Piranshahr

Etymology

According to the Arab geographer Yaqut al-Hamawi, the name of the city is derived from the famous figure of Shahnameh Piran son of Viseh Piran is a Turanian figure in Shahnameh, the national epic of Greater Iran. Beside Shahnameh, Piran is also mentioned in other sources such as Tabari and Tha'ālibī. He is the king of Khotan and the spahbed of Afrasiab, the king of Turan. He is described as a wise and intelligent man, seeking to bring peace to Iran and Turan. In old Iranian writings, Piran and Aghrirat are the only Turanians that have been described positively. Piran plays a vital role in the story of Siavash, the story of Kay Khosro and the story of Bizhan and Manizhe. In Persian culture, Piran is a symbol of wisdom. It has been said that Karim Khan called Mohammad Khan Qajar "Piran Viseh". Piran is often compared to Bozorgmehr.

According to Djalal Khaleghi Motlagh, Piran may be the Median Harpagus that saved Cyrus the Great.

Prehistory

The history of Piranshahr can be traced back to the Palaeolithic period. In recent discoveries, archeologists have found artifacts dating back to the Palaeolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic, Bronze and Iron ages.The earliest evidence of settlement in the Piranshar region date to about 14,000 years ago.

There have been recovered more than 200 sites in Piranshahr.

Parsua civilization

The city of Piranshahr is a very ancient settlement. Its locale was the capital of some ancient Aryan civilizations such as Mehr, Parsua and the kingdoms of the Mannaeans.

According to Minorsky, the ancient Parsua is identical with the name of the town Pasveh, which is located in Lajan district (Bakhsh) in Piranshahr. According to Minorsky, The name Persian is connected to the name of Parsua and Pasva and it is believed that the present day Persians (Persian speakers of Iran) dwelled in this district before later migrating to southern and central parts of Iran.

Pasveh is in the vicinity of Piranshahr. Pasva is a village near Piranshahr whose name, according to the Iranist Vladimir Minorsky has existed since the 9th century BC and was built by the "Parsua tribes". It was also mentioned in the records of the Assyrian ruler Shalmaneser III (reign 858-824 BC).

Climate

Piranshahr experiences variable weather, including four distinct seasons. In July, the warmest month, high temperatures average 29 °C (84 °F), and low temperatures 17 °C (63 °F). In January, the coldest month, High temperatures average -2 °C (29 °F), with low temperatures averaging -11 °C (13 °F).

Piranshahr's yearly precipitation averages about 965 mm (38 inches). Summer is the rainiest season, with short-lived rainfall and thunderstorms more common than prolonged rainy periods [3]. Winter is the driest season, with most of the precipitation falling as snow.

The highest temperature ever recorded in Piranshahr is an unofficial 44 °C (109 °F) on July 24, 1935. The highest official temperature ever recorded is 42 °C (105 °F) on July 17, 1995 during the Piranshahr Heat Wave. The coldest temperature ever recorded in Piranshahr is -33 °C (-27 °F) on January 20, 1985. On December 24, 1983, the high temperature at Piranshahr reached only -23 °C (-11 °F), and on July 30, 1916, the low temperature sank to only 29 °C (84 °F), both of which are records.

Winter in Piranshahr is a variable and fickle season. The average Piranshahr winter produces 940 mm (37.0 inches) of snow. This number can prove unreliable, as Piranshahr winters have produced between 249 and 2210 mm (9.8 and 87.0 inches) of snow. Snow tends to fall in light accumulations of around 50.8 mm (2 inches), but about once per year Piranshahr experiences a storm that can produce 254 to 356 mm (10 to 14 inches) of snow in one day. Temperatures can vary wildly within the span of one week, but extended periods of temperatures below 0 °C (32 °F) are not uncommon in January and February. The temperature in January averages about -4 °C (25 °F) in the afternoon, and -12 °C (10 °F) at night. Temperatures can be expected to drop below -18 °C (0 °F) on 15 days throughout the winter season. Although rare, temperatures in Piranshahr even in the middle of winter can reach 10 °C (50 °F).

