Bam () is a city in the
Central District of
Bam County,
Kerman province,
Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to the west, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia to the northwest, the Caspian Sea to the north, Turkmenistan to the nort ...
, serving as capital of both the county and the district.
The modern city surrounds the
ancient citadel which has a history dating back to around 2,000 years ago. The citadel is a popular tourist attraction and a world heritage site. Before the
2003 earthquake, the official population count of the city was roughly 43,000.
History
The ancient citadel of
Arg-e Bam has a
history
History is the systematic study of the past, focusing primarily on the Human history, human past. As an academic discipline, it analyses and interprets evidence to construct narratives about what happened and explain why it happened. Some t ...
dating back to the
Parthian Empire
The Parthian Empire (), also known as the Arsacid Empire (), was a major Iranian political and cultural power centered in ancient Iran from 247 BC to 224 AD. Its latter name comes from its founder, Arsaces I, who led the Parni tribe ...
(248 BC–224 AD), but most buildings were built during the
Safavid
The Guarded Domains of Iran, commonly called Safavid Iran, Safavid Persia or the Safavid Empire, was one of the largest and longest-lasting Iranian empires. It was ruled from 1501 to 1736 by the Safavid dynasty. It is often considered the begi ...
dynasty.
There are various opinions about the date and reasons for the foundation of the citadel. Economically and commercially, Bam occupied a very important place in the region and was famous for its textiles and clothes.
Ibn Hawqal
Muḥammad Abū’l-Qāsim Ibn Ḥawqal (), also known as Abū al-Qāsim b. ʻAlī Ibn Ḥawqal al-Naṣībī, born in Nisibis, Al-Jazira (caliphal province), Upper Mesopotamia; was a 10th-century Arab Muslim writer, geographer, and chronic ...
(943–977), an Arab traveller and geographer, wrote of Bam in his book ''Surat-ul-'Ard'' (''The Earth-figure''):
:''Over there they weave excellent, beautiful and long-lasting cotton cloths which are sent to places all over the world. There, they also make excellent clothes, each of which costs around 30
dinar
The dinar () is the name of the principal currency unit in several countries near the Mediterranean Sea, with a more widespread historical use. The English word "dinar" is the transliteration of the Arabic دينار (''dīnār''), which was bor ...
s; these are sold in
Khorasan,
Iraq
Iraq, officially the Republic of Iraq, is a country in West Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to Iraq–Saudi Arabia border, the south, Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq border, the east, the Persian Gulf and ...
and
Egypt
Egypt ( , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country spanning the Northeast Africa, northeast corner of Africa and Western Asia, southwest corner of Asia via the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to northe ...
.''
The city was largely abandoned due to an
Afghan invasion led by
Mahmud Hotak in 1722. Subsequently, after the city had gradually been re-settled, it was abandoned a second time due to an attack by invaders from
Shiraz
Shiraz (; ) is the List of largest cities of Iran, fifth-most-populous city of Iran and the capital of Fars province, which has been historically known as Pars (Sasanian province), Pars () and Persis. As of the 2016 national census, the popu ...
. It was also used for a time as an army barracks.
Modern history
The modern city of Bam has gradually developed as an agricultural and industrial centre, and until the 2003 earthquake was experiencing rapid growth. In particular, the city is known for its
dates and
citrus
''Citrus'' is a genus of flowering trees and shrubs in the family Rutaceae. Plants in the genus produce citrus fruits, including important crops such as oranges, mandarins, lemons, grapefruits, pomelos, and limes.
''Citrus'' is nativ ...
fruit
In botany, a fruit is the seed-bearing structure in flowering plants (angiosperms) that is formed from the ovary after flowering.
Fruits are the means by which angiosperms disseminate their seeds. Edible fruits in particular have long propaga ...
, irrigated by a substantial network of
qanat
A qanāt () or kārīz () is a water supply system that was developed in ancient Iran for the purpose of transporting usable water to the surface from an aquifer or a well through an underground aqueduct. Originating approximately 3,000 years ...
s.
One of the most important agricultural products is Bam Mozafati date, which is famous in Iran and other countries. Mozafati Bam dates with a delicate and rich taste, with a sweet melt and an amazing taste are harvested every year in Darbam in the mountainous region of Iran. No preservatives or chemical additives are added to it. It is a fresh, natural, raw and quality product.
The city also benefited from
tourism
Tourism is travel for pleasure, and the Commerce, commercial activity of providing and supporting such travel. World Tourism Organization, UN Tourism defines tourism more generally, in terms which go "beyond the common perception of tourism as ...
