Qeydar is a city in the Central District of Khodabandeh County, Zanjan province, Iran, serving as capital of both the county and the district.

Etymology

The city is named after the biblical figure Qedar, who was the progenitor of the Qedarite tribal confederation of North Arabia and the son of Ishmael. Qedar is revered in the Islamic traditions as an ancestor of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. The Shi'ite sect of Islam (which is predominant in Iran) believes that Qedar was a prophet. Other names for the city stemming from the same source include Geydār, Geydār Palnamnār, Ghaidar, Ghaidar Paighambar, Kedar, Keydar, Keydar-Peygambar, and Qidār Peyghāmbar.

Climate

Demographics

Population

At the time of the 2006 National Census, the city's population was 25,525 in 6,253 households. The following census in 2011 counted 30,251 people in 7,997 households. The 2016 census measured the population of the city as 34,921 people in 10,028 households.

Main sights

The Mausoleum of the Prophet Qeydar is located in the city and is believed to entomb the remains of the city's namesake.