Semnan Province
Encyclopedia
Semnan Province is one of the 31 provinces
of Iran
. It is in the north of the country, and its center is Semnan
. The province of Semnan covers an area of 96,816 square kilometers and stretches along the Alborz
mountain range and borders to Dasht-e Kavir
desert in its southern parts.
Counties of the province include Semnan
, Damghan
, Shahrood
, Mehdishahr (Sangsar)
and Garmsar
. In 1996, the province had a population of about 501,000, and in 2005 Semnan city (the capital of the province) had a population of 119,778, and the city of Shahroud, which accounts for being the largest city of this province, had a population of 231,831. http://www.mongabay.com/igapo/2005_world_city_populations/Iran.html
empire was located here.
In Semnan people have local language with special words and slang.the base of this language which it drived from is Pahlavi language the ancient language form Parthian.
Neighbours are in the North Golestan
, Mazandaran
, at the West Tehran
, Qom
, at the South Isfahan and at the East Khorasan-e Razavi
.
The environmentalists, backed by the country's media, began a wide campaign against the ministry's decision which finally led the Prosecutor General to order a halt in the construction of the road. However, all these efforts came to naught when it was announced in April 2008 that the government granted permission to the Roads Ministry to construct the road.
. During the Medes
and Achaemenid periods, it accounted for being one of the largest provinces of the empire.
During the Islamic era, Semnan was part of the historical region of Gomess or Komesh, and The Silk Road
paved its way from the midst of this region. Needless to say, the province was witness to numerous wars.
The Cultural Historical Heritage Organization of Iran lists 470 sites of historical and cultural heritage such as palaces, forts, castles, caravansarais, ab anbar
s, and badgirs, in Semnan.
In addition to these there are various religious and sacred places as well.
satellite launch attempt, program conducted by North Korea in close cooperation with Iran
and Pakistan
, the Iranian Space Agency
has proceeded with its own test. According to practice also observed by North Korea
, Iranian authorities announced to their Chinese allies on August 16, 2008 the imminent launch of a satellite. On August 17, 2008 on the occasion of the birthday anniversary of Shiites' 12th Imam Hazrat Mahdi
, Iran proceeded as preannounced with the second test launch of a three stages Safir SLV from a site 35°14′5"N 53°55′15"E south of Semnan
in the northern part of the Dasht-e-Kavir desert
. Reza Taghizadeh, head of the Iranian Aerospace Organization, told state television "The Safir (Ambassador) satellite carrier was launched today and for the first time we successfully launched a dummy satellite into orbit". As reported in late 2009 and early 2010, a new, larger launch pad was under construction at 35°15′30"N 53°57′17"E
Provinces of Iran
Iran is subdivided into thirty one provinces , each governed from a local center, usually the largest local city, which is called the capital of that province...
of Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
. It is in the north of the country, and its center is Semnan
Semnan, Iran
Semnan is a city in and capital of Semnan Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 124,999, in 36,298 families.Semnan is located in the central northern portion of the Islamic Republic of Iran...
. The province of Semnan covers an area of 96,816 square kilometers and stretches along the Alborz
Alborz
Alborz , also written as Alburz, Elburz or Elborz, is a mountain range in northern Iran stretching from the borders of Azerbaijan and Armenia in the northwest to the southern end of the Caspian Sea, and ending in the east at the borders of Turkmenistan and Afghanistan...
mountain range and borders to Dasht-e Kavir
Dasht-e Kavir
Dasht-e Kavir , also known as Kavir-e Namak or Great Salt Desert is a large desert lying in the middle of the Iranian plateau. It is about 800 kilometers long and 320 kilometers wide with a total surface area of about 77,600 square kilometers , making it the Earth's 23rd largest desert...
desert in its southern parts.
Counties of the province include Semnan
Semnan County
Semnan County is a county in Semnan Province in Iran. The capital of the county is Semnan. At the 2006 census, its population was 186,159, in 52,896 families, excluding those portions, the population was 150,066, in 43,323 families. The county is subdivided into two districts: the Central...
, Damghan
Damghan
Damghan is a city in and capital of Damghan County, Semnan Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 57,331, in 15,849 families.Damghan is situated from Tehran on the high-road to Mashad, at an elevation of...
, Shahrood
Shahrood
Shahrud Situated about an altitude of 4413 ft , it is located at latitude 36°25'N, longitude 055°01'E. Now, it is the largest city of Semnan Province and also its county has same position in the province...
