Hormozgan Province
Encyclopedia
Hormozgan Province is one of the 31 provinces
of Iran
. It is in the south of the country, facing Oman
. Its area is 70697 km² (27,296 sq mi), and its provincial capital is Bandar Abbas
. The province has 14 islands located in the Persian Gulf
, and 1000 km (621.4 mi) of coastline.
The province has eleven major cities, namely: Bandar Abbas
, Bandar Lengeh
, HajiAbbad, Minab
, Qeshm
, Jask
, Bastak
, Bandar Khamir
, Parsian
, Rudan
, and Abumusa
. The province also has 21 counties (or districts), 69 municipalities, and 2046 villages. In 2007, the population of the province was at almost 1.5 million.
passed through this region, the recorded history of the main port of Hormozgan (Bandar-e Hormoz) begins with Ardashir I of Persia of the Sassanid empire.
The province is said to have been particularly prosperous between 241 BC and 211 BC, but grew even further in trade and commercial significance after the arrival of the Islamic era.
Marco Polo
visited the port of Bandar Abbas
in 1272 and 1293, and reported widespread trading in Persian jewelry, the ivory
and silk
of Indochina
, and pearls from Bahrain
in the bazaars in the port of Hormuz.
In 1497, European colonialists landed in the region for the first time, headed by Vasco da Gama
. In 1508, the Portuguese
, led by Afonso de Albuquerque
invaded the area with 7 warships, under the pretext of protecting their interests from Egypt
and Venice
. The port of Hormuz was at this time considered a strategic port for commercial interests in the Persian Gulf.
Ismail I
who was trying to counter the Ottoman Empire
to the west, was unable to save the port from the Portuguese, until Shah Abbas I was finally able to drive them out of the Persian Gulf with the aid of the British. The name of Bandar Abbas
comes directly from the name of Shah Abbas I.
The British, meanwhile, were competing for influence in the region with Dutch colonialists, who finally invaded Qeshm
island and dispatched warships to Bandar Abbas
during the final years of Shah Abbas' reign. The Persian government was unable to defend itself against this attack. However, with the souring of British and Dutch relations, military tensions grew in the region. The Dutch finally resorted to moving their base up to Kharg Island
.
The Amir of Kharg, Mir Mahna, was however able to defeat the Dutch forces at Kharg, leaving the British firmly in charge of the entire region. Soon Britain took control over the entire Persian Gulf via the British East India Company
. The British adopted a policy of encouraging local autonomy throughout the Persian Gulf so as to prevent any possible formidable unified force from threatening their establishments in the Persian Gulf.
The strategic importance of the Persian Gulf further increased after World War I
with the discovery of oil in the region.
The province experiences a very hot and humid climate, with temperatures sometimes exceeding 120F (49C) in summers. There is very little precipitation year round.
production and second in date
production. 30% of Iran's fishery produce comes from this province. three major hydro dam
s serve the water needs of the province, namely Esteghlal Dam (i.e. Minab Dam, which supplies major part of consuming water of the Bandar Abbas), Jegin Dam, and Shemil Dam.
Germany has recently offered to build a bridge that would connect Qeshm island to the mainland, a formidable project.
Hormozgan has two free trade zones, one in Kish, the other on Qeshm
island. The Kish Island, situated in a free-trade zone, is home of the Iranian oil bourse
(one of five exchanges of its kind in the world, but the only one explicitly not trading oil and derivatives in U.S. dollars).
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Hormozgan has 4- and 5-star hotels with modern amenities. The Cultural Heritage Organization of Iran lists 212 sites of historical and cultural significance in the province. Some of the more popular attractions are:
Provinces of Iran
Iran is subdivided into thirty one provinces , each governed from a local center, usually the largest local city, which is called the capital of that province...
of Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
. It is in the south of the country, facing Oman
Oman
Oman , officially called the Sultanate of Oman , is an Arab state in southwest Asia on the southeast coast of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by the United Arab Emirates to the northwest, Saudi Arabia to the west, and Yemen to the southwest. The coast is formed by the Arabian Sea on the...
. Its area is 70697 km² (27,296 sq mi), and its provincial capital is Bandar Abbas
Bandar Abbas
Bandar-Abbas or Bandar-e ‘Abbās , also Romanized as Bandar ‘Abbās, Bandar ‘Abbāsī, and Bandar-e ‘Abbās; formerly known as Cambarão and Port Comorão to Portuguese traders, as Gombroon to English traders and as Gamrun or Gumrun to Dutch merchants) is a port city and capital of Hormozgān Province on...
. The province has 14 islands located in the Persian Gulf
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...
, and 1000 km (621.4 mi) of coastline.
