| Alvand | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 3,580 m (11,750 ft)[1] |
| Prominence | 1,654 m (5,427 ft)[1] |
| Listing | Ultra |
| Coordinates | 34°39′51″N 48°29′12″E / 34.66417°N 48.48667°E / 34.66417; 48.48667[1] |
| Geography | |
  Alvand Iran#Asia | |
| Location | Hamedan, Iran |
| Parent range | Zagros Mountains |
Alvand is a subrange of the Zagros Mountainsinwestern Iran located 10 km (6.2 mi) south of the city of HamadaninHamadan Province. Its summit has an elevation of 3,580 m (11,750 ft).[2] The main body of the Alvand range extends for about 50 km from east to west, while their maximum north-south width is about 30 km.[2] Formed as part of the Zagros orogeny in the late Jurassic and early Cretaceous, the mountains rise sharply from the surrounding plains and are scored by many deep valleys.[2] The mountains are mostly granite and diorite, which are types of intrusive rock.[2]
The area was once covered by a light oak forest,[2] but extensive deforestation in historical times has reduced this to only a small area, mostly in the valleys.[3] Today, the higher altitudes have a sparse cover of grass, while grass cover grows more thickly around springs and streams.[2] One important plant that commonly grows in the Alvand valleys is the gavarorgoat's thorn, which produces the gum known as tragacanth which is used in medicine and industry.[3]
Although no settlements exist on the mountains themselves, the valleys and surrounding plains are home to many towns and villages.[2] Several major cities lie at the foot of the Alvand range, including Hamadan, Malayer, and Tuyserkan.[2] These settlements are supported by a highly productive agricultural base which includes wheat growing and livestock breeding (sheep, goats, and cattle).[2] This agricultural prosperity comes from the combination of a favorable highland climate and an abundance of water flowing down from the Alvand mountains.[2]
The historic site of Ganj Nameh, where two trilingual inscriptions were left in Achaemenid times, is located at the foot of the Alvand mountains, 10 km south of Hamadan.[2] The Alvand range forms a language border between Turkish, Kurdish, Persian, and Luri.[2]
"Alvand" is Avestan and comes from the Avestan language word "Aurvañt", which means "quick, swift, brave; a steed, horse, racer, warrior".[4]
Mount Alvand is situated in a geographical location that has a Mediterranean climate with spring rains.[citation needed]
The Alvand range forms the main watershedinHamadan Province, with most of the province's rivers arising from the snowmelt on Mount Alvand and then flowing either north or south.[3] Generally, the rivers on the north side the mountain are mostly seasonal, while those on the south side flow year-round.[3]
The main rivers on the north side of Mount Alvand are the Talvar and the Qurichay (aka Siahrud).[3] The Talvar begins at Kuh-e Safid in the northwest and ultimately joins the Sefidrud, the longest river in Iran, which flows to the Caspian Sea.[3] The Qurichay, meanwhile, begins in the highlands between Hamadan and Malayer.[3] It passes through the northern Alvand highlands and eventually drains into Lake Qom.[3]
The main rivers on the south side are the Gamasiab and the Qelqelrud (itself a tributary of the Gamasiab).[3] The Gamasiab is another name for the Karkheh River in its upper course.[3] Its headwaters, known as the Sarab-e Gamasiab, are located southeast of Nahavand.[3] The river then crosses the Nahavand plain and is joined by the Malayer River as well as the Qelqelrud.[3]
Another river system, the Abshineh Rud, has its source on Alvand's eastern slopes.[5] It flows north to the kavir of Qom, but because a lot of its water is used for irrigation, it only actually reaches the kavir after very wet winters.[5] It reaches its peak flow during March and April and dries up almost completely during the summer.[5]
The Alvand highlands are the traditional pastures for several nomadic tribes.[2] The Torkeshvand, who speak the Laki language, have their summer pasture on the western slopes of Alvand, while the Yarimtoghlu have theirs on the east side.[2] A third group that belongs to the Shahsevan also comes to the east side, but only in small numbers.[2] Since the 20th century, sedentary agriculture and livestock breeding has expanded significantly into what used to be nomad territory.[2]
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Hamadan Province, Iran
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