Dezful (Persian: دزفول, pronounced [dɛzˈfuːl], Dezfuli dialect: Desfil, pronounced [desˈfiːl]) also Romanized as Dezfūl and Dezfool; also known as Dīzfūl[3] and Ab I Diz[4] is a city in the Central District of Dezful County, Khuzestan province, Iran, serving as capital of both the county and the district.[5]

Dezful
Persian: دزفول
City
Nicknames: 
دسفیل ,دژپل, desfeal, dezhpoll
Dezful is located in Iran
Dezful
Dezful
Coordinates: 32°22′43″N 48°24′52″E / 32.37861°N 48.41444°E / 32.37861; 48.41444[1]
CountryIran
ProvinceKhuzestan
CountyDezful
DistrictCentral
Elevation
150 m (490 ft)
Population
 (2016)[2]
 • Urban
264,709
 • Metro
443,971
Time zoneUTC+3:30 (IRST)
Area code061

At the 2006 National Census, its population was 228,507 in 55,711 households.[6] The following census in 2011 counted 248,380 people in 66,715 households.[7] The latest census in 2016 showed a population of 264,709 people in 78,348 households.[2]

Dezful is 650 kilometers away from the national capital of Tehran and 155 kilometres away from the provincial capital of Ahvaz. The city is located 300 kilometres from the Persian Gulf and is at an altitude of 143 meters.

The city lies at the foot of the Zagros Mountains and has a history that dates back to the Sassanian era. The area around Dezful has been home to civilizations for 5000 years.[8]

In an area with a history that extends back to ancient civilization, the city houses a bridge that dates back to 300 AD.[9]

Etymology edit

The name Dezful has been derived from the two words diz (fortress) + pul (bridge), which in combination could stand for 'the bridge to the fortress' or 'fortified bridge' in Persian language.[10][11] The original name of the city was Dezhpul, but after the Muslim conquest of Persia, the city was renamed Dezful,[10] since the Arabic language does not have 'p' and 'zh' sounds.

History edit

Dezful is one of the oldest cities in the Khuzestan province. According to Walther Hinz excavations, Awan (capital of the first Elam empire) was located in Dezful. The bridge was built during the reign of Shapur I who used Roman prisoners of war after the Battle of Edessa to build the bridge.[12]

 
Dezful Jame' Mosque

People edit

The people of Dezful, known as Dezfuli, Dezfoolians or Dezfulians, speak Dezfuli – a dialect distinct to Dezful – and Shushtari, which is sometimes considered the most archaic of Persian dialects.[13]

Historically, Dezful was home to a Mandaean community for many centuries.[14] One of Dezful's best-known residents was the Mandaean priest Ram Zihrun.[15]: 140 

Geography edit

Dezful sits close to the foothills of the Zagros Mountains on the main north-south highway from Tehran to Ahvaz, the provincial capital of Khuzestan. The main rail line from Tehran to the Persian Gulf is 15 km (9 mi) from Dezful, on the opposite side of the Dez River.

Climate edit

Dezful has a hot semi-arid climate (Köppen climate classification BSh) with extremely hot summers and mild winters. Rainfall is higher than most of southern Iran, but is almost exclusively confined to the period from November to April, though on occasions it can exceed 250 millimetres (9.8 in) per month or 600 millimetres (24 in) per year.[16]

Snowfall in this city is a very rare event.But in 2020, for the first time, the city of Dezful witnessed snowfall, which led to the happiness of the people of this city.[17]

Climate data for Dezful
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 28.0
(82.4)
29.0
(84.2)
36.0
(96.8)
40.5
(104.9)
46.5
(115.7)
50.7
(123.3)
53.6
(128.5)
52.0
(125.6)
48.4
(119.1)
43.0
(109.4)
35.0
(95.0)
29.0
(84.2)
53.6
(128.5)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 17.2
(63.0)
19.6
(67.3)
24.1
(75.4)
30.0
(86.0)
37.5
(99.5)
43.7
(110.7)
46.0
(114.8)
44.9
(112.8)
41.7
(107.1)
34.8
(94.6)
26.2
(79.2)
19.3
(66.7)
32.1
(89.8)
Daily mean °C (°F) 10.8
(51.4)
13.2
(55.8)
17.3
(63.1)
22.8
(73.0)
29.9
(85.8)
35.1
(95.2)
37.0
(98.6)
35.8
(96.4)
32.0
(89.6)
25.6
(78.1)
17.9
(64.2)
12.5
(54.5)
24.2
(75.5)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 5.3
(41.5)
6.8
(44.2)
10.0
(50.0)
14.7
(58.5)
20.5
(68.9)
23.8
(74.8)
26.2
(79.2)
25.5
(77.9)
21.1
(70.0)
16.2
(61.2)
10.8
(51.4)
6.8
(44.2)
15.6
(60.2)
Record low °C (°F) −9
(16)
−4.0
(24.8)
−2
(28)
3.0
(37.4)
10.0
(50.0)
16.0
(60.8)
19.0
(66.2)
16.5
(61.7)
10.0
(50.0)
6.0
(42.8)
1.0
(33.8)
−2
(28)
−9
(16)
Average rainfall mm (inches) 100.6
(3.96)
60.0
(2.36)
50.2
(1.98)
34.5
(1.36)
9.2
(0.36)
0.0
(0.0)
0.2
(0.01)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
7.4
(0.29)
39.1
(1.54)
83.2
(3.28)
384.4
(15.14)
Average rainy days 9.9 8.1 8.1 6.5 3.0 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.0 2.1 6.2 8.0 52
Average relative humidity (%) 75 68 59 49 32 22 24 28 29 40 59 73 47
Mean monthly sunshine hours 131.6 158.4 192.3 217.7 272.5 325.6 322.7 317.0 291.3 234.8 158.2 121.9 2,744
Source: NOAA (1961-1990) [18]

