Rasht

Rasht or Resht, city (1991 pop. 340,637), capital of Gilan prov., NW Iran, near the Caspian Sea. It is an administrative and trade center for a fertile agricultural region where rice, cotton, silk, and peanuts are produced. Manufactures include textiles, food products, and glass. Bandar-e Anzali serves as its port on the Caspian. The city has had a history of Russian influence since the 17th cent.

City (pop., 2006: 557,366), north-central Iran. It is situated on a branch of the Safīd River south of the Caspian Sea. Its importance as the main city of the Gīlān region dates from Russia's expansion southward in the 17th century. In the 20th century, it was severely damaged by Russian occupation during both world wars. Surrounded by rice fields and areas of half-cleared forests, it is a market and a processing centre for rice, tea, peanuts (groundnuts), and silk.

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