Piranshahrs climate is classed under the Köppen climate classification as a Mediterranean climate (Csa) with continental influences.

Geology

Piranshahr has no active or dormant volcanoes and few earthquakes, however many residents of Piranshahr feel one or two minor earthquakes per year, which do little or no damage. Imperceptible quakes are detected by seismometers on a daily basis.

Agriculture

West Azarbaijan Rural Cooperative Organization has bought some 470,000 tons of wheat, valued at Rls.840 billion, from farmers since the beginning of the year. Among West Azarbaijan cities, Piranshar is considered a fine example in agriculture improvements. Since 2002, most of the investments in the city are made in the agricultural sector. Consequently, farm and garden coverage in Piranshar has extended from 80 square kilometres in 2002 to 190 km² in 2004.

Economy

The Piranshar economy includes that of the city of Piranshar and the surrounding towns and villages. The Piranshar area is an engine of the provincial economy. The city of Piranshar has the most important sugar company in the province. There are four Sugar Companies in the province including the Sugar Company of Piranshar.

The plant, in the course of years of its activity, has been constantly renovated by making use of the existing capabilities in the plant. The plant produces 30,000 tons of sugar annually (from 1500 tons of sugar beet per day), and by-products include 100 tons of dried waste per day, which is used for animal food, and 3000 tons of medico-industrial alcohol produced annually from molasses.

Considering the national demand for sugar of 1.5 million tons per year, and the supply thereof by 35 manufacturing units equivalent to 800 thousand tons, and the consequent considerable shortage of sugar, the manufacture of such a product is significant.

Sugar beet is supplied by 70 km² of farmland around the plant.

The Sugar Company of Piranshahr is the province's largest producer of raw sugar, accounting for over 60% of all of the province's sugar.

Education

Piranshahr has an educated population and its literacy rate is very high: of Piranshahr's population over 28.60% (vs. a national average of 24%) hold a bachelor's degree or higher; 94% (vs. 82% nationally) have a high school diploma or equivalent. In fact, Piranshahr has the highest percentage of college graduates of any city in the entire country.

The main institutions of higher education in the area are Payame Noor University and Islamic Azad University. The city is also home to a number of conservatories and art schools.

Neighborhoods

The city of Piranshahr includes some of the following neighborhoods:

Balashahr, Kuy Omid, Kuy Baradaran, Kuy As´habe kahf, Kuy Khayyam, Kuy Kamran, Kuy Mokrian, Kuy Lajan (Lahijan), Niloufar park, Sardaran, Bazarcheh. Kuy Edalat, Nirougah, Azadegan, Isargaran, Padash, Farhangian 1, 2, 3 and 4, Ghods, Chahar-Rahe Madar (22 Bahman), Ashianeh 32 metri, Darreh Garav, Zargatan, Seyyed Ghotb, Azadi, Molla Reza, Qapan, Kohne Khaneh, Kanie Kohneh Khaneh.

Hygiene criteria

The hygiene status has been considered as a criterion that includes six sub-criteria. These include health centers, physicians, dentists, drugstores, laboratories, and bathrooms.In Piranshahr the places of Haj Shafie Mosque is the best place in terms of hygiene criterion and its sub-criteria and Emam street, Piran, Kasekaran, Kohne Khane, Beheshti street, and Khayyam have the lowest priority in terms of this criterion and its sub-criteria.

Economic criterion

The economic status has been considered as a criterion that includes four sub-criteria. These include banking services, post banks, commercial and trade services, agriculture productions. Padash and Ghods are the first-prioritized places in terms of economic criterion and its dimensions. On the other hand, Kohne Khane, Piran, Shin Abad, Beheshti Street, Kasekran, Parke Shahr are the least-prioritized places in terms of economic criterion and its dimensions.

