Kerman Province (Persian: استان کرمان‎‎, Ostān-e Kermān) is one of the 31 provinces of Iran. Kerman is in the southeast of Iran with its administrative center in the city of Kerman. In 2014 it was placed in Region 5. Mentioned in ancient times as the Achamenid satrapy of Carmania, it is the second largest province of Iran with an area of 180,726 km², that encompasses nearly 11 percent of the land area of Iran. The population of the province is about 3 million (9th in the country). The main counties of Kerman province are Baft, Bardsir, Bam, Jiroft, Rafsanjan, Zarand, Sirjan, Shahr-e-Babak, Kerman, Mahan, Rayen, Kahnuj, Qaleh Ganj, Manujan, Roodbar-e-Jonob, Anbar Abad, and Ravar.