About Khuzestan Province
Khuzestan province with the centrality of Ahvaz is located in the southwest of Iran at the coast of Persian gulf and is considered to be the center of oil and gas production in Iran. In terms of having different subcultures, Khuzestan province is the most diverse in Iran. Bakhtiaris, native Arabs, Persians, Lurs and etc reside in Khuzestan. Khuzestan province is the richest province of Iran in terms of oil and gas reservoirs, exports of which are the main source of revenue for the country at the moment. Khuzestan is of the provinces that suffered so much damage during the eight years of war and has lost much both socially and economically. Kuzestan province, due to its ancient history and being the cradle of civilization has many historical monuments. Chogha Zanbil, which is registered in the list of UNESCO World Heritage is only one of these precious monuments. Also the Shushtar Hydraulic System which is world renowned and is also registered by UNESCO, is another of these important historical monuments which is quite rare in terms of its engineering. Elamite civilization is a part of this ancient territory.
The seat of the province has for the most of its history been in the northern reaches of the land, first at Susa (Shush) and then at Shushtar. During a short spell in the Sasanian era, the capital of the province was moved to its geographical center, where the river town of Hormuz-Ardasher, founded over the foundation of the ancient Hoorpahir by Ardashir I, the founder of the Sasanian Dynasty in the 3rd century CE. This town is now known as Ahvaz. However, later in the Sasanian time and throughout the Islamic era, the provincial seat returned and stayed at Shushtar, until the late Qajar period. With the increase in the international sea commerce arriving on the shores of Khuzistan, Ahvaz became a more suitable location for the provincial capital. The River Karun is navigable all the way to Ahvaz (above which, it flows through rapids). The town was thus refurbished by the order of the Qajar king, Naser al-Din Shah and renamed after him, Nâseri. Shushtar quickly declined, while Ahvaz/Nâseri prospered to the present day.
Currently, Khuzestan has 18 representatives in Iran’s parliament, the Majlis, and 6 representatives in the Assembly of Experts. Khuzestan is known for its ethnic diversity; the population of Khuzestan consists of Lurs, Iranian Arabs, Qashqai people, Afshar tribe, indigenous Persians and Iranian Armenians.Khuzestan’s population is predominantly Shia Muslim, but there are small Christian, Jewish and Sunni minorities.Half of Khuzestan’s population is Lurs. Since the 1920s, tensions on religious and ethnic grounds have often resulted in violence and attempted separatism, including an uprising in 1979, unrest in 2005, bombings in 2005–06 and protests in 2011, drawing much criticism of Iran by international human rights organizations.
Most Popular Tourist Attractions Of Khuzestan Province