View source for Hamadan province

{{short description|Province of Iran}}
{{distinguish|Hamadan County}}
{{for multi|the city|Hamadan|other places with a similar name|Hamadan (disambiguation){{!}}Hamadan}}
{{pp-move-indef}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name                    = Hamadan Province
| native_name             = {{native name|fa|استان همدان}}
| settlement_type         = [[Provinces of Iran|Province]]
| image_skyline           = {{multiple image
| border      = infobox
| total_width = 300
| perrow      = 1/1/2/2/2
| image1      = آرامگاه شیخ الرئیس ابوعلی سینا 15.jpg
| alt1        = Avicenna
| image2      = گنجنامه- همدان.jpg
| alt2        = Ganjnameh 
| image3      = Babataher tomb and monument.jpg
| alt3        = Babataher tomb
| image4      = گنبد علویان2.jpg
| alt4        = Alaviyan Dome
| image5      = راه اهن ملایر.jpg
| alt5        = Malayer Railway Station
| image6      = Farasfaj caravanserai 20190507 15.jpg
| alt6        = Farasfaj caravanserai 
}}
| image_alt               = 
| image_caption           = 
| image_map               = IranHamadan-SVG.svg
|image_map1               = 
|map_caption              = Location of Hamadan Province within Iran
|map_caption1             = 
| coordinates                     = {{coord|34|45|N|48|30|E|dim:120km|display=inline, title}}
| coor_pinpoint                   = 
| coordinates_footnotes           = <ref>{{Cite map |author=((OpenStreetMap contributors)) |url=https://www.openstreetmap.org/?mlat=34.75&mlon=48.5&zoom=9#map=9/34.750/48.500|website=[[OpenStreetMap]] |title=Hamadan Province|date=14 November 2024|access-date=14 November 2024|lang=fa}}</ref>
| subdivision_type        = Country
| subdivision_name        = [[Iran]]
| subdivision_type1       = [[Regions of Iran|Region]]
| subdivision_name1       = [[Regions of Iran|Region 4]]
| parts_type              = [[Counties of Iran|Counties]]
| parts_style             = para
| p1                      = 10
| established_title       = 
| established_date        = 
| founder                 = 
| seat_type               = Capital
| seat                    = [[Hamadan]]
| government_footnotes    = 
| leader_party            = [[Independent politician|Independent]]
| leader_title            = [[List of current Iran governors-general|Governor-general]]
| leader_name             = [[Hamid Mollanouri Shamsi]]<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=معرفی استان همدان|url=https://www.ostan-hm.ir/archives/archivenewss/news/governorsmessage/%D9%BE%DB%8C%D8%A7%D9%85-%D8%A7%D8%B3%D8%AA%D8%A7%D9%86%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%B1-%D9%87%D9%85%D8%AF%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%A8%D9%87-%D9%85%D9%86%D8%A7%D8%B3%D8%A8%D8%AA-%D9%87%D9%81%D8%AA%D9%87-%D8%AF%D9%88%D9%84%D8%AA.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210927071444/https://ostan-hm.ir/archives/archivenewss/news/governorsmessage/%D9%BE%DB%8C%D8%A7%D9%85-%D8%A7%D8%B3%D8%AA%D8%A7%D9%86%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%B1-%D9%87%D9%85%D8%AF%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%A8%D9%87-%D9%85%D9%86%D8%A7%D8%B3%D8%A8%D8%AA-%D9%87%D9%81%D8%AA%D9%87-%D8%AF%D9%88%D9%84%D8%AA.html|archive-date=2021-09-27|access-date=|website=Ministry of Culture Website|url-status=dead}}</ref>
| leader_title1           =
| leader_title2           =
| unit_pref               = Metric<!-- or US or UK -->
| area_footnotes          = 
| area_total_km2          = 19493 
| area_note               = 
| elevation_footnotes     = 
| elevation_m             = 
| population_footnotes    = <ref name="2016 Hamadan Province"/>
| population_total        = 1738234
| population_as_of        = 2016
| population_density_km2  = auto
| population_demonym      = 
| population_note         = 
| timezone1               = [[Iran Standard Time|IRST]] 
| utc_offset1             = +03:30
| postal_code_type        = 
| postal_code             = 
| area_code_type          = 
| area_code               = 081
| iso_code                = 
| blank_name_sec1         = [[Languages of Iran|Main language(s)]]
| blank_info_sec1         = [[Persian language|Persian]], [[Azerbaijani language|Azerbaijani]], [[Luri language|Luri]], [[Kurdish language|Kurdish]]
| blank1_name_sec1        = [[Human Development Index|HDI]] (2017)
| blank1_info_sec1        = 0.775<ref name="GlobalDataLab">{{Cite web|url=https://hdi.globaldatalab.org/areadata/shdi/|title=Sub-national HDI - Area Database - Global Data Lab|website=hdi.globaldatalab.org|language=en|access-date=2018-09-13}}</ref><br />{{color|#0c0|high}} · [[List of Iranian provinces by Human Development Index|22nd]]
| website                 = {{URL|https://www.ostan-hm.ir/|Official website of Hamadan Governorship}}
| footnotes               = 
}}

