Concept
Mazandaran province (, Ostân-e Mâzandarân; Mâzerun) is one of the 31 provinces of Iran, located along the southern coast of the Caspian Sea and in the adjacent Central Alborz mountain range, in central-northern part of the country. The province covers an area of 23,842 km2. It was founded in 1937. At the time of the 2006 National Census, the province had a population of 2,893,087 in 783,169 households. The following census in 2011 counted 3,073,943 people in 931,007 households. At the most recent census in 2016, the population had risen to 3,283,582 in 1,084,798 households. Mazandaran province is one of the most densely populated provinces in Iran The province has diverse natural resources, notably large reservoirs of oil and natural gas. The diverse natural habitats of the province include plains, prairies, forests and rainforest stretching from the sandy beaches of the Caspian Sea to the rugged and snowcapped Alborz sierra, including Mount Damavand, one of the highest peaks and volcanoes in Asia. Mazandaran is a major producer of farmed fish, and aquaculture provides an important economic addition to traditional dominance of agriculture. Another important contributor to the economy is the tourism industry, as people from all of Iran enjoy visiting the area. Mazandaran is also a fast-growing centre for biotechnology. Mazandaran (Shahnameh) Literally "the gate or the valley of the giants" from مازن (mâzan) + در (dar) + ـان (ân), from Avesta (mazainiia). The name has been used in to refer to a land inhabited by divs or (daevas) and sorcerers and is difficult to conquer. In Mazandaran, there are places named Div Asiyab, Div Cheshmeh, Div Kela, Div Hamam, etc. Human habitation in the area dates back at least 75,000 years. Recent excavations in Gohar Tape in Rostamkola provide proof that the area has been urbanized for more than 5,000 years, and the area is considered one of the most important historical sites of Iran. It has played an important role in cultural and urban development of the region.