The province has eleven major cities, namely: Bandar Abbas
Bandar Abbas
Bandar-Abbas or Bandar-e ‘Abbās , also Romanized as Bandar ‘Abbās, Bandar ‘Abbāsī, and Bandar-e ‘Abbās; formerly known as Cambarão and Port Comorão to Portuguese traders, as Gombroon to English traders and as Gamrun or Gumrun to Dutch merchants) is a port city and capital of Hormozgān Province on...
, Bandar Lengeh
Bandar Lengeh
Bandar Lengeh is a harbor city in, and capital of Bandar-Lengeh County, in Hormozgan province of Iran on the coast of the Persian Gulf. The harbor is 280 km from Lar, 192 km from Bandar Abbas, and 420 km from Bushehr. The weather in Bandar Lengeh is hot and humid, typical of coastal...
, HajiAbbad, Minab
Minab
Minab is a city in and the capital of Minab County, Hormozgan Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 76,776.Minab is not far from Bandar Abbas. It is famous for fishing and for agriculture . It lies on the main official road connecting Bandar Abbas, the Makran and the Baluchistan...
, Qeshm
Qeshm
Qeshm Qeshm Qeshm (Persian: قشم - pronounced kē´shm is an Iranian island situated in the Strait of Hormuz, and separated from the mainland by the Clarence Strait/Khuran in the Persian Gulf .-Geography:...
, Jask
Jask
Jask is a city in and the capital of Jask County, Hormozgan Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 11,133, in 2,406 families.Jask is a port town, about south of Tehran,situated on the Gulf of Oman....
, Bastak
Bastak
Bastak is a city in and the capital of Bastak County, Hormozgan Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 8,376, in 1,765 families....
, Bandar Khamir
Bandar Khamir
Bandar Khamir is a city in and the capital of Khamir County, Hormozgan Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 11,307, in 2,441 families....
, Parsian
Parsian, Hormozgan Province
Parsian is a city in and the capital of Parsian County, Hormozgan Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 10,549, in 2,377 families.- References :...
, Rudan
Rudan
Rudan , also Romanized as Deh Bārez, Deh Bāriz, and Deh Dāriz; also Qal‘eh-ye Deh Bārez, Qal‘eh-ye Deh-e Bārez, and Rūgan) is a city in and the capital of Rudan County, Hormozgan Province, Iran...
, and Abumusa
Abumusa
Abumusa is a city in and the capital of Abumusa County, Hormozgan Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 1,705, in 456 families....
. The province also has 21 counties (or districts), 69 municipalities, and 2046 villages. In 2007, the population of the province was at almost 1.5 million.
History
Although Hormozgan is known to have had settlements during the Achaemenid era and when NearchusNearchus
Nearchus was one of the officers, a navarch, in the army of Alexander the Great. His celebrated voyage from India to Susa after Alexander's expedition in India is preserved in Arrian's account, the Indica....
passed through this region, the recorded history of the main port of Hormozgan (Bandar-e Hormoz) begins with Ardashir I of Persia of the Sassanid empire.
The province is said to have been particularly prosperous between 241 BC and 211 BC, but grew even further in trade and commercial significance after the arrival of the Islamic era.
Marco Polo
Marco Polo
Marco Polo was a Venetian merchant traveler from the Venetian Republic whose travels are recorded in Il Milione, a book which did much to introduce Europeans to Central Asia and China. He learned about trading whilst his father and uncle, Niccolò and Maffeo, travelled through Asia and apparently...
visited the port of Bandar Abbas
Bandar Abbas
Bandar-Abbas or Bandar-e ‘Abbās , also Romanized as Bandar ‘Abbās, Bandar ‘Abbāsī, and Bandar-e ‘Abbās; formerly known as Cambarão and Port Comorão to Portuguese traders, as Gombroon to English traders and as Gamrun or Gumrun to Dutch merchants) is a port city and capital of Hormozgān Province on...
in 1272 and 1293, and reported widespread trading in Persian jewelry, the ivory
Ivory
Ivory is a term for dentine, which constitutes the bulk of the teeth and tusks of animals, when used as a material for art or manufacturing. Ivory has been important since ancient times for making a range of items, from ivory carvings to false teeth, fans, dominoes, joint tubes, piano keys and...
and silk
Silk
Silk is a natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be woven into textiles. The best-known type of silk is obtained from the cocoons of the larvae of the mulberry silkworm Bombyx mori reared in captivity...
of Indochina
Indochina
The Indochinese peninsula, is a region in Southeast Asia. It lies roughly southwest of China, and east of India. The name has its origins in the French, Indochine, as a combination of the names of "China" and "India", and was adopted when French colonizers in Vietnam began expanding their territory...