'''Hamadan Province''' ({{langx|fa|استان همدان}}){{efn|Also [[romanize]]d as '''Ostān-e Hamadān'''}} is one of the [[provinces of Iran|31 provinces]] of Iran. Its capital is the city of [[Hamadan]].<ref name="Hamadan Province Structure">{{cite report|title=Approval of the organization and chain of citizenship of the elements and units of the national divisions of Hamadan Province, centered in Hamadan city|language=fa|website=lamtakam.com|url=https://lamtakam.com/law/council_of_ministers/113025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240211122913/https://lamtakam.com/law/council_of_ministers/113025|publisher=Ministry of the Interior, Political Defense Commission of the Government Board|last=Habibi|first=Hassan|archive-date=11 February 2024|orig-date=Approved 12 September 1990|date=c. 2024|id=Proposal 3233.1.5.53; Letter 93808-907; Notification 82834/T134K|access-date=11 February 2024}}</ref> In the [[Zagros Mountains]], the province covers an area of 19,546&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>.

== History ==
[[Image:Inscription pierre GanjNameh hamedan.jpg|thumb|right|The [[Achaemenid]] inscriptions of "Ganj-nameh".]]
[[Image:Rython boz.jpg|thumb|right|Golden Rhyton, [[Achaemenid]] period, excavated in Hamadan.]]
Hamadan province is one of the most ancient parts of Iran and its civilization. Relics of this area confirm this fact. Today's Hamedan is what is left of [[Ecbatana]], the [[Medes]]' capital before they formed a union with the Persians. The poet [[Ferdowsi]] says that Ecbatana was built by King Jamshid.

According to historical records, there was once a castle in this city by the name of Haft Hessar (Seven Walls) which was said to have a thousand rooms and its grandeur equalled that of the Babylon Tower.

The structures of city are related to ''Diya Aku'', a King of the [[Medes]] from 700 BC. According to Greek records, this territory was called 'Ekbatan' and 'Hegmataneh' by this King, thus transformed into a huge capital.

During the [[Parthia]]n era, [[Ctesiphon]] became capital of Persia, and Hamedan became the summer capital and residence of the Parthian rulers. After the Parthians, the [[Sassanid]]s constructed their summer palaces in Hamedan as well.

In the year 633 when the war of [[Nahavand]] took place and Hamadan came into the hands of the invading Arabs, at times it thrived and at times it declined and witnessed hardships. During the reign of the [[Buwayhids]], it suffered plenty of damage. In the 11th century, the [[Seljuks]] shifted their capital from [[Baghdad]] to Hamadan once again.

The city of Hamadan was always at risk during the rise and fall of powers. It was completely destroyed during the [[Timurid dynasty|Timurid]] invasion. However, during the [[Safavid]] era the city thrived once more. In the 18th century, Hamadan surrendered to the [[Ottoman Turks|Ottomans]], but Hamadan was retaken by [[Nader Shah Afshari]], and under the peace treaty between Iran and the Ottomans it was returned to Iran.

The city of Hamadan lay on the [[Silk Road]] and even in recent centuries enjoyed good prospects in commerce and trade being on the main road network in the western region of [[Iran]].

According to local Jewish traditions, the City of Hamedan is mentioned in the [[Bible]], as the capital of Ancient Persia in the days of King [[Ahasuerus]] in the [[Book of Esther]]. It was then known as [[Shushan]]. The Tombs of [[Mordecai]] and [[Esther]] are located in modern-day Hamadan.

==Demographics==
=== Language ===
In the city of Hamadan itself, most people speak [[Persian language|Persian]].<ref name="Adka'i 2003"/> It is also spoken in some county centers.<ref name="HamadanStats">{{cite web |url=http://www.Hamadanpolitic.ir/Group.aspx |title=Hamedan provinces - Population and ethnicites |access-date=August 30, 2016}}{{dead link|date=August 2016|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} accessed on March 12, 2006. Replaced with Archive link on February 22, 2010.</ref><ref name="Ethnic">[http://www.hamedanmiras.ir/en_site/mardom-zaban.htm جمعيت و قوميتها] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060406032146/http://www.hamedanmiras.ir/en_site/mardom-zaban.htm |date=2006-04-06 }}</ref> Persian is also used as a [[lingua franca]] in other areas.<ref name="Adka'i 2003"/> In the northern part of the province, most people speak [[Azerbaijani language|Azerbaijani]], and in the west, near Kermanshah and Kurdistan provinces, people speak [[Kurdish language|Kurdish]].<ref name="Adka'i 2003"/><ref>{{Cite book |last=Shabani-Jadidi |first=Pouneh |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yq7uDwAAQBAJ |title=The Routledge Handbook of Second Language Acquisition and Pedagogy of Persian |date=2020-07-16 |page=475 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-0-429-82106-6 |language=en}}</ref> [[Luri language|Luri]] and [[Laki language|Laki]] are also spoken in the southern areas, such as Malayer, Nahavand, and [[Samen]].<ref name="Adka'i 2003"/>

