Darab County

Darab County is in Fars province, Iran. Its capital is the city of Darab.

History
Legend ascribes the foundation of the city to Darius, hence its name Darab-gerd ("Darius-fort").

In the neighborhood there are various remains of antiquity, the most important of which mi. S., is known as the Kalah i Dal-a, or citadel of Darius, and consists of a series of earthworks arranged in a circle round an isolated rock. Nothing, however, remains to fix the date or explain the history of the fortification. Another monument in the vicinity is a gigantic bas-relief, carved on the vertical face of a rock, representing the victory of the Sassanian Shapur I (Sapor) of Persia over the Roman emperor Valerian, A.D. 260.

Administrative history
After the 2006 National Census, Qaleh Biyaban and Qaryah ol Kheyr Rural Districts, and the city of Jannat Shahr, were separated from the Central District in the establishment of Jannat District. In addition, the villages of Do Borji and Fadami were elevated to city status.

After the 2016 census, Fasarud and Paskhan Rural Districts were separated from the Central District in the formation of Fasarud District. The villages of Rostaq and Paskhan rose to city status in 2018 and 2022, respectively.

Population
At the time of the 2006 census, the county's population was 172,938 in 39,955 households. The following census in 2011 counted 189,345 people in 50,595 households. The 2016 census measured the population of the county as 201,489 in 59,525 households.

Administrative divisions
Darab County's population history and administrative structure over three consecutive censuses are shown in the following table.

Geography
Darab County has five hundred villages, and possesses a very hot climate, snow being rarely seen there in winter. Darab County has an area of about 7,500 square kilometers and an altitude of 1180 meters.

Economy
Darab produces fruits, cereals, cotton, and tobacco, while the lower areas are used for winter crops by the Baharlu tribe. There are also nearby salt mines which have long been utilized. The town Darab, the capital of the district, is situated in a very fertile plain, 140 mi. S.E. of Shiraz. It has extensive orchards of orange and lemon trees and immense plantations of date-palms.