GEOGRAPHY OF KHORASAN PROVINCE

MASHHAD

Khorasan province with an area of 313,000 Sq km. Located in the north-east of Iran is the largest province of the country which has common borders with Turkmenistan in the north ( 750 Km. ) and Afghanistan in the east ( 620 Km. ).

Khorasan province consists of 23 towns. Mashhad with an area of 27487 Sq Km. Located in the north-eastern part of the province is its center .Khorasan with a population of more than 6 million is the second crowded province of Iran. There are 895 licensed food production units in the province from which 690 ones are operating at present.

Khorasan province has had important transit roads since the ancient times due to being in the path of Silk Road. Khorasan with 5000 Km. Of major and minor asphalt roads prepares the ground for communication among different parts of the province as well as other provinces and neighboring countries. Khorasan has a common border with Sarakhs of Turkmenistan in the north-east. It joins all the countries of the central Asia and Europe via railroad of Sarakhs , Turkmenistan which passes throughout the former soviet Union.

On the other hand , the railroad of Mashhad-Tehran-Tabriz , Maco joins Khorasan province to Turkey in Bazargan Border. Khorasan- South railroad is under construction which will join Mashhad to Bandar Abbas and Persian Gulf.

Mashhad , with a population of more than 2.2 million , is the second populated city of Iran after Tehran , the capital of the country . The main reason for fame and development of Mashhad is the holy shrine of the eight Imam of the shiite , Imam Ali Ebn-e Mousareza . Every year , about twelve million pilgrims from all over the country and abroad travel to Mashhad for visiting the Mausoleum of Imam .

The complex of the Holy shrine is considered as the most inclusive and beautiful collection of architecture of Islamic world and all the styles of architecture , tilework , decoration with mirror , plaster work ,calligraphy , inlaid work , relief work , glazed tile work , and stonecutting are used in constructing them .

Mashhad is of the first standing in the country due to appropriate weather and its numerous orchards , cultivation of vegetables such as tomato for processing industry , in such a way that about 895 factories for producing food products have obtained the production licence from which 396 ones are presently operating . About 75 production units are active in producing products such as different kinds of compote , canned food , and tomato paste.

A project for erecting a scientific park of food industry is under way in this city in order to transfer the modern technology in food industry and promote the quality of the exporting products.

The Ministry of Industries assigned the responsibility of implementing this big project to the Industrial Estates company .

In this park , comprising research , training , and special tests departments , there will be an accredited reference laboratory approved by the international authorities for quality issues with the help of FAO .

It is possible to have international relation with more than ten countries through special international airport of Mashhad in such a away that about 350 domestic and 52 international flights are managed from this airport .

There are 97 hotels , 120 hotel apartments , and 604 guest houses with a capacity of 70.000 beds in total as well as 120 tour and travel agencies in Mashhad which make the city as one of the most important centers for tourism in Iran .

Turkmenistan , Afghanistan , and United Arab Emirates have consulates in Mashhad.