{{bar box|title=Hamadan linguistic composition<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020 |title=Language distribution: Hamadan Province |url=http://iranatlas.net/index.html?module=module.language-distribution.hamadan# |access-date=11 April 2022}}</ref>|titlebar=#ddd|left1=language|right1=percent|float=|bars={{bar percent|[[Turkic languages|Turkic]]|red|35.00}}
{{bar percent|[[Persian language|Persian]]|lime|34.10}}
{{bar percent|[[Luri language|Luri]]|purple|21.01}}
{{bar percent|[[Kurdish languages|Kurdish]]|green|8.33}}
{{bar percent|Other, mixed|grey|1.56}}}}

===Religion===
The population of Hamadan province is overwhelmingly Muslim, with 99.88% of residents being Muslims as of 1996.<ref name="Zanjani 2003"/> Mostly Shia Muslim, with small populations of Sunni and Zoroastrian.

===Population===
As of 1996, Hamadan province had a population of 1,667,957 people, in 342,084 households.<ref name="Zanjani 2003">{{cite web |last1=Zanjani |first1=Habibollah |title=HAMADĀN ii. POPULATION  |url=https://iranicaonline.org/articles/hamadan-ii |website=Encyclopaedia Iranica |access-date=14 October 2022}}</ref> A little under half these people (about 811,000, or 48.3%) lived in urban areas.<ref name="Zanjani 2003"/> About half of this group lived in the city of Hamadan itself.<ref name="Zanjani 2003"/> There has been increased urbanization since the 1990s.<ref name="Zanjani 2003"/> About 868,000 people lived in rural villages.<ref name="Zanjani 2003"/> About 10,000 people belonged to migratory tribes that spent either the summer (9,128 people) or winter (837 people) in the province.<ref name="Zanjani 2003"/> The largest tribe that summers in Hamadan province is the [[Tork Yaram]] tribe, with 7,234 members, while the largest tribe that winters in the province is the [[Torkashvand]] tribe, with 608 members.<ref name="Zanjani 2003"/> As of 1996, there were 1,122 rural villages in the province, with an average population of 773 people.<ref name="Zanjani 2003"/> This average is over twice the national average for village size.<ref name="Zanjani 2003"/> The population density was 86 people per square kilometer.<ref name="Zanjani 2003"/>

Hamadan province has usually had net emigration, except during the [[Iran-Iraq War]] when it took in a large number of refugees.<ref name="Zanjani 2003"/> This continuing emigration partly offsets the natural growth rate due to births.<ref name="Zanjani 2003"/>

Slightly over 77% of the province's population was literate as of 1996 (83.1% for men and 71.3% for women).<ref name="Zanjani 2003"/> By this point, however, literacy was much higher in the younger population because access to [[primary education]] had increased - for example, the 6-10 age group had a literacy rate of 96.2% for boys and 94.9% for girls.<ref name="Zanjani 2003"/> Of the literate population, 53.3% had attended school up to the primary level, 40.2% had attended up to high school, and 4.2% had attended higher education.<ref name="Zanjani 2003"/>

Average household size was 4.85 members as of 1996.<ref name="Zanjani 2003"/> 67.31% of sedentary, non-communal households consisted of the head of household, spouse, and children; 9.13% consisted of a married couple with no children; 5.1% consisted of a single parent with children; and the remaining 18.5% were other types of households.<ref name="Zanjani 2003"/> A total of 8.9% of households had a woman as head of household, and 81.8% of heads of households were employed.<ref name="Zanjani 2003"/>

As of 1996, the province had no households living in tents, barracks, or "other makeshift forms of housing".<ref name="Zanjani 2003"/> 98.8% of households had access to electricity and 82.8% had access to piped water.<ref name="Zanjani 2003"/> 44.2% of households had bathrooms, but there was a significant discrepancy between urban (72.1%) and rural (14.5%) households in this regard.<ref name="Zanjani 2003"/> 22.7% of households had telephones in their homes; again, this was significantly higher in urban areas (38.3%) than in rural ones (14.5%).<ref name="Zanjani 2003"/> In terms of homeownership, 78.8% of households owned their houses while 10.5% were lease holders.<ref name="Zanjani 2003"/>

As of 1997, the average annual urban household income was 11,707,000 [[Iranian rial|rial]]s and the average expenses were 10,317,000 rials or 88% of the income.<ref name="Zanjani 2003"/> For rural households, average income was 7,550,000 rials and average expenses were 6,933,000 rials or 92% of the income.<ref name="Zanjani 2003"/>

