Revision as of 11:23, 21 November 2004 editTannin (talk | contribs)Extended confirmed users12,305 editsm Reverted edits by 83.109.67.218 to last version by Pouya← Previous edit | Revision as of 04:37, 23 November 2004 edit undoPouya (talk | contribs)Extended confirmed users2,614 editsm corrected incorrectly capitalized sectionNext edit → | ||
Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
] | ] | ||
Line 25: | Line 24: | ||
Mazandarani belongs to the northwestern branch of the ]. | Mazandarani belongs to the northwestern branch of the ]. | ||
==External |
==External link== | ||
* | * | ||
{{Provinces of Iran}} | {{Provinces of Iran}} |
Revision as of 04:37, 23 November 2004
Mazandaran (مازندران in Persian) is a province in northern Iran, bordering the Caspian Sea in the north. Mazandaran or Mazenderan was a part of the Persian province of Hyrcania.
The name is from Old Persian "mahs Indra" (Great/Big Indra, a vedic god).
History
Mazandaran changed hands often early in its history (Russia...) and was incorporated into the Persian Empire by Shah Abbas I in 1596. It was formerly a part of the greater province of Taparestan or Tabaristan. Two famous 9th-century Persian scholars from Tabaristan, were both commonly called "al-Tabari" (simply "from Tabaristan")
Geography
Sari is the capital; other cities include Babol, Amol. Gorgan also used to be a part of Mazandaran until recently, but now it is the capital city of the new Iranian province of Golestan (1997).
It is traversed by the Alburz Mountains, which run parallel to the Caspian Sea and divide the province into many isolated valleys.
Economy
Rice, grain, fruits, cotton, tea, tobacco, sugarcane, and silk are produced in the lowland strip along the Caspian shore. Oil wealth has stimulated industries in food processing, cement, textiles, cotton, and fishing (caviar).
Language
Mazanderani or Tabari is by some considered a language in its own right, by others subsumed among the many regional dialects of Persian. Mazandarani belongs to the northwestern branch of the Iranian languages.