Discover

:''Astara is also the name of a Raion in Azerbaijan, see Astara (rayon). For the capital of Astara raion, see Astara, Azerbaijan.''
'Astara' (Persian: 'آستارا') is a city in the Iranian province of Gilan. It lies on the border with Azerbaijan Republic. It is a relatively important border trade center between Iran and the Caucasus.

Contents

Etymology

History

People

Famous people from astara

External links

Etymology

The city's name is derived from the Persian word 'آهسته‌رو' (Aste-ro or Aheste-ro), meaning "the place where the travel gets slower" (given the marshlands that surrounded the region before). [1].

History

Astara is an area where Zoroaster may have visited. Its history dates back to 6,000 years ago. The spoken language was Talysh, but due to commerce with Azeris and migration of Azeris into town, the use of Talysh has been reduced significantly.
There is also a city with this name just on the opposite side of the border, within the Republic of Azerbaijan. The northern Astara (in present-day Azerbaijan) was ceded from Persia by the Treaty of Gulistan of 1813 between Russia and Persia.

People

★ Population: about 70,000

★ Religion: Mostly Islam Shi'a Islam

★ Ethnic groups: Azeris, Talysh

★ Language: Azeri, Persian Talysh and Galyishi

Famous people from astara

★ Nima Youshij - a famous Iranian poet who lived in Astara

★ Behzad Behzadi - an author of Azerbaijani language dictionaries

★ Haj Karim Samadzad - a famous Iranian artist

★ Alireza Hakim Zadeh - the capitan of the national football team in 1998

★ Babak Hasanpoor - the youngest engineer in council of city in Iran and vice president of Guilan province council

External links

★ Astara entry in the Encyclopædia Iranica