North Khorasan province (Persian: استان خراسان شمالی)[a] is one of the 31 provinces of Iran, located in the northeast of the country. Its capital is the city of Bojnord.[4]
North Khorasan is one of the three provinces that were created after the division of Khorasan in 2004. Khorasan was the largest province of Iran until it was divided into three provinces on September 29, 2004. The provinces approved by the parliament of Iran (on May 18, 2004) and the Council of Guardians (on May 29, 2004) were Razavi Khorasan, North Khorasan, and South Khorasan. In 2014 it was placed in Region 5.[5]
History
Greater Khorasan has witnessed the rise and fall of many dynasties and governments in its territory throughout history. Various tribes of Persians, Arabs, Turks, Kurds and Turkmens have brought change to the region time and time again.
[6]
Ancient geographers of Iran divided Iran into eight segments, of which the largest[citation needed] was the territory of Greater Khorasan. Esfarayen, among other cities of the province, was one of the focal points for settlement by Aryan tribes entering Iran.
The Parthian empire was based near Merv in Khorasan for many years. In Parthian times, Esfarayen was one of the important villages of Nishapur.[citation needed]
During the Sassanid dynasty, the province was governed by a Spahbod (Lieutenant General) called "Padgoosban" and four margraves, each commander of one of the four parts of the province.
In the year 651, the army of Islamic Arabs invaded Khorasan. The territory remained in the hands of the Abbasid clan until 820, followed by the rule of the Iranian Taherid clan in the year 896 and the Samanid dynasty in 900. Khorasan was divided into four parts during the Muslim conquest of Persia, each section being named after the four largest cities; Nishapur, Merv, Herat, and Balkh.
Mahmud Qaznavi retaliated against the invaders several times, and finally, the Qaznavi Turks defeated Sultan Sanjar. But there was more to come, as in 1157 Khorasan was conquered by the Khwarazmids. In 1220 was annexed by the Mongols of Genghis Khan. When in 1226 the great conqueror finally died, Khorasan was inherited by his son Tolui and then by Tolui's son Hulegu, the first emperor of the Mongolic Ilkhanate of Persia.[citation needed]
In the 14th century, a flag of independence was hoisted by the Sarbedaran movement in Sabzevar, and in 1368, Khorasan came into the hands of Tamerlane.
In 1507, Khorasan was occupied by Uzbek tribes. After the death of Nader Shah in 1747, it was occupied by the Afghans.
In 1824, Herat became independent for several years when the Afghan Empire was split between the Durranis and Barakzais. The Persians sieged the city in 1837, but the British assisted the Afghans in repelling them. In 1856, the Persians launched another invasion, and briefly managed to recapture the city; it led directly to the Anglo-Persian War. In 1857 hostilities between the Persians and the British ended after the Treaty of Paris was signed, and the Persian troops withdrew from Herat.[7] Afghanistan reconquered Herat in 1863 under Dost Muhammad Khan, two weeks before his death.[8]
Demographics
Language and ethnicity
North Khorasan province is one of the most diverse territories in Iran today, largely reflecting the ethnic make-up of Iran. Most people in North Khorasan are Shia Muslims, who are often Khorasani Kurds, Persians, Khorasani Turks and so on, although there is also a small minority of Sunnis who generally are Turkmen.[9][10] There used to be a sizeable population of Lurs inhabiting this province, however, most returned to their native area in western Iran as there are no signs of them in the province today.[11]
Previously, there was a sizable community of Arabs who settled in the area during the Arab invasion of Iran. However, by 1875 they had intermarried so extensively with Persians and Turks that they were indistinguishable, having largely abandoned the Arab language and culture in favour of the local one.[12]
Population
At the time of the 2006 National Census, the province's population was 791,930 in 198,626 households.[13] The following census in 2011 counted 867,727 people in 240,885 households.[14] The 2016 census measured the population of the province as 863,092 in 254,747 households.[2]
Administrative divisions
The population history and structural changes of North Khorasan province's administrative divisions over three consecutive censuses are shown in the following table.
This province contains many historical and natural attractions, such as mineral water springs, small lakes, recreational areas, caves, and protected regions, and various hiking areas. Most of the historical relics are from the Qajar era, as earthquakes continue to ravage older relics.[citation needed]
^"Kurds in Khorasan". Cultural and civil society of Khorasani Kurds. Archived from the original on 1 October 2011. Retrieved 22 May 2007.
^Avery, Peter; Hambly, Gavin; Melville, Charles, eds. (1991). The Cambridge History of Iran (Vol. 7): From Nadir Shah to the Islamic Republic. Cambridge University Press. pp. 183, 394–395. ISBN978-0521200950.
^Surveying and measurement plan of indicators of public culture of the country: North Khorasan Province, publication 2012 (National Bibliography Number: 2879739) Retrieved 10 December 2017
^Davodi, Parviz (c. 2021) [Approved 28 July 1387]. Divisional changes and reforms in North Khorasan province. qavanin.ir (Report) (in Persian). Ministry of the Interior, Cabinet of Ministers. Proposal 1/4/42/91526. Archived from the original on 7 January 2021. Retrieved 18 May 2023 – via Laws and Regulations Portal of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
^Rahimi, Mohammad Reza (c. 2021) [Approved 29 September 2013]. Distributional changes in North Khorasan province. qavanin.ir (Report) (in Persian). Ministry of the Interior, Cabinet of Ministers. Proposal 185757/42/4/1. Archived from the original on 8 January 2021. Retrieved 19 May 2023 – via Laws and Regulations Portal of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
