Tehran Province

The Tehran Province is one of the thirty provinces of Iran. It covers on area of 18,909 square kilometers and is located to the north of the central plateau of Iran. This province has common borders with the Mazandaran province from north, Qom province from south, Semnan province from east and Qazvin province from west. The metropolis of Tehran is not only the capital city of the province, but is also the capital of Iran. As of June 2005, this province includes thirteen townships, forty-three municipalities, and 1358 villages.

The province gained importance when Tehran was claimed the capital by the Qajar dynasty in 1778. Today Tehran ranks in the top 20 metropolitan cities of the world in size.

Geography

The province of Tehran has over 12,000,000 inhabitants and is Iran's most densely populated region. Approximately 84.15% reside in urban areas and 15.85% in rural areas of the province.

The highest point of the province is Damavand peak at an attitude of 5,678 m, and the lowest point of the province being the plains of Varamin, 790 m above sea level.

The largest rivers of this province are Karaj River and Jajrud River.

Mountain ranges such as The Alborz span the north; Savad Kooh and Firooz Kooh are located in the north east; Lavasanat, Qarah Daq, Shemiranat, Hassan Abad and Namak Mountains are in the southern areas; Bibi Shahr Banoo and Alqadr are situated in the south east and the heights of Qasr-e-Firoozeh being located to the east of the province.

Environmentally speaking, the climate of Tehran province in the southern areas is warm and dry, but in the mountain vicinity is cold and semi-humid, and in the higher regions is cold with long winters. The hottest months of the year are from mid-July to mid-September when temperatures range from 28°-30° C and the coldest months experience 1° C around December-January. Tehran city has moderate winters and hot summers. Average annual rainfall is approximately 400 mm, the maximum being during the winter season.

History and Culture

Tehran province has several archeological sites clearly indicating settlements several thousand years old. Until 300 years ago, Ray was the most prominent of the cities of the province.

However, the city of Tehran rose to become the larger city and capital of Iran by 1778, and since then has been the political, cultural, economical, and commercial nucleus of Iran. During the past 200 years it has been home to many reputed scholars, writers, poets and artists, both those who have lived here and those who are born here.

Tehran has over 1500 historical sites of cultural significance registered with Iran's Cultural Heritage Organization. The oldest of these in Tehran province are the remains of two sites in Firouzkuh region that date back to the 4th millenia BC.

Divisions

• Townships: Damavand, Eslamshahr, Firouzkouh, Karaj, Nazarabad, Pakdasht, Ray, Robat Karim, Savoj Bolaq, Shahriar, Shemiranat, Tehran, and Varamin.
• Muncipalities: Absard, Andishe, Baghershahr, Baghestan, Boumehen, Chahardangeh, Damavand, Eshtehard, Eslamshahr, Ferdowsieh, Firouzkouh, Garmdarreh, Gharchak, Ghods, Golestan, Shahriar, Hashtgerd, Hashtgerd New City, Javadabad, Hassan Abad, Kahrizak, Kamalshahr, Karaj, Kilan, Lavasan, Mahdasht, Malard, Meshkindasht, Mohammadshahr, Nasimshahr, Nazarbad, Owshan Fasham Meygoun, Pakdasht, Pardis, Pishva, Robat Karim, Roudehen, Sabasharh, Safadasht, Shahedshahr, Shahriar, Sharifabad, Tehran, Vahidieh, Varamin,

Tehran province today

Tehran is the commercial heart of Iran. Tehran province has over 17,000 industrial units employing 390,000 people, 26% of all units in Iran. The province contains 30% of Iran's economy, and comprises 40% of Iran's consumer market. The province has three hydro dams namely Latiyan, Lar, and Amir Kabir as well as two natural lakes, providing the water supply of Tehran and the province.[1]

The province contains 170 mines, over 330 square kilometres of forests, and over 12800 square kilometres of pasture.[1]

Generally speaking, year round, regions such as the southern slopes of the Alborz Mountains, especially in the mountains, valleys, and rivers and artificial lakes formed behind the great dams of Amir Kabir, Latiyan and Lar along with natural lakes of Jaban and Tarr provide considerable recreation for the province.

Moreover, due to excessive snowfall in the northern areas of the province during the winter season, the Alborz mountains form an excellent environment for winter sports such as skiing. Dizin, Shemshak, and Tochal are the most popular skiing resorts.

