The province is in the center of the country in Iran'sRegion 2,[6] whose secretariat is located in Isfahan.
Isfahan Province is located along the eastern foothills of theZagros Mountains. It covers both mountainous terrain and arid plains, contributing to its diverse climate and natural resources.[7]
Historians have recordedEspahan,Sepahan orIsfahan initially as a defense and military base. The security and protection of the gradually increasing castles and fortifications, thereby, would provide the protection of residents nearby, therefore leading to the growth of large settlements nearby. These historical castles wereAtashgah,Sarooyieh,Tabarok,Kohan Dej, andGard Dej. The oldest of these isGhal'eh Sefeed and the grounds atTamijan from prehistoric times. The historic village ofAbyaneh, a nationwide attraction, also hasSasanian ruins andfire temples among other historical relics.
During the 17th and 18th centuries, Isfahan province enjoyed high standards of prosperity as it became the capital ofSafavid Iran. While the city of Sepahan (Esfahan) was their seat of monarchical,Kashan was their place of vacation and leisure.
A majority of the population speakPersian as first language with a minority of Luri, Turkic, Georgian, Biyabanaki and Armenian speakers.[8]
During the Pahlavi era, a large group of Kurds from the Gulbaghi tribe were moved from the north ofKurdistan province to the city of Isfahan and the cities of Yazd, Kashan, and Nayin. Today, the Gulbaghi tribe are mostly assimilated elements in the population of these cities.[9][10]
At the time of the 2006 National Census, the province's population was 4,499,327 in 1,223,684 households, with a literacy rate of 88.65 percent.[11] The following census in 2011 counted 4,879,312 people in 1,454,162 households.[12] The 2016 census measured the population of the province as 5,120,850 in 1,607,482 households.[3]
The population history and structural changes of Isfahan province's administrative divisions over three consecutive censuses are shown in the following table.
The Isfahan province covers an area of approximately 107,018 square km and is situated in the center of Iran. To its north, stand theMarkazi (Central) Province and the provinces ofQom andSemnan. To its south, it is bordered by the provinces ofFars, andKohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province.Aminabad is the most southern city of Isfahan province just 2 km north of the border. To the east, it is bordered by the province ofYazd. To the west, it shares its border with the province ofLurestan and to the southwest lies the province ofChahar Mahal and Bakhtiyari.
The province experiences a moderate and dry climate on the whole, ranging between 40.6 °C (105.08 °F) and 10.6 °C (51 °F) on a cold day in the winter season. The average annual temperature has been recorded as 16.7 °C (62 °F) and the annual rainfall on average has been reported as 116.9 mm. The city of Sepahan (Esfahan) however experiences an excellent climate, with four distinct seasons.
With an elevation of 4,040 metres, theShahankuh is the highest peak in Isfahan province. This mountain is located about 20 kilometres southwest of the city ofFereydunshahr in the western part of the province.
Isfahan province has 52 rivers, mostly small and temporary, with the exception of theZāyanderud, which totals 405 km in length a basin area of 27,100 km2.[20]
Esmaeilius isfahanensis (Farsi: کپوردندان_اصفهان) is a species ofCyprinodontid fish endemic to theZayandehrud river basin (see genusEsmaeilius). It is known only from three sites across the province.[21][22][23][24]Allium chlorotepalum is an endemic species of Isfahan province,Astragalus vernaculus is also common in the west of the province.[25][26]
^Jahangiri, Ishaq (5 August 2021) [Approved 27 April 1400].Approval letter regarding national divisions in Isfahan province.rrk.ir (Report) (in Persian). Ministry of the Interior, Council of Ministers. Proposal 199401; Letter 46299; Notification 46299/T58576H. Archived fromthe original on 8 September 2021. Retrieved15 June 2023.
^Jahangiri, Ishaq (31 July 2021) [Approved 28 April 1400].Approval letter regarding national divisions in Isfahan County, Isfahan province.rc.majlis.ir (Report) (in Persian). Ministry of the Interior, Council of Ministers. Proposal 206239; Notification 46291/T58615H. Archived fromthe original on 28 August 2021. Retrieved17 June 2023 – via Islamic Council Research Center.
^abAref, Mohammad Reza (6 October 2024) [Approved 27 April 1403].Approval regarding the national divisions of Shahinshahr County in Isfahan province.sdil.ac.ir (Report) (in Persian). Ministry of the Interior, Cabinet of Ministers. Proposals 580 and 70730; Notification 79240/T61130AH. Archived fromthe original on 9 October 2024. Retrieved24 November 2024 – via Shahr Danesh Legal Research Institute.
^EIr and Xavier de Planhol, "ISFAHAN i. GEOGRAPHY", Encyclopaedia Iranica, 2012.[1]Archived 2020-05-26 at theWayback Machine.
Muliani, S. (2001)The Georgians' position in the Iranian history and civilization (Jaygah-e Gorjiha dar Tarikh va Farhang va Tammadon-e Iran), Sepahan (Esfahan): Yekta
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