At the time of the 2006 National Census, the province's population was 1,674,595 in 427,675 households.<ref name="2006 Hamadan Province">{{cite report|title=Census of the Islamic Republic of Iran, 1385 (2006): Hamadan Province|language=fa|publisher=The Statistical Center of Iran|website=amar.org.ir|url=http://www.amar.org.ir/DesktopModules/FTPManager/upload/upload2360/newjkh/newjkh/13.xls|access-date=25 September 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110920093712/http://www.amar.org.ir/DesktopModules/FTPManager/upload/upload2360/newjkh/newjkh/13.xls|format=Excel|archive-date=20 September 2011}}</ref> The following census in 2011 counted 1,758,268 people in 506,191 households.<ref name="2011 Hamadan Province">{{cite report|title=Census of the Islamic Republic of Iran, 1390 (2011): Hamadan Province|language=fa|publisher=The Statistical Center of Iran|website=irandataportal.syr.edu|via=Iran Data Portal, Syracuse University|url=https://irandataportal.syr.edu/wp-content/uploads/Hamadan.xls|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230117164705/https://irandataportal.syr.edu/wp-content/uploads/Hamadan.xls|archive-date=17 January 2023|access-date=19 December 2022|format=Excel}}</ref> In 2014, Hamadan Province was placed in [[Regions of Iran|Region 4]].<ref>{{Cite news|date=22 June 2014|title= همشهری آنلاین-استان‌های کشور به ۵ منطقه تقسیم شدند (Provinces were divided into 5 regions)|language=fa|newspaper=Hamshahri Online|url=http://www.hamshahrionline.ir/details/263382/Iran/-provinces|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140623191332/http://www.hamshahrionline.ir/details/263382/Iran/-provinces|archive-date=23 June 2014|url-status=live}}</ref> The 2016 census measured the population of the province as 1,738,234 in 538,803 households.<ref name="2016 Hamadan Province">{{cite report|title=Census of the Islamic Republic of Iran, 1395 (2016): Hamadan Province|language=fa|publisher=The Statistical Center of Iran|website=amar.org.ir|url=https://www.amar.org.ir/Portals/0/census/1395/results/abadi/CN95_HouseholdPopulationVillage_13.xlsx|access-date=19 December 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210421224006/https://www.amar.org.ir/Portals/0/census/1395/results/abadi/CN95_HouseholdPopulationVillage_13.xlsx|format=Excel|archive-date=21 April 2021}}</ref>

=== Administrative divisions ===

The current province of Hamadan used to form a part of [[Kermanshah Province]].<ref name="Adka'i 2003"/> At the 1956 census, the territory of the province belonged to four different governorships (''farmān-dāri''): Hamadan, Malayer, and Nahavand, and Tuyserkan.<ref name="Adka'i 2003"/> By the 1966 census, the general governorship (''farmān-dāri-e koll'') of Hamadan had been created.<ref name="Adka'i 2003"/> By the 1976 census, the general governorship had been upgraded to province status.<ref name="Adka'i 2003"/>

[[File:Hamadan.svg|340px]]

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

{| class="wikitable"
|+ Hamadan Province
|-
! Counties !! 2006<ref name="2006 Hamadan Province"/> !! 2011<ref name="2011 Hamadan Province"/> !! 2016<ref name="2016 Hamadan Province"/>
|-
| [[Asadabad County|Asadabad]] || style="text-align: right;" | 104,566 || style="text-align: right;" | 107,006 || style="text-align: right;" | 100,901
|-
| [[Bahar County|Bahar]] || style="text-align: right;" | 121,590 || style="text-align: right;" | 123,869 || style="text-align: right;" | 119,082
|-
| [[Dargazin County|Dargazin]]{{efn|Separated from [[Razan County]] after the 2016 census<ref name="Dargazin County Establishment">{{cite report|title=Letter of approval regarding country divisions in Razan County of Hamadan province|language=fa|website=qavanin.ir|via=Laws and Regulations Portal of the Islamic Republic of Iran|url=https://qavanin.ir/Law/TreeText/264375|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230731192503/https://qavanin.ir/Law/TreeText/264375|publisher=Ministry of the Interior, Council of Ministers|last=Jahangiri|first=Ishaq|archive-date=31 July 2023|date=c. 2023|orig-date=Approved 8 December 1397|id=Proposal 189350|access-date=19 October 2023}}</ref>}}|| style="text-align: right;" | — || style="text-align: right;" | — || style="text-align: right;" | —
|-
| [[Famenin County|Famenin]]{{efn|Separated from [[Hamadan County]] after the 2006 census<ref name="Famenin County Establishment">{{cite report|title=Letter of approval regarding national divisions in Hamadan province|language=fa|website=rc.majlis.ir|via=Research Center of the System of Laws of the Islamic Council of the Farabi Library of Mobile Users|url=https://rc.majlis.ir/fa/law/show/135753|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130830211041/https://rc.majlis.ir/fa/law/show/135753|archive-date=30 August 2013|publisher=Ministry of the Interior, Council of Ministers|last=Davodi|first=Parviz|date=9 June 1392|orig-date=Approved 3 March 1388|id=Proposal 4/1/42/185908; Notification 81785/42296AH|access-date=12 February 2024}}</ref>}} || style="text-align: right;" | — || style="text-align: right;" | 42,485 || style="text-align: right;" | 39,359
|-
| [[Hamadan County|Hamadan]] || style="text-align: right;" | 626,183 || style="text-align: right;" | 651,821 || style="text-align: right;" | 676,105
|-
| [[Kabudarahang County|Kabudarahang]] || style="text-align: right;" | 137,919 || style="text-align: right;" | 143,171 || style="text-align: right;" | 126,062
|-
| [[Malayer County|Malayer]] || style="text-align: right;" | 285,272 || style="text-align: right;" | 287,982 || style="text-align: right;" | 288,685
|-
| [[Nahavand County|Nahavand]] || style="text-align: right;" | 178,683 || style="text-align: right;" | 181,711 || style="text-align: right;" | 178,787
|-
| [[Razan County|Razan]] || style="text-align: right;" | 111,120 || style="text-align: right;" | 116,437 || style="text-align: right;" | 107,587
|-
| [[Tuyserkan County|Tuyserkan]] || style="text-align: right;" | 109,262 || style="text-align: right;" | 103,786 || style="text-align: right;" | 101,666
|-
| '''Total''' || style="text-align: right;"| '''1,674,595''' || style="text-align: right;"| '''1,758,268''' || style="text-align: right;"| '''1,738,234'''
|}

