Ferdows County

Ferdows County is in South Khorasan province, Iran. Its capital is the city of Ferdows.

History
Situated in the north of the province, Ferdows County, which was formed in 1944, originally included a large area (more than 78,000 km2), but its subdivisions have gradually become independent and now encompasses four counties (Ferdows, Tabas, Sarayan and Boshruyeh counties). After dividing the former Khorasan province into three provinces, Ferdows County was initially a part of Razavi Khorasan province, but was incorporated within the borders of South Khorasan province in March 2007.

Population
At the time of the 2006 National Census, the county's population was 61,346 in 17,539 households. The following census in 2011 counted 41,626 people in 12,440 households, by which time Boshruyeh District had been separated from the county in the establishment of Boshruyeh County. At the 2016 census, the county's population was 45,523 in 14,302 households.

In May 2020, Baghestan Rural District, Borun Rural District, and the city of Eslamiyeh were separated from the Central District in the establishment of Eslamiyeh District, which was divided into two rural districts and the city. At the same time, the village of Baghestan-e Olya was elevated to the status of the city of Baghestan.

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

Geography
Ferdows County borders Gonabad County and Bajestan County to the north, Gonabad County and Sarayan County to the east, Boshruyeh County to the west and south, and Tabas County to the south.

Agriculture
Ferdows is famous for its high quality saffron and pomegranate.

Visitor attractions

 * Ferdows Hot Mineral Spring
 * Ferdows Hole-in-the-Rock
 * Polond Desert
 * Ferdows Religious School (dating to Safavid dynasty)
 * Ferdows Congregation Mosque (Jame' Mosque of Ferdows) (dating to Seljuk dynasty)