1911 Encyclopædia Britannica/Nishāpūr (province)

NISHĀPŪR, a province of Persia, situated between Meshed and Sabzevar, in northern Khorasan. The older name of the district was Abarshehr. It has a population of from 130,000 to 140,000, is divided into twelve districts, and pays a yearly revenue of about £12,000. It produces much grain and cotton, and is considered one of the most fertile districts of Persia. One of its subdivisions is that of Bār-i-Mādan, with chief place Mādān (situated 32 m. N.W. of the city of Nishāpūr, at an elevation of 5100 ft., in 36° 28′ N., 58° 20′ E.), where the famous mines are which have supplied the world with turquoises for at least 2000 years. The province used to be one of the administrative divisions of Khorasan, but is now a separate province, with a governor appointed by the shah.