Educational criterion

The educational status has been considered as a criterion that includes four sub-criteria. These include kindergarten, elementary school, secondary school, and high schools. Shahrak and Isargaran are the best places in terms of educational criterion and its dimensions. On the other hand, Doli Garave, Ghizghapan, Seyed Abad, Parke Shahr are the least-prioritized places.

Geography

The administrative division of Piranshahr is a paradox. In an arbitrary manner, a predominantly Kurdish-inhabited city is not located in the Ostan (province) of Kordestan, but in West Azerbaijan. The regional authorities have focused the Iranian Kurdistan on the city of Sanandaj, located 280 kilometers south of Piranshahr. Timid movements of local opinion, have called for a joining to the province of Kurdistan or for the creation of another Kurdish province called Mokrian whose epicenter was Piranshahr or Mahabad.

The Zagros forests of western Iran extend from Piranshahr city in western Azarbayejan province in the Zagros and Bakhtiary mountains to around the Jahroum and Fasa cities in the Fars province.

According to the Management and Planning Organization, the city has a total area of 154.9 square miles (401.3 km²), of which 1.6 square miles (4.1 km²), or 1.03%, is water.

Piranshahr is surrounded by four other counties: Oshnavieh and Naghadeh to the north, Mahabad to the east and Sardasht to the south. The city is also bordered by Iraq to the west

Demographics

The ethnic composition of Piranshahr is 90% Kurd, 6% Azarbaijani and 4% Persian (Fars).

According to Piranshahr's organization for Civil Registration, the highest average annual growth rate in the province is in Piranshahr [1].

The population history of the city proper is as follows. All figures are official census figures from the Iranian Statistics Institute.

Language

Mokriani dialect of Central Kurdish is widely spoken in the city of Piranshahr. Mahabad and Piranshahr are two principal cities of the dialect area.

Religion

The people of the city of Piranshahr are almost all entirely Sunni Muslims. The Sunni Islamic faith (Shafiite branch) dominates the culture, norms, traditions, and beliefs of the city, and continues to dictate the style of life in city. There are also a minority of Shia Muslims in Piranshahr. The followers of Shiism are mainly Persian speakers and Azerbaijanis who are called Ajam by the local people.

Law and government

The city's chief administrator is the mayor, who is elected by the municipal board of the city. According to Iranian laws the municipal board is periodically elected by the city residents.

Mayor: Kamran Fateh

Governor: Ardavan Nasouti

Friday prayer: Mamousta Mostafa Mahmoudi

Majlis representative: Dr Rassoul Khezri

The Iran-Iraq War

During the Iran-Iraq War it was extensively ravaged by Iraqi forces as a result of Iraqis scorched earth policy. Prior to the war, Piranshahr had grown extensively to become a major border city, and had a population of more than 150,000. The population was predominantly wealthy and educated.

As the Iraqis drew near at the beginning of the war, the Iranian Army evacuated much of the city. In the defense of Piranshahr, the Iranians prepared a series of dykes on the outskirts of the city, the first dyke holding regular soldiers and the second dyke holding tanks, artillery, and antitank weapons. Personnel wise, the Iranian Regular Army was responsible for the city’s external defenses and the Pasdaran were responsible for the center.

Sport

The city boasts a wide variety of sports facilities and teams. Football is the most popular sport in Piranshahr and Piranshahr is home to many famous football teams including Granite Sabz, Shahredari and Yaran.

Higher education

Some of the major centers of higher education are as followed:

Distances in kilometers to other cities in the province

Mahabad: 91 km

Oshnaviyeh: 46 km

Sardasht: 95 km

Bukan: 202 km

Takab: 286 km

Shahindej: 203 km

Chaldoran: 369 km

Maku:422 km

Naghadeh: 46 km

Miandoab: 142 km

Salmas: 237

Khoy: 280 km

Distance to provincial centres

Hotels

Zana hotel

Darya hotel

Etminan hotel

Saba hotel

Sa'di hotel

Zagroz hotel

Mokrian hotel

Restaurants

Denj

Sekaj

Baba

Hatam

2000 (Dohazar)

Mihanpour

Alternative spellings