=== Cities ===
Among the major cities of the province are [[Asadabad, Iran|Asadabad]], [[Bahar, Iran|Bahar]], [[Famenin]], [[Hamadan]], [[Kabudarahang]], [[Malayer]], [[Nahavand]], [[Razan]], and [[Tuyserkan]].

According to the 2016 census, 1,097,217 people (over 63% of the population of Hamadan province) live in the following cities:<ref name="2016 Hamadan Province"/>

{| class="wikitable sortable"
! City !! Population
|-
| [[Ajin, Asadabad|Ajin]] || style="text-align: right;" | 2,738
|-
| [[Asadabad, Iran|Asadabad]] || style="text-align: right;" | 55,703
|-
| [[Azandarian]] || style="text-align: right;" | 11,171
|-
| [[Bahar, Iran|Bahar]] || style="text-align: right;" | 28,685
|-
| [[Barzul]] || style="text-align: right;" | 2,457
|-
| [[Damaq]] || style="text-align: right;" | 3,231
|-
| [[Famenin]] || style="text-align: right;" | 14,208
|-
| [[Farasfaj]] || style="text-align: right;" | 1,526
|-
| [[Firuzan]] || style="text-align: right;" | 5,173
|-
| [[Giyan]] || style="text-align: right;" | 8,186
|-
| [[Gol Tappeh, Hamadan|Gol Tappeh]] || style="text-align: right;" | 2,237
|-
| '''[[Hamadan]]''' || style="text-align: right;" | '''554,406'''
|-
| [[Jowkar, Iran|Jowkar]] || style="text-align: right;" | 2,258
|-
| [[Juraqan]] || style="text-align: right;" | 9,234
|-
| [[Kabudarahang]] || style="text-align: right;" | 20,336
|-
| [[Lalejin]] || style="text-align: right;" | 14,916
|-
| [[Malayer]] || style="text-align: right;" | 170,237
|-
| [[Maryanaj]] || style="text-align: right;" | 10,848
|-
| [[Mohajeran]] || style="text-align: right;" | 7,331
|-
| [[Nahavand]] || style="text-align: right;" | 76,162
|-
| [[Qahavand]] || style="text-align: right;" | 2,970
|-
| [[Qorveh-e Darjazin]] || style="text-align: right;" | 9,540
|-
| [[Razan]] || style="text-align: right;" | 14,275
|-
| [[Salehabad, Hamadan|Salehabad]] || style="text-align: right;" | 7,899
|-
| [[Samen]] || style="text-align: right;" | 3,873
|-
| [[Sarkan]] || style="text-align: right;" | 4,081
|-
| [[Shirin Su]] || style="text-align: right;" | 2,460
|-
| [[Tuyserkan]] || style="text-align: right;" | 50,455
|-
| [[Zangeneh, Hamadan|Zangeneh]] || style="text-align: right;" | 621
|}

== Geography ==
[[File:Hamadan Topography.PNG|thumbnail|Hamadan province topography map]]
Hamadan province is located in western Iran, in the eastern reaches of the [[Zagros  Mountains]].<ref name="Adka'i 2003">{{cite web |last1=Adka'i |first1=Parviz |title=HAMADĀN i. GEOGRAPHY |url=https://iranicaonline.org/articles/hamadan-i |website=Encyclopaedia Iranica |access-date=12 October 2022}}</ref> It covers about 1.2% of Iran's total land area and shares borders with six other provinces.<ref name="Adka'i 2003"/> To the north, the province borders [[Qazvin province|Qazvin]] and [[Zanjan province|Zanjan]] provinces, with the [[Kharaqan]] Mountains forming a natural boundary.<ref name="Adka'i 2003"/> The eastern border is with [[Markazi province]].<ref name="Adka'i 2003"/> In the south, [[Mount Garu]] forms the natural border with [[Lorestan province]].<ref name="Adka'i 2003"/> Finally, Hamadan province's western neighbors are [[Kermanshah province|Kermanshah]] and [[Kordestan province|Kordestan]] provinces.<ref name="Adka'i 2003"/>

