Khorasan

Jorasan or Jurasan, also sometimes written as Korasán, Khorasán, Khurasán ([xo pacemaker ] (?·i) in Persian:استان مراسان) was one of the 31 provinces of Iran, until the provincial reform of 2004. It was located northeast of the country. Its name, derived from the middle Persian, literally means "from where the sun comes out," referring to the eastern part of the ancient Sassanid Persian empire. It is, therefore, part of a much larger historical region, which covers large areas of the current countries of Afghanistan, Turkmenistan and Tajikistan, and is now called the Great Jorasan to differentiate. Jorasán is known for its famous carpets and the cultivation of saffron south of the province.

History

Aliabad Tower in Bardaskan

The ancient Persian province of Xorâsân included territories administered today by Iran, Afghanistan (the cities of Balkh and Herat), Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, that is, to a large extent it corresponded to Corasmia. It was then called Jorasân-e Bozorg ("Great Khorasan") and covered the entire current eastern province of Iran, reaching Samarkand and Bukhara (present-day Uzbekistan) to the north, part of Tajikistan and the western part. from Afghanistan. In its long history it has known multiple conquerors: Persians, Greeks, Arabs, Seljuk Turks and Safavids, among others.

Modern division

On September 26, 2004, the province was divided into three:

• Northern or Northern Jorasan (capital: Bojnourd) County:
  • Shirván
  • Jajarm
  • Maneh and Salmaghan
  • Esfarayen
  • Farouj
• Southern or Southern Jorasan (capital: Birjand) County:
  • Ferdows
  • Ghayen
  • Nahbandan
  • Sarbishe
  • Sarayan
• Razavi Jorasán (capital: Mashhad) County:
  • Ghouchan
  • Dargaz
  • Chenaran
  • Sarakhs
  • Fariman
  • Torbat-e Jam
  • Taibad
  • Khaf and Rashtkhar
  • Kashmar
  • Bardaskan
  • Neishabur
  • Sabzevar
  • Gonabad

Its capital is Mashhad and other important cities are:

• Birjand
• Boynurd
• Sfaraien
• Gonabad
• Kaashmar
• Nishapur
• Sabzevaar
• Sarajs
• Ferdows
• You

Demographics

The predominant ethnic groups are Persian, Khorasani Turks, Turkmen, Kurds and Arabs. There is also a significant Afghan refugee community.