Kerman Province (Persian: استان کرمان‎, Ostān-e Kermān ) is one of the 31 provinces of Iran. Kerman is located in the south-east of Iran with its administrative center in the city of Kerman. Mentioned in ancient times as the Achamenid satrapy of Carmania, it is the second largest province of Iran with an area of 180,726 km². [2]. The population of the province is about 3 million (9th in the country). The main townships of Kerman province are: Baft, Bardsir, Bam, Jiroft, joupar, Rafsanjan, Zarand, Sirjan, Shahr-e-Babak, Kerman, Mahan, Rayen, Kahnuj, Ghale-Ganj, Manujan, Roodbar-e-Jonob, Anbar Abad,and Ravar.

In the year 1996, 52.9% of Kerman's population lived in urban areas, and 46% in the rural vicinities, the remaining 1.1% accounted as non residents. The city of Kerman (population: 750,000) embraces about 80% of the urban population, being the most developed and largest city of the province.

The altitudes and heights of the province are the continuation of the central mountain ranges of Iran. They extend from the volcanic folds beginning in Azarbaijan, and by branching out in the central plateau of Iran, terminate in Baluchestan. These mountain ranges have brought about vast plains in the province of Kerman. The Bashagard and Kuh-e Banan Mountains are the highest in this region, and include peaks such as Toghrol, Aljerd, Palvar, Sirach, Abareq and Tahrood. Other ranges that stretch out from Yazd to Kerman and Challeh-ye-Jazmoorian include peaks like Medvar, Shahr-e-Babak, Kuh-e Panj, Chehel Tan, Lalezar, Hezarbahr, Aseman and others.

Kerman (Persian: كرمان‎, also Romanized as Kermān and Kirman; also known as Carmania) is a city in and capital of Kerman Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 515,114, in 127,806 families, being 13th most populous city in Iran at that time. It's the largest and most developed city in the Kerman Province and also the major city in South-East of Iran. It is one of the largest cities of Iran in terms of area. Kerman is famous for its long history and strong cultural heritage. The city is home to many historic mosques and Zoroastrian fire temples. Kerman is in the list of recent world record of 1000 clean cities. Kerman was formerly the capital of Iran during several periods of time. Located in a large and flat plain, this city is located 1,036 km (643 mi) south of Tehran, the capital of Iran.

Kerman was founded as a defensive outpost, with the name Behdesīr, by Ardeshir I, founder of the Sassanid Empire, in the 3rd century AD. After the Battle of Nahāvand in 642, the city came under Muslim rule. At first the city's isolation allowed Kharijites and Zoroastrians to thrive there, but the Kharijites were wiped out in 698, and the population was mostly Muslim by 725. Already in the eighth century the city was famous for its manufacture of cashmere wool shawls and other textiles. The Abbasid Caliphate's authority over the region was weak, and power passed in the tenth century to the Buyid dynasty, which maintained control even when the region and city fell to Mahmud of Ghazna in the late tenth century. The name Kerman was adopted at some point in the tenth century.