In general, Hamadan province is a mountainous region.<ref name="Adka'i 2003"/> The [[Alvand]] range, just south of the city of Hamadan, forms the highest point.<ref name="Adka'i 2003"/> Its summit reaches 3,580&nbsp;m above sea level.<ref name="Adka'i 2003"/> The lowest point in the province is 1,420&nbsp;m above sea level, in the valley of the [[Gamasiab]] river near Nahavand.<ref name="Adka'i 2003"/> Most of the province's rivers originate in the [[snowmelt]] on Mount Alvand and then flow north or south.<ref name="Adka'i 2003"/> During the summer, when there is practically no rain, all but the largest rivers either dwindle to parched streams or dry up entirely.<ref name="Adka'i 2003"/> There are two major plains in the province: one in the northeast and east, stretching from Hamadan north to [[Avaj]] in Qazvin province, and the other in the south, between Tuyserkan to Malayer.<ref name="Adka'i 2003"/>

In the past, much of the current province's area was covered with light oak forests, but [[deforestation]] in historical times has reduced the forest cover to just 4,100 [[hectare]]s, mostly in the valleys of Mount Alvand.<ref name="Adka'i 2003"/> The vast majority of the province is currently covered by either farmland (950,000 hectares, or about 48% of its total land area) or pastures (905,000 hectares, or almost 46%).<ref name="Adka'i 2003"/>

=== Mountains ===
Besides Mount Alvand, Mount Garu, and the Kharaqan range, Hamadan province contains the following major mountains:<ref name="Adka'i 2003"/>
*[[Mount Lashgardar]], southeast of Malayer; reaches a height of 2,928&nbsp;m<ref name="Adka'i 2003"/>
*[[Mount Khangurmaz]], in [[Korzan Rud Rural District|Korzanrud rural district]] northwest of Tuyserkan; reaches a height of 2,868&nbsp;m<ref name="Adka'i 2003"/>
*[[Mount Siahdarreh]], northwest of Tuyserkan; reaches a height of 2,818&nbsp;m<ref name="Adka'i 2003"/>
*[[Mount Safid Kuh]], in [[Darjazin-e Olya Rural District|Darjazin-e Olya rural district]] northeast of Hamadan<ref name="Adka'i 2003"/>
*[[Mount Garma]] and [[Mount Sarma]], both near Malayer<ref name="Adka'i 2003"/>
*[[Mount Almuqulak]], between Asadabad and Bahar; reaches a height of 2,997&nbsp;m<ref name="Adka'i 2003"/>
*[[Mount Buqati]], about 85&nbsp;km northeast of Hamadan in [[Sardrud District|Sardrud district]]
*[[Mount AqDagh]], in 55 km of north of [[Kabudrahang]] is the biggest mount in this city .

=== Rivers ===
The rivers that flow north and east from Mount Alvand are largely seasonal; they carry far less water in the summer if they flow at all.<ref name="Adka'i 2003"/> The main ones are the [[Talvar River|Talvar]] and the [[Qarachay]].<ref name="Adka'i 2003"/> The Talvar is ultimately a tributary of the [[Safidrud]], the longest river in Iran.<ref name="Adka'i 2003"/> It begins on the slopes of the Kuh-e Safid, in the northwest of the province.<ref name="Adka'i 2003"/> The Qarachay, which is also called the Siahrud, begins in the Alvand highlands between Hamadan and Malayer.<ref name="Adka'i 2003"/> It receives several tributaries in the northern Alvand area, including the [[Siminarud]], the [[Khaku River|Khaku]], and the [[Farjin]].<ref name="Adka'i 2003"/> It then flows eastward and eventually reaches [[Lake Qom]] in Markazi province.<ref name="Adka'i 2003"/>

The main rivers south of the Alvand range are the [[Gamasiab]], which is another name for the [[Karkheh River]] in its upper stages, and the [[Qelqelrud]], which is itself a tributary of the Gamasiab.<ref name="Adka'i 2003"/> The Gamasiab rises southeast of Nahavand, near the lowest point in the province.<ref name="Adka'i 2003"/> It crosses the Nahavand plain before receiving the Malayer and Qelqelrud as tributaries and eventually crosses the Zagros to the southwest.<ref name="Adka'i 2003"/>

The most important dam in the province is the [[Ekbatan Dam]] (formerly called the Shahnaz Dam), which was built in 1963 on the [[Yalfan River]] some 10&nbsp;km southeast of Hamadan.<ref name="Adka'i 2003"/> Its reservoir has a capacity of 12 million cubic meters and it provides 2,400 liters of water per second, which is mostly used for agricultural irrigation.<ref name="Adka'i 2003"/>

