During theQajar era, due to the attention and residence ofAziz Khan Mokri and his family, Bukan became important.[6] The history of this city is related to four government figures known as Sardar Aziz Khan family. Bukan was the center of governance and their residence. After the 1979Iranian Revolution, it flourished in social, cultural, sports, economic and political indicators. This city is one of the most important and effective cities in Iran.[7]
The origins of the name Bukan is controversial. While some believe it derives from theKurdish word'brides', there is no evidence supporting this claim. Therefore, it doesn't match theKurdish word for bride which is "Bûk".Rashid al-Din Hamadani wrote that the name was eponymous to aMerkit prince.[8] Only during theQajar era is the name documented.[9]
There have been several artefacts discovered in Bukan dating back to between 4100 BC and 4400 BC. These artefacts confirm that Bukan was home to one of the first human settlements on theIranian Plateau.[10]
The city was part of theMukriyan principality from the late 14th century to the 19th century. As the principality declined, aristocratic (agha) Dehbokri Kurds, who controlled many surrounding villages, took control over the city. The Dehbokri were staunchly against the Mukriyan principality. Despite its small size, Bukan played a major role in the region culturally and politically. In the mid-1940s, the city was incorporated into the short-livedRepublic of Mahabad and acquired a printing press and Kurdish books and magazines were published. Later, the town experienced a peasant revolt wherein the peasants succeeded in forcing the aristocrats out. The revolt was ultimately put down ruthlessly by the army.[9]
Up until the 1950s, Bukan was considered a large village but has seen a rapid growth since then.[9] Its population increased from 5,307 in 1956, to 20,579 in 1976[9] and 149,340 in 2006.[9][11]
The people of Bukan took part in theIranian Revolution in 1979 and in the subsequent Kurdish movement for autonomy.[9] It fell under the control of Kurdish opposition groups, but was recaptured by theIranian Army on 1 January 1984. According to theIslamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Bukan was the last Kurdish city in Iran to be captured.[12] On 15 April 1988, Bukan was bombarded by theIraqi Air Force, in which 19 people died and 160 were wounded.[13]
At the time of the 2006 National Census, the city's population was 149,340 people in 32,588 households.[15] The following census in 2011 counted 170,600 people in 43,269 households.[16] The 2016 census measured the population of the city as 193,501 people in 56,944 households.[3]
In 1247 Persian Date, SardarAziz Khan Mokri from theSardasht region built a castle near the great reservoir of Bukan that is presently named after its founder as Sardaar Aziz Khaan Castle. The castle was built on top of a hill 50 by 60 meters in diameter and 13 meters tall, and its main building material is 20 by 20 cm bricks with clay mortar and timbers. The castle measures 25 by 30 meters and has 6 daises which rest upon 9-storey columns 2 meters tall and 1 meter in diameter.
During 1325-1351 (A.H) the castle was turned into a police headquarters, post office, and a school respectively and finally was destroyed completely in 1361 A.H and replaced by a newly built structure that used as Basidj (Mobilization) Station.
Football is the most popular sport in the city. Since 2000, Bukan has been host to the professional clubSardar Bukan F.C. which plays in the IranianLeague 2 (third tier). In 2017, Sardar Bukan gained a nationwide reputation for its support from the people of Bukan.[17]
^Bukan can be found atGEOnet Names Server, atthis link, by opening the Advanced Search box, entering "-3057083" in the "Unique Feature Id" form, and clicking on "Search Database".
^Habibi, Hassan (14 March 1990) [تاریخ تصویب (Approval date) 1368/12/23 (Iranian Jalali calendar)].ایجاد و تأسیس شهرستان بوکان و بخش سیمینه در تابعیت استان آذربایجان غربی [Creation and establishment of Bukan County and Simmineh District under the jurisdiction of West Azerbaijan province].لام تا کام [Lam ta Kam] (in Persian).وزارت کشور [Ministry of the Interior].کمیسیون سیاسی دفاعی هیأت دولت [Political Defense Commission of the Government Board].شناسه [ID] BFE3F1C5-C528-405A-89E9-00D820CB3944.شماره دوره [Course number] 88. Archived fromthe original on 20 December 2023. Retrieved29 September 2025.
^abسرشماري عمومي نفوس و مسكن 1385 : استان آذربایجان غربی [General Population and Housing Census 2006: West Azerbaijan Province].مرکز آمار ایران [Statistical Centre of Iran] (in Persian). Archived fromthe original(Excel) on 20 September 2011. Retrieved25 September 2022.
^abسرشماري عمومي نفوس و مسكن 1390 : استان آذربایجان غربی [General Population and Housing Census 2011: West Azerbaijan Province].Iran Data Portal—Syracuse University (in Persian).مرکز آمار ایران [Statistical Centre of Iran]. Archived fromthe original(Excel) on 20 January 2023. Retrieved19 December 2022.
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