, Mehdishahr (Sangsar)
Mehdishahr County
Mehdishahr County is a county in Semnan Province in Iran. The capital of the county is Mehdishahr. It was separated from Semnan County in 2007. At the 2006 census, the county's population was 36,093, in 9,573 families. The county has two districts: the Central District and Shahmirzad District...
and Garmsar
Garmsar
Garmsar is a city in and the capital of Garmsar County, Semnan Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 38,891, in 10,951 families....
. In 1996, the province had a population of about 501,000, and in 2005 Semnan city (the capital of the province) had a population of 119,778, and the city of Shahroud, which accounts for being the largest city of this province, had a population of 231,831. http://www.mongabay.com/igapo/2005_world_city_populations/Iran.html
Geography
The province is divided into two parts: a mountainous region, and the plains at the foot of the mountains. The former offers a scope for recreational activities as well as being a source for minerals, whereas the latter encompasses some ancient cities of Iran as one of the capitals of the ParthianParthian Empire
The Parthian Empire , also known as the Arsacid Empire , was a major Iranian political and cultural power in ancient Persia...
empire was located here.
In Semnan people have local language with special words and slang.the base of this language which it drived from is Pahlavi language the ancient language form Parthian.
Neighbours are in the North Golestan
Golestan Province
Golestan Province 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....
, Mazandaran
Mazandaran Province
Mazandaran Province is a Caspian province in the north of Iran. Located on the southern coast of the Caspian Sea, it is bordered clockwise by the Golestan, Semnan, Tehran, Alborz, Qazvin, and Gilan provinces....
, at the West Tehran
Tehran Province
Tehran Province is one of the 31 provinces of Iran. It covers on area of 18,909 square kilometers and is located to the north of the central plateau of Iran....
, Qom
Qom Province
Qombol Province is one of the 31 provinces of Iran with 11,237 km², covering 0.89% of the total area in Iran. It is in the north of the country, and its provincial capital is the city of Qom. It was formed from part of Tehran Province in 1995. In 2005, this province had a population of...
, at the South Isfahan and at the East Khorasan-e Razavi
Razavi Khorasan Province
Razavi Khorasan Province is a province located in northeastern Iran. Mashhad is the centre and capital of the province.Other cities and townships are Ghouchan, Dargaz, Chenaran, Sarakhs, Fariman, Torbat-e Heydarieh, Torbat-e Jam, Taybad, Khaf, Roshtkhar, Kashmar, Bardaskan, Nishapur, Sabzevar,...
.
Abr forest
This forest lies in the central province of Semnan, near its border with Golestan Province. It is one of the oldest forests in Iran which is a remnant of the third geological age. The Iranian Roads Ministry's decision to build a road through the forest sparked widespread protests last year.The environmentalists, backed by the country's media, began a wide campaign against the ministry's decision which finally led the Prosecutor General to order a halt in the construction of the road. However, all these efforts came to naught when it was announced in April 2008 that the government granted permission to the Roads Ministry to construct the road.
Administrative divisions
| Map | Shahrestan Shahrestan Shahrestan or Shahristan may refer to:*Counties of Iran*Shahristan District*Shahrestan, Afghanistan... | Map Key | Bakhsh Bakhsh A bakhsh is a type of administrative division of Iran. While sometimes translated as county, it is more accurately translated as district, as they are similar to a township in the United States or a district of England.... | Center |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
||||
| Damghan Damghan County Damghan County is a county in Semnan Province, Iran. The capital of the county is Damghan. At the 2006 census, the county's population was 81,993, in 23,020 families.-City and Towns:... |
D | Central | Damghan Damghan Damghan is a city in and capital of Damghan County, Semnan Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 57,331, in 15,849 families.Damghan is situated from Tehran on the high-road to Mashad, at an elevation of... |
|
| a | Amir Abad | |||
| Garmsar Garmsar County Garmsar County is a county in Semnan Province in Iran. The capital of the county is Garmsar. At the 2006 census, the county's population was 77,676, in 21,706 families. The county is divided into three districts: the Central District, Eyvanki District, and Aradan District. The county has three... |
G | Central | Garmsar Garmsar Garmsar is a city in and the capital of Garmsar County, Semnan Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 38,891, in 10,951 families.... |
