Geographical Location and General Properties of Isfahan Province

Isfahan province with an area of 107029 square kilometers and 6. 5 percent of total area of country is one of the largest and the most important provinces of the country in the central part of Iran, located between 30degrees and 35 minutes to 34 degrees and 30minutes of latitude and 49 degrees and 37minutes to Eastern 55 degrees and 29 minutes of geographical longitude from Greenwich meridian. The shape of the province from the point of geographical extension is in such a way that its top distance from the East to the West along the Northern 33 degrees and 30 minutes orbit is 532.5 KMS and from the South to the North along the Eastern 51 degrees and 45 minutes meridian is 405 KMS. The distance of the province center to the farthest towns in different geographical directions is relatively similar "this geographical location" balances the towns access to the center of the province.

Isfahan province in different geographical directions is in the neighborhood of8 provinces including: Markazi, Qom, and Semnan in the North, Yazd in the East, Fars and Kohgiloyeh and Boyerahmad in the South and Chahamahalo- Bakhtiary and Lorestan in the West. This province has naturally been restricted to Dasht-e-Kavir in the East and the North and Zagros, mountains (that extends from Western- North to Eastern-South like a barrier) in the West and South, too this natural location has provided limitations on one hand and potentials and advantages for the province on the other hand.
This province from the point of geographical location and the earth divisions is located in the subtropical orbital adjacent region and is influenced by the high-pressure systems of Siberia high- pressure and Azores hot South air on one hand and on the other hand it is influenced by other factors such as; being far from humid centers (oceans and seas) and heights directions) that the effects of these factors, make Isfahan a relatively arid and semidry province with little rainfall .In this direction the difference of various regions heights from the sea level causes a variety in weather (rainfall, temperature, relative humidity,)in the province. In this case, we can identify 3types of climates in the whole province:

1- Very dry climate to hot dry includes bulk of the province such as; Eastern lowland regions and Northern and central plains of the province.
2- Semihumid climate to cold humid includes; Southern and Western highlands of the province.
3- Semidry climate includes; Northern and central highlands of the province and boundaries between Golpayegan , Khansar- Fereidan to the North of Semirom. Macro social and macro economical situation of the province and the province position in the country Isfahan province has had the population of 4599172 in 2006 that is 6.6 percent of the country population. From the point of population distribution among various societies , 81 .92 percents of the province population has been devoted to urban areas and the rest 18.08 percent, to rural centers . Isfahan by itself has up to 42.89 percents of the province urban population.
- Isfahan province from the point of employment had 1000257 employees in 2005 with 11.7 percents of agricultural sectors, industry and mine 41.55 percents, and services 46.75 percents, respectively. 75 percents of the province employees have worked in the private sector and 25 percents in the public sector.
- Unemployment rate was 12.4% in 2005. A study on changes process of this rate in comparison to previous years indicates that economical activities stagnation and the number of the unemployment has reached to 194000 that provincially this rate is 1.1 % more than the country unemployment. In addition, according to the latest statistics in 2005, the province economical participation rate has been 44.6%.
Also, value added share of major economical sectors in the province local gross product is as follows:
Fishing and agricultural sector: 9%-Industry and Mine sector: 30%-Services Sector: 53%-Construction, Water, Electricity, and Gas sector: 8%.