Astara

Astara (Persian: آستارا, also Romanized as Āstārā) is a city in and the capital of Astara County, Gilan Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 40,664, in 11,436 families. It lies on the border with Azerbaijan Republic and on the Caspian Sea. It is a relatively important border trade center between Iran and the Caucasus. The oldest theory for the name of Astara comes from Vedic songs and writings which explains Astara as a place where the rays of lights shine from behind to light the pathways ahead. another theory is that the city's name is derived from the Talysh word اوسته‌رو (Osta-ro or hosta-ro), meaning "the place where the travel gets slower" (given the marshlands that surrounded the region before)this theory...