Ahvaz

Ahvaz

اهواز
Ahvaz ; اهواز
City
	From top: The white bridge, black bridge, Ahwaz at night, the triangle building of Shahid Chamran University, the shrine of Ali ibn Mahziar, Karun river, and the 8th bridge (Ghadir-bridge).
	Seal
	Nickname(s): The City of Bridges
	Ahvaz
	Coordinates: 31°19′13″N 48°40′09″E / 31.32028°N 48.66917°ECoordinates: 31°19′13″N 48°40′09″E / 31.32028°N 48.66917°E
Country	Iran
Province	Khuzestan
County	Ahvaz
Bakhsh	Central
Government
• Mayor	Ebrahim Noshadi
Area
• City	185 km2 (71 sq mi)
Elevation	17 m (52 ft)
Population (2016 Census)
• Urban	1,350,000
• Metro	1,410,000
Demonym(s)	Ahvazi
Time zone	UTC+3:30 (IRST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+4:30 (IRDT)
Postal code	61xxx
Area code(s)	(+98) 61
Climate	BWh
Website	www.ahvaz.ir

Ahvaz (Persian: اهواز‎, romanized: Ahvāz), is a city in the southwest of Iran and the capital of Khuzestan province. Ahvaz's population is about 1,300,000^[2] and its built-up area with the nearby town of Sheybani is home to 1,136,989 inhabitants. It is home to Persians, Arabs, Bakhtiaris, Dezfulis, Shushtaris, and others.^[3] Languages spoken in the area include Persian and Arabic, as well as dialects of Luri (Bakhtiari), Dezfuli, Shushtari, and others.^[4]

One of the 2 navigable rivers of Iran alongside the Arvand Rud (Shatt al-Arab), the Karun, passes through the middle of the city.^[5] Ahvaz has a long history, dating back to the Achaemenid period. In ancient times, the city was one of the main centers of the Academy of Gondishapur.

Etymology[]

The word Ahvaz is a Persianized form of the Arabic "Ahwaz" which in turn, is derived from an older Persian word. The Dehkhoda Dictionary specifically defines the "Suq-al-Ahvaz" as "Market of the Khuzis", where "Suq" is the Elamite word for market, and "Ahvaz" is a broken plural (اسم جمع) of the form "af'āl" (افعال) of the word "Huz", which itself comes from the Persian Huz, from Achaemenid inscriptions where the term first appears. Thus, "Ahvaz" in Persian means "the Huz-i people", which refers to the Khuzi original inhabitants of Khūzestān.

The name of the region appears in medieval Syriac sources as ܒܝܬ ܗܘܙܝܐ Beṯ Huzáyé, literally meaning "land of the Huzis".^[6]

The term "Huz", meanwhile, is the Old Persian rendition of Suz (Susa-Susiana), the native Elamite name of the region. See Origin of the name Khuzestan and Elam#Etymology for more details.

History[]

Ancient history[]

Ahwaz is the analog of "Avaz" and "Avaja" which appear in Achaemenid emperor Darius's epigraph. This word also appears in the Naqsh-Rostam inscription as "Khaja" or "Khooja".^{[citation needed]}

First named Ōhrmazd-Ardašēr (Persian: هرمزداردشیر Hormozd ardeshir),^[7] Ahvaz was built near the beginning of the Sassanid dynasty on what historians believe to have been the site of the old city of Taryana, a notable city under the Persian Achaemenid dynasty, or the city of Aginis referred to in Greek sources^[8] where Nearchus and his fleet entered the Pafitigris. The city was founded either by Ardashir I in 230 (cf. Encyclopædia Iranica, al-Muqaddasi, et al.) or (according to the Middle Persian Šahrestānīhā ī Ērānšahr(shahrestān hā-ye Irānshahr)) by his grandson Hormizd I; the city’s name either combined Ardashir's name with the Zoroastrian name for God, Ōhrmazd, or Hormizd's name with that of his grandfather. It became the seat of the province, and was also referred to as Hūmšēr. During the Sassanid era, an irrigation system and several dams were constructed, and the city prospered. Examples of Sassanid-era dams are Band-e Bala-rud, Band-e Mizan, Band-e Borj Ayar and Band-e Khak. The city replaced Susa, the ancient capital of Susiana, as the capital of what was then called Khuzestān.