, and pearls from Bahrain
Bahrain
' , officially the Kingdom of Bahrain , is a small island state near the western shores of the Persian Gulf. It is ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family. The population in 2010 stood at 1,214,705, including 235,108 non-nationals. Formerly an emirate, Bahrain was declared a kingdom in 2002.Bahrain is...
in the bazaars in the port of Hormuz.
In 1497, European colonialists landed in the region for the first time, headed by Vasco da Gama
Vasco da Gama
Vasco da Gama, 1st Count of Vidigueira was a Portuguese explorer, one of the most successful in the Age of Discovery and the commander of the first ships to sail directly from Europe to India...
. In 1508, the Portuguese
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
, led by Afonso de Albuquerque
Afonso de Albuquerque
Afonso de Albuquerque[p][n] was a Portuguese fidalgo, or nobleman, an admiral whose military and administrative activities as second governor of Portuguese India conquered and established the Portuguese colonial empire in the Indian Ocean...
invaded the area with 7 warships, under the pretext of protecting their interests from Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
and Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
. The port of Hormuz was at this time considered a strategic port for commercial interests in the Persian Gulf.
Ismail I
Ismail I
Ismail I , known in Persian as Shāh Ismāʿil , was a Shah of Iran and the founder of the Safavid dynasty which survived until 1736. Isma'il started his campaign in Azerbaijan in 1500 as the leader of the Safaviyya, an extremist heterodox Twelver Shi'i militant religious order and unified all of Iran...
who was trying to counter the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
to the west, was unable to save the port from the Portuguese, until Shah Abbas I was finally able to drive them out of the Persian Gulf with the aid of the British. The name of Bandar Abbas
Bandar Abbas
Bandar-Abbas or Bandar-e ‘Abbās , also Romanized as Bandar ‘Abbās, Bandar ‘Abbāsī, and Bandar-e ‘Abbās; formerly known as Cambarão and Port Comorão to Portuguese traders, as Gombroon to English traders and as Gamrun or Gumrun to Dutch merchants) is a port city and capital of Hormozgān Province on...
comes directly from the name of Shah Abbas I.
The British, meanwhile, were competing for influence in the region with Dutch colonialists, who finally invaded Qeshm
Qeshm
Qeshm Qeshm Qeshm (Persian: قشم - pronounced kē´shm is an Iranian island situated in the Strait of Hormuz, and separated from the mainland by the Clarence Strait/Khuran in the Persian Gulf .-Geography:...
island and dispatched warships to Bandar Abbas
Bandar Abbas
Bandar-Abbas or Bandar-e ‘Abbās , also Romanized as Bandar ‘Abbās, Bandar ‘Abbāsī, and Bandar-e ‘Abbās; formerly known as Cambarão and Port Comorão to Portuguese traders, as Gombroon to English traders and as Gamrun or Gumrun to Dutch merchants) is a port city and capital of Hormozgān Province on...
during the final years of Shah Abbas' reign. The Persian government was unable to defend itself against this attack. However, with the souring of British and Dutch relations, military tensions grew in the region. The Dutch finally resorted to moving their base up to Kharg Island
Kharg Island
Kharg Island is a continental island in the Persian Gulf belonging to Iran. The island is located off the coast of Iran and northwest of the Strait of Hormuz. Administered by the adjacent coastal Bushehr Province, Kharg Island provides a sea port for the export of oil and extends Iranian...
.
The Amir of Kharg, Mir Mahna, was however able to defeat the Dutch forces at Kharg, leaving the British firmly in charge of the entire region. Soon Britain took control over the entire Persian Gulf via the British East India Company
British East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
. The British adopted a policy of encouraging local autonomy throughout the Persian Gulf so as to prevent any possible formidable unified force from threatening their establishments in the Persian Gulf.
The strategic importance of the Persian Gulf further increased after World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
with the discovery of oil in the region.
Geography and culture
The province is primarily mountainous, consisting of the southern tip of the Zagros range.The province experiences a very hot and humid climate, with temperatures sometimes exceeding 120F (49C) in summers. There is very little precipitation year round.
Hormozgan today
Hormozgan today has 11 ports, 5 national airports, and 3 international airports. The province has an active agriculture sector, ranking first in Iran in limeLime (fruit)
Lime is a term referring to a number of different citrus fruits, both species and hybrids, which are typically round, green to yellow in color, 3–6 cm in diameter, and containing sour and acidic pulp. Limes are a good source of vitamin C. Limes are often used to accent the flavors of foods and...
production and second in date
Date Palm
The date palm is a palm in the genus Phoenix, cultivated for its edible sweet fruit. Although its place of origin is unknown because of long cultivation, it probably originated from lands around the Persian Gulf. It is a medium-sized plant, 15–25 m tall, growing singly or forming a clump with...
production. 30% of Iran's fishery produce comes from this province. three major hydro dam
Dam
A dam is a barrier that impounds water or underground streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates or levees are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions. Hydropower and pumped-storage hydroelectricity are...
s serve the water needs of the province, namely Esteghlal Dam (i.e. Minab Dam, which supplies major part of consuming water of the Bandar Abbas), Jegin Dam, and Shemil Dam.
