View source for Kerman province

{{Short description|Province of Iran}}
{{distinguish|Kerman County}}{{About|the province in Southeast Iran|the province with a similar name|Kermanshah province|the city|Kerman}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name                            = Kerman Province
| native_name                     = {{native name|fa|استان کرمان}}
| settlement_type                 = [[Provinces of Iran|Province]]
| image_skyline                   = {{multiple image
| border      = infobox
| total_width = 300
| perrow      = 1/1/2/2/2
| image1      = 010213-Kerman-IMG 0354-2.jpg
| alt1        = Arg-e-Bam
| image2      = Jardín del Príncipe, Mahan, Irán, 2016-09-22, DD 24.jpg
| alt2        = Shazdeh Garden
| image3      = Ganjali khan bath 3 Duplicate تصویر اصلی.jpg
| alt3        = Ganjali khan bath
| image4      = 97A3424.jpg
| alt4        = Fath Abad Garden
| image5      = Meymand - A Village in stones روستای میمند کرمان- خانه های دست کند در دل صخره های سنگی^؛ - panoramio.jpg
| alt5        = Meymand 
| image6      = بارگاه شاه نعمت الله Shah Nemat-o-llah shrine - panoramio (1).jpg
| alt6        = Shah Nemat-o-llah shrine
}}
| image_alt                       = 
| image_caption                   =
| image_map                       = IranKerman-SVG.svg
| image_map1                      = 
| map_alt                         = 
| map_caption                     = Location of Kerman province within Iran
| coordinates                     = {{coord|29|13|N|57|26|E|dim:240km|display=inline, title}}
| coor_pinpoint                   = 
| coordinates_footnotes           = <ref>{{Cite map |author=((OpenStreetMap contributors)) |url=https://www.openstreetmap.org/?mlat=29.216667&mlon=57.433333&zoom=8#map=8/29.217/57.433|website=[[OpenStreetMap]] |title=Kerman Province|date=2 December 2024|access-date=2 December 2024|lang=fa}}</ref>
| subdivision_type                = Country
| subdivision_name                = [[Iran]]
| subdivision_type1               = [[Regions of Iran|Region]]
| subdivision_name1               = [[Regions of Iran|Region 5]]
| parts_type                      = [[Counties of Iran|Counties]]
| parts_style                     = para
| p1                              = 25
| established_title               = 
| established_date                = 
| founder                         = 
| seat_type                       = Capital
| seat                            = [[Kerman]]
| government_footnotes            = 
| leader_party                    = [[Independent politician|Independent]]
| leader_title                    = [[List of current Iran governors-general|Governor-general]]
| leader_name                     = [[Mohammad Ali Talebi]]
| leader_title1                   =
| leader_title2                   =
| unit_pref                       = Metric<!-- or US or UK -->
| area_footnotes                  = 
| area_total_km2                  = 183285
| area_note                       = 
| elevation_footnotes             = 
| elevation_m                     = 192
| population_footnotes            = <ref name="2016 Kerman Province"/>
| population_total                = 3164718
| 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                       = 
| iso_code                        = IR-08
| blank_name_sec1                 = [[Languages of Iran|Main language(s)]]
| blank_info_sec1                 = [[Persian language|Persian]]
| blank1_name_sec1                = [[Human Development Index|HDI]] (2017)
| blank1_info_sec1                = 0.778<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|20th]]
| website                         = [http://gov.kr.ir/ www.gov.kr.ir]
| footnotes                       = 
| official_name                   = 
}}

'''Kerman province''' ({{langx|fa|استان کرمان}}){{efn|Also [[romanize]]d as '''Ostān-e Kermān'''}} is the largest of the 31 [[provinces of Iran]]. Its capital is the city of [[Kerman]].<ref name="Kerman Province Structure">{{cite report|title=Approval of the organization and chain of citizenship of the elements and units of the national divisions of Kerman province, centered in the city of Kerman|language=fa|website=lamtakam.com|via=Lam ta Kam|url=https://lamtakam.com/law/council_of_ministers/113033|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240130210435/https://lamtakam.com/law/council_of_ministers/113033|publisher=Ministry of the Interior, Defense Political Commission of the Government Council|last=Habibi|first=Hassan|archive-date=30 January 2024|date=c. 2024|orig-date=Approved 21 June 1369|id=Proposal 3233.1.5.53; Letter 907-93808; Notification 82812/T139K|access-date=30 January 2024}}</ref>

