ILAM

city, western Iran. The city is rural in appearance and is located near the Iraq-Iran border. A number of roads emanate from Ilam, linking it with the border towns of Mehran and Dehloran. The city's population consists mostly of Kurds. Local industries produce bricks, woven cloth, coarse carpets, and sack cloth. The surrounding region is a continuation of the valley of Mesopotamia and was formed by the deposition of sediments eroded from the Zagros Mountains. Economically backward, the region is populated by the Posht-e Huhi group of Lurs, many of whom are settled farmers. They are Shi'ite Muslims, and their periodic revolts were, in times past, a source of trouble for the Iranian government. Agriculture is the principal occupation of the region, and barley, wheat, rice, oilseeds, potatoes, and dates are grown. There are also a few oilfields in the region. A climatological station and a small thermoelectric-power plant are located at Ilam. Pop. (1982 est.) 75,000.