=== Climate ===
Hamadan province typically has relatively long, cold winters and mild summers.<ref name="Adka'i 2003"/> There are usually between 120 and 140 days of frost throughout the year, and mountains are snow-covered for 6–8 months of the year.<ref name="Adka'i 2003"/> Temperature extremes range from -32&nbsp;°C in winter to 39&nbsp;°C in summer, but average temperatures usually range between -4&nbsp;°C in December and 25&nbsp;°C in July.<ref name="Adka'i 2003"/> The weather is generally milder the further south one goes.<ref name="Adka'i 2003"/> During the winter, the northern plains are exposed to strong winds that blow 4 meters per second on average.<ref name="Adka'i 2003"/> These winds are humid and are also accompanied by rainfall.<ref name="Adka'i 2003"/> The province receives above-average rainfall, typically averaging 315&nbsp;mm in a year.<ref name="Adka'i 2003"/> Almost no rain falls during the summer, between June and September.<ref name="Adka'i 2003"/>

=== Wildlife ===
In the valleys between the province's mountains, there are springs and small lakes that form "semi-autonomous ecosystems" as home for [[bird migration|migratory birds]].<ref name="Adka'i 2003"/> For example, the seasonal marsh of Talab-e Aqgol, 20&nbsp;km south of Malayer, is visited by 10 to 20 thousand birds every year during their route from the wetlands of [[Siberia]] and [[Scandinavia]] to warmer regions.<ref name="Adka'i 2003"/> These birds live here for 4 to 5 months out of the year.<ref name="Adka'i 2003"/> Among the birds that take part in this migration are [[geese]], [[duck]]s, [[heron]]s, [[crane (bird)|crane]]s, and [[aigrette]]s.<ref name="Adka'i 2003"/>

Several wildlife reserves in the province are home to other bird and mammal species.<ref name="Adka'i 2003"/> Larger birds include [[royal eagle]]s, [[golden eagle]]s, [[falcon]]s, [[hawk]]s, [[owl]]s, [[vulture]]s; and larger mammals include wild goats, [[ibex]]es, wild boars, wolves, foxes, [[jackal]]s, and [[hyena]]s.<ref name="Adka'i 2003"/> There are about 100 each of wolves, foxes, and jackals in the province, and the hyena population is about 20.<ref name="Adka'i 2003"/> These numbers have been fairly stable, and in general [[Predation#Population dynamics|the population levels of predators and prey]] are balanced.<ref name="Adka'i 2003"/>

== Economy ==
Because of its above-average rainfall and easy access to water, Hamadan province has a prosperous agricultural base, and agriculture forms its largest economic sector.<ref name="Adka'i 2003"/> The province contains 1.2% of the country's total land area, but 4.5% of its total farmland.<ref name="Adka'i 2003"/> There are about 950,000 [[hectare]]s of farmland in Hamadan province, which makes up about 48% of its total area.<ref name="Adka'i 2003"/> About a third of this farmland is irrigated, while the remaining two-thirds is under [[dry farming]] (in Persian: ''deym'') and has far lower crop yields.<ref name="Adka'i 2003"/> About 2.2 to 2.6 million tons of agricultural produce are produced annually in Hamadan province, which is about 4.8% of the country's total.<ref name="Adka'i 2003"/> By far the largest crop in terms of area sown is [[wheat]], with [[barley]] in a distant second.<ref name="Adka'i 2003"/> [[Potato]]es and [[sugar beet]]s, though sown over a smaller area, have extremely high yields per hectare and as a result make up large shares of the province's produce.<ref name="Adka'i 2003"/> About 6.1% of the total farmland is [[orchard]]s.<ref name="Adka'i 2003"/>

{| class="wikitable"
|+ Major agricultural products in Hamadan province (as of 1998)<ref name="Adka'i 2003"/>
|-
! Crop !! Area sown (hectares) !! Production (tons) !! Yield (tons per hectare)
|-
| [[Wheat]] || 396,497 || 604,162 || 1.52
|-
| [[Barley]] || 53,119 || 124,756 || 2.35
|-
| [[Potato]] || 13,877 || 405,828 || 29.24
|-
| [[Sugar beet]] || 10,792 || 260,775 || 24.16
|}

Hamadan province is rich in mineral resources.<ref name="Adka'i 2003"/> It is the biggest source of [[granite]] in the country, and it also has reserves of [[limestone]], [[lead]], [[iron ore]], and [[zinc]].<ref name="Adka'i 2003"/> As of 1998, the province had 142 active mines, including 52 [[sandstone]] mines, 36 [[silica]] mines, 19 [[ballas]] mines, 14 limestone mines, and 13 gemstone mines.<ref name="Adka'i 2003"/> In 2023, Ebrahim Ali Molla-Beigi, director general of the Exploration Affairs Office of the Iranian Ministry of Industries, Mining and Trade announced the discovery of 8.5 million tons of Lithium reserves in the province.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://financialtribune.com/articles/domestic-economy/117310/iran-discovers-1st-lithium-reserve |title= Iran Discovers 1st Lithium Reserve |date=1 March 2023 |accessdate=4 March 2023}}</ref>