The province is in the southeast of Iran. In 2014 it was placed in [[Regions of Iran|Region 5]].<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> Mentioned in ancient times as the [[Achaemenid]] satrapy of [[Carmania (satrapy)|Carmania]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/carmania-region-east-of-fars-province|title=CARMANIA|work=iranicaonline.org}}</ref> Kerman province has an area of {{convert|183285|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}}, encompassing nearly 11% of the land area of Iran.<ref>http://www.sci.org.ir/content/userfiles/_sci_en/sci_en/sel/year85/f1/CS_01_4.HTM{{dead link|date=May 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

==History==
{{stack|[[File:Bronze flag, Shadad Kerman, Iran.JPG|thumb|upright 0.6|Bronze [[flag]], [[Shahdad]] [[Kerman]], [[Iran]], 3rd millennium BC]]}}{{see also|Qutlugh-Khanids}}According to a text from the 8th century commontly attributed to the [[Armenians|Armenian]] historian [[Movses Khorenatsi]], present-day Kerman province was situated in the southern quarter of the [[Sasanian Empire]]. The main city of the region from the Sasanian era to the 10th century was [[Sirjan]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite journal|last=Bosworth|first=C. E.|date=2013|title=KERMAN v. HISTORY FROM THE ISLAMIC CONQUEST TO THE COMING OF THE MONGOLS|url=https://iranicaonline.org/articles/kerman-05-islamic-conquest|journal=[[Iranica Online]]}}</ref>

Early Muslim geographers considered the area as part of the hot climatic zone and the mountainous interior as home of predatory people including the Kufečs (or Kofejān). [[Hamdallah Mustawfi]] stated that predatory beasts roamed the area which by then had undergone forestation.<ref name=":1"/>

In the 13th century it came under the rule of the [[Qutlugh-Khanids]] founded by ethnic [[Khitan people|Khitans]], than under the [[Mongol Empire]]. It was under the [[Timurid empire]] in 15th century.

==Demographics==
=== Language ===
The main languages of Kerman province are [[Persian language|Persian]] and [[Garmsiri language|Garmsiri]]. Smaller languages include [[Achomi language|Achomi]], [[Turkic languages|Turkic]] dialects and a Median-type [[dialect]] spoken by the [[Persian Jews|Jewish]] and [[Zoroastrianism|Zoroastrian]] communities.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|last=Borjian|first=Habib|date=2017|title=KERMAN xvi. LANGUAGES|work=[[Iranica Online]]|url=https://iranicaonline.org/articles/kerman-16-languages#prettyPhoto|access-date=16 December 2021}}</ref>

The Persian varieties can be considered one single [[Western Iranian languages|Kermani]] accent and they are sufficiently close to [[Standard Persian]] which they share intelligibility with.<ref name=":0" />

===Population===
At the time of the 2006 National Census, the province's population was 2,584,834 in 612,996 households.<ref name="2006 Kerman Province">{{cite report|title=Census of the Islamic Republic of Iran, 1385 (2006): Kerman 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/08.xls|access-date=25 September 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110920093605/http://www.amar.org.ir/DesktopModules/FTPManager/upload/upload2360/newjkh/newjkh/08.xls|format=Excel|archive-date=20 September 2011}}</ref> The 2011 census recorded a population of 2,938,988 people (1,482,339 male and 1,456,649 female) in 785,747 households. Urban areas accounted for 1,684,982 people, whereas 1,242,344 lived in rural vicinities; 6,082 were non-residents.<ref name="2011 Kerman Province">{{cite report|title=Census of the Islamic Republic of Iran, 1390 (2011): Kerman 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/Kerman.xls|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230329231518/https://irandataportal.syr.edu/wp-content/uploads/Kerman.xls|archive-date=29 March 2023|access-date=19 December 2022|format=Excel}}</ref> The 2016 census measured the population of the province as 3,164,718 in 932,721 households. 

