West Azarbaijan Province

8/9/2019 West Azarbaijan Province

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West Azerbaijan ProvinceWest Azerbaijan or (Turkish Language: جانی رباز آیغرب – Batı Azərbaycan ) is one of the

30 provinces of South Azerbaijan(Iranian Azerbaijan). It is located in North west of thecountry bordering with Turkey, Iraq and Nakhchivan, and the provinces of East

Azerbaijan, Zanjan.

The province of West Azerbaijan covers an area of 39,487 km², or 43,660 km² including

Lake Urmia. In 2006 the province had a population of 3,015,361.History

Permanent settlements were established in the province as early as the 6th millenniumBCE as excavation at sites such as Teppe Hasanlu establish. In Hasanlu, a famous Golden

Vase was found in 1958. The province is also the location of Tepe Hajji Firuz, site of some of the world's earliest evidence of wine production. Gooy Teppe is another

significant site, where a metal plaque dating from 800 BCE was found that depicts ascene from the epic of Gilgamesh.

Ruins such as these and the UNESCO world heritage site at the Sassanid? compound of

Soghorloo(Takht-i-Suleiman) illustrate the strategic importance and tumultuous historyof the province through the millennia. Overall, the province enjoys a wealth of historical

attractions, with 169 sites registered by the Cultural Heritage Organization of Iran.



The first monarch of Iran's Qajar dynasty, Agha Muhammad Khan, was crowned inUrmia in 1795.

Geography and ClimateWith an area of 43,660 square kilometers, including Lake Urmia, the province of West

Azerbaijan is located on the north-west of South Azerbaijan(Iranian Azerbaijan).

The climate of the province is largely influenced by the rainy winds of the Atlantic Ocean

and Mediterranean. Cold northern winds affect the province during winter and causeheavy snow. According to existing meteorological data, local temperatures vary within

the province.Average temperature differs from 9.4 °C in Khana(Piranshahr) to 11.6 °C in

SavujBolagh(Mahabad), while it is 9.8°C in Urmia, 10.8

°C in Khoy, 9.4

°C inKhana(Piranshahr), and in Savuj Bolagh(Mahabad) 11.6 °C. According to same data, the

highest temperature in the province reaches 34 °C in July, and the lowest temperature is – 16 °C in January. Maximum change of temperature in summer is 4 °C, and in winter 15

°C. West- Azerbaijan province, encompassing vast and fertile plains, high mountains,enjoying moderate and healthy weather, rivers with high volume of water, vineyards,

orchards, luxuriant forest and rangelands, mountain outskirt with wonderful flora,magnificent wildlife and beautiful shores around the lake with different recreational

facilities, which all together form one of the most beautiful and spectacular region in Iran.A land with wonderful flora during the spring and the summer covered with tulip, poppy,

narcissus and hyacinth extending from Araz(Arass) rivers banks in the north to ZabKouchak valley in the south.



DemographicsThe province is divided into 14 shahrestans (counties). The present number of

shahrestans (counties) was achieved over time by subdivision of many of the larger shahrestans into smaller ones. The current shahrestans are: Urmia, Khana(Piranshahr),

SavujBolagh(Mahabad), Oshnaviyeh, Qoshachay(Miandoab), Sulduz(Naghadeh), TikanTappa(Takab), Shahindej, Maki(Maku), Chaldoran County, Salmas, Khoy, Sardasht and

Bay Kandi(Bukan). There are no official statistics or census figures on the ethnic makeupof Iran. The bulk of the population in West Azerbaijan Province are Azerbaijanian

Turks(80%) and Kurds.Colleges and universities

Urmia University was first built by an American Presbyterian missionary in 1878. A

medical faculty was also established there headed by Joseph Cochran and a team of American medical associates. Joseph Cochran and his colleagues were buried in an old

cemetery in the vicinity of Urmia. Urmia University website says this about them:



There they lie in peace away from their homeland, and the testimonial epitaphs on their tombs signify their endeavor and devotion to humanity.

The province today has the following major institutes of higher education:Urmia University of Medical Sciences

Urmia University

Urmia University of TechnologyIslamic Azad University of KhoiIslamic Azad University of Mahabad

Islamic Azad University of UrmiaIslamic Azad University of Piranshahr

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West Azarbaijan Province