Soran (district)

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Soran (Kurdish: Deverí Soran) is an area in Iraqi Kurdistan bordering Iranian and Turkey. Its main city is also called Soran, although the town of Rawanduz is better known outside of the region . According to Kurdistan television, citing an official in the town of Soran, the population of the region is estimated to be over 400,000.

Kurdish settlement in the region dates back prior to the establishment of the Sassanid empire. King Ardashir I of Persia mentioned the region in 224 as being populated by Kurds, during his battle against the Kurdish king Madig.

A major Kurdish dialect (Sorani) is named after the region.

One of the Kurdish principality named as the Soran lordship ruled, for some years, in the 19th century, one of the famous kings was Pasha Kora(Blind king). They went to war with the Ottoman empire and also the Baban lordship.

[edit] Sub-Districts

Soran District is similar to a county, and the seat of government for Soran District is at the Town of Soran. Formerly it was at Diyana, however due to the growth of the population over the past fifteen years, it was moved.

There are four sub-districts in Soran, being Diyana, Khalifan, Rawanduz and Sidakan.

Coordinates: 36°65′N, 44°53′E