View source for Babolsar

{{for|the administrative subdivision|Babolsar County}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name =Babolsar
|native_name = بابلسر
|settlement_type        = city
|image_skyline =Babolsar Bridge.jpg
|imagesize = 
|image_caption = Babolsar Bridge
|pushpin_map            =Iran
|mapsize                =150px
|subdivision_type       = [[List of countries|Country]]
|subdivision_name = {{flag|Iran}}
|subdivision_type1 =[[Provinces of Iran|Province]]
|subdivision_name1 =[[Mazandaran Province|Mazandaran]]
|subdivision_type2 =[[Counties of Iran|County]]
|subdivision_name2 =[[Babolsar County|Babolsar]]
|subdivision_type3 =[[Bakhsh]]
|subdivision_name3 =[[Central District (Babolsar County)|Central]]
|leader_title           = 
|leader_name            = 
|established_title      =
|established_date       = 
|area_total_km2           = 
|area_footnotes           = 
|population_as_of         = 2006
|population_total =47872
|population_density_km2   =auto
|timezone               = [[Iran Standard Time|IRST]]
|utc_offset             = +3:30
|timezone_DST           = [[Iran Daylight Time|IRDT]]
|utc_offset_DST         = +4:30
|coordinates            = {{coord|36|42|09|N|52|39|27|E|region:IR|display=inline,title}}
<!-- Area/postal codes & others -------->
|postal_code_type       =  <!-- enter ZIP code, Postcode, Post code, Postal code... -->
|postal_code            =
|area_code              = 0112
|website                = http://www.babolsarcity.org
}}
'''Babolsar''' ({{lang-fa|بابلسر}},  also [[Romanize]]d as '''Bābolsar''' and '''Bābul Sar'''; also known as '''Mashhadsar''' (Persian: مَشهَدسَر), also Romanized as '''Mashhad-i-Sar''' and '''Meshed-i-Sar''')<ref>{{GEOnet3|-3054346}}</ref> is a city in and the capital of [[Babolsar County]], [[Mazandaran Province]], [[Iran]]. It is located alongside the [[Caspian Sea]].

At the 2016 census, the city population was 75,761, in 24,666 families.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.amar.org.ir/portals/0/census/1395/results/Census95_Khanevar_Jameiyat.xlsx|title=2016 Iran Census|last=|first=|date=|website=|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|access-date=}}</ref>

[[Image:Dabir Azam Hosna.jpg|thumb|right|120px|[[Dabir Azam Hosna]], former mayor of Babolsar]]
[[File:Park in Babolsar, Iran (2006).jpg|thumb|center|250px|A park in Babolsar]]

==Geography==
Babolsar is located on the southern coast of the [[Caspian Sea]]. Since the Babol river passes through the city, both the bank of the river and the beach of the sea form tourist attractions in the city.  The city is home to the major faculties of the [[University of Mazandaran]].{{citation needed|date=December 2010}} Babolsar has an area of 446 square kilometers.{{citation needed|date=October 2011}}

==History==
The city acquired its current name in 1927. The city's historic name is ''MaÞhad-e Sar'' or ''Mashhadsar'', meaning "the special way to [[Mashhad]],{{citation needed|date=December 2010}} referring to the only road connecting the northwest of Iran to the northeast, including Mashhad, which passed through Babolsar. By the 18th century, Babolsar had become a busy commercial port. During the reign of [[Nadir Shah]], it was the base for Iran's Caspian fleet. By 1909, the port yielded 12 percent of the total customs revenue of Iran. However, by 1895, ports in [[Gilan]] were already competing with Babolsar.

During [[Reza Shah]]'s reign, Babolsar lost much of its remaining trade to the new port of Bandar-e Shah at the terminus of the trans-Iranian railroad. The cargo handled at Babolsar in the years of 1935 and 1936 was only 25,000 tons. A modern quarter and a hotel were built during this period. The end of [[World War II]] brought a new era of vitality to the city as a summer seaside resort for people from [[Tehran]], which gave rise to a new phase of rapid expansion. Babolsar's population increased from about 3,500 in 1945 to 11,781 in 1966 and 18,810 in 1976.{{citation needed|date=December 2010}}

==Climate==

Babolsar has a [[humid subtropical climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification]] ''Cfa'') with warm summers and cool winters. Rainfall may occur at any time of the year but is heaviest in autumn and winter.

