseh and Kohkiluyeh have kept their native and unique cultures and lifestyles which constitute part of the cultural heritage of Iran attracting many tourists. Kurdish tribes include Uriad, Zangana, Chegini, Kordshuli and Kuruni.P. Oberling, "FĀRS vii. Ethnography", Encyclopaedia Iranica>
Among the hundreds of thousands of Georgians and Circassians that were transplanted to Safavid dynasty under Shah Abbas I, his predecessors, and successors, a certain amount of them were to guard the main caravan routes; many were settled around Asupas and other villages along the old Isfahan-Shiraz road. By now the vast majority Caucasians that were settled in Pars have lost their cultural, linguistic, and religious identity, having mostly been assimilated into the population.
| + Pars province |
| 100,831 |
| 42,725 |
| — |
| 50,418 |
| — |
| 201,489 |
| 93,763 |
| 68,850 |
| — |
| 45,459 |
| 205,187 |
| 121,417 |
| 53,907 |
| 228,532 |
| — |
| 83,883 |
| 266,217 |
| — |
| 54,864 |
| 41,359 |
| 50,522 |
| — |
| 91,782 |
| 213,920 |
| 117,527 |
| 323,434 |
| 64,827 |
| 113,291 |
| 30,118 |
| 71,203 |
| 44,386 |
| — |
| 38,114 |
| 91,049 |
| 1,869,001 |
| — |
| 73,199 |
| 4,851,274 |
| 59,116 |
| 7,379 |
| 3,179 |
| 4,068 |
| 14,633 |
| 17,706 |
| 3,042 |
| 7,061 |
| 1,379 |
| 7,568 |
| 5,972 |
| 9,077 |
| 7,300 |
| 7,252 |
| 70,232 |
| 10,037 |
| 3,468 |
| 3,924 |
| 2,907 |
| 13,809 |
| 1,348 |
| 2,657 |
| 4,235 |
| 5,803 |
| 44,341 |
| 9,115 |
| 36,410 |
| 19,987 |
| 4,097 |
| 20,320 |
| 110,825 |
| 65,417 |
| 13,448 |
| 34,469 |
| 21,675 |
| 3,852 |
| 2,045 |
| 3,131 |
| 6,246 |
| 5,910 |
| 141,634 |
| 13,598 |
| 8,010 |
| 3,713 |
| 8,841 |
| 31,711 |
| 96,683 |
| 4,027 |
| 3,020 |
| 4,332 |
| 18,477 |
| 9,599 |
| 19,217 |
| 6,220 |
| 7,338 |
| 3,245 |
| 6,081 |
| 3,954 |
| 3,281 |
| 3,237 |
| 29,380 |
| 8,985 |
| 62,045 |
| 7,300 |
| 1,546 |
| 148,858 |
| 9,031 |
| 3,567 |
| 4,617 |
| 10,120 |
| 5,912 |
| 4,707 |
| 7,784 |
| 49,850 |
| 2,410 |
| 2,892 |
| 3,769 |
| 57,058 |
| 14,973 |
| 26,918 |
| 6,772 |
| 2,895 |
| 20,010 |
| 7,476 |
| 2,550 |
| 5,760 |
| 17,131 |
| 26,933 |
| 18,187 |
| 6,747 |
| 8,574 |
| 8,927 |
| 91,863 |
| 5,960 |
| 1,565,572 |
| 12,582 |
| 1,928 |
| 9,776 |
| 3,050 |
| 4,622 |
| 9,719 |
| 32,261 |
| +Most populous urban areas in Pars province |
| 1,565,572 |
| 148,858 |
| 141,634 |
| 110,825 |
| 96,683 |
| 91,863 |
| 70,232 |
| 65,417 |
| 62,045 |
| 59,116 |
The geographical and climatic variation of the province causes varieties of plants; consequently, variation of wildlife has been formed in the province. Additional to the native animals of the province, many kinds of birds migrate to the province every year. Many kinds of ducks, storks and swallows migrate to this province in an annual parade. The main native animals of the province are gazelle, deer, mountain wild goat, ram, ewe and many kinds of birds. In the past, like in Khuzestan Plain, the Persian lion had occurred here.Humphreys, P., Kahrom, E. (1999). Lion and Gazelle: The Mammals and Birds of Iran. Images Publishing, Avon.
The province of Pars includes many protected wildlife zones. The most important protected zones are:
Arjan Meadow and Lake Parishan are designated Wetlands of International Importance under the Ramsar convention.
|
|
