Manjil

Manjil (Persian: منجيل, also Romanized as Manjīl and Menjīl ; derived from Manzil)[3] is a city in the Central District of Rudbar County, Gilan province, Iran.

For the village in Tehran province, see Manjilabad.

Manjil
Persian: منجيل
City
A view of modern Manjil; the wind power generators are seen in the background
A view of modern Manjil; the wind power generators are seen in the background
Manjil is located in Iran
Manjil
Manjil
Coordinates: 36°44′41″N 49°24′05″E[1]
Country Iran
ProvinceGilan
CountyRudbar
DistrictCentral
Population
 (2016 Census)[2]
 • Total15,630
Time zoneUTC+3:30 (IRST)
Sefidrood Dam in Manjil

At the 2006 census, its population was 16,028 in 4,447 households.[4] The following census in 2011 counted 17,396 people in 5,030 households.[5] The latest census in 2016 showed a population of 15,630 people in 4,950 households.[2]

History

Throughout the history Manjil has been a gate to the southern Caspian Sea region. There are numerous archaeological site excavations (mostly illegal) in the Manjil area because of its rich cultural history. Some of these sites are related to the Ismaili era, i.e., Hassan Sabbah movement based in Alamoot forte (one may find artifacts from the 3rd-2nd millennia BC in some households).

Modern history

In the modern era, Manjil was the site of a historical battle between the nationalist revolutionary forces of Jangal (led by Mirza Koochak Khan) and the joint British and White Russian forces on June 12, 1918. The latter forces (led by General Dunsterville and Colonel Bicherakhov) willing to pass through Manjil as the only passage to the Caspian to reach Baku and overthrow the newly formed Baku Commune (led by Stepan Shahumian). General Dunsterville's private diaries and notes, including those kept during his command of the Dunsterforce Mission to North Persia and Baku, 1918 were transcribed from the original by General Dunsterville's great granddaughter, and are co-located on the Great War Primary Documents Archive.[6]

Although devastated by a 1990 Manjil–Rudbar earthquake of magnitude 7.3, for the last few decades Manjil has enjoyed industrial and economic growth.[7]

Geography

Manjil is known as the windy city of Iran, a reputation it owes to its geographical position in the Alborz mountain range at a small cleft in Alborz that funnels the wind through Manjil to the Qazvin plateau.[8] The biggest wind farm of Iran, the Manjil and Rudbar Wind Farm, is located near Manjil.

Manjil is known for the river Sefīd-Rūd (or "Sepid Rood", "Sefid Rood", "white river"). It passes by the town and is formed in Manjil by two joining rivers. Since 1960 it has been the site of the Manjil Dam that significantly contributes to Gilan's agriculture, such as its olive groves, while generating electric power. The reservoir impounded by the Manjil Dam adds to the beauty of the area.[8]

Demographics

Manjil had a mainly Azerbaijani Turkish population from the ʿAmmārlu tribe, together with Tats and Kurds.[9]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Manjil.

References
  1. OpenStreetMap contributors (7 October 2023). "Manjil, Rudbar County" (Map). OpenStreetMap. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
  2. "Census of the Islamic Republic of Iran, 1395 (2016)". AMAR (in Persian). The Statistical Center of Iran. p. 01. Archived from the original (Excel) on 4 December 2020. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
  3. Manjil can be found at GEOnet Names Server, at this link, by opening the Advanced Search box, entering "-3073927" in the "Unique Feature Id" form, and clicking on "Search Database".
  4. "Census of the Islamic Republic of Iran, 1385 (2006)". AMAR (in Persian). The Statistical Center of Iran. p. 01. Archived from the original (Excel) on 20 September 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2022.
  5. "Census of the Islamic Republic of Iran, 1390 (2011)" (Excel). Iran Data Portal (in Persian). The Statistical Center of Iran. p. 01. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
  6. Great War Primary Documents Archive
  7. "Iranian Town, Once a Jewel, Lies Entombed", The New York Times, pp. A6, 25 June 1990
  8. Visible on Google earth at N36º45´18˝-N36º41´42˝ and E49º23´6˝ and E49º31´ 48˝
  9. "Welcome to Encyclopaedia Iranica".
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