|
| a | Aradan | |||
| e | Eyvanakey | |||
| Mehdishahr Mehdishahr County Mehdishahr County is a county in Semnan Province in Iran. The capital of the county is Mehdishahr. It was separated from Semnan County in 2007. At the 2006 census, the county's population was 36,093, in 9,573 families. The county has two districts: the Central District and Shahmirzad District... |
m | Central | Mehdishahr | |
| ' | Shahmirzad | |||
| Semnan Semnan County Semnan County is a county in Semnan Province in Iran. The capital of the county is Semnan. At the 2006 census, its population was 186,159, in 52,896 families, excluding those portions, the population was 150,066, in 43,323 families. The county is subdivided into two districts: the Central... |
S | Central | Semnan Semnan Semnan may refer to:* Semnan Province, a province in Iran* Semnan County, a county in the Semnan Province of Iran* Semnan , a city in the Semnan County of Iran... |
|
| s | Sorkheh | |||
| Shahrood | Sh | Central | Shahrood Shahrood Shahrud Situated about an altitude of 4413 ft , it is located at latitude 36°25'N, longitude 055°01'E. Now, it is the largest city of Semnan Province and also its county has same position in the province... |
|
| bd | Biarjmand | |||
| bm | Mayami | |||
| m | Bastam | |||
| Neighbor Provinces: E: Esfahan Esfahan Province Isfahan Province , also transliterated as Esfahan, Espahan, Sepahan or Isphahan, is one of the 31 provinces of Iran. It is located in the center of the country. Its capital is the city of Isfahan.- Geography :... , G: Golestan Golestan Province Golestan Province 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.... , M: Mazandaran, NKh: North Khorasan, Q: Qom Qom Province Qombol Province is one of the 31 provinces of Iran with 11,237 km², covering 0.89% of the total area in Iran. It is in the north of the country, and its provincial capital is the city of Qom. It was formed from part of Tehran Province in 1995. In 2005, this province had a population of... , RKh: Razavi Khorasan, T: Tehran Tehran Province Tehran Province is one of the 31 provinces of Iran. It covers on area of 18,909 square kilometers and is located to the north of the central plateau of Iran.... , Y: Yazd Yazd Province Yazd Province is one of the 31 provinces of Iran. It is in the centre of the country, and its administrative center is the city of Yazd.The province has an area of 131,575 km², and according to the most recent divisions of the country, is divided into eleven counties: Maybod, Mehreez, Taft,... |
||||
History
Semnan can be divided into sixteen sectors from the old days of AvestaAvesta
The Avesta is the primary collection of sacred texts of Zoroastrianism, composed in the Avestan language.-Early transmission:The texts of the Avesta — which are all in the Avestan language — were composed over the course of several hundred years. The most important portion, the Gathas,...
. During the Medes
Medes
The MedesThe Medes...
and Achaemenid periods, it accounted for being one of the largest provinces of the empire.
During the Islamic era, Semnan was part of the historical region of Gomess or Komesh, and The Silk Road
Silk Road
The Silk Road or Silk Route refers to a historical network of interlinking trade routes across the Afro-Eurasian landmass that connected East, South, and Western Asia with the Mediterranean and European world, as well as parts of North and East Africa...
paved its way from the midst of this region. Needless to say, the province was witness to numerous wars.
The Cultural Historical Heritage Organization of Iran lists 470 sites of historical and cultural heritage such as palaces, forts, castles, caravansarais, ab anbar
Ab Anbar
An āb anbār is a traditional reservoir or cistern of drinking water in Persian antiquity. The Persian phrase literally translates as "water reservoir".-The structure:...
s, and badgirs, in Semnan.
In addition to these there are various religious and sacred places as well.
Higher education
- Damghan University
- University of SemnanUniversity of SemnanSemnan University is a fast growing university of Iran.Before Islamic revolution, there was only one small &limited higher education center as « Higher School of Technology » in Semnan...
- Semnan University of Medical Sciences
- Islamic Azad University of Semnan
- Islamic Azad University of Shahrood
- Islamic Azad University of Garmsar
- Islamic Azad University of Mehdishahr
- Shahroud University of Medical Sciences
- Shahrood University of TechnologyShahrood University of TechnologyShahrood University of Technology is a university in the city of Shahrood in Semnan Province in Iran.The university was established as "The Shahrood College of Mines" in 1973, and was elevated to university status in 1994.Finally, thanks to the efforts and pursuit of university president and the...
