Gilan Province

Iran / Gilan / Rasht /
 region, province, invisible, first-level administrative division, draw only border, Russian Civil War
Gilan (Persian: گیلان, Gīlān) is one of the northern provinces of Iran. It lies along the Caspian Sea, just west of Mazandaran province, east of Ardabil province and north of Zanjan and Qazvin provinces. The center of the province is the city of Rasht. Other towns in the province include Astara, Astaneh-e Ashrafiyyeh, Fuman, Lahijan, Langrud, Masouleh, Rudbar, Roudsar, Talesh, and Soumahe Sara. The main harbor port of the province is Bandar-e Anzali.

Gilan's position in between the Tehran-Baku trade route has established the cities of Bandar-e Anzali and Rasht as ranking amongst the most important commercial centers in Iran. As a result, the merchant and middle-classes comprise a significant percentage of the population.

Gilan has a humid temperate climate with plenty of annual rainfall. The Alborz range provides further diversity to the land in addition to the Caspian coasts. Large parts of the province are mountainous, green and forested. The coastal plain along the Caspian Sea is similar to that of Mazandaran, mainly used for rice paddies.

The majority of the population speaks Gilaki as their first language while many children, particularly in the cities, tend to use Standard Persian amongst themselves. In the northern part of Gilan, Talyshi is widespread. The Kurdish language is used by some Kurds that has moved from Khorasan to Amarlu region, while the language spoken in Rudbar is Tati.

Gilan has an annual average of 2 million tourists, mostly domestic. Iran's Cultural Heritage Organization has listed 211 sites of historical and cultural significance in the province. The main tourist attraction in Gilan is the small town of Masouleh in the hills south-east of Rasht. The town is built not dissimilar to the pueblo settlements, with the roof of one house being the courtyard of the next house above.
Wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gīlān_Province
Nearby cities:
Coordinates:   37°31'49"N   49°33'43"E

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  • Just Gilan