The capital city of Kerman, with a population of 537,718, comprises about 29% of the provincial urban population of 1.85 million, being the most developed and largest city of the province.<ref name="2016 Kerman Province">{{cite report|title=Census of the Islamic Republic of Iran, 1395 (2016): Kerman 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_08.xlsx|access-date=19 December 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201020091047/https://www.amar.org.ir/Portals/0/census/1395/results/abadi/CN95_HouseholdPopulationVillage_08.xlsx|format=Excel|archive-date=20 October 2020}}</ref>

=== Administrative divisions ===
[[File:Kerman.svg|320px]]

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

{| class="wikitable"
|+ Kerman Province
|-
! Counties !! 2006<ref name="2006 Kerman Province"/> !! 2011<ref name="2011 Kerman Province"/> !! 2016<ref name="2016 Kerman Province"/>
|-
| [[Anar County|Anar]]{{efn|Separated from [[Rafsanjan County]] after the 2006 census<ref name="Anar County Establishment">{{cite report|title=Approval letter regarding the creation of Anar County with the center of Anar city|language=fa|website=lamtakam.com|via=Lam ta Kam|url=https://lamtakam.com/law/council_of_ministers/135449|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240203185122/https://lamtakam.com/law/council_of_ministers/135449|publisher=Ministry of the Interior, Council of Ministers|last=Davodi|first=Parviz|archive-date=3 February 2024|date=c. 2024|orig-date=Approved 3 March 1388|id=Proposal 164712/42/4/1; Notification 53206/T39429H|access-date=3 February 2024}}</ref>}} || style="text-align: right;" | — || style="text-align: right;" | 35,295 || style="text-align: right;" | 36,897
|-
| [[Anbarabad County|Anbarabad]] || style="text-align: right;" | 113,751 || style="text-align: right;" | 85,942 || style="text-align: right;" | 82,438
|-
| [[Arzuiyeh County|Arzuiyeh]]{{efn|Separated from [[Baft County]] after the 2006 census<ref name="Arzuiyeh County Establishment">{{cite report|title=Approval letter regarding the national divisions in Baft County under the jurisdiction of Kerman province|language=fa|website=qavanin.ir|via=Laws and Regulations Portal of the Islamic Republic of Iran|url=https://qavanin.ir/Law/TreeText/177847|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230829113543/https://qavanin.ir/Law/TreeText/177847|last=Rahimi|first=Mohammad Reza|archive-date=29 August 2023|publisher=Ministry of the Interior, Council of Ministers|date=c. 2023|orig-date=Approved 1 December 1389|access-date=2 December 2024|id=Proposal 44504/42/4/1}}</ref>}} || style="text-align: right;" | — || style="text-align: right;" | 41,979 || style="text-align: right;" | 38,510
|-
| [[Baft County|Baft]] || style="text-align: right;" | 138,847 || style="text-align: right;" | 75,940 || style="text-align: right;" | 84,103
|-
| [[Bam County|Bam]] || style="text-align: right;" | 277,835 || style="text-align: right;" | 195,603 || style="text-align: right;" | 228,241
|-
| [[Bardsir County|Bardsir]] || style="text-align: right;" | 84,543 || style="text-align: right;" | 73,738 || style="text-align: right;" | 81,983
|-
| [[Fahraj County|Fahraj]]{{efn|Separated from [[Bam County]] after the 2006 census<ref name="Fahraj County Establishment">{{cite report|title=Approval letter regarding reforms and divisional changes in Kerman province|language=fa|website=lamtakam.com|via=Lam ta Kam|url=https://lamtakam.com/law/council_of_ministers/135752|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231218192015/https://lamtakam.com/law/council_of_ministers/135752|publisher=Ministry of the Interior, Council of Ministers|last=Davodi|first=Parviz|archive-date=18 December 2023|date=c. 2023|orig-date=Approved 4 June 1388|access-date=18 December 2023|id=Notification 72382/T42981H}}</ref>}} || style="text-align: right;" | — || style="text-align: right;" | 68,038 || style="text-align: right;" | 67,096
