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'Fārs' or 'Pārs' (Persian: فارس) is one of the 30 provinces of Iran. It is in the south of the country and its center is Shiraz. It has an area of 122,400 km². In 1996, this province had a population of 3.8 million people, from which 56.7% were registered ar urban dwellers,41.0% villagers and 1.4% nomad tribes.^[1]
Nominally, Fārs is the original homeland of the Persian people. The native name of the Persian language is ''Fārsi'' or ''Pārsi''. ''Persia'' and ''Persian'' both derive from the Hellenized form '' ''Persis'' of the root word ''Pārs''. The Old Persian word was ''Pārsā''.

Contents

Geography

Climate

Wildlife

History

Pre-Islamic era

Islamic era

Economy

Demographics

Attractions of Fars

Transportation

Colleges and universities

Notables from Fars

Fars Province in poetry

photo gallery

References

External links

Geography

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:
# Estahban
# Abadeh
# Eqlīd
# Bovanat
# Jahrum
# Darab
# Sepidan
# Shiraz
# Fasa
# Firouzabad
# Saadat Shahr
# Sarvestan
# Safashahr
# Mohr
# Kazeroon
# Lar
# Lamerd
# Marvdasht
# Mamasani
# Khonj
# Nayreez.

Climate

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° and 29.2 °C.

Wildlife

The geographical and climatic variation of the province causes varieties of plants, consequently, variation of wild life has been formed in the province. Additional to the native animals of the province, many kinds of birds migrate to the province every year.^[1] Many kinds of ducks, storks and swallows migrate to this province in annual peride.^[1] The main native animals of the province are Gazelle, deer, mountain wild goat, ram, ewe and many kinds of birds.^[1] The province of Fars includes many protected wild life zones. The most important protected zones are as following:
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.
Bambo National Park which is located on the north 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.^[1]

History

Pre-Islamic era

A branch of the Indo-Iranians migrated to Fars in the second millenium BC. The ancient Persians became the rulers of a large empire under the Achaemenid Empire in the sixth 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 the Great in the fourth century BC. The Seleucid Empire was defeated by the Parthians in 238 BC.
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.
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 Arab armies conquered the empire.

Islamic era

The cities of Fars province put up a firm resistance to the Arabs during the Islamic Conquest of Iran, particularly in areas around Istakhr. The province however, as well as most of Persia ultimately fell to the conquest.
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.

Economy

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.

Demographics

Due to the geographical characteristics of Fars and its proximity to the Persian Gulf, Fars has long been a residing area for different natives and tribes from other parts of the world such as the Turks, Semites, and Aryans who were under the influence of Iranian culture. However, the original tribes of Fars including Qashqai, Mamasani, Khamseh and Kohkiluyeh have kept their native and unique cultures and lifestyles which constitute part of the cultural heritage of Iran attracting many tourists.

Attractions of Fars

★ Pasargadae

★ Persepolis

★ Palace of Apadana

★ Naqsh-e Rostam

★ Vakil Bazaar

★ Ancient city of Bishapur

★ Ancient city of Firouzabad

★ Ghal'eh Dokhtar

★ Palace of Ardashir

★ Atigh Jame' Mosque

★ New mosque

★ Hafez Tomb

★ Saadi Tomb

★ Khwaju Kermani Tomb

★ Shah Cheragh

★ Arg of Karim Khan

★ Bazare Vakil

★ Vakil Mosque

★ Tomb of Karim Khan and the Pars museum

★ Nasir al-Mulk mosque

★ Narangestan Qavam

★ Afif abad garden

★ Eram Garden

★ delgosha garden

★ Qor'an Gate
According to the Iran Cultural Heritage Organization Fars has 715 listed historical attractions.

Transportation

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.

Colleges and universities

Fars province contains the following major universities:

★ # Shiraz University of Medical Sciences

★ # Shiraz University

★ # Shiraz University of Technology

★ # Islamic Azad University of Abadeh

★ # Islamic Azad University of Arsanjan

★ # Islamic Azad University of Estahban

★ # Islamic Azad University of Eghlid

★ # Islamic Azad University of Jahrom

★ # Islamic Azad University of Sepidan

★ # Islamic Azad University of Shiraz

★ # Islamic Azad University of Fasa

★ # Islamic Azad University of Firouzabad

★ # Islamic Azad University of Kazerun

★ # Islamic Azad University of Larestan

★ # Islamic Azad University of Marvdasht

★ # Fasa University of Medical Sciences

★ # Jahrom University of Medical Sciences

★ # Shiraz University of Applied Science and Technology

Notables from Fars

★ Christiane Amanpour's father is originally from Sarvestan, Fars.

★ Sibawayh, one of the founders of Arabic grammar, died in Shiraz.

★ Karim Khan, founder of the Zand dynasty.

★ Lotf Ali Khan, the last ruler of the Zand dynasty.

★ Saadi, writer, poet, born and died in Shiraz.

★ Hafez, poet, born and died in Shiraz.

★ Zahra Kazemi, photographer, born in Shiraz.

★ Ladan and Laleh Bijani, famous conjoined twins, born in Shiraz.

★ Shāh Shoja', buried in Shiraz.

★ Khwaju Kermani, buried in Shiraz.

★ Mulla Sadra was born in Shiraz.

★ Asghar Shekari was born in Shiraz.

★ Seyyed Zia'eddin Tabatabaee was born in Shiraz.

★ Ibn Khafif, a 9th century sage, is buried in Shiraz.

★ Sheikh Ruzbehan

★ Meulana Shahin Shirazi

★ Junayd Shirazi

★ Mohsen Kadivar

★ Ata'ollah Mohajerani was a representative of Shiraz in the Majlis.

★ Saeed Emami

★ Gholam Reza Azhari

★ Siyyid Mírzá 'Alí-Muhammad, The Báb

Fars Province in poetry

'Fars: The ancient homeland of Persia.'
روی گفتم که در جهان بنهم گردم از قید بندگی آزادکه نه بیرون پارس منزل هست شام و روم و بصره و بغداد''"I said, turn your path to the greater world,'' ''So I should be free of the chains of slavery.''But I found no place for me outside of Fars,'' ''Not Levant, not Anatolia, not Basra, nor Baghdad."'' ''Hafez''

photo gallery

References

1. http://www.irantour.org/Iran/city/FARS.html
2. http://www.irantour.org/Iran/city/FARS.html
3. http://www.irantour.org/Iran/city/FARS.html
4. http://www.irantour.org/Iran/city/FARS.html
5. http://www.irantour.org/Iran/city/FARS.html

External links

★ Official website of Fars Governorship

★ Cultural Heritage Foundation of Fars Province

★ Official website of Persepolis

★ Fars Chamber of Commerce

★ Fars Regional Library of Science and Technology

★ Fars Blood Transfusion Organization (in Persian)

★ Fars Province Department of Planing and Management

★ Fars Province Department of Education (in Persian)

★ Fars Province Department of Labour (in Persian)

★ Larestan Mayor's Office

★ Shiraz Chamber of Commerce

★ UNESCO Biosphere Reserve of Arjan

★ Endowments & chairity affairs organization