Colleges and Universities

Tehran province's major universities are:

• 1. Allameh Tabatabaii University (http://www.atu.ac.ir/)
  2. Amirkabir University of Technology (Tehran Polytechnic) (website (http://www.aku.ac.ir/))
  3. Alzahra University (website (http://www.alzahra.ac.ir/))
  4. Baghiatollah University (http://www.bmsu.ac.ir/)
  5. Iran University of Science and Technology (http://www.iust.ac.ir/)
  6. Imam Hossein University (http://www.ihu.ac.ir/)
  7. Imam Sadegh University (http://www.isu.ac.ir/)
  8. Iran University of Medical Sciences (http://www.iums.ac.ir/)
  9. K.N.Toosi University of Technology (http://www.kntu.ac.ir/)
  10. Shahed University (http://www.shahed.ac.ir/)
  11. Shahid Beheshti University (website (http://www.sbu.ac.ir/))
  12. Sharif University of Technology (webiste (http://www.sharif.ac.ir/))
  13. Tarbiat Modarres University (http://www.modares.ac.ir/)
  14. Tehran University of Medical Sciences (http://www.tums.ac.ir/)
  15. Tehran University of Tarbiat Moallem (http://www.tmu.ac.ir/)
  16. University of The Arts (http://www.art.ac.ir/)
  17. University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences (http://www.uswr.ac.ir/)
  18. University of Tehran (website) (http://www.ut.ac.ir/)
  19. Islamic Azad University of Varamin
  20. Islamic Azad University of Islamshahr
  21. Islamic Azad University of Karaj (http://www.kiau.ac.ir/)
  22. Islamic Azad University of Roodehen
  23. Islamic Azad University of Tehran-Medical Sciences (http://www.iautmu.ac.ir/)
  24. Islamic Azad University of Tehran-North (http://www.iaunt.ac.ir/)
  25. Islamic Azad University of Tehran-South (http://www.azad.ac.ir/)
  26. Islamic Azad University of Tehran-Central (http://www.iauctb.ac.ir/)
  27. Islamic Azad University of Tehran-Region one (http://www.iauro.ac.ir/)
  28. Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences (http://www.sbmu.ac.ir/)
  29. University of Emam Reza (http://www.emamreza.ac.ir/)
  30. Institute for Studies in Theoretical Physics and Mathematics (http://www.ipm.ac.ir)
  31. Hadith College of Tehran (http://www.hadith.ac.ir/)
  32. Imam Ali University for Army Officers
  33. Comprehensive University of Technology (http://www.itrws.com/)
  34. Tehran University of Applied Science and Technology (http://www.uast.ac.ir/)
  35. Tehran College of Environment (http://www.coe.ac.ir/)
  36. Bagher Aloloum University (http://www.bou.ac.ir/)
  37. International University of Iran (http://www.iranu.com/)
  38. Iran College of Tele-communications (http://www.ictfaculty.ir/)
  39. Medical University for the Islamic Republic of Iran's Army
  40. NAJA University of Police
  41. School of Economic Affairs (SEA) (http://www.sea.ac.ir)
  42. School of International Relations (SIR) (http://www.sir.ac.ir)
  43. Shahed University of Medical Sciences
  44. Shahid Sattari University of Aeronautical Engineering
  45. University of Islamic Sects
  46. The Research Institute of The Petroleum Industry (http://www.ripi.ir/en/)

External links

• Official website of Tehran Governorship (http://www.ostan-th.ir)
• Tehran Province's Cultural Heritage Organization (http://www.tehranmiras.ir/)

See the city of Tehran for further information and links, also: List of the localities around Tehran

[1]: According to the information released by the Office of the provincial governor, linked above.

Provinces of Iran
Ardabil | Bushehr | Chahar Mahaal and Bakhtiari | East Azarbaijan | Isfahan | Fars | Guilan | Golestan | Hamadan | Hormozgan | Ilam | Kerman | Kermanshah | Khuzestan | Kohkiluyeh and Buyer Ahmad | Kurdistan | Lorestan | Markazi | Mazandaran | North Khorasan | Qazvin | Qom | Razavi Khorasan | Semnan | Sistan and Baluchistan | South Khorasan | Tehran | West Azarbaijan | Yazd | Zanjan

de:Teheran (Provinz)