Germany has recently offered to build a bridge that would connect Qeshm island to the mainland, a formidable project.
Hormozgan has two free trade zones, one in Kish, the other on Qeshm
Qeshm
Qeshm Qeshm Qeshm (Persian: قشم - pronounced kē´shm is an Iranian island situated in the Strait of Hormuz, and separated from the mainland by the Clarence Strait/Khuran in the Persian Gulf .-Geography:...
island. The Kish Island, situated in a free-trade zone, is home of the Iranian oil bourse
Iranian oil bourse
The Iranian Oil Bourse International Oil Bourse, Iran Petroleum Exchange Kish Exchange or Oil Bourse in Kish is a commodity exchange which opened on February 17, 2008. It was created by cooperation between Iranian ministries, the Iran Mercantile Exchange and other state and private institutions...
(one of five exchanges of its kind in the world, but the only one explicitly not trading oil and derivatives in U.S. dollars).
Attractions
- Emarat-e Kolah Farangi (built by and during the Dutch occupation)
- Berkeh haye Baran (6 traditional water reservoirs)
- Gele-dari traditional Bath
- The Hindu temple
- Latidan Bridge, built during the era of Shah Abbas I
- Fekri House
- Sa'di House
- Fort of Our Lady of the Conception in Hormoz island
- QeshmQeshmQeshm Qeshm Qeshm (Persian: قشم - pronounced kē´shm is an Iranian island situated in the Strait of Hormuz, and separated from the mainland by the Clarence Strait/Khuran in the Persian Gulf .-Geography:...
Island - Hara marine forestsHara forestsThe Hara forests is the common name for mangrove forests on the southern coast of Iran, particularly on and near the island of Qeshm in the Persian Gulf. Dominated by the species Avicennia marina, known locally as the "hara" or "harra" tree, the forests represent an important ecological resource...
- Kish Island, the most popular tourist resort in southern Iran in the Persian Gulf.
- Geno UNESCOUNESCOThe United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
natural biosphere reserve - Hara UNESCOUNESCOThe United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
natural biosphere reserve - Various hot water springsHot springA hot spring is a spring that is produced by the emergence of geothermally heated groundwater from the Earth's crust. There are geothermal hot springs in many locations all over the crust of the earth.-Definitions:...
Colleges and universities
- Bandar Abbas University of Medical Sciences
- University of Hormozgan
- Qeshm Institute of Higher EducationQeshm Institute of Higher EducationQeshm Institute of Higher Education, is an institute of higher education on the island of Qeshm in Hormozgan province in the Persian Gulf in Iran....
- Islamic Azad University of Bandar Abbas
- Payame Noor University of Hormozgan
- Islamic Azad University of Roudan
- Kish UniversityKish UniversitySharif University of Technology International Campus was established in 2003 on the buildings previously used for Kish University on the Iranian island of Kish in the Hormozgan Province of Iran in the Persian Gulf....
See also
- MorbaghMorbaghMorbagh is a village in Hormozgan Province in the south of Iran. Its settlers are mainly Arabs of the AlHammadi tribe. They speak Arabic. These people originally came from Arabia but emigrated to Iran for food.- See also :*Kookherd*Bastak*Bandar Lengeh...
- OrmusOrmusThe Kingdom of Ormus was a 10th to 17th century kingdom located within the Persian Gulf and extending as far as the Strait of Hormuz...
- Kookherd
- BastakBastakBastak is a city in and the capital of Bastak County, Hormozgan Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 8,376, in 1,765 families....
- Bandar AbbasBandar AbbasBandar-Abbas or Bandar-e ‘Abbās , also Romanized as Bandar ‘Abbās, Bandar ‘Abbāsī, and Bandar-e ‘Abbās; formerly known as Cambarão and Port Comorão to Portuguese traders, as Gombroon to English traders and as Gamrun or Gumrun to Dutch merchants) is a port city and capital of Hormozgān Province on...
- MorbaghMorbaghMorbagh is a village in Hormozgan Province in the south of Iran. Its settlers are mainly Arabs of the AlHammadi tribe. They speak Arabic. These people originally came from Arabia but emigrated to Iran for food.- See also :*Kookherd*Bastak*Bandar Lengeh...
- MaghohMaghohMaghoh is a village in Hormozgan Province in the south of Iran. Its settlers are mainly Arabs of the AL marzooqi tribe. They speak Arabic. These people originally came from Arabia but emigrated to Iran for food.- History :...