Sonqor County (Persian: شهرستان سنقر) is in Kermanshah province, Iran. Its capital is the city of Sonqor.[3]

Sonqor County
Persian: شهرستان سنقر
County
Location of Sonqor County in Kermanshah province (right, yellow)
Location of Sonqor County in Kermanshah province (right, yellow)
Location of Kermanshah province in Iran
Location of Kermanshah province in Iran
Coordinates: 34°52′N 47°30′E / 34.867°N 47.500°E / 34.867; 47.500[1]
Country Iran
ProvinceKermanshah
CapitalSonqor
DistrictsCentral, Bavaleh, Kolyai
Population
 (2016)[2]
 • Total81,661
Time zoneUTC+3:30 (IRST)
WebsiteWebsite of CHHTO of Kermanshah
Sonqor County can be found at GEOnet Names Server, at this link, by opening the Advanced Search box, entering "9206875" in the "Unique Feature Id" form, and clicking on "Search Database".

At the 2006 census, the county's population was 95,904 in 23,755 households.[4] The following census in 2011 counted 91,935 people in 26,201 households.[5] At the 2016 census, the county's population was 81,661 in 25,554 households.[2] The majority of the people in this county are Kurds and Turkics.[6]

Administrative divisions edit

The population history of Sonqor County's administrative divisions over three consecutive censuses is shown in the following table. The latest census shows two districts, eight rural districts, and two cities.[2]

In 2021, Bavaleh Rural District and Gavrud Rural District were separated from the Central District in the establishment of Bavaleh District.[7]

Sonqor County Population
Administrative Divisions 2006[4] 2011[5] 2016[2]
Central District 80,304 78,282 70,284
Ab Barik RD 6,419 5,605 4,328
Bavaleh RD 9,364 9,069 7,114
Gavrud RD 9,512 7,719 5,770
Parsinah RD 5,899 5,478 4,364
Sarab RD 5,926 5,457 4,452
Sonqor (city) 43,184 44,954 44,256
Bavaleh District1
Bavaleh RD
Gavrud RD
Kolyai District 15,600 13,653 11,363
Agahan RD 5,061 4,189 3,424
Kivananat RD 4,095 4,056 3,130
Satar RD 5,160 4,181 3,761
Satar (city) 1,284 1,227 1,048
Total 95,904 91,935 81,661
RD: Rural District
1Established after the 2016 census[7]

Demographics edit

Sonqor county is made up of two distinct population elements.[6] The city of Sonqor and the villages of Qalʿa-ye Farhād Khan and Qorva are predominantly populated by Turkics, whose ancestors reportedly arrived during the Mongol domination of Iran.[6][8] The Turkic people of Sonqor originally speak the Sonqori dialect.[8] The dialects of Sonqori spoken in Qalʿa-ye Farhād Khan and Qorva differ barely from this main dialect.[8]

The other areas within Sonqor County are predominantly populated by Kurds most of whom have originally been agriculturalists.[6] The chiefs of the Kurds of Sonqor County belonged to the Kulya'i tribe.[6] These Kurdish feudal lords (khans) were in control of the Kurdish-populated parts of the county until early 20th century Qajar Iran, and were reportedly scions (in the eighth generation) of a certain Safi Khan who lived in the later Safavid period.[6] In 1786, the district was ceded to Ardalan as a gift from Agha Mohammad Khan Qajar.[9] In 1798, Ali Hemmat Khan and his brother Baba Khan of the Nanakali tribe were executed by Iranian ruler Fath-Ali Shah Qajar (r.1797-1834) as they had supported Soleyman Khan, the pretender to the Iranian throne.[6] The Kulya'i Kurds of the Sonqor District speak a Kurdish dialect that resembles the dialect of Kermanshah, and, according to the second edition of the Encyclopaedia of Islam are thought to be affiliated to the Ahl-e Haqq syncretic religion.[6] At least 177 villages in the county speak the Kulya'i dialect, 112 of these are in the Kolyai District.[10]

References edit

  1. ^ OpenStreetMap contributors (19 July 2023). "Sonqor County" (Map). OpenStreetMap. Retrieved 19 July 2023.
  2. ^ a b c d "Census of the Islamic Republic of Iran, 1395 (2016)". AMAR (in Persian). The Statistical Center of Iran. p. 05. Archived from the original (Excel) on 3 April 2022. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
  3. ^ Habibi, Hassan (21 June 1369). "Approval of the organization and chain of citizenship of the elements and units of the national divisions of Bakhtran province, centered in the city of Bakhtran". Research Center of the System of Laws of the Islamic Council of Farabi Mobile Library (in Persian). Ministry of Interior, Defense Political Commission of the Government Board. Archived from the original on 6 February 2013. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  4. ^ a b "Census of the Islamic Republic of Iran, 1385 (2006)". AMAR (in Persian). The Statistical Center of Iran. p. 05. Archived from the original (Excel) on 20 September 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2022.
  5. ^ a b "Census of the Islamic Republic of Iran, 1390 (2011)". Syracuse University (in Persian). The Statistical Center of Iran. p. 05. Archived from the original (Excel) on 18 January 2023. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h Minorsky 1997.
  7. ^ a b Jahangiri, Ishaq (27 April 1400). "Changes in country divisions in Sonqor County, Kermanshah province". Qavanin (in Persian). Ministry of Interior, Council of Ministers. Archived from the original on 19 July 2023. Retrieved 19 July 2023.
  8. ^ a b c Knüppel 2010.
  9. ^ Fisher, William Bayne; Avery, P.; Hambly, G. R. G.; Gershevitch, Ilya; Melville, C.; Boyle, John Andrew; Frye, Richard Nelson; Yarshater, Ehsan; Jackson, Peter (1968). The Cambridge History of Iran. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-20095-0.
  10. ^ Fattah (2000), p. 19.

Sources edit