Guilan is one of the 31 provinces of Iran, located along the Caspian Sea. At the center of the province is the city of Rasht, the capital of Guilan. Guilan has a high population density as a result of its temperate weather and fertile soil. It’s surrounded by the Caspian Sea and Azarbaijan Republic to the north, Zanjan & Qazvin to the south, Mazandaran to the east and Ardebil to the west.

Agriculture

Guilan Province has a special status in the agricultural sector of Iran for providing food security. This province is one of the most suitable regions of Iran for the production of horticultural and agricultural products, including rice, tea, olives, hazelnuts, citrus fruits, watermelons, peanuts, kiwi, flowers, ornamental plants, greenhouse products, as well as summer crops.

One of the investment opportunities in Guilan Province is to create an “export terminal for agricultural and horticultural products” in the center of the province. Proximity to Sardar Jangal International Airport, access to transit road and railway lines, proximity to commercial ports and access to customs of the province are the advantages of this project. It is important to know that that Guilan is known as a leading province in developing of Iran's economic relationships with the neighboring countries and member countries of the Eurasian Economic Union. Moreover, Guilan is an active province for the export of products produced in other provinces of Iran, and establishment of this export terminal will play a significant role in increasing the volume of exports of agricultural and horticultural products produced in the country.
Animal breeding activities of the province include breeding and raising all kinds of livestock such as cows, calves, sheep, goats, buffaloes, poultry, silkworms, bees and aquatic animals.
Livestock products such as raw milk, red meat, poultry meat and eggs, honey, caviar and fish. Moreover, breeding of warm water and cold water fishes is done in the wetlands, springs, dams and rivers of Guilan.

Industry and Mining

Guilan Province is one of the most prominent provinces of Iran in the field of food industry, and currently more than 300 industrial units are active in Guilan in the field of food and transforming industries in the agricultural sector. The presence of dozens of superior production and processing units for tea, rice, olives, dairy products, mineral water, etc. is one of the capacities of this sector. Moreover, Guilan is known as the hub of cake and cookie production in Iran.
The production of high-quality auto parts, especially the production of clutch discs and plates, front parts, shock absorbers, exhaust components, plastic parts, auto electrical appliances, etc., has turned this province into the fourth best province in Iran in the field of auto parts manufacturing.
Guilan has long been known as a hub for the production of pharmaceutical and health products in Iran, and the existence of some leading pharmaceutical units in this province, such as Subhan Daru and Caspian Tamin, has made Guilan a hub for the production of various medical pills, medical syrups, ointments and drops. Guilan ranks the second in the production of pills, ampoules, topical solutions and disinfectant solutions in Iran.
Production of cement, herbal medicinal products, vegetable oil, aluminum radiators, ingots and steel bars are among the other important industrial products of this province.

Ports and Shipping Facilities

Anzali is one of the most active ports in the Caspian Sea Region and it is the largest northern port of Iran; in addition to having tourist attractions, it is extremely important due to its location on the Europe-Asia communication route. Benefitting from the investments made in Infrastructure, multi-purpose warehouses and various terminals and the purchase of the most modern loading and unloading equipment, Anzali Port has been distinguished from other ports in the region.
Astara Especial Economic Zone is the closest maritime communication route located in the northwest of Iran. This port is located near the border of Iran and Azerbaijan, which is a part of the North-South Corridor known as Nostrak.
The advantages of Astara Especial Economic Zone are: the closest port to the ports of the Caspian Sea Countries; the transit route to Armenia, Turkey and Iraq; the only land border of the province with the Republic of Azerbaijan; providing services for regular goods, container goods, refrigerated goods, grain, oil tanks; and having rail connection with the national railway network of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

