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West Azerbaijan province

استان آذربایجان غربی
Location of West Azerbaijan province in Iran
Location of West Azerbaijan province in Iran
Country  Iran
Region Region 3
Capital Urmia
Counties 19
Area
 • Total 37,437 km2 (14,455 sq mi)
Population
 (2016)
 • Total 3,265,219
 • Density 87.2190/km2 (225.8963/sq mi)
Time zone UTC+03:30 (IRST)
Main language(s) Persian (official)
local languages:
Armenian
Assyrian Neo-Aramaic
Azerbaijani
Kurdish
Lishán Didán
HDI (2017) 0.758
high · 26th

West Azerbaijan Province (Persian: استان آذربایجان غربی, romanized: Āzarbāyjān-e Gharbī) is one of Iran's 31 provinces. Its capital and largest city is Urmia. This province is located in the northwest of Iran. It shares borders with Turkey, Iraq, and Azerbaijan's Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic. It also borders other Iranian provinces like East Azerbaijan, Zanjan, and Kurdistan.

The province covers an area of about 39,487 square kilometers. If you include Lake Urmia, the area becomes 43,660 square kilometers. In 2016, the population of West Azerbaijan Province was 3,265,219 people.

West Azerbaijan Province Historical Population
Year Pop. ±%
1956 721,136 —    
1966 1,087,182 +50.8%
1986 1,971,677 +81.4%
2006 2,831,779 +43.6%
2011 3,080,576 +8.8%
2016 3,265,219 +6.0%

Discovering Ancient History

This province has been home to people for a very long time. Permanent settlements were built here as early as 6,000 BC.

Famous Discoveries

  • At a place called Teppe Hasanlu, a famous Golden Vase was found in 1958.
  • Tepe Hajji Firuz is another important site. It has some of the earliest proof of wine making in the world.
  • At Gooy Teppe, a metal plaque from 800 BC was discovered. It shows a scene from the ancient story, the Epic of Gilgamesh.

These old ruins, like the UNESCO world heritage site at Takht-i-Suleiman, show how important this area has been throughout history. The province has many historical places, with 169 sites officially recognized by the Cultural Heritage Organization of Iran.

A Look at the Past

Brue, Adrien Hubert, Asie-Mineure, Armenie, Syrie, Mesopotamie, Caucase. 1839. (CG)
An old map showing the region of Matiene

The earliest known civilization in this area was the Mannaeans. They lived between the powerful Urartian and Assyrian empires. The Mannaeans spoke a language similar to Urartian. Later, the region was known as Mantiene in Greek writings.

Armenian History

This region is also important in Armenian history. It was known as Vaspurakan and Nor Shirakan. It was a key part of historical Armenia and a birthplace of Armenian culture.

A very important battle happened here on May 26, 451 AD. The Armenian army, led by Vardan Mamikonian, fought the Sasanian army on the Avarayr Plain. This place is now called Churs in West Azerbaijan province. Even though the Persians won the battle, it was a big win for Armenians in the long run. The Battle of Avarayr led to the Nvarsak Treaty (484 AD). This treaty allowed Armenians to practice Christianity freely.

Changes in Control

In the late 4th century AD, the Sasanians took control of the area. They made it part of the nearby Adhurpadagan region. The name Adhurpadagan later became Azerbaijan. It comes from Atropates, an Iranian governor under the Achaemenid empire.

By the 7th century, the area came under Islamic rule. Over time, different local rulers took charge. In the 11th and 12th centuries, the Seljuk Turkic tribes conquered the region. During the 14th century, under Timurid rule, the city of Khoy became very important.

Later, local Kurdish groups like the Mukriyans, Bradosti, and Donboli ruled the region for centuries. They sometimes sided with the Ottomans or the Safavids. A famous battle, the battle of DimDim, happened here between the Safavids and the local Bradosti Kurds. After a long fight, the Castle of Dimdim was captured.

Modern History

The Safavid rulers, especially Shah Abbas, brought the region back under firm control. But later, in the 18th century, the Ottomans took over the northwestern parts of Iran. Nadir Shah then drove them out and brought the area back under Iranian rule.

In the 20th century, the region saw more changes. The Russian army occupied it several times. The Ottomans also occupied it. In 1941, Soviet forces took over, leading to a short-lived state called the Republic of Mahabad (1945-1946).