|-
| [[Faryab County|Faryab]]{{efn|Separated from [[Kahnuj County]] after the 2006 census<ref name="Faryab County Establishment">{{cite report|title=Letter of approval regarding national divisions in Kerman province|language=fa|website=qavanin.ir|via=Laws and Regulations Portal of the Islamic Republic of Iran|url=https://qavanin.ir/Law/TreeText/176954|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221003133059/https://qavanin.ir/Law/TreeText/176954|publisher=Ministry of the Interior, Board of Ministers|last=Rahimi|first=Mohammad Reza|archive-date=3 October 2022|date=c. 2022|orig-date=Approved 16 November 1389|id=Proposal 44522/42/1/4/1|access-date=2 February 2024}}</ref>}} || style="text-align: right;" | — || style="text-align: right;" | 34,417 || style="text-align: right;" | 34,000
|-
| [[Gonbaki County|Gonbaki]]{{efn|Separated from [[Rigan County]] after the 2016 census<ref name="Gonbaki County Establishment">{{cite news|title=Approval letter regarding the national divisions of Kerman province|language=fa|website=dotic.ir|via=Laws and Regulations Portal of Iran|url=https://dotic.ir/news/14362|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230627150643/https://dotic.ir/news/14362|publisher=Ministry of the Interior, Council of Ministers|last=Mokhbar|first=Mohammad|archive-date=27 June 2023|date=27 May 2023|orig-date=Approved 18 February 1402|access-date=4 July 2023|id=Proposal 65204; Notification 25362/T59007H}}</ref>}} || style="text-align: right;" | — || style="text-align: right;" | — || style="text-align: right;" | —
|-
| [[Jazmurian County|Jazmurian]]{{efn|Separated from [[Rudbar-e Jonubi County]] after the 2016 census<ref name="Jazmurian County Establishment">{{cite report|title=Letter of approval regarding the national divisions of Kerman province|language=fa|website=qavanin.ir|via=Laws and Regulations Portal of the Islamic Republic of Iran|url=https://qavanin.ir/Law/PrintText/301815|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230707173856/https://qavanin.ir/Law/PrintText/301815|publisher=Ministry of the Interior, Council of Ministers|last=Mokhbar|first=Mohammad|archive-date=7 July 2023|date=c. 2023|orig-date=Approved 24 December 1401|id=Proposal 134392|access-date=7 July 2023}}</ref>}} || style="text-align: right;" | — || style="text-align: right;" | — || style="text-align: right;" | —
|-
| [[Jiroft County|Jiroft]] || style="text-align: right;" | 181,300 || style="text-align: right;" | 277,748 || style="text-align: right;" | 308,858
|-
| [[Kahnuj County|Kahnuj]] || style="text-align: right;" | 102,269 || style="text-align: right;" | 86,290 || style="text-align: right;" | 95,848
|-
| [[Kerman County|Kerman]] || style="text-align: right;" | 654,052 || style="text-align: right;" | 722,484 || style="text-align: right;" | 738,724
|-
| [[Kuhbanan County|Kuhbanan]] || style="text-align: right;" | 24,465 || style="text-align: right;" | 21,721 || style="text-align: right;" | 21,205
|-
| [[Manujan County|Manujan]] || style="text-align: right;" | 63,270 || style="text-align: right;" | 64,528 || style="text-align: right;" | 65,705
|-