, with an increasing number of people visiting the ancient citadel.
2003 earthquake

The 2003 Bam earthquake struck Bam and the surrounding
Kerman province of south-eastern Iran at 01:56 UTC (5:26 AM Iran Standard Time) on 26 December 2003. The most widely accepted estimate for the magnitude of the earthquake is 6.6 on the
moment magnitude scale
The moment magnitude scale (MMS; denoted explicitly with or Mwg, and generally implied with use of a single M for magnitude) is a measure of an earthquake's magnitude ("size" or strength) based on its seismic moment. was defined in a 1979 paper ...
(Mw); estimated by the
United States Geological Survey
The United States Geological Survey (USGS), founded as the Geological Survey, is an agency of the U.S. Department of the Interior whose work spans the disciplines of biology, geography, geology, and hydrology. The agency was founded on Mar ...
. The earthquake was particularly destructive, with the death toll amounting to 26,271 people and injuring an additional 30,000. The effects of the earthquake were exacerbated by the fact that the city chiefly consisted of mud brick buildings, many of which did not comply with earthquake regulations set in Iran in 1989, and that most of the inhabitants were indoors and asleep at the time the main tremor struck.
After the earthquake, relations between the United States and Iran temporarily thawed. The U.S. offered direct humanitarian assistance to Iran and in return the Iranian government promised to comply with an agreement with the
International Atomic Energy Agency
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is an intergovernmental organization that seeks to promote the peaceful use of nuclear technology, nuclear energy and to inhibit its use for any military purpose, including nuclear weapons. It was ...
which supports greater monitoring of its
nuclear
Nuclear may refer to:
Physics
Relating to the nucleus of the atom:
*Nuclear engineering
*Nuclear physics
*Nuclear power
*Nuclear reactor
*Nuclear weapon
*Nuclear medicine
*Radiation therapy
*Nuclear warfare
Mathematics
* Nuclear space
*Nuclear ...
interests. In total a reported 44 countries sent in personnel to assist in relief operations and 60 countries offered assistance and support.
Post-2003 development
Immediately following the earthquake, the Iranian government began to plan a new city based on population control theories in order to eliminate problems that existed with the old city. The development of the plan took at least six months and resulted in significant complaints against the central government and local government by the Bam earthquake survivors. Nevertheless, the government carried on its plans and currently the city is being rebuilt. The historic citadel is also being rebuilt with specialist care from the Ministry of Culture and from Japanese universities. The earthquake stalled the growth of Bam as a city, especially as about half of its residents were killed and most of the remainder hurt. Costs of the earthquake mounted to between $700 million and $1 billion U.S. dollars.
2007 Sandstorm
On 16 March 2007 a 130 km/h (81 mph)
sandstorm hit the city of Bam without warning, suffocating three children, killing two in car accidents, and injuring 14 others.
Demographics
Population
At the time of the 2006 National Census, the city's population was 73,823 in 19,572 households.
The following census in 2011 counted 107,131 people in 29,433 households.
The 2016 census measured the population of the city as 127,396 people in 39,043 households.
Climate
Bam has a
desert climate
The desert climate or arid climate (in the Köppen climate classification ''BWh'' and ''BWk'') is a dry climate sub-type in which there is a severe excess of evaporation over precipitation. The typically bald, rocky, or sandy surfaces in desert ...
(
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...
''BWh'') with long, hot summers and mild, short winters. The average annual rainfall is around 60 mm.
Climate
Universities
Bam University
Bam University is a prestigious academic institution that offers undergraduate courses in this university.
Bam University of Medical Sciences
Bam Medical University is one of the most important universities in this city.
Islamic Azad University, Bam branch
Islamic Azad University Bam branch, is considered one of the most prestigious universities in Bam.
See also
References
External links
*
Newspaper item: "The Lost Beauty that was Bam"BBC story: "Bam: Jewel of Iranian heritage"Digital Silk Roads Project – Citadel of Bam. Photos and movies
2003 earthquake
BBC news reportIRINNews.org "Special on Bam three months on"IRINNews.org "Tehran lowers Bam earthquake toll"ICOMOS Heritage at Risk 2004/2005: The Bam Earthquake
Earthquake reconstruction
*
ttp://www.payvand.com/news/09/may/1227.html Bam: Five Years After
*Arg-e Bam – The BAM Citadel – Film Documentary:
Arg e Bam Movie Documentary – The BAM Citadel
{{Iranian Architecture
Populated places in Bam County
Cities in Kerman province
World Heritage Sites in Iran
Architecture in Iran
Populated places along the Silk Road
Populated places destroyed by earthquakes