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encyclopedia
Makran (Persian:
مکران ) is the southern region of Balochistan,
in Iran
and Pakistan
along the coast of the Arabian
Sea and the Gulf
of Oman. The Persian
phrase Mahi khoran, (Fish eaters and Ichthyophagoi
i.e. Fish eaters in Greek)
which has become the modern word Makran [1].
The narrow coastal plain rises very rapidly into
several mountain ranges. The area possesses a very dry climate
with very low rainfall. Makran is very sparsely inhabited, with
much of the population being concentrated in a string of small
ports including Chah
Bahar, Gwatar,
Jiwani,
Gwadar
(not to be confused with Gwatar), Pasni,
Ormara
and many smaller fishing villages. The total length of the
coastline is about 1,000 km (of which 750 km is in Pakistan).
The Pakistani government is currently developing
Ormara as a major new naval base and Gwadar as a major new
commercial port as well as a new highway along the entire length
of the coast. These projects have been prompted by the commercial
and military bottleneck at Karachi. The new naval base at Ormara
will host about half of the Pakistani Navy, whilst Gwadar is
planned to reduce the pressure on the two international ports at Karachi.
The Iranian government did plan to develop Chah
Bahar in the 1970's, but the toppling of the Shah put an end to
those plans.
One of the earliest historical references to the
area is the crossing by the army of Alexander
the Great during its return from South
Asia, as recorded in the journals of Nearchos.
According to Nearchos, Alexander had wanted to surpass the
achievements of Queen Semiramis
and Cyrus
the Great, whose attempts to cross the desert with armies had
ended in disaster. However it has also been suggested it was
necessary to take this route to travel in support of the Greek
fleet. According to Plutarch,
only one quarter of the Alexander's army survived the journey.
From the 15th
century onward, the area was ruled by indigenous Zikri
families and sometimes by the Iranian government. In the late 18th
century, the Khan
of Kalat is said to have granted sanctuary at Gwadar
to one of the claimants for the throne of Muscat.
When that claimant became Sultan,
he kept hold of Gwadar, installing a governor, who eventually led
an army to conquer the city of Chah
Bahar some 200 kilometres to the west.
The sultanate held onto the Makran coast
throughout the period of British pre-eminence in South Asia, but
eventually only Gwadar was left in the hands of the sultan. On the
formation of Pakistan,
Makran became a district within the province of Balochistan, minus
an area of 800 km˛ around Gwadar. The enclave was finally
transferred in 1958 to Pakistani control as part of the district
of Makran. The entire region has been subdivided into new smaller
districts over the years.
The coast of Makran possesses only one island, Astola
Island, near Pasni,
and several insignificant islets. The coastline can be divided
into an eastern lagoon coastline and a western embayed coastline.
The main lagoons are Miani
Hor and Kalamat
Hor. The main bays of the embayed coast are Gwadar
West Bay and Gwatar
Bay. This latter bay shelters a large mangrove forest and the
nesting grounds of endangered turtle species.
For music of Makran, see the fine recording issued
by the International Music Collection of the British Library
National Sound Archive. (see link below)
See also
Notes
-
^
The
origins of the name on Livius.org
External links
