Yazd Province

Iran / Yazd /
 province, first-level administrative division, draw only border

Yazd (Persian: یزد) is one of the 30 provinces of Iran, located in the central part of the country. It borders Isfahan, Semnan and Razavi Khorasan provinces in the north, Fars and Isfahan provinces in the west, Kerman province in the south and Razavi and South Khorasan provinces in the east. Yazd is the fourth largest province in Iran, with an area of 129,285 and the 23rd most populous, with a population of only 958,318 (2005). It has 10 counties and its center is the city of Yazd.

Being located beside the central mountains, far from the sea, adjacent to the kavir and in the shadow rainy region, Yazd has a climate which mostly resembles dry desert climate. Little rain along with high water evaporation, relatively low dampness, heat and great temperature changes are among the factors making this province, one of the driest parts of Iran. The only moderating climatic factor is elevation and hence, notably that of nearby Shirkuh (4000 m).

In the course of history, due to its distance from important capitals and its harsh natural surrounding, Yazd remained immune to major troops' movements and destruction from wars; therefore it kept many of its traditions, city forms and architecture until recent times. During the invasion of Genghis Khan in the early 13th century, Yazd became a safe haven and home for many artists, intellectuals, and scientists fleeing their war ravaged cities across Persia. Yazd was visited by Marco Polo in 1272, who described it as a good and noble city and remarked its silk production industry.

The word Yazd means feast and worship. The city of Yazd has resisted the modern urbanization changes and has so far maintained its traditional structure. The geographical features of this region have prompted residents to develop special architectural styles. For this reason, in the older part of the city most houses are built of adobe and have domed roofs (gonbad). These materials serve as an excellent insulation preventing heat from passing through. The existence of special ventilation structures, called Badgirs is a distinctive feature of the architecture of this city. A Badgir is a high structure on the roof under which, in the interior of the building, there is a small pool.

Zoroastrians have traditionally been populous in Yazd. Even now, roughly ten percent of the town's population, according to some estimates, adhere to this ancient religion.
Nearby cities:
Coordinates:   32°29'5"N   55°21'31"E

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