Coordinates: 29°37′N 52°32′E / 29.617°N 52.533°E / 29.617; 52.533

Fars Province استان فارس
—  Province  —
Location of Fars within Iran
Country	Iran
Capital	Shiraz
Counties	23
Area
• Total	122,608 km2 (47,339 sq mi)
Population (2006)[1]
• Total	4,569,292
• Density	37/km2 (97/sq mi)
Time zone	IRST (UTC+03:30)
• Summer (DST)	IRST (UTC+04:30)
Main language(s)	Persian Qashqai Lurish Dialects of Fars

Fars Province (Persian: استان فارس‎ Ostān-e Fārs pronounced [fɑː(r)s]), originally spelled Pars (پارس), is one of the 31 provinces and known as Cultural Capital of Iran. It is in the south of the country and its center is Shiraz. It has an area of 122,400 km². In 2006, this province had a population of 4.57 million people, of which 61.2% were registered as urban dwellers, 38.1% villagers, and 0.7% nomad tribes.^[1] The etymology of the word "Persian" (Pārs-ian : پارسیان) is derived from the cultural capital of Iran and found in many ancient names associated with Iran.

Fars or Pars is the original homeland of the Persian people. The native name of the Persian language is Fârsi or Pârsi. Persia and Persian both derive from the Hellenized form Πέρσις Persis of the root word Pârs. The Old Persian word was Pârsâ.

Etymology[link]

The word Fars is derived from 𐎱𐎠𐎼𐎿 Pârsa, the Old Persian name for Persia and its capital, Persepolis. Fars is the Arabized version of Pârs, as Arabic has no [p] phoneme.

History[link]

Persis[link]

The ruins of Persepolis

The ancient Persians were present in the region from about the 9th century BC, and became the rulers of a large empire under the Achaemenid dynasty in the 6th century BC. The ruins of Persepolis and Pasargadae, two of the four capitals of the Achaemenid Empire, are located in Fars.

The Achaemenid Empire was defeated by Alexander III of Macedon in the fourth century BC. Shortly after this the Seleucid Empire was established. However it never extended its power beyond the main trade routes in Fars, and by reign of Antiochus I or possibly later Persis emerged as an independent state that minted its own coins.^[2]

A Sassanid relief showing the investiture of Ardashir I

The Seleucid Empire was defeated by the Parthians in 238 BC. By 205 BC, Antiochus III had extended his authority into Persis and it ceased to be an independent state.^[3]

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 Arsacid Emperor of the time. Babak and his eldest son Shapur managed to expand their power over all of Persis.

The subsequent events are unclear, due to the sketchy nature of the sources. It is however certain that following the death of Babak around 220, Ardashir who at the time was the governor of Darabgird, got involved in a power struggle of his own with his elder brother Shapur. 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 his territory, demanding fealty from the local princes of Fars, and gaining control over the neighboring provinces of Kerman, Isfahan, Susiana, and Mesene.

Sarvestan Palace in Sarvestan‏

Artabanus marched a second time against Ardashir I in 224. Their armies clashed at Hormizdeghan, where Artabanus IV was killed. He was crowned in 226 at Ctesiphon as the sole ruler of Persia; bringing the 400-year-old Parthian Empire to an end.

The Sassanids ruled for 425 years, until the Muslim armies conquered the empire. Afterward the Persians started to convert to Islam, this made it a lot easier for the new Muslim empire to continue the expansion of Islam.

Iran[link]

Fars then passed hand to hand through numerous dynasties, 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 western Asia. The ruins of Bishapur, Persepolis, and Firouzabad are all reminders of this.

Administrative divisions[link]

Fars is located in the south of Iran. It neighbours Bushehr Province to the west, Hormozgān Province to the south, Kerman and Yazd provinces to the east, Isfahan province to the north and Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Province to the northwest. According to the latest divisions, the province contains the following counties:

Abadeh

Sarvestan

Jahrom

Eqlid

Rostam

Estahban

Darab

Nayriz

Bavanat

Larestan

Qir and Karzin

Khorrambid

Lamerd

Kazerun

Fasa

Firuzabad

Zarrin Dasht

Mamasani

Shiraz

Marvdasht

Sepidan

Arsanjan

Pasargad

Kavar

Khonj

Farashband

Gerash

Kharameh

Mohr

Fars Province landscape

Climate and wildlife[link]

There are three distinct climatic regions in the Fars Province. First, the mountainous area of the north and northwest with moderate cold winters and mild summers. Secondly, the central regions, with relatively rainy mild winters, and hot dry summers. The third region located in the south and southeast, has moderate winters with very hot summers. The average temperature of Shiraz is 16.8 °C, ranging between 4.7 °C and 29.2 °C.

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.^[4] Many kinds of ducks, storks and swallows migrate to this province in an annual parade.^[4] The main native animals of the province are gazelle, deer, mountain wild goat, ram, ewe and many kinds of birds.^[4]

The province of Fars includes many protected wildlife zones. The most important protected zones are:

• Toot Siah (Black Berry) Hunt Forbidden Zone, which is located at the end of Boanat region.
• Basiran Hunt Forbidden Zone, which is located 4 kilometers south to Abadeh;
• Bamu National Park, which is located north-east of Shiraz;
• Estahban Forest Park ( Parke Jangaly), which is located on the outskirts of Touraj mountain;
• Hermoodlar Protected Zone, which is located east to larestan.^[4]

Arjan Meadow 22 km² (8.5 sq mi) and Lake Parishan 40 km² (15 sq mi) are designated Wetlands of International Importance under the Ramsar convention.

