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  • 21 Aug, 2019

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Birjand
Birjand (Persian: بیرجند; [biːɾˈdʒæːnd] ) is a city in the Central District of Birjand County, South Khorasan province, Iran, and serves as capital of both the county and the district. The city is known for its saffron, barberry, jujube, and handmade carpet exports.

At the 2006 census, the population of the city was 157,848 in 41,341 households. The following census in 2011 counted 178,020 people in 48,130 households. The 2016 census showed a population of 203,636 people in 57,745 households.

History

Cossacks in Birjand, circa 1909.

The first citation of the city in the historical literature belongs to the famous book Mojem Alboldan, by Yaqut Homavi (13th century) which introduces the Birjand as the most beautiful town in the Qohestan. Before this, Birjand had been probably not as big and important as a municipality but rather as a rural community. However, the Birjand geographical area had its historical and political importance long before the emergence of the city of Birjand. Many citations of the region are available in the original literature like Ehya -ol- Molook of the once important localities in the area. Apart from literature, the oldest evidence on the history of the region is the ancient Lakh-Mazar inscription in the Kooch village some 25 km (16 mi) southeast of Birjand. Numerous fine drawings and inscriptions are carved on an igneous rock surface. The inscriptions include pictograms as well as Arsacid Pahlavi, Sasanian Pahlavi, Arabic and Persian scripts.

Climate

Birjand has a cold semi-arid climate (Köppen climate classification BSk) with hot summers and cool winters and a significant difference between day and night temperatures. Precipitation falls mostly in winter and spring.

Climate data for Birjand (1955-2010)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 25.0
(77.0) 		27.0
(80.6) 		32.0
(89.6) 		36.0
(96.8) 		40.6
(105.1) 		43.0
(109.4) 		44.0
(111.2) 		43.0
(109.4) 		40.0
(104.0) 		36.0
(96.8) 		29.0
(84.2) 		27.0
(80.6) 		44.0
(111.2)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 11.0
(51.8) 		13.5
(56.3) 		18.7
(65.7) 		24.8
(76.6) 		30.5
(86.9) 		35.0
(95.0) 		35.8
(96.4) 		34.5
(94.1) 		31.8
(89.2) 		26.6
(79.9) 		19.6
(67.3) 		13.6
(56.5) 		24.6
(76.3)
Daily mean °C (°F) 4.3
(39.7) 		6.7
(44.1) 		11.6
(52.9) 		17.2
(63.0) 		22.2
(72.0) 		26.4
(79.5) 		27.8
(82.0) 		25.8
(78.4) 		22.0
(71.6) 		16.9
(62.4) 		10.9
(51.6) 		6.2
(43.2) 		16.5
(61.7)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) −2.3
(27.9) 		-0
(32) 		4.5
(40.1) 		9.7
(49.5) 		13.8
(56.8) 		17.9
(64.2) 		19.8
(67.6) 		17.1
(62.8) 		12.3
(54.1) 		7.2
(45.0) 		2.2
(36.0) 		−1.1
(30.0) 		8.4
(47.2)
Record low °C (°F) −21.5
(−6.7) 		−17.6
(0.3) 		−12
(10) 		−4.5
(23.9) 		0.0
(32.0) 		7.0
(44.6) 		10.2
(50.4) 		6.0
(42.8) 		1.0
(33.8) 		−5.6
(21.9) 		−11
(12) 		−15.8
(3.6) 		−21.5
(−6.7)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 31.3
(1.23) 		32.4
(1.28) 		35.1
(1.38) 		31.6
(1.24) 		7.1
(0.28) 		0.3
(0.01) 		0.1
(0.00) 		0.2
(0.01) 		0.0
(0.0) 		2.6
(0.10) 		8.4
(0.33) 		19.7
(0.78) 		168.8
(6.64)
Average rainy days 7.9 8.3 9.2 8.0 3.6 0.7 0.4 0.2 0.3 1.6 3.3 6.3 49.8
Average snowy days 2.6 1.7 0.3 0.2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.1 1.1 6
Average relative humidity (%) 57 55 46 38 27 21 21 22 22 28 39 52 36
Mean monthly sunshine hours 196.3 188.3 211.4 231.8 303.4 334.8 347.2 349.3 298.2 286.0 229.6 195.8 3,172.1
Source 1: NOAA (1961–1990)(precipitation, humidity, sunshine hours)
Source 2: [1] (records, temperature normals)

Official services

Municipality

In 1931, Birjand Municipality was opened under the name of Birjand Municipality next to the tomb of Hakim Nazari and started its activities with 12 employees. The first mayor of Birjand was Mr. Afshar, who served as mayor for six years.

University

In 1975, following Dr. Mohammad Hassan Ganji, the Birjand Institute of Higher Education was established in the Assadollah Alam Endowment Collection. This university started with the admission of 120 students in the fields of mathematics, physics and chemistry and is now officially known as Birjand University.

Airport

In 1933, due to the political and military situation of Birjand city and the east of the country, Birjand airport was established on a 150-hectare land in the north of the city.

Customs

In 1938, in order to facilitate the transportation, export and import of goods to the subcontinent of India and Afghanistan, the Birjand Customs Office was established and started its activities with two customs units, Dareh and Gezik.

Imam Reza Hospital

In 1948, Imam Reza Hospital was established in one of the lands and endowments belonging to the Alam family, known as Bagh-e Anari. In addition to accepting patients in Birjand city, this hospital also accepted other patients in southern cities of Khorasan province.

Education

It is said that the Shokatiyeh School in Birjand together with Darolfonoon in Tehran were the first modern public schools of higher education in Iran in the mid-19th century. Ever since then, Birjand has amassed an abundance of institutions of higher education and become an important location for research and development.

The city contains such universities and academic institutions as:

Aerial view of Birjand, 2006

Notable people

Band Darreh, 5km South of Birjand

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Birjand.