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Globalization Visions
by Gilan
Business Owners
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Gilan,
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Gilan
in Few lines.
Covering an area of 13,952
square kilometers, Gilan province is located in the north of Iran,
stretching between the Alborz and Talesh Mountain Ranges.
According to the latest divisions of the country in the year 1996,
the townships of the province are: Astara,
Astaneh
Ashrafieh, Bandar
Anzali, Rasht, Roudbar,
Roudsar, Somiehsara,
Fooman, Lahijan,
Langerood, Talesh
and Shaft. Rasht is the
provincial capital. Gilan province, shares borders with the
provinces of Ardabil
on the west, Mazandaran on the east, Zanjan
to the south and the Caspian Sea and the Republic of Azarbayjan
to the north.
In the year 1996, this
province had a population of approximately 2.2 million, of which
46.8% were registered as urban dwellers and 53.2% as rural
dwellers. Stretching from the east to west are the mountainous
regions of Talesh, Masooleh, Poshtkooh as well as the Alborz
Mountain Ranges, which itself is composed of western,central and
eastern parts. The western Alborz surrounds the province like a
wall, and its highest peak is called 'Fak' or 'Dolfak' meaning an
eagle's nest. The plains of the province extend between the
mountainous areas and the sea, reaching an altitude of 100 m.
above sea level. These are divided into three main parts named as,
Talesh, eastern and western Gilan.
Gilan enjoys a climate known
as 'moderate Caspian'. The same has emerged from the influence of
currents of both the Alborz Mountains and the Caspian Sea. The
Talesh Mountains being in a north to south direction, and the
Alborz mountains in an east to west direction. These serve as a
barrier against the humid north-west Caspian winds and withholds
the penetration of wind bearing vapors towards Iran's mainland,
causing heavy rainfall in the northern provinces of Iran. However,
freezing temperatures are seldom reported in the coastal areas.
The amount of rainfall in Gilan, depends on the winds bearing
vapor that blow from the north west in winter, from the east in
spring and from the west in summer and autumn.
These winds carry the vapor
and humidity towards the plains causing heavy and prolonged
rainfalls. In the year 1996, the average rainfall in Rasht
was reported as 1015.4 mm. with 156 rainy and 20 frosty days. The
average minimum and maximum temperatures were reported as 11 C and
20.9 C respectively.
History
The history of Gilan is not very clear till the 6th century BC. or
till the time that the Greek historians clarified some sections of
Iranian history. But archaeological excavations show that the
antiquity of the territory in the southern parts of the Caspian
Sea dates back to the time prior to the last Ice Age, estimated
around 50-150 millennium BC. Some historians believe that human
civilization has emerged from the southern coasts of the Caspian
Sea, extending westwards specially towards Mesopotamia.
Historical records of the
Gilan civilization
dates to several millennium BC. During this
period, the 'Kasis' or the resident tribes of this region migrated
to other areas for attaining better lands. Meanwhile, some groups
of migrant tribes including Aryans migrated to this region due to
climatic changes and the increase of frigidity in their territory.
Due to the mingling of migrant tribes with the indigenous
residents of the region, several new clans were formed, of which,
the two tribes of 'Gill and 'Daylam' formed a majority. In the 6th
century BC, the inhabitants of Gilan allied with Koorush (Cyrus)
the Achaemenian and overthrew the Medes.
On the defeat of the
Achaemenian Dynasty by Alexander the Macedonian, Iran came under
their control. Thereafter, the Seleucidians took over the power.
At that time, the local governors ruled independently. In the
Sassanide era, Gilan lost its independence to some extent and
Ardeshir Babakan overcame the local governors. During the Abbasid
Caliphate, the Alavian (Shi'ites) who lived in the mountainous
areas of Daylam, tried to severe the control of the Abbasid
Caliphs from Iran. Consequently, the two united. Around the year
290 AH., the people of Gilan accepted the Shi'ite religion and
tried to expand it. In this period some dynasties having Gilani
and Daylami origins appeared on the historical scene in Iran.
One of the most dynasties as
such was the 'Al Bouyeh', who even attacked Baqdad, the capital of
the Abbasid Calipahte, and defeated the Abbasid Caliph. In the 7th
century AH., the Mongols tried to conquer Gilan. But due to
geographical conditions and lack of accessibility, they failed to
get there till the early 8th century AH. Finally, Soltan Mohammad
Khodabaneh or 'Oljaito' temporarily conquered this territory.
The Gilacks also
payed an important role in the Constitutional Revolution in Iran.
They conquered Tehran
after two days of the attack of Mohammad Ali Shah in 1908 AD.
Moreover, their contribution to the movement of ' Mirza Koochak
Khan Jangali'or the 'Jungle Movement' and accounts as a glorious
event in the history of this region.
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