Larestan County is in Fars province, Iran. Its capital is the city of Lar.

History

Early history

In the medieval ages, Laristan was ruled by the local Miladian dynasty, until it was removed by a Safavid invasion in 1602 led by Allahverdi Khan. In the thirteenth century, Larestan briefly became a center of trade and commerce in southern Persia. Larestan was nearly always an obscure region, never becoming involved in the politics and conflicts of mainstream Persia. The historical region of Larestan consists of several counties in Fars province (Larestan County, Khonj County, Gerash County and Lamerd County) and Bastak County in Hormozgan province.

Administrative changes

In November 2008, Beyram, Evaz, and Gerash Districts were separated from the county in the establishment of Gerash County. However, Beyram and Evaz Districts were returned to Larestan County six months later. The village of Latifi was elevated to the status of a city, and the village of Emad Deh became the city of Emadshahr. In December 2017, the village of Dehkuyeh rose to city status. Evaz District was separated from the county in 2018 to establish Evaz County. Juyom District was separated from the county in 2021 in the establishment of Juyom County.

Demographics

Language

Larestani people speak the Larestani language. Larestani people are of Persian descent, the majority of Larestani people are Sunnis. Larestani people call themselves "Khodmooni".

Population

At the time of the 2006 census, the county's population was 223,235 in 49,571 households. The following census in 2011 counted 226,879 people in 54,686 households. The 2016 census measured the population of the county as 213,920 in 60,410 households.

Administrative divisions

Larestan County's population history and administrative structure over three consecutive censuses are shown in the following table.

Climate

Lar has a hot desert climate (BWh). Snowfall in Larestan is a very rare event. In February 2017, it snowed in this city after 50 years.