- Eyvanakey Institute of Higher Education
Orbital launch site
On occasion of the 10th anniversary of the 1998 Kwangmyongsong 1Kwangmyŏngsŏng
The Kwangmyŏngsŏng programme is a class of experimental satellites developed by North Korea. The name Kwangmyŏngsŏng The Kwangmyŏngsŏng programme is a class of experimental satellites developed by North Korea. The name Kwangmyŏngsŏng The Kwangmyŏngsŏng programme is a class of experimental...
satellite launch attempt, program conducted by North Korea in close cooperation with Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
and Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
, the Iranian Space Agency
Iranian Space Agency
The Iranian Space Agency is Iran's governmental space agency. Iran is an active participant in the Asian space race and became an orbital-launch-capable nation in 2009...
has proceeded with its own test. According to practice also observed by North Korea
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
, Iranian authorities announced to their Chinese allies on August 16, 2008 the imminent launch of a satellite. On August 17, 2008 on the occasion of the birthday anniversary of Shiites' 12th Imam Hazrat Mahdi
Muhammad al-Mahdi
Muḥammad ibn al-Ḥasan al-Mahdī is believed by Twelver Shī‘a Muslims to be the Mahdī, an ultimate savior of humankind and the final Imām of the Twelve Imams...
, Iran proceeded as preannounced with the second test launch of a three stages Safir SLV from a site 35°14′5"N 53°55′15"E south of Semnan
Semnan
Semnan may refer to:* Semnan Province, a province in Iran* Semnan County, a county in the Semnan Province of Iran* Semnan , a city in the Semnan County of Iran...
in the northern part of the Dasht-e-Kavir desert
Dasht-e Kavir
Dasht-e Kavir , also known as Kavir-e Namak or Great Salt Desert is a large desert lying in the middle of the Iranian plateau. It is about 800 kilometers long and 320 kilometers wide with a total surface area of about 77,600 square kilometers , making it the Earth's 23rd largest desert...
. Reza Taghizadeh, head of the Iranian Aerospace Organization, told state television "The Safir (Ambassador) satellite carrier was launched today and for the first time we successfully launched a dummy satellite into orbit". As reported in late 2009 and early 2010, a new, larger launch pad was under construction at 35°15′30"N 53°57′17"E
See also
- Semnani languageSemnani languageThe Semnani languages are a group of Northwestern Iranian languages, spoken in Semnan province of Iran that share many linguistic features and structures with Caspian languages. These languages are also called "dialects" in some sources....
- HecatompylosHecatompylosHecatompylos was an ancient city in west Khurasan, Iran, which was the capital of the Parthian Arsacid dynasty by 200 BCE. The Greek name Hekatompylos means "one hundred gates", but this title was commonly used for cities which had more than the traditional four gates...
or Shahr-e Qumis - Darius III
- ParthiaParthiaParthia is a region of north-eastern Iran, best known for having been the political and cultural base of the Arsacid dynasty, rulers of the Parthian Empire....
- Seleucids
- Dasht-e KavirDasht-e KavirDasht-e Kavir , also known as Kavir-e Namak or Great Salt Desert is a large desert lying in the middle of the Iranian plateau. It is about 800 kilometers long and 320 kilometers wide with a total surface area of about 77,600 square kilometers , making it the Earth's 23rd largest desert...
- Manuchehri Damghani
- Bayazid BastamiBayazid BastamiBayazid Bastami , also known as Abu Yazid Bistami or Tayfur Abu Yazid al-Bustami, was a Persian Sufi born in Bastam, Iran.- Background :...
- Yadollah RoyaeeYadollah RoyaeeYadollah Royaee is the poet of the New Wave or the Poem of Imagination in Iranian Modern Literature.-Biography:He is a graduate of college of law and human sciences and he has worked for the state television for several years. His poetry renewed debate about the relative value of form and context...
- Kurosh Yaghmaee
- Mahmud Ahmadinejad
- Rig-e JennRig-e JennThe Rig-e Jenn is a vast area of sand dunes in the middle of Dasht-e Kavir, Iran's central desert in the border region of the Semnan and Isfahan provinces. It was not travelled by the old caravan travellers, who believed it is a place where evil spirits live. Even today some in the neighbouring...
- Sangsar (Mahdishahr)Sangsar (Mahdishahr)Mehdishahr Mehdishahr is located on the southern slopes of the Alborz mountains. Here, the chain of Alborz mountains is very close to the desert of Dasht-e Kavir....
External links
- History of Semnan Province
- Information on Semnan National geoscience database of Iran
- Semnan Cultual Heritage Organization