| [[Narmashir County|Narmashir]]{{efn|Separated from Bam County after the 2006 census<ref name="Narmashir County Establishment">{{cite report|title=Letter of approval regarding national divisions in Kerman province|language=fa|website=qavanin.ir|via=Laws and Regulations Portal of the Islamic Republic of Iran|url=https://qavanin.ir/Law/PrintText/176546|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230705143027/https://qavanin.ir/Law/PrintText/176546|publisher=Ministry of the Interior, Council of Ministers|last=Rahimi|first=Mohammad Reza|archive-date=5 July 2023|date=c. 2023|orig-date=Approved 23 March 1389|id=Proposal 42/4/1/44515|access-date=5 July 2023}}</ref>}} || style="text-align: right;" | — || style="text-align: right;" | 58,229 || style="text-align: right;" | 54,228
|-
| [[Qaleh Ganj County|Qaleh Ganj]] || style="text-align: right;" | 69,008 || style="text-align: right;" | 76,376 || style="text-align: right;" | 76,495
|-
| [[Rabor County|Rabor]]{{efn|Separated from Baft County after the 2006 census<ref name="Rabor County Establishment">{{cite report|title=Approval letter regarding divisional reforms and changes in Kerman province|language=fa|website=lamtakam.com|via=Lam ta Kam|url=https://lamtakam.com/law/council_of_ministers/136235|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241202204159/https://lamtakam.com/law/council_of_ministers/136235|publisher=Ministry of the Interior, Council of Ministers|last=Ahmadinejad|first=Mahmud|archive-date=2 December 2024|date=c. 2024|orig-date=Approved 5 July 1388|id=Notification 99576/T43154H|access-date=2 December 2024}}</ref>}} || style="text-align: right;" | — || style="text-align: right;" | 34,392 || style="text-align: right;" | 35,362
|-
| [[Rafsanjan County|Rafsanjan]] || style="text-align: right;" | 291,417 || style="text-align: right;" | 287,921 || style="text-align: right;" | 311,214
|-
| [[Ravar County|Ravar]] || style="text-align: right;" | 38,539 || style="text-align: right;" | 40,295 || style="text-align: right;" | 43,198
|-
| [[Rigan County|Rigan]]{{efn|Separated from Bam County after the 2006 census<ref name="Rigan County Establishment">{{cite report|title=Approval letter regarding the reforms of national divisions in Kerman province|language=fa|website=lamtakam.com|via=Lam ta Kam|url=https://lamtakam.com/law/council_of_ministers/135003|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240201145205/https://lamtakam.com/law/council_of_ministers/135003|publisher=Ministry of the Interior, Political-Defense Commission of the Government Board|last=Davodi|first=Parviz|archive-date=1 February 2024|date=c. 2024|orig-date=Approved 29 July 1386|id=Proposal 93023/42/1/4/1; Letter 58538/T26118H; Notification 161407/T38028K|access-date=1 February 2024}}</ref>}} || style="text-align: right;" | — || style="text-align: right;" | 66,335 || style="text-align: right;" | 88,410
|-
| [[Rudbar-e Jonubi County|Rudbar-e Jonubi]] || style="text-align: right;" | 86,747 || style="text-align: right;" | 104,421 || style="text-align: right;" | 105,992
|-
| [[Shahr-e Babak County|Shahr-e Babak]] || style="text-align: right;" | 100,192 || style="text-align: right;" | 90,495 || style="text-align: right;" | 103,975
|-
| [[Sirjan County|Sirjan]] || style="text-align: right;" | 239,455 || style="text-align: right;" | 267,697 || style="text-align: right;" | 324,103
|-
| [[Zarand County|Zarand]] || style="text-align: right;" | 119,144 || style="text-align: right;" | 129,104 || style="text-align: right;" | 138,133
|-
| '''Total''' || style="text-align: right;"| '''2,584,834''' || style="text-align: right;"| '''2,938,988''' || style="text-align: right;"| '''3,164,718'''
|}