The city had two sections; the nobles of the city lived in one part while the other was inhabited by merchants.^[9] When Arabs invaded the area in 640, the part of the city home to the nobility was demolished but the Hūj-ī-stānwāčār "Market of Khūz State", the merchant area, remained intact. The city was therefore renamed Sūq al-Ahwāz, "Market of the Khuz", a semi-literal translation of the Persian name of this quarter - Ahwāz being the Arabic broken plural of Hûz, taken from the ancient Persian term for the native Elamite peoples, Hūja (remaining in medieval khūzīg "of the Khuzh" and modern Khuzestān "Khuz State", as noted by Dehkhoda dictionary).

Medieval history[]

During the Umayyad and Abbasid eras, Ahwaz flourished as a center for the cultivation of sugarcane and as the home of many well-known scholars. It is discussed by such respected medieval historians and geographers as ibn Hawqal, Tabari, Istakhri, al-Muqaddasi, Ya'qubi, Masudi, and Mostowfi Qazvini. Nearby stood the Academy of Gundishapur, where the modern-day teaching hospital is said to have been first established.

Ahwaz was devastated in the Mongol invasions of the 13th and 14th centuries and subsequently declined into a village. The dam and irrigation channels, no longer maintained, eroded and finally collapsed early in the 19th century. During this time Ahwaz was primarily inhabited by the original Khuzhis and a small number of Sabians. Although most Arab migrants fled the city, a few stayed. Some minor cultivation continued, while all evidence of sugarcane plantations is still going on in Haft Teppe area in north of Ahwaz,^{[clarification needed]} although ruins of sugarcane mills from the medieval era remained in existence.^[10] Several ruins of water mills also still remain in Shush and Shushtar.

Modern history[]

The seat of the province has, for the most of its history, been in its northern reaches, first at Susa (Shush) and then at Shushtar. During a short spell in the Sasanian era, the capital of the province was moved to its geographical center, where the river town of Hormuz-Ardashir (modern Ahwaz). However, later in the Sasanian time and throughout the Islamic era, the provincial seat returned and stayed at Shushtar, until the late Qajar period. With the increase in the international sea commerce arriving on the shores of Khuzestan, Ahwaz became a more suitable location for the provincial capital. The River Karun is navigable all the way to Ahwaz (above which, the Karun flows through rapids). The town was thus refurbished by the order of the Qajar king, Naser al-Din Shah and renamed after him, Nâseri. Shushtar quickly declined, while Ahwaz/Nâseri prospered to the present day.

In the 19th century, "Ahwaz was no more than a small borough inhabited mainly by Sabeans (1,500 to 2,000 inhabitants according to Ainsworth in 1835; 700 according to Curzon in 1890)."^[11]

In the 1880s, under Qajar rule, the Karun River was dredged and re-opened to commerce. A newly built railway crossed the Karun at Ahwaz. The city again became a commercial crossroads, linking river and rail traffic. The construction of the Suez Canal further stimulated trade. A port city was built near the old village of Ahvaz, and named Bandar-e-Naseri in honor of Nassereddin Shah Qajar.

Oil was found near Ahwaz in the early 20th century, and the city once again grew and prospered as a result of this newfound wealth. From 1897 to 1925, the city of Ahwaz was in the hands of Ghajar, who acted as governor and commander of Ghajari's army based in Khuzestan. Sheikh Khaz'al was recognized by Mozaffar ad-Din Shah Qajar as hereditary ruler of Mohammerah, as the most powerful leader of Khuzestan's Bakhtiaries.^{[citation needed]} He had power and authority over most regions of Khuzestan, such as Dezful, Shushtar, Izeh, even Ahwaz and in Ramhormoz and Behbahan. At this time, the newly founded Ahwaz was named Nâseri in honour to its founder Nassereddin Shah Qajar. Afterwards, during the Pahlavi period, it resumed its old name, Ahwaz. The government of the Khūzestān Province was transferred there from Shûshtar in 1926. The Trans-Iranian Railway reached Ahwaz in 1929 and by World War II, Ahwaz had become the principal built-up area of the interior of Khūzestān. Professional segregation remained well marked between various groups in that period still feebly integrated: Persians, sub-groupings of Persians and Arabs. Natives of the Isfahan region held an important place in retail trade, owners of cafes and hotels and as craftsmen.^[12]

Iraq attempted to annex Khūzestān and Ahwaz in 1980, resulting in the Iran–Iraq War (1980–1988). Ahwaz was close to the front lines and suffered badly during the war.