A panorama of Bakhtiar lake

A panorama of Bakhtiar lake

Economy[link]

Agriculture is of great importance in Fars. The major products include cereal (wheat and barley), citrus fruits, dates, sugar beets and cotton.

Fars has major petrochemical facilities, along with an oil refinery, a factory for producing tires, a large electronics industry, and a sugar mill.

Tourism is also a large industry in the province. UNESCO has designated an area in the province, called Arjan (known as Dasht e Arjan) as a biosphere reserve.

Shiraz, provincial capital of Fars, is the namesake of Shirazi wine. There used to be a lot of wine factories in the city, but due to Islamic law all wine factories were shut down after the Islamic Revolution in 1979.

Demographics[link]

Due to the geographical characteristics of Fars and its proximity to the Persian Gulf, Fars has long been a residing area for various Iranian People and Semites who were under the influence of Persian culture. However, the tribes of Fars including Qashqai Turks, 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. The province has a population of 4.4 million approximately.

Transportation[link]

Shiraz Airport is the main international airport of the province and the second in the country. The cities of Lar and Lamerd also have airports linking them with Shiraz and Tehran and nearby Persian Gulf countries such as the UAE and Bahrain. Shiraz is along the main route from Tehran to southern Iran.

Education[link]

The main universities are Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz University and Shiraz University of Technology.

Notables from Fars[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Fars Province

• Province of Fars on Iran Chamber Society
• Fars Tourist Attractions
• Cultural Heritage Foundation of Fars Province

	Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province	Isfahan Province	Yazd Province
	Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Province		Kerman Province
		Fars Province    East
	Bushehr Province		Hormozgan Province

Links to related articles v t e Provinces of Iran Alborz Ardabil Bushehr Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari East Azerbaijan Isfahan Fars Gilan Golestan Hamadan Hormozgan Ilam Kerman Kermanshah Khuzestan Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Kurdistan Lorestan Markazi Mazandaran North Khorasan Qazvin Qom Razavi Khorasan Semnan Sistan and Baluchestan South Khorasan Tehran West Azerbaijan Yazd Zanjan v t e Fars Province, Iran Capital Shiraz Counties (A-K) and Cities Abadeh County Abadeh Bahman Izadkhvast Soghad Surmaq Arsanjan County Arsanjan Bavanat County Surian Korehi Darab County Darab Jannat Shahr Eqlid County Eqlid Sedeh Estahban County Estahban Ij Roniz Farashband County Farashband Dehram Nujin Fasa County Fasa Now Bandegan Sheshdeh Zahedshahr Firuzabad County Firuzabad Meymand Gerash County Gerash Arad Jahrom County Jahrom Bab Anar Duzeh Khavaran Qotbabad Kavar County Kavar Kazerun County Kazerun Baladeh Khesht Konartakhteh Nowdan Qaemiyeh Kharameh County Kharameh Khonj County Khonj Khorrambid County Safashahr Qaderabad Counties (L-Z) and Cities Lamerd County Lamerd Ahel Ala-e Marvdasht Eshkanan Larestan County Lar Beyram Banaruiyeh Evaz Fishvar Juyom Khur Latifi Mamasani County Nurabad Khumeh Zar Marvdasht County Marvdasht Kamfiruz Ramjerd Seyyedan Mohr County Mohr Asir Galleh Dar Varavi Neyriz County Neyriz Abadeh Tashk Meshkan Qatruyeh Pasargad County Saadat Shahr Qir and Karzin County Qir Efzar Karzin Rostam County Masiri Sarvestan County Sarvestan Sepidan County Ardakan Beyza Hamashahr Shiraz County Shiraz Darian Lapui Zarqan Zarrin Dasht County Hajjiabad Dowbaran Shahr-e Pir Landmarks Afif-Abad Garden Amir's dam Arg of Karim Khan Barmdelak lagoon Bishapur Delgosha Garden Eram Garden Estakhr Ghal'eh Dokhtar Ka'ba-ye Zartosht Kazerun fire temple Lake Parishan Naqsh-e Rajab Naqsh-e Rustam Palace of Ardashir Pars museum Pasargadae Persepolis Qavam House Qur'an Gate Saadi's mausoleum Sarvestan Sassanian palace Shah Cheragh Colossal Statue of Shapur I in Shapur cave Tangeh Bolaghi Hāfezieh Tounbbot Vakil Bath Vakil Bazaar Vakil Mosque v t e Counties of Fars Province Abadeh Arsanjan Bavanat Darab Eqlid Estahban Farashband Fasa Firuzabad Jahrom Kazerun Khorrambid Lamerd Larestan Mamasani Marvdasht Mehr Neyriz Qir-o-Karzin Sepidan Shiraz Zarrindasht v t e Provinces of the Achaemenid Empire (Behistun, Persepolis, Naqsh-e Rustam, Susa, Susa foundation charter, and Daiva inscriptions) Across the sea Akaufaka Arabia Arachosia Aria Armenia Assyria Babylonia Bactria Cappadocia Caria Chorasmia Dahae Drangiana 1t Egyptian Satrapy / 2nd Egyptian Satrapy Eber-Nari Elam Gandhara Gedrosia Hyrcania Ionia Indus Libya Maka Media Parthia Persia Quadia Saka Sardis Sattagydia Skudra Sogdia Yehud See also Districts of the Achaemenid Empire according to Herodotus v t e Provinces of the Sassanid Empire Abarshahr Adiabene Albania Arabistan Aria Armenia Asuristan Atropatene Balasagan Carmania Elam Egypt Hyrcania Iberia India Kushanshahr Machelonia Maishan Margiana Mazun Media Mokran Paratan Parthia Patishkhwagar Persis Sakastan Susiana Turan