'GAZETTEER OF PERSIA. VOL. III. PART I: A to K' [‎322r] (648/1278)

In the southern boundary however are included the two islands of Kharak
and Khargu which lie in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. off the coast of the Haiat-
Daud District.
Physical GeogrrapA?/.—Pars may be divided climatically and to some
'extent physically into three divisions :—
The Sardsir (sarhadd) or high country forming part of the Central Iranian
Plateau. The Garmsir or low hill country through which access is obtained
to the plateau from the sea. and the coastal plain, which varies from 12
miles in breadth near Dilam, 30 miles from Bushire to only one or two
miles or even less behind Daiyir Kangan and Tahlrl.
Sardsir .—The following districts are reckoned sardsir or sarhadd by
natives : they cover, roughly speaking, that part of the province north of
a line drawn through Mian Kutal, Firuzabad, Jahrum, and Darab, thus
including the greater part of the province.
Abadeh-i-Iqlid.
Abadeh Tashk.
Abra j.
Ardakan.
Khafrak.
Kuhmarreh,
Kurbal.
Mahin.
Arsinjan.
Marvdasht.
Baiza.
Bawanat.
Mashhad Murghab.
Niriz.
Chehar Dangeh.
Dizkurd.
Qunqurl.
Ramjird.
Istehbanat.
Sarchahan.
Kam FIruz.
Sarvistan.
Kamin.
Shiraz.
Kavar.
Shulistan.
Khafr.
Salkh.
From the sea as far as Shiraz, the mountains form a series of ridges roughly
parallel to the coast, divided from each other by valleys of from four to
ten miles in breadth. They are in general very fertile, and afford abundant
grazing ; even in the garmsir, water is always obtainable at no great
depth, but lack of population, and the anarchy, that with rare intervals
has long prevailed in the province combine to retard its agricultural
development.
From Shiraz northwards the mountains system is less regular and the
valleys generally more undulating though very fertile; the limit of cul
tivation is about 8,000'. The hills are as a rule barren ; oak forests, which
abound in Luristan, are reproduced in Fars only along a narrow belt
scarcely 15 miles broad near Mian Kutal, extending far to the north-west,
but not more than 50 miles to the east. North of Shiraz there is little
forest, except near the Tangi-i-Bulaghi; mountains are seldom over 4 , 000 '
from top to base, except in the Kuhgalu ; from the sea northwards they
rise tier upon tier, increasing gradually in elevation, the folds being
generally quaquaversal, and fairly regular, and the increase in height of
the intervening valleys proportionate to that of the hills.
The Garmsir .—This term, in native parlance, signifies all districts lying
between the sardsir (y.s.') and the sea, though for our purposes it is conveni
ent to consider separately the coastal district which forms a part of it
It consists of valleys, seldom more than 5 miles wide, running roughly
parallel to each other in a north-west and south-east direction, separated by