Where is Ahwaz?

Covering an area of 318 sqaure km Ahwaz  is a city in the south of Iran. At the 2011 census, its population was 1,112,021 .Ahwaz has the world’s worst air pollution according to a survey by the World Health Organization in 2011.

Ahwaz is built on the banks of the Karun River and is situated in the middle of Khūzestān Province. The city has an average elevation of 20 meters above sea level. It is the largest city in Khuzestan and is regarded as that area’s capital.

History:

First named Ōhrmazd-Ardašēr, it 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  where Nearchus and his fleet entered the Pafitigris. It was founded either by Ardashir I in 230 (cf. Encyclopædia Iranica, al-Muqaddasi, et al.) or (according to the Middle Persian Šahrestānīhā ī Ērānšahr) by his grandson Hormizd I; the town’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.

Invasion:

Ahwaz was devastated in the bloody Mongol invasions of the 13th and 14th centuries and subsequently declined into a mere village. The dam and irrigation channels, no longer maintained, eroded and finally collapsed early in the 19th century. During this time Ahvaz was primarily inhabited by the original Khuzhis (Persians) and a small number of Sabians. Some minor cultivation continued, while all evidence of sugarcane plantations is still going on in Haft Teppe area in north of Ahvaz, although ruins of sugarcane mills from the medieval era remained in existence. Several ruins of water mills also still remain in Shoush and Shoushtar. In the 1880s, under Qajar rule, the Karun River was dredged and re-opened to commerce. A newly built railway crossed the Karun at Ahvaz. 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.

Weather and climate:
Ahvaz’s climate is a desert one. There is virtually no rainfall all year long in Ahvaz. Precipitation is the lowest in June, with an average of 0 mm. In January, the precipitation reaches its peak, with an average of 50 mm. At an average temperature of 36.2 °C, July is the hottest month of the year. At 12.4 °C on average, January is the coldest month of the year.

Demographics:
۴۴.۸ Percent of Ahvazis are Persians , there are arab tribes which make up 35.7 percent of ahvaz’s population and a 15.8 percent Lor minority , there are also very few kurds and turks in ahvaz .

Most of ahvazis are twelver shia muslims but there are also followers of various sects of Christianity and Ashouri faith and Zoroastrianism

Transportation:
All sorts of public transportation are available in Ahvaz to get around the city including: buses and taxis. Ahvaz also has a railway station , a bus terminal and an airport ( Ahvaz Airport).

Tourism:
Ahwaz is the home to historical houses and some religious attractions such as the tomb of mahziar.  Ahvaz also has warm friendly people.