Iraq had pressed its claims to Khūzestān. Iraq had hoped to exacerbate ethnic tensions and win over popular support for the invaders. Most accounts say that the Iranian Arab inhabitants resisted the Iraqis rather than welcome them as liberators. However, some Iranian Arabs claim that as a minority they face discrimination from the central government; they agitate for the right to preserve their cultural and linguistic distinction and more provincial autonomy. See Politics of Khūzestān.

In 1989, the Foolad Ahwaz steel facility was built close to the town. This company is best known for its company-sponsored football club, Foolad F.C., which was the champion of Iran's Premier Football League in 2005.

In 2005 the city witnessed a . Many government sources relate these events to developments in Iraq, accusing foreign governments of organizing and funding Arab separatist groups. The Arab Struggle Movement for the Liberation of Ahwaz claimed credit for several of the bombings, including four bombs on 12 June 2005, that killed 8 people.^[13]

Gunmen killed at least 29 people in on a crowd watching a military parade on 22 September 2018.^[14]

Bridges[]

Ahvaz has 9 Bridges Over Karun.^[15]

Pol-e Siah (Black Bridge)[]

Black Bridge

Black Bridge, also known as Victory Bridge, is the first bridge over of Ahvaz. The bridge was used in WWII to supply Allies in Soviet Union and it had a vast impact in Allies victory.^[16]

White Bridge[]

White Bridge

8th Bridge

White Bridge (Persian: پل سفید), is an arch bridge located in Ahwaz, Iran. The bridge was completed on September 21, 1936 and was inaugurated on November 6, 1936. The bridge remains a symbol of the city still today.

Other 7 bridges are :

Third bridge, Naderi bridge, Fifth bridge, Sixth bridge, Seventh bridge (Dialogue among civilizations bridge), Cable bridge, and Ninth bridge.

Location and roads[]

Ahwaz located 100 km north-east of Abadan and is accessible via following routes in addition of a single runway airport:

Tehran-Khorramshahr national railway
Ahvaz-Abadan expressway (145 km)
Ahvaz-Andimeshk (152 km) expressway
Ahvaz-Bandar Imam Khomeini freeway (175 km).

Ahwaz, being the largest city in the province, consists of two distinctive districts: the newer part of Ahwaz which is the administrative and industrial center, which is built on the right bank of the Karun river while residential areas are found in the old section of the city, on the left bank.

Climate[]

Ahwaz has a subtropical hot desert climate (Köppen climate classification BWh) with long, hot summers and cool, short winters. Summer temperatures are regularly at least 45 °C (113 °F) sometimes exceeding 50 °C (122 °F)^[17] with many sandstorms and duststorms common during the summer period. However, in winters, the minimum temperature can fall to around 5 °C (41 °F). Winters in Ahvaz have no snow. The average annual rainfall is around 230 mm. On June 29, 2017, the temperature reached 50 °C (122 °F). Furthermore, the dew point peaks at 23 °C (73 °F) which is unusually humid for the usual dry heat. Despite the fact that it has never snowed in Ahvaz, it has fallen down to −7 °C (19 °F) before.