=== Cities ===
{{See also|List of cities in Kerman Province by population}}
According to the 2016 census, 1,858,587 people (over 58% of the population of Kerman province) live in the following cities:<ref name="2016 Kerman Province"/>

{| class="wikitable sortable"
! City !! Population
|-
| [[Aminshahr]] || style="text-align: right;" | 4,413
|-
| [[Anar, Iran|Anar]] || style="text-align: right;" | 15,532
|-
| [[Anbarabad]] || style="text-align: right;" | 18,185
|-
| [[Anduhjerd]] || style="text-align: right;" | 4,041
|-
| [[Arzuiyeh]] || style="text-align: right;" | 6,868
|-
| [[Baft]] || style="text-align: right;" | 34,517
|-
| [[Baghin, Iran|Baghin]] || style="text-align: right;" | 10,407
|-
| [[Bahreman]] || style="text-align: right;" | 5,265
|-
| [[Balvard]] || style="text-align: right;" | 3,534
|-
| [[Bam, Iran|Bam]] || style="text-align: right;" | 127,396
|-
| [[Baravat]] || style="text-align: right;" | 22,761
|-
| [[Bardsir]] || style="text-align: right;" | 25,152
|-
| [[Bezenjan]] || style="text-align: right;" | 4,517
|-
| [[Boluk]] || style="text-align: right;" | 5,304
|-
| [[Chatrud]] || style="text-align: right;" | 5,860
|-
| [[Darb-e Behesht]] || style="text-align: right;" | 10,670
|-
| [[Dashtkar, Bardsir|Dashtkar]] || style="text-align: right;" | 3,234
|-
| [[Dehaj]] || style="text-align: right;" | 5,045
|-
| [[Dow Sari]] || style="text-align: right;" | 4,130
|-
| [[Ekhtiarabad]] || style="text-align: right;" | 9,840
|-
| [[Fahraj]] || style="text-align: right;" | 6,876
|-
| [[Faryab, Iran|Faryab]] || style="text-align: right;" | 4,863
|-
| [[Golbaf]] || style="text-align: right;" | 9,205
|-
| [[Golzar, Kerman|Golzar]] || style="text-align: right;" | 5,445
|-
| [[Gonbaki, Kerman|Gonbaki]] || style="text-align: right;" | 7,210
|-
| [[Hamashahr, Kerman|Hamashahr]] || style="text-align: right;" | 3,311
|-
| [[Hanza, Rabor|Hanza]] || style="text-align: right;" | 1,452
|-
| [[Hojedk]] || style="text-align: right;" | 1,007
|-
| [[Jebalbarez]] || style="text-align: right;" | 6,750
|-
| [[Jiroft]] || style="text-align: right;" | 130,429
|-
| [[Jowzam]] || style="text-align: right;" | 3,436
|-
| [[Jupar]] || style="text-align: right;" | 3,607
|-
| [[Kahnuj]] || style="text-align: right;" | 52,624
|-
| [[Kazemabad, Kerman|Kazemabad]] || style="text-align: right;" | 4,060
|-
| '''[[Kerman]]''' || style="text-align: right;" | '''537,718'''
|-
| [[Khanuk]] || style="text-align: right;" | 2,628
|-
| [[Khatunabad]] || style="text-align: right;" | 5,471
|-
| [[Khursand]] || style="text-align: right;" | 8,252
|-
| [[Khvajeh Shahr]] || style="text-align: right;" | 2,478
|-
| [[Kian Shahr]] || style="text-align: right;" | 4,543
|-
| [[Koshkuiyeh]] || style="text-align: right;" | 7,644
|-
| [[Kuhbanan]] || style="text-align: right;" | 10,761
|-
| [[Lalehzar, Kerman|Lalehzar]] || style="text-align: right;" | 4,429
|-
| [[Mahan, Iran|Mahan]] || style="text-align: right;" | 19,423
|-
| [[Manujan]] || style="text-align: right;" | 15,634
|-
| [[Mardehek]] || style="text-align: right;" | 2,870
|-
| [[Mes-e Sarcheshmeh]] || style="text-align: right;" | 5,967
|-
| [[Mohammadabad, Kerman|Mohammadabad]] || style="text-align: right;" | 20,720
|-
| [[Mohiabad]] || style="text-align: right;" | 3,930
|-
| [[Najaf Shahr|Najafabad]] || style="text-align: right;" | 20,164
|-
| [[Narmashir]] || style="text-align: right;" | 5,222
|-
| [[Negar]] || style="text-align: right;" | 7,600
|-
| [[Nezamshahr]] || style="text-align: right;" | 2,426
|-
| [[Nowdezh]] || style="text-align: right;" | 5,562
|-
| [[Qaleh Ganj]] || style="text-align: right;" | 13,169
|-
| [[Pariz]] || style="text-align: right;" | 8,005
|-
| [[Rabor]] || style="text-align: right;" | 13,263
|-
| [[Rafsanjan]] || style="text-align: right;" | 161,909
|-
| [[Ravar]] || style="text-align: right;" | 22,729
|-
| [[Rayen]] || style="text-align: right;" | 10,286
|-
| [[Reyhan Shahr]] || style="text-align: right;" | 4,580
|-
| [[Rudbar, Kerman|Rudbar]] || style="text-align: right;" | 14,747
|-
| [[Safayyeh]] || style="text-align: right;" | 2,478
|-
| [[Shahdad]] || style="text-align: right;" | 5,217
|-
| [[Shahr-e Babak]] || style="text-align: right;" | 51,620
|-
| [[Sirjan]] || style="text-align: right;" | 199,704
|-
| [[Yazdan Shahr]] || style="text-align: right;" | 5,607
|-
| [[Zangiabad]] || style="text-align: right;" | 8,568
|-
| [[Zarand, Iran|Zarand]] || style="text-align: right;" | 60,370
|-
| [[Zeh-e Kalut]] || style="text-align: right;" | 6,835
|-
| [[Zeydabad]] || style="text-align: right;" | 9,112
|}

