Kermanshah province

Kermanshah is a place in western Iran.

It sits near the country of Iraq.

The land has many big mountains. It can be warm in summer. It rains a lot in winter.

This is a very old place. Long ago, people lived in caves. They even kept goats as animals.

Today, many people live in the city of Kermanshah. They grow food like rice and fruit. They also make pretty carpets.

There are many cool things to see. You can find old stone carvings on cliffs.

It is a wonderful place to explore.

Kermanshah is a province in western Iran.

It sits next to the country of Iraq. The land is mountainous and has a moderate climate. It is warm in summer and rains most in winter.

This area has a very deep history. Long ago, people lived in many caves. Scientists found early remains of Neanderthal man in Bisitun Cave. At a site called Ganj Dareh, people kept goats. In Sahneh, researchers found a very old village. It dates back to 9800 B.C.

You can see many old stone carvings here. At Bisotun, a large writing sits high on a mountain. This site is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Another place is Taq-e Bostan. There, you can see carvings of kings on a cliff.

One carving shows King Khosrau II on his horse.

Many people live in the city of Kermanshah. They grow rice, fruit, and grain. The region is also known for pretty carpets. It is a busy place for trade with Iraq.

Many famous people, like the writer Doris Lessing, have links to this land.

Kermanshah is a province in western Iran.

It sits right next to the country of Iraq. Many people call this area part of Iranian Kurdistan. The land is very mountainous and has a moderate climate. It rains most during the winter months. In the summer, the weather stays moderately warm. The capital city is also named Kermanshah. This city sits on the slopes of Mt. Sefid Kooh. It is a busy place near the Sarab River.

This region has a very long and deep history. Long ago, early humans lived in many local caves. Scientists found the first known remains of Neanderthal man in Bisitun Cave. At a place called Ganj Dareh, people began keeping goats. Researchers also found a very old village in Sahneh. This village dates back to 9800 B.C. This makes it one of the oldest in the Middle East. The area has many sites from the Stone Age.

There are many amazing stone carvings to see here. At Bisotun, a huge writing sits high on a mountain. This site is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was very important for learning how to read old scripts. Another great site is called Taq-e Bostan. There, a spring flows into a large pool near the cliffs. You can see carvings of kings in the rock walls.

One carving shows King Khosrau II riding his horse, Shabdiz.

Kermanshah is a very important place for trade. It has a long border with Iraq. There are five official markets for trading goods. The province exports many things like cheese, fruit, and tiles. It even sends out air conditioners and yogurt. The people here also make famous items. They are known for beautiful Persian carpets. They also make special rice sweets called Nan-e berenji.

Many interesting people have links to this province. The famous writer Doris Lessing was born here. A scientist named Al-Dinawari lived in the region long ago. He wrote many books about plants and stars. The province has grown quite a lot over time. In 2016, about 1.9 million people lived there. Most people live in the large capital city. It is a place where old history meets modern life.

Kermanshah is a major province located in western Iran.

It shares borders with several Iranian provinces, including Kurdistan, Hamadan, Lorestan, and Ilam. To the west, it borders the Iraqi governorates of Halabja, Sulaymaniyah, and Diyala. Because of its location, the area is unofficially known as part of Iranian Kurdistan. The province serves as the center for Region 4, with its central secretariat based in the capital city of Kermanshah. This capital city sits on the slopes of Mt. Sefid Kooh. The urban area extends toward the south and runs alongside the Sarab River and Sarab Valley.

The geography of the province creates a moderate and mountainous climate. It sits between two different climatic zones, one cold and one warm. This position results in an annual rainfall of approximately 500 mm. Most of this precipitation occurs during the winter months. In the summer, the weather is moderately warm, with average temperatures in the hottest months exceeding 22 °C. The landscape is diverse, featuring high elevations and rich agricultural valleys. These valleys support the production of grain, rice, vegetables, fruits, and oilseeds.

Kermanshah possesses a deep prehistoric heritage that spans many millennia. The region contains numerous caves that hold Paleolithic remains. For example, Bisitun Cave contains the first known physical remains of Neanderthal man in Iran. Other important Middle Paleolithic sites include Do-Ashkaft Cave, Kobeh, Warwasi, and Mar Tarik. The Neolithic period is also well-represented by sites such as Ganj Dareh, Sarab, and Asiab. At Ganj Dareh, researchers documented the earliest evidence of goat domestication. Furthermore, a research project by the University of Hamedan and UCL identified a prehistoric village in Sahneh. This village dates back to 9800 B.C., making it the oldest discovered in the Middle East.

Ancient monuments in the province highlight two glorious eras: the Achaemenid and the Sassanid. The Bisotun site is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and contains a famous trilingual inscription. This inscription, dating to 522 BCE, uses Old Persian cuneiform, Elamite, and Akkadian. It was essential for the decipherment of ancient scripts. Another significant site is Taq-e Bostan, located northeast of Kermanshah. Here, a spring flows into a large reflecting pool near mountain cliffs. The rock reliefs at Taq-e Bostan depict Sassanid kings, including Khosrau II, in detailed hunting and battle scenes.

One relief shows the king mounted on his horse, Shabdiz, in full battle armor.

The history of the region has seen many shifts in power and stability. The city of Kermanshah has various founding myths, including stories involving the Pishdadian ruler or the Sassanid Bahram IV. The province reached a peak during the reigns of Sassanid kings Hormizd IV and Khosrau I. However, the area suffered damage during the Arab invasions. It later recovered during the Safavid period but faced destruction during Ottoman invasions. The province also endured heavy fighting during the Iran–Iraq War, which badly damaged towns like Sarpol-e Zahab and Qasr-e-Shirin. More recently, a powerful earthquake in November 2017 killed more than 600 people.

Economically, Kermanshah is a vital hub for international and border trade. It shares a 371 km border with Iraq and maintains five official border markets. The province is among the top five exporters of non-oil products in Iran. In the 2021-22 fiscal year, exports reached $2.7 billion, representing a 15% growth from the previous year. Kermanshah accounts for 53% of Iran's total exports to Iraq. Key exports include tomato paste, air conditioners, cheese, and various agricultural goods like melons and apples. The region is also famous for local products such as Kermanshah carpets, Nan-e berenji sweets, and a special oil known as Roghan Kermanshahi.

Demographically, the province has seen steady growth over the last two decades. The 2006 census recorded a population of 1,842,457 people. By 2011, the population rose to 1,945,227, and by 2016, it reached 1,952,434. The majority of the population is Shia, with Sunni and Yarsani groups forming minorities. Many people live in urban settlements, with over 75% of the population residing in major towns. The capital city, Kermanshah, is the largest, with a 2016 population of 946,651. The province is also home to notable figures, such as the 9th-century scientist Al-Dinawari and the Nobel Prize-winning author Doris Lessing.