Anzali Free Zone

Anzali Free Zone as the only free zone in the southern part of Caspian Sea and the economic hub of Iran with an area of 9400 hectares of land and 40 km shoreline is located in Gilan province which has launched its official activity since 2005. In addition to the legal incentives and exemptions of free zones such as tax exemption for 20 years, customs duties Exemption and value-added also has special advantages such as strategic transportation and transit position by being in North – South (Nostrac) corridor, existence the most active port in the north of the iran within its legal surrounded area, adjacency and relationship with Caspian Sea north ports and big populous markets of the Caucasus and Central Asia countries, activity of Anzali Free Zone Mercantile Exchange hall, enforcement of passengers goods law inside this region, being on the route of under construction Qazvin - Rasht – Anzali railway, existence of international exhibition center and under construction Caspian port complex, having mild climate, untouched nature , beautiful beaches of the Caspian Sea, Entertainment centers such as marine recreation center, coastal sports complex, residential complexes, equipped tourist centers, Commercial complexes, industrial zone with infrastructure facilities to establish production units in Hi Tech industry, Nano and electronics, processing and packaging of agricultural products, medical and optical instruments. These are great advantage and attractiveness for investment in this area so that these advantages have made Anzali Free Zone a golden opportunity for investment.

 Important advantages of Anzali Trade-Industrial Free Zone are:
♦ 20-year tax exemption for all activities and in all fields after obtaining the economic activity license
♦ Entry of raw materials, parts and machineries of factories and manufacturing units without paying customs duties
♦ The possibility of participation with foreign investors without restrictions on the participation ratio
♦ The possibility of commercial and retail activities in the form of the legal advantage of the passengers' accompanying goods
♦ Caspian Port Complex and having an exceptional position in transportation and transit, owing to being located in the north-south corridor
♦ Existence of the consumption market of countries bordering the Caspian Sea, CIS and Caucasus with a population of over 450 million people
♦ Adjacency to the ports of Astrakhan of Russia, Oktau of Kazakhstan, Krastodesk of Turkmenistan and Baku of Azerbaijan
♦ Being the closest free zone to the capital, as well as the proximity to Rasht's Sardar Jangal International Airport

Trade and Customs in Guilan

Due to its strategic and geopolitical location, the customs of Guilan Province has always been considered as the gateway to Europe and the main route for connecting the north to the south of Iran. Most of the export items of Guilan Province are headed to the Commonwealth of Nations and Eurasia, which are carried out from the active customs of Guilan, including: Astara, Anzali, Hassan Rood Free Zone, Astara Especial Economic Zone, Astara Railway Terminal, Caspian Free Zone and Rasht Railway. The main export products from these customs are vegetable products, mineral products and their artifacts, chemical products, plastic products and food industry products. The target countries are Russia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Georgia, Afghanistan, Ukraine, Turkmenistan and Belarus. The main imported items are: the basic commodities of grains (barley and livestock corn), meat, oil, wood, board, chemical products needed for paper and cardboard, wood pulp, machineries, accessories and parts. The origin of these items is Russia, Kazakhstan, China, Azerbaijan, United Arab Emirates, Ukraine, Turkey, etc.

Industrial Estates & Industrial Areas

Rasht Industrial Estate, with an area of about 521 hectares, has very favorable conditions for attracting industrial investors owing to the existence of the necessary facilities. Benefitting from having special advantages, such as supplying more than 450 liters of water per second, more than 400 megawatts of electricity, existence of gas and telephone lines, the passage of the railway line and asphalted transit road in its vicinity, this industrial park provides suitable platforms for attracting investment for various industries.
There are 36 industrial estates in Guilan Province, of which 33 parks, with an area of 1716 hectares, are being utilized and active. Among them, Sefidrood Industrial Park, due to its proximity to the provincial capital and Rasht railway station, Lowshan Industrial Park, due to its proximity to Tehran, Hasanrood Industrial Park, due to its location in the Anzali free zone and Lahijan, are amongst the most prominent industrial areas of Guilan Province.

Manpower and Knowledge Capital

♦ The third rank in provincial population density in Iran
♦ The third rank in the rate of economic participation, with a high share of women's activity, in Iran
♦ The presence of numerous specialized and advanced research centers and universities related to the production of the province
It should be noted that about one-eighth of the population of the province are graduates of higher education.

Investment Opportunities in Guilan

♦ Investment Opportunities Brochure- 5 Sectors 2024 

♦ Investment Opportunities 2024 

♦ Investment Opportunities in Agriculture Sector 2024 

♦ Investment Opportunities in Industry Sector 2024 

♦ Investment Opportunities in Service Sector 2024 

♦ Investment Opportunities in Construction Sector 2024 

♦ Investment Opportunities in Water, Electricity, Gaz Sectors 2024