=== Most populous cities ===
The following sorted table, lists the most populous cities in Kerman.<ref name="2016 Kerman Province"/>
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!Rank
!City
!County
!Population
|-
!1
|[[Kerman]]
|[[Kerman County|Kerman]]
|537,718
|-
!2
|[[Sirjan]]
|[[Sirjan County|Sirjan]]
|199,704
|-
!3
|[[Rafsanjan]]
|[[Rafsanjan County|Rafsanjan]]
|161,909
|-
!4
|[[Jiroft]]
|[[Jiroft County|Jiroft]]
|130,429
|-
!5
|[[Bam, Iran|Bam]]
|[[Bam County|Bam]]
|127,396
|-
!6
|[[Zarand, Iran|Zarand]]
|[[Zarand County|Zarand]]
|60,370
|-
!7
|[[Kahnuj]]
|[[Kahnuj County|Kahnuj]]
|52,624
|-
!8
|[[Shahr-e Babak]]
|[[Shahr-e Babak County|Shahr-e Babak]]
|51,620
|-
!9
|[[Baft]]
|[[Baft County|Baft]]
|34,517
|-
!10
|[[Bardsir]]
|[[Bardsir County|Bardsir]]
|25,152
|}

==Geography==
The altitudes and heights of the province are the continuation of the central mountain ranges of [[Iran]]. They extend from the volcanic folds beginning in [[Azerbaijan]] and, by branching out in the central plateau of Iran, terminate in Baluchestan. These mountain ranges have brought about vast plains in the province. The [[Bashagard]] and [[Kuhbonan Mountains]] are the highest in this region and include [[Summit|peaks]] such as Toghrol, Aljerd, Palvar, Sirach, Abareq and Tahrood. Other ranges that stretch out from [[Yazd]] to Kerman and [[:fa:هامون_جازموریان#/media/%D9%BE%D8%B1%D9%88%D9%86%D8%AF%D9%87:Jaz_Murian.jpg|Challeh-ye-Jazmoorian]] include high peaks like [[Hazaran]] which is 4,501 meters above sea level (ASL), [[Kuh-e Shah]] 4,402 meters ASL, Joupar, [[Mount Bahr Aseman|Bahr Aseman]] and Khabr mountain in Khabr National Park and others.

Most of the province is largely [[steppe]] or sandy desert, although there are some [[oasis|oases]] where [[Date (fruit)|dates]], [[Orange (fruit)|oranges]] (said to be the best in Iran), and [[pistachio]]s are cultivated. In antiquity "[[Carmanian]]" wine was famed for its quality [<nowiki/>[[Strabo]] XV.2.14 (cap. 726)]. The province is dependent on [[qanat]]s (underground water channels) for its irrigation. In the central parts, [[Mount Hezar]] is the highest peak, 4501 meters above sea level.

Kerman is prone to natural disasters. A recent flood for example, unearthed the archeological ancient city of [[Jiroft]], in the south of Kerman province. [[Arg-é Bam]] on the other hand, the world's largest [[adobe]] structure, was destroyed in an [[2003 Bam earthquake|earthquake in December 2003]]. On February 22, 2005, [[2005 Zarand earthquake|a major earthquake]] killed hundreds of residents in the town of [[Zarand, Iran|Zarand]] and several nearby villages in north Kerman.

==Economy==
As of 1920, the province was known for the quality of its [[caraway]].<ref name=Sykes>{{cite book|last=Sykes |first=Percy|title=A History of Persia|year=1921|publisher=Macmillan and Company|location=London|page=75 |url=http://www.wdl.org/en/item/7307/view/1/75/}}</ref> Today, Kerman is where a large portion of Iran's auto industry is based. [[Sirjan]], a specially designated economic zone, is considered a passageway for transfer of imported commercial goods from the south (through the [[Persian Gulf]]). 

Arg e Jadid, is another specially designated economic zone of Iran, located in Kerman province. 

Furthermore, Kerman province is famous for its abundance of pistachio fields both in the city itself and surrounding ones such as [[Rafsanjan]], [[Ravar]] and Nooq.
[[Image:Malek mosque kerman iran.jpg|thumb|[[Malek Mosque]], Kerman, Iran.]]

