IranMap

Iran with Tehran as capital city consists of 31 provinces covering an area of 1,648,000 sq km. It has 2,440 km coastline and a 740 km coast along The Caspian Sea and shares a 5,440 km land border with 8 other countries.

The 31 provinces (استان) each governed from a local center, usually the largest local city, which is called the capital (مرکز) of that province. The provincial authority is headed by a Governor-General (Ostandar)

Below is listed all provinces with provincial capital and their Counties (Shahrestans):

Iran Cities and states

Week 14-2012, Weekly Photos Selection, from IranMap-Flickr group

Sunrize in Caspian sea - طلوع خزر

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Caspian sea, North of Iran - by ngh131

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Sizdahbedar, Sizdah Be-dar or 13 Bedar (Persian سیزده بدر ) [(in English: Getting rid of the Thirteenth)] is a ceremony in Persian Culture on the Thirteenth Day of Farvardin (the first month of Iranian calendar). Most of the times Sizdah Bedar coincides with the first day of April. Sizdah is the Persian term for thirteen. It has been a national tradition since ancient times in Iran. Sizdah Bedar also traces back to the era of legendary king Jamshid who celebrated this outdoor festival.

According to researcher Mohammad Ahmad Panahi Semnaani, “The essence of the Sizdah Bedar ceremonies is the enthusiasm to set up a family, lead a happy life and form friendship. By growing sprouts, ancient Iranians expressed their spirit for green environment and seek further divine blessings in the form of rain for their farmlands. Iranians believed that the Demon of Drought was defeated at midday of Sizdah Bedar.”

Sizdah Bedar has also its roots in the Zoroastrian belief that laughter and joy symbolize the throwing away of all bad thoughts. According to Zoroastrianism, the bad thoughts are coming from the Devil Angra Mainyu (Ahriman) and the celebrations of New Year and Sizdah Bedar will cleanse all bad thoughts. Avesta, the holy scripture of the Zoroastrian faith, recalls that all those who love purity were responsible for celebrating Sizdah Bedar to help the Angel of Goodness prevail over the earth in the struggle against the Evil and the Devil.

Sizdah bedar celebrations stem from the ancient Persians’ belief that the twelve constellations in the Zodiac controlled the months of the year, and each ruled the earth for a thousand years at the end of which the sky and earth collapsed in chaos. Hence Nowruz lasts twelve days and the thirteenth day represents the time of chaos when families put order aside and avoid the bad luck associated with the number thirteen by going outdoors and having picnics and parties.

At the end of the celebrations on this day, the sabzeh grown for the Haft Seen (which has symbolically collected all sickness and bad luck) is thrown into running water to exorcise the demons (divs) from the household. It is also customary for young single women to tie the leaves of the sabzeh before discarding it, so expressing a wish to be married before the next year’s Sizdah Bedar.

Another tradition associated with this day is Dorugh-e Sizdah, literally meaning “the lie of the thirteenth”, which is the process of lying to someone and making them believe it (similar to April Fools Day).. Sizdah Bedar is a day to celebrate people’s friendship with nature and it shows that the Iranians have attached to and have been fond of the natural beauties of the environment all throughout their glorious history.