Transportation edit

There are direct flights from Tehran to Dezful (and reverse) at least twice a day. There are also weekly flights from Dezful to Mashhad (mawhad or mašhad). Dezful can also be reached by the Iranian railways.

Buses are available from almost all Iranian major cities to Dezful or one of its adjacent cities. Trains of the Trans-Iranian Railway serve the neighboring town of Andimeshk.

Twin towns – sister cities edit

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ OpenStreetMap contributors (29 July 2023). "Dezful, Dezful County" (Map). OpenStreetMap. Retrieved 29 July 2023.
  2. ^ a b "Census of the Islamic Republic of Iran, 1395 (2016)". AMAR (in Persian). The Statistical Center of Iran. p. 06. Archived from the original (Excel) on 21 October 2020. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
  3. ^ Dezful can be found at GEOnet Names Server, at this link, by opening the Advanced Search box, entering "-3061127" in the "Unique Feature Id" form, and clicking on "Search Database".
  4. ^ "Burujird" . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 04 (11th ed.). 1911.
  5. ^ Habibi, Hassan. "Approval of the organization and chain of citizenship of the elements and units of the national divisions of Khuzestan province, centered in the city of Ahvaz". Islamic Parliament Research Center (in Persian). Ministry of Interior, Political and Defense Commission of the Government Board. Archived from the original on 17 July 2014. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
  6. ^ "Census of the Islamic Republic of Iran, 1385 (2006)". AMAR (in Persian). The Statistical Center of Iran. p. 06. Archived from the original (Excel) on 20 September 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2022.
  7. ^ "Census of the Islamic Republic of Iran, 1390 (2011)". Syracuse University (in Persian). The Statistical Center of Iran. p. 06. Archived from the original (Excel) on 18 January 2023. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
  8. ^ ""دزفول" شهری از سپیده دم تاریخ".
  9. ^ سايت اداره ميراث فرهنگي ، صنايع دستي و گردشگري شهرستان دزفول Archived 2008-10-13 at the Wayback Machine
  10. ^ a b "اخبار استان های ایران". www.dezfulshenasi.mihanblog.com. Archived from the original on 21 April 2018. Retrieved 2 April 2018.
  11. ^ Everett-Heath, John (24 October 2019). The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Place Names. Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/acref/9780191882913.001.0001. ISBN 978-0-19-188291-3.
  12. ^ Hartung, Fritz; Kuros, Gh. R. (1987), "Historische Talsperren im Iran", in Garbrecht, Günther (ed.), Historische Talsperren, vol. 1, Stuttgart: Verlag Konrad Wittwer, pp. 221–274 (232), ISBN 3-87919-145-X
  13. ^ "Welcome to Encyclopaedia Iranica".
  14. ^ Buckley, Jorunn Jacobsen (2002). The Mandaeans: ancient texts and modern people. New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-515385-5. OCLC 65198443.
  15. ^ Buckley, Jorunn Jacobsen (2010). The great stem of souls: reconstructing Mandaean history. Piscataway, N.J: Gorgias Press. ISBN 978-1-59333-621-9.
  16. ^ "اداره کل هواشناسی استان چهارمحال و بختیاری". www.chaharmahalmet.ir. Retrieved 2 April 2018.
  17. ^ "بارش برف در خوزستان مردم را غافلگیر کرد - تسنیم". خبرگزاری تسنیم | Tasnim (in Persian). Retrieved 29 February 2024.
  18. ^ "Dezful Climate Normals 1961-1990". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved 28 December 2012.
  19. ^ "خبرگزاری صداوسیما | IRIB News". Archived from the original on 10 June 2015. Retrieved 16 November 2013.

Sources edit

External links edit