With a total area of 15,504 square kilometers and seven counties including Yasuj city as its center, Kohgiluyeh & Boyer Ahmad is the 27th largest province of Iran. It is a kind of bridge between five provinces of Fars, Khuzestan, Bushehr, Chaharmahal & Bakhtiari, and Isfahan. Different ethnic groups speaking Lori dialect, Turkish with Qashqai dialect, and Farsi live in the province. The Zagros Mountain Ranges cover the entire province, resulting in two forms of cold (in mountains) and tropical (in plains and lowlands) climates.
Before the advent of Islam in Iran in 651 A.D., Kohgiluyeh was one of the five districts of Fars. When Alexander Macedonian invaded Iran in 330 B.C., a battle happened between him and Ario Barzan, the commander of the Iranian army but Alexander succeeded in conquering the Persepolis. Later, Zem Zemijan, one of the five big tribes of Fars, fell under the control of a man called Jiloyeh. It seems that since the third century A.H., a part of the current Kohgiluyeh in Jiloyeh Mountain was the residence of Zem Zemijan.
Shah Abbas I of Safavid Dynasty (1501-1736) offered the governance of Kohgiluyeh to one of his commanders-in-chief by the name of Allah Verdi Khan who had a Georgian origin. At the end of this dynasty and following the Afghans invasion of Iran, Kohgiluyeh tribes fought with them. In the following years, even during the reign of Zand (1751-1794) and Qajar (1796-1925) Dynasties, Kohgiluyeh did not experience complete peace.
Kohgiluyeh & Boyer Ahmad province has a high potential in terms of tourism due to its unique natural attractions and desirable climatic conditions, especially in spring and summer. The rich resources of water, wetlands, lakes, waterfalls, caves, and straits make the province heaven of nature lovers. Of other attractions of the province include migratory nomadic tribes, indigenous celebrations, and ceremonies, natural and ancient historical sites such as Yasuj waterfall, Tall Khosrow, Tange Ganjei, Cheshme Belghais garden, Kuh Gol Lake, Fire temple of Kheir Abad, Lishtar dome and Kheyri Mohammad Khan’s historical bridge.
Handicrafts by the tribes and nomads of the province have a long history, being inspired by the history, culture, and nature of the region. For example, carpets, Gabe-Bafi, Jajim-Bafi, special kind of Kilim (Mashteh), basket weaving, Siah-Chador (traditional tent), Tubreh, Khorjin (saddlebag), Ja-Qurani (book stand for Quran), local and tablecloths are the most prominent handicrafts of the province.
Local souvenirs also include medicinal herbs, local oil, local butter and curd, Qarehqurut (black curd), Dena honey, sesame, and apple. When it comes to local dishes, we can mention Sholeshiri, Kalle Joshak (Kalak Suz), Tilit-e-Piaz (onion dish), Aush Kar, Dampokhtak, Shole Mashki, and Berko Bread.