Rasht

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Rasht

Rasht (also transcribed as Resht) is the capital of Gilan province in northwestern Iran. It is a major trade center between Caucasia, Russia and Iran using the port of Bandar-e Anzali. Rasht is also a major tourist center. Rasht had an estimated population of 560,123 in 2005. ^*

Geography and climate

Rasht or Resht, city in northwestern Iran, capital of Gīlān Province, on a branch of the Sefid River, near the Caspian Sea. It is a commercial, distribution, and manufacturing center situated in an agricultural region. Principal products include processed food, silk, soap, and metal, glass, and jute items. Rasht (originally Gīlān) University was established here in 1977. The community was probably settled in the 13th century. Rasht suffered severe damage during both World War I (1914-1918) and World War II (1939-1945). Population (1996) 417,748.

Rasht is nestled between the coast of the Caspian Sea and the slopes of the Alborz mountain range on a branch of the Sefid River. It is situated 317 km by road north-west of Tehran and is approximately 30 km from the Caspian Sea. Rasht is humid, rainy, and windy. A northwest wind blows from the Caspian Sea (to the southeast). Rasht receives about 1000-1200 mm of annual precipitation in the form of rain. It seldom, drops below freezing, and the average maximum temperature in 1996 was 20.9 degrees Celsius. Due to its splendid fresh weather, Rasht is visted by many Iranians every year.

Language

Gilaki is spoken by more than 3.000.000 people. The vast majority of the speakers live in the Gilan Province of Iran. Gilaki belongs to the northwestern branch of the Iranian languages. The Iranian languages form a top-level constituent of the Indo-European language family. It is closely related to Mazanderani and is subdivided into various dialects: Rashti, Lahijani, Langerudi,etc.

Gilaki is an oral language and has no official status in Iran.

People and culture

The people speak Gilaki, Persian, Taleshi, and Azeri.

Colleges and universities

- Gilan University of Mofid
- University of Gilan ^*
- Islamic Azad University of Bandar Anzali
- Islamic Azad University of Rasht
- Gilan University of Medical Sciences
- Institute of Higher Education for Academic Jihad of Rasht (موسسه آموزش عالي غيرانتفاعي جهاد دانشگاهي رشت)

History

For a more comprehensive treatment of the region, see the history section of Gilan.

Rasht was first mentioned in historical documents in 682 CE, but it is certainly older than this. It has seen the Sassanid era, the armies of Peter the Great and later Russian rulers, and British colonialism. The people of Rasht also played a major role in the Constitutional Revolution of Iran.

Timeline

682: Rasht is first mentioned in historical documents
1669: Stenka Razin, a Cossack warlord, plundered the city
1722 - 1734: occupied by Peter the Great during the Russo-Persian War, 1722-1723
1901: a major epidemic plague devastates the city.
1917 - 1920: The Russian and British armed forces fight in the port city of Bandar-e Anzali and Rasht. The British retreat and the Russians occupy the area. In 1920 Bolshevik Russians set a great fire in the bazaar, causing many citizens to go into temporary exile.
1937: a revolt, sparked by the desire to collect a "road tax" from the Russians, was suppressed
1977: Rasht University established

Notables of Rasht

Suburbs

Golsar

External links and Sources

Cities in Iran | Iranian provincial capitals

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