The province was renamed several times. In 1937, it was called Shomal-e gharb (northwestern province). Later, it was divided into western and eastern parts. In 1961, the western part was officially named West Azerbaijan by Iran.

Key Events in Recent History

  • There were some periods of unrest and changes in control in the region.
  • The Soviet occupation happened in 1944.
  • The Republic of Mahabad was formed and later ended in 1946.

The Zoroaster Claim

Some researchers have suggested that the prophet Zoroaster was born near Lake Orumieh in this area. However, newer studies suggest he was more likely born in Central Asia.

Geography and Weather

West Azerbaijan Province is in the northwest of Iran. It covers 43,660 square kilometers, including Lake Urmia.

Climate

Cold winds from the north bring heavy snow in winter. Temperatures vary across the province. For example, the average temperature is 9.4°C in Piranshahr and 11.6°C in Mahabad. In Urmia, it's about 9.8°C. The highest temperature in the province can reach 34°C in July, and the lowest can be –16°C in January.

How the Province is Divided

West Azerbaijan.svg The province is divided into different areas called counties. Here's a look at how the population has changed in these counties:

West Azerbaijan province population history
Administrative Divisions 2006 2011 2016
Baruq County1
Bukan County 202,637 224,628 251,409
Chaharborj County1
Chaldoran County 44,572 46,398 45,060
Chaypareh County2 43,206 47,292
Khoy County 365,573 354,309 348,664
Mahabad County 197,441 215,529 236,849
Maku County 174,578 88,863 94,751
Miandoab County 245,153 260,628 273,949
Naqadeh County 117,831 121,602 127,671
Oshnavieh County 63,798 70,030 73,886
Piranshahr County 107,677 123,639 138,864
Poldasht County3 42,071 42,170
Salmas County 180,708 192,591 196,546
Sardasht County 104,146 111,590 118,849
Shahin Dezh County 89,356 91,113 92,456
Showt County3 52,519 55,682
Takab County 81,395 78,122 80,556
Urmia County 856,914 963,738 1,040,565
Total 2,831,779 3,080,576 3,265,219
1Separated from Miandoab County
2Separated from Khoy County
3Separated from Maku County

Major Cities

Many people in West Azerbaijan Province live in cities. Here are some of the largest cities based on the 2016 census:

Rank City Population
(2016)
1 Urmia 736,224
2 Khoy 198,845
3 Bukan 193,501
4 Mahabad 168,393
5 Miandoab 134,425
6 Salmas 92,811
7 Piranshahr 91,515
8 Naqadeh 81,598
9 Takab 49,677
10 Maku 46,581
11 Sardasht 46,412
12 Shahin Dezh 43,131
13 Oshnavieh 39,801
14 Qarah Zia od Din 26,767
15 Showt 25,381

People and Languages

West Azerbaijan Province is home to different groups of people. Most of the population are Azerbaijanis and Kurds. There are also smaller groups of Armenians, Assyrians, and Jews.

It's not fully clear which language is spoken by the most people in the province. Some parts, including the capital city of Urmia, mostly speak Azerbaijani. However, some studies suggest that Kurdish might be the main language for a slightly larger number of people across the whole province.

Where People Live

  • The counties of Bukan, Mahabad, Oshnavieh, Piranshahr, and Sardasht are mainly populated by Kurds.
  • Counties like Chaldoran, Maku, Miandoab, Naqadeh, Salmas, and Takab have a mix of both Azerbaijanis and Kurds.
  • Salmas also has a small Christian community.

Learning and Education

West Azerbaijan Province has several important universities.

Urmia University

Urmia University was first started by an American Presbyterian missionary in 1878. A medical school was also built there, led by Joseph Cochran and other American doctors. These doctors dedicated their lives to helping people in the region. They are buried in an old cemetery near Urmia.

Other Universities

Today, the province has many major places for higher education, including:

  • Urmia University [1]
  • Urmia University of Medical Sciences
  • Urmia University of Technology
  • Islamic Azad University of Urmia
  • Islamic Azad University of Salmas
  • Islamic Azad University of Khoi
  • Islamic Azad University of Piranshahr
  • Islamic Azad University of Mahabad

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Provincia de Azerbaiyán Occidental para niños

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