<div style="width:70%;">

{{Weather box
|location = Zahedan
|metric first = Y
|single line = Y
|Jan record high C = 25.8
|Feb record high C = 24.6
|Mar record high C = 31.0
|Apr record high C = 32.4
|May record high C = 42.0
|Jun record high C = 36.0
|Jul record high C = 37.0
|Aug record high C = 39.0
|Sep record high C = 39.0
|Oct record high C = 34.0
|Nov record high C = 30.0
|Dec record high C = 25.0
|Jan high C = 11.7
|Feb high C = 11.5
|Mar high C = 13.3
|Apr high C = 18.2
|May high C = 23.5
|Jun high C = 27.8
|Jul high C = 30.4
|Aug high C = 30.1
|Sep high C = 27.6
|Oct high C = 22.9
|Nov high C = 18.4
|Dec high C = 14.2
|Jan mean C = 7.0
|Feb mean C = 7.5
|Mar mean C = 9.7
|Apr mean C = 14.2
|May mean C = 19.4
|Jun mean C = 23.8
|Jul mean C = 26.2
|Aug mean C = 25.9
|Sep mean C = 23.2
|Oct mean C = 18.2
|Nov mean C = 13.3
|Dec mean C = 9.2
|Jan low C = 3.6
|Feb low C = 4.3
|Mar low C = 6.8
|Apr low C = 11.0
|May low C = 15.9
|Jun low C = 20.1
|Jul low C = 22.3
|Aug low C = 22.0
|Sep low C = 19.4
|Oct low C = 14.3
|Nov low C = 9.5
|Dec low C = 5.6
|Jan record low C = −7.0
|Feb record low C = -4.0
|Mar record low C = −2.0
|Apr record low C = 1.0
|May record low C = 6.0
|Jun record low C = 9.0
|Jul record low C = 15.0
|Aug record low C = 16.0
|Sep record low C = 9.0
|Oct record low C = 4.0
|Nov record low C = 0.0
|Dec record low C = −3.0
|Jan precipitation mm = 96.1
|Feb precipitation mm = 67.2
|Mar precipitation mm = 67.2
|Apr precipitation mm = 31.9
|May precipitation mm = 19.3
|Jun precipitation mm = 20.8
|Jul precipitation mm = 25.1
|Aug precipitation mm = 61.3
|Sep precipitation mm = 82.2
|Oct precipitation mm = 163.2
|Nov precipitation mm = 119.3
|Dec precipitation mm = 131.0
|Jan sun = 124.7
|Feb sun = 119.4
|Mar sun = 126.5
|Apr sun = 162.0
|May sun = 214.2
|Jun sun = 242.4
|Jul sun = 237.9
|Aug sun = 205.0
|Sep sun = 181.5
|Oct sun = 161.4
|Nov sun = 136.9
|Dec sun = 122.4
|Jan rain days = 10.7
|Feb rain days = 9.6
|Mar rain days = 11.5
|Apr rain days = 8.2
|May rain days = 6.3
|Jun rain days = 4.7
|Jul rain days = 4.9
|Aug rain days = 7.9
|Sep rain days = 7.8
|Oct rain days = 9.0
|Nov rain days = 9.1
|Dec rain days = 10.6
|Jan snow days = 1.0
|Feb snow days = 1.0
|Mar snow days = 0.4
|Apr snow days = 0
|May snow days = 0
|Jun snow days = 0
|Jul snow days = 0
|Aug snow days = 0
|Sep snow days = 0
|Oct snow days = 0.1
|Nov snow days = 0
|Dec snow days = 0.3
|Jan humidity = 86
|Feb humidity = 85
|Mar humidity = 85
|Apr humidity = 83
|May humidity = 80
|Jun humidity = 77
|Jul humidity = 78
|Aug humidity = 80
|Sep humidity = 82
|Oct humidity = 84
|Nov humidity = 86
|Dec humidity = 87
|source 1 = NOAA (1961-1990) <ref name= NOAA>{{cite web
  |url = ftp://ftp.atdd.noaa.gov/pub/GCOS/WMO-Normals/RA-II/IR/40736.TXT
  |title = Babolsar Climate Normals 1961-1990
  |publisher = [[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]]
  |accessdate = December 28, 2012}}</ref>
}}

</div>

==Universities==
University of Mazandaran (UMZ), currently the largest state higher education center in the province of Mazandaran, had formerly consisted of a number of tertiary education centers. In 1979 the centers were officially merged to form what is now known as University of Mazandaran.  In recent years, UMZ has made significant progress, expanding itself with vision both qualitatively and quantitatively. It presently includes 12 faculties on its campus: Faculty of Mathematical Sciences, Faculty of Theology and Islamic Sciences, Faculty of Marine and Oceanic Sciences, Faculty of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Arts and Architecture, Faculty of Law and Political Sciences, Faculty of Physical Education and Sports Sciences, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, Faculty of Chemistry, Faculty of Technology and Engineering, and Faculty of Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism.

UMZ has now about 12000 students who are currently studying at undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate levels and over 400 faculty members teaching and researching at different faculties of the university. Until 2016, more than 15000 students got graduated from different faculties of our university. Based on the policy of the Iranian Ministry of Science, Research and Technology (MSRT), UMZ is committed to providing high quality education, innovative research at undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate levels leading to scientific and technological achievements.

==References==
{{reflist}}
* [http://www.iranica.com/newsite/articles/v3f3/v3f3a064.html Bābolsar] entry in the [[Encyclopædia Iranica]]

{{Wikivoyage|Babolsar}}

{{Babolsar County}}
{{Mazandaran Province}}

{{Portal|Iran}}

[[Category:Populated places in Babolsar County|*]]
[[Category:Cities in Mazandaran Province]]
[[Category:Populated coastal places in Iran]]
[[Category:Populated places on the Caspian Sea]]
[[Category:Port cities and towns in Iran]]
[[Category:Port cities and towns of the Caspian Sea]]
[[Category:Cities in Iran]]