Karaj

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Karaj
other_name =(Little Iran)ایران کوچک
native_name = كرج
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subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = IRN
subdivision_type1 = Province
subdivision_name1 = Tehran
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population_as_of = 2006
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population_total = 1732275
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timezone = IRST
utc_offset = +3:30
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latd=35 |latm=48 |lats= |latNS=N
longd=50 |longm=58 |longs= |longEW=E
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elevation_m = 1312
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area_code = 0261
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Karaj is a city in Iran, located in Tehran province. It is situated 20 km west of Tehran, at the foot of Alborz mountains.

Karaj had a population of 1,732,275 in 2006 census, 4th city after Tehran, Mashhad and Esfahan. ^{[http://www.sci.org.ir/content/userfiles/_census85/census85/natayej/township/Os23.xls]} , however the city is increasingly becoming an extension of metropolitan Tehran.

Karaj is mostly famous because of its academic and educational complexes along with tourist attractions.

History

The history of Karaj dates back many centuries. The stone built Zoroastrian fire temple of Takht-e-Rostam from the Parthian era is a testament to this.

The Soleimanieh palace (currently housing a college of Agriculture), the mausolum of Shahzadeh Soleiman, Imamzadeh Rahman and Zeid Palang Abad-e-Eshtehard are other historical relics of the Karaj area.

During the Pahlavi dynasty era, the Morvarid Palace was constructed in nearby Mehrshahr district, designed by the "Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation".

Karaj today

The economical base for Karaj is its proximity to Tehran, where transportation of products between the capital and the Caspian Sea is central. Chemicals, fertilizers and processed agricultural goods are also produced here.

It is connected by freeway, railway to Tehran 40 km east and Qazvin 100 km northwest, and by commuter rail to Tehran subway system (Metro).

Amirkabir dam and small lakes are based here. Karaj's climate is a bit cooler than Tehran and it receives 260 mm of rain annually.

Karaj's major districts includes :
* Azimiyeh
* Serah e Gohardasht
* Bonyad
* Azimiyeh
* Gohardasht
* Jahanshahr
* Mesbah
* Mehrshahr
* Mehrvila
* Shahinvila
* Dehghanvila
* Hesarak
* Mahdasht
* Fardis
* Vahdat
* Kalak & Hesar
* Islam Abad
* Golshahr
* Zibadasht
* Homayoonvila
* Astara
* Mohammad Shahr
* kiyanmehr & mehdi abad
* Shahrak-e-Khatam

Higher education and research

* [http://www.kiau.ac.ir/ Islamic Azad University of Karaj] * [http://www.art.ac.ir/ University of Art] * [http://utcan.ut.ac.ir/ College of Agriculture and Natural Resources of University of Tehran, located in Karaj] * [http://www.aeoi.org.ir/NewWeb/Farsi/ordpage.asp?id=180 Center for Research in Agriculture and Nuclear Medicine of Karaj] * Tarbiat Mo'allem University of Tehran at Hesarak

ee also

*Morvarid Palace
* [http://www.karajiha.ir karaj city portal] (Persian)
* [http://www.karaj.eu/ about karaj city] (Persian)