Aran and Bidgol () is a city in the Central District of Aran and Bidgol County,

Isfahan Isfahan or Esfahan ( ) is a city in the Central District (Isfahan County), Central District of Isfahan County, Isfahan province, Iran. It is the capital of the province, the county, and the district. It is located south of Tehran. The city ...

province,

Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to the west, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia to the northwest, the Caspian Sea to the north, Turkmenistan to the nort ...

, serving as capital of both the county and the district. It is one of the ancient desert cities of the province, close to Namak lake.

History

The area originally consisted of two distinct and separate villages named "Aran" and "Bidgol." Each village had its own customs, social communications, and dialect. It was situated near the

Silk Road The Silk Road was a network of Asian trade routes active from the second century BCE until the mid-15th century. Spanning over , it played a central role in facilitating economic, cultural, political, and religious interactions between the ...

and many caravans passed it on their way from

Europe Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...

to the

Orient The Orient is a term referring to the East in relation to Europe, traditionally comprising anything belonging to the Eastern world. It is the antonym of the term ''Occident'', which refers to the Western world. In English, it is largely a meto ...

. About 40 years ago, the wall of separation collapsed and these two small towns unified. The Jandaghian family as one of the most famous ones in this city. Jandaghians have a representative in the Ministry of interiors.

Demographics

Population

At the time of the 2006 National Census, the city's population was 55,651 in 15,556 households. The following census in 2011 counted 60,290 people in 24,842 households. The 2016 census measured the population of the city as 65,404 people in 20,315 households.

Geography

The town is surrounded by desert from the north and east, and thus it has a typical climate of hot and dry in summer, cold and dry in winter, and very little rainfall during the year. These conditions make agriculture difficult.

Industry

Carpet weaving is one of the major industrial products of this city and its carpets are exported to Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq and other neighboring countries. Recently, sources of natural gas and oil have been discovered near the city. Unfortunately, due to the unauthorized and illegal use of underground water tables by companies such as Foulad and Zob, this city has suffered a severe water shortage crisis, and as a result, we are witnessing severe land subsidence.

Tourist attractions

*Deserts and

salt lakes A salt lake or saline lake is a landlocked body of water that has a concentration of salts (typically sodium chloride) and other dissolved minerals significantly higher than most lakes (often defined as at least three grams of salt per liter). I ...

tours *Camel riding in

desert A desert is a landscape where little precipitation occurs and, consequently, living conditions create unique biomes and ecosystems. The lack of vegetation exposes the unprotected surface of the ground to denudation. About one-third of the la ...

*Driving on sand dunes * Maranjab Caravansarai *Si zan castle *Holy shrines and religious mausoleums (belonging to the offspring of the prophet

Muhammad Muhammad (8 June 632 CE) was an Arab religious and political leader and the founder of Islam. Muhammad in Islam, According to Islam, he was a prophet who was divinely inspired to preach and confirm the tawhid, monotheistic teachings of A ...

Gallery

Image:تصاویر کویر مرنجاب در حوالی شهرستان آران و بیدگل در استان اصفهان 02.jpg, Aran and Bidgol desert Image:تصاویر کویر مرنجاب در حوالی شهرستان آران و بیدگل در استان اصفهان 19.jpg, Aran and Bidgol salt Lake Image:Aran va bidgol desert scenery.jpg, Aran and Bidgol desert scenery is a tourist attraction

Notes

References

External links

ĀRĀN
Encyclopædia Iranica *http://www.persiadesert.com {{Aran va Bidgol County, state=collapsed Populated places in Aran va Bidgol County Cities in Isfahan province