Small-scale [[handicraft]] industry is well-established in the province.<ref name="Adka'i 2003"/> Some of the more prominent trades include [[Tanning (leather)|tanning]], carpet weaving, ceramics production, and knitting.<ref name="Adka'i 2003"/> As of 1995, there were 266 large-scale factories in the province, employing 8,620 people.<ref name="Adka'i 2003"/> These larger factories produce things like agricultural and construction machinery, [[aluminum]] products, and [[steel]].<ref name="Adka'i 2003"/> [[Food processing]] facilities include dairy products, canned fruits, sugar, and soft drinks.<ref name="Adka'i 2003"/> Textiles, plastics, and household goods are also produced in the province.<ref name="Adka'i 2003"/>

== Attractions ==
[[File:Ekbatan Dam 3.jpg|250px|thumb|Ekbatan Dam]]
The [[Iran National Heritage List]] lists 442 sites of historical and cultural significance located in Hamadan, thus making the province a rich one in terms of historical attractions.

Some of the most popular tourist attractions are:
*[[Baba Tahir Mausoleum, Hamadan|The tomb]] of poet [[Baba Taher]]
*Inscriptions of [[Darius the Great]] and [[Xerxes I]] at [[Ganjnameh]]
*[[Tomb of Esther and Mordecai|The tomb]] of [[Esther]] and [[Mordecai]]
*[[Ali-Sadr Cave]]
*[[Avicenna Mausoleum|The mausoleum]] of [[Avicenna]]
*Waterfall of Ganjnameh
*[[Hamadan Stone Lion|Stone Lion of Hamadan]]
*{{ill|Abass Abad Hill|fa|تپه عباس‌آباد}}
*{{ill|Qurban Tower|fa|برج قربان}}
*[[Alaviyan Dome]]
*Eram Park
*[[Ecbatana]], ancient capital of the [[Media (region)|Median]] empire
*{{ill|Imam Square, Hamadan|fa|میدان امام همدان|lt=Imam Square}}, formerly Pahlavi Square
*[[Alvand]] Mountain
*Grand Bazaar of Mozaffarieh

== Colleges and universities ==
* [[Bu-Ali Sina University]]
* [[Hamedan Medical University]]<ref>{{Cite web | url=http://www.umsha.ac.ir/ | title=سايت اصلي - دانشگاه علوم پزشكي همدان | access-date=21 December 2008 | archive-date=19 August 2020 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200819043300/http://umsha.ac.ir/ | url-status=dead }}</ref>
* Hamedan University of Technology<ref>{{Cite web | url=http://www.hut.ac.ir/ | title=دانشگاه صنعتی همدان | access-date=14 November 2007 | archive-date=16 September 2009 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090916040145/http://www.hut.ac.ir/ | url-status=dead }}</ref>
* Islamic Azad University of Hamedan<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.iauh.ac.ir/ |title=Archived copy |website=www.iauh.ac.ir |access-date=11 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050308083048/http://www.iauh.ac.ir/ |archive-date=8 March 2005 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
* Islamic Azad University of Nahavand
* Islamic Azad University of Toyserkan<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.toyserkaniau.ac.ir/ |title=دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی واحد تویسرکان |website=www.toyserkaniau.ac.ir |access-date=2 February 2022 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20090307183724/http://www.toyserkaniau.ac.ir/ |archive-date=7 March 2009 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
* Malayer University<ref>{{Cite web | url=http://www.malayeru.ac.ir/ | title=پورتال دانشگاه ملایر}}</ref>
* Payam Noor University of Bahar
* Payam Noor University of Hamedan
* Payam Noor University of Kabootar Ahang
* Payam Noor University of Nahavand
* Payam Noor University of Razan
* Payam Noor University of Toyserkan

==See also== 

{{clear}}

== Notes ==
{{notelist}}

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* [http://www.ostan-hm.ir/ Official website of Hamadan Governorship]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20050529232627/http://www.hamedanmiras.ir/ Hamadan Cultural Heritage Organization]
* [http://www.hegmataneh.ir/ Official website of Hegmataneh (Ecbatana)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080422030307/http://www.hegmataneh.ir/ |date=2008-04-22 }}
* {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20070313124653/http://www.iranica.com/newsite/articles/v11f6/v11f6023.html Hamedān]}} entries in the {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20061019004703/http://www.iranica.com/newsite/home/index.isc ''Encyclopædia Iranica'']}}

{{Geographic location
|Centre    = Hamedan province
|North     = [[Zanjan province]]
|Northeast = [[Qazvin province]]
|East      = [[Markazi province]]
|Southeast = 
|South     = [[Lorestan province]]
|Southwest = [[Kermanshah province]]
|West      = 
|Northwest = [[Kurdistan province]]
}}

{{Authority control}}
{{Provinces of Iran}}
{{Hamadan Province}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hamedan Province}}
[[Category:Hamadan province| ]]
[[Category:Provinces of Iran]]