| Alvand | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 3,580 m (11,750 ft)[1] |
| Prominence | 1,654 m (5,427 ft)[1] |
| Listing | Ultra |
| Coordinates | 34°39′51″N48°29′12″E / 34.66417°N 48.48667°E /34.66417; 48.48667[1] |
| Geography | |
  Alvand Iran#Asia | |
| Location | Hamedan,Iran |
| Parent range | Zagros Mountains |
Alvand is a subrange of theZagros Mountains inwestern Iran located 10 km (6.2 miles) south of the city ofHamadan inHamadan province. Its summit has an elevation of 3,580 m (11,750 ft).[2] The main body of the Alvand range extends for about 50 km from east to west, while their maximum north–south width is about 30 km.[2] Formed as part of the Zagrosorogeny in the lateJurassic and earlyCretaceous, the mountains rise sharply from the surrounding plains and are scored by many deep valleys.[2] The mountains are mostlygranite anddiorite, which are types ofintrusive rock.[2]
The area was once covered by a light oak forest,[2] but extensive deforestation in historical times has reduced this to only a small area, mostly in the valleys.[3] Today, the higher altitudes have a sparse cover of grass, while grass cover grows more thickly around springs and streams.[2] One important plant that commonly grows in the Alvand valleys is thegavar orgoat's thorn, which produces the gum known astragacanth which is used in medicine and industry.[3]
Although no settlements exist on the mountains themselves, the valleys and surrounding plains are home to many towns and villages.[2] Several major cities lie at the foot of the Alvand range, including Hamadan,Malayer, andTuyserkan.[2] These settlements are supported by a highly productive agricultural base which includes wheat growing and livestock breeding (sheep, goats, and cattle).[2] This agricultural prosperity comes from the combination of a favorable highland climate and an abundance of water flowing down from the Alvand mountains.[2]
The historic site ofGanj Nameh, where two trilingual inscriptions were left inAchaemenid times, is located at the foot of the Alvand mountains, 10 km south of Hamadan.[2] The Alvand range forms alanguage border betweenTurkish,Kurdish,Persian, andLuri.[2]
An unacademic website claims that "Alvand" is Avestan and comes from the Avestan language word "Aurvañt", which means "quick, swift, brave; a steed, horse, racer, warrior".[4]
Mount Alvand is situated in a geographical location that has a Mediterranean climate with spring rains.[citation needed]
The Alvand range forms the mainwatershed inHamadan province, with most of the province's rivers arising from thesnowmelt on Mount Alvand and then flowing either north or south.[3] Generally, the rivers on the north side the mountain are mostly seasonal, while those on the south side flow year-round.[3]
The main rivers on the north side of Mount Alvand are theTalvar and theQurichay (aka Siahrud).[3] The Talvar begins at Kuh-e Safid in the northwest and ultimately joins theSefidrud, the longest river in Iran, which flows to theCaspian Sea.[3] The Qurichay, meanwhile, begins in the highlands between Hamadan and Malayer.[3] It passes through the northern Alvand highlands and eventually drains intoLake Qom.[3]
The main rivers on the south side are theGamasiab and theQelqelrud (itself a tributary of the Gamasiab).[3] The Gamasiab is another name for theKarkheh River in its upper course.[3] Its headwaters, known as the Sarab-e Gamasiab, are located southeast ofNahavand.[3] The river then crosses the Nahavand plain and is joined by the Malayer River as well as the Qelqelrud.[3]
Another river system, theAbshineh Rud, has its source on Alvand's eastern slopes.[5] It flows north to thekavir of Qom, but because a lot of its water is used for irrigation, it only actually reaches thekavir after very wet winters.[5] It reaches its peak flow during March and April and dries up almost completely during the summer.[5]
The Alvand highlands are the traditional pastures for several nomadic tribes.[2] TheTorkeshvand, who speak theLaki language, have theirsummer pasture on the western slopes of Alvand, while theYarimtoghlu have theirs on the east side.[2] A third group that belongs to theShahsevan also comes to the east side, but only in small numbers.[2] Since the 20th century, sedentary agriculture and livestock breeding has expanded significantly into what used to be nomad territory.[2]
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