Sahel Cinema

hideClimate data for Ahvaz (1951–2010)
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °C (°F)	28.0 (82.4)	31.5 (88.7)	37.6 (99.7)	43.0 (109.4)	48.6 (119.5)	51.0 (123.8)	54.0 (129.2)	51.6 (124.9)	48.4 (119.1)	45.0 (113.0)	36.0 (96.8)	29.0 (84.2)	54.0 (129.2)
Average high °C (°F)	17.5 (63.5)	20.5 (68.9)	25.5 (77.9)	32.2 (90.0)	39.3 (102.7)	44.6 (112.3)	46.3 (115.3)	45.9 (114.6)	42.5 (108.5)	36.0 (96.8)	26.5 (79.7)	19.4 (66.9)	33.0 (91.4)
Daily mean °C (°F)	12.3 (54.1)	14.7 (58.5)	19.0 (66.2)	24.9 (76.8)	31.1 (88.0)	35.2 (95.4)	37.3 (99.1)	36.7 (98.1)	33.0 (91.4)	27.3 (81.1)	19.8 (67.6)	14.0 (57.2)	25.4 (77.7)
Average low °C (°F)	7.2 (45.0)	8.8 (47.8)	12.5 (54.5)	17.6 (63.7)	23.0 (73.4)	25.9 (78.6)	28.2 (82.8)	27.4 (81.3)	23.4 (74.1)	18.8 (65.8)	13.0 (55.4)	8.6 (47.5)	17.9 (64.2)
Record low °C (°F)	−7.0 (19.4)	−5.0 (23.0)	−1.0 (30.2)	6.0 (42.8)	13.0 (55.4)	15.0 (59.0)	19.0 (66.2)	18.0 (64.4)	13.0 (55.4)	8.0 (46.4)	0.0 (32.0)	−1.0 (30.2)	−7.0 (19.4)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	48.2 (1.90)	26.9 (1.06)	26.4 (1.04)	16.1 (0.63)	4.4 (0.17)	0.4 (0.02)	0.1 (0.00)	0.0 (0.0)	0.2 (0.01)	6.4 (0.25)	31.4 (1.24)	48.7 (1.92)	209.2 (8.24)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm)	4.9	3.6	3.6	2.8	0.8	0.1	0.0	0.0	0.0	1.0	2.9	4.5	24.2
Average relative humidity (%)	71	61	51	41	28	22	24	28	29	38	53	69	43
Mean monthly sunshine hours	174.7	193.2	214.1	233.8	284.4	326.2	336.1	331.2	301.8	263.5	209.5	176.4	3,044.9
Source: Iran Meteorological Organization (records),^[18] (temperatures),^[19] "Average Maximum temperature in Ahwaz by Month 1951–2010". Iran Meteorological Organization. Archived from the original on May 26, 2016. Retrieved April 8, 2015.CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) "Average Mean Daily temperature in Ahwaz by Month 1951–2010". Iran Meteorological Organization. Archived from the original on April 17, 2015. Retrieved April 8, 2015. "Average Minimum temperature in Ahwaz by Month 1951–2010". Iran Meteorological Organization. Archived from the original on May 30, 2016. Retrieved April 8, 2015.CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) (precipitation),^[20] (humidity),^[21] (days with precipitation),^[22] (sunshine)^[23]

People[]

Historical population
Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
1986	579,826	—
1991	724,653	+4.56%
1996	804,980	+2.12%
2006	985,614	+2.05%
2011	1,112,021	+2.44%
2016	1,184,788	+1.28%
source:^[24]

According to the 2016 census, the city had an estimated population of 1.1 million people.^[25]

Languages[]

Based on a survey taken by the Iranian ministry of culture in 2010, the most common languages in Ahwaz are Persian (44.8%), Arabic (35.7%), and Bakhtiari (15.8%).^[26] Many Ahvazis are bilingual, speaking both Persian and one of the following languages/Dialects. The indigenous inhabitants of Ahvaz speak Khuzestani Persian dialect that is unique to Khuzestan, and rooted in old Persian and Elamite languages. The Arabic spoken in Ahvaz is a variety of Khuzestani Arabic.^[27]^[28]^[29] Another part of Ahvazis speak Bakhtiari dialect of Luri language.^[30]^[31]^[32] Modern Mandaic (or Mandaee) language is also spoken among the Mandaeans of Ahvaz. It is the ancient Mandaic language mingled by some aspect of Khuzi.

Languages of Khuzestan Province
Language			Percente
Persian			44.8%
Arabic			35.7%
Bakhtiari			15.8%
Qashqai			2.3%
Kurdish			0.9%
Other			0.5%

Pollution[]

In 2011, the World Health Organization ranked Ahwaz as the world's most air-polluted city.^[33] The reason Ahvaz is so polluted is because of its oil industry. The pollution can be very dangerous, causing different types of diseases and harmful to plants.^[34]

Transportation[]

Airport[]

Ahvaz International Airport --of "Martyr Major-General Haj Qasem-Soleimani"^[35]

Ahvaz International Airport (IATA: AWZ, ICAO: OIAW) (Persian: فرودگاه بین‌المللی اهواز) is an airport serving the city of Ahvaz, Iran.