The [[Gol Gohar mine]], the largest [[iron]] mine in Iran,<ref name="Assari 2019">{{cite journal |last1=Assari |first1=Amin |title=Defining hydrogeology of the Gohar-Zamin open pit mine, Iran: a case study in a hard-rock aquifer |journal=Hydrogeology Journal |date=2019 |volume=27 |issue=4 |pages=1479–95 |doi=10.1007/s10040-018-01919-4 |bibcode=2019HydJ...27.1479A |url=https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10040-018-01919-4 |access-date=23 February 2023|url-access=subscription }}</ref> is located in Kerman province.<ref name="Bagherian and Shahriar 2003">{{cite journal |last1=Bagherian |first1=A. |last2=Shahriar |first2=K. |title=Slope Stability at Gol-E-Gohar Iron Mine |journal=18"' International Mining Congress and Exhibition of Turkey |date=2003 |pages=105–12 |url=https://www.maden.org.tr/resimler/ekler/ef78f63ba22e7df_ek.pdf |access-date=23 February 2023 |archive-date=29 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230329231542/https://www.maden.org.tr/resimler/ekler/ef78f63ba22e7df_ek.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>{{rp|105}}

==Education==

===Colleges and universities===<!-- Please respect alphabetical order -->
Kerman province contains the following universities:
* [[Jiroft University]]
* [[Kerman University of Medical Sciences]]
* [[Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences]]
* [[Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman]]
* [[Sirjan University of Technology]]
* [[ValiAsr University of Rafsanjan ]]

==See also==
* [[Kirman (Sasanian province)]]
* {{illm|Kerman Province parliamentary districts|fa|حوزه‌های انتخابیه مجلس شورای اسلامی در استان کرمان}} ([[:Category:Electoral districts of Iran|related]] to the [[Islamic Consultative Assembly]])
* {{illm|List of monuments in Kerman Province|fa|فهرست جاذبه‌های گردشگری استان کرمان}}
* [[Carmania (satrapy)]]
* [[Dalfard]]

{{commons category-inline}}

{{clear}}

== Notes ==
{{notelist}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{Globalize|section|date=February 2017}}
* {{Citation |publisher = B. Quaritch |location = London |author = Edward Balfour |author-link=Edward Balfour |title = Cyclopaedia of India |edition=3rd |date = 1885 
|chapter-url= https://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015068611014?urlappend=%3Bseq=584 |via= [[HathiTrust]]
|chapter= Kirman 
|hdl = 2027/mdp.39015068611014?urlappend=%3Bseq=584 }}
* {{cite book |title=Lands of the Eastern Caliphate |author= Guy Le Strange |author-link= Guy Le Strange |publisher= Cambridge University Press |year= 1905 
|chapter= Kirman |pages=299
|chapter-url= https://archive.org/stream/landsofeasternca00lest#page/299/mode/1up |via=[[Internet Archive]]
}}
* {{Cite EB1911|wstitle= Kerman (province) |volume= 15 |last= Houtum-Schindler |first= Albert |author-link= Albert Houtum-Schindler | pages = 755&ndash;756 }}
* {{cite book|author= W. Barthold|author-link= Vasily Bartold|others=Translated by [[Svat Soucek]] |title=An Historical Geography of Iran|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Baz_AwAAQBAJ |publisher= Princeton University Press |isbn=978-1-4008-5322-9 |year=1984
|chapter= Quhistan, Kirman, and Makran
|pages= 133–147
}}

==External links==
* {{cite encyclopedia |encyclopedia= [[Encyclopædia Iranica]] 
|url= http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/kerman-parent
|title= Kerman 
}}
* {{cite web |editor= Houchang E. Chehabi |editor-link= Houchang E. Chehabi |work= Bibliographia Iranica |publisher= Iranian Studies Group at [[MIT]] |location= USA |title= Regional Studies: Kerman |url= http://web.mit.edu/isg/iranica.html |access-date= 2017-02-11 |archive-date= 2021-11-02 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20211102203251/http://web.mit.edu/isg/iranica.html |url-status= dead }} (Bibliography)
*[http://www.kdo.ir Kerman Specially Designated Economic Zone] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210411132031/http://kdo.ir/ |date=2021-04-11 }}

{{Geographic location
|Centre    = Kerman province
|North     = 
|Northeast = [[South Khorasan]]
|East      = 
|Southeast = [[Sistan and Baluchistan province]]
|South     = [[Hormozgan province]]
|Southwest = [[Fars province]]
|West      = 
|Northwest = [[Yazd province]]
}}

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

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