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Arak, (in Persian: اراک) previously known as Soltan-abad, is the center of Markazi province, Iran. It had an estimated population of 511,127 in 2005.[1] Due to its good location, at the heart of the country, along with its diverse population and facilities, it has sometimes been considered one of the good alternatives for being the capital of the country, hence replacing the current capital, Tehran.^{[citation needed]}

Contents 1 History 1.1 Historical Buildings and Architecture 2 Location and climate 3 Climate 4 Industries 5 Universities 6 Demography 7 Agriculture and handicrafts 8 Notable people from Arak 9 References 10 External links

Arak is built on the ruins of a small town called Daskerah, which was destroyed during Mongol invasion of Persia. Modern Arak is a relatively new city having a mere two centuries of history. The city was created during the Qajar era because of its fertile lands and also a buffer against the attack of tribes living in southern Iran when Yousuf Kahn Gorji advised Fath- Ali Shah to build a castle in the area. This region was called "Persian Iraq" (Iraq-e ajam) (عراق عجم) from ancient times, later it changed to "soltan Abad". Under the rule of the Reza Shah Pahlavi, who wanted to make Arak the capital, the main railways crossed the city and later the south-north oil pipe line passed through the city, which lead the city to grow fast.

• Baazar
• Hammame charfasl
• borge shishe

Arak is located at 34.08° N 49.7° E . The city is surrounded by mountains in the south, west, and east. Arak is located in adjacency two important cities: Qom and Isfahan. Its average altitude is 1750m above sea level and is 280 km from the capital, Tehran.

Arak in geneal has a relatively cold and dry climate. Its weather is warm and dry in summer, windy and cool in autumn, cold and snowy in winter, and mild in spring. The maximum temperature may raise up to 35 degrees Celsius in summer and may fall to below -25 degrees Celsius in winter. The average rainfall is around 300mm and the annual relative humidity is 50%.

Arak is one of the main industrial cities of Iran, possessing many plants for heavy industries especially for the metal and machinery industries, namely:

• Machin Sazi Arak (MSA) and AZAR AB factories (for producing heavy machinery such as boilers and chemical reactors)
• Wagon Pars (train manufacturer)
• Iranian Aluminum Company (IrAlCo)
• Avangan (for high voltage pylons)
• HEPCO (heavy road construction vehicles)
• Petrochemical factories and oil refineries
• Navard Aluminum Mfg. Group (Navard e Aluminum) aluminum factory
• Iran Combine Manufacturing Company (Combine-sazi-e Iran)
• Arak Oil Refinery Company, (Palayesh gaahe nafte arak)

And in recent years, a heavy water production plant and two power plants: a fossil fuel power plant and a low power (less than 40 megawatts) heavy water nuclear power plant.^[1]

• Arak University of Medical Sciences
• Arak University of Science and Technology
• University of Arak
• Islamic Azad University of Arak
• Tarbiat Moallem University of Arak

According to 1995 data, Arak has a population of 380755 whom 193112 were male and 187643 were female and consisted of a total of 84481 families. There is a diversity in the Iranian ethnic living in this city. It includes and Persians and Lurs. Also, in the Safavid era, some Armenians had been settled in Arak [2], but their numbers have been due to migration to Tehran.

The main agricultural products are grain, barley, and fruits which are grape, apple, walnut and almond. However, Arak's hand made Persian rug|carpets,especially the Sarough brand, are famous internationally.

• Ezatollah Bayat who was mosadegh's son in law and arak's member of parlimant in shah regim(samsami high school.sahmolmolk high school.ghods hospital.pangali.etc)
• Amir Kabir, was born in Arak, in a northern region known as Hezaveh.
• Ghaem Magham Farahani, was born in Arak, in a Northern region named Farahan.

Note that Amir Kabir has grown up in Ghaem Magham's family.

• Mohammad Mossadegh, Iran's Nationalist Prime Minister.
• Fakhreddin Araghi
• Foroogh Farrokhzad,
• Ata'ollah Mohajerani, He was one of Khatami's cabinet ministers during the power of reformists.
• Kader Abdolah, laureated Dutch writer.
• Ayatollah Araki

• ^a  http://cns.miis.edu/pubs/week/040812.htm

• Arãk entries in the Encyclopaedia Iranica
• Armenian Iranian's web site