Railway[]

Ahvaz Railway Station

Ahwaz railway station (Persian:ايستگاه راه آهن اهواز, Istgah-e Rah Ahan-e Ahvaz) is located in Ahvaz, Khuzestan Province.

Ahwaz is accessible via freeways from Isfahan and Shiraz, and roadways to Tehran.
A metro urban railway system is being built by the Ahvaz urban railway. The system is planned to have a total of four lines. Line 1 will be a 23 km underground line with 24 stations.^[36]

Sport[]

Traditionally, Khuzestan province has been a major soccer hub in Iran. The city has two existing sport complexes: and the newly constructed Ghadir Stadium. There are several other smaller complexes for martial arts, swimming pools and gymnasiums. Also, a new privately owned stadium is currently under construction by Foolad F.C. in Ahvaz.

Sajjad Gharibi (born 19 December 1991) is an Iranian bodybuilder. ^[37]^[38] He born on Ahwaz, and has lived in Busher. He has become famous in world because of his special physique. His musculus volume is extraordinary for his height, 186 cm (6'2" tall), and weight, 180 kg (390 lb). He has looked like The Incredible Hulk character, because of his size, his Iranian fans have called him Iranian Hulk.^[39]

Football[]

Image of a flare stack in Ahvaz, due to inefficient combustion, emits tons of black colored soot into the atmosphere, causing problems like climate change and cancer around the country.^[40]

The Stadium of "Foolad Khuzestan Martyrs" (Shohadaye-Foolade-Khuzestan);^[41] also known as Foolad Arena

Football is a major part of the city's culture. The abundant enthusiasm has made Ahvaz home to three Iranian major Football clubs: Foolad, Esteghlal Khuzestan are currently playing in the Persian Gulf Pro League, and Esteghlal Ahvaz is playing in Azadegan League.

Foolad have won the league on two occasions, the 2013–2014 season and the 2004–2005 season. Esteghlal Ahvaz finished runners–up in the league in the 2006–2007 season. In 2016, Esteghlal Khuzestan won the league for the first time.

A number of other teams such as Foolad B the second team of Foolad and Karun Khuzestan play in the 2nd Division.

Futsal[]

Ahvaz has also two teams in the Iranian Futsal Super League, which are Sherkat Melli Haffari Iran FSC and Gaz Khozestan FSC.

Colleges and universities[]

Ahvaz is also known for its universities as well as its role in commerce and industry. Ahvaz institutes of higher learning include:

Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences
Petroleum University of Technology
Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz
Islamic Azad University, Ahvaz Branch

Notable people[]

Hamed Haddadi

Ali Sajadi Hoseini, filmmaker
Ali Shamkhani, Iranian Minister of Defense (1997–2005)
Amir Taheri, Iranian conservative author
Ahmad Mahmoud, Persian novelist
Amirreza Amirbakhtiar, political activist
Ezzat Negahban, patriarch of modern Iranian archaeology
Hamed Haddadi, NBA basketball player
Hamid Dabashi, intellectual historian, cultural and literary critic
Hamid Zangeneh, economist, author, and activist
Hossein Kaebi, national football player
Jalal Kameli Mofrad, national football player
Mehrangiz Kar, human rights activist
Mohammad Ali Mousavi Jazayeri, former Wali-Faqih representative in Khuzestan, former Ahwaz Friday Imam
Mohammad Hossein Adeli, Iranian Economist and Diplomat
Mohammad-Reza Eskandari, Iran's former minister of Agriculture
Muhammad ibn Falah, theologian
Parviz Abnar, Iranian Sound recordist
Patrick Monahan, British comedian
Manuchehr Shahrokhi, Professor of Finance, California State University; Editor, Global Finance Journal; Executive Director, Global Finance Association-Conference
, voice actor, radio and TV host
Sousan S. Altaie, PhD Scientific Policy Advisor, OIVD CDRH, FDA
Saleh Hosseini, Translator, Critic, Professor of English Literature

Gallery[]

Rumi statue
The 8th Bridge (Qadir)
The White Bridge
White Bridge over Karun river

Panoramic view of Ahvaz at night