Razavi Khorasan province {{efn|Also romanized as Ostân-e Xorâsân-e Razavi; also {{lang|fa|خراسان مرکزی}}, romanized as Xorâsân-e Markazi {English: Central Khorasan Province}} is one of the 31 provinces of Iran, located in northeastern Iran. Its capital is the city of Mashhad, the second-most-populous city in Iran. Razavi Khorasan is one of the three provinces that were created after the division of Khorasan Province in 2004. In 2014, it was placed in Region 5 with Mashhad as the location of the region's secretariat.

History

The Greater Khorasan has witnessed the rise and fall of many dynasties and governments in its territory throughout history. Various tribes of the Arabs, Turks, Kurds and Turkmens brought changes to the region time and time again. Ancient geographers of Iran divided Iran ("Ērānshahr") into eight segments of which the most flourishing and largest was the territory of Greater Khorasan. Esfarayen, among other cities of the province, was one of the focal points for residence of the Aryan tribes after entering Iran. The Parthian Empire was based near Merv in Khorasan for many years. During the Sassanid dynasty, the province was governed by a Spahbod (Lieutenant General) called "Padgošban" and four margraves, each commander of one of the four parts of the province. Khorasan was divided into four parts during the Muslim conquest of Persia, each section being named after one of the four largest cities, Nishapur, Merv, Herat, and Balkh. In the year 651, the army of the Rashidun Caliphate conquered Khorasan. The territory remained under the rule of the Abbasid Caliphate until 820, followed by the rule of the Iranian Tahirid dynasty until 873, and the Samanid dynasty in 900. Khorasan was the largest province of Iran until it was divided into three provinces on 29 September 2004. The provinces approved by the parliament of Iran (on 18 May 2004) and the Council of Guardians (on 29 May 2004) were Khorasan-e Razavi, North Khorasan, and South Khorasan.

Demographics

Ethnicity

The major ethnic group in this region are Persians, there are other sizeable communities such as Khorasani Kurds, Khorasani Turks, Turkmens and Khorasani Baloch.

Population

At the time of the 2006 National Census, the province's population was 5,515,980 in 1,426,187 households. The following census in 2011 counted 5,994,402 people in 1,716,314 households. The 2016 census measured the population of the province as 6,434,501 in 1,938,703 households.

Administrative divisions

The population history and structural changes of Razavi Khorasan province's administrative divisions over three consecutive censuses are shown in the following table.

Cities

According to the 2016 census, 4,700,924 people (over 72% of the population of Razavi Khorasan province) live in the following cities: The following sorted table lists the most populous cities in Razavi Khorasan according to 2016 Census results announced by Statistical Center of Iran. After Mashhad, Nishapur, Sabzevar, and Torbat-e Heydarieh are the most populous cities of the province.

Archaeological sites

The main archeological sites discovered in this province include:

Kohandezh hills

Excavations conducted by an American team between 1935 and 1940 in Nishapur discovered museum-worthy objects, which were shared with the government of the Shah. The Metropolitan Museum of Art's publications document its own Nishapur ceramics from those excavations. For half a century after 1945 the site of Nishapur was ransacked to feed the international market demand for early Islamic works of art. Nowadays, the Kohandezh hills reveal the remains from those excavations.

Shadiyakh

Shadiyakh was an important palace in old Nishapur up to the 7th century, and became more important and populated after that. The palace was completely ruined in the 13th century. It was the home of notables such as Farid al-Din Attar, whose tomb is found in Shadiyakh.

Attractions

This province contains many historical and natural attractions, such as mineral water springs, small lakes, recreational areas, caves and protected regions, and various hiking areas. Besides these, Khorasan encompasses numerous religious buildings and places of pilgrimage, including the shrine of Imam Reza, Goharshad mosque and many other mausoleums and Imamzadehs which attract visitors to this province. The Cultural Heritage of Iran lists 1179 sites of historical and cultural significance in all three provinces of Khorasan. Some of the popular attractions of Khorasan-e Razavi are:

Mashhad

Nishapur

Sabzevar

Kashmar

Khalilabad

Torbat-e Jam

Gonabad

Sarakhs

Bardaskan

Bajestan

Taybad

Rivash

Colleges and universities

Gallery