Gilan Province اُستان گیلان |
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Province | |
Location of Gilan within Iran |
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Coordinates: 37°16′39″N 49°35′20″E / 37.2774°N 49.5890°ECoordinates: 37°16′39″N 49°35′20″E / 37.2774°N 49.5890°E | |
Country | Iran |
Region | Region 3 |
Capital | Rasht |
Counties | 16 |
Government | |
• Governor | Mohammadali Najafi |
Area | |
• Total | 14,042 km2 (5,422 sq mi) |
Population (2011) | |
• Total | 2,480,874 |
• Density | 180/km2 (460/sq mi) |
Time zone | IRST (UTC+03:30) |
• Summer (DST) | IRST (UTC+04:30) |
Main language(s) |
Gilaki Talysh Persian Azeri |
Gilan Province (Persian: اُستان گیلان, Ostān-e Gīlān, also Latinized as Guilan) is one of the 31 provinces of Iran. It lies along the Caspian Sea, in Iran's Region 3, west of the province of Mazandaran, east of the province of Ardabil, and north of the provinces of Zanjan and Qazvin. It also borders the Republic of Azerbaijan in the north, as well as Russia across the Caspian Sea.
The northern part of the province is part of territory of South (Iranian) Talysh. At the center of the province is the main city of Rasht. Other towns in the province include Astara, Astaneh-e Ashrafiyyeh, Fuman, Lahijan, Langrud, Masouleh, Manjil, Rudbar, Roudsar, Shaft, Talesh, and Soumahe Sara.
The main harbor port is Bandar-e Anzali (previously Bandar-e Pahlavi).
In antiquity, this area was a province of Persia known as Daylam (sometimes Daylaman, Dailam or Delam